"My store is at the top!" Mrs. Bianca exclaimed excitedly, pointing to a tall building at the very peak of the beanstalk. Several houses lined the beanstalk, with most residents equipped with special wings to reach their homes, while a few lived on the ground below. Soft clouds floated between the houses, providing seating or a peaceful place to relax.

"Oh my! I completely forgot that you don't have wings, I apologize... It's quite a daunting climb," Mrs. Bee suddenly realized.

"That's not a problem for me!" Luffy replied confidently, catching Mrs. Bianca off guard with his response.

"But how is that possible? Can you climb well? These cardboard boxes are heavy and filled with jars!" Mrs. Bee asked, surprised.

Luffy positioned himself in front of the beanstalk, warming up his hands before reaching out towards the top where Mrs. Bee's store was located. With two cardboard boxes of honey jars strapped to his back, he flexed his rubber-like abilities and stretched himself to the top, shocking Mrs. Bee with his incredible speed.

"Wow! That was truly unexpected and impressive! Who would have thought that humans possessed such remarkable abilities beneath their ordinary appearance," she mused. Luffy descended with ease, gracefully landing on individual crates to slow his descent. Mrs. Bee was fascinated by his unique skills and approached him as he touched ground.

"I had no idea that humans could possess such incredible abilities! It's truly fascinating!" she exclaimed, applauding Luffy's talents.

"Well, it's not something everyone has, only those who have consumed a Devil Fruit," Luffy explained, taking responsibility for the remaining crates.

"Devil Fruit? What is that?" Mrs. Bee inquired, unfamiliar with the term.

Luffy paused, recalling the moment he acquired the Devil Fruit from Shanks in the human world. With a grateful smile, he explained, "The Devil Fruit grants random abilities to those who consume it. In my case, it granted me the ability to stretch my body like rubber."

"I see. You are truly unique!" Mrs. Bianca remarked, regarding Luffy as a rare specimen.

"Well, I'm still just Luffy. My abilities don't make me better than anyone else," he replied humbly. "But I'll certainly make use of them when there's good food involved!"

"I understand," she responded thoughtfully. "In that case, please take the remaining cardboard boxes, and your promised jars of my delicious honey will be yours!"

"Got it!"

As Luffy completed his task, he couldn't help but marvel at the kindness of Mrs. Bee and the unique world he found himself in. Little did he know that more adventures and challenges awaited him as he navigated the mysteries of the beanstalk town.

"Luffy is such a fool! He managed to escape using his skills," Alice exclaimed, with Mikey by her side. Together, they decided to visit the town and gather valuable information.

"You knew it would turn out this way. Luffy and food don't mix well. But he'll get through it," Mikey said calmly, always the most composed one in their group. "Besides, we both know that if Luffy tagged along while we collected information, things would have ended in chaos."

Alice nodded in agreement. She knew that if they had let Luffy in on their plans to gather information discreetly from the townspeople, he would have either talked too much or accidentally caused a commotion. Something just didn't feel right about the whole situation.

Alice wasn't naive. There was definitely someone in the town who would pose a threat if they weren't careful.

While on the way, in the center of the town, there were many shop buildings. However, what caught their interest the most was a local bar.

"Let's go to that bar to gather information," Mikey said to Alice. Nowhere else could you gather information as effectively as in bars, where people either talk to anyone or talk loudly enough about everything that you can overhear many things. The bar had tables scattered around, but there was also a bar where you could sit at the counter on individual, raised seats and drink alcohol. Of course, they didn't come here to drink, but for appearances, they had to buy something. Fortunately, the bar was dark and loud enough that they didn't attract too much attention. The last thing they needed was for people to start approaching them because they recognized her. Mikey hopped onto a seat, and Alice sat on the seat next to him. The overall atmosphere in the bar was relaxed. The bartender approached them, looking at Alice for too long, but ultimately said nothing, just took their order from the special menu she chose. Mikey also noticed this and commented on it when the bartender moved away.

"He probably recognized you as a human, but he's more interested in customers."

Alice looked around the bar, trying not to attract attention or make eye contact with anyone. Almost all the tables were occupied, but she didn't notice any suspicious individuals among them, let alone royal guards. Alice breathed a sigh of relief, and at that moment, the bartender came with their order and placed a cocktail in front of her. Alice eavesdropped on the conversation taking place nearby.

"Did you hear? The Queen has apparently placed more of her lackeys around the kingdoms."

"What are you talking about? Why?"

"There is a revolutionary in her ranks now, and he wants to catch anyone trying to harm her. And the best part is that these lackeys are supposed to look like normal citizens and operate in secret."

"Gee, so they won't be wearing the royal uniform? It's been a while. Well, let's hope the Queen manages to catch all those opposing her. I don't understand why someone would want to dethrone our beloved Queen after so many years!"

"And on top of that, the Queen is looking for the whereabouts of a man who was lurking in Silent Village."

"Another human? Seems like there are more of them lately, isn't it?"

"The appearing people are a sign of misfortune. It's very good that the Queen is helping to deal with them and bringing them to her."

Alice listened peacefully to the conversation and noticed that her cocktail glass was already empty. She wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the conversation she overheard, but she started feeling unwell.

"I'm feeling dizzy," she whispered softly to Mikey, who was still sitting next to her. Mikey widened his eyes in concern.

"Do you want to leave here?" he asked.

"I think so…" The visibility in front of her eyes started to blur, and she had strange hallucinations, as if someone was approaching her. Or maybe it wasn't hallucinations? Alice! Was that Mikey's scream? It was probably just her imagination, but she couldn't confirm it anymore.

…

"That's all of them!" Luffy said proudly, wiping his hands on his pants. He was still full of energy, and Mrs. Bianca smiled in approval.

"Well, young man, I promised honey jars, so I'll keep my word! We need to go up to my shop..." Before she could finish, Luffy grabbed her waist and stretched his hand upwards.

"Sure thing!" Luffy misunderstood the hint, thinking Mrs. Bee wanted him to help her ascend to the top. Mrs. Bee's cry of surprise echoed through half of Cloud Village, followed by Luffy's laughter. Once they reached the firm surface of the green stem, Mrs. Bee tried to regain her balance and dusted off her clothes.

"Uh, that was unexpected, but I'd prefer if you didn't do that again. As you know, I have wings that can lift me up," Mrs. Bee said awkwardly, glancing around to see if anyone had witnessed the incident.

"Sorry! I didn't think you might not be used to it," Luffy said, scratching the back of his neck with a sheepish smile.

"It's not... Well, never mind." Mrs. Bee avoided further discussion and led Luffy into her shop, filled with honey jars and various other honey products. She pointed to a partially filled box of jars on the ground. "This," she indicated, "is your payment."

"Six jars? Awesome!" Luffy exclaimed with delight, crouching down to inspect the box before smiling genuinely at Mrs. Bee's direction.

She gave him a strange look, seemingly wrestling with her thoughts. After a moment of contemplation, she sighed and began arranging her shelves.

"You need to find your companions. You're in trouble," she suddenly said, selecting a jar from the box Luffy had brought and placing it on a shelf.

Luffy froze. "What do you mean? Everyone here is so nice and..."

Mrs. Bee paused, placing another jar on the shelf and hesitating.

„The queen sent her guards. There are plenty of them everywhere. You humans may not know this."

"You already knew, didn't you?" Luffy gently touched one of the jars.

"Yes, I did," she admitted sincerely, a hint of regret in her expression.

„It's okay. I believe you. Despite everything, you're not evil. You just told me now even though you didn't have to." Luffy reassured her, offering a warm smile. "These jars mean a lot to me," Luffy began again, "but friends mean more. If you allow me, I will come for them later. And if there's no chance, I'll still be glad I could help you! It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Bee."

Mrs. Bianca felt strange, as if she had experienced something similar before.

What is this feeling? She was used to always wanting something in return, that...

Selflessness.

„Marie!"

"You know I don't want anything in return. I'm glad I could help you!"

Said a male, boyish voice, so familiar but at the same time she didn't know whose it was.

Marie? Was that her name? She didn't know, but the memory made her feel warm. A small smile appeared on her face, a smile that was real, honest. Something has definitely changed, but she doesn't know what yet. Whoever you are, Luffy, you have a good heart, she thought.

"Leave her!" It was a trap from the very beginning, and Mikey should have seen it coming. The bartender had always seemed suspicious. Maybe he should have known the cocktail could be poisoned or tampered with in some way. But now it was too late. Mikey's voice went unheard, as they did not perceive him as a threat. It was a familiar feeling for him - not fitting in, not belonging. As they carried his unconscious friend before his eyes, he felt powerless. But was he truly powerless? Was there something he could do? Think, Mikey, think. As he watched two men, resembling large bison, carrying Alice away, he knew he had to act. He transformed into his fruit form and prepared for his first significant use of his abilities.

…

Mikey found himself in the room where his friend Alice was being held. She lay unconscious, tied up, while the men responsible whispered among themselves. As they approached the shelf where Mikey was concealed in his transformed state, a tense moment unfolded. Seizing an opportunity, the men temporarily left the room, allowing Mikey to rush to Alice's side and attempt to revive her. He discovered a bottle containing the substance that had rendered Alice unconscious, and with quick thinking and resourcefulness, he prepared a syringe in hopes of counteracting its effects. Hiding in a nearby drawer, he braced himself for the critical moment.

"Where are they?" Luffy roamed the town anxiously, his mind consumed by Mrs. Bee's warning. Despite his concerns, he trusted in the strength and resilience of his friends to evade capture. If they did find themselves in trouble, he vowed to come to their aid, and once the ordeal was over, they could enjoy more of Mrs. Bee's honey together. Lost in his thoughts, Luffy accidentally collided with a person in the busy town.

"Um, sorry! I didn't see you," Luffy apologized.

"It's a human! The Queen will be pleased if we bring her two humans in one day," one of them remarked, eyeing Luffy suspiciously. His query about the second person alarmed Luffy, raising questions about Alice, the only human being he knew in the village.

"What do you mean? Who is the other human?" Luffy demanded.

"We're not telling you anything. You will come with us," they insisted, moving closer. Unfazed, Luffy stood his ground, his tone firm.

"I asked a question, the least you can do is answer," Luffy asserted, his demeanor becoming less amiable.

"We don't owe a human any explanations!" one of them retorted, attempting to grab Luffy. Swiftly, Luffy retaliated, landing a punch that sent the man reeling. His gaze turned steely as he addressed the remaining individual.

"Where is the other human?" Luffy pressed, his resolve unwavering. The man hesitated before confessing.

"She's in a bar...but she might have been taken to the palace by now," he revealed.

Luffy clenched his fists, a mixture of worry and determination in his eyes. With a resolute nod, he geared up to face the challenges ahead.

"Where is this so-called bar?" Luffy asked firmly. The man pointed to a nearby building. Luffy pushed him aside, causing him to fall to the ground, gasping for breath. He ran in that direction. Wait for me, Alice and Mikey! I'm coming for you!

Mikey listened as the men reentered the bar. He cautiously opened a drawer and saw them checking on Alice, who was still unconscious. Once they were sure she was still out of it, they tried to carry her out through the back door. Mikey knew whatever awaited them back there couldn't be good. As they moved towards the door with Alice, Mikey sprang out of the drawer and made his way to the end of the dresser. With a burst of momentum, he leaped onto one of the men, injecting him with a syringe before he could react. The man staggered as the substance took effect. The other man let go of Alice and turned his attention to helping his partner. Realizing time was running out, Mikey tried to repeat the process with the second man, but he was caught mid-air. As he was pushed to the ground, the syringe fell from his hand. The man held Mikey firmly and pressed him into the ground with his foot, causing him pain.

"You caused us quite the trouble, little fruit. I could have eaten you when I had the chance," the man taunted, pressing harder. Mikey thought this might be the end for him, but at least he had tried to save his friend. Just then, chaos erupted in the bar.

"Gomu-Gomu no...!" The doors flew off their hinges as Luffy burst into the room. "Leave my friends alone." His rubbery arm extended, striking the man with such force that he was sent flying through the wall. There was a brief commotion, but Luffy paid it no mind. He picked up Alice, who was still unconscious, and then lifted Mikey in his hand.

"Mikey! Are you alright?" Luffy asked with concern. "Luffy... I'm glad you're here," Mikey began with a smile, "but I think it's time we get out of here."

Luffy surveyed the scene of chaos around them. "Um…Yeah, I think you're right." Luffy grinned, and Mikey knew Alice would be facepalming if she were awake.

Chopper looked on with concern as Luffy's body trembled slightly at times, and his blood pressure rose. He stayed with Luffy on the ship, monitoring his condition while the others searched for clues and the author of the book. Luffy's body seemed to be experiencing a heavy sleep or even a nightmare. Who knows... maybe he's fighting somewhere out there with some enemies, just like they are doing here together in real life? Chopper was worried about the thought of Luffy having to fight alone, without them. Despite what the rest of the crew says, Chopper feels the worst about it all. After all, he is the doctor and cannot heal Luffy. He can't make him come back to them. No matter what he tried, nothing worked. When he joined the Straw Hat crew, he promised himself that he would be able to cure any illness. So why is he sitting here with his hands tied? During the two years of their separation, which he spent on a mysterious island with birds and the local population, learning diverse medicine and reading local books to become a better doctor, Chopper has improved his skills.

Chopper checked Luffy's pulse. It was stable. He sighed and sat back down on the stool next to Luffy. He wondered how the rest of the crew was doing, if they found anything useful. Maybe they have already met the author of the book? Chopper saw Luffy's face twitch and smile in his sleep. This sight made all the worries and negative thoughts he had just disappear.

...

"What the hell is this?!" Nami screamed, waking up Zoro, who was still leaning against the wall of the house they were in. Her scream also caught Frankie's attention downstairs. Nami had ventured upstairs alone and opened a room to find something resembling Slime. It was blue, half her size, and appeared to be alive. Its black eyes stared intensely at her, and its body emitted strange sounds. Startled, she quickly slammed the door shut with a scream. The sight reminded Nami of Smiley, a destructive creature created by their former enemy Caesar, whom they had fortunately defeated. Franky and Zoro hurried upstairs, alarmed by the commotion.

"What's going on, Nami?" Franky asked with concern.

Nami hesitated to open the door again. What if that thing attacked them? What if... But Zoro had other plans, and before Nami could react, he had already opened the door.

"Zoro! How could you just open that door like that?" Nami yelled, watching as the blue slime remained motionless.

"You didn't tell us what was in there," Zoro shrugged. From his perspective, that seemed like a reasonable explanation, especially since the slime wasn't showing any signs of aggression. Disappointed by the lack of action and the unnecessary commotion, Zoro sighed.

"You woke me up for this?" Zoro asked incredulously as he approached the slime and crouched in front of it.

Meanwhile, Franky found the situation highly amusing. "Such a mischievous creature, scaring our comrade like that!"

Nami put her hand on her forehead and furrowed her brows as she felt her patience wearing thin. "Doesn't matter! We still don't know what it is and why it's here," she said firmly, opting not to approach the creature unlike Zoro, who was already touching it as if it were harmless. "Maybe it's the pet of the person we're looking for?" Franky suggested.

"So, are we dealing with another mad scientist creating such creatures? Or could he already be plotting to destroy this island with them?" Nami speculated dramatically.

"I wouldn't jump to conclusions," Franky interrupted, exploring the room further. It appeared quite ordinary, with a few pieces of furniture and a shelf filled with scientific books. The titles covered subjects such as dreaming, philosophy, experiments... and comas.

"As the librarian mentioned, he is focused on studying dreams and comatose states. Judging by all of this, he seems obsessed with it," Franky observed, returning the book to its place. Suddenly, they heard noises of the door opening downstairs. The team exchanged looks, anticipating either trouble or explanations.

...

The team, consisting of Robin, Usopp, Brook, and Sanji, left the bar after determining that they wouldn't obtain any more information there. They had heard about an allegedly abandoned house where the eccentric author they were seeking was rumored to be staying.

"So, are you planning to just break into his house just like that?" Usopp asked incredulously, nearly poking his long nose into Sanji's eyes.

"It's evident we're going to find him first," Sanji replied, stepping away from Usopp.

"It's not a competition! Robin, Brook, do you have anything to add?" Usopp pleaded.

"Perhaps we should knock first," Brook suggested, raising his bony finger.

"Or we may end up being attacked." Robin smiled, her honesty unsettling Usopp's weak heart.

...

Alice reluctantly roused from her comfortable daydreams. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she remembered what had transpired. She looked around, half-expecting to find herself in the queen's palace or...

"Oh, you're awake! Mikey was showing me where to check your pulse because I thought you were dead!" Luffy said, a wide grin on his face as he leaned over her.

"Luffy?" Alice began, taken aback. "Where's Mikey?"

Luffy glanced towards the nearby small lake, its waters practically sparkling bright blue.

"Oh, there he is, you know, even fruits need a good wash. They taste better that way," Luffy said with a wide smile, his tongue flicking his lips momentarily as thoughts of food likely danced in his head. Alice was well aware that Luffy's jokes often stemmed from his insatiable hunger.

"I heard that, Luffy! Don't even think about it!" Mikey interjected, joining them.

"I'm not up to anything! Besides, Miss Bee has some honey waiting for me, which I left with her!" Luffy exclaimed. "We have to go get it, what if she gives it to someone else?" Luffy fretted, nibbling on his nails anxiously. He had been less concerned when rushing to save his friends earlier, but now...

"What a calamity, poor Mr. Luffy might miss out on his honey!" Alice said sarcastically, shaking her head as she rose from the grass. "Now, tell me, what happened when I fainted? It felt like someone kicked me in my sleep."

"Well, you're not far off the mark," thought Mikey, recalling how Alice's body hit the ground when the kidnappers attacked. "You probably slipped off Luffy's back when he carried you here," Mikey shrugged, spinning a clever tale.

"What did you say?" Alice turned a piercing gaze on Luffy.

"What? That's just a tall tale, I never dropped you!" Luffy protested, waving his hands defensively and starting to back away.

"If Mikey said it, then it must be true! You're done for, Luffy!" Alice declared, darting after him.

Mikey couldn't help but conceal a smile behind his hands, though Luffy saw it.

"Look! Look, Alice, Mikey is laughing at us! He's played us both!" Luffy shouted, scrambling up a tree.

Alice gazed up at him. "First you refuse to share the honey, and now you drop me when I'm unconscious?!" Alice dismissed his words, directing her gaze solely at him, while Mikey rolled on the ground in laughter.

Luffy noticed a yellow-green fruit on the tree where he had escaped to from Alice. He plucked it from the tree and showed it to Alice.

"Look, Alice! I can offer you this fruit, but you have to promise not to be mad anymore!" Luffy said.

"I won't eat a fruit that I know nothing about. I've never seen it before and neither have you…" Alice started to say, but it was too late, as Luffy already had the fruit in his mouth, and after a moment, even swallowed it. Alice opened her mouth wide.

"Why did you eat it?!" Alice shouted, as Mikey facepalmed with pity.

Luffy felt a slight tremble and noticed that he was getting hot. He had never experienced this feeling in his body before. Maybe the fruit was poisoned? Maybe he shouldn't have eaten it? Luffy's cheeks turned red, and he felt his nerves and senses becoming more intense. It was so hot…and the worst part was that smell. His nostrils widened as he took in the scent. It was a very good smell. Luffy climbed down from the tree as if he were in a trance and looked towards the scent. Alice watched him in shock and felt uncomfortable when she saw Luffy staring straight at her.

"Luffy? What's wrong? Do you feel sick?" She asked, slightly nervous and concerned.

"Alice…it's hot," Luffy said almost in a whisper, his eyes intense and dark.

"H-hot?"

Luffy slowly began to approach her, inhaling deeply. That scent…so…appetizing…

"L-Luffy…don't come any closer!" Alice said.

However, he didn't listen and leaned in closer to her. Alice froze as he rested his head on her shoulder. For a moment, he did nothing, and then lightly nuzzled his nose against her neck. Alice blushed deeply and suddenly felt a light bite on her neck.

"L-Luffy what the fuck!" She screamed out.