The Going Merry rode a sleepy swell that rolled across the Grand Line like a slow breath. Warm spray kissed the prow and the canvas above picked up the faintest snap each time the breeze shifted. A gentle run of days had carried the Straw Hat crew away from Alabasta and there was at last a pocket of calm, yet nobody on deck could stay still for long.

Luffy leaned over the figurehead and kicked his heels against the wood. Sunlight caught the scar under his eye and turned it gold. He pointed at a cloud that seemed to float lower than the rest and called to no one in particular. "That one looks thick enough to walk on. Imagine landing right in the middle of it."

Nami paused at the binnacle and folded her arms. "We have no proof any clouds hold our weight. The Log Pose is twitching but that only means there is an island ahead. It does not promise an island in the sky."

Luffy bounced once and threw both fists straight up as though hailing the heavens. "If the needle is pointing up it means the next island is up. That is good enough for me."

Usopp set down a half‑polished cannonball and hurried forward. He pressed a hand to his chest as if preparing for a grand tale. "I spoke with a travelling bard in Nanohana. He swore that sky birds as big as galleons forge weapons of gold and lightning. We will need the Great Captain Usopp to negotiate with such majestic beasts."

Zoro stretched on the deck with three swords balanced across his lap. He did not bother to open his lone visible eye. "You talked to a drunk who paid with wooden coins. Sit down before you hurt yourself."

Robin watched gulls arc above the mast. She tapped a closed book against her thigh. "Old texts speak of sea clouds and entire nations above the weather line. The Grand Line bends reality. A place among the clouds is not beyond its reach."

A slow grin spread across Luffy's face. He swung toward Robin and pumped a fist. "If Robin believes it then it has to be true."

Yoruichi sprawled at Robin's boots. She flicked her tail which drew a lazy circle on the planks. "We have faced giants dinosaurs walking wax and a man who turned to sand. A sky island will fit nicely on the list." Her golden eyes narrowed with playful challenge.

Chopper trotted over with a stethoscope still looped around his neck. "I hope the air up there does not thin too much. I will prepare medicine in case the altitude makes anyone dizzy."

Sanji eased past with a tray of tea. He tipped a cup toward Robin. "If the air is thin I will double the iron in everyone's diet. You will need strength to leap between clouds."

Nami accepted her cup and sighed. "We are getting ahead of ourselves. First we need a clear chart and a method."

OoO

Three mornings later an old mailboat overtook them and the skipper shouted about a port called Mock Town on Jaya. He claimed it was the only place lunatic enough to trade information on a current named Knock Up Stream. The phrase made every head aboard jerk up.

Nami spread a chart across two barrels. "If there is even a slim chance this current shoots ships into the sky we must confirm the details. Mock Town lies on the western face of Jaya. It will take half a day with this wind."

Zoro cleaned Sandai Kitetsu with slow strokes. "We keep weapons handy. A pirate port means brawls for sport and for profit."

Sanji blew smoke toward the sea. "Let them thrash about. I am more interested in whether the taverns stock bluefin or skyfish."

Yoruichi hopped onto the rail. 'Trouble clings to Luffy like wool to Velcro' she thought. Her whiskers twitched at the scent of distant mangrove. 'Best we do not stay long.'

Usopp rummaged for his bag of tricks. "Great adventures require great courage. Luckily I have both. Mostly."

Chopper gulped. "I will be ready on medical duty."

Robin closed her book with a calm snap. "Mock Town once sat at the heart of an ancient settlement called Shandora. If part of that city rose into the clouds the locals might hold scraps of the tale."

Luffy planted his feet. "Then let us go ask them. Easy."

OoO

Jaya emerged from the haze just after midday. Jungle pressed hard against a battered dock that rested on stilts eaten half through by worms. Shanties leaned over foul water. A broken bell rang though no one was there to ring it. The end of the wharf looked ready to crumble under The Going Merry's lines so they dropped anchor a little short and approached by longboat.

Luffy leapt onto the pier first and turned a slow circle. "So lively. I like it." Drunken laughter rolled from a window beside him and a bottle smashed near his foot.

Zoro followed and kept a palm near his sword hilt. "Lively is one word." He scanned the faces of men who watched from porch shadows.

Nami straightened her blouse though grime already clung to the air. "We gather information quickly and keep the spending tight."

Sanji helped Robin ashore then offered his hand to Yoruichi. The cat ignored him and landed by herself.

Usopp and Chopper brought up the rear. The reindeer flinched each time someone swore. Usopp whispered reassurance even as his knees knocked.

They pushed into a lane that smelled of stale ale and burnt sugar cane. Vendors called out odds in fights that took place behind canvas screens. Luffy greeted everyone with a grin that earned curious looks. Zoro watched the rooftops. Robin tilted her head at a faded carving above a door that looked shockingly like a pair of wings.

Within minutes gossip reached them. A half blind porter said only one man on Jaya cared about knocking on the roof of the sea. Mont Blanc Cricket. He lived beyond the swamps on the far cape.

Luffy clenched his fists with glee. "Then that is our next stop." He charged off before Nami could leash him.

Yoruichi sprang onto a crate and scanned the street behind. Her ears flattened. 'Too many eyes. We should not drag the whole crew through every alley.' She dropped down and padded after Luffy.

Nami caught up and grabbed Luffy's vest. "Hold on. We regroup in that inn first. We need details before a jungle trek."

The inn proved more saloon than rest house. Floorboards creaked. Lantern smoke churned with pipe weed. Card games and arm wrestling ate each corner while a scarred pianist thumped ragged chords. The Straw Hats drew attention the moment they crossed the threshold. Luffy went straight to the counter.

Behind him Bellamy the Hyena lounged across three chairs. His grin was all teeth. He watched as Luffy asked the barkeep whether clouds could float ships. Snickers rippled. Bellamy rose and sauntered over. He knocked a mug aside so it shattered at Nami's feet.

"Sky islands" he said with lazy contempt. "New generation pirates chase myths because they cannot stomach a real fight." He dug a finger into Luffy's chest. "A man who believes in fairy stories will never claim the era of the real." His crew howled.

Zoro's knuckles whitened around a scabbard. Nami hissed. Sanji exhaled smoke and watched Robin's face for a signal. Robin simply observed.

Bellamy grabbed Luffy by the collar and drove his face into the sticky bar. The room erupted with jeers. Ale slopped across Luffy's straw hat. He lay still.

Nami cried out. "Luffy get up."

Luffy pushed himself upright. He wiped foam from his cheek then set his hat back on his head. He turned. He walked away.

Bellamy laughed until he wheezed. "Spineless." He flung a handful of coins at Luffy's back. They bounced off and chimed on the floor.

Yoruichi's ears pinned flat. She wanted to rip tendons from Bellamy's wrist. 'Stay calm. Captain's code.' She trotted after Luffy.

Outside under a sagging awning Nami fumed. "Why did you let him treat you like that."

Luffy shrugged as he wrung beer from his hat. "Not worth it. Shanks told me long ago that sometimes you walk away to protect your friends and your dream. Punching him now earns us nothing. We will show him when we reach the sky."

Zoro cracked his neck. "If he touches you again I slice him." But he respected the decision.

Usopp shakily agreed. "You really showed restraint."

Yoruichi jumped onto Luffy's shoulder and licked a stray drop of ale from his jaw. "We will find Cricket faster if we do not waste time with fleas."

OoO

An hour before sunset they left the ramshackle port and pushed through choking mangrove. Mosquitoes the size of coins droned. Roots like knotted snakes tripped them at every step. Nami cursed mud that swallowed her boots. Usopp moaned about fevers. Yoruichi darted ahead on silent paws using her heightened senses to test the path.

Eventually they reached a cove where a shack leaned drunkenly over murky water. A battered dinghy bobbed against slime coated posts. The man on the pier had wiry arms that flexed with each pull on his fishing rod. Silver scars traced his torso.

"State your business or piss off" he called without turning.

Luffy stepped forward. "Name is Monkey D Luffy and we want to reach the island in the sky. We heard you know how."

The rod tip twitched. The man hauled a small fish from the water then tossed it behind without looking. "People laugh at me for chasing a lie told by my ancestor. You here to laugh too."

Robin spoke with calm warmth. "We are not here to mock. We are here to learn."

Yoruichi padded along the rickety planks until she sat near his tackle box. She met his eyes. "We risk our lives every day. We will risk them again to sail up."

The man stared at the cat then laughed once. "Talking cat. Sure. Why not." He set the rod down and finally faced them. "I am Mont Blanc Cricket. Come inside though there is little space."

The shack smelled of damp parchment and rust. Maps littered every surface. Sketches showed geysers breaking through a stylised sea. Cricket slapped a finger against one. "That is Knock Up Stream. It might fling you ten thousand metres in under a minute. Most ships shatter. You need a reinforced keel and exact coordinates. I track sea floor rumblings. A bird that always looks south helps narrow the zone."

Nami frowned over the map. "That is madness yet somehow it fits the Grand Line."

Cricket fixed her with tired eyes. "You help me patch my diving gear and fetch parts from the forest. I help you catch the next blast. Fair trade."

Sanji flicked ash into a can. "Patch work is my speciality."

Zoro sighed. "I can haul wood."

Luffy grinned. "And we will catch your south bird. Sounds fun."

Yoruichi twitched her tail. "I look forward to the chase."

Cricket finally allowed a small grin. "You lot might be mad enough to make it."

OoO

That night they lit a fire on the sand. Crabs skittered about the fringes. Cricket spoke of his ancestor Noland who swore he had seen a city of gold upon Jaya. The king condemned him as a liar when proof vanished. Noland died disgraced. Cricket stared into the flames. "All my life I have felt that shame. I will clear his name."

Luffy's voice cracked with feeling. "We will clear it together. Then we will ride the stream to the clouds."

Nami leaned forward. "And if we find gold we will bring some back for you."

Cricket smiled though tears shone in the firelight. "Thank you." He passed a jug and each Straw Hat took a swig. Even Yoruichi dipped a paw and licked the rum.

Robin watched the exchange with gentle approval. 'This crew gathers allies by mending wounds deeper than any sword cut' she thought.

Stars wheeled overhead while the sea lapped in slow applause. The fire burned to coals. One by one they slept on mats of oilcloth spread along the beach. Only Yoruichi remained awake for a time. She listened to the small sounds of jungle night life and the slow breathing of her friends. 'Tomorrow we hunt a bird. Then we aim for the impossible.' She closed her eyes and purred until dreams claimed her.

OoO

Dawn crashed through the canopy with shrill cries of parrots. Nami organised the labour. Sanji and Zoro remained at the shack to hammer bronze plates across the Merry's lower hull. Luffy Usopp Chopper Robin and Yoruichi entered the forest. The humidity wrapped them like wet cotton.

Luffy marched at the head. "We find a bird that always looks south. Easy." He slapped mosquitoes without breaking stride.

Usopp adjusted goggles. "The south bird is clever. It can mimic voices. We must lure it with guile."

Chopper twitched each ear. "Be careful of ticks. Some carry jungle fever."

Yoruichi leapt onto a low branch and scented the air. 'Fruit. Rot. Bird droppings. South birds nearby.' She signalled with a flick of her tail.

Robin followed clues of crushed leaves and talon marks. They passed carnivorous plants whose leaves clapped shut at sound. Luffy nearly lost a finger when he poked one. They skirted a troop of red faced monkeys that screeched warnings.

Hours later they reached a small clearing where squat birds with huge heads preened. Each bird pivoted until its beak faced the same direction.

Usopp whispered. "That must be south." He loaded a rubber pellet.

Chopper shook his head. "No harm."

Yoruichi crouched. "Allow me. Robin if you can block the path behind one."

Robin crossed her arms. Flowers bloomed on air and formed hands that shaped an invisible fence. A startled bird fluttered. Yoruichi pounced. She held the bird yet avoided claws and beak.

The creature swore in perfect imitation of Luffy's voice. "Put me down." Luffy laughed so hard he fell.

Yoruichi chuckled while pinning it. "Quiet you foul mouthed compass." She wrapped it in netting.

With prize secured they began the trek back. Mischievous monkeys threw berries. Luffy roared promises of retribution. Robin spread arms from vines to shove obstacles aside. Usopp fired blanks to scare pests. Yoruichi darted ahead warning of pits masked by leaves.

They burst onto the beach at midday battered but triumphant.

Zoro wiped sweat from his brow. "Hull is ready. Where is the feathered compass."

Luffy displayed the caged bird. It promptly swore at him.

Cricket laughed until he coughed. "You caught the ugliest one. Perfect. Now we sail to the tremor zone."

Nami studied a tide table. "We leave at once. The next favourable cycle peaks tomorrow at dawn."

OoO

The next day, they stocked the Merry with fresh water and the newly fitted hull. With Cricket's guidance, they set sail to an area known for unusual sea-floor activity.

Luffy stood at the bow, scanning the horizon, itching for the moment the ocean might explode skyward. Nami and Robin worked closely at the helm, reading every swirl of the current.

Zoro kept watch for any meddling pirates. Sanji, as usual, provided snacks and mooned over Robin. Yoruichi prowled the deck, occasionally meowing instructions gleaned from Cricket or checking on the south bird, who perched sullenly in a small crate.

Usopp, feeling bold, tested a new adjustable net launcher in case they needed to grab anything mid-flight. Choppa hovered near him, half curious, half anxious.

All at once, the water began to roil beneath them. The Merry rocked violently. Luffy hollered in excitement. "It's coming!"

Nami shouted, "Brace yourselves, hold the course!" She glared at the bird, verifying it faced a certain direction. "That must be where the main force is!"

Zoro, planting his feet firmly, gritted his teeth. "Get ready!"

A deafening roar split the air. The ocean ahead erupted in a mountainous column of water.

The sky darkened with spray. Luffy's face lit up with pure glee. Nami barked out commands, adjusting the sails to catch the wind.

The Merry rushed forward, drawn by the violent current that circled the monstrous geyser.

"We're going up!" Luffy screamed, arms stretched wide.

"This is insane!" Yoruichi laughs, digging her claws into the deck.

The Knock Up Stream seized the Merry in its unstoppable grip, launching it skyward in a spray of foam and thunder. The crew clung to the rails, faces contorted in a mix of terror and thrill.

Higher and higher they soared, the wind screaming in their ears, water droplets pelting them.

Usopp's wail was lost in the maelstrom. Sanji cursed fluidly in multiple languages.

Zoro tightened his stance, cursing his luck. Nami prayed silently that their calculations were correct.

Choppa fainted for a moment, revived by a sudden jolt.

Robin gripped the railing, face calm but eyes wide.

Yoruichi felt her heart hammer, chest seizing in both fear and exhilaration.

"We're actually going to the sky!" she laughs "Holy shit!" Yoruichi couldn't help but be amused. She shouldn't be surprised considering her origins.

In a surreal heartbeat, they burst through the massive column, water droplets cascading in a shimmering haze. Blinding sunlight greeted them. For one suspended moment, the Going Merry seemed to hang in midair, as though gravity forgot them.

Then the ship lurched again, sailing into thick, billowing clouds. The transition from open air to cloud material was almost dreamlike.

Luffy bounced from bow to stern. "We made it! We're really on the sky sea!" His sandals slapped the deck in quick happy thumps.

Zoro rubbed the inside of one ear and grunted. "Quit yelling. My head's still ringing from that blast of water."

"The air's thin." Robin spoke in a calm measured tone while she watched Luffy hop across the figurehead. "Mind your breathing until your lungs adjust."

Nami drew a long breath to test the atmosphere. "It feels lighter than the air at the surface but not enough to kill us."

Yoruichi prowled to the rail. Her tail flicked. 'There's a strange taste to this wind. Almost sweet.' She pushed her whiskers forward and sniffed again. 'And a faint buzz like distant thunder.'

Usopp leaned over the starboard gunwale and tapped the cloud water with a pole. A spongy splash rewarded his curiosity. "I swear it's like batter before it sets!"

Sanji stared into the foamy trail behind the rudder. "Better not try frying it. We still need proper flour." He sparked his lighter with shaky fingers then stuck a cigarette between his lips.

Chopper pressed both hooves over his hat. "Is it safe for Devil Fruit users?" He dipped a trembling hoof into a bucket, lifted up a lump of condensed cloud and let it ooze through his toes. "Feels damp enough."

Robin nodded. "If the legends are correct then a Devil Fruit user will sink through sea cloud the same way they sink through blue water. We'll test it cautiously."

"That's my cue." Luffy stretched his arms wide and laughed. "I'll stay on the ship. Not keen on drowning in the sky!" He spun toward the mainmast then halted.

A low roar rolled across the endless white plain. Something scudded across the cloud like a blister of wind. Out of the haze shot a masked man balanced on a thin shellboard. He held a flint spear laced with silver dots.

"Enemy incoming!" Zoro's hand landed on a hilt.

The stranger slashed. The spear tip spat a blast of compressed air. It ripped a stripe off the Merry's rail in a burst of splinters. Yoruichi hissed and sprang to the quarterdeck. 'Thin air or not I can still tackle him!'

Usopp fumbled for his pouch of seeds. "Tabasco Star—" His voice cracked. He sucked a breath but the thin atmosphere stole his aim. The shot dribbled out and fell short.

Sanji dashed across the deck then stumbled as the oxygen deficit bit into his calves. "Bloody hell. Feels like I've sprinted all the way up Reverse Mountain."

The attacker whirled for another pass. A shrill whinny cut the tension. A giant pink bird swooped down, its feathers rippling with the same cloud substance. A tall man in battered armour rode astride the bird. The man's lance flicked once. Metal clanged. The masked assailant tumbled from his board and vanished into the mist.

"Sir Gan Fall at your service." The armoured rider tipped his crested helm. "Pierre and I patrol these skyscapes. That fellow was Wyper of the Shandian guerrillas. Be thankful he only threw a greeting."

Luffy beamed. "Thanks old man! Whoa your bird can talk?"

Pierre shifted shape into a strutting pegasus and neighed. "I ate the Horse‑Horse Fruit."

Robin rested her elbows on the rail. "Fascinating."

Gan Fall glided closer and handed a tiny silver whistle to Nami. "Blow this if Sky Island becomes unfriendly. I'll hear it."

Nami accepted with a grateful bow. "How much do we owe you?"

"No fee. Good hearts pay their own way." He wheeled Pierre back into the haze.

Usopp sagged against the mast. "First five minutes up here and we nearly get skewered."

Zoro's brow knitted. "The thin air dulls reactions. We need to adapt fast."

Yoruichi flexed her paws. 'I'm used to high altitude but I'll pretend I'm struggling like them.' She gave a soft meow. "Let's keep moving before more sky warriors show up."

Nami eyed the Log Pose. Its dial spun a lazy circle then settled to the north. "Course set. Straight ahead."

OoO

They drifted along a milky stream that wound upward like a mountain road. Cloud vines drooped overhead. From time to time white manta‑like fish broke the surface then melted back into fluff. Chopper squealed at every sighting. "They're so cute!"

At length a giant gate rose from the horizon. Its twin towers were etched with winged statues. A brass plate read Heaven's Gate. A tiny grandmother with drooping wings waited on a cloud veranda. She peered through spectacles at the pirates.

"Pay one billion Extols each if you wish to pass." Her voice was polite yet distant.

Luffy grinned. "We don't know what extols are sorry."

The old woman shrugged. "Your choice dearies. Enter or turn back."

Nami whispered. "We can't pay a fee we don't understand. Let's move and figure it out later."

They sailed past. The gatekeeper sat back down and wrote something in a ledger. Yoruichi caught the scratch of her quill. 'She's marking us criminals already.'

OoO

The Merry eased toward an island rim made of padded cloud cliffs. Wooden docks floated in the vapour. Cones of coral stone poked through the foam.

A blonde girl with delicate wings waved from the pier. "Hello strangers. Welcome to Angel Island. I'm Conis. This is my papa Pagaya."

Pagaya bowed. "First time in the White Sea yes? Please visit our home. We will teach you about dials."

Luffy hopped across the gangplank. "Sounds fun!"

Nami lingered at the shore. A sleek one‑seater craft sat on a platform. "What's that?"

"A Waver." Pagaya smiled. "She runs on an engine dial. Try if you like."

Nami's eyes sparkled with adventure and berry signs. "Don't mind if I do." She mounted the craft. It lurched then shot across the cloud surf.

Sanji called after her. "Be careful Nami‑san!"

Conis led the others to a round cottage built from woven cloud bark. Inside she laid out coconut pies and glasses of sky maple sap. "These shells hold the breath of the wind." She squeezed a tiny exhaust dial and a cool breeze washed the room.

Usopp slapped the table. "Gadget heaven!"

Zoro chewed a pie in silence. Yoruichi perched near the window watching distant thunderheads. 'Something broods out there.'

Mid‑lesson Sanji looked around. "Where's Nami gone?"

Conis blinked. "She rode toward Upper Yard." Her voice dropped. "That ground is forbidden. God Enel and the priests live there."

Luffy's grin stretched. "Forbidden sounds exciting. We'll rescue her!"

Pagaya shuddered. "People vanish in Upper Yard. Please rethink."

Too late. Luffy bolted for the door. Zoro and Usopp followed. Robin gathered her notes. Yoruichi bounded ahead.

OoO

Nami cut a wake through silver clouds. Ahead loomed a jungle rising from a solid patch of green cloud. She parked on a root and crept beneath towering ebony trunks. Lightning flickered between the branches. She spotted three robed figures chasing a ragged treasure hunter.

The man tripped. One priest lifted his hand. A crack of light split the canopy. The hunter vanished. Ash drifted down.

Nami's blood chilled. "That must be Enel's judgement." She spun the Waver and raced back.

OoO

On Angel Island's beach a squad of White Beret police waited. Their leader McKinley read a scroll. "You entered without paying the fee. Tenfold penalty applies. Ten billion Extols each."

Sanji exhaled smoke. "Mate we barely understand your currency."

McKinley tapped his baton. "Ignorance is no defence."

Chopper sneezed. A policeman wrote another line on the charge sheet. McKinley nodded. "Snoring loudly. Additional fine."

Usopp squeaked. "You're joking!"

Nami arrived in a spray of foam. She vaulted off the Waver and shouted. "One billion was already ridiculous. Ten billion each is robbery!" She bashed the Waver into McKinley.

White Berets rushed. Luffy caught two by the collars and flung them into the clouds. Zoro flicked swords but only used the flats. Sanji vaulted and spun‑kicked three helmets away. Within seconds the squad lay scattered like bowling pins.

McKinley wheezed. "Class Two criminals. The priests will pass judgement." He crawled off.

Conis wrung her hands. "You must leave. Punishment will be severe."

Pagaya packed a basket. "Take supplies and flee while you can."

Yoruichi watched the horizon. 'Judgement's coming.'

OoO

The crew fetched water while Conis guided Luffy Usopp and Sanji into Lovely Street. Market stalls offered cotton candy and thunder shrimp. Conis remained oddly tense. Her shoulders shook.

Luffy paused. "Conis what's wrong?"

She burst into tears. "I betrayed you. I summoned the Super Express Shrimp that dragged your ship to Upper Yard!"

Shoppers scattered. Overhead thunder rolled. A lance of blue light stabbed the square. Conis jolted but a shadow dropped. Gan Fall caught her and rolled away as the beam scorched a crater.

Gan Fall thrust Pierre skyward. "Enel's eye cannot see beyond my home. I'll hide these two." He swept Conis and Pagaya onto the saddle.

Luffy grinned up at him. "Thanks again old man. We'll get our crew back."

Gan Fall's eyes held worry. "Beware the priests. Each guards an ordeal."

Pierre flapped. They vanished beyond the rooftops.

Usopp hugged his satchel. "We're still going though right?"

Luffy punched his palm. "Damn right! Upper Yard here we come!"

Sanji tightened his necktie. "I'll cook a sky feast after we rescue them."

Conis sniffled on the retreating bird. "They will fight a god."

Pagaya squeezed her hand. "Yet they smile."

OoO

Meanwhile the Merry slid along a slim river of cloud propelled by a monstrous pink shrimp. Nami Chopper Robin and Zoro clung to the railings as the speed doubled the wind. Yoruichi crouched low feeling the static prick against her fur. 'We're being delivered to the lion's maw.'

The shrimp breached at the base of a colossal root tower. It dumped the ship then dove away. The Merry drifted into a cove ringed by jagged columns. Jungle shadows loomed.

Zoro scanned the canopy. "Looks like we've landed inside Upper Yard whether we liked it or not."

Robin touched a trunk. "This tree grew on Jaya centuries past. See the grain."

Chopper gulped. "So we're stuck until the others find us."

Nami exhaled. "I bet Luffy is already planning something reckless."

Yoruichi sat on the figurehead. Her golden eyes narrowed. 'Let the priests come. I have claws ready and a secret shield if they throw lightning.'

OoO

Lovely Street glittered with shell lanterns. Luffy Sanji and Usopp boarded the Karasumaru. Conis pointed them toward a channel that wound into the heart of Upper Yard then stepped back.

Usopp tilted his head. "You're still trembling Conis."

Luffy gazed at her with easy assurance. "We'll be fine."

Conis whispered. "Thank you. I'm sorry." Tears rolled off her cheeks.

The tiny craft shot from the pier. Pagaya raised a hand in silent farewell. Above them thunder cracked.

Gan Fall's silhouette circled high keeping watch.

OoO

Inside Upper Yard twilight painted the leaves violet. The Merry lay moored at a natural dock. Zoro sharpened Wado while Robin catalogued plants. Nami repaired a torn sail. Chopper brewed tea that smelled of mint cloud pods. Yoruichi paced the rail. 'Still no direct attack. Either they plan something elaborate or they underestimate pirates.'

A distant gong boomed. Four soaring paths of light pierced the canopy. Robin counted. "Each ray might mark a priest's domain. Which one will claim us first?"

Zoro tucked his whetstone away. "Whoever shows up dies."

Nami sighed. "Let's hope Luffy arrives before we have to test that."

Yoruichi sat. Her tail curled neatly over her paws. 'Only the night will bring answers. And maybe storms.' She looked up at the vaulted sky forest and wondered how close the thunder god watched.