MINI STRAW HAT ADVENTURES
Alabasta Saga - Post-Alabasta Arc (Mentions of Goat Island Arc & Ruluka Island Arc) - Episode 131 - 143 (End of Saga)
DAKOTA'S POV:
It's been a day since I told everyone about Zoro and me, I sit on the deck with my painting supplies as I begin painting, feeling the memory and losing myself as I paint and the others all move around me. It's nice and peaceful. "Hello, beautiful." Zoro greets me as he sits behind me, and I look over my shoulder as he moves, so I sit between his legs and lean back.
"Hey, handsome." I greet him back as I lean into his chest. "What do you think?"
"I like it." He replies as he looks at my painting of us and Vivi and Karoo.
"Hey! Cool!" Usopp exclaims as he comes over.
"Yeah, it's really cool!" Luffy exclaims in awe.
"It's me!" Chopper cheers as he carefully points at himself in the painting.
"We're all there." I laugh, enjoying this moment, and even Nico Robin comes over, admiring the painting.
"It's very well detailed." She comments as she looks at the painting.
"Thank you." I smile at her.
"You really captured the moment." Nami compliments me.
"Thanks, you guys, so where to next?" I ask them with a grin.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
FIRST ADVENTURE
"Everyone! Wake up! Wake up!" I hear Nami shouting from outside; I blink awake to see my head leaning on Zoro's chest as he yawns, waking up; I smirk as I lean down, kissing him on the lips; he kisses me back when Nami shouts again. "It's an island! We can see an island!" I hear a ruckus next door in the men's quarters.
"Looks like we have to get up." I groan as I roll off of Zoro, who complains too, and I get up from my bed that he spent the night in and walk out of the room with Zoro following, leaving Robin alone; it's been a couple of days since she joined, but I still find it strange to see her around the ship instead of Vivi.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
I walk up to the ship's bow with everyone as we stare at the new island ahead. "You woke us up for this?" Zoro grumbles as he stands behind me, his arms around my waist.
"Get your filthy hands off Dakota!" Sanji growls at the Swordsman; I sigh as they start fighting so early in the morning.
"Shut up you stupid Cook!" He snaps, and I push them both apart.
"Both of you shut up!" I growl at them.
"Okay, everyone, get ready. We'll arrive soon," Nami informs us as she walks towards our room.
"What?" I ask, seeing the look Zoro's throwing at me, and he points to his clothes. I look down to see I'm still in my pyjamas from last night, a crop top and shorts. "They've seen me naked." I point out, pointing to the others, and he frowns.
"When was this?" He asks.
"At the baths back in Alabasta," I answer him.
"I thought that was Nami!" He snaps, and I shrug as I walk away to my room.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
We finally dock near the island and walk onto the island's clean beach; now dressed in jeans, boots, and a long sleeve shirt, I pull my sunglasses away to observe the jungle-like island. "Doesn't this island have monsters? I prefer big and strong ones." Luffy beams as he looks around, trying to start trouble again.
"There doesn't seem to be anything suspicious, and it looks like this is a small island, too..." Nami says as she looks over the island.
"She's jinxed us now," I grumble under my breath.
"Look, Nami!" Sanji calls out to her as he holds onto the top of one of the palm trees with a strange fruit in hand. "This is perfect for making nonperishable food! It looks like this island has tons of these!" He throws it down to her gently so she can catch it, and she looks at the strange fruit with awe.
"I see... seems like it'd be a good idea to collect them and load them on the ship," Nami orders us, and Sanji slides down the tree.
"Looks like there're other plants that can be used for food. This island seems quite enjoyable for a cook." He comments as he walks back over to us.
"Okay. then please go look for things that can be used for good, Sanji." She requests the Love Cook. "The remaining five of you will do this." She holds out five sticks in her hand towards us.
"Huh?" Luffy questions as he tilts his head to the side.
"What is it?" Choppers ask the navigator.
"Drawing lots?" Usopp questions as he looks at the five sticks in her hand.
"The four who draw the shortest lots will spend all day collecting these. The one who draws the longest one will stay here and watch the ship." She explains the plan.
"Why are you the one giving us orders?" Zoro asks her, growing frustrated as he leans close to her face, and I pull him back.
"Right. Normally the Captain would give orders, but..." Nami pointedly looks over at Luffy as he holds four of the sticks.
"Oh hey... they're all short," Luffy comments as he looks down at the sticks in glee.
"Hey, why'd you draw four of them?" Usopp asks him in shock.
"Isn't the one who grabs the most the winner?" Luffy replies.
"Wrong game Luf," I mutter, shaking my head.
"Do you think this ship has a Captain who can give orders?" Nami asks us.
"No, it doesn't." We all agree as the idiot laughs.
"Am I that great?" Luffy chuckles, and the boys all punch him.
"Obviously not!" They snap as he falls into the shallow part of the water; Zoro picks up, dragging him back as he groans, spitting up water.
"Let's try again." Nami groans as she picks up the sticks and puts them into her fist, holding them out for all of us to pick; I pick one of the shorter ones along with Zoro, Usopp and Luffy, leaving Chopper to look after the ship.
"I drew the longest one. So I'll be watching the ship?" He asks as he stares at the stick.
"Yes. Please look after the ship, Chopper." Nami tells him as Sanji returns with four baskets for us to collect the fruit.
"Hurry up! Hurry up! Let's go already! Let's go get fruits already!" Luffy grows excited as we all put the baskets on our backs. "You're coming too, right, Nami?"
"No, I'll spend all day today measuring this island. I'd like to put it on the sea chart. I can't wait to put my skills in practice!" She beams, pumping her fist in the air, seeming overly happy; I pick Chopper up before placing him back on the Going Merry and walk over to the group.
"See you later! Be careful! Have fun!" Chopper waves us off from the bow of the ship.
"Look after the ship, okay?!" Nami tells him.
"Call if you need anything!" I tell him, and we head off into the jungle.
"The one who collects the most will win!" Luffy cheers as he starts running off.
"Hmm... what a pain...!" Usopp groans as we walk off behind the energetic Captain.
"Why do we have to take orders from that woman?" Zoro grumbles; I knock into his side with a grin.
"Cheer up, we can take a break at some point." I hint, making the tough Swordsman blush a little as I giggle, and we split off, going our separate ways to find food.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
I kick one of the trees, shaking the fruit free; I turn my back, allowing the fruits to fall into the basket on my back; I look around and hear a yell coming from nearby; I walk over to see a mountain of fruit and out pops my boyfriend. I can't help the laugh that escapes my lips as I look at him with a deep frown on his face; he looks over at me as I laugh. "Doing okay there, Zoro?" I ask him through my laugh.
"Think that's funny, do ya?" He asks and throws a fruit towards me, but I move out of the way in time.
"I do, actually." I agree with him and pick up one of the fruits littering the ground around him and throw it towards him, hitting him on the top of his head.
"Oi!" He snaps, picking up a fruit and throwing it towards me, it hits me in the arm breaking it into pieces, covering my sleeve with the juice and parts of the fruit, and Zoro starts laughing.
"Oh, you've started it now!" I pick up a piece of fruit as he does, and we start throwing the fruits at each other, enjoying ourselves.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
The sunsets finally, and we all make it back to the beach where we docked the Going Merry, Zoro and I are the only ones who managed to pick any fruit, but it's more than enough for now. I start making the fire as Zoro cuts down four trees, making seats for us around the fire. Sanji starts making the food, and soon it turns to dusk as we all sit around the fire, eating. "So... why weren't you able to get even a single fruit?!" Nami demands an answer from Usopp and Luffy.
"That's a good question, what's your answer?" Luffy asks her as he eats a piece of meat and one of the fruits.
"That time, I thought... a huge king condor attacked me...!" Usopp exclaims, making up a ridiculous lie as he falls off the log onto his back. "Sorry, everyone... I tried risking my life to get fruits... but I couldn't... I'm dead." He pops one of his pellets, and the red liquid falls over his chest.
"On the contrary, Zoro and Dakota did a great job!" She compliments us as she stares at the two full baskets. "Keep up that momentum and stay up all night tonight to get more!"
"Yeah, right!" I snap as Zoro chokes on his food; I slam my hand onto his back, helping him.
"Oh... how lovely Nami is, even when she efficiently gives orders...!" Sanji coos as he looks at our navigator.
"Shut up! You lecher Cook!" Zoro snaps at the Cook, glaring at him.
"Wanna fight?! Moss head!" Sanji snaps back at the Swordsman.
"I was just kidding," Nami tells him, pulling them apart; I wrap my arms around Zoro's neck as we all laugh at the two men.
"But hey, today was the first peaceful day in a while!" I comment as I kiss the greenette on the cheek, but he moves, catching my lips.
"What about you? What did you do all day, today on the ship?" Luffy asks Chopper while his mouth is full.
"Me? Nothing special..." Chopper replies, and I see him look over to Robin as she sits on the lawn chair with the table, reading a book with a candle for light. "But it was a pretty good day."
"That's good." I smile back and yawn a little.
"Come on," Zoro picks me up in his arms, and we head back for the ship to shower and change, thanks to the fruit juices and pieces all over our clothes.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
SECOND ADVENTURE
A few days later, we head back out as the Log Pose sets quickly, and Luffy, Chopper and Usopp are fishing. While Zoro is on the lookout, Robin is reading again, Nami is standing outside navigating, and Sanji is in the kitchen. Me? I'm in my room trying to find my book of names that I can't find anywhere. I take off my orange cardigan showing my striped shirt, red bikini top, and jeans. "Ah! Where is it?!" I snap as I look under my bed, but all I see are my shoes and bags; I look under Nami's but still nothing. I look at the bookcase, but I see all the new books Nami and Robin have added, but still no book; I run to the door, slamming it open.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
I slam the door open when Luffy pulls on the fishing rod. "Something's taken the bait!" Luffy exclaims and falls back onto the deck with a giant sea snail in the middle. "What the heck is this?"
"It's huge!" Chopper gasps.
"Hey, Luffy! What'd you catch!" Sanji asks from above, and we approach the sea snail that doesn't look too good.
"What a huge shell!" Luffy beams as we all look at the sea snail.
"What're we gonna do with it?!" Nami questions
"I wonder if it's edible?" Luffy drools a little, thinking about his stomach.
"Always thinking of your stomach." I scoff at the rubber boy.
"You wanna eat it?" Usopp asks him.
"Maybe cook it in its shell?" Sanji ponders, thinking of recipes.
"Hey, you too!" Usopp snaps at the Cook when the hatch in the middle of the shell pops open, and an arm climbs out; we all wait as a man in a faded orange Sales suit with a sash says, 'GEKIYASU!' comes out.
"Ahh... boy, I thought I'd die! Hi, everyone." He greets us, and I look at the yellow tie over the blue shirt with purple polka dots with a raised eyebrow.
"Who... are you...?" Luffy asks him as we all get a look at him.
"Oh... pardon me for not introducing myself sooner. With a single call, I'll cordially deliver products to your town. I'm Rice Rice from Transponder Snail Mail-Order. Very nice to meet you." He introduces himself with a sparkling Salesman smile.
"Transponder Snail Mail-Order? What's that?" Zoro asks the man, growing suspicious.
"Well, I was in the process of making a delivery with the Escar, but I got caught in a heavy storm and got shipwrecked with the waves throwing me to and fro." He explains and sways his arms over his head, and we find ourselves tilting our heads with him.
"I see..." I mutter, still not sure of him myself.
"You must've been shaken up." Nami comments, and he leans in.
"Shaken and stirred." He chuckles at the line. "Just kidding! You're quite a clever, Miss!" I look over to see Chopper tending to the sea snail, giving it some water.
"Thank you for saving me." He says and pulls out a stack of catalogues. "This isn't much, but as a token of my gratitude, I'll give you these catalogues... with a single call, I'll deliver the products to you."
"Oh, that's convenient. So you'll deliver even when we're on the sea?" Zoro asks him.
"That, I can't." He answers.
"That's... really..." Zoro grumbles, and I pat him on the back for comfort.
"Yes... our motto is safe, reliable and cheap. And our mission is... our company is, believe it or not..." He goes on when Luffy and Usopp look into the sea snail and pull something out; I point over to them, alerting him. "Ahh! What're you guys doing?!"
"Wh-what's this?!" Luffy exclaims as he pulls out what looks like weights, but they're wobbling; Rice Rice snatches it out of his hand.
"Okay! This is what I'm going to introduce to you today—the Buru Buru Blade, which is familiar to people by now. The Buru Buru Blade is our company's top product. And today, I'll introduce you to this new model! I'm sure that many of you are already using the old Buru Buru Blade. But the old model didn't, well, let you change the weight load, which was bad! It was fine for fathers, but many wanted small children to be able to use it." He starts trying to sell it, and Luffy buys right into it.
"I don't know what it is, but it looks fun!" Luffy beams as he looks at the toy.
"So, this new model lets you keep a certain rhythm and..." He drones on, and I look as Chopper pushes a pink rabbit toy across the deck.
"This is fun!" He smiles as he moves back and forth, and Rice Rice picks it up, showing the rest of us.
"You know all about his one, right? This is the Abu Abu Tider. Our company's No. 1 product! A new model has been released! Give this a try!" Rice Rice tries selling.
"How is 'top' different from 'No. 1'" Sanji asks.
"Who knows?" Zoro and I mutter as we watch Usopp on another contraption with him, lying on a bench with two balls on rubber bands, hitting into his side, swaying him back and forth as he holds onto some handles and his feet are locked in.
"And this is our best-selling product! The 'Golden Fish'! This is recommended for people who don't exercise much these days. I'll offer these great weight loss products together as a set! And, today only, I'll also add 20 bottles of plenty sweet Mero Mero Juice made in the West Blue," He offers, holding up the box, and I lick my lips, remembering them as a child. "A 26-volume encyclopedia set that will definitely be useful, and a pair of binoculars that are convenient for various things! How much do you think all this would cost?! A pretty penny, to be sure! Just leave it to me! Today only, I present this as a token for my gratitude for saving my life!"
"Are you gonna give them to us?!" Luffy asks Rice Rice.
"How about 23,800 Berries?! Just take them, you thieves!" He grins.
"So you're selling them...!" Zoro scoffs at the salesman.
"I want them?!" Chopper, Luffy and Usopp all exclaim, even though we don't need any of them, but I do kinda want the Mero Mero Juices.
"You wanna buy them?" Sanji mutters at the three naive idiots, and they all look in the catalogues. "Oh! You carry kitchen knives, too?!"
"Yes! You're talking about this, right?" Rice asks him as he holds a kitchen knife and bends the blade. "This is one of the high-quality items produced individually and carefully by a craftsman in High Mountain. Look at this elasticity. And its excellent sharpness will last forever." He suddenly removes a small table, placing a box of knives on it, trying to entice the Cook. "A dozen table knives, a pair of all-purpose kitchen scissors that can cut anything, a paring knife, and an electric whetstone! I'll add all these!" He places the items all down on the table. "If you act now, it's 2,960 Berries!" He looks over at Robin, who hasn't lifted her eyes from her book and walks around with a soap bar. "For you, Miss, here is a Smooth Skin Soap! It can make your skin as smooth as an egg!" He holds it up, and she looks at the soap bar from her book.
"I see... you do have everything." Robin comments.
"Yes. From mineral water to cannonballs, there's nothing we don't carry." He boasts.
"You have living things, too?" Luffy asks him.
"Well, we don't." Rice answers, which disappoints him.
"What? You don't?" Luffy sighs.
"We don't have what we don't carry, so..." He chuckles.
"Say, do you have paper?" Nami inquires.
"Huh? Paper?" He questions.
"That's right. Strong paper that's big and hard to tear, so that it'll take more than a small sea breeze to get damaged." She explains, and he seems to lighten up at the request.
"Then, please leave it to me." He exclaims and runs to his Escar, taking out a paper stake. "Transponder Snail Mail-Order presents with confidence the best paper, A-Thousand-Year Paper", He introduces as he holds the paper up towards the navigator.
"A-Thousand-Year Paper?" Luffy asks him as he looks at the paper.
"A-Thousand-Year Paper is manufactured by using the A-Thousand-Year Tree that naturally grows on Eight-Nine Island. This paper keeps away bugs, and it's said that it won't fade for at least a thousand years, even if it's kept exposed to the sun. it's the best for writing family trees or drawing treasure maps." He explains as he holds them up to the sun.
"Paper aeroplanes, too?" Luffy asks him, and Rice Rice looks at the rubber pirate.
"Huh...? That would be a waste..." He mutters as he looks at the dummy.
"So how much is it?" Nami asks, to all our surprise.
"You're gonna buy it?!" Luffy gasps.
"Of course!" She replies.
"Even if you're interested... it's a valuable item in short supply... even if you order now, I don't know if it'd be available in five years,, or ten..." He tries playing her.
"But isn't there some way you could sell it to me? I'll pay any price." She tells him, and we all look at her in shock.
"What?!" Luffy gasps.
"The Nami who would rather count money than eat her meals..." Usopp exclaims.
"The Nami who is a money monger..." Zoro sputters in surprise.
"... will pay any price?!" They all exclaim.
"You guys are overreacting." Sanji jumps to her defence.
"Okay, then... if you insist that much..." He gets out a large stack of paper from the Escar. "A ream of 1000 A-Thousand-Year Papers normally cost 60 million Berries, but how about a special price of 48 million?"
"48 Million Berries...!" Chopper exclaims at the price.
"Does that mean that it costs 48,000 Berries a sheet?!" Usopp exclaims.
"Can't you drop the price a little more?" Nami bargains, coming across as begging.
"Well then, I'll make it a lot cheaper... how about 47.5 million Berries?" Rice Rice tells her.
"2 million Berries!" Nami yells, holding up two fingers in his face.
"4.8 million Berries!" He negotiates with the queen of bargaining.
"Can't you go cheaper?" She asks him, holding his hand and trying to sway him.
"We'll buy it!" Sanji buts in.
"You have the money?" I ask him.
"Nope!" He answers, and we all fall over at his answer, and he grabs some rope, tying it around Luffy. "But if we have him over to the Marines, we'll have that and change."
"What?! No!" Luffy shouts at the Cook.
"Sorry, Luffy. This is for Nami." He replies.
"Wait a sec!" I snap.
"Help me, Dakota!" Luffy cries out.
"Luffy...? Dakota...? Ahh! Luffy... Dakota... you mean... that Monkey D. Luffy and Dakota Le Roux?" Rice asks us in fright.
"Yeah, that's us. Sanji! Whatever just untie me." Luffy orders the Cook.
"No, I can't." Sanji replies, and Rice Rice seems in shock and looks up at our pirate flag at our mast's top.
"Come to think of it... that's a pirate flag!" He cries out and crouches on the deck in fear. "I can't believe I missed such important details!"
"Sanji! Untie me!" Luffy demands.
"No!" Sanji answers, and Rice Rice suddenly gets to his feet in fear, sweating bullets.
"I just remembered that I have an important-!" He yells as he runs to the sea snail and climbs in, jumping overboard without collecting any of his products. "Thanks for everything!"
"Hey, you forgot something...!" Zoro shouts after him as we lean over the side, watching him disappear into the water.
"What's with him?" Luffy asks, not getting it.
"Maybe he was scared of you two... wanted, Monkey D. Luffy, Dakota Le Roux." Robin points out, and Nami cheers as she holds the paper.
"Well, that all worked out," I comment as I look through the things he left behind as Nami walks to the storage room.
"Listen, I'm going to work now, so don't interrupt me, okay?" Nami orders us.
"What do you mean 'work'?" Usopp asks her.
"It's a secret." She replies with a wink directed at him.
"That's not cute, you know..." He groans in disgust.
"Leave it to me! I won't let anyone near you until you're done with your work." Sanji vows like the usual sucker he is.
"But... what if the wind direction suddenly changes or something?" Chopper asks her.
"Don't worry. Those clouds..." She tells us and points up to the sky full of different sizes and shapes of clouds. "If they don't move, we'll have a fine day today, and there'll be no problem. Come get me only when something changes with those clouds." She closes the door behind her, leaving us outside, I look over the products again, and something catches my eye.
"Ooh!" I exclaim, gaining the boys' attention as I hold a red leather-bound journal. "I need a new one; I seem to have lost my old one." I huff as I place it in the pocket of my jeans pocket.
"What?! That's bad! That has all the names of everyone you've ever killed!" Usopp exclaims. "What should we do! What if the Marines have it!"
"No idea, but still, I must have left it at the Royal Palace." I shrug it off and head to my room. "I'm gonna start rewriting the names back in." I go inside, leaving the boys and Robin to do whatever.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
I close the door behind me and sit on the couch as I grab a pen and start writing, trying to remember, in order, all of the names since I was 11 years old and since I started as a member of the Golden Campus. I hear banging from outside and head up out, not seeing Nami in the storage room.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
I pop out to see her hitting Sanji and Zoro over the head, knocking them to the floor. "Didn't I tell you to be quiet?!" Nami snaps at them.
"Nami..." Sanji croaks.
"J-just one hit!" Chopper gasps.
"Morons," I mutter and head back to my room.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
I hear more noise again and head up to see what the boys are doing, to see the deck covered in bubbles; I stand in the doorway as I look over the deck. "What's going on? It's noisy." Zoro complains as he walks down the stairs; the boys probably woke him from a nap. He stops at the last step and bends down, picking the soap bar out of the bubbles. "What?! The Smooth Skin Soap?"
"This looks kinda dangerous," I warn them.
"It's okay! No problem!" Usopp laughs as he sits on Chopper's head in his reindeer form, who uses the Abu Abu Slider to move back; he catapults Usopp, who holds onto the broom and collides into Luffy, sending him flying off the front of the ship.
"Luffy!" Chopper calls out.
"That idiot!" Zoro snaps.
"Gum-Gum Bungee Jump!" Luffy cries out as he stretches his arm out, holding onto the Going Merry's figurehead and comes back up but too far as he comes sailing towards us. "Move away!"
"Watch out, Nami!" Sanji dives at Nami as Luffy approaches us; I grab the door handle and slam the door shut; he crashes into the door, falling back onto the deck; I open the door again to see the minor dents. "Are you okay, Nami?" She doesn't answer as she peels his arm off and runs to the door, knocking me away.
"Move!" She snaps as she looks around, checking for damage. "Thank goodness." She holds up a piece of paper, and I see it's a map.
"Oh, you were drawing a map?" Luffy asks her as we all lean in the doorway.
"A map?" Chopper asks, intrigued.
"So that's what your 'work' was..." Usopp realises.
"That's right. It's the only map in the world that recorded our journey after entering the Grand Line... and it almost...!" She grits her teeth. "Leave!"
"But..." Chopper tries to say, but I pull him away.
"Just leave..." She pushes Usopp back out of the storage room.
"Nami. I'm sorry." Luffy apologises, looking deeply sorry.
"If 'sorry' were enough, there'd be no need for the Marines! Now leave already. If you don't, you'll be fined 100,000 Berries!" She snaps and closes the door on us.
"Your welcome for saving your map," I grumble and wrap my arms around Zoro's waist as we walk away.
"It's your fault." Sanji lays the blame on Zoro.
"Why's that?!" Zoro snaps.
"Well, I think so, too." Usopp agrees.
"I think so, too." Chopper agrees with the others, not wanting to be left out.
"What?! You, too?" Zoro snaps.
"Now, Luffy, cheer up," I tell him and unwrap my arms from Zoro's waist and wrap them around Luffy's shoulders, and I pull out my red playing cards; he grins and runs off with Chopper and Usopp to go play. "Don't lose any; they're hard to get!" Zoro heads up the ladder, and I join him; we cuddle though he says it's not manly; I point out that I get certain privileges as his girlfriend. He concedes defeat as he wraps his arms around my waist; as I lean into his chest, I interlock our fingers, and I feel safe and happy at this moment; my eyes begin to grow heavy.
"Hey, you guys! How long are you gonna keep sleeping?!" I hear Nami shout from below and blink awake, yawning a little and see a cyclone of water in front of us.
"Ahh! What the heck is this?!" Luffy yells, and Zoro and I jump down from the Crow's Nest.
"It's a tornado! It's a tornado!" Usopp screams.
"It's obvious!" Zoro snaps at the panicking sniper.
"Luffy! Zoro! Dakota! Fold the sails!" Nami orders.
"Okay!" We shout back and run off.
"Usopp! Chopper! Secure stuff on the deck using ropes!" She orders them.
"Got it!" They shout back and run off.
"Get my playing cards!" I shout at them, seeing them lying on the floor.
"Yeah!" Chopper shouts back.
"Sanji! Turn to starboard!" She orders, and he runs off to the helm; I run across the beam as I pull the ropes to help secure them. "Listen! If my precious map gets washed away by waves or something, you'll all pay... dearly!" She warns us with a mean look on her face.
"She really is scary!" Chopper yelps from below; we keep sailing, avoiding the cyclone of water and the rain into calm water with the sun shining again. "The atmospheric pressure has risen, and the rain has stopped, too. Thanks for your work. You can rest now!" She tells us, and I jump down onto the deck. "Well then, I'll go back to work, so watch the clouds again."
"You're not done yet?" Chopper asks her, confused.
"Of course not! My goal is to draw up the world map. I've just finished the first one. The real work starts from here." She replies with a big grin on her face.
"She's really going at it..." Zoro smirks, and I wrap my arm around his shoulder.
"I like Nami that way, too!" Sanji swoons.
"I wonder if there'll be a 100,000 Berry fine again..." Chopper mutters in worry.
"Probably..." I reply, looking at the greedy woman, and I hear Robin shut her book.
"You've been reading all this time?" Usopp mutters as he looks at the blue-eyed beauty as she looks up at the clear skies.
"Now, unfurl the sails!" Nami orders, and Luffy stretches his arms back up to the sails and begins untying them with Zoro's help.
"Full speed ahead!" Luffy shouts as he sits on the beam.
"Yeah!" We all cheer as he jumps down.
"So, I'll leave the rest to you." Nami cuts in.
"Hey..." we all complain, and she laughs, walking down the stairs back into the storage room.
"Who wants to play some poker?" I ask as I take my cards from Chopper.
"Yeah, why not." Zoro agrees, but the others all shake their heads.
"Come on, we don't have to play for money. We could play for favours, and no pervy ones, Sanji." I tell them, and they nod as we sit under the mast and begin playing.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
THIRD ADVENTURE
A week has gone, and we still find trouble as we come into a thick fog. I stand in my red wool dress jumper, tights and boots with Zoro as he wraps his arms around my waist as we watch for anything in the mist around us. "Damn, it's like milk got spilled into this fog. I can't see ahead of us. Luffy, do you see anything?" Usopp asks from the Crow's Nest as he looks through his goggles, and Luffy sits on the figurehead who shakes his head. "Hey, I see something! Oh, no! There's a giant ship in front of us!" He shouts down, and I look over to see it coming into focus the closer we get.
"Sanji! The helm! Hard to starboard!" Nami orders him, and he pops out all loved up.
"Here, Nami! It's Sanji's specially made love-" He stops seeing the situation.
"T-this is bad! We're surrounded by the Marines, aren't we!" Usopp exclaims in fear.
"Awesome!" Luffy beams as if it's good news.
"Not even the Marines can move around in this kind of fog, huh?" Nami points out.
"It might be best for us to escape under cover of this thick fog," Robin suggests.
"You're right. Keep heading forwards. Everyone, keep quiet." Nami orders us. "Especially you, Luffy."
"Right!" Luffy agrees, but it won't last long.
"Nami... please, wait a minute," Sanji says and walks out of the kitchen, pointing out the small kid on one of the ships, looking out into the fog with a large pot on the railing.
"A child? I wonder what he's doing." Nami ponders, and he seems to notice us and panics, hitting the large pot over the side; he tries to grab it but starts to fall, too; Sanji runs to the side and is about to jump off.
"Look out!" He shouts.
"Allow me." Robin jumps in, crosses her arms in front of her, and arms spring out of the side of the Marine Ship, grabbing the kid and the pot and bringing them aboard as we sail away from the fleet of ships. Sanji catches him as Robin moves him closer, and we all enter the kitchen.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
Sanji lays the kid on the bed in the room before moving to make him something to eat, Zoro moves to the helm stirring us away, and Chopper grabs his medical bag, gets out a test tube with pink smelling salts and moves it under the kid's nose. "He's okay now. These smelling salts appear to be working." Chopper announces as the kid jumps up in shock.
"Where am I?!" He asks as he looks at us.
"you're on the ship of the Straw Hat Pirates," Usopp answers, scaring him even more.
"P-pirates!" He gasps in shock.
"Yeah." I nod as I sit on the floor with Chopper in my lap.
"Do you remember? You fell overboard from a Marine ship." Nami reminds him, and he seems to remember.
"S-stay back! You're planning to attack the Marines, aren't you?!" He accuses us.
"What's with him And after we rescued him, too." Usopp huffs.
"You can't blame him. He's a Marine." Robin and I say together; we look at each other sharing a smile.
"First, eat something," Sanji tells him, placing the soup tray on the side of the bed.
"I don't want it! I don't need any pirate help!" He snaps.
"Ha, you won't have any soup made by the Cook on a pirate ship, huh? It's not poisoned or anything. You'll settle down, once you've got a little something in your stomach." Sanji tells him, and he looks down at the soup; he picks up the bowl and takes a spoonful, seeming to enjoy it as he finishes the whole bowl as fast as Luffy almost.
"Thanks, that was good." He compliments our outstanding Chef.
"Sure, you're welcome," Sanji replies with a smile.
"I'm Tajio. I'm a Probationary Cook for the Marines." He introduces himself, seeming calmer now.
"I'm Sanji." He introduces himself back.
"Yeah, you're a Cook, are you?" Luffy asks him.
"Sanji, you're so good! Too good to be a pirate cook on a run-down ship like this!" Tajio tells him, and I cringe a little at the look Usopp and Luffy are throwing at him.
"What did you say?! This ship is not run-down!" Luffy snaps in defence of the Going Merry.
"Yeah! This ship is from Syrup Village, where I used to live-" Usopp goes on, but Chopper cuts him off.
"Is it sweet?" He asks because of the name.
"No, not like that. And there was this girl, named Kaya, who-"
"You have a crush on," I add, and he glares at me, his cheeks growing red.
"-who gave us this ship, so it's very dear to us!" He finishes, and Tajio gets up from the bed; we all walk out of the room, and I place his hat back on his head as we walk.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
We all stand at the back of the ship, looking out into the fog, but we can make out the fleet of Marine ships. "As it happens, I..." Tajio mutters, looking upset. "I spilled the curry that they were having for lunch. I apologised, but the Chef told me to make the curry by lunch."
"The Chef was right. No question." Sanji agrees.
"Yeah," Luffy mutters in agreement.
"So then, I've tried making it again and again, but it doesn't turn out right." He replies, looking down at his shoes.
"Tajio, do you have any experience cooking?" Nami asks him.
"I only started being a probationary cook six months ago," Tajio tells her.
"Six months should be plenty," Sanji remarks.
"No, I can't! All I do every day is wash dishes and peel things! I still haven't actually made any food! What's worse... all of the ships; Captains have a custom of getting together once a week and having curry for lunch. This week, it's my ship's turn to host it. How is my curry supposed to meet the tastes of the Marine's big shots?" He questions.
"The Marines' curry is famous. I hear the Chef on each ship competes with all the others, and each one has their own flavour for their ship." Robin explains.
"Oh, yeah? That sounds yummy, huh?" Luffy asks, thinking of his stomach.
"With six months' time in the galley, if you don't have any confidence in yourself, then go back and apologise to your Chef again," Sanji tells the kid.
"No way." He rejects the idea and turns towards us. "If I tell him that, he'll put me off the ship!"
"Does it have to be that ship?" Luffy asks him.
"Is there any reason for that, or anything?" I ask him.
"Well... The All... Do you know about the All Blue?!" He asks, and I look over in the corner of my eye to see Sanji stop in his tracks. "The East Blue, the West Blue, the South Blue, the North Blue... it's where all the delicacies from the four seas are gathered together. As a Cook, it's a sea of treasures that I'd like to go to sometimes. The Senior Cooks laugh it off as a dream, but I believe in it! I'm sure the All Blue is out there! If I'm aboard a Marine warship, there's a good chance I'll go there, right? So I... so I can't afford to be put off the ship!" Tajio grows excited, and I smile at his enthusiasm.
"The All Blue? Isn't that...?" Usopp questions and points over slyly to Sanji, and I nod.
"I would like to get away from here as soon as we can..." Nami points out.
"Yeah, if we're spotted, and they launch a salvo at us..." Usopp agrees with her, thinking of Merry.
"Then again, given the circumstances, we have to send this boy back, don't we, Sanji?" She asks our Cook.
"I'm just taking him back to his ship, that's all. Luffy, give us a hand." Sanji asks him, and I step out; as Luffy and Tajio walk over to Sanji, I throw my spare Transponder Snail at the Cook, who catches it.
"Keep a hold of it, I'll bring you back, just press 5," I tell him, and he nods.
"Once noontime comes, this fog will clear up. Later than that, and it will be too dangerous for us to wait around." Nami informs the Cook.
"That's long enough." Sanji agrees, seeming serious as Tajio and Luffy stand beside each other; Luffy places his hand on Tajio's shoulder.
"How much are you planning to help him?" She asks him.
"I'm just going to have a little look for myself at what the galley of a Marine ship looks like." Sanji denies.
"Sanji!" Luffy calls out, and Sanji walks over, placing his hand on Luffy's shoulder.
"Hold on tight," I warn them. "Teleport." I hold my arm out, and the three disappear from sight. "Man, what a pain; Luffy's gonna get us caught," I mutter.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
I sit in the kitchen at the table with Robin as I read through one of my books, bored as we all wait for Sanji and Luffy to come back when I hear a crash; I shake my head, knowing it's Luffy and see a dent of a person, most likely Sanji, appear in the wall, Chopper runs over to look as Zoro stays napping by the wall, there's some muttering. Nami and Usopp run out to look at the damage. "You've damaged the Going Merry again, huh?!" Usopp screams.
"Oh, Usopp, Nami, sorry! The Marines saw me, so we had to come back in a hurry." Luffy chuckles nervously.
"Huh?! H-hand on, what do you mean by that?!" Nami snaps at the rubber idiot.
"This is a precious ship that we got from Kaya! How many times do I have to tell you that?!" Usopp shouts at Luffy.
"We can't stand around like this! Usopp, Sanji, we're leaving immediately!" Nami orders them.
"Yes, Nami my love!" Sanji answers right away. "Urgh, I can't move..."
"Dummies," I mutter and hear Robin giggle to herself.
"Zoro!" Nami screams, waking the Swordsman with a start, and he grumbles as he strolls out of the kitchen. I get up, steering the ship away before the Marine fleet moves or spots us.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
FOURTH ADVENTURE
It's been two days, and it's rained the whole time since we sailed out of the fog into the rain; I sit in the kitchen at the table with Luffy, who keeps complaining; Robin, who is reading the same book and Nami, who is reading the paper, Sanji is in the kitchen doing the dishes as Usopp sits on the crate fiddling with his gadgets. Chopper is at the helm, leaving Zoro outside on watch in the rain. "I'm sick of this," Luffy complains as he lies his head on the table, with my playing cards spewed across the table; he slams his hands down, making a large bang as he throws his arms into the air. "When is this rain going to stop?!" He quietens down, sulking as he leans on the table again. "Hey, Usopp, have you got anything fun?"
"Huh? I've got a firework we could launch, but just one. Do you want to?" Usopp asks as he holds out the small firework.
"Do I?!" Luffy exclaims, growing excited.
"Don't do it. What if there's a hostile ship nearby or something?" Nami points out as she turns the page.
"I guess you're right." Usopp agrees and puts the firework back; Luffy gapes in, upset and falls back onto the table, looking over to Robin as she reads; he gets up and moves over to her.
"What's that book you've been reading this whole time?" He asks her, to the surprise of the others. "Huh? Something the matter?" He asks the others.
"N-no, it's nothing." They all deny it, and Robin closes the book, pushing it in front of the Captain.
"The book is called 'Rainbow Mist.' it's a novel based on some adventures this person had in an unusual region of the sea," Robin explains the plot simply.
"Adventures, huh? That sounds interesting!" Luffy marvels as he picks up the book when Zoro comes in wearing a ruined cloak with a hood he takes down once he enters.
"Hey, I saw an island," Zoro announces.
"Really?! Yahoo!" Luffy exclaims and runs out of the room; Nami and Usopp fall, and I laugh at their overreaction.
"What's with you guys?" Zoro asks them.
"It's nothing," I reply and shake my head, closing my eyes as Zoro kisses my forehead.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
We soon arrive at the island, but we don't dock at the harbour; we sail to a cliff that we can reach by going up the mast; Zoro and I volunteer to stay behind, with Robin, who is in the kitchen at the moment, I sit in between his legs as he tries napping. The others all climb up the mast onto the cliff above. "Okay, keep close watch on the ship!" Nami orders us from above.
"Yeah, you got it", Zoro replies as he twirls a piece of hair.
"Wanna take a nap?" I ask him, and he chuckles as he leans on the railing and wraps his arms around my waist, and we fall asleep in the nice weather.
I start to feel drops of water; I peek my eye open to see it's starting to rain and remove Zoro's arms as he wakes, and the rain begins to come down; my hair starts to stick to my face as it gets wet along with my white striped shirt that shows my red bra underneath, Zoro wakes up and looks up at me, staring at my chest. "Like something you see?" I ask him, making him blush, and I turn around, about to change when the rain stops, and the others return.
"Hello, My Love!" Sanji greets me as he climbs the mast, seeing my white-striped top and red bra.
"Sanji, my face is up here, not down there," I tell him, pointing at my face.
"So, tonight there's a fireworks festival we're all going to; it can be yours and Zoro's official first date!" Nami squeals and I look at her, a little confused.
"What? Date!" I exclaim as she pushes me towards our room.
"Zoro, look nice, or I'll make you pay!" Nami threatens him.
"What the hell is going on?!" I hear him shout.
"I second that!" I add as she closes the door behind us.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
I walk, standing in our room in a dress I didn't even know I owned; it's a beautiful white cotton dress with three skirts making it appear bigger down to my mid-thighs trailing down to my feet, and my leather jacket and black high heels. Nami finishes putting on red lipstick and black smokey eyeshadow; I put my hair into a high bun and place an old necklace I took from my Mother's jewellery box as a kid. I look at myself, impressed by Nami's choice, as she looks at her work and goes to take my necklace off, but I stop her. "It was my Mothers; I think it's appropriate, considering my Dad got this for her when they were married," I tell her, and she nods.
"It actually goes with it too, nice choice." She compliments, and we head out as it gets dark and time for the festival.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
I walk out and see the boys and Robin all waiting for Nami and me; they turn at the sound of the door and look surprised. "What? Do I look weird?" I ask them, looking down at my dress. "I mean, I know white is meant to mean pure, and I'm the furthest thing from pure, but Nami said I shou-" Zoro cuts me off as he cups my cheeks and smashes his lips to mine; I kiss him back, wrapping my arms around his neck, feeling his raised pulse.
"Hey! Stop that! I wanna see fireworks!" Luffy growls, and we pull apart.
"Okay, let's go!" Usopp cuts in, pushing Luffy towards the mast to stop him from hitting my boyfriend.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
I walk around all of the stalls with the others, my hand intertwined with Zoro's as we walk, looking around at the mask, food, games and toys; I stop at one of the mask stalls and pick up one that looks like a female skull with all different colours drawn around it, with pink and red roses at the top. "How much?" Zoro asks the vendor, who looks over at the mask I'm holding.
"10 Berries." He answers, and Zoro hands over the money; I look at the Swordsman as he pulls me along to join the others.
"Since when do you have money?" I ask him, and he points to Nami as she pays for food for us all. "Seriously, but you just go rid of your debt."
"Worth it." He grins, and I smile as he pecks my nose, making me crinkle. "Adorable Assassin."
"Sexy Swordsman," I reply, and we go into a kiss again, but Chopper comes running over.
"Guys, the fireworks are about to start!" He cheers, and we follow him to the front by the railing. I wrap my arm around his waist as he wraps his arm around my waist, and the fireworks begin. I look up, watching all of the fireworks go off, Zoro cups my chin, turning my face towards his, and he leans in; I meet his lips as the fireworks explode in the sky above us.
"How pretty!" Nami beams, and I pull away, placing my head on his shoulder as we stand there; I see Sanji go to wrap his arm around Nami, and she slaps his hand out as more fireworks of all colours light up the night sky. It soon seems to finish for a second when a slight whizzing sound comes from behind us; we all turn to look to see a small firework going off by the mountain, drawing all of our attention.
"What was that shabby firework just now?" I ask when suddenly a giant shell shoots up, exploding into a shower of light as they rain down like falling stars, I watch in awe, but they soon disappear. It is quiet for a second before the crowds burst into cheers, and I laugh as I squeeze Zoro, who wraps his other arm around me, kissing my cheek.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
I finish changing into my black pyjamas and pull my hair out, letting it fall down to my waist; I shake it out, letting it settle into its usual flat form; I wipe off the makeup as Nami goes into bed and Robin lies on the couch, and I join Zoro in mine as he hates sleeping on the floor with Sanji ever again. We cuddle, and I smile as he kisses my forehead, and wondering how I got so lucky to have such great friends and boyfriends, I close my eyes, not worrying about Luffy being on the lookout as he stuffed his face well at the festival.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
FIFTH ADVENTURE
It's been three days, and I head off back onto the sea as the Log Pose sets; I yawn a little into my striped jumper sleeve as I was up with Zoro as he was on watch last night; I hear Zoro sneeze and cuddle closer to him; he unwraps his arm around me, grabbing his sword, I look over my shoulder to see Robin coming over but stops with a dark blue jacket in her hands. "I told you. Don't stand beside me." He tells her, with a death grip on his Wado Ichimonji.
"You're going to catch a cold dressed like that." She points out.
"People who catch colds are people who let their mind's guard down." He retorts.
"Well, I wonder if someone somewhere is spreading stories about Zoro, the pirate hunter." She replies.
"I've never once called myself a pirate hunter." He grumbles.
"Then, I wonder who gave you a name that was as cool as that?" I jumped in with a big grin, knowing full well who it was.
"Who knows? It doesn't matter to me." He replies with a frown, and she walks back to her chair with the table on the other side of the deck as the others at the ship's rear blow up stuff.
"Such a meanie," I mutter, snuggling into his chest.
"I don't know what you mean." He mutters back as he closes his eyes again.
"Sure, you don't." I sigh as we both relax through the constant booming from the cannon in the background; I close my eyes and begin to drift back into sleep as I settle into Zoro's chest.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
SIXTH ADVENTURE
It's been an eventful week with being chased by the Marines again, finding an island with an old money lender and his goats who became a pirate and a mysterious rainbow mist that Robin was reading. But tonight seems worse than most of it as I look up at the night sky, glad it's not raining or the sound of thunder as I bite my nail, feeling the pit in my stomach as tomorrow is the anniversary of my Mother's death, I hope Luffy doesn't remember, because I want to lie in bed all day like I do every year. I pull the blanket around me, covering my fluffy white jumper pyjamas as I look down at the newspaper clipping from years ago that arrived hours after the death of my Mother; I grumble as I look at the headline 'DEADLY ANNA DEAD' The article went on about her mysterious death, and theories on who could have done it and even comments from Marines on how glad she was dead. I kept it as a reminder of my goal to find the man or woman who murdered my Mother in cold blood when I was meters away, I may have only been 3 years old, but I still regret not being able to do anything.
Morning soon arrives, and the first to come out is Sanji, who goes straight to the kitchen, and soon Nami and Robin walk out of our room; I start to climb out of the Crow's Nest as the rest start to emerge and head straight for my room, wanting to sleep and curl up in bed. "Dakota, My Love, would you like something to eat?" Sanji asks me as he pops out of the kitchen.
"I'm not hungry," I tell him, wrenching the door open.
"Are you sure?" He asks me politely, but I glare at him with my mood, feeling a little of my Conqueror's Haki slipping out.
"I said I'm not hungry!" I snap at him and slam the door behind me, shaking the ship violently.
"Ahh! Be careful!" Usopp cries out from outside as I head for my room.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
3RD POV:
Everyone stands in stunned silence for a second at the sudden change from their usual Dakota, who is always smiling one way or another, sure they've seen her angry, like when she beat up the Marines trying to steal Zenny's money or at that moron mayor and his men. "What was that about?" Nami asks and looks at the equally shocked Zoro, who shakes his head.
"I don't know." He answers.
"What's the date?" Luffy asks, jumping to the higher level with Nami, Robin and Sanji.
"27th, why?" Robin asks him, and Luffy frowns, looking down.
"It's the day Dakota's Mum died." He tells them, and they all look in shock; Zoro snaps out of it and goes to open the door. "I wouldn't; even as we were growing up, we couldn't get her out of bed; she'll be like that all day; it's best to leave her. She's unpredictable; one time, she threw Ace out of her bedroom window." Zoro ignores him and opens the door, disappearing down to the women's quarters, and everyone holds their breath, waiting for something to happen.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
Zoro walks down the steps into the women's quarter and sees Dakota under the covers of her bed; he can hear her sobs as he walks towards her; the floorboard squeaks a little alerting her to his present; he watches as she looks up at him, her eyes all red and puffy from all the crying. Zoro strolls towards her, seeing her trying to hide her face as she pulls up the covers; he reaches the side of her bed and pulls the covers away from her face. "It's okay to cry." He tells her and pulls her into his chest; she crumbles as he wraps his arms around her; she clings onto his shirt, the tears falling down her cheeks like a waterfall as he moves onto the bed, and they lie there; Dakota sobbing in his arms.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
Above deck, everyone stands around the door waiting to hear something or Zoro come stumbling out, but nothing; Luffy lets out a sigh of relief. "So, Luffy, how bad was Ace?" Sanji asks him, and Luffy grimaces.
"I mean, he was okay, but he did knock down a few trees." He answers, and they all look in shock at their friend's strength. "She'll be okay tomorrow, but she should call her Dad; I remember when he was staying in the village, I didn't see him or Dakota all day when I asked; that's when Benn told me."
"I see, even all these years later, and they still miss her; I can understand that." Nami comments, and Usopp, Chopper, and even Sanji and Robin nod; they all have lost one of their parents. There was sadness around the group of usually happy pirates as they thought about the loved ones they'd lost. Luffy thought of Sabo, his sworn Older Brother, who they still mourned and wished he could see what trouble his siblings were causing. Nami thought of Belle-mere, her adopted Mother, who she wished could have seen her fulfil her dream. Usopp thought of his Mother, Banchina, who he wanted could see the man he is now. Sanji thought of his Mother, Sora, who he missed every day and thought of when he would cook for his friends. Chopper thought of Hiruluk, his father figure; he wished he could have seen his dream fulfilled thanks to Doctor Kureha and Wapol being sent flying. Robin thought of her Mother, Olvia, and the people of Ohara that died needlessly at the Marines' hands, and she vowed to find the truth about the void century. All of them have lost someone, all of them have each other.
ONE PIECE - POST-ALABASTA ARC
The next day, Dakota seemed fine, as if nothing had happened; Zoro explained that she didn't want pity or sad looks, and everyone understood; they all had each other's back, no matter what.
TO BE CONTINUED....
Hey! I Hope you like, sorry it took so long, so please don't forget to comment or vote, heart or favourite or follow; thank you for being so supportive! DEADGIRLETERNAL