The Going Merry sailed out to the east, the crew going about their daily as Apis and Kirby kept Ryu company.
"Trouble behind us!" Usopp called out from the crow's nest. "The Marine fleet is on our tail!"
Zoro scowled. "Persistent bastards, aren't they?"
Usopp then turned in the opposite direction and noticed something else.
"Is that smoke? No wait, it looks like Warship Island. Did we get turned around?"
"No, I'm certain we're still heading east," Nami replied.
"Our heading never changed," Ruby confirmed.
As they got closer, the image changed into a ship identical to the Merry. Sonson narrowed her eyes, which glowed a brilliant gold as she used a technique she didn't exactly like using unless necessary:The Fiery Golden Eyes, which allowed her to see through all disguises, illusions, and transformations.
If only it didn't sting like someone was spraying a torrent of sand in her eyes whenever she used it...
"Guys, it's a mirage! Something is reflecting the Merry's appearance!"
Back with the fleet, both Hardy and Eric were flabbergasted as the Merry seemed to vanish into thin air.
"All ahead stop, men!" Hardy called out. "We'll wait for further orders!"
"No, we keep going! We can't let the Straw Hats gain any more ground or we'll lose the trail!" Eric insisted.
"It's too risky! If our fleet gets torn apart for whatever reason, then we'll lose them regardless." Hardy pointed out.
Eric scoffed. "Fine. Then prepare a small craft. I'll go in alone."
Past the mirage was a heavy fog. Axol and Ruby boarded the Merry and tied off Ryu's cart while Penny created a beautiful green ball of magical light to use as a fog light.
"So what was that earlier?" Kaya asked. "Sonson mentioned we were seeing a mirage."
"Temperature differences between warm and cold ocean water can create mirages at sea. This fog is probably the cause of that." Nami explained before tensing. "Storm up ahead!"
Sure enough, the fog soon gave way to a powerful storm.
"We need to prep the ship!" Gin called out. "Hilda! Kuina! Raise the sails! Undo the ropes! Ruby, Axol, make sure the cart ropes are secure!"
Apis tried to head for Ryu's cart, but Noire stopped her.
"You can't risk going over there in this weather! If you fall into the sea, your Devil Fruit will make it impossible for you to swim!"
Luffy was lost in thought as she saw a sudden lightning strike hit the nearby water.
"It's almost like the sea's trying to push us back."
"Hey! I think I found the eye of the storm!" Usopp called out as he spotted a column of light in the distance. "And it looks like there's an island below it!"
"Then make for that island!" Luffy called out. "We're taking Grandpa Ryu to his home one way or another!"
It was rough, but the Merry soon made it through the storm into the eye.
"This certainly explains why Lost Island has never been charted," Kuina said. "Guess this makes us pioneers, huh?"
"That island looks more like a castle that's sunk into the sea," Kaya noted. "Do you think it might be part of the lost civilization?"
Ruby shrugged. "Only one way to find out..."
The Merry made landfall and the crew disembarked, looking around and observing the area.
"This place looks like Mother Nature took over. I don't think anyone's lived here for centuries." Sanji said.
Ryu's cart was brought ashore, but when he opened his eyes he sighed.
"He says this might not be Lost Island," Apis said.
"Are you KIDDING me?! After all that we went through to get here?!" Gottfried snapped. "I don't believe it! I just DON'T believe it! We're NEVER gonna find that STUPID island! Just forget it! Look at this, look at this: I'm so ticked off, I'm sliming! you could pour salt on me and it wouldn't work!"
"Patience, Gottfried." Hilda chided. "There must be a reason why this island was so well-protected."
"Oh, THERE'S a big surprise! That's an incredi-I think I'm going to have a heart attack and DIE from that surprise!" Gottfried said sarcastically. "What are we gonna do?! We got a big problem here, a big-"
Hilda rolled her eyes and squeezed her Transponder Snail friend's mouth shut as everyone looked around.
"Maybe there's a clue here that will lead to Lost Island," Penny noted. "Let's check out the top of the peak. That might help us get a better view."
The crew headed up, with the two fishmen pulling the cart. As they reached the mountain, they saw the remains of a city among the rubble.
"This place must have been a bustling metropolis in its heyday," Gin suggested. "Just from the number of buildings alone, it was either a residential sector or a marketplace."
"I wonder if they played with children here on the island." Apis noted as she found a top with the mark of the Millennial Dragons among the grass.
Hearing a caw, the little girl looked up to see several seabirds flying overhead, one of them landing on her shoulder.
"Hello there. Are you friends with the Millennial Dragons?" Apis asked as the bird chirped at her. "Really? Hey, Nami! This bird says there's a building on the summit with a dragon mark! That might be where the nest is!"
"Alright! Now we're cooking!" Luffy grinned. "Let's go!"
-OP-
Eventually, the group got to the summit, and sure enough, the door had the same mark as the Millennial Dragons. Apis thanked the bird that helped lead them before watching it fly away.
"So can you actually command animals with your Devil Fruit power?" Zoro asked.
"No, I'm not capable of that. Even if I was, I would never force them to do something they didn't want to." Apis replied.
"She's just nice to animals they naturally like her." Kaya giggled. "You and your Devil Fruit really go hand in hand."
"So now we need to get inside this building. Any ideas?" Ben asked.
"This door doesn't have any handle or latches. I don't see how we're going to get inside." Nami said.
Draco hummed. "It's a time like this an archeologist would really come in handy."
Apis then noticed part of the dragon mark was incomplete. Right near one of the claws was an indentation. She picked up her claw pendant and realized something.
"Maybe this is meant to be a key."
She tried to reach the indentation, but she was too small. Hilda smiled and gently picked Apis up so she could slip the pendant into the indentation. But instead of the door opening, the floor gave way beneath the group, sending them plummeting into the ruins below.
"Alright, who's not dead? Sound off." Kuina groaned as she spread out her wings, the feathers glowing brightly to illuminate the ruins.
"I kinda wish I was dead right now..." Ruby moaned as she peeled herself off the ground like a cartoon character and lurched back up to her feet.
"Well, at least we're inside..." Noire grumbled as she dusted herself off and looked around. "And it looks like we're right where we're meant to be."
"She's right, look!" Penny said, pointing to a mural on the ceiling.
"It looks like some kind of map," Nami noted as she observed the images on the mural. "From what I'm seeing it looks like the dragons' nest isn't here after all."
"It's not?" Apis said sadly.
"No, but this can tell us where the nest is," Nami assured her. "If only it weren't so worn down."
"Looks like part of it just fell down," Luffy said, finding a piece of the mural sitting on the ground near them. Nami ran over to inspect it, then looked back at the mural on the ceiling.
"This is a map! A map to Lost Island! Look, that picture of the island with the domed building is where we are. And those people are the inhabitants of the island, which are likely Apis's ancestors."
"All the previous users of theWhisper-Whisper Fruit!" Axol noted. "It looks like they lived here!"
"Bokuden said the old civilization had moved to Warship Island from another island," Nojiko recalled.
"It must have been this island that they came from," Usopp realized. "Which means this is the former home of their kingdom!"
"What had me curious was why there were dragon statues and paintings all along the path we took. But now I think the reason is because the old civilization worshipped the Millennial Dragons as gods." Nami said. "They would fly over this island long ago, with the people praying to them for one reason or another."
"Which means the dragons' nest isn't likely to be on this island," Zoro realized. "But the mural does have an island with a dragon drawn on it. Think that's where the dragons' nest is?"
"Yes, I'd say that's exactly where it is. The island is just ahead of the people depicted as praying." Nami said. "That's the real Lost Island, and it's likely where the dragons' nest is."
Apis looked at the drawing of the island and realized the shape of the island was familiar.
"Wait a minute! That island looks like Warship Island!"
"Hold on. It doesn't make sense that the nest would be on Warship Island. We were just there." Gin pointed out.
"Islands and civilizations can change names over time," Draco pointed out. "If you look carefully at the island, it looks just as much like a lost temple as it does a warship. The reason the island's current name is Warship Island is likely due to modernized thinking."
"Makes sense to me!" Sonson shrugged.
"But then why didn't we find the nest while there? Was it in that cave after all? Apis did say Ryu is going senile." Noire wondered.
"Not likely, I'd say it's more likely the nest's location sunk to the bottom of the ocean. It was a thousand years ago when the nest was last seen, so ocean currents and wind patterns could have worn down the island over time." Sanji said.
The whole time, Ryu had been staring up at the mural. As a flock of birds flew past it, his eyes widened in realization. Apis looked over to him, and images of a great migration filled her mind thanks to her Devil Fruit.
"He's remembered! The island is to the east of an island that looks like a warship."
"That's just going around in circles," Usopp pointed out.
"No, I don't think so. You have to remember Ryu would have been looking down at the islands years ago. And warships from back then would have looked much different than the ones from today." Draco pointed out. "And when he says east, he's probably not thinking in terms of nautical directions. After all, why would a dragon use a compass?"
"Darn shame too..." Ben said as he checked on his compass.
"So you think he was talking about the island being to the right from his perspective?" Hilda asked. "East is to the right of you when facing north, after all."
Zoro and Kuina then perked up and readied their swords, causing everyone else to get on guard as well.
"Someone's followed us!"
The group looked around and spotted Eric standing above them.
"Thank you for the helpful explanation. Now I know where to find the Dragonite. But since it would be a waste to try searching the bottom of the ocean, it would seem my only choice is to take your Millennial Dragon."
"Wow, I thought you wanted immortality, not certain death," Draco threatened with a cold glare, his teeth sharpening and his eyes glowing bright blue.
"You guys get Grandpa Ryu back to the ship. I'll handle this bozo." Zoro said as he stepped forward.
"I should stay out of this one," Kuina smirked. "Something tells me this guy needs a lesson that even with Devil Fruits, good old-fashioned skill does plenty to get around."
"Stand back, everyone!" Axol said as he used Inkweaver to draw a man clad in a red helmet with a falcon emblem on it as he charged his fist with fire.
"FALCON PUNCH!"
The strike revealed a large hole that led outside. Eric leapt down hoping to stop the group's escape, only for Zoro to easily counter him. Meanwhile, Ben noticed another fallen piece of the mural and realized something.
"Hold on! I've got it!"
Axol and Ruby grabbed the cart and the gang rode it outside, where it turned out the wall was outside a cliff. Luckily the cart landed on a slippery tree root and slid all the way down to the ground.
"Why does it feel like we've inherited every deity's miracle by this point?!" Usopp called out as the cart raced along the street.
"Will Zoro be alright?" Apis asked worriedly.
"Trust me, kiddo. Something tells me Zoro has this in the bag." Kuina smiled reassuringly.
Sure enough, back in the ruins, Eric found himself easily outmatched by Zoro's skill.
"You seem to take special care of those nails. Wonder what would happen if I broke them."
Grumbling, Eric slashed down some rubble to distract Zoro before fleeing.
"I don't have time to get into pointless fights!"
"You're gonna have to learn to make time!" Zoro pointed out as he gave chase. "An enemy you haven't defeated is one that will continue to haunt you!"
After a real bumpy ride, the cart had managed to reach the bottom.
"Man, I am so glad roller coasters don't have collisions!" Hilda groaned as she stumbled off.
"Alright, let's retrieve Zoro and get going!" Luffy said as she stretched out her arm to where Zoro had landed to face Eric, grabbing him and pulling him down to the Merry. Where he promptly smacked into the mast.
"What the hell, dumbass?!"
"Shishishi!" Luffy giggled sheepishly. "Sorry, my aim was a little off."
"No! I refuse to let them escape!" Eric growled angrily as he gave chase.
-OP-
Back with the Marine fleet, the officers were stunned when the Merry appeared from thin air, having once more traveled through the mirage hiding the island.
"They're heading back to Warship Island," Hardy noted. "Where's Eric?"
"He's just returned, Lieutenant Commander," an officer said.
"Having failed, it seems," Hardy said, a little amused by that fact.
Eric scoffed as he walked past Hardy.
"If you have time for sarcastic remarks, then go after those damn pirates!"
Hardy smirked. He knew their warships would never actually catch a small caravel in a favorable wind, but it didn't matter. As it turned out, Nelson's flagship was arriving with the main fleet, surrounding the Merry in a Crane Wing Formation. The ships were all being linked by chains to make it impossible to break through.
Nelson laughed as he was carried onto the deck. "These small fries don't stand a chance against this impassable blockade! That Dragonite will be mine for sure!"
On the Merry, the crew noticed the blockade as it formed.
"Not to worry, I've been through this before," Gin said. "We just have to pick the weakest ship, raid it, then cut the line. That will let us get through. I've done it a dozen times before on the Krieg Pirates."
"Allow me to provide some cover!" Draco grinned."DISASTER CASCADE!"
Nelson's jaw dropped when the Merry was suddenly surrounded by a tornado of flaming ash, billowing snow, and crackling thunder as it moved toward the ships.
"Blast that ship with everything you have! But be sure not to hit the raft with the Millennial Dragon!"
Many cannons fired off, but each cannonball got deflected with ease by the tornado.
Eric chuckled. "I already had Nelson pegged as a fat bastard who could nothing but eat. He's admittedly more competent on the seas, but at the same time he has a bad habit of underestimating people."
Nelson grimaced when he saw what was happening but was not deterred.
"Aim for the waters near the ship! We'll capsize it! But aim carefully to avoid capsizing the raft as well!"
"Looks like our mission is over. Nelson's iron blockade has never been broken before." Hardy noted, having been informed of the blockade.
Eric seemed to contemplate something, then grinned.
"Lieutenant Commander, I need you to prepare a paddleboat. And three proficient seamen."
"Why would you need a paddleboat?" Hardy asked, confused.
"A mast would get in the way."
Hardy realized what Eric was implying.
"You're going in there right now!? Are you mad?!"
"Your earlier assessment did not take into account that at least some of those pirates possess Devil Fruits," Eric pointed out. "So my mission is not yet complete. Now get it done."
"They're not hitting Draco's cyclone anymore! They've switched tactics to try and capsize us!" Zoro realized.
Apis ran out and tripped on the deck. Kirby was quick to run after her.
"Apis, it's dangerous out here!" Usopp stated.
"I can't leave Grandpa Ryu all by himself!"
"He's probably the one safest from the cannonballs!" Ruby pointed out. "I'd be willing to bet they want him alive!"
"I can't risk that!"
Apis ran for the cart. Not wanting her to be alone and in danger, Kirby followed after her.
"Careful, Kirby!" Kaya worriedly called out.
Zoro and Gin had started directing Axol and Ruby to swim around the Merry as fast as they could, creating an effective whirlpool that stabilized the waters around the Merry without sinking it.
"I think I spotted a weak point in the Marine vessels!" Usopp called out. "Luffy, get ready to redirect! Firing special...SMOKE STAR!"
He launched a special flare pellet that created a smoke trail to the ship in question. Luffy grinned, then waited as a cannonball neared.
"GUM-GUM BALLOON!"
She swelled her body up, catching a cannonball as it came near, then redirected it right at the ship Usopp indicated, smashing into the ship.
"Just what sort of pirates are we dealing with?!" Nelson asked in shock. "These are not the tactics of small fry! If they keep this up, they'll wind up sinking that ship and breaking the blockade. Men, get the Super Giant Cannon!"
"YES, SIR!"
The entire ship was put on high alert as the massive cannon was deployed. Nojiko narrowed her eyes and turned to Usopp with a nod before clapping her hands and creating a large cannon on the Merry that Usopp manned.
He aimed for the large barrel of the Super Giant Cannon, an admittedly large target, and successfully blasted a cannonball into it just as Nelson gave the order to fire. This wound up creating a clog that destroyed the giant cannon.
Nelson gawked. "What just happened?!"
"The enemy ship managed to hit our main cannon!" An officer reported. "They fired a shot perfectly down the barrel!"
"Don't underestimate me. I may not be an absolute monster fighter like the others but I am one of the greatest marksmen in the world!" Usopp smiled smugly.
Kirby hopped down to Ryu and began waving his stubby arms as he tried to convey a message. Ryu nodded slightly as he understood what Kirby was saying, his tail curling around Apis defensively.
"Usopp's expert shot gave us the opening we needed. Now's our chance to hit that wounded ship and break this blockade!" Zoro said.
"This will be fun!" Hilda said as she made a mighty leap over to the Marine ship, followed by Kuina, Penny, and Sonson.
"Wait, how do we break these chains?" Ruby asked as she and Axol closed in from the water.
"Never fear! My characters shall handle it!"
As Axol got to work drawing up several summoned characters, including a muscular turtle dragon, a fat but strong crocodile wearing a red cape and a crown, and a gorilla in a red tie to rip the gears out, Kuina took note of the unit that rushed out as Ruby joined the group.
"Let's see... Looks to be about five dozen easy. All against the greatest swordswoman in the East Blue, a robot who managed to eat a Devil Fruit, a girl who may be fat but can hit like a warship, a monkey girl, and a Fishman." She smirked. "They should have brought more soldiers."
"In the name of the Nelson Fleet, we won't let you break through here!" One of the officers said.
"Oh, you're gonna regret those words!" Sonson smirked.
The five of them got to work; Kuina created a heat flare from her body, blinding the Marines as Penny flew in and fired a barrage of fairy dust bullets from her hands while Ruby used her elastic limbs to stretch around and dodge the Marines while slamming them into each other. Sonson jumped on several of the Marines' heads, smacking them around with her staff for good measure as well.
Down below, Axol and his creations were wrecking the mechanism at its weakest parts, grinning as the chains started to come loose and start to sage beneath the water.
"I want those pirates captured at all costs! I'll maroon every last one of you if you fail!" Nelson snapped.
The officers started running across the chain from the other ships.
"Geez, these guys are persistent." Kuina huffed.
"Their commanding officer may be an expert in navel combat, but it looks like he doesn't understand when an enemy is just too much for him," Penny noted.
Sure enough, Nelson was gobsmacked at the sight of his men being launched into the sea by the dozens.
"So, shall I designate the island to maroon them, sir?" An officer awkwardly asked.
Nelson groaned at that statement. Axol had now successfully broken the last mechanism, completely breaking the blockade. But just as the Merry started to approach, a burst of razor wind struck nearby.
"Oh bugger..." Ben cursed when he recognized who it was.
"It's that Eric jerk again!" Hilda called out. "He's coming in on a paddleboat!"
Eric smirked as he got on the cart, much to Apis's shock.
"You again?! You leave Grandpa Ryu alone! He just wants to get back to his nest!"
"I have no time to indulge whatever fantasy you might possess. You will hand the dragon over like a good little girl!" Eric said.
"My grandpa always says good little girls don't do what sickos say!" Apis retorted as she pulled down one of her eyelids while sticking her tongue out, causing Eric's eye to twitch.
"I AM NOT A SICKO!"
He readied his claws and slashed, only for Kirby to jump in and inhale the razor winds before transforming, donning a yellow cap with a blade on top and black spotted eyes.
"CUTTER KIRBY!"
"Impressive power...and it doesn't look like a Devil Fruit either," Eric noted before smirking. "However, I don't have time to have a duel with you, little creature."
He aimed his next attack at the ropes holding the cart, shaking it loose. He quickly tied the ropes to the paddleboat to make off with it.
"Good work, Eric!" Nelson called out. "Now bring the Millennial Dragon here!"
Eric grinned. "I don't think so. You see the only reason I accepted the contract was to use the Marines' information-gathering capabilities. And don't give me that look, Commodore. You were trying to use me as well."
"Do you realize how much I'm paying you?!" Nelson called out. "No one else would give you that much money for a job!"
"You really think I'd be satisfied with chump change, you diabetic sea lion?" Eric retorted. "What good is money in this world when there are real powers that can give you more? With the Dragonite, I plan to make myself a perfect whirlwind!"
"Shoot that backstabber! Fire everything you have!" Nelson roared in anger.
Gin leaped down and shielded Apis and Kirby as the cannons from the Marine ship fired all at once, turning into his Hybrid Form and using his shell as a shield.
"Get rowing, you idiots!" Eric called to the officers with him. "Unless you want to get blown to smithereens!"
"Just stop it! You jerks need to stop harassing Grandpa Ryu!" Apis screamed out. "He hasn't done anything wrong! Please, I need to take him back to the dragons' nest!"
Eric grumbled as he approached Apis, only for Kirby to throw a cutter boomerang at him, which he barely dodged only to see it had grazed his cheek, drawing a bit of blood.
"You leave the kids alone or if Kirby won't take you down, I will," Gin growled, readying his tonfas, which now had weighted chains attached to them.
Eric was about to retort when he suddenly gasped in shock. Gin, Kirby, and Apis looked up to see Ryu had stood up to his full height, which freaked out the officers as well. They jumped ship while Ryu knocked Eric away using one of his wings.
"Thanks, Grandpa Ryu!" Apis smiled, only to pause and start tearing up. "What do you mean, it's time? What are you...?"
"Dragons never truly die..."A deep but soothing voice spoke in the minds of Apis, Luffy, Sonson, Penny, and Kirby.
Ryu raised his wings and roared to the heavens. Gottfried quickly created a dampening field with his Devil Fruit to keep the Straw Hats from being affected, but the Marines weren't so lucky as the noise debilitated them. Ryu started flapping his giant wings until he started to lift into the air.
Apis smiled widely. "Grandpa Ryu! You're flying! You're really flying!"
"We can't let the Millennial Dragon escape!" Nelson raged. "Do whatever it takes, I don't care if it dies anymore! Just don't let the Dragonite out of our reach!"
The ships all fired their cannons right at Ryu, who didn't seem concerned. To Nelson's shock, Ryu was flying right at him, roaring to debilitate the fast commodore. However, he also took many shots from the cannons. Smirking, Ryu wound up falling into the water, much to Apis's horror. He looked back at the four captains and made one final plea.
"Four Great Captains...Please...Protect Apis..."
"We will..." Luffy said in an uncharacteristically serious tone. "And so will the rest of our crew.
"We've only known the little munchkin for a few days at best but if anything happens to her..." Sonson bared her fangs. "We'll destroy every last Marine here and then ourselves!"
Ryu smiled and his eyes closed for good. Apis cried out as her eyes began to water, Kirby hugging her to comfort her as Gin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as Ryu started to sink into the water.
"Quickly, men!" Nelson called out. "Fire a harpoon and drag it in!"
Luffy noticed the harpoon as it was getting prepped and bounced over to Ryu. She then caught the harpoon as it got close, much to Nelson's shock.
"How foolish. Do you have any idea of the value of the thing you're standing on right now? I just want the Millennial Dragon's bones. With that Dragonite, I can attain everlasting life and with it, my Marine Unit will be an everlasting armada that will dominate the world, bringing down all of you filthy pirates!"
Luffy just glared in cold hard anger as she launched the harpoon right back at Nelson's ship. The commodore felt his heart stop when the harpoon hit the wall just inches from his head.
"Don't speak about Grandpa Ryu like he's an inanimate object! He's a living being and our friend! That's worth far more than any paltry immortality!"
"Everlasting life does sound nice on paper..." Ben pointed out from afar. "But then what will you do when everyone else dies out eventually? Nothing, I tell you what."
"Cheeky brats!" Nelson snarled. "Take them down, men!"
As the officers started prepping the cannons, Ryu roared once more, but in a different tone. The quake created could be felt all the way over at Warship Island.
"Something's happening!" Gottfried exclaimed. "The Old Man called them out!"
"What do you mean?!" Hilda asked. "The whole sea is shaking!"
"My journey is over... But my kin are ready to return... My brothers and sisters... It is time!"
"Wait...that was Grandpa Ryu's voice!" Sonson realized.
Everyone then spotted something arriving from the horizon and were collectively shocked when they realized it was dozens, if not hundreds of Millennial Dragons.
"IT'S THE GREAT DRAGON MIGRATION!" Gottfried cried out.
Apis could hear them all, and her tears this time were full of joy.
"They're all... Grandpa Ryu's friends! They came when he called!"
Nelson was happy for a different reason. "It's the motherlode! So much Dragonite!"
Unfortunately, he quickly realized that the dragons were flying directly at him. And they did not look happy. Ryu smirked as the other dragons knocked Nelson over just by flying past him, before flying out of the range of his cannons.
"My time grows short,"Ryu said as he turned to the four captains. "But I will be reborn. Be sure to tell Apis."
"We will, Pops!" Draco smiled.
Smiling, Ryu closed his eyes, this time for good. The other dragons sensed this and gave a mourning cry. Luffy saw Nelson was still laughing like he was in control. Sighing in annoyance, Ben sprouted his bat wings to fly up and hitch a ride on one of the dragons.
"Mind if you could skully me over there, mate?"
The dragon gave a smirk that indicated he didn't, and Ben grinned as he formed a large drill-shaped bone spear from his arm with theBone-Bone Fruit.
"DANCE OF THE CLEMATIS: FLOWER!"
Nelson freaked out as Ben's bone weapon hit the ship, breaking it in half. The Marine officers were all standing in shock at the destruction of Nelson's ship.
"So...anyone else want to take a chance being marooned with me?" Ben asked, standing on the remaining wreckage.
"Gotta say, you're a real crazy sort!"
Ruby D. Heart, her Seastone cuffs now shattered, loosened up, and stepped forward.
"But you've done enough. Lemme repay this kind gents!"
Ben smirked and moved out of the way as some kind of golden gateway appeared behind her, cannons poking out of it. With a smirk on her face, she let the cannonballs rain down. This continued for several minutes before the Marines finally decided enough was enough and retreated.
"Thanks for busting me out. That fat pig was keeping me prisoner." Heart smiled. "The damage you caused gave me the time to break out."
"Well, that's a mighty fine Devil Fruit you got there." Ben noted.
Heart chuckled. "Thanks, it's called the Treasure-Treasure Fruit and it allows me to store a limitless supply of treasures I've found, ranging from weapons, currency, tools, and just about anything you might need. I think I heard from the legends that it contains the avatar of a legendary hero."
"Well, do you have an extra ship? Ours is getting quite packed." Ben joked.
Heart shook her head. "Sorry, my ship, The Partenaire, was trashed by Nelson's forces. Bastards got the drop on me after I made a good haul with some old weapons I found in some ruins."
"Well, welcome aboard regardless."
As Ben helped Heart on board the Merry thanks to one of the dragons, the disorganized Marines tried to reel in the chains and wound up crashing the ships together. Either way, the blockade was broken.
"That's impossible... Totally impossible..." Hardy breathed out in disbelief. "What kind of monsters are we dealing with...?"
Apis was crying as she saw Ryu's body sink into the waters but Hilda picked her up in her blubbery but firm arms and hugged her close.
"Don't worry, Apis, you can still keep your promise to Grandpa Ryu," Sonson said as she came over and ruffled Apis' hair. "He wanted to pass on a message."
Suddenly, the earthquake started up again. Luffy grinned as everyone else braced themselves.
"Just listen to the other Millennial Dragons. It looks like the nest is coming to us."
Sure enough, the sea seemed to recede from Warship Island, almost like the world's biggest tide was going out. Giant columns of stone jutted out from the water, as a huge mass of land rose up from the sea.
"Oh my god... That's it! That's what the mural meant! The Millennial Dragons aren't named for their life span... They're named for the fact that they migrate to this island only once every thousand years!" Nami exclaimed in realization. "Lost Island only surfaces every thousand years, just as the dragons migrate here. So obviously no one would remember the last time it surfaced."
"Which means the ancient civilization would have come here too!" Kaya realized. "That's why Apis found theWhisper-Whisper Fruithere and not on the other island!"
"We've been on top of the dragons' nest the whole time!" Gin realized. "Old Man Ryu just needed to be safe while he waited out the remaining days!"
The crew and Apis all looked out at the expanded island in awe and wonder, while the dragons finally landed and started to mingle. Apis spotted Ryu in the middle of a lagoon and ran over to him. The crew all disembarked to check out the island.
"Take a look at all these dragon statues. Hard to believe they were created from natural erosion." Usopp said.
"Wish we had a camera or something to mark this commemorative moment," Ruby noted.
"I can draw it!" Axol said, taking out several papers and Inkweaver.
"They might be made from the Dragonite," Draco suggested. "What we're looking at are fossilized dragons from the last migration a thousand years ago. Preserved by the salt content and pressure from the ocean floor."
"Makes sense, I once heard that elephants that are about to die leave their herds and hide in a secret graveyard to wait it out," Usopp said.
"Maybe dragons are the same way, this place being both a nest and a graveyard," Carmen noted.
Luffy walked over to Apis. "You know, Grandpa Ryu said at the end, that the happiest he'd ever been in his one-thousand years of living was the time he spent with you. He also said he's going to be reborn soon. So there's no reason to be sad."
"Ah, I've heard the stories." Heart smiled. "When Millennial Dragons die, they're reborn here in this nesting ground."
Everyone then noticed an egg next to a fossilized dragon. As if on cue, the egg hatched into a baby dragon. It looked over to Apis and smiled.
"Hello again, Apis. Sorry if I made you worry like that."
Apis felt her eyes tear up once more when she heard that. The little baby really was Ryu reborn. Kirby let out a happy cheer followed by a quirky little dance that the group could swear was accompanied by a cheerful fanfare.
"You know, given everything we've learned here, I'm starting to think Dragonite isn't really an immortality elixir," Ruby noted.
"Yeah, the legends getting mixed up probably made people think that erroneously, but Millennial Dragons can die like any other being. They just have the means to continue living through reincarnation. That's not true immortality." Ben added.
"Now I understand why my ancestors built a temple to the dragons. So that future generations would be able to connect with old friends in some way." Apis said as she looked at the nesting ground. "Grandpa Ryu always said... That I remind him of someone he knew when he was a baby. Well, we should probably head back to the village. Everyone there must be shocked by what's been going on."
Nearby, Nelson was breathing heavily. He had nearly drowned when Ben destroyed his ship, but he lucked out thanks to the rising land.
"I'll pay them back for this! I'll make them pay for every ounce of humiliation!" He looked over to the gathered dragons. "But first I'll need to get the Dragonite I've been seeking. And this is certainly the big score for that!"
He then noticed Eric coming up behind him.
"Ah, Eric. Good timing. Listen, how about we make another deal? There's enough Dragonite here for both of us. No need to go about killing each other for a prize this big."
"My apologies, Commodore..." Eric said as he flashed his nails. "But I'm not one to compromise!"
He struck with a razor wind, gutting Nelson and killing him instantly. However, Nelson's death cry got the Straw Hats' attention.
"Oh, that creep is still around." Kuina scowled as she prepared to draw Wado Ichimonji.
"Such marvelous radiance!" Eric grinned as he looked around. "Finally, the elixir of immortality is within my grasp!"
"You can't possibly get proper Dragonite from these fossils!" Nami pointed out.
"True, very true, but there's plenty of living Dragonite here to gather," Eric said. "What do you say? A pointless fight would only tire us out. We can split the treasure here and now."
"What's pointless is the idea of living forever," Luffy said. "There's no way I'd take it."
"Shame you killed that fat bastard before I could..." Heart grumbled.
Eric was shocked. "Are you all mad?! Surely you must be afraid of dying! There's no way anyone wouldn't be! Especially pirates, who are always only inches away from death!"
"If we were so scared of dying we wouldn't have become pirates in the first place," Hilda pointed out.
"I admit, I was afraid when my old crew in the Krieg Pirates were overwhelmed in the Grand Line...but with this crew, they've given me hope to tackle it once more!" Gin added.
"Besides, if we weren't mad, we wouldn't be pirates in the first place," Ben smirked.
Eric scoffed. "Fine. Then you can sit there and watch as I take my Dragonite and leave!"
"Actually, I was thinking we could just kill you here and now and finally shut you up!" Draco declared.
Slamming his palms down, Draco used theAlchemy-Alchemy Fruitto turn the sand into iron spikes that jutted out and stabbed into Eric before he could react. The mercenary panicked as Draco then used theDisaster-Disaster Fruitto turn his arm into a volcanic spike that he thrust through Eric's heart, causing him to gurgle on his own blood.
"It...no...Can't...!" Eric choked out, blood spurting out of his mouth.
"The real coward this whole time was you, Eric. Despite your claims of becoming an eternal whirlwind, you were just too scared of dying that you needed to find a way to cheat to get by."
"And that's not something I can stand for..."
Everyone tensed when they heard the new voice before familiar chained sickles wedged themselves in Eric's back and pulled, causing his soul to be pulled out.
And there, holding the chained sickles, stood a familiar face: Grimm D. Reaper, a bored look on his face,
"Why is it that I see so many of you: Wasted potential who think they're worth more?" Reaper asked the now terrified Eric.
"P-please! N-not yet! I can be better!"
"A fact you should've realized long ago. Arrogant punto; not even Xebec at his lowest would've entertained you…"
He then smiled at the Straw Hats.
"Graci as always, chicos y chicas. I am always delighted to meet under such conditions…"
He then turned his glare to Erix.
"…Regardless of the cowardly waste I must collect."
Eric struggled, realizing his Devil Fruit powers weren't working.
"Ah. Excellente." Grimm beamed. "Perhaps the next…oh, who am I kidding, the next will be infinitely better than you."
And then, just as soon as he came, Grimm vanished with the screaming Eric in tow.
A silence overtook the Merry for a good few minutes.
"Well, at least Kuro won't be lonely!" Usopp nervously said.
"Guess Eric got the immortality he wanted after all..." Hilda gulped.
By now the villagers of Warship Island had arrived at the dragons' nest, looking around in shock and amazement. Needless to say, they were surprised that the dragons of legend were actually real.
"You know, it won't be long before this place sinks again. Hiding for another thousand years." Heart said.
"Yeah, and the dragons will probably leave around that time too," Draco noted.
"Speaking of leaving, we should get back to our own journey," Luffy said.
"Well, we'll certainly miss you," Bokuden said as he walked over. "But take this before you leave."
He handed Sanji the recipe for his meat buns.
"Thanks. Luckily steamed foods are part of my culinary skills."
"This'll definitely be a mouthwatering new dish!" Noire smiled.
"Yes! Our very own Bokuden Brand Pork Buns!" Hilda cheered.
"Down, you hungry hungry hippo." Sonson smirked.
"Hey, I'm too pretty to be a hippo!"
-OP-
Before long, the Merry was restocked and ready to sail out once more.
"I get the feeling the people of the island are going to be relearning all the old customs from their ancestors," Zoro said.
"It's too bad this is the last time we'll see the Millennial Dragons. But it'd be pointless to live a thousand years just to see them again." Penny said.
Draco smiled. "We'll just have to tell the story to our kids, and then our grandkids, so they can visit in our place."
"I got no problems with that." Ben smiled, then shot Heart a look. "So, what about you, lass?"
Heart pointed at herself, wordlessly asking if it was what Ben meant.
"You did help us keep Apis safe and take down Eric, so you're welcome to join," Sonson smirked. "Course…that would mean becoming a pirate…"
Heart smirked. "Meh, I was pretty much one anyway."
Luffy smiled and walked over, offering Heart a handshake.
"I think you'll fit right in. That and Nami and Nojiko could always use a third pair of eyes and hands as treasurers."
Nami let out an offended shock at that, but Nojiko nodded in agreement,
"JUST FOR THAT, YOU'RE SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR TONIGHT!" Nami snapped at her girlfriend.
"That's…really not as bad a threat as it should be," Draco noted sheepishly.
"Yeah, we've slept on far worse than wooden floors," Ben noted.
A hush fell over the crew.
"The more we hear about your childhoods, the more I wonder how and bless Oda that you all made it this long," Penny said.
"Speaking of wonder!" Luffy beamed, returning to Heart. "Do you have a dream? Like a goal you're willing to die for to try and make come true?"
Heart's eyes glowed with excitement and a proud smile overtook her face.
"I want to become the greatest treasure hunter to ever live and collect all the greatest treasures in the world, including the One Piece!"
"That's a pretty good dream!" Luffy grinned. "But you better not try and snatch the One Piece! I'm gonna claim it first and become King of the Pirates!"
"But you're a girl..." Heart pointed out.
"A girl can be a king!" Luffy argued.
That just caused the rest of the Straw Hats to start laughing. The Grand Line was in sight and already they were twenty men strong, but they had a feeling this merry crew was only going to get bigger from here.
Knightmare Lord A/N:
I refurbished Ruby Heart's Devil Fruit to act more like Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon because that kinda fits with how her moveset played out in Marvel vs Capcom 2.
Speaking of which, BRING RUBY HEART, SONSON, AND AMINGO BACK ALREADY, CAPCOM!