Chapter 24.
Luffy still wasn't back which slowly stressed the pirates out.
Oriana used that chance to update her father about the current situation. It ran and a deep voice answered the snail, "I'm going to sky island, dad!" she grinned excitedly, "If it exists, that is".
Whitebeard smiled a bit, "It exists, treasure. I'm sure of it."
"Did I call at a bad time, dad?" she heard yelling in the background, "No, just someone thinks he's important enough to send me a letter!" she heard papers being torn.
"Tell that red-haired brat that if he wants to talk to me, he'd better bring a good drink and come himself. If you got that, leave. I don't have time talking to a little snot like you, you Buffon".
Oriana felt her father's strong spirit through the snail, "Continue, treasure, don't let this fool stop you," he said more gently, "I would love to see the face of whoever Shanks send right now, I bet he looks terrified," she chuckled.
"Actually, he looks ready to fight" Whitebeard calmly said, "If he wants to live he better not!" Oriana stopped her silliness and got more serious. "Would you look at that he's leaving!" someone mocked in the background of her father's end.
Oriana sat by a tree and leaned against it, "What did Shanks want?" The red-haired pirates normally didn't just contact them out of nowhere, "He wants to talk about Ace and Blackbeard," Whitebeard replied, "What about Ace and Blackbeard?" she felt herself getting worried.
"I'm not sure, I tore up his letter and told him to come himself along with some good booze if he got something to tell me." he simply said, "Did I make a mistake to let him go alone, dad? Cause I can return to him right now!" She was so glad that Luffy wasn't there to hear her concerns.
"Don't let this ruin your chance at Sky Island, treasure. You have to trust that he can do it," Whitebeard explained. "I guess you're right," she calmed down a little bit.
"Oiii~" Luffy yelled from the distance, "I did it" he came running. "Luffy, hurry! We passed due in order to set sail!" Sanji informed. Oriana was still on the line with her father when she stood up and walked over to the rest, "Look at this. It's Hercules it took forever to find it!" he said happily.
"A b-b-bug" she almost yelled, "You scared of bugs, Oria?" Haruta mocked from the snail, "No…" she said nervously, "Don't be like that. Look how cool it is, Oria!" Luffy went over to her making everyone on the other end tease her over the fear.
She stepped back and had enough, "Bye dad, and everyone else laughing, I'll have my fun later," before she hung up. Oriana went over to Luffy and smacked him over the head, "Don't embarrass me in front of my crew" he looked confused and of course, he didn't know what she was talking about.
Luffy gave the gold back and gave the bug to the monkeys which Oriana was grateful for. The pirates boarded the ship and they set sail while waving goodbye to old man Diamond-head. "It's seven o'clock and we'll arrive at our destination at eleven" one of the monkeys announced.
Oriana suddenly felt tired, not being used to being up at that hour. She wanted to sleep but felt that watching the knock-up stream would be more exciting.
Dark clouds appeared in the distance and the monkeys explained that the knock-up stream was early. Oriana calmed the panicky crew down and took control of the ship. She moved the ship in the direction of the dark part of the ocean.
She moved her arms from front to back in a circular motion making the ship move very fast, "This is awesome, Oria!" Luffy cheered from the figurehead excitedly. "Get into the whirlpool's current and go with the flow. Get as close as you can to the center and don't back out!" Mashira informed.
Nami and Usopp started to panic probably not expecting to go through such a dangerous thing. The two grabbed onto Oriana's arms, "Please, stop it. Let's go back!" Usopp screamed, "Yeah, we don't need to see Sky Island. There's a lot of other islands we can visit!" Nami agreed.
"I'm not the one you have to convince," she said before pointing at Luffy, "Give it up, Usopp. It's too late. Someone's already riding on a high," Zoro said and motioned at the captain, "Let's get to sky island!" Luffy screamed happily.
A big sea creature popped out of the water but got sucked into the whirlpool.
Nami and Usopp started to protest once again, "It's a dream within a dream!" the long-nose tried but little did they know that it only made their captain want to go even more, "An island from a dream within a dream. I could never pass up such a great adventure!" Luffy said with a huge smile.
People had mixed feelings as to rather or not they would survive this. Oriana stirred the ship closer and closer to the center, but it disappeared like it wasn't there to begin with. Everything was completely calm.
The pirates were confused, but Nami explained that it was just the beginning. Before anyone could ask questions, "Wait!" someone yelled, "I've come for the hundred million berries bounty on your head. Give yourself up!" a ship with three skulls on the sail was closing in on them.
"Hundred million? What do you mean a hundred million?" Luffy asked. Oriana went over to the rail to make sure she wasn't hearing wrong. "So, you really didn't know! You got a hundred million berries on your head and pirate hunter Zoro got sixty million bounty!"
Oriana felt her anger rise, not only did he stab Thatch in the back but now he was after Luffy. She jumped onto the rail, "Oria, what are you doing here?" he took a step back almost afraid, "I'm here to end your life!" she glared at him with her red eyes and hit the ship with a wave.
She was about to jump into the water and over to him when a sudden quake made her lose her footing, "You okay?" Zoro caught her, "Yeah, thank you," she said and got back up, "I'm sorry you guys but I have to go!" Oriana refused to let Teach get away when he was right in front of her.
Out of nowhere, an even bigger rumble came from below.
Still, Oriana was determined to go, but an arm wrapped around her waist multiple times, "What are you doing, idiot? Let go!" she turned angrily to him, "You can't leave, Oria, it's too dangerous!" he said, "But he's right there! The man that betrayed us!" she looked desperately down just in time to see his ship broke into pieces.
It gave her enough hope to think he was dead, but it was unlikely. Did Nami say that she met him in Mock Town… the city they visited yesterday… while she was sleeping… Oriana wanted to scream while pulling out her hair. Not off of course.
She scolded herself for letting her mind focus on the idea of Sky Island. Teach was so close but her haki didn't notice him. Oriana must really have been tired or she was losing her touch. She thought about it for a moment and shook her head, "I'm tired" she muttered.
She would soon see him again if he was after Luffy. If Ace didn't get to him first. That thought was supposed to calm her down, yet it didn't.
The ship was riding the stream up to the sky and everyone was excited. Sanji told them that it wasn't going to be that easy because the hull was starting to become loose and if they didn't do anything soon, they would fall back down.
Oriana wouldn't allow that. She laid down on the deck, maybe leaning against it would be the correct word now, and looked 'up'. She released a huge wind to prevent the ship from tilting over and forced it against the stream.
Coming above them was the sea king from before, falling down along with other stuff, "Unfurl the sail right now" the navigator ordered, and the crew looked confused at her, "This is the ocean not just some column of water and the wind that is blowing us up was caused by the expulsion of geothermal heat and stream. If we got wind and ocean, it can be navigated. Who is this ship's navigator?" she asked in confidence.
Oriana smiled at the idea, "Uh, love it!" already forgetting about the traitor.
"Do what Nami-san says," Sanji ordered, "Someone take the rudder so we can catch the wind from starboard. Bring the hull in line with the current" Nami ordered before looking at Oriana, "You can let go now, Oria."
"Alright, but only if you're sure," she smiled, "I am!" Nami replied. Oriana stopped her wind and trusted Nami along with everyone else.
"We are falling, Nami. Do something, Nami!" the captain panicked. The orange-haired girl looked up without hesitation, "No, we'll make it". The ship leaned back a little but soon it was caught by a strong wind, and they were flying.
The pirates all had mixed feeling about this, but most were enjoying themselves, "Oi, Nami. Are we going to make it to sky island?" the captain asked, "If it really exists, it's just beyond that cloud," she pointed up.
Oriana was so glad to be there. It was this kind of adventure she hadn't really experienced before with her crew and she was about to see a whole new world. Sky Island was definitely real.
She was sure of it.
The pirates flew through the clouds as they ascended it was getting harder to breathe. Everything felt like they were in water but not long after a strong force broke the ship's wings and tail. The Going Merry was in the air before landing on the clouds.
The journey had been a hard one and they needed a break to catch their breath. A huge fish that jumped out of the clouds didn't help. Zoro was quick to cut down one of the creatures while Sanji took care of the other one, but both exploded like balloons.
Usopp jumped onto the rail flexing his non-existing muscles then jumped off the ship.
Luffy and Chopper were jealous that they couldn't join him, then didn't realize how long he had been down there, "Does the sky have a bottom?" Robin asked confusing the others, "Of course it has a bot-" they finally realized what she meant.
Luffy stretched his arm trying to reach his friend, "Keep stretching as far as you can!" the former agent said, "But I can't see down there" he pouted, "Leave it to me," she replied and crossed her arms over her chest as she closed her eyes.
It took some time but, "Okay, you can pull him up now," Robin said more calmly this time, "You got him?!" the young captain asked and stepped onto the rail before she could answer and pulled his arm back up.
It took a while, but Usopp was finally back with them, but sea-sky creatures followed him as if he was bait. Zoro jumped up and cut the giant octopus thingy. It just popped and it was like he just cut a balloon again. When Sanji kicked the other it didn't pop but instead got a big bump on its head.
Maybe he did it more gently this time.
he long-nosed pirate suddenly screamed before removing a fish from his pants, "Sky-island is scary" he repeated in a mantra. Luffy took the fish over to Sanji so he could cook it for him, "It's so good!" he said and Oriana went over to him drooling. She took his hand and guided the fork to her mouth, "It's amazing!"
Sanji was dancing around her in happiness meanwhile Nami informed them that the Log Pose was still pointing up. In the distance, there was an explosion. Oriana looked over the rail and saw a masked man surfing on clouds towards them.
The man jumped onto the ship and kicked Sanji, Luffy, and Zoro away. Oriana attacked him before blowing him away. He flew back quite a while and when he stopped himself, he pointed his bazooka at them.
She was ready for it, but before he could shoot an old man came riding on a bird-horse thingy. He attacked the masked man with his spear and slammed him down. He came over to them, "I am the sky knight", he just casually sat down to explain something about the sky island.
Luffy started beating his chest, "I'm starting to get used to it", and Zoro agreed. "How could you kick him like that after coming up here, girl," the old man asked, "Don't know" she simply answered. The sky knight didn't buy it but didn't say anything about it.
He explained that there was another way to sky island, but the knock-up stream was a huge gamble, he told them that he would answer any questions they had and protect them for five million extols, 'What's extols?" they thought.
It turned out to be the currency up there. The sky knight was making money by saving people and charging them after. He was sure of his prices even refusing to bargain about it – not that the pirates needed him to or needed his help for the matter.
He threw a whistle to the deck for their courage and told them they could summon him anytime. "I'm Ganfall the sky knight and this is Pierre, my partner!" before he flew away on his horse bird which turn out really pathetic. Nami wanted to ask him about something, but he was gone.
The pirates still have no idea how to get higher up cause that old man turned out to be useless. Luffy took the whistle to call back the old man, but it ended with Usopp, Nami, and Chopper arguing about who the weakest was and who needed the old man the most.
And it was definitely one of them.
Soon their attention changed on jumping around on the clouds like some kind of trampoline. "There's something over there!" Usopp yelled and pointed at a huge white waterfall. The crew navigated their way over there.
"Heaven's gate. This is a terrible omen. We're going to die!" Usopp said crying.
"Did you ever think that maybe we've already died" Zoro laughed.
"Yeah. That's more likely" Sanji agreed.
"We're all dead?" Chopper asked screaming.
"Heaven? I can't wait! I'm finally going to heaven" Luffy said happily.
Oriana smiled at their stupidity, but "I can't wait to see it either" she laughed with them.
There was an old lady with wings, and she started taking pictures of them, "Are you tourists or have you come to start a war. It doesn't really matter. If you want to go to the upper stratum, you'll have to pay an entrance fee of one billion extols per person".
Luffy started talking about angels because she was a small old woman with wings. Usopp asked how much extols was and Nami was also wondering what they could do without money. The old lady replied, "You may pass".
The Yonko daughter didn't have time to listen. She quickly went inside and grabbed her book before drawing everything. She even drew the journey up the spiral cloud. "Godland Skypiea" they screamed before being thrown out to a whole new set of clouds.
There was a beautiful sight in front of them. They were definitely at the same place as the map they found a couple of days ago. This was sky island and with ten thousand meters up in the sky, there were green trees.
Everything was white and green. It was a beautiful new combination that she really hasn't given a fair chance. Almost everyone ran toward what she assumed was a beach, but it was hard to figure out which part was supposed to be sand and which part was supposed to be water.
Oriana took her book inside before joining the others. When she came back out, she saw Zoro had just thrown the anchor into the white sea, "I'm guessing it isn't very deep" she said to him, but instead of answering they just watched Robin jumping down and the 'water' reached a little over her ankles.
Oriana threw her shoes to the side and jumped down. She looked up before running over to the others. As soon as she reached them, the cloud itself changed 'its quality'. She has officially touched what she would have imagined clouds would feel like if they were more solid.
The first thing Oriana did was fall face-first into what felt like the softest material ever. It didn't hurt when she landed in it. Sanji came over to sit down next to her and put a flower in front of her face, "A lovely flower for my beautiful Blossom," the blond man said.
The female pirate took the flower and smelled its fragrance, "Thanks Sanji".
Everything was so calm and gentle.
The melody only made it more perfect.
Wait… Melody?
"Do you hear that sound?" she asked the cook, "It's my heart singing to you" he answered and rocked himself from side to side with a light blush. "No, it's coming from behind you" she pointed. The blond man looked and suddenly his attention was on something new entirely, "Is that an angel?" he asked shocked.
On top of one of the cloud hills was a beautiful young girl with wings and a small harp in her hands. A small foxlike creature slowly came up to them and the girl stopped playing to look at them, "Heso" she said.
The pirates all looked confused at each other and then at her with a blank expression, "Heso?" the captain questioned. They found out it was a way to greet people up in the sky and the blond girl's name was Conis.
Suddenly they heard an ugly sound coming from the distance and a man came riding on something Oriana didn't recognize. The man was apparently Conis' father. He lost control of the thing and crashed into a tree, "Is everyone alright?" he asked concerned, but Sanji didn't think he was in a position to ask them that. The older man was the one who crashed after all.
Luffy's interest was on the thing the old man was riding and he explained that it was a way of transportation up in the sky. The young captain decided to try it, but he somehow fell off too, "It takes ten years to learn to control it".
Oriana blinked a couple of times, "Ten years, really? It must really take a genius to learn on the first try," she smirked and motioned for him to look at a certain someone, "It's impossible to..." he started but quickly got quiet.
Because Nami was riding the entire thing with little to no trouble, and she was doing it beautifully. Luffy was watching her with envy and started complaining, but the navigator didn't listen and instead drove further away.
Oriana smirked before running over to the "sea" and surfed over to the orange-haired girl, "Mind if I join you" she asked, "No, not at all" Nami smiled back. The two females went further and further away from the others.
They soon arrived at what looked like land, "What's this place. It's huge" the navigator started, "If I didn't know any better, I would say it's an island" the Whitebeard pirate answered.
They admired the landscape when a noise could be heard in the distance. The man that attacked them when they first came to Sky-island came up from behind. There was a scream from the island as well, it sounded like someone being chased.
Oriana pushed Nami closer to the island's side. She touched the solid ground and closed her eyes to concentrate, "A guy is running away from four men, a giant dog, and a bird". The other girl looked shocked at her, "How do you know that".
Before she could answer the masked man shot his bazooka, but surprisingly not at the two pirates instead at the four men. The guy being chased jumped down to avoid being hit and that's when he saw them, "Help me, please. Get me out of here. I'll pay you whatever you want" he begged.
He looked to the side and saw the one with the mask, "Guerrilla…" he said. Oriana noticed a bright light descending from the sky above the man and she jumped up to Nami's waver thing and just at the last second she pushed them further away from the man that it was about to hit.
The blast was very strong, Oriana stretched her hand out and she could feel it wasn't light but lightning. She couldn't help but smirk, 'What an interesting way of using lightning,' she thought. The man with the mask jumped back and ran away.
She wanted to get closer, but Nami held her back and whispered for her to be quiet because the haunters were still there. "I don't get Eneru-sama sometimes. What are we supposed to do if he's just going to do it himself?" one of them started.
"To save time because more illegal trespassers have arrived. Old lady Amazon said that a ship with eight people on board came from the blue sea," another one said. "Eight people? That's good. You can divide eight heads among four people," Someone laughed, and they left.
Oriana looked at the other girl and could clearly see her worried look, "Oh no. We have to tell the others right away" the navigator said. Oriana was still on board when Nami drove the waver back to the previous place.
She grabbed her shoulders and leaned closer to her, "Relax, Nami. I'm confident we can beat them if they come after us" she assured, but somehow it only comforted her a little.
They arrived at the beach, but the small crew wasn't alone. Some people that looked like soldiers were with them, "Oh rats. Somebody's already there. It's probably the people from the island" Nami started, "It's not" Oriana responded.
"Please don't do anything rash, you guys".
They were coming in fast, "Wait. Luffy, don't argue with them!" the orange-haired girl yelled from the distance. "Don't argue with them? But Nami are you saying we should pay the 70 million berries fee for trespassing?" Usopp asked shocked.
"Thank goodness. We can get off with just a fine. Seventy million is… too much" she said and drove faster towards them. When they reached the beach Oriana jumped off and did a backflip before landing on the sand cloud.
But Nami didn't slow down and instead hit what she assumed was the leader in the face with the waver, "Are you crazy?" she asked, and as soon as she realized what she'd done she panicked, "Darn it. That outrageous fine made me lose it".
She gave the thing back to the old man before grabbing Luffy's wrist and telling him to run.
The daughter of Whitebeard stood there very amused at the entire situation. They haven't been there for that long and they were already exiled to the clouds. Her crew was going to have a good laugh about this, and she couldn't wait to rub it in their faces that she wasn't the one starting this.
"Arrest them"
The soldiers pointed their arrows at Luffy and Oriana. It wasn't hard to dodge but cloud roads appeared from their shoes, they were surfing on them. The young captain jumped up to dodge, but his sister moved her arms in front of her and used their own weapon against them.
She trapped their fancy shoes in the clouds and Luffy kicked and punched them along with Zoro and Sanji. "By the way, how much money do we have," the cook asked, "50,000 in petty cash" Nami answered.
"fifty thousand? That's all? We're in bad shape!" Zoro said in disbelief. "Why are we so poor? As your captain, I have to say this – You guys spend too much money," Luffy scolded. "Most of it goes to feeding you!" the crew complained.
The leader of the soldiers was still conscious and warned them that the vassals of the upper yard were going to deal with them. "Bring it on," Oriana said before kicking the man unconscious again.