Sorry for not posting. I'm lazy af.
I realized I made a mistake in the timelines. From when I took the past pirates from their time, it was before they met Oden. I made a mistake because, in the earlier chapters, Whitebeard and Marco knew who Blackbeard was even though they hadn't met him yet. My bad.
Anyway let's just say Blackbeard joined Whitebeard earlier than canon :)
*Disclaimer! I do not own anything One Piece related that belongs to Oda*
Law sighed as the lights dimmed. He shuffled in his seat, finding a comfortable position. The last viewing was too tense for his liking. He hoped a break would happen soon. They all needed a reset after that.
After a few seconds, the screen lit up.
Luffy stands on top of a large building, looking down at Bellamy. The moon shines behind him, and Bellamy grins.
Law blinked at the new scene, surprised to see Bellamy again. He didn't think the viewings would show him. The Straw Hats left pretty much beat and seemed to have no intention of returning, especially Straw Hat and Roronoa.
"Are they about to fight?" Marco questioned. The teen shifted in his seat, looking between the two on the screen, confused and interested.
"That seems to be the case," Rayleigh scratched his chin. "Although I'm curious why Luffy decided to return."
Red Hair nodded in agreement, examining the screen thoroughly.
"He should've done this at the bar," Eustass grumbled.
Law agreed. He didn't see the value or reasoning behind Straw Hats' defiance of not defending himself or his crewmates against Bellamy back at the bar. If there was a point to be proven, Law couldn't see one. Even if it was to be the better man, it seemed pointless.
"We were just talking about you. Something I can do for you?" Bellamy smirks.
"Yeah," Luffy frowns. "Give back the Diamond-head man's gold!"
"Gold?" Bellamy chuckles. "The stuff that old man Cricket had?"
"Cricket?" Eustass asked with a raised brow.
Law was just as confused. He didn't know anyone by that name. It could be a nickname, but he doubted he knew this person anyway.
"From what they're saying, it sounds like Bellamy stole gold from this 'Cricket' guy." Roger summarized.
"Yes, but how does Luffy know him?" Rayleigh asked. "I don't remember any of these viewings mentioning him."
"No such name has been mentioned," Whitebeard voiced.
There was a moment of silence before the screen turned white, and words appeared. Law blinked at the sudden change but fixed his eyes on the screen.
Cricket is a man the Straw Hats meet on the other side of the island. He befriends the group, and Luffy becomes fond of the man. Cricket tells them about Sky Island and helps them find their way there.
While the Crew is sent to find a South Bird for their journey, Bellamy and his crew show up and beat Cricket and his friends, stealing their gold.
When the Straw Hats return, Luffy is angered by the scene and makes a deal with his crew. He will retrieve the stolen gold before they need to leave for the knock-up stream by the morning. They agree, and that leaves us to now.
That makes a lot more sense. Straw Hat didn't seem the type to take petty revenge. From these viewings, Law could confidently say that Straw Hat would only fight someone for the sake of others, not so much for his gain or glory.
"Ah, I see," Roger hummed.
"That's admirable that Luffy would do that for Cricket!" Marco praised.
"That it is," Red Hair nodded in agreement. "I knew there must've been a reason Luffy decided to return." The man smiled. "I'm proud of him."
Law glanced at Red Hair, fondness and pride practically radiating from him. It was still absurd that an Emperor of the Sea personally knew Straw Hat and spoke highly of him. Don't think Law will ever get used to that.
"That's my grandson!" the Marine Hero laughed. Everyone in the room collectively ignored the man.
The words on the screen slowly faded, and new ones appeared.
Fun fact: Cricket is a descendant of Mont Blanc Noland.
What.
"Who is that?" Marco raised a brow. "I've never heard of them."
"Neither have I," Roger shrugged. The Pirate King looked to his right curiously. "What about you, Shanks? Have you heard of the name in the future?"
Red Hair laughed lightly, shaking his head. "No, sorry, captain, I haven't. Even in the future."
Roger didn't seem disappointed by the answer. He patted his former cabin boy on his shoulder and reached over Rayleigh to do so. Rayleigh grunted but didn't look all that bothered.
Everyone else in the room looked either confused, annoyed, or disinterested in the topic. Law was a little surprised that someone else in the room didn't know the story of Noland the Lair, even if it was mostly popular on the North Blue.
"I might have some insight," Law spoke up. It is better to help than let them keep theorizing about a children's book.
All eyes turned to him, but he kept his eyes on the left side of the room. The Past Pirates and Red Hair were the only ones who wanted to learn more about the topic anyway.
"Really?" Rayleigh commented. The man raised a brow, looking interested. "You've heard the name?"
Law nodded, shifting to face them. He heard a shuffle of clothing behind him and assumed Eustass was moving around, too. For whatever reason.
"Yes, Noland the Lair is a children's book popular in the North Blue. It told the story of an explorer, Noland, who found a city of gold," Law told the story, remembering how his parents used to tell him this bedtime story. "When he went to show the king his finds, there was no gold or jewels. The king was infuriated and sentenced him to an execution. At his execution, Noland proclaimed that he lied." He summarized.
His sister was fond of it. Lami always begged their parents to read that book, and Law ended up being annoyed with the story after hearing it almost every night, causing her to be upset. Sometimes, he would convince his mother to read a different story— he was more fond of Sora— but most of the time, he'd cave and let Lami choose Noland the Lair.
Law shook his head; he couldn't get caught up in memories.
"Parents usually told the story to their kids to warn them not to lie, or they'll end up like Noland," Law finished.
"A children's story?" Marco questioned.
"So by their words," Rayleigh tilted his head to the screen. "This children's book is based on a true story, if Cricket is a descendant of Noland."
Law blinked. He didn't think about that; he never thought Noland the Lair had actually ever happened.
"I assume so, but I never heard it being a true story," Law said, shaking his head.
"Interesting," Roger mumbled. Red Hair nodded in agreement.
"Can we continue," Big Mom sneered. "I have no desire to talk about children's stories. You can do that on your own time. I prefer to get these viewings over with. They're wasting my time."
Law grunted to himself. He certainly didn't want to anger her, but they were prohibited from harming each other in this room, so he didn't feel as threatened by her aura.
"Aren't you a little curious, Linlin?" Roger asked. Big Mom glances down at the Pirate King. "After all, we wouldn't be told this if it wasn't necessary. It also adds a little mystery. And who doesn't like a good mystery to solve?" The man laughs good-naturedly.
"No," Big Mom curls her lip. "I couldn't care less, Roger."
Roger shrugs at her words. He didn't look perturbed by her negative tone.
The words on the screen faded, and the scene returned to Straw Hat and Bellamy. Shuffling and shifting were heard as everyone faced the screen.
Bellamy crouches, his legs forming into springs, and jumps on the roof across from Luffy.
Law blinked at the movement. He didn't think Bellamy had a devil fruit. Well, he actually didn't wonder if he did in the first place. Bellamy seemed the type to show off his power, so Law was a little caught off guard by the display.
"Some sort of spring power," Rayleigh commented. "Paramecia."
"Looks dumb," Marco grunted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Even if it doesn't look all that impressive, you should still be wary of the user and how they make work of their power," Whitebeard said. "You might be surprised how clever people can be."
Marco tilted his head in thought but looked skeptically at the screen overall.
"I ain't giving it back. I stole it from him as a pirate. And being a pirate yourself, you shouldn't have any objections to that," Bellamy smirked.
Law huffed. The blond certainly isn't wrong, but saying that to Straw Hat's face was amusing.
"But I do." Bellamy frowns at Luffy's words. "Those guys are my friends. So I'm stealing it back."
"I wouldn't expect anything less from Luffy," Red Hair commented, his mouth forming into a small smile.
"Yes, very commendable," Rayleigh said. "I see why you take such a liking to the boy Shanks." Red Hair offers a smile.
The crowd below murmurs to each other as they look up at the standoff. Bellamy and Luffy stare each other down as the wind blows around them.
Bellamy cackles, "I gotta ask you… Can you fight? Do you know who to throw a punch!? What's a coward like you gonna do to me?"
Law raised a brow at Bellamy's words, still amused. The blond seemed confident in his words and power to beat Straw Hat, even more so when he sensed the beating at the bar.
He felt Bellamy was about to get a rude awakening from Straw Hat. Not that he doesn't deserve it. The guy is a total asshole. Law looks forward to it, especially since he's one of Doflamingo's goons.
A man on the ground looks up at Luffy, terrified. "I-I wasn't wrong…" He looks down at Luffy's wanted poster. "It's him!"
Sarquiss frowns down at the man. "Oi. What do you still have that thing for? Just tear it up already!"
"But what if this wanted poster is real? If he really is worth 100,000,000 Beri's, there's no way Bellamy would be able to…"
"Oh! Luffy's bounty went up!" Marco exclaimed. "What was it before? I don't remember."
"It was at thirty mil'," Red Hair offered.
"Wow, it went up a lot," Marco huffed before tilting his head in thought. "Well, I guess that makes sense since Luffy beat a Warlord." Red Hair smiled at the teen's words.
"That's absurd." Sarquiss cuts the man off. "Just look at that kid. That's no vicious killer, no matter how you look at him. I'm starting to doubt that 30,000,000 Beri poster now, too!"
Law was getting a little annoyed by Bellamy and his gang of goons.
"If you're just gonna stand there scared like you did this afternoon," Bellamy antagonizes. "You ain't gonna steal anything from me. Coward!"
"This afternoon was different," Luffy says simply.
"Straw Hat better be taking this fight seriously and beat this guy," Eustass grumbled.
Straw Hat is probably taking this seriously, especially since he was doing it for his new friend, Cricket.
Bellamy laughs, "Oh really! And what exactly is different? Then, this time, I'll ensure you'll never give me any of that insolence again!"
Bellamy crouches, activating his devil fruit. He jumps up, causing the roof to break off the building.
"It broke off!" a bystander shouts.
"I'll have this finished in an instant!" Bellamy smirks. "Spring Snipe!" He lands on the side of a building and jumps toward Luffy, who is falling with the roof. Luffy jumps up, causing Bellamy to clash into the debris.
"This guy is like a bull," Marco pointed out. The teen looked unimpressed with Bellamy's display of power so far.
"Yes, he charges as soon as he sees his target. Very much like a bull," Rayleigh agreed.
"Hey! Straw Hat jumped!" Villager B exclaims.
Luffy lands on another roof and slips down the side before getting a hold. The debris crashes on the ground in the background. Bellamy safely lands on the ground and crouches for another attack.
"Little maggot." He springs toward Luffy at high speeds. Luffy manages to dodge, causing Bellamy to punch the roof. Luffy loses his footing and stumbles over the roof. He holds onto the side, dangling in the air.
"Is the brat going to dodge all day?" The Beast Pirate grunted. The large man had his elbow resting on the armrest of his chair. His head leans on his hand, looking utterly bored with the fight. "He has a time limit; there's no point in dragging this out."
"Probably for dramatics," Big Mom huffed. Kaido grunted but didn't comment.
"Maybe Luffy wants to get a point across?" Marco said with a shrug.
The two Emperors glanced at the teen, unimpressed. Marco smiled nervously, but luckily, the two didn't engage with the phoenix and turned away. Marco sighed, leaning against the back of his shared couch with Whitebeard.
"What did that brat come here for?" Sarquiss cackles.
"Let's just enjoy Bellamy's show." A man laughs.
"He sure talked big, but now it looks like he's running scared!" Sarquiss laughs while the man with Luffy's wanted poster watches the fight fearfully.
"It looks like one of them seems to understand who Luffy is," Roger huffed in amusement. "Or at least that he's stronger than Bellamy."
"Yes, the others should think it wise to listen to that man," Rayleigh's mouth formed into a small smile. "They have their minds set on how Luffy acted in the bar that they dismiss his bounty completely."
Whitebeard nodded in agreement, "That will be their downfall."
Bellamy lands on another roof, smirking down at Luffy. "I see nothing different."
Luffy springs up, landing on the now partially destroyed roof.
"Nothing's changed from this afternoon!" Bellamy springs forward, and Luffy dodges to the side while Bellamy flies past him. Bellamy lands on the ground, gritting his teeth. "I thought you said you were going to take the gold back from me! All you do is talk shit!" Luffy is falling upside down. "You can't even stand up and face me! All you can do is stand there and ramble about your dreams! What kind of man does that make you!?"
Honestly, Law couldn't exactly blame Bellamy's views of Straw Hat. From the blonde's point of view, Straw Hat is a rookie pirate who took a beating without fighting back, and he isn't even fighting back against Bellamy right now. To him, it looks like Straw Hat is a coward who is running away.
It almost seems like Straw Hat purposely gives Bellamy the image of a coward and weakling.
Bellamy springs forward, landing a hit on Luffy. Luffy yells as he crashes to the ground.
Law heard a concerned gasp from Marco, but the others in the room didn't seem worried or bothered.
The bystanders run away from the impact. Smoke and dust fly everywhere, and Bellamy lands on another roof, smirking down at Luffy.
"You can struggle all you want. There's no escaping my Spring Spring ability." Bellamy says simply.
"You're finished already!?" Sarquiss laughs down at Luffy. "What a shame!"
"Luffy isn't done yet!" Marco exclaimed. The teen was grinning at the screen, believing in his honorary brother.
Whitebeard patted his son's shoulders, watching the screen intently.
"That's right, Marco!" Roger laughed lightly. "It'll take more than that to knock him down!"
The Dark King huffed in amusement at his captain's words, fondness slipping from his eyes.
"There's no way that brat could be a match for Bellamy!" A crewmate scoffs. Bellamy's goons laugh.
"Don't tell me he's dead already." Bellamy smirks to himself.
The smoke clears, and Luffy stands up. NPC's gasped at the sight. "He got up!"
Even though Law understood that Luffy sees this fight as necessary, it's a bit underwhelming. He remembered the anonymous person saying this 'arc' was more information than action. He had at least hoped the action would be more entertaining.
Oh well, it's not like anything would happen if he complained. If anything, seeing Bellamy get beat would satisfy Law, especially since the guy is affiliated with Doflamingo. Okay, never mind. Law decided this was an excellent fight. He might have to thank Straw Hat when he returns to Punk Hazard.
Luffy shrugs the debris off of him and faces Bellamy.
"I'm not ready for you to kick it just yet! I'm just about to start the real show! Spring Hopper!"
Bellamy shoots off the roof, landing on the ground before jumping to another building. He springs off different surfaces, speed increasing all around Luffy.
"Actually, that's a little impressive," Marco commented. "I didn't expect that." The teen shrugged to himself.
"Like I said before, Marco, don't underestimate someone's power even if it doesn't look the most useful or powerful," Whitebeard said.
Marco huffed at the reminder but nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right," the teen admitted reluctantly.
"Bellamy disappeared!" A bystander exclaims.
"He did this when Roshio the Executioner was killed!" Someone else shouted.
"They're your friends, huh?!" Bellamy laughs as he springs around Luffy.
Luffy stares intensely at nothing, frowning.
"Come to think of it, that geezer and those giant apes are just like you! You're a clan of natural-born morons who believe in a fish story told by some guy 400 years ago!" Bellamy spouts.
"Giant apes?" Red Hair raised a brow at the description.
"Sounds like Cricket's friends," Rayleigh said. "Although, I don't know if Bellamy meant that literally or not."
Red Hair shrugged, mainly looking satisfied with the answer.
Luffy's brows furrow in visible anger.
"A city of golf? A sky island? The era of dreams is over, you pathetic excuses for pirates!" Luffy grits his teeth as Bellamy continues.
"Well, that's not very nice," Roger said.
"Why would he be nice?" Eustass asked with a raised brow. He sounded bewildered by the Pirate King's words. "He's a Pirate."
"Yes, but that doesn't mean he has to be rude about people's dreams," Roger replied easily. "He can just as easily fight without spouting all that nonsense." The man nodded to himself firmly.
Eustass opened his mouth to respond, only to click it shut when nothing came out. The redhead looked utterly baffled by this conversation.
Not that Law blames him, he was also a little lost.
"I wouldn't try normal logic with him, Kid," Rayleigh smiled.
Eustass furrowed his brows, confused, "What is that supposed to mean?"
"The Captain doesn't think like the rest of us," Red Hair chimed in. "It's just a quirk of his." The man shrugged. He seemed way too nonplussed not to have dealt with this before.
"That literally doesn't make any sense," Eustass growled.
Roger laughed, and the man tilted his head back as he did so. The Dark King and Red Hair exchanged looks with each other, smiling.
Law seriously doesn't understand what's going on right now. Neither does Eustass; the redhead was practically fuming at the older generations' interaction.
"Can we get back to the fight?" Marco spoke up. The teen shifted in his seat. "I want to see Luffy beat this guy already!"
"Yes, of course, Marco," Rayleigh sighed, slapping his captain's arm to get him to stop cackling like a madman.
"Do I know how to throw a punch, you ask?" Luffy questions evenly, with his fist raised.
"Get 'im, Bellamy! That moron isn't fit to live in reality!" Sarquiss laughs.
"So long, Straw Hat!" Bellamy grins, charging at Luffy.
Luffy screams, bringing his fist down and punching Bellamy in the face. Bellamy crashes into the ground, breaking the wood. Bellamy gasps out blood, a fist imprint on his cheek.
Well, damn. It is safe to say that Law is thoroughly satisfied.
"Yes!" Marco exclaimed in triumph. He raised his fist in victory, smiling gleefully. "That was so satisfying!"
"I have to agree," Red Hair lightly chuckled. "I think that Bellamy quite deserved what he had coming."
Rayleigh and Roger nodded in agreement, smiling at the screen.
"That brat packs quite a powerful punch," Whitebeard commented, looking at the screen with an impressive expression.
"Yeah, Luffy, like, dented his head!" Marco said, delighted by the outcome. Whitebeard chuckled at his son's excitement.
Law glanced to the right side of the room curiously. As always, the two Emperors of the sea look entirely uninterested. Kaido looks like he's about ready to take a nap while Big Mom continues to snack away at her treats. He honestly doesn't know why they are here in the first place. They don't seem to be involved with Straw Hat that much, or at least not right now.
Wait, does that mean they'll be involved at some point?
He shouldn't be too surprised since he would offer Straw Hat an alliance to take down Kaido. So, that tracks with his plans. But Big Mom? He wants to stay clear of that woman. He doesn't need any more Emperors on his ass. Not that Kaido knows about his plans, at least not yet. If these viewings show his plans at all, he's royally screwed. Hopefully, if he can see how the alliance works, he can make adjustments.
Law glances at the end of the row to see Doflamingo looking up at the screen, not looking too happy. The man wasn't smiling, but not exactly frowning either. Law wanted to smirk at the sight.
There is a stunned silence, Luffy's fists dripping with blood. Bellamy is knocked out, and Luffy stands victorious, resting his hat on his head.
"Hey… Quit kiddin' around, Bellamy…" Sarquiss mumbles in a shocked state. "Come on! You're just joking, right? Say something!"
Bellamy is knocked out, and the spectators mumble in shock.
"Hey! Bellamy! Quit acting dumb!" Sarquiss shouts. "Come on, get up! Continue your usual show, Bellamy! You're a major rookie with a 55 million reward!"
"Man, this guy sounds desperate," Marco curled his lip at the sight.
A brief flashback is shown of the man holding Luffy's bounty.
"That's right! Those two from this afternoon!"
Sarquiss gasps. The man holding Luffy's bounty flies out of his hand, the paper smacking Sarquiss in the face. Sarquiss grabs the sheet of paper and looks down in shock at Luffy's bounty while remembering what the man said to them at the bar.
"Their bounties are higher than yours, Bellamy!"
Sarquiss steps back in shock, letting go of the paper, Bellamy's pirate crew gasping in shock with him.
"I can't lie," Marco started, scratching his head almost bashfully. "Is it wrong that I feel a lot of satisfaction from their reactions?"
"No, this is extremely satisfying," Eustass said, smirking at the screen.
"Oh good," Marco let out a relieved breath. "I'm glad I'm not the only one." Whitebeard chuckled, shaking his head lightly.
"I'll admit it's pretty satisfying to watch," Red Hair smiles at Marco. His grin slowly fades before he looks up at the screen, his lips forming into a thin line. "Those pirates' arrogance and ignorance were their downfall; it's hard not to pity them." Roger and Rayleigh nod in agreement.
Eustass rolled his eyes at his words but didn't comment, much to Law's relief.
"See! I told you." The man exclaimed, looking from Sarquiss to Luffy. Luffy turns to them with an intense look.
"The old guy's gold. Give it back." Luffy demands.
At that, everyone starts to run away, screaming.
Law purses his lips at the overaction. He understands that Straw Hat has essentially beaten the most dangerous guy in that town, but that doesn't mean the teen will turn his sights on everyone else in the area. Although Law can't exactly blame them, they have no idea who Straw Hat is.
A little bit of a time jump, Luffy exits the bar with a large bag on his back. Luffy laughs good-naturedly.
"I got it!"
"I'm glad Luffy was able to get the gold back for Cricket," Rayleigh smiles.
"Very noble," Whitebeard agreed.
The Bellamy pirates stare in shock as Luffy starts to leave.
"That runt… It was a fluke!" Sarquiss starts. He gets up from his kneeled position by Bellamy and shouts out to Luffy. "Hey, you! Stop! I'm still here! Come on! Bring it on!" Luffy continues to walk as Sarquiss hypes himself up. "There's no way we can lose to dream-chasing morons! What's wrong? Hey, Straw Hat! Where're you going?!"
Law wants to cringe at those words. It was desperate and, if not a little pathetic.
"What a moron," Eustass mumbles, thoroughly annoyed. Laws glance out of the corner of his eye at the man, quick enough to see the eye roll.
Luffy stops, and the pirates flinch. Luffy brings up a fist.
"Where?" Luffys says. Sarquiss falls back on his ass, intimidated.
Luffy points to the sky and simply says.
"The sky!" The screen pans to the night sky, showing a bright moon, and then fades to black.
Law can't help but smirk at the simple answer. Straw Hat really is a simple creature. You can't help but like him for it, even if being around him can be annoying or downright hazardous.
"That's my grandson!" Garp shouts with a proud smile. The man laughs as a bag of crackers appears above him and plop in his lap. Law wonders just how much that man has eaten already.
"I think Luffy handled that very well," Rayleigh smiled, ignoring the marine.
"Yes, I have to agree," Red Hair nods. "I was curious why he decided to return to fight Bellamy, but after finding out the reason, Luffy had my full support." Roger nods along with his former cabin boy.
"I can't say I wouldn't do the same," Whitebeard laughs.
Before any more words could be said, the screen lit up again.
The scene starts with the Going Merry in the middle of the sea. The ship has been modified, with wings and a chicken head constructed. The water under the ship starts to bubble up.
"Why does their ship look like that?" Marco huffs at the screen, trying to hide his laugh.
Roger tilts his head at the screen with furrowed brows. The man looks utterly baffled at the Straw Hat's ship. "I don't know, but it looks…nice?"
"Yeah, no, that is ugly as shit," Eustass said. The redhead had his arms crossed, face pinched in disgust.
Red Hair lets out a laugh, and Rayleigh soon joins in. Eustass glances at them but decides to ignore the duo.
"I'm glad I didn't have to be the one to say it!" Red Hair chuckles—Rayleigh and Whitebeard nod. Roger sighs but nods in reluctant agreement.
"Yeah, I didn't want to say anything about Luffy's choices on his ship design, but this is just…" Roger gestured at the screen uselessly. Law sighs at the exchange. Why did they even need to comment on the design anyway? It seems pointless.
"Ugly," Eustass says.
"Uh," Roger looks at the redhead. The man seems hesitant but ultimately nods in agreement. "Yeah, I guess."
"Get ready!" A voice yells. The Going Merry starts to rise from the water.
"I guess they're going up the Knock-Up Stream," Red Hair says.
"Oh yeah, the person said that Luffy and his crew would use that to go to a sky island," Marco remembered. "I'm curious how that works."
"Looks like we're about to find out," Rayleigh gestures to the screen. "I have to admit I'm also a little curious."
"Shanks!" Roger looks around at his first mate. Red Hair looks to his former Captain and hums in question. "You said you went to a sky island. Did you take the Knock-Up Stream?"
The past pirates turned to Red Hair, interested. Law admits he's also curious how it works, but he doesn't see the point in discussing it when they're about to see the Straw Hat's do it.
"Oh yes, it was a while ago," Red Hair laughs lightly. "It was a fun experience." Roger makes a noise that Law couldn't quite place. The Pirate King looks interested, certainly more than his first mate. Marco frowns at his words, not at all looking satisfied with those words.
"Yeah, and?" Marco prompts, sitting on the edge of his couch. "What else?"
"I'm sure we'll see in a moment," Red Hair responds readily. Marco pouts while Whitbeard pats his shoulders with a deep chuckle.
"Whatever, I bet Luffy's will be more exciting anyway," Marco mumbles, shifting back in his seat. Red Hair smiles at the teen before facing the screen.
Blackbeard's ship gets pushed back by the water.
"What?" Blackbeard looks down in confusion.
Law blinks at the screen, surprised.
"What's he doing here?" Eustass grunted out. That's what Law wants to know. Didn't Blackbeard depart from Straw Hat back in Mock Town?
"Yeah, didn't he already leave?" Marco raised a brow.
Roger and Whitebeard frowned at the screen.
"It's concerning that he's here, but I'm sure there's a reason," Rayleigh said.
"Yes, I wasn't aware how often Luffy encountered Teach," Red Hair frowned.
"Yeah, I don't like it," Roger muttered.
The screen faded before turning white, and words appeared.
Blackbeard saw Luffy's new bounty poster and decided he could pursue him. He figured the World Government would allow him to become a Warlord if he turned Luffy into them.
"Interesting, to say the least," Rayleigh raised a brow.
"So, Teech decided to go after Luffy?" Marco asked. "And Ace is going after Teech?" The teen tilted his head with a frown. "But Ace loses against Teech and gets turned into the Marines?"
"Yes," Red Hair nods solemnly.
"Gahh! This is crazy! How did it even end up like that? It's so unfair." Marco clutches his head, gripping his hair, upset.
"Yes, it's quite unfortunate how things turned out, but also peculiar," Rayleigh said. Roger nods along with his first mate.
After a moment, the words disappeared, and the screen returned to where they left off.
"Everyone! Hold on tight to the ship or get inside!" Sanji shouts as Luffy and Usopp run around the ship.
"This ship… it's going up!" Usopp yells. The water is getting pushed up, and the Going Merry sits on top.
"Wait, do they actually get shot into the sky by the water?" Marco's brows raised in surprise.
"I would assume that's why it's called the Knock-Up Stream," Rayleigh deadpaned.
"I guess," Marco shrugged. The teen tilted his head in thought before sighing. "Yeah, I guess I didn't really think about it." Whitebeard chuckled, patting his son's head, much to the teen's dismay.
Chopper and Robin hold onto the mast. Sanji holds onto the railing while Usopp plasters himself against the wall. Zoro and Nami do the same but on the other side of the ship. Luffy looks down and makes a noise of confusion.
"You know," Red Hair says, looking at the screen worriedly. "I think they're underestimating how much force they'll be under. They need something more secure to hold onto."
"Yes, I was just thinking that," Rayleigh huffed out. "They should tie themselves with some rope to add more security."
Law would have been worried, but he knows that all the Straw Hats will be fine in the future, so everything should turn out fine. However, extra security would be nice.
"I think they'll be fine," Roger smiled.
Suddenly, the water shoots up, launching the Going Merry into the sky. A water pillar shoots into the sky, destroying Blackbeard's ship. Cricket is seen on shore watching the scene while smoking a cigarette.
"Wow! That looks awesome!" Marco's eyes lit up in excitement.
Law shouldn't be surprised at the scene since he knows it takes a lot of force and speed to reach a sky island, but it's still a sight.
"Now that looks like a fun adventure!" Roger grins, clearly invigorated by the scene.
The Going Merry rides the Knock up Stream.
"What the heck's going on?" Usopp exclaims.
"The ship is going straight up a pillar of water!" Sanji yells.
"This is awesome!" Luffy laughs.
"How is this happening?" Usopp cries out.
"Wind?" Nami questions.
Law watches the Straw Hat's, a little amused by their display. If he didn't already know their future, he would be more worried about their situation, but since that's not the case, he can relax and enjoy their confusion and chaos.
Zoro and Robin stand on the wall of the ship. Chopper holds on to the mast as Usopp holds onto the railing, his legs flailing. Sanji braces himself next to Usopp while Luffy grabs onto the chicken head.
"Ha!" Marco laughs out, pointing at the screen. "Look at the long-nosed guy! He looks funny hanging on like that!" Marco covers his mouth with his hand, trying to smother his laughter but not having a lot of luck doing so.
"Yes, his face is quite amusing," Rayleigh grins before scratching his chin. "Although, I'm quite worried if he'll be able to hold on."
"I'm sure he'll be fine." Red Hair pats Rayleigh's shoulder. "I'm sure Usopp can handle himself. Luffy didn't ask him to join his crew mindlessly." The redhead smiles at his former crewmate reassuringly.
"Either way, he looks dumb," Eustass spoke up for no reason other than to torment Law.
Seriously, the man has spoken up to make snide remarks far too often for his liking. Even if no harm could come to them in this room, he's sure everyone will remember what they'll say after they leave this room. It's bad enough that everyone thinks he's lumped in with this idiot, but now whatever he says also affects him. It's not good for his situation or reputation.
Either way, it's not good to address Eustass directly about it. The man would cause a scene. It is better to manage damage control or at least try to distance himself from the redhead.
"He does look dumb," Marco laughs. The teen had tears in his eyes, clearly amused by the silly image the long-nosed boy's displaying. "What's his name again?"
"Usopp," Red Hair says.
"Ah, ok," The teen takes deep breaths, trying to control his laughter. "I'll try to remember that."
"Alright!" Luffy exclaims. "Now we can go into the sky! Go, Merry!"
"Hold on!" Sanji looks worried. "I don't think it's going to be that easy!"
Law narrows his eyes at the cook's words.
"What's wrong?" Usopp shouts.
Luffy looks back, brows furrowed.
"What is it?" Luffy asks. "Did we forget something?"
"The hull's starting to float!" Sanji says. The hull of the Going Merry starts to lift away from the Knock-Up Stream. Chopper makes a startled noise.
"I had a feeling it wasn't going to be that easy," Rayleigh sighs.
"Was any of this easy in the first place?" Marco deadpans.
"If this keeps up, we'll get sent into the ocean!" Sanji continues.
"But what do you want us to do?" Usopp asks as he holds onto the railing. "We can barely hold on!"
"What's that?" Chopper exclaims as he looks up the Knock Up Stream.
A Sea King falls from the sky, passing the Going Merry.
"The sea King!" Zoro shouts.
"Well, that's a discouraging sight," Roger mutters. The Pirate King blinks at the screen before perking up. "But I'm sure they'll figure something out."
"Yes, I'm sure they'll be just fine, Captain," Red Hair smiles.
"They're sure a resourceful group," Whitebeard lightly encourages.
"It's the one that got sucked into earlier!" Chopper says.
"See? It's only a matter of time before that happens to us!" Sanji yells.
Zoro looks up at him from where he's standing on the ship's wall.
Law hears a huff to his right.
"I know, but what can we do?" Zoro asks. "We don't have a lot of options when it comes to Mother Nature. What can we possibly do?"
"I guess we can hold on and hope for the best," Sanji responds.
Chopper yells as broken parts of ships fall.
"Ships are falling from the sky," Chopper shouts. "We're going to end up just like them!"
"We're going to nosedive into the bottom of the ocean just because Luffy had to chase some stupid dream!" Usopp exclaims in despair. Nami looks up, determined.
Multiple laughs sound throughout the room, not all sounding as heartfelt as others.
"Not all Straw Hat's members are loyal," Big Mom states with a laugh. The woman was still snacking, not interested in anything but her treats. "That long-nosed brat should be dropped off and left to die in a ditch if Straw Hat knows what's good for him. He shouldn't tolerate such behavior."
"If you believe Luffy would do that, then I'm not sure you've been carefully watching Big Mom," Red Hair says steadily. The man's shoulders are tense.
Big Mom narrows her brows at the other Emporer. "Why would I care about watching Straw Hat and his silly friends who call themselves pirates, Red Hair? I have more important things to worry about. I couldn't care less what Straw Hat does."
"Then I suggest you don't make vacuous comments if you aren't going to contribute meaningful conversation," Red Hair faces Big Mom, no previous joy or laughter showing. "I don't want to hear your snide comments if they don't hold any genuine curiosity or insight."
Big Mom looks enraged by his words. Law makes quick eye contact with his couch partner, a brief look of panic. After all, they're the only things dividing each side of the room.
"If we have to sit here against our will, you should have the decency to let us speak our mind," Kaido says. The beast pirate sits in his oversized chair comfortably. "You wouldn't deny us of our simple rights now, would you, Red Hair?"
"Of course, I wouldn't," the redhead responds. "You can speak however you like. Most of your comments haven't been very engaging, at least not in a positive way. It seems like a waste of breath."
"If you don't like our comments, don't listen," Kaido grunts. Red Hair looks like he is about to respond but ultimately decides against it. Much to Law's relief, the tension in the room is slowly building from their conversion, making him severely uncomfortable. Law let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in.
Red Hair shook his head and faced the screen, not looking like he was in a good mood anymore. His couch mates looked baffled at their former cabin boy. Roger and Rayleigh looked at each other, clearly conveying something, before they nodded and faced the screen.
The occupants in the room shuffled in their seats, facing the front.
"Spread the sails!" Nami turns to the crew. "Right away!" Robin makes a noise of confusion as Luffy lands on the mast above Chopper.
"It's a pillar of water, but it's still part of the sea!" Nami explains. "It's a rising current! And the wind blowing from below is a rising air current produced by the geothermal heat, causing a steam explosion! I can navigate it if we're dealing with wind and sea!" Nami smiles down at them. "Who's this ship's navigator?"
"I knew Young Nami is intelligent, but her knowledge of meteorology will never disappoint me," Rayleigh smiles approvingly. The mood in the room was still tense, but the Dark King didn't seem to mind speaking his thoughts.
"Yeah, it's really impressive," Marco nodded. The teen looks up at the screen in slight awe. "I don't understand how she figured that out, but it's awesome!"
"Commendable and reliable as the navigator," Whitebeard chuckled good-naturedly.
The rest of the crew looked momentarily shocked, except for Sanji, who has hearts for eyes.
"You are, Nami!" Sanji exclaims. "Alright, men! Do what Nami says!"
Law ignored the cook's behavior, as does most of the room.
"Right!" The crew responds as they unfurl the sail.
"Catch the starboard wind and pull the helm point! Nami shouts. "Align the ship with the current!"
"Yes, Sir!" The crew complied.
"We're rising above the water. Is that okay?" Chopper shouts.
The Going Merry starts to lean away from the water.
"We're going to fall, Nami!" Luffy yells. "Do something!"
"No, we can make it!" Nami says determinedly.
It is very admirable to see Nami confidante in her field of work. It's certainly nice to see her in her element rather than a slave barely scraping by.
The Going Merry lifts away from the water but continues to fly to the sky.
"We're flying!" Luffy exclaims. "Awesome! The ship is flying!"
"We made it," Usopp says disbileving.
Robin smiles, and Chopper yells, shaken as hell.
"Yes, they did it!" Marco exclaims. "Now we can see what a sky island looks like!"
"I must admit, I'm curious about a sky island," Roger scratches his chin with a grin. "I wonder if they have fun adventures up there, too."
"Even if it isn't what you hope," Rayleigh starts with a raised brow. "I'm sure Luffy and his friends will find a way to make it so." Roger lets out a joyful laugh.
"I'm sure he will," Red Hair says with a slight grin. The man doesn't look as troubled as earlier but not as quiet as his usual antics with his former crew. Law guesses he's still not over his encounter with Big Mom and Kaido.
Rayleigh glances at Red Hair with a small smile, patting his shoulder. The redhead doesn't acknowledge the hand but seems to lean into the touch. Roger observes the scene quietly, seemingly content with just watching.
"I did it!" Nami says proudly.
Zoro makes a noise of pleasant surprise.
"Nami! You're wonderful!" Sanji shouts with hearty eyes. "I think I love you!"
"Go for it, kid!" Cricket looks up to the sky. "Always remember to keep dreaming."
"With this wind and current," Nami exclaims. "We can sail as high as we want!"
"Hey! Nami!" Luffy shouts from where he holds onto the railing. "Are we almost at the sky island?"
"If it exists," Nami smiles as she points to the sky. "It's on the other side of those clouds!"
Law won't admit it out loud, but he's also pretty curious about the sky island. On his adventure through paradise, he didn't have the desire or opportunity to explore one, so it might be nice to see how Straw Hat's adventure plays out, especially since the anonymous person deemed it worthy enough for them to watch.
Luffy smiles as he looks up the Knock Up Stream.
"Above the clouds?" Luffy questions. "Can't wait to find out what's up in the sky!" The Going Merry continues to fly up. "Let's plunge through and find out!" Luffy shouts.
The screen fades to black.
"Aww, is that it?" Marco pouts. "I thought we would get to see the sky island."
"I'm sure we will, Little Phoinex," Roger says. Marco scrunches his face at the nickname.
"Probably in the next viewing. The arc wouldn't be called 'Skypia' if we weren't going to see a sky island."
"Oh, I guess you're right," Marco shrugs at himself, Roger smiling at him. "Well, let's get the next one rolling. I want to see what a sky island looks like!"
Whitebeard and Rayleigh chuckle at the scene. Red Hair smiles at the duo but doesn't engage any further.
Law sighs but faces forward. He also wants to know what a sky island looks like.
In case you missed the note at the top.
I realized I made a mistake in the timelines. From when I took the past pirates from their time, it was before they met Oden. I made a mistake because, in the earlier chapters, Whitebeard and Marco knew who Blackbeard was even though they hadn't met him yet. My bad.
Anyway let's just say Blackbeard joined Whitebeard earlier than canon :)