A pirate, carrying an entire bakery, ran through the main town. "I'm takin' this bread! Nobody'll stop me!" the man cried, his huge arms making his small skinny legs stick out. A young girl with red hair draped over her shoulders walked out, glaring towards the pirate. He skidded to a stop, fear filling his eyes. "W-whys it gotta be that admiral of all people!?" the townsfolk cried as the street began to empty. Claire walked forward, aiming her hand at him. "Put that building down now," she commanded, to which he complied, and all the people inside ran out. The pirate then laughed as he reached for a hostage, but he was halted as a tendril made of magma shot out of her hand, wrapping around his wrist and tugging him towards her. A quick haki jab into his temple was all she hit him with, and he went out. The people peeked from their windows, seemingly in awe at the lack of damage as Claire lifted the weirdly proportioned man and headed for her vessel. "Surely they'll show themselves, there's no other way past the Red Line," Albatro said to himself, looking down from the crows nest as Claire returned with the bakery guy. "I'll snuff them out here..." he muttered, but unbeknownst to the Fleet Admiral, the Melody Pirates were currently below them.
Sticking close to the seabed, Nakama was using her paddles to crawl along it. "They could still see us with their own radar, but this trick should sneak us through," Kagaku noted quietly, everyone keeping their voices down. Harmony walked over to Zii, who was currently fidgeting with her fingers, eyes purple with worry. "You ok? I figured you'd be relieved after all that," she asked, sitting down next to the mage. "W-well I am but..." she paused, searching for the words. "I attacked you guys... I shouldn't be a part of your crew..." But Harmony just chuckled in response, turning Zii's eyes green. "Yea, but I could tell you wanna be," she said confidently, and Zii's flustered face confirmed it. "Bygones are bygones. You're our sail keeper Zii, part of our family." Zii's eyes shifted a pink color, tears starting to pool. "Y-you think of me as family..?" she asked shakily, but Harmony snickered, trying not to laugh out loud. "We beat up your father together, what else would we be after that?~"
"Mister Kagaku?" Nakama asked, muffled by the water but still understandable. "You sure this is the way to Fishman Island?" Kagaku looked up, a concerned look in his eyes. "What happened!?" he cried, Arlos stepping up to create a Room around them. "I got the water pushed back, show us what's wrong," he asked, and Nakama opened up. The view looked like a simple wall made of stone, but Kagaku fell to his knees. "They... Destroyed it!" he growled, clutching his hands into fists. Arlos made the Room bigger, and passed it through the wall. "It's just blocked," he informed, pointing towards the wall before making a simple 'c'mere' motion with his finger, ripping the stones right out. The path was open, revealing a rather depressing ghost town behind it. As they started heading inside, Nakama closed up as Arlos dropped the room slowly as to not flood her. "It's unlikely, but keep your eyes out for any life down here..." Kagaku requested, but as soon as he finished speaking, something knocked against the side.
His eyes were hopeful, but Arlos opened a small Room, sighing. "It's just a fish..." he said, causing Kagaku to huff. "Who are you hoping to find?" Lia asked, and everyone was interested now. "Fishmen live very long lives... And I knew some, personally... I just have hope you know..?" he answered, standing up and patting the wall. He shook his head, regaining his usually joyous composure. "The New World is our goal. No need to dwell on the past," he said, taking over for Kiwi as they navigate the ruins. "Know this place like the back of my hand. Had to come down in a coated ship and I could see, but I did it with my eyes closed~" he stated as he directed Lia through. He then stopped them, looking up with a smile. "What is it?" Harmony asked, and Kagaku turned to Arlos. "Sorry to keep using your thing, but could you push the water away one more time?" Arlos sighed, obliging, but his eyes filled with awe as Nakama opened.
"The very center of Fishman Island," Kagaku said, "The only place this deep that sunlight can reach." The view, even without upkeep, was breathtaking. The water here was so clear, light has no trouble shining through it, and it illuminated the seafloor perfectly. Although the actual floor wasn't as pretty, as it was crumbled stone and sea sand with not much else. "It was much more beautiful when this place was alive," Kagaku said, wiping tears from his eyes. "There! I see the way through the Red Line!" Kasai called out, pointing towards a huge cave opening. "Indeed~" Kagaku confirmed, but before they could continue, something shot passed the ship, grazing her railing. "Damn! They must have better radar than I gave them credit for!" he cried, looking back at the two naval subs, firing torpedoes at them. But Kagaku noticed something about their aim when the second one was fired.
"Get going! They're trying to take the cave out!" The first torpedo exploded once it reached the wall, cracking the stone above the cave. "Hell nah!" Arlos cried, using his Room to redirect the new torpedo into the floor behind Nakama, pushing them forward towards the opening. Julio casually shot a coin off the mast, flinging it into the periscope and knocking the aim off of the third shot. "That was close..." he muttered to himself, holstering Victoria. After they made it through, Harmony shifted into her Yukionna form, immediately shivering as she froze the sea water behind them, blocking the advances of the navy. They reported back, and Albatro slammed his fist into the table, shattering it. "Damn!" he cried, but before he could do anything, the bakery pirate from earlier had broken out, and lunged through the floor tackling Albatro. They landed out in the sea, and the pirate attempted to push the Fleet Admiral down to drown him. Albatro turned his body, grabbing the pirate by the shirt and smashing his face, the impact creating a shockwave that pushed the water so far out of the way, the pirate fell into a mile deep chasm before the sea collided back together, leaving Albatro panting with more frustration than effort.
