A Siren's Journey (One Piece! Various X Reader)

[70] - Drum Island Arc ~ 1

Surprisingly, the desire of visiting the home island of the giants overpowers the bruising experience of a certain sniper.

"Guys, listen up. I will go to Elbaf someday! To the village of warriors!"

"Yeah! Great!" Luffy cheers.

The two then join together in song and a kick line atop the bulwark. "Gi-gi-giants! Gi-gi-giants! El...baf! El...baf! Everyone is huge! They're so huge...because they're giants...Gi-gi-giants! Everybody's huge! Yeah!"

Carue runs around, ecstatic to be off the island and away from the Baroque Works' number agents left behind. He is still cautious around Marianne, but isn't outright scared of her anymore.

Speaking of the crew's newest members, Marianne was designated as the Straw Hat's Artist and Tideus takes up position as another Scout, alongside Ahio.

The former Baroque Works agent and Quetzalcoatlus were more than happy with their new places amongst the Straw Hats.

"Careful not to fall overboard, you two." (First Name) warns as she finishes assisting Carmela in planting more of her garden with the special volcanic soil. Wiping her hands of the fertile dirt on her gardening apron, she leaves to check on how their newest crewmates are doing.

"Where do they get so much energy?" Nami huffs, sitting on the floor, back against the main mast.

Just as (First Name) had warned them not to, the Straw Hat captain and sniper slip off the bulwark. And they would have fallen into the sea below had a certain flying reptile not dove in after them, sweeping them back up before they could even touch the water and dropping them off safely onto the deck.

Carue stops his running to check on the captain and sniper, quacking with worry.

"Wow...After everything that's happened here, I'm exhausted..." Nami lifts a hand to her aching head as leans against the mast with obvious exhaustion. "Um...Vivi, could you watch this for me?"

The orangette navigator holds out the Eternal Pose to Alabasta to Vivi.

The desert kingdom princess takes the tool without argument. "Sure."

Carue soon leaves behind Luffy and Usopp to join his princess' side in curiosity.

Vivi looks at the Eternal Pose with a forlorn expression.

Nami sees this and offers a comforting smile. "You're on your way...Soon you'll return to Alabasta. Well, my rosy outlook is assuming we can make it there safely and without any more surprises."

The navigator's words seem to be just what the princess needed in order to perk up. "Yes. I must return! It's my obligation. I am the person everyone in the kingdom is counting on."

She's come too far to give up now. 

"Believe me when I say it is the only way to save the kingdom! It is true that your father no longer has sway with the people. Our only hope of stopping this uprising is for you to tell them the truth! This is the only action that can save us. You have to understand that your survival is paramount. You must live, even if it means sacrificing others. Whether by grace or betrayal, live on...No matter what! Sometimes...it's harder to live...than to die..."

Her fingers tighten around the Eternal Pose as she recalls that conversation with Iggaram.

"I will return home...alive."

Luffy and Usopp now share in the seriousness of the conversation, though choosing to remain silent.

"You'll get home, but there's no need to push yourself so hard."