THE GRAND LINE CAN WAIT: PART 3

East Blue Sage - Warship Island Arc - Episode 58-59

Dakota's POV:

We fall through some tree roots deep into the ground, and soon I land on my back with Apis safe in my arms while the others, like myself, lie around in the dirt; I gradually lift myself and look up at the ceiling and hole we fell through. "We're… alive, right?" Usopp wonders.

"Yeah, seems so. By the way, whose idea was it to use a key up there?" Sanji asks, and Apis laughs nervously when Luffy returns her claw pendant.

"Here, ya go," Luffy says and places it in her waiting palm, and he gives her a goofy smile; I get to my feet and set her on hers.

"Well doesn't matter, we're inside now," I remark as I dust off my trousers.

"Result right!" Apis jokes as she gives us a smile and a thumbs up.

"But… what is this place?" Zoro asks, and I have to agree.

"And… what do you think that is?" Luffy asks, and we all look at the images on the ceiling fading and cracking away.

"What… is it?" Apis asks as we all stare up in a trance.

"Wow, what a huge house! What's that a picture of?" Luffy wonders as we stare at the ceiling with paintings of all sorts.

"It looks like some kind of map…" Usopp responds, and I have to agree with him.

"Yeah, but you can't tell what it says since it's crumbling. What is this place anyways? Isn't this suppose to be the Dragon's Nest?" Sanji questions.

"Dunno. What do you think, Apis?" Luffy asks her, and I walk over to her as she stays with Grandpa Ryu.

"I don't know. Grandpa Ryu says he doesn't know what this place is either." Apis answers, looking at the others.

"Geez, the same useless geezer as always," Usopp complains, which riles up Apis.

"What was that?!" She snaps at him.

"Well… it's true!" He snaps back.

"And how are you being useful?" The girl asks him angrily.

"M-Me?!" The Sniper asks, pointing to himself, and I shake my head at him as he comes over, trying to intimidate Apis, but she's having none of it.

"Hey, everyone, take a look at this! The ceiling collapsed here." Luffy calls our attention, and I look over to see the large ceiling slab with a painting of what looks like a green dragon.

"It's huge!" Apis exclaims with Usopp.

"Hey, watch out there…" Usopp warns, and they jog over to the large slab. "This place looks ready to cave in! If we don't hurry up, we'll get into danger. Let's just get out of here right now."

"But this could be the Dragon's Nest!" She argues, not wanting to leave just yet.

"Oh, really, there's not a Dragon in sight!" He argues back, standing over Apis, who gives him a mean glare.

"Wait a minute…" Nami says, stopping the two from arguing, and we all look at her.

"What is it, Nami?" I ask her turning my head as I watch her stare at the ceiling.

"This… might not be the Lost Island," Nami confirms.

"See?" Usopp taunts Apis which angers her a little.

"DON'T ACT LIKE A SMARTASS WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW THE REASON WHY!" Apis shouts at him, and I walk over to her and place my hand on her head, calming her down.

"How do you know that, Nami?" Luffy asks his Navigator.

"Look at the ceiling," Nami instructs us, and Luffy wordlessly tilts his head up, and I look again at the ceiling.

"The drawings on the ceiling?" Luffy asks her.

"Look closely. It's a map that shows the direction of the Lost Island. The island that has a dome-shaped building on it." Nami points out, and I look closer and see what she means. "That is this island. And this building is that dome." She explains her findings.

"It certainly does look that way." Sanji comments.

"Therefore, the people surrounding the island must be those who lived here long ago. Maybe they're Apis' ancestors or something." The Navigator explains more of her theory.

"Our ancestors?" Apis mutters as she stares at the ceiling.

"Do you remember what Granpa Bokuden said?" Nami asks, and I see her looking at Luffy like he would know the answer.

"Nope. I was asleep." Luffy answers truthfully.

"Come on. He said that the people of Warship Island came from a different island, remember?" She asks him, but he never retains information. Ever.

"Did he?" He asks and tilts his head to the side.

"Oh yeah, come to think of it, he was saying something like that. Then was the royal court he was talking about was located on this island?" Usopp asks.

"Probably. We saw statues and drawings of the dragons here and there when we arrived. I think that the people on this island worshipped the Millenium Dragons as Gods. Long ago, the Millenium Dragons probably flew around here." The ginger woman explains more.

"Really? Then the chance of the Dragon's Next being here is low." Usopp comments.

"But then where's the real one?" Apis asks, looking over at her.

"Maybe that island with a dragon drawn on it." Zoro points out.

"Exactly." Nami agrees, and I look at the ceiling and find the island painting. "There's an island drawn ahead of the people who are worshipping, right? That's probably the real Lost Island. The Dragon's Nest is probably there too, but…" She says, and I look closer at the painting to see it seems familiar.

"Wait, a second! That island's shaped like…" Apis realises and looks up at me.

"Yeah. if you think about the way it's pictured on the map, the Dragon's Nest would have to be located on Warship Island." I reply, and the others look at me as I look at Nami, who nods in confirmation.

"Wait, you said there was no Dragon's Nest on Warship Island!" Usopp accuses Nami and me.

"But that's what it says on the map! Do you think these ancestors drew things for no reason?" Nami asks him.

"She's right you idiots! There's no way Nami-san could be wrong! This means it's somewhere on that island; we'll know for sure once we get there." Sanji goes into Nami's corner against Usopp.

"But… I have a feeling that it might have sunk into the sea." She concludes, and I have a theory, but I won't voice it quite yet. "It's entirely possible that's what happened."

"That would explain why no one has been able to find it before." I voice in, and Apis rushes over to Grandpa Ryu.

"Apis?" Usopp calls out to her as she rushes over.

"Grandpa Ryu! Please remember, Grandpa Ryu! Where's the Dragon's Nest? We thought we had found it, but there's nothing here! Only those drawings! Grandpa Ryu! Look at the pictures! Can you remember anything? We have nothing left to go on unless you remember! Please! Remember where it is, Grandpa Ryu!" Apis cries out to him, and he looks up, and I follow his gaze to the ceiling, and at that moment, a flock of birds flies around over the picture of this island, and it seems to trigger something for the old Dragon. "Grandpa Ryu!"

"Okay, I guess the Dragon's Nest is on Warship Island after all," Luffy says as he seems to have a bond with Grandpa Ryu.

"How did you know that Luffy?" She asks him as she looks over at him.

"Just somehow." He answers.

"You're right. Grandpa Ryu says he remembers now. To the East of the summit in a place that looks like a battleship. That's where the Dragon's Nest is." The young girl tells us.

"Geez, we come all the way over here and look at what happens," Usopp complains.

"Sorry," Apis says, and I look over at her and walk around, crouching on her left side, hugging her as she leans on me. "I know it might have sunk into the sea long ago, and I dragged you all here searching for it. I guess it was just a waste of time." I hug her tighter and rub her back, feeling the guilt waving off of her.

"Come on; there's still a chance. Who knows, the Dragon's Nest might be in some unexpected place! But we won't know unless we go looking for it, right?" Usopp asks her, trying to cheer her up.

"That's right," Nami agrees, and she looks up at her. "It's not like you get depressed over something like this, Apis."

"If you're too afraid of making mistakes, you won't be able to do anything." Sanji joins in, and she looks over at the men.

"The 'roundabout way of life' isn't bad," Zoro says, and I smile as I squeeze her, causing her to look up at me.

"We're okay with the adventure, and we'll help you and Grandpa Ryu the Dragon's Nest because we want to," I tell her, and she looks at all of us in surprise.

"Guys." Apis whispers, and I hear Luffy giggling.

"Let's go! Grandpa Ryu won't get his health back if we sit around here, will he?" Luffy cheers with his arms outstretched, and I shake my head, seeing Apis smiling.

"Thank you!" She says, and I feel another presence from behind us, and Zoro also feels it as he holds his favourite sword ready to strike, which Nami notices.

"Is something wrong, Zoro?" Nami asks him.

"Somebody's here," I answer, and they look at me as I stand straight, keeping Apis behind me.

"What?" Usopp asks, looking over.

"He's up there," Luffy says and runs over, pointing to the top of the giant hole where I see Erik standing.

"Many thanks for the explanation. For now, I know where the Dragon's Nest is." Erik smirks, feeling pleased with himself.

"Oh, you again!?" Luffy exclaims, probably forgetting who he was.

"But it would be a waste if it's under the sea. So I will have to take that Millenium Dragon with me." He threatens, and Apis runs from behind my legs towards Erik.

"No way!" Apis shouts at him. "We don't even know if the Dragon's Nest is under the ocean yet!"

"He said something about having the ability of the Kama Kama no Mi." Sanji reminds the others.

"Man, why do we have to deal with a weirdo like him? The Kama Kama no Mi? He has a Devil Fruit ability?" Usopp complains though he doesn't seem scared yet.

"Luffy," Zoro calls out to our Captain as he walks forward to the front of our group.

"Yeah?" He answers and looks over at our First Mate.

"Take Grandpa Ryu and get on the ship," Zoro says, looking at Luffy with a wicked grin. "I'll come later."

"Gotcha." Luffy grins, agreeing with our Swordsman.

"O-Oi… to the ship? I don't see an exit." Usopp wonders aloud.

"Then we'll…" Luffy says and walks away over to Grandpa Ryu and Apis. "MAKE ONE!" He runs past us fast towards the opposite wall.

"No way…" Nami screeches and Luffy runs with a roar to the wall and goes head first, bouncing off and landing on his back before sitting up, holding his aching head.

"Huh? I was sure I could break it." Luffy wonders as he stares at the wall.

"Oi, oi, oi, oi, oi, oi, oi…" Usopp and Sanji say at the same time, and pieces of the stone wall begin to fall, and the part to Luffy's right collapses, letting sunlight brighten up the place.

"Hey, it opened!" He cheers as he gets to his feet, as a large cloud of dust spreads through the area. "Result, alright. Result, alright… we're going Apis!" He walks over to Apis and Grandpa Ryu.

"That guy is stronger than a caveman." Sanji gapes.

"You won't get away!" Erik yells and jumps down to join us, holding onto a branch to slow his descent, and comes face to face with Zoro, who's waiting for him. The two strike blows, and I walk over to Luffy as he stands, looking at another chunk of the ceiling which is upside down, and he looks up at the top where it once was as if trying to figure out what it means.

"LUFFY! YOU DUMBASS! GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!" Zoro shouts as he tries to hold Erik back.

"Oh, sorry," Luffy says and grabs hold of the rope attached to the cart, and everyone gets on bar me as I jog over to Zoro and quickly kiss him on the cheek, causing him to blush.

"Good luck, not that you'll need it." I joke and run over to the cart and hop onto the front allowing Luffy to run, pulling the cart towards the hole.

ONE PIECE - WARSHIP ISLAND ARC

Luffy crashes through the last remaining part of the wall to freedom, but there's no surrounding land as we fall in the open air; the others screech as we fall till we hit a large branch and skate down. "Whoo! This is fast!" Luffy cheers as we glide along it down and side to side, and we fly off the branch and back on the stone path downhill.

"I-It's amazing how we always m-manage to be safe." Usopp cries from behind.

"We aren't 'safe' yet, you idiot!" Nami cries, and I laugh as it feels like the rollercoasters on some of the future islands we'll visit.

"Man, this is easy!" Luffy laughs as we rocket down the island's stone path towards the sea.

"I'm the fastest thing alive right now!" Usopp sort of boasts.

"How is that suppose to impress anyone?" Sanji shouts over the loud rumbling noise from the cart.

"Luffy! Do something!" Nami cries out. "We'll be in pieces before we can reach the ship!"

"S-okay! S-okay!" Luffy shrugs her off, grinning like a madman.

"HOW'S THAT!?" She yells.

"Hey, is Zoro really going to be okay?" Apis asks Luffy.

"Huh? Of course." Luffy answers right away with no hesitation showing his belief in our Swordsman.

"But that guy has a Devil Fruit power! He can't win, no matter how strong he is!" She yells her doubt.

"Even then, it'll be okay!" He yells at her, and I look ahead to see a path in the stone wall in front of us that is most likely blocked.

"Luffy! Up ahead, ahead!" The young girl cries out her warning.

"Oh, that's not good!" The goofy idiot gulps.

"DON'T JUST TALK ABOUT IT! DO SOMETHING!" Apis screams, but it's too late as we skate through with only a little trouble and rocket out over a small cliff back onto the stone path. "Luffy… there's another dead end ahead…" Apis whimpers and I jump onto Grandpa Ryu's back next to her and pull her into my lap for comfort and support like I did when my Brothers used to when we were younger.

"We'll destroy it!" Luffy shrugs it off.

"We can't!" I snap at him.

"This is the same cliff we through before! If we do, we'll fall off the edge, and we'll be done for!" Nami shouts from the back, still cowering.

"Can't we fly over it?" Luffy asks the dumbest question.

"WE CAN'T FLY!" Apis shouts at him, and as if it were fate, the cart does a hard turn dodging the cliff and continuing on the stone path heading for a wall and bouncing off, going backwards, again bouncing off the other wall and going down the other ramp. At the bottom, we hit the final barrier, spin around, and roll towards the water.

ONE PIECE - WARSHIP ISLAND ARC

We roll towards the Going Merry slower, finally reaching the water. "I think we arrived safely…" Nami cries.

"Really? I wouldn't say that, considering the luck we've had today…" Usopp says, and we come to a jarring halt, and the three on the back of the cart fly into the water, and I slide off with Apis in my arms from Grandpa Ryu's back.

"We're here!" Luffy cheers, completely missing that the others are in the water. "Get prepared; we're going!"

"I can't take it anymore." Nami cries, and I giggle a little.

"Shithead." Sanji curses with a dark look at our Captain.

"I am so going to kill him!" Usopp vows from under the water. A bird perches on Grandpa Ryu in front of Apis as the others get out of the water. Luffy grabs the rope for the cart and pulls, readying to connect it to the back of the ship again.

"Luffy!" Apis calls, and he stops. "Zoro! They said that Zoro's in trouble! What are we going to do? We have to go and help him!" I place her on the cart and go over to Luffy as he stops what he's doing and looks over in the distance.

"Sis, can you find Zoro?" Luffy asks me, and I nod, allowing my eyes to change, and I search the island and find Zoro with Erik.

"Let's get on the ship first," I tell them.

ONE PIECE - WARSHIP ISLAND ARC

We all stand on the ship, ready, and I move Luffy a little to his left and nod. "ZORO~!" Luffy shouts through the whole island, stretches out his arm as a warning, and grabs hold of the back of Zoro's shirt. "Bingo!"

"AWESOME!" Apis exclaims in shock, and Luffy retracts his arm.

"Let's go!" He shouts, and Zoro comes flying towards us.

"I'D BETTER NOT HIT THE SHIP~!" Zoro screams as he comes closer, and before I can move, he hits me down on my back as he flies into me, with him lying between my breasts, much to Sanji's anger and disappointment, and the others look at us.

"Oh… sorry. Least you didn't hit the ship." Luffy apologises and helps his First Mate to his feet, and I see the blush on his face and feel my cheeks heating up as Nami helps me with a grin plastered on her face.

"One of these days, I am definitely going to kill you…" Zoro growls at our Captain, and Nami barks orders to set sail back to Warship Island.

ONE PIECE - WARSHIP ISLAND ARC

I steer the ship through the storm with Apis at my side tied around the waist as we make it out back through the mirage wall and past the Marine ship. "Oooh! We're out; we're out!" Luffy cheers from outside.

"That is such a weird feeling…" Sanji comments as we sail back to Warship Island, and we make a reasonable distance from the Marine ships before they begin to tail after us, and I let Apis go outside with the others.

"Woohoo! They're trying to come after us! But they'll never catch up!" Usopp cheers, looking back.

"Compared to that large framed Navy battleship, the Going Merry can manoeuvre more quickly, but… hey, what are you going to do once we reach Warship Island?" Nami asks our Captain as he sits on the figurehead at the front of the ship.

"It's okay!" Luffy replies with no care in the world.

"WHAT?!" She yells at him.

"As long as we find the Dragon's Nest first and get Grandpa Ryu healthy again, that's enough, right?" Luffy asks as he looks over his shoulder.

"You make it sound so easy. The island might have sunk under the ocean, right?" Sanji questions trying to reason with our Captain.

"Then we'll just go search underwater!" He says happily.

"You're like a hammer in the water, remember?" Zoro reminds him.

"Regardless, we have to get out of here as soon as possible! We can't waste our time dealing with the Marines." Nami tells us, and I walk outside with the others as we discuss our next move.

"Nami-san, it doesn't look like that's going to be possible." Sanji points out, and we all look surprised to see the headship of Fleet 8, where the leading man resides.

"AWESOME!" Luffy exclaims, "So, cool! It looks like a floating gargoyle!"

"Oi!" Zoro snaps at him as he stares with his mouth agape, but not too long later, more battleships manoeuvre from behind the headship in two straight lines with over ten ships on either side.

"How can they even have that many?!" Sanji gapes at the sight of the fleet before us, blocking our way to Warship Island.

"These damn Marines, how many ships do they have?" He wonders, and the ships move past the main vessel and circle around us. After that, they link black metal chains around us, trapping us in the middle.

"What are we going to do?" Apis asks, and I comfortably place my hands on both her shoulders. "We'll be captured!"

"We'll board their ships, kick them off and cut their chains. It's the only way." Usopp says, seeming too smug for the usual coward.

"Wow! Can you do something like that, Usopp?" She asks him, and I can't help the laugh that escapes my lips, earning me a mean glare from him, and he points his arm out.

"Go! Luffy! Zoro! Sanji! Killer!" He orders us with a big grin still on his face.

"I should've known…" The adorable girl mutters under her breath, and I walk towards the ship's side.

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea, though," Zoro says, getting riled up.

"Are you serious?" Apis asks him. "No matter how many lives you had…" Nami cuts her off by placing a hand on her shoulder, causing the little girl to look up at her.

"It'll be okay, Apis. It'll work out somehow. But get the job done quickly, okay?" Nami tells us.

"Leave it to us, Nami-san," Sanji says, looking over his shoulder, still the lovesick Cook as always.

"Alright! Let's go!" Luffy yells, pumped for the fight, and the Marines begin to fire cannonballs at us from the front missing causing the ship to rock side to side a little. "Yoohoo! This feels great! Alright! Let's go!" Nami enters the kitchen and begins steering us out of the oncoming cannonballs from all directions. I walk over to the boys at the front of the ship. I look behind as Apis runs out of the kitchen again towards the back. She falls over again from the rocking of the cannonballs hitting the water alongside us.

"Usopp! Protect her!" I order him as he looks at me, I point over to the fallen girl, and he looks over at her.

"Apis! It's dangerous out here; get down below deck!" Luffy orders her, probably wanting to do the same thing.

"I can't leave Grandpa Ryu out here alone!" Apis replies and gets to her feet, running to the old Dragon.

"A-Ah! Wait! Stop!" Usopp shouts as he chases after her, and I lose sight of them when two cannons hit near the back of the side, sending the rear up from the water. We rock violently forward before settling back, causing Usopp to tumble forward into the opposite wall on his back, head on the floor, but he gets right back up through the pain, holding his head. "AHH! We've been hit from behind!" He cries out and runs to Sanji on the upper deck near me. "Oi, Sanji! We've been hit! Sanji! Oh, we goners! We're goin' down!"

"Knock it off! They missed us." Sanji tells him, and he calms down from his manic episode.

"Huh? Really?" Usopp asks as he turns around.

"Yep," He answers him.

"Ah, we're saved." The Sniper lets out a breath of relief. "Who the hell made up a stupid lie like that?" He asks.

"You did!" Zoro and I snap at him, and he seems annoyed at us for some reason.

"Lookin' good! Lookin' good! Forward!" Luffy cheers from the figurehead, and I spot an incoming cannonball we're unlikely to miss. "Hey! A cannonballs' coming this way!"

"This is all I can do right now! You deal with it!" Nami snaps from inside, and Luffy gets up from Merry's head and runs along the side.

"Alright, let's try this!" He exclaims as he meets the cannonball. "Gum-Gum Balloon!" Luffy inhales and expands his stomach allowing the cannonball to bounce off him and it goes flying towards one of the Marine ships and hits the mast cracking it in half, meaning one ship down from the nearly thirty ships surrounding us. I hear an alarm from the main battleship and see a giant cannon rolling out, targeting us.

"What is that?!" She gasps from behind as he comes outside. "If we take a hit from that, we'll be blown to smithereens!"

"We're cool!" Our Captain shrugs it off as he and Zoro look over at the ship's side. "I'll just launch it back again."

"Don't be an idiot!" I snap at him, slapping him harshly, and he yelps in pain. "We have to change direction!" I snap at him.

"Start moving the stern!" Nami shouts at the boys. "Hurry!" That causes the boys to run to the back, and I look over to see Usopp over at our side cannon talking to himself and fire right into the giant barrel, and as they begin to fire, it explodes inside.

"Alright, Usopp!" I exclaim and laugh as the others stop looking over.

"It was probably just a fluke," Sanji says.

"Yeah, probably." Zoro agrees, and that's the only thing they seem to agree on.

"What? I can do that any time! Just watch me!" Usopp defends himself.

"Usopp, that was cool!" Apis yells up from Grandpa Ryu's cart in awe and gives him a thumbs up that he gives back.

"We're fine. Don't worry. Remember, you've gotta protect Apis!" Luffy talks to Grandpa Ryu.

"Who ya talkin' to?" Usopp asks him as he walks over.

"To Grandpa Ryu." He answers, and Usopp seems confused.

"Now's our chance. We'll attack quickly while they're distracted, cut the chains and make ourselves an escape route." Nami informs us as we stand around as she talks to us.

"Aye, Nami-san." Sanji agrees with no argument.

"Luffy." Zoro looks over at him.

"Leave it to me!" Luffy says and stretches out his arm towards one of the battleships. "Gum-Gum Crossing Bridge!" He latches onto the railing allowing Zoro and Sanji to run along his arm to the battleship. "Dakota, you coming?" He asks, looking over at me.

"I'll do the others," I tell him and Nami, and Usopp look at me strangely, but I walk to the front of the ship. "Usopp, I want you to protect Apis while we're gone, anything happens to her I'll come for you after I'm done with them," I warn him, and he nods, gulping. Luffy retracts towards the Marine ship and slams into Zoro, alerting the Marines to their arrival, no doubt. I reach the front of the Going Merry and jump hard into the air, rocking the ship slightly from the force. "Akuma Akuma no Demon Form: Dagon," I whisper, and a blue liquid engulfs me before I hit the water.

ONE PIECE - WARSHIP ISLAND ARC

3rd POV:

Nami, Usopp and Apis watch Dakota hit the water in worry, knowing she'll likely sink due to being a Devil Fruit eater. But, they see something moving under the water towards the Marine ships fast, and whatever it is jumps out onto the battleship.

ONE PIECE - WARSHIP ISLAND ARC

On the Marine battleship, the moving object jumps out of the water onto the deck, causing a small dent in the wooden floor. Marines rush out to see a tall feminine pale blue-scaled woman with long white hair barely hiding her fin-like ears and orange markings on her face. She stands before them as they ready their guns and swords; the Aquatic Demonic Woman gathers the dripping water and forms it into a ball, and kicks it at the large group of Marines. "Get her!" The surviving Marines shout as they run toward her.

"Yeah right." Dakota sneers, moving more water into a ball that hits the left side and knocks them back, she moves her arms around, and water from the ocean swirls up, and she moves her arms in front of her, allowing the water to slash towards the right side of the group. "Pray for survival." She snarls, rushes towards the remaining small group, and kicks one to her right, knocking him away. Spin kicks the one on her left, and he falls unconscious. Then the one on her right comes back, and she kicks him in the chest and uses force to jump in the air slightly to the Marine coming towards her, wraps her legs around his neck, and pulls him to the ground.

ONE PIECE - WARSHIP ISLAND ARC

On the Going Merry, the others watch both ships, hear a scream from the one behind them, and spot the boys as Zoro cuts the metal alloy chain as it slides into the water below.

ONE PIECE - WARSHIP ISLAND ARC

Dakota huffs as she looks down at the unconscious mass of Marines and swipes her hands in and out at a sword made of water from hilt to tip, and she grips it in her hand and walks towards the chains. She swipes violently at the three chains and cuts through, and they fall loudly, and she jumps to the next ship with Marines waiting for her, and she lands in the middle with her sword, swiping at them, cutting them as they scream in pain.

ONE PIECE - WARSHIP ISLAND ARC

Dakota jumps onto the next ship, and the previous vessel sinks into the ocean. She slashes the battleship in the middle, jumping onto the next, allowing it to submerge; she continues from one ship till she makes it to the boys' battleship as Zoro readies to slice the final chain.

ONE PIECE - WARSHIP ISLAND ARC

Dakota's POV:

I land behind Zoro and fall to my knees as I return to my Human Form, Zoro looks behind him to see me breathing heavily, and he crouches beside me. "Kota, you alright?" He asks me, moving a piece of fallen hair behind my ear; I feel sweat rolling down my face.

"I can't stay in my Demon Form for very long, and it uses too much energy." I huff for breath and try to stand, but my knees give out, causing me to stumble Zoro luckily catches me, having an awkward moment as we stare into each other's eyes. We seem to be in our world as we lean in when Nami's scream cuts through us, and I turn to see our ship under attack. Zoro hikes me onto his back, and we walk to the front of the vessel to see Erik in a small rowboat with three Marines rowing towards the wooden cart behind our ship, and he parks by the wooden cart, talking to Apis and the others as Sanji walks to the front joining us.

"What's up?" Luffy asks as he joins us at the railing.

"Him again," Sanji says.

"Huh? What's he doing?" He asks as we watch.

"Looks like he's holding Apis, hostage to steal the Dragon." I snap from Zoro's back.

"Hurry up and hitch the raft to the boat! Aye!" I hear them shouting.

"That's bad!" Luffy says and gets ready to jump ship.

"Stop! If you try to punch him, he'll use his attack to kill Apis and the others!" Zoro reasons and places his hand on Luffy's shoulder, stopping.

"I see. I got it." He says but still tries to jump ship. "Then, I'll kick him." Zoro hits him on the head.

"WILL YOU PAY ATTENTION!?" The Swordsman snaps at him, and Erik rows away with Grandpa Ryu and Apis and seems to be speaking with the big guy on the main vessel before they open fire on them. The cannonballs hit close on the water, rocking the raft, and they row, trying to get away, but not too long after, Apis starts shouting at Erik, who turns around to face her and talks before picking her up from the back of her dress. Apis shouts at him as she dangles above Grandpa Ryu, and Erik talks back to her, and she bites down on his hand, causing him to let out a shriek of pain, and he overcomes the pain and throws her onto the boat.

"Let me at him!" I yell, struggling from Zoro's back as he tries to hold me back as Grandpa Ryu gets up behind Erik, scaring the three Marines who jump overboard. Erik shouts for the Marines, unaware of Grandpa Ryu standing behind him, and he turns around and seems blue in the face with terror, staring at the old Dragon. Grandpa Ryu swipes his wing knocking Erik far as more cannonballs fly around the unconscious Apis and ancient Dragon. The Millennium Dragon spreads his wings wide and lets out a mighty sonic roar making the ships and chains rattle. Even the water vibrates around him, and we cover our ears from the deafening roar trying to block it out though it is killing my ears more.

"Grandpa Ryu roared out." I hear Luffy say through the roar, and finally, Grandpa Ryu stops. Apis gets up, holding her back in pain for a second before noticing that the Dragon is standing and hugs his face happily, giggling, saying something, and lets go as he stands up further and begins flapping his wings, trying to lift himself from the raft. "That's it! Keep trying, Grandpa Ryu! You can fly!" Luffy exclaims in glee, and Grandpa Ryu hovers into the air with a creak from the raft, still flapping his wings. The cannons from every ship begin to fire on Grandpa Ryu, which doesn't seem to phase him as Apis shouts for him to run.

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Luffy shouts and punches the other ship's side, breaking the wooden railing and signalling the others to start attacking. With me still, on his back, Zoro slashes the remaining Marines, and Sanji kicks them down, trying to stop them from attacking Grandpa Ryu. The main ship starts firing on the old Dragon again, and one of the cannonballs hits the water too close to the rowboat and rocks it, causing it to fling Apis onto the raft, which angers the Millennium Dragon as he turns charging at the gargoyle's battleship. The ship keeps firing at the old Dragon, trying to stop him as he gets closer, and he lets out another sonic roar disorienting them for a short time. They fire more, hitting Grandpa Ryu. They seem not to affect him for a time, but he lowers into the water with a mighty splash; I stop Zoro, and we all see the old Millennium Dragon floating on the water, not moving. Luffy stretches his arm to the top of the crow's nest and pings himself up into the air. "Grandpa Ryu!" He shouts, and I look at Apis to see her in tears as Luffy lands on Grandpa Ryu's back.

"Akuma-Akuma no Demon-Human Form: Succubus Energy Convert," I say and feel horns grow out of my head, and my eyes become golden. I tap Zoro on the shoulder, and he turns his head to face me, and I kiss him right on the cheek; I feel his energy coursing through my veins as Sanji cries in protest. "Thanks." I grin and jump off his back, seeing him blushing bright red, and I leap away towards the raft where Apis stands crying.

ONE PIECE - WARSHIP ISLAND ARC

I land on the raft lightly and wrap Apis in my arms, letting her cry on my shoulder for our friend as he lies in the water. "GRANDPA RYU!" She screams with such heartache I hold her tighter, trying to take the pain away.

TO BE CONTINUED...

It's done; another chapter. Thank you so much for all of the support you've shown me, you amazing Readers, and till the next chapter! DEADGIRLETERNAL OUT!