ONE PIECE Orange Archipelago

Navel Maneuvers

It was a nice day on the Thousand Sunny, when Ash was busy training his Pokémon, which has gone a lot smoother now that Charizard's listening to him again. Some of the Straw Hats decided to help out on the training as they had nothing else to do, and it helped Ash learned more about their skills. Like Brook can use music to hypnotize his opponents to either fall asleep or see illusions, and has a sword hidden in his cane that can make cuts so cold that ice is made. Nami has a staff called the Clima-tact, which allows her to make weather bubbles that can create heat, water or lightning, and it's also alive thanks to the soul of a former living cloud named Zeus, which once belonged to a pirate named Big Mom. Ash: "Man... sounds like you guys had a lot of crazy adventures before I met you..." Nami: "You don't know the half of it." Luffy: "Yeah, being a pirate is the coolest thing ever, you can sail the seas and have awesome fights." Robin: "But it can be dangerous too, like being hunted down by the Navy for example." Ash: "The navy?... oh yeah, I guess that makes sense, due to pirates being the bad guys and all." Chopper: "But we're not bad pirates, otherwise we wouldn't be helping you get these gym badges and all that." Usopp: "Speaking of gym badges, what's the next island that has one of them?" asked Usopp, who was watering some plants with the help of Bulbasaur. Nami: "According to the map, the next island with the next member of the Orange crew closest to us right now is Navel island." Luffy: "Navel?, is it part of the Navy?" Nami: "Doubt it, as we must not forget that we're in a different world now, so the chance of running into the navy of our world here is small." Robin: "Still, it's best that we keep a low profile, for we don't want people to think Ash is a pirate too due to him currently sailing with us, and have him arrested and get executed." this made Ash gulped in fear while his face turned white by the thought on what Robin just said. Usopp: "Don't say stuff like that in front of Ash!, he's got enough to worry about already with his next gym challenge!" Luffy: "Don't worry Usopp, I'm sure Ash will win this one no problem." Usopp: "That's not the point!, I'm trying to say that we shouldn't let people believe he's a criminal like us!, or else he'll end up like Ace!" shouted Usopp, before covering his mouth, realizing what he just said as Luffy lowered his head down, which confused the trainer and his Pokémon. Ash: "Ace?, who's that?" Nami: "Luffy's late older brother, he too was a pirate before... well..." Ash: "Late... you mean... oh Luffy... I'm so sorry..." Luffy: "It's okay... I'm over it now..." Usopp: "Gee Luffy... I didn't mean to..." Luffy: "Don't worry Usopp... I put it behind me, let's just focus on getting to Ash to his next gym island challenge." Carrot: "Which isn't long now, as we're here!, look!" said Carrot, looking at an island that was close to the ship. Sanji: "So that's Navel island, huh?" Zoro: "Well it has a sign that says it." said Zoro, seeing a large sign that said 'Welcome to Navel island' at the port. Once the ship got close to shore, the Straw Hats and Ash made it to the beach and found what looked like a quiet little village, but the gym itself was nowhere to be found. Luffy: "Hmm... I don't see any gym buildings, do you?" Carrot: "Nope, not one that comes close to looking like one." Usopp: "Hey look, there's someone coming." said Usopp, making everyone to turn around and see that a man, riding on a sailboat, arriving to the beach and walked up towards them. His name was Danny (voiced by Jim Malone), and he was secretly the Navel island gym leader, but the Straw Hats and Ash were not aware of it yet. Danny: "Greetings everyone, are you here for the Navel island gym leader?" Ash: "Well I am, the others are just here to watch." Danny: "Really?... well I must say that I've never seen such lovely ladies as these three before." Robin: "Well you seemed to be a charmer." this of course made Sanji jealous and have his whole body in flames, literally. Sanji: "Watch it buster!, nobody flirts with these ladies but me!" Usopp: "Calm down Sanji!" Nami: "Sorry about Sanji, he tends to tick off when someone other than him tries to flirt with a lady in front of him." Danny: "No worries, not the first time this happened." Robin: "I'll bet." Ash: "So are you here for the gym leader too?" Danny: "You could say that, name's Danny by the way, and I can take you where the gym is." Brook: "How very kind of you." Danny: "No problem... by the way, nice skeleton mask." Luffy: "Actually, Brook's a real..." Nami: "Not a word Luffy!" said Nami, covering her idiot captain's mouth with her hand. Soon they reached the Navel gym gate, and Ash opens it, and see that inside was a cable car and a trail leading up the island's mountain. Pikachu: "Pika, Pika." said Pikachu, who calls out to his trainer to know about a sign he was pointing. Ash: "What's this sign?" Danny: "That is the sign that tells the challengers of the rules of the gym." said Danny, before Ash went to take a look at it. Chopper: "So do the rules say?" Ash: "It says that I have to climb up the mountain without the aid of my Pokémon, otherwise I'll be disqualified." Carrot: "What?!, but isn't that dangerous?" Usopp: "And impossible?" Luffy: "Nah, I've climbed up a tall mountain before and I had to carry both Sanji and Nami at the same time." Chopper: "But you were close to being froze to death!, and Ash does not have the same endurance as you do!" Danny: "I can assure you that it's possible, and it's a good way to help a trainer learn that there are times that they had to use survival skills without the aid of Pokémon." Franky: "Hang on... what about the rest of us?" Danny: "Don't worry, the rest of you can use the cable car." Luffy: "They can... but I want to climb the mountain too." Ash: "Huh?, but you're not a trainer." Luffy: "Maybe, but I don't want to take the boring way up the mountain." Sanji: "Should have figured he would want that." Zoro: "Well this is Luffy, not taking the lame way like you." Sanji: "What was that?!, you think I'm not man enough to climb up that mountain?!" Zoro: "And what if I am?" Sanji: "Well at least I wouldn't be using the cable car to take a nap like you will!" Zoro: "Oh yeah?!, well I can beat you to the top before you know it!" Sanji: "Not if I can beat you there first, Moss head!" so with that, Zoro and Sanji ran off to the trail and begin climbing up the mountain, leaving both Danny and Ash have sweat drops on the sides of their heads. Danny: "Do they always compete one another like that?" Ash: "As far as I know... yes..." and so with that, the first challenge has begun, with Danny climbing up with ease, while Ash was struggling a bit with both the exertion and a slight fear of heights. Luffy, Zoro and Sanji were climbing up the mountain as well, and they were doing close to being good as Danny. Luffy: "Come on Ash, this is easy." Ash: "Maybe for you, but I don't have the same climbing skills as a Mankey!" Danny: "Don't give up yet, Ash, just keep climbing." while Danny, Ash, and three of the strongest Straw Hats were climbing up the mountain, the rest of the crew were in the cable car, watching their friends climbing up to the top. Chopper: "I really hope Ash makes it..." Carrot: "Me too..." Jimbei: "We'll just have to hope for the best..." that was when Brook noticed something coming towards the mountain, which looked like a certain hot air balloon. Brook: "Hey guys... isn't that the Team Rocket balloon?" asked Brook, alerting the rest of the crew to see where Brook was looking at. Franky: "It is their balloon!, what are they doing here?!" Robin: "They must be here for Ash's Pikachu again." and she was right, as the Team Rocket trio fired a robotic arm with a red rubber glove from their balloon to grab Pikachu, who was in the cable car with the rest of the crew, who gasped in shocked as Pikachu was being pulled away. Pikachu: "Pika, Pi!" cried Pikachu, alerting Ash that his starter was in trouble. Ash: "Pikachu!, hold on, Bulbasaur..." Danny: "Wait Ash!, you must remember that you can't use your Pokémon while climbing up the mountain... besides, it looks like one of your friends is taken care of those guys." Ash: "Huh?, what do you mean?" Danny: "Look." said Danny, as it turns out he was right, for Usopp was already aiming his slingshot at the Team Rocket balloon, and fired what looked like a red seed that had a large green plant wolf growing out, with the red seed on the nose. Meowth: "What the heck is that?!" James: "A Pokémon?" Jessie: "Whatever it is, it's heading right for us." Usopp: "Special attack green star... impact wolf!" shouted Usopp, before the plant wolf hits the balloon, and the red ball seed let out a powerful shock wave that made the balloon to pop, causing the trio to fly away. Team Rocket trio: "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" shouted the trio as they were flying away from the scene. As for Pikachu, he was free, but now he was falling, but Luffy was able to use his rubber powers to stretch his arm out and grabbed the electric mouse just in time and pulled him right to Ash's arms. Ash: "Thanks Luffy!, you saved Pikachu." Luffy: "No sweat, but Usopp's the one you should be thanking." Ash: "I'll tell him when we get to the top." Pikachu: "Pika, Pika!" Danny: "... Did his arm just..." Ash: "Oh yeah... it's a long story..." after that, Ash and Danny continue hiking up, along with Luffy, Zoro and Sanji, as the weather turns to snow. Pikachu collapses from the cold and Ash runs to him, taking off his vest and using it to warm Pikachu. Danny: "Hey Luffy... aren't you a little cold while wearing your shirt opened?" asked Danny, who sees that Luffy was just standing for a moment, with a confused look at first, before he wrapped his arm and shaking a little. Luffy: "Cold!" Sanji: "Leave it to Luffy to not notice how cold it is until someone tells him." At the summit, the rest of the Straw Hats were waiting, wrapped in blankets. Ash: "Hey... where's the gym leader?" Robin: "I believe Danny here is the gym leader." Luffy: "Huh?, but I thought he was also a challenger." Danny: "Well I normally keep my role quiet so can observe my challengers first, but how were you able to figure it out?" Robin: "I did a little research on some the members of the Orange crew, and apparently, Danny was the name of the gym leader here, so when I heard your name, I had a feeling you were him, especially since there was no one else when we arrived up here." Danny: "Such a sharp mind I see." Ash: "So... does this mean I'm qualified for the challenge?" Danny: "I believe so, you climbed up the mountain without your Pokémon, and you proved that you care a lot of their well being when you gave your vest to Pikachu to keep him warm." Robin: "And he looks so cute in it too." said Robin, before she went to pet the electric mouse on the head, which Pikachu seemed to enjoy a lot. Danny: "Now then, here's what you must do to earn my badge, the match is composed of three rounds, and wining two out of the three wins." Ash: "Okay, got it." Danny: "Right, now the first round is to freeze a hot water geyser with one of your Pokémon that knows ice beam." Ash: "Alright then, Lapras, I choose you!" called out Ash, before he lets out his Lapras, while Danny lets out a Nidoqueen. Both Pokémon fired an ice beam at the geysers, and while Lapras makes steady progress, Nidoqueen is much faster and freezes the geyser first, winning the round. Lapras manages to complete the task but winds up being exhausted. The second round is to carve the ice into a sled with three Pokémon. Ash sends out Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Charizard, while Danny uses Nidoqueen, a Machoke, and Scyther. Danny's team uses brute force to make adequate progress while Charizard uses flamethrower, Bulbasaur uses Vine Whip, and Pikachu uses Thunderbolt to carve the ice sled just before Danny could finish, allowing the young trainer to win the second round. The final round is to race down the mountain to the beach. Danny puts a rock with arms called Geodude, a large Pokéball like Pokémon called Electrode, and Scyther into his sled while Ash rides down with Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Mew. When the light turns green, both teams race down as fast as possible while Luffy, Zoro an Sanji were using their own ice sled, which they made with either their swords or hot kicks, to go down the mountain as the rest of the Straw Hats used the cable car again. Scyther steers Danny's sled while Ash uses Bulbasaur's vines to steer, although Ash spins out of control, but thanks to Mew's psychic, the sled was back on track. When the terrain changes from snow to rock, Ash's sled picks up too much speed and barely misses a large rock, causing it to cut through trees. Danny closes in on the finish line, but Ash soars through the sky and catches up with Danny. The landing causes Ash's sled to shrink in size, and the lighter sled allows Ash to pull forward and win the race. It wasn't long before the sled that Luffy, Zoro and Sanji were in came to the scene and crashed right into a rock. Ash: "Are you guys okay?!" Sanji: "We've been through worse..." Zoro: "For once I agree with ya..." Luffy: "Awesome!, let's do it again!" said Luffy, who really enjoyed the ride down the mountain. Danny: "Well done Ash, you managed to win the race, because of that, you have earned yourself the Sea Ruby badge." said Danny, before handing Ash the badge. Ash: "Thanks Danny... alright!, I got the Sea Ruby badge!" Pikachu: "Pi, Pikachu!" and so Ash has earned his second Orange league badge, which means only two more before the battle with the Orange league champion, and who knows what else is in store for the young trainer and the Straw Hats as the journey continues.