AN: Well its taken a while but this chapter has finally been posted. Especially since this was completed back in December, oh well. Please review if you've got something to say and like this story if you like it.

If anyone would like to make art of my works feel free to do so, just link them to me so I can squee gleefully at them.

Chapter 13

Confrontation! The Strawhats vs the Trump Pirates!

Beyond the borders of the world there was a realm that was simultaneously part of the world and yet apart as well, one could even say it was slightly overlapping with the world. Either way this realm existed and was occupied by two beings of tremendous power, they were not gods but the difference would be lost on a normal person, and a map of the world that they overlooked. A map with millions of tiny figurines representing everything from people, animals, to ships and more.

At the moment the two beings, one in red robes the other in purple, had zoomed the map down to a tiny section of the East Blue. A boat with Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Aaron, Vebulus, Borodo, and Akisu aboard was steadily approaching Clockwork Island: an island filled with the many members of the Trump Pirates, along with the Strawhats two kidnapped crewmates, Nami and Alvida.

"Do you think this is going to work, V?" A, the red robed figure, asked as he looked at V, the purple robed figure.

"If it doesn't, we'll have to go to the 13th attempt," V paused and brought a hand up to rub his chin, "and likely have to rethink our approach entirely."

"This side trip is going to throw off Vebulus's supply of gummies."

"That's what I'm planning on. It should leave him strong enough to survive what's going to happen but still require that they visit Drum. Instead of skipping it like last time."

Honey Queen swept out of the elevator as soon as the doors had opened. Boo Jack followed after her, Nami and Alvida slung over one shoulder.

"Two young ladies, did you kidnap them?" Skunk One asked as he stepped forward to take a closer look at the pair just as they raised their heads with murder shining in their eyes. With a squeak Skunk One stumbled back a couple of feet before recomposing himself.

"Now, now Skunk One. These women are Bear Kings so-uve-nirs~." Honey Queen purred as the towering form of Bear King himself came over. A wide smile appeared across his face at those words.

"Oh! Are they my brides?" He asks as he reaches out with one hand towards each of the women. Nami, he picks up easily enough but Alvida slides right out of his hand. The ropes slide off as well by the time her foot hits the ground and she skates away from the startled group until she stops well out of anyone's reach.

"Totally my type, please marry me?" An oblivious to these antics Bear King begs of Nami.

"Really? After only meeting me once?" Nami replies flirtatiously with a smile. Only to drop that expression an instant later as she added. "Sadly, I hate hairy men."

"I'll shave it all off then!" Bear King responds while pulling a razor from one of his coat pockets. In the background of this drama, the remaining Trump Siblings and Alvida were in the middle of a standoff.

"But. I hate weak men even more!" Nami replied once more as she skillfully switched to a different argument.

"Look at me, I'm super strong!" He responded Bear King as he dropped the razor and pulled out a pair of barbells, hefting them up and down to prove how strong he was. In the background, the standoff continued while a tumbleweed rolled on by. It's progress tracked by the confused looks from those involved.

"Doesn't matter how strong you think you are. Luffy and the others are going to beat you!" Nami huffed, planting her hands on her hips as she looked away, startling only slightly when she noticed what had been going on.

"Doubt they could even beat me," Alvida said, causing Honey Queen to cover her mouth with the back of her hand as she laughed.

"Oh but dear we already beat you, that's how you got here in the first place. Remember?~" She purred.

Alvida's eyes narrowed as she shot a scathing glare in Honey Queen's direction before starting to lift the hem of her wedding dress up. Boo Jack, Skunk One, and Pin Joker all stared enraptured as the fabric was lifted, slowly inch by inch exposing a perfectly smooth leg and thigh. Honey Queen rolled her eyes as the man started to drool and Alvida slid a hand underneath the dress. Pulling out her spiked iron mace a moment later to the visible disappointment of the men, before she hefted it up over her shoulder.

"Oh queenie, you just got lucky last time." Alvida finally said with a smile that was anything but nice.

"Bahahahaha!" Everyone shifted to look at Bear King as the man threw his head back and laughed. "This Luffy and the rest won't be any problem for me and my crew! Once I've defeated him, I'll use his bounty money to fund our wedding!"

"Why did you even have a spare parachute?" Vebulus asked Borodo. They had, from the remains of the Thief Brother's ship and the house, cobbled together a functioning raft and mast. The spare parachute functioning as an impromptu sail.

"As a thief, I've always found it best to be prepared. Plus there was one time with the cannibals of Volca-Volca where I really could have used a spare. Since then I've always made sure to pack one."

Vebulus raised an eyebrow before asking, "What were you trying to steal from cannibals?"

"Their golden fertility idol, supposed to be 300 pounds of solid gold. Turned out the idol was just their high priestess painted gold for their rituals. She got a bit testy when I went to pick her up."

"You ended up groping her by accident, didn't you?"

"Yep, not my proudest moment."

"Hey guys, what's this?" At Luffy's question they both glanced back to see him holding up a small music box.

"That's mine!" Akisu shouted as he lunged forward to snatch the box out of Luffy's hand.

"It looks like a music box," Usopp mused as Akisu opened the box's lid to make sure it wasn't damaged, a soft melody instantly starting to play.

"It is. It was the only thing Akisu had with him when I found him as an infant, a castaway from his family by some cruel twist of fate." Borodo dramatically stated, unshed tears shining in his eyes.

Aaron and Vebulus shared a look over everyone else's heads before simultaneously shrugging. They'd figured out what was going on but decided to let the others figure it out in their own time.

"As his only tie to his homeland, Akisu treasures it greatly. As his brother in everything but blood, I respect that sentiment."

The crew grew somber at that statement, none more so than Luffy and Sabo, who looked off across the water, wondering where Ace was right now and how he was doing. The rest of the journey passed in silence, everyone lost in their own thoughts, and soon enough they landed at Clockwork Island.

"How does it stay standing?"

"Rotational energy?"

The object that currently had Vebulus and Aaron's attention was a ludicrously thin pillar of rock, for a given definition of thin since it was still over a hundred feet across, that was holding up a massive island sized chunk of rock. They weren't the only ones of the group to be staring, just the only ones questioning how the physics of the island worked.

"Okay so the stairs- hey, don't just go off on your own!" Borodo started to say only to cut himself off and shout towards where Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji were heading towards the spiraling staircase that Aaron and Vebulus had been examining.

"Ahhh, c'mon. It's obvious that we have to climb the stairs to beat those ship stealers up." Luffy whined.

"Does your captain suffer from short term memory loss or something?" Borodo grumbled at Aaron, Sabo, and Vebulus.

"Luffy has a very.. selective focus. It's not that he's forgotten, just that it isn't important right now." Sabo replied with a small smile. Aaron and Vebulus shook their heads in exasperation.

"Anyways you don't want to climb the stairs because.." Borodo trailed off as he turned back towards Luffy to answer his question. Only to find that the rubber man, Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp were already running up the staircase.

Vebulus patted Borodo on the shoulder. "Think of it this way, even if you did tell them about the traps, they'd have run up the stairs anyways."

"Usopp wouldn't."

"Thank you Aaron, I was trying to be dramatic."

10 minutes later, the group burst out of the stairs and onto Clockwork Island proper. Except for Aaron and Vebulus, whose chests were heaving like broncos, nobody was even winded.

"Where."

"In the world."

"Did they."

"Find sharks."

"With frickin laser beams on their heads!" Vebulus managed to get out between great big gasps of air.

"Pretty sure Doctor Vegapunk built them. But they weren't strong enough so he released them into the wild." Sabo happily responded. "Anyways, I'm going to gather up the people on this island to get them ready for the coming disaster."

"What disaster? We're just here to get Merry and our friends back." Luffy innocently asked.

"Lu, knowing you and the kind of people you've likely recruited to your crew, the chance of there not being a disaster by the end of this is a 0."

"Shishishi, whatever you say Sabo. You guys think that we can pick up some new clothes from around here and find some meat?" Even as he was saying this Luffy was wandering further into the village. Zoro, Usopp, and the Thief Brothers trailing after him. Sabo headed in a different direction.

Aaron and Vebulus move to follow Luffy when-

"Wait."

Sanji called out to them, the two pausing to find that Sanji was still standing near the stairs.

"There wasn't time to ask earlier, and now isn't really the time either but, how much do you two know about my family?"

Vebulus ran his fingers through his hair before sighing. "Shit, I was hoping that we could skip this conversation. Uhhh, how to put this…"

"Judge is a horrible person and an even worse father." Vebulus side eyed Aaron for a moment before shrugging.

"Can't say I disagree but well, the truth of your family is eventually going to come up. You end up trying to leave the crew because Judge tries to make a deal with Big Mom, marrying you off to one of her daughters to cement an alliance.

I really don't want to get into all the details but things end up not working out. Luffy doesn't let you leave of course and the two of you fight. It's a big mess."

As Vebulus had been talking, Sanji's hands had curled into fists. The cigarette in his mouth burned down to little more than a nub as he took a long drag off of it.

"The good news is that we don't have to worry about any of this for at least two years and it may not even happen because of me and Veb rattling around and creating unexpected changes." Aaron cheerfully added. Sanji visibly relaxed at the statement only to immediately tense when Vebulus started to speak again.

"I almost forgot, but part of the reason you go along with Judge's plan is because either he or Big Mom, don't recall exactly which, threaten to kill Zeff and the chefs on the Baratie if you don't obey."

The nub of the cigarette ceased to exist as with a fwoosh it burst into flames, the ambient temperature rising by several degrees. A flickering aura of flames clearly visible around Sanji as he stared off at some distant point. The aura was only there for a couple of seconds before Sanji reigned in his temper by taking several deep breaths.

"I see. You've given me a lot to think about," and with those final words he stepped past Aaron and Vebulus in order to catch up to Luffy and the others.

"If there was any doubt in my mind that he didn't deserve to be part of the Monster Trio it would have just died a fiery death after seeing that." Vebulus said as he turned to walk after Sanji. Aaron joined him a moment later.

"You can get pretty scary when you get angry as well, Veb."

"Huh?"

"I gotta ask, how in the world did they manage to get the Merry up there?" Vebulus asked a few minutes after they had caught up to the group, just as Borodo had just pointed out the towering castle that the Trump Pirates had taken as their own.

"That's easy. The castle was built to house the delicate engine that keeps the island stable and standing. One of those parts is an immense water elevator that brings ships up and down from the bottom of the island to the top of the castle.

I hear that Water 7 were the ones that invented the system in the first place." Akisu replied proudly, likely parroting information that he had originally heard from Borodo.

Aaron whistled. "That's pretty impressive."

"Hey look, a clothes store." Luffy pointed out, even as he was in the middle of entering said establishment. The group followed him inside, glad at least to get into not only more casual clothing. But also clothes that hadn't been worn for a week straight.

When they exited the shop, leaving Borodo to deal with the bill -it was only fair after all as Borodo had stolen their ship- they found Sabo waiting for them with a pair of scientists. At least they were dressed as scientists, with their white lab coats over utilitarian clothes and glasses. The man had black hair, the woman's hair a kind of pale bluish mixture, and sported the same hairstyle, a kind of spiral thing that was piled up like clouds.

"Lu, they wanted to talk to you," Sabo said in lue of a proper introduction as the man stepped forward.

"Please listen to us, you can't fight Bear King and his men."

"Your friend told us what you planned on doing. This island was once a place of fun and dreams but ever since Bear King appeared it has been a place only for making tools of destruction and death," the woman continued as she stepped forward to stand alongside her husband.

"If we rebel, Bear King will destroy the island. By occupying the castle that houses the central key, there is no limit to his control."

"Well, like I said already you don't need to fear, Lu and his friends will defeat the Trump Pirates while I'll help all of you to escape," Sabo chimed in. Not mentioning the fact that he could totally handle the whole thing while blindfolded with his hands behind his back.

"You can count on us." Aaron said with a smile.

"Please, you don't understand how terrible the Trump Siblings are. If you don't want to die, please leave this island at once!" The woman said frantically. "Death creates no future for you!"

"If you don't risk your life, you can't create a future." The woman's mouth snapped shut as Luffy spoke.

"Right?"

"You said it, captain." Vebulus responded with a grin. He wasn't the only one doing so, the rest of the crew, Sabo, and Borodo were all grinning as well.

"Let's go!" Luffy shouted as the rest of the crew's voices soon joined him as they all headed off. Sabo placed a hand on the scientist's shoulders as he looked fondly at the retreating group.

"Don't worry, they know what they're doing."

"I win!" Nami declared as she slapped another winning poker hand down onto the box they were using as a table. The Trump Siblings that were playing let out groans as they forked over her winnings.

The only people that weren't playing currently were Bear King, who after a few truly awful hands had decided to sit the rest out. Alvida, who hadn't let go of her mace but also hadn't caused any problems and instead decided to bask in the adoration that a bunch of Trump Pirate goons were providing to her. And finally Honey Queen, who was watching both Nami and Alvida cautiously.

"Your crewmates should have arrived on the island by now if they survived."

"They did." Nami declared confidently, not even looking up from the recently dealt hand of cards.

"I guess I'd better find out what's keeping them. Come, Boo Jack!" Honey Queen commanded as she walked over to a faucet located in the nearby wall. Brushing her hair out with a flick of her hands she transformed into a stream of pinkish purple liquid that vanished up the faucet. Boo Jack leapt onto his nearby unicycle, quickly pedaling after her.

"Excuse me, but could one of you charming gentlemen direct me to the nearest bathroom?" Alvida sweetly asked the moment Honey Queen was out of sight.

"It would be our honor!" The numerous goons shouted as they all vied to be the most helpful one.

"This gondola is basically the only way up to the castle right now because the Trump Pirates seeded the ground below us with a massive field of landmines." Borodo explained as he used his spare parachute to propel the gondola basket that they were all squeezed into, up towards the aforementioned castle.

"So you've been here before then?" Aaron asked, taking the opportunity to needle Borodo.

"Hrkk, uhh yeah. First attempt at stealing the clock, it didn't exactly end well." Borodo responded, left hand tightening around the rope he was gripping.

Luffy meanwhile was looking down at the windmills passing below them with a small frown. He reached into his vest and pulled out the little wind up windmill that he discovered a week ago back on the beach.

"Hey, they match Luffy. The windmill you got must have come from here." Usopp said as Luffy turned the little metal key of the toy only for it to become stuck.

"Give it here." Akisu said, taking the toy when Luffy offers it. He quickly pulls out several tools and in a flash has the toy apart and fixes the issue.

"Wow, you're really good at that." Usopp says, clearly impressed.

"All without a single lesson. Akisu is just that good with mechanical things." Borodo adds proudly while Aaron and Vebulus share a knowing look. One that Zoro and Sanji pick up on even if they don't mention it.

"Oh my, you're still alive? I guess she was telling the truth after all!" The group looks around wildly as Honey Queen's voice seemingly comes out of nowhere. The woman herself appears a moment later as her liquid form bursts out from a garden faucet by one of the windmills below them. Landing on the roof of that same windmill as she solidifies.

"It's that sexy lady! What should I do first?" Sanji shouted while almost throwing himself out of the gondola, a pink heart replacing his visible eye.

"Oh I dunno, focus maybe?" Vebulus deadpans while helping Usopp hold onto Sanji's belt.

"Boo Jack, please reward them for making it this far."

Boo Jack, racing down one of the rope lines that runs between the windmills, responds by hurling a white sphere about the size of a head towards the group.

"Denied!" Sanji shouts as he jerks out of Usopp and Vebulus's grip, leaping into the air as goes to kick the ball away from the group. In mid-kick, just before his foot is about to strike the ball, spikes spring out from inside the ball, stabbing all the way through Sanji's foot.

Borodo lunges, just managing to grab Sanji around the ankle before the man can fall too far. Pushed backwards by the desperate lunge it takes Vebulus a second before he starts to create a chain, intending to wrap it around Sanji.

"You saved him!" Heads jerk up to find that during that moment of distraction, Honey Queen had rushed forward and jumped into the air, now only a couple of feet away.

"You shouldn't have!" A tidal wave of pinkish purple liquid blasts from her hands with no warning, slamming the crew together against the far side of the gondola basket even as it knocks the transport off course. Crucially, it also stuns Borodo enough that he loses his grip on Sanji's leg.

Sanji seems to float weightlessly for a moment before gravity drags him inevitably down to the grass below. He hits it head first with a thud before being swallowed by a titanic explosion.

"See how kind I am? I didn't kill him because he's your friend." Bear King shouts as a tied up, bloody, and unconscious Sanji is flung down to the floor beside Nami. She reaches out desperately feeling for a pulse, hiding a relieved sigh when she finds it.

"Hmph, well whatever. I don't care about him anyways. You know marriage is kind of a big thing so-" Nami starts to say only to get interrupted.

"I know, hey Skunk One!" Bear King bellows over at the other man.

"Aye, I'll help her decide!" Skunk One shouts as he hurries to the balcony. Yellow gas blasts out from a port at the bottom of his outfit to send the man flying into the sky.

"Hey, where did that other girl go?" Honey Queen asks as she searches the room for the still absent Alvida.

"Bathroom." Pin Jack says absently.

The group had never quite managed to regain control over the gondola before it crashed. Fortunately where they had crashed was right outside the gates of Trump Castle. Luffy was dusting himself off while Vebulus had removed one of his shoes and was holding it upside down to drain the liquid from it.

"I'm starting to really dislike that lady." He said as he smacked the shoe one final time to get the last of the liquid out before pulling it back on. Almost at the same time Usopp punched the ground.

"Damn, how did it end up this way? If only I had my slingshot I could have done something."

"Don't make up excuses! You just aren't brave enough. Borodo'd try to save me even if his hands and feet were chopped off!" Akisu shouted.

Borodo shifted as if to hide it but the whole group noticed that his left hand was no longer hidden by a glove, letting them all see that it had been completely replaced by a mechanical prosthetic. A pretty advanced looking one as well.

"He did that for you? When you went after the clock the last time." Aaron asked. Borodo nodded silently.

"That's right! Borodo is amazing! He risks his life to protect me. He's a great man!" Akisu proudly continued.

"Hey. What are you bragging about if you always need him to save you?" Usopp snapped back at the kid angrily.

"Well… I'm just a kid. I'm not strong enough."

"Man or child, strong or weak! None of those matter once you're out at sea!"

"That's enough. What do you know about Akisu?" Borodo said as he butted into the budding argument.

"I don't! I just can't stand people who always think that it's natural for others to save them!" Usopp shouted.

"It's not like I want to be!" Akisu shouted back. Small hands clenched.

"Well, let's get going." Luffy casually interjected while windmilling his arms. "Hey kid, if you're afraid of dying, go home."

"What!"

"'Cause I ain't gonna save a weak little crybaby if he gets into trouble."

"Luffy…" Aaron and Vebulus groan.

"Who said anything about going back?! I'm-"

"Okay. Then don't hold back! Charge in with your head held high!"

"Luffy, could you please start with that next time?" Aaron muttered, voice a bit muffled as he dragged a hand down his face.

"Shihihihi, sorry! Gum-gum pistol!" Luffy's punch reduced the door to little more than splinters, unfit for anything more than kindling, much to the shock and surprise of the Trump Pirate minions that were filling the courtyard. There was a moment of surprise before they charged at Luffy with shouts.

"Oh good, the welcoming committee." Vebulus said as he stepped past the ruins of the gate. Cracking his neck and knuckles as he did so, chains already whipping through the air at the nearest pirates.

"Time to get serious. Class change, barbarian!" Aaron shouted, particles of light bursting from his clothes as his entire outfit transformed.

A tattered black cape hung across Aaron's broad shoulders, half covering a soot stained steel breastplate. Greaves covered his knees and thighs while a single gauntlet covered his left hand all the way up to the elbow. The armor looked functional but not impressive, the exact opposite of the weapon he had slung across his shoulder.

It was too big to be called a sword. Massive, thick, heavy, and far too rough. Indeed, it was little more than a heap of raw iron. In comparison to the unrefined nature of the blade the cross guard and hilt were a bright silvery blue, the cross guards ends capped off by a pair of impressively sharp spikes while a golden ring from which three more golden rings hung was attached to the end of the hilt. It looked impressive but not functional, but that impression was quickly disproven when Aaron lifted the sword up from his shoulder, took hold of the oversized hilt with both hands, and took a step forward.

"Zankantou: Shippuu Dotou!"