Looking for balance

15. 100% thrill guarantee

Thanks to KumaZura for proofreading this chapter.

***

"Island in sight!" Brook exclaimed with delight two days later.

Immediately, the crew gathered on the deck, Luffy bursting with impatience at the front.

"It's a tourist island known for hiking on ancient volcanoes," Robin explained.

"Volcanoes?" Ussop worried. "These things are dangerous..."

"They are mostly all asleep for thousands of years but it is true that an eruption is generally unforeseeable," The archaeologist agreed.

The sniper turned pale and put a hand to his stomach, wincing. "Here I go again... A fit of "don't go on this island full of deadly volcanoes!""

"You can stay watching over the Sunny if you prefer," Nami suggested, indifferent.

The gunner thought about it for a second before straightening his head, determined. "I am the Great Captain Usopp; despite diseases and danger, it is my duty to stay with my crew and-"

"Look at this mountain!" Chopper cut him short. "It's strange!"

They all followed the direction shown by the little reindeer and could indeed see a hill in the shape of a huge monster struggling against an invisible enemy.

"It's so cool!" Luffy said, getting enthusiastic.

"How did they manage to make a sculpture of this size?" The cook wondered.

"It's not a sculpture," Nami disabused him.

"What is it then?" Franky asked. "Yet it looks super similar!"

"Probably a real monster buried under the earth," She replied, shrugging.

"H-How?" Brook stammered.

"The second phase of an eruption is the most destructive," Robin confirmed, "It gives rise to more or less dense flows of incandescent materials and gas along the sides of the volcano called glowing clouds or pyroclastic surge. It burns everything in its path. Living beings trying to flee are then found under a layer of ash mixed with gas that has entered the lungs and caused asphyxiation of the victim. Over time, the rock dust solidifies and they become like stone."

"So this monster was killed in the last eruption," Zoro concluded.

"Most certainly," The archaeologist agreed, "He is frozen for eternity."

Usopp could no longer stop his legs from shaking and he hid behind the swordsman who just remained stoic. "Maybe I'll stay on the ship after all..."

"Luffy, before you jump overboard, I'd like to talk to you," The navigator stopped him when she noticed their captain was already stretching his elastic arms on the rail. "In the meantime, get ready to disembark," She told the others, "Sanji-kun, I let you be in charge of the helm. Try to find us a quiet spot."

"You can count on me, Nami-san!"

***

Nami dragged the straw hat boy into her cabin. After he closed the door behind him, she grabbed her compass without thinking on her desk to keep her hands busy and glanced at the captain who was waiting for her explanations.

The navigator grimaced and decided to sit on her bed. It was rather rare that she ran out of words and she was usually never embarrassed to tackle any subject but right now, she had to admit she didn't know how to do it.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," She spoke again, "Something important."

"Sure. What is it?" Luffy stepped forward and sat down on Robin's bed, facing her. Nami sighed in front of his curious look. Of course, he had no idea what she wanted to say to him.