Masira and Shojo spent some time reinforcing the Merry and Pearl so they could handle the journey.
"Now this region of the Grand Line has a peculiar phenomenon where it turns black as night in the middle of a bright, sunny day. It's caused by extremely dense clouds casting shadows on the open ocean." Cricket said.
"Cumuloregalis clouds. They only occur in the Grand Line." Ruby realized. "So that's all that darkness was."
Nami smiled proudly. "Ruby is pretty smart. She may not be able to navigate the weather like me, but she's a genius in her own right."
"Nami..." Ruby blushed at her friend.
Cricket nodded. "These unusual clouds form high in the sky, don't have internal currents, and never turn to rain. When they form, no light can pass through them. No one, not even natives of the Grand Line, know the reason. Some say it's because cumuloregalis clouds are floating fossilized clouds, hanging in the sky for thousands of years."
"So they're mystery clouds," Luffy said.
"That's a good way to describe them. I've heard dozens of stories about them floating around Dad's fleet. Each crazier than the last, even for the Grand Line." Draco agreed.
"Man, what I wouldn't give to ride on one..." Sonson thought out loud wistfully.
"Sonson, you already have your Somersault Cloud." Ben pointed out.
Said cloud suddenly manifested
"Wait, wait! Buddy! No! No! Don't take it like that!"
"Wait, her cloud is sentient?!"
"Yup." Luffy nodded.
"And very easy to offend and or get its feelings hurt." Ben added.
"It happened once…" Draco managed. "….NEVER again."
The three other captains all shuddered….as did Ace and Sabo, despite being hundreds of miles away.
"One thing I can say for certain, if there really is a sky island, then it's most certainly resting on top of a cumuloregalis cloud. It would be the only possible place." Cricket said.
"Which would explain why our Log Poses were pointing up just as the sky darkened," Robin realized.
"So how do we reach these clouds?" Double-D asked.
"That's the real problem. There's only one reliable way I know of, but it's a very dangerous one. You'll have to put your lives on the line for it." Cricket said.
"Well, we are pirates. Putting our lives on the line for adventure and romance is part of the fun." Hilda smirked.
"You got that right, Toots!" Gottfried laughed.
Cricket chuckled. "Fair enough. The only way that will get you to the sky island without killing you outright is the Knock-Up Stream, a current that shoots into the air. It's powerful enough to send a ship flying, meaning theoretically it could have the power to launch you to the sky island."
"Would it really work?" Nami wondered. "If not, we could wind up falling back into the ocean and smashing into pieces."
"Curse the laws of gravity and inertia..." Double-D sighed.
"You'd have to time it just right. But it would be possible." Cricket said.
"It's not going to be a pleasant ride even if it does work. Knock-Up Streams are as powerful as a hurricane, but without the benefit of an eye to find safety in." Gin said. "Normally they're something to avoid at all costs."
"How does such a thing even work?" Zoro asked. "I've never heard of such a phenomenon."
"It only happens in the Grand Line, but no one knows how they work. Not even a fishman is dumb enough to jump in and find out, after all." Axol said.
"Though I did hear one theory that makes the most sense," Cricket chimed in. "Beneath the sea floor are large, air-filled cavities, with low-temperature sea water seeping into them. Heat from the planet below turns that water into steam, and the resulting pressure causes an explosion on the seabed. One big enough to create a current shooting right into the sky. It only lasts for a minute, but it's been observed to consistently reach the cloud line, connecting ocean and sky."
"Rhat's insane!" Lassoo cried. "It rould probabry take rabout ren times the rowder magazine rom Marine HQ to reach rhat revel of explosion!"
"How would you know that?" Carue asked.
"Ri'm a gun, remember?" Lassoo pointed out.
"Indeed! It would make sense for Lassoo to know about the basics of ballistics." Penny chimed in.
"Now reinforcing your ship to give you the best chance of survival is one thing, but the Knock-Up Stream never appears in the same location twice in a row. It tends to occur in random locations five times a month." Cricket said. "And even if you did hit the stream with a lucky break, there's a chance you could miss the sky island and fall right back down in the ocean."
"Not to mention we've only got one more day before the Log Pose resets. We can't leave this up to chance." Nojiko said.
"Fortunately, it is possible to stack the deck to give you the best possible chance. The next Knock-Up Stream will occur tomorrow afternoon, judging from when you spotted the cumuloregalis phenomenon and taking into account the five-month appearance rate." Cricket said. "Best estimation I can give is that it'll appear in the south region."
-OP-
As the group settled down for dinner, Robin was reading the notebook with Calvin, Hobbes, and Marianne looking at it with her and noticed the last line, referring to gold found in a skull's right eye, was completely tear-stained.
"What's up with this page? Why's it all soggy?" Calvin asked.
Cricket noticed what was being referred to and sighed sadly.
"That's the last thing Noland wrote before his execution. To this day I've never understood what he meant by that. Whether it was the name of a city or perhaps an old landmark. Or even just a poetic allusion to his own impending death. The rest of the page is largely blank, so there are no clues there. That's why we keep diving for our dream. Somehow, I just know the answers might be there."
-OP-
Meanwhile, the Bellamy Pirates were approaching Cricket's house.
"There it is. It's gotten quite late, but the light's note someone is home."
"Then let's head ashore. I don't care what any weakling says. Dream-chasing fools only deserve to take their lumps!" Bellamy said.
What they didn't notice was that a large ship with a dragon skull figurehead was watching from afar, manned by just two certain individuals...
"Trying to mess with Cricket?" Kong questioned as he took a drag from his pipe. "Not on my watch. Tawna, get ready to weigh anchor."
"Aye-Aye!"
-OP-
"Noland wrote about a very large bell he heard coming from a forest when he first reached Jaya. The gold bell had a sound that resonated far and wide. Almost as if it was showing off the city's long prosperity." Cricket said.
"It must have sounded beautiful," Vivi said.
Cricket chuckled, then brought out three gold ingots shaped like bells.
"We found these while diving on the sea floor. Not really proof that there truly was a city of gold, but certainly enough to prove that there was once a civilization on Jaya."
Robin nodded. "Ingots were always made using standardized weight. So these were likely used for trade."
"Quite lovely, I might say." Amingo said, admiring the details.
"There's one other sound Noland heard from the story; a strange bird call." Cricket added. "Masira, show them the decoration we found."
Masira nodded, and got out a large statue of a tropical bird.
"Cricket thinks this might have been part of a model. It depicts a South Bird, a species that still exists on this island."
"Which reminds me, you'll want to go to the southern forest of the island quickly. You see, this species of bird always points its beak to the south. In the days before Log Poses, it was the only way sailors could reliably navigate the Grand Line." Cricket said. "The Knock-Up Stream will be hitting open ocean south of the cape, so you can't use a Log Pose to navigate, and compasses are useless."
"I'll head out there with Gottfried, Lassoo, and Hobbes. Us critters should be able to convince that big ol' bird to help out." Carue said.
"Be safe, Hobbes!" Calvin called out to his tiger buddy.
The crew headed to the forest, and it wasn't long before they heard a peculiar bird call.
"That was a South Bird! Hang on, I'll try to communicate." Gottfried said.
One large bird quickly flew down, speaking with the Transponder Snail.
"He says he's willing to help, but will be flying back once we reach the Knock-Up Stream. He's not risking his life on what might be a flying coffin."
-OP-
It was supposed to be easy; break in, attack the old man and his pals, steal their gold and then treat themselves to some drink and company. So, the Bellamy pirate swere a little annoyed than anything when they saw Kong and Tawana swaiting for them,
"…The Hyena, right?" Tawna mused. "So called 'bigshot of Mock Town' and follower of Donquoite Doflamingo."
"Well, looks like this mutt knows a real pirate when she…" Bellamy cackled, only to be cut off.
"I'd be impressed if your bounty was at least 200 million. But only 55 and you strut like an emperor? No wonder you stay in one place; the New World would chew you up and swallow you whole. And we'd know after all: we were born there."
"I'm not going to let you hurt Cricket...or interfere with other people's dreams." The Ape Mink scowled as he stood up.
Bellamy smirked at Sarquiss and the two prepared themselves to deal with what they thought would be a nuisance.
"Oh, this ought to be fun. You even know how to throw a punch, you old gorilla?"
"That and then some." Kong huffed.
Sarquiss got out his large knife and started spinning it around while Bellamy started bouncing everywhere using the power of hisSpring-Spring Fruit.
"Let this be a lesson to you!" Bellamy called out. "There are no sky islands or cities of gold! Just ocean and the ships who sail on them!"
He bounced right at Kong while Sarquiss raised his knife to slash Tawna.
"Here comes a taste of reality!" Sarquiss taunted.
However, he was shocked when a giant ornate glowing floating gauntlet formed, Tawna's hand glowing with similar energy as the gauntlet mimicked her motions, grabbing the knife easily and yanking it out of Sarquiss' hand.
"You think your captain's the only one with a Devil Fruit? Don't make me laugh."
The gauntlets then folded the blade as if it was made of paper, crumbling it into a ball as Tawna marched forward, glaring at Sarquiss.
"I hate your kind most; overcompensating little boys who play at pirates but are nothing more than thugs." She growled. "Then again…what else could be expected from morons who follow the biggest hypocrite of the sea?"
And then she sent then man flying with a single palm thrust before glaring at the other pirates.
"You can either save that fool and your captain…or deal with me. Choose wisely."
To the credit of other Bellamy pirates; they at least tried to avenge Sarquiss. They failed. Miserably.
Bellamy meanwhile, unaware of his crew's defeat, had thrown a punch straight at Kong, only for the Ape Mink to catch it easily with the palm of his hand and then clench his entire hairy hand around Bellamy's fist.
"I feel like I haven't told you a lot about me...I used to sail with the greatest pirate crew this world has ever seen. A crew that would completely wipe out your entire band of short-sighted idiots without even breaking a sweat." Kong growled. "And that crew...was led by a great man...GOL D. ROGER!"
Before Bellamy could react, Kong raised him into the air before slamming him down with all his might. Bellamy could barely stay away from the impact
"Such loud runts." Kong mused. "Buggy could've tanked that."
"B-but…" Bellamy tried to speak. "Y-you're…?"
"Weak? Old?" kong guessed. "Didn't anyone ever tell you?All true wise folk fear the veteran in a field where MANY die young."
Bellamy, cousiousness fading, then finally saw most of his crew beaten and Sarquiss missing, Tawna walking up to him and asking:
"So? How does the cowardly big fish feel meeting a fearsome, aged shark and its piranha?"
She gave Bellamy no time to answer, her gauntlets reappearing and nknocking him out cold.
-OP-
The crew had recently returned to see Cricket, Masira, and Shoujo finishing the modifications to the Merry and the Pearl.
"Man, this is some good work!" Eddy noted.
"Indeed! I'll drink to it!" Choi laughed.
"We've gotten to be decent shipwrights working to modify our own vessels for salvage operations," Masira said.
"That would've been helpful for us a bit back." Nami noted, recalling their salvage adventure.
Suddenly, the door swung open and in walked a Gorilla and a large, fox like woman.
"Ah, Kong!" Cricket beamed. "Perfect timing! Care for a drink?"
Kong smiled and politely turned down the drink, his eyes landing on Luffy. They widened for a moment, but then smiled.
"So, you're the one Shanks bet on." He mused. "Nice to meet you, Monkey D. Luffy."
Hearing her hero's name, Luffy shifted her attention to the Mink.
"You know Shanks?!"
"Know him? We grew up together. He, Buggy and I were cabin biys together on Roger's ship." Kong smirked, delighting in the shocked looks. "Ah, that never gets old."
"Ahem! Ahem!" the other newcomer cleared her throat.
"Oh, sorry! This here is Tawana; my daughter." Kong mused as she stepped forward, waving happily, a glow surrounding her hands as two gaunlets manifested.
"…Devil fruit?' Robin mused.
"Devil Fruit." Tawana smiled. "I ate the Gauntlet-Gauntlet fruit."
"The one of Adios Suerte?" Mifune asked, getting some looks. "Crocodile had interest in him joining Baroque works. But he vanished before we could recuirt him."
"That was on me." Kong said. "Fool was playing with something even the Emperors feared and wouldn't be reasoned with. Tawana just happened to be nearby when his fruit regrew and ate it DESPITE MY WARNINGS!"
Tawna had the good sense to look embrassed, but this was forgotten when Hild and Rosa raced to meet her.
"I got my devil fruit from an idiot I killed!" Rosa mused.
"And I got mine from Bryndi World himself." Hilda added.
Tawna's eyes widened, sensing kindered spirits in these girls.
"Also, man! Look at that gut! You must eat good!" Hilda noted with a smile.
Tawna laughed. "Right back at ya, girlfriend."
Rosa giggled. "Our bellies could be sisters!"
The three began bumping their big guts together, Kong just sighing in annoyance at his adoptive daughter's silliness.
"Belly gong!"
"They even jiggle the same!"
"It's like looking in a fat mirror!"
"Oh sweet Oda, there's three of them now..." Marianne muttered.
"Sweet Antonnuci, I wanna be smashed by those guts..." Eddy said in a daze.
"You can just have me blimp up and squish you." Luna scoffed playfully.
"LUNA-NEE! NOT WHILE I'M HERE!" Chopper cried.
-OP-
Meanwhile in the World Government capital of Mariejois, the five Elders were in council.
"It seems that Red-Haired Shanks and Whitebeard Edward Newgate are planning a meeting," Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, the head of Science and Defense, noted.
"The idea of two Yonko meeting is disturbing. According to the report, Shanks sent a member of his crew to make contact." Saint Marcus Mars, the head of Enviorment, said.
"We always feared what might happen if all four Yonko ever decided to work together. Though it's been mitigated by the cold war between Big Mom Charlotte Linlin and Kaido the King of Beasts." Saint Topman Warcury, the head of Justice, said.
"Whitebeard and Shanks would certainly be willing to fight alongside each other, but neither tends to act unless provoked, or if something bad is happening within their territories." Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, the head of Finance, said.
"Then perhaps we can be safe focusing on the Seven Warlords. Now that Crocodile is dead, we need someone to replace him." Saint Shepard Ju Peter, the head of Agriculture, suggested.
Nusjuro nodded. "It is important that we maintain the balance of the Three Powers. If that balance collapses, we could be seeing serious problems."
"The Seven Warlords have already been called to Mariejois, but you know how capricious they can be. We'll be lucky if more than one even shows up." Saturn said.
"And then there's the issue of Whitebeard's son and the crew he has assembled with Monkey D. Luffy, Monkey D. Sonson, and Sparrow D. Benjamin. If we could only find out who this 'Gottfried' is, we could slap those four with bounties so large every hunter in the world would be after them." Warcury added. "How did they even get that device in the first place? We ordered Vegapunk to destroy them all."
"Clearly one had to have survived somehow. And certainly his Transponder Broadcast has been doing damage even greater than the Revolutionaries." Nusjuro said. "But I don't think we need to go to such extremes. After all, it's not like he knows the greatest secrets we've been keeping hidden."
-OP-
Meanwhile, Heavenly Demon Donquixote Doflamingo and Tyrant Bartholomew Kuma had arrived at Mariejois. Doflamingo's former bounty was at 340 million, while Kuma's was 296 million. As they waited, Doflamingo amused himself by using his Devil Fruit, theString-String Fruit, to make two Marine officers fight each other. Nearby, Vice-Admiral Tsuru gave a heavy sigh.
"That's enough!"
Doflamingo smirked as he removed the strings upon hearing the booming authoritative voice of Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
"About time we got this meeting started. I hate boredom."
Kuma simply closed his bible.
"Since only two of the Warlords are here, I'll get the meeting started. Honestly, I'm amazed two even showed up." Sengoku said.
"Well, I didn't plan on coming, but business on my island was going well, so I figured they could keep it up without me around to manage things." Doflamingo said.
"Well, that sounds disconcerting. There's nothing more depressing to us as a booming pirate industry." Sengoku grumbled.
Suddenly Mihawk entered the meeting hall as well.
"From the sounds of dreary bickering I'm wondering if I'm in the right place. Tell me, is that roundtable just for show? Or are we here to conduct business?
Doflamingo smirked. "I wasn't sure you'd show up, Mihawk."
"I'm simply here as an onlooker. Though I am interested in the pirate crew involved with the issue at hand."
"Curious, I also happen to be something of an onlooker."
Tsuru looked over to the new figure as he started tap dancing.
"I heard the news about Crocodile, and I've come here to offer you a solution. After all; the Six Warlords just doesn't ring as nicely."
"Demon Sheriff Lafitte. To what do we owe the pleasure?" Tsuru asked.
"My, the Great Tatician knows of me; I'm flattered." Lafitte bowed. "To answer your question dear lady; I'm here to recommend a certain man for the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"What a coincidence! Me too."
Lafitte looked around confused, until he quickly had to duck under a familiar iron mace as everyone looked to see Alvida there.
"Iron Mace Alvida. I heard you recently decided to form an alliance with another pirate crew?" Sengoku noted.
"And did you lose weight? You look much slimmer than your wanted poster." Doflamingo added.
"That was the past. Right now, my crew and I have decided to assimilate with the Buggy Pirates." Alvida smirked as she slapped Buggy's new wanted poster on the table. "Shall we discuss my candidate?"
"Buggy certainly has a good reputation as a former member of Gold Roger's crew, and his bounty is getting high enough that he would be a threat to other pirates," Sengoku admitted.
"Now just hold on!" Lafitte interrupted. "My captain Blackbeard, he's planning something big! Something that could blow everything right out of the water!"
"But he's not someone we've heard of, and his plan might fail." Sengoku pointed out. "A Warlord needs to be able to strike fear in a pirate's heart just from reputation alone."
"Last I heard, he and his crew made Wapoil abandon the fomer Drum Kingdom" Alvida noted. "…I do believe Buggy spoke of him a few times….unease in his tone when he did so."
Lafitte smirked at that.
"…While noteworthy, Wapol wasn't exactly a fighter, nor a competent king." Tsuru noted. "Now, if it had been Mushuru?"
A few mutters filled the air before Sengoku spoke:
"Alvida? Let Buggy know we'll take his candidacy into consideration. Lafitte? Until your Captain's apparent plan or a great deed comes to our attention? We'll have to refuse."
Lafitte wanted to continue arguing but then caught himself as he thought over Sengoku's words before letting out a defeated sigh.
"I see your point...but just be aware we shall meet again."
"Heh, maybe our crews will run into each other. Let's see who can show up who." Alvida smirked back.
With that, Lafitte and Alvida both made their exit
-OP-
"You almost insulted me by not sending someone with good drink," Whitebeard said.
"Yeah, sorry about the rookie, he's just under the 100 million mark, but he did have something of a reputation outside the Grand Line beforehand. I guess it got to his head." Shanks said. "So, it looks like the next generation is making waves."
Whitebeard cackled as the nurse team made sure to keep him properly medicated.
"My son chose well when he formed a crew with those two girls and Jack's boy. Luffy's got the spirit of Roger in her, that's for damn sure."
Whitebeard smiled as Shanks's adopted daughter Uta entertained the ship with her beautiful singing.
"Speaking of which, she might well be your successor someday."
"She's looking forward to seeing Luffy, Sonson, Draco, and Ben again out in the Grand Line. We're counting the days before she takes a boat for herself just to find him." Shanks said, a smile of his own. "Oh yeah, I saw Ace leaving with a few men."
"He grew some brains out in Alabasta. Decided to get some help in tracking down Teach." Whitebeard explained. "Honestly, I'm grateful. I'm still not sure how to react when one of my men kills another of my men. But Ace might be better suited to understand than me."
-OP-
The modifications for the Merry and Pearl were completed. The Merry's modifications made it look like a rooster, but giving it wings. As for the Pearl, it looked like a fallen angel.
"Why not a pigeon?" Zoro asked. "Chickens can't fly."
"Actually, they can. But only if they're wild chickens." Kuina smirked.
Luffy grinned. "Shishishishi! Okay, crew! It's time to set sail!"
As the Merry and Pearl sailed off, they were joined by another ship; the one that had been commandered by Kong and Tawna.
"The Toho." Kong smiled as he gave Draco a tour. "Your father came across me and Tawna na few years back and gave this to us; asking we hold onto it for either you or one of your siblings when and if they started their own journey. Apparently, he and Kaido had both tried to buy it, but the Oni had to abandon aquring it for some reason…"
"It may not be the prettiest ship, but it's fearsome!" tawna smirked.
Indeed; the ship looked like it was made from the body parts of monsters; claws along the sides, a canon in the front, scaled wood and fearsome looking eyes?
"….I think I'm going to like it." Draco said,
"Hope you do." Kong said. "No offense to your sibs, but unless it was Namur? Not sure it would suit the others."
Draco admitted that seemed fair.
"Plus? While you may not be a father yet? I can see your familial love and devotion."
Kong then turned to see Cricket.
"Looks like this is where we part ways, but here's one thing that I know for certain; no one in history has ever disproven the existence of the sky island or the city of gold. That alone has given me solace throughout my entire life." Cricket said.
"If we do find the sky island, we'll make sure to broadcast it loud and clear for the world to hear. Even if they call it a hoax, we'll keep the broadcast going." Sonson said.
"And hopefully, we may validate Noland from beyond the grave." N'Doul added.
Once the Merry, Pearl, and Toho reached open ocean, Luffy, Draco, and Ben kept the ships going based on how the South Bird was pointing.
"We're almost there! I'm hearing the rumbling coming up like a Celestial Dragon on the toilet!" Gottfried called out.
"Cumuloregalis clouds confirmed. We're in position." Usopp said.
"The Log Pose is pointed right at the clouds. The sky island should be just above us." Nami noted.
"Sound off, Lumpy!" Eddy said. "Flaps!"
"Check!"
"Handles!"
"Check!"
"Underwear!"
"Uh...Check!"
"Here comes the first hurdle. A Knock-Up Stream is always preceded by a giant whirlpool. They're so big they can drown a Sea King." Axol said.
"And then once it disappears, that's when the real show starts." Ruby added.
"Wake me when we get there..." Melony yawned as she went to sleep.
"That girl can sleep through the end of the world..." Saiko muttered.
There came a rumbling from deep underwater.
"HERE IT COMES, FOLKS! HANG ON TO YOUR ASSES!" Gottfried warned.
"Brace for impact!" Kaya cried as she held onto Kirby.
"Where can Gonta hold on?" Gonta asked.
"ANYTHING!" Choi exclaimed.
"SHE'S GONNA BLOW!" Eddy called out.
The stream erupted right under the Merry, Pearl, and Toho, launching them all skyward. Cricket saw the clear-blue pillar from where he sat.
"No sign of timbers or anything else. So far so good."
He smirked as he saw the South Bird land near him. The Straw Hats held on to whatever was nailed down as the Merry, Pearl, and Toho shot up through the current, kept afloat by the metal wings. The ship started to float out of the stream, only to continue sailing right above it.
"YEEEE-HAAAAAAAAAWWW!" Calvin and Hobbes cheered.
Nami smiled. "Nice, the geothermal winds are keeping us lifting up, like bird wings."
"Here we go, Going Merry!" Luffy called out. "Let's sail to the sky!"
"Hang on tightly, Black Pearl!" Ben called out. "You're doing swell!"
"For your first time out in the seas, you're doing great, Toho!" Draco called out.
"Of course!" Kong laughed. "He was the first ship Cricket modified!"
Maybe it was the crew on the Going Merry's imagination, but they could swear they heard a little girl laughing in delight as they kept rising further and further. Regardless, they were making history as they started to reach beyond the clouds. The sky island, and the mysterious Skypiea, was just ahead of them.
Knightmare Lord A/N:
And so the Jaya Arc comes to a close! Make way for Skypiea! And we'll learn more about Donk E. Kong going forward from there! Not only that, but Draco now has his own ship to command; the Toho! All we need is Sonson's ship and the Four Captains' fleet is complete!
Also, I threw in a reference to Kung Fu Panda 3! I'm sure Mrotrax will love it.
Mrotax A/N:
I DID!
Sorry for the wait!
Now we begin SKYPEIA!