Chapter 21: Elbaf
Nami looked puzzled at the sight of Vivi, Carrot, and another girl having teleported into the space.
"Eh?!" she exclaimed.
She turned to the Vegapunks as she asked, "Is this one of those holograms?"
They shook their heads.
Nami then teared up and went to hug her friend as did Luffy, Sanji, Chopper, and Usopp. Zoro, Jinbe, Brook, and Robin remained composed as Franky continued to work.
"I was with Morgans, but now I'm here. It's great to see you guys.," said the princess.
"It's probably because the ship knows you're meant to be on this crew.," said Galahad as he continued to work on the ship. The space became less and less abstract with the wood layering the space with the faces of Merry and Sunny being built into the space leading into the Turtle mouth of the ship.
"Who is this?" asked Vivi. Chopper then noticed Carrot.
"I thought you became the Queen.," said the reindeer.
"Well..," the Mink replied.
Nami then noticed the orange-haired girl blushing at the sight of the navigator.
"Who's this?," asked Nami.
A Short While Later...
Nami comforted Vivi while Chopper sat on Carrot's lap. The girl looked amazed at the highly sophisticated technology of countless rooms with stairs leading up to them. There was a holographic map leading to each designated room.
"So those guys did kill Cobra when they met him? Good thing I walloped them.," Luffy argued.
"That tornado guy. He was there at Egghead. What's the Ancient Weapon Artemis? I thought it was just three?," asked Usopp.
"The world definitely seems to be getting more chaotic.," noted Jinbe.
"Luffy...your arm.," Vivi noticed as did Carrot. The missing right arm rotted away by the CP0 Agent, Cortez, and was cut off by Zoro to avoid it from spreading.
"Oh, a snakey-haired guy did this. I'll be like Shanks with one arm.," said Luffy.
After finishing the ship's layout with Franky and Galahad, Vega 40 went down with a prosthetic arm and was placed over the amputated section. It connected seamlessly with the body.
"What the?," asked Luffy as he stretched his fingers. He then activated his various gears from 2 to 3 to 4 to 5 as the arm remained intact.
"Wait...that form...that's the fifth form of...," said Galahad as he observed.
"Wow. It works. Guess I need it after all.," Luffy spoke as he stretched his new arm.
"You're really helping out.," said Franky as he patted his younger sister on the back.
"So you're attached to the ship?," asked Brook to Lillith.
"We're like a 2nd brain to it now.," explained the Vegapunk Satellite.
"That's so creepy.," Usopp noted.
Nami then noticed the orange-haired girl with the glasses and asked,
"So what's your name?"
"S-Shoujo.," said the girl.
Suddenly, a visual appeared on a transparent screen as it revealed the next island-
A mountainous island whose biggest and most notable landmark is a colossal tree that grows in its center and dwarfs even the actual island itself. The tree's full height extends up to the clouds, with its branches forming extra layers of land. This means the island has at least three distinct regions in terms of altitude: one at sea level, another above the tree's branches that surround its trunk, and a third one at the treetops.
At long last, they had managed to achieve their goal of reaching there after two years of delay. The excitement in the air grew palpable as the ship approached the island of giants. The anticipation was not only because of the island's reputation but also because of the mysterious figure they were seeking.
"I feel like this ship needs a name now...," said Luffy.
"I don't get the high-tech stuff, but...It feels like it can be anywhere on the infinite horizon crossing the dawn.," said Usopp.
"Infinite Dawn...That sounds cool.," replied the captain with a grin.
Galahad smiled as he thought, Good thing I named it that in advance.
As they approached the island, they suddenly came across a fog that seemed off. One of the Infinite Dawn's functional spheres glowed to Luffy and instinctively he touched it. Outside, the ship generated a force field.
A giant crow with a skull helmet squawked as his owner, a man in a deer mask snorted in response.
"Damnit. We'll have to do this the hard way...," he said before suddenly, he felt a Haki purge paralyze him for a moment before he retreated.
"Shit!," he cursed as his crow followed him.
They sailed through the mist and arrived at the port of the island.
Arriving was a small giant boy. He has messy pink hair, with bangs covering his right eye, freckles, and a round, jutting nose. Like most giants, he dresses in Viking-inspired attire, including a horned helmet, a small cape, and a tunic held in place by a belt. He carries around a small sword on his right hip.
"That ship looks funky...way too big!," he shouted as the Giants all went bug-eyed as it neared the port.
One of the spheres listing the size appeared as Franky quickly pressed it as the ship shrank down to a manageable size as it reached the port. Vega 40 pressed the other button of the anchor to park it.
They all went up on deck to see the familiar faces of Oimo, Kashii, Brogy, and Dorry.
"Gababababa. Your ship looks entirely different since last night, you were mighty busy in repairing it.," said the Giant as the crew walked down.
"Geez! So chilly!," Luffy noted as he felt the breeze outside.
"This is the lowest level, the Underworld- it's the port to greet non-Giants but it's a mostly frozen, inhospitable wasteland ruled by savage, powerful beasts. It is so hostile that criminals are often punished by just being sent here, being both a "prison" and an "execution ground" filled with the bones of giants and humans that have been long buried by the constant snow. Both it also quickly warms up except for the prison grounds.," explained Oimo.
"Apparently, this Loki guy is being imprisoned there after killing the last King, Harald. He was a cursed child and his failed marriage to Lola among other factors led to his murder of him like obtaining a rare Devil Fruit. So don't go near the guy.," said Kashii.
He saw Luffy with curious eyes as the crew more familiar with Luffy gave concerned looks.
The Straw Hat captain then felt an odd sensation as he felt a presence coming from the core of the tree.
"Is that Loki?," asked Luffy.
"As fun as getting to fight that fella could be, let's ignore that troublesome guy for now and just celebrate. There's a guy upon the Sun World that wants to see Robin.," said Dorry.
Robin smiled as she turned to Clisson.
"I feel like my current hairstyle doesn't fit me. May you please give me a change?" asked the archaeologist.
Clisson nodded.
Sun-World Path
Luffy was riding on Chopper with Carrot and Vivi holding him. Robin and Nami rode on Clisson as an Alicorn/ Bonney and Shoujo rode on Vega 40 as a giant beave. The others continued to walk on the chains leading up to the 2nd level. They followed the Giants with Luffy catching a glimpse of a blond, eye-bandaged Giant chained to the lower part of the island.
"Sorry. It's too cloudy here to use it like normal. You'll able to see them soon...how we travel.," said Brogy.
Franky was perplexed as Goldberg brought up the Infinite Dawn with them
"Hmm...a troublesome guy...," Luffy muttered to himself while sensing the sensation of this Loki.
Robin smiled in anticipation of reuniting with Saul as she thought of her past...
Robin's Past
Following being blamed for Ohara, being forced to run from everyone who wanted her dead, and even wanted to end it all at one point.
However, the words of Olvia and Saul kept her going. To live and eventually find friends.
While organization after organization continued to fail her, even Baroque Works, she eventually found the Straw Hats who became the people whom she could rely on.
And she finally could resolve a part of her pas
Western Village
They arrived at the Western Village and were amazed at the sites. Massive buildings dedicated to Elbaf culture. But more significantly, there were rainbow bridges where ships could stay on them.
Luffy and the others on the crew were amazed at the site of the stones "drawing" rainbows.
"To make light particles solid is incredible.," said Lillith as she came off the ship, now in a physical body.
"You're not shocked missy?," asked Brogy.
"These Painters are amazing...but...I can't say that...you'll learn if you got here.," said the girl much to the Giant's confusion.
They saw a grave site dedicated to fallen giants where remnants of a burnt orphanage used to be.
"That was once Sheep-House before that Linlin ruined Mother Caramel's desires here. She really helped with realizing how we Giants need to be..." proper". After John who left us for the Marines came to preach- more and more left for the organization and insisted on how we should be less aggressive because it scares the little folk. That we should maybe covert.," said a random Giant to his child.
Vega 40 gave a skeptical look about the statement much to Bonney's confusion before she stared while Kuma rested on the Dawn.
Warrior's Spring
They arrived at a beach-like area with a lake large enough to be mistaken for the sea. Waves are formed because of the impact caused by the waterfalls that fall from Adam's higher branches. The area around the water is covered by "sand", due to part of the tree becoming fossilized and eroded into wooden particles. Children played there while there was a walrus-figurehead school nearby.
Several children whined as they denied doing tasks to help the village as they lazed on.
Others didn't voice anything negative out of fear of causing friction between potential parties so they talked only vaguely about mundane subjects that didn't sprinkle controversy to upset the other yet would write nasty letters behind their backs to pester them into more fear.
Some were isolating themselves when they saw some children being too scary for them to deal with while clinging to their parents and hiding in their houses.
Some were peeking at nude women while hiding their intentions by pretending to play games.
And they were playing very dull games and reading books with suspicious-looking literature that didn't fit with the culture...with a symbol that would be very alarming to anyone well-versed in a certain century.
They also discarded their traditional attire in favor of more modern attire approved by the rest of the world.
Usopp and Luffy collectively gave disappointed scowls while Broggy and Dorry seemed immensely disappointed.
"Seems like times have changed even for Elbaf. Didn't think they'd have schools.," noted Sanji.
He then noticed several of the children peek at nude women bathing.
Lucky bastards- wait, that's a bit too young to do that., thought Sanji
Something was very, very off about the vibe in the Western Village.
However, all that mattered right now was Robins' feelings as she approached a burnt Giant on the beach lying face down. Suddenly, he raised his face to roar. She merely smiled as the man chuckled nervously as he blubbered-
"Dereshishishishi. That doesn't work on you anymore...Sorry for not reaching out...I was knocked out by Kuzan's ice..and I got thawed out...the other youngins managed to rescue me and the books from Ohara. Harald was getting them to counter all that nonsense coming since John sent out Government phony books...but most kids ain't pay attention...and I managed to settle down with somebody...and I'm a former Vice Admiral who's too big literally and figuratively to move around without releasing news about to get ya in danger...damn those guys hatin' ya for no good reason...But I heard you finally found a great crew...that whole OLD WORLD news is really mind-boggling ya know...I'll show ya my kid later...and we can catch up-"
Robin then hugged him as she said, "Just say it's good for me to be alive."
Saul then calmed down as he replied, "Good job making it this far. You've really grown to be like your mother."
They both then cried.
A child then tugged Saul.
"Hey. Hey. I can't wait for the festival of the new Sun God. This one's better than what the gramps tell us.," said the child.
Saul seemed very uneasy when he heard this.
Next Chapter: Off-Putting
Author Notes: Shoujo is indeed the girl from One Piece Fan-Letter. So I decided to incorporate her into the story. As for Vivi and Carrot, I felt like they were always Straw Hats so I included them in this adventure. It also showcases more features of the Infinite Dawn.
This chapter combines the intro of Elbaf, skips the Road side plot, and gets into the Robin-Saul reunion.
While there is peace in Elbaf there's something very off about it. Anything that seems peaceful when the Straw Hats arrive will gradually reveal the darkness underneath. Yet this time, it's a bit more subtle but it will become more apparent as the arc goes on.