After making it out of that treacherous singing trial, they were in open sea and taking a break to make repairs.
"Sheesh!"
"TO HELL WITH THAT ORANGUTAN!"
"He's gone and banged up this ship even more!" Usopp was squatting and repairing part of the railings that were blasted awkwardly. Chopper stood behind him holding a tool box.
Zoro was crisscrossed next to the main mast hammering down some metal wrapping to keep it in place, "This ship turned to tatters before I even realized it... Maybe it's time we got a new one?"
"THAT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY, YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD!"
Luffy turned from his spot, "Oh well, what's done is done, Usopp! The Going Merry's still an irreplaceable member in our crew, so let's give it our all and fix her up the best as possible!"
Usopp started tearing up at his short speech, "Luffy... Sniff! You really are a...-" Luffy hammered the wall using too much strength and busted a hole in it, making the whole railing collaspe.
"GOD DAMN IT, LUFFY!"
Faythe was sitting on the fixed rails snickering at the scene, "Next time you make a cool speech, Luffy. Make sure you leave it to people who can actually do it properly." She flipped a page in her letter.
Luffy turned to the red head with a pout on his face, "I don't see you helping out."
Faythe just rolled her eyes at his childishness, "I'm busy." she waved the papers in her hands in the air.
Luffy got up and dusted his pants, he then walked up the stairs to the second deck, "Doing what? Is it that book your making?"
Faythe shook her head, "It's a letter from Vivi."
"VIVI!?" Luffy exclaimed excitedly, "What'd she say!?" He quickly ran over to her and looked over her shoulder at the long writing.
Faythe snorted at his excitement, "She's doing well in her royal duties and sometimes wishes that she had came with us sometimes." She laughed, "Must be stressful."
"Maybe we should've taken her by force like Zoro said..." Luffy stuck lip out in thought.
Faythe lightly smacked his shoulder sternly, "Let's not do that and have a whole kingdom we saved after our asses."
"Taking back suggestion." Luffy stated nodding.
"Anyways, she says that she's hopping to see my book publish soon, that way she can be the first to read it and brag about knowing us to her friends in Alabasta." Faythe flipped the letter over to show Luffy who was leaning closer to get a better look.
"When are you going to be finished anyways?" Luffy looked over at her with his arms crossed over casually.
Fythe tapped her chin with her pen, "Well I'm hoping that I could add another adventure in my first book before ending it. Almost like this Skypiea Island we're going to soon." She grinned up at him.
Luffy grinned back, his straw hat shielding some of the sun out of her eyes, "That sounds cool! I can't wait for you to read it to me and Chopper when it's finished!" He then walked off whistling a happy tune.
Faythe watched him leave, a breeze hitting her red locks, "He seems eager..." She leaned on her elbow which was placed on her knee, "Oh well. Gotta write down the very interesting conversation I had with Luffy earlier about his family to Vivi."
/;/~***~/;/
Eastern Coast of Jaya -
We were nearing the coast as we spotted a large castle like structure.
"Well, we've arrived at the place marked in the map."
"Ummm... Who is it that we're looking for again?"
Robin closed the book she was reading, "Montblanc Cricket."
Nami looked out from the railings, "...So the man who talks of dreams lives there?"
Luffy, Faythe, and Usopp were gawking up at the humongous castle.
"HOLY MOLY!"
"WHOA-!"
"THAT'S his HOUSE!?" Faythe called out amazed with sparkly eyes.
"Maybe he's like, super duper rich!" Usopp suggested.
"Whatever it is, I'm getting the first look!" Faythe stood up on the railings and leaped into the air.
"OI, NO FAIR!" Luffy stomped his foot annoyed.
She twirled in the air, transforming into a parrot. Taking off into the air, she soared over the short distance and circled the assumed house, "False news! False news!" She called out.
"Eh?" Half of the crew perked up confused.
Zoro closed his eyes letting out sigh, "Look again, you dimwits."
Sanji let out a drag from his cigarette, "Well, for a dreamer, he sure does 'dream big'."
Chopper stretched his eyelids open to get a better look but he was just confused, "What do you mean?"
Luffy jumped off the ship when it was close enough to the edge of the coast and ran around the front of it, "AGHH! IT'S JUST A WOODEN BOARD!"
"WHAAAAA!?" Usopp exclaimed, his jaw dropping at the sight.
"Only half is an actual house... The other half's just a veneer panel." Zoro commented on the strange house, leaning one of his swords against his shoulder.
Sanji was behind him furling up the sails, "Must be a pretty cheap guy."
Nami looked back towards Robin, "Just what sort of dreams was he talking about that got him run out of town?"
Robin was sitting on the rails with her legs crossed in a feminine manner, "I don't know the details, but... Supposedly, there's a vast amount of gold hidden in this island of Jaya."
"GOLD?"
"DID SOME PIRTES BURY TREASURE HERE OR SOMETHING!?"
Robin only gave a smile at the excited crewmates, "Who knows...?"
They all scrambled off the ship hurriedly, Nami being the first to take action by giving an order to Chopper, "START DIGGING, CHOPPER! THERE'S GOLD HERE!"
Chopper shifted into his reindeer form and started shoveling up dirt with his antlers, "HERE!? REALLY!?"
Sanji had his hands in his pockets as he decided to take a stroll, "So he lives alone all the way out here on the island's edge?"
Faythe whistled up at the strange home, "Wow...! Wonder if there's anything to eat in his house."
Luffy was instantly by her side at the mention of food, "You think so? Let's go find out!" He grinned happily before opening the door casually, "Helloooooo!? Anybody home? I'm coming in!" He announced before Faythe stepped in first.
Usopp watched the two baffled, "WHAT, YOU'RE JUST BARGING IN!?"
Faythe peaked her head out the door, "Hell ya, Luffy already announced he's coming in, so it's fine. We're pirates with manners and shit." She trailed off at the end before continuing to snoop around.
"YOUR THE LAST PERSON I WANNA HEAR THAT FROM!" Usopp angrily stomped over after Faythe.
Luffy looked around curiously, "Hm? I don't see anyone inside..."
Faythe peaked over his shoulder, "No food in sight. What a bummer."
Luffy frowned at her comment, "HELLOOOOO!?" He called out to the room.
Usopp finally made it to the door way, "Faythe, Luffy, no! What're you gonna do if this guy's dangerous!?"
Faythe looked at him confused, "Beat him up." She shrugged as if that was the most obvious thing to do.
Usopp smacked her head at her answer, "What if he's an innocent citizen!?"
"Don't beat him up, then ask for food." Luffy answered for her.
"No!" Usopp then smacked his head, he then turned out the doorway informing the rest outside, "GUYS! HE'S NOT HOME!"
Walking out of the house while dragging Luffy, Faythe turned to see Nami find a picture book on a wooden stump.
"A picture book... Looks like a pretty old one, too." She flipped the book to the back to read the title, "It's titled, 'Noland the Liar.' Ahahahaha!" She laughed.
Usopp came walking over proudly, "Ohhh! Nice title! I like the subject!"
Faythe snorted, "Yeah, sure reminds me of a certain person." She rolled her eyes as he glared at her annoyed.
Sanji perked up at the title, "Did you say, 'Noland the Liar?' Man, that takes me back, I used to read that lot back when I was a kid."
Nami glanced over at the blonde, "You know it, Sanji? But the book says it was published in the North Blue."
Sanji smiled at that, "Yeah, I was born in the North Blue. Did I never say so before?"
Usopp placed his hands on his hips, "First I've heard. I thought you were from the East Blue.
Nami glanced over at Chopper who still hasn't stopped digging as per her order, "Chopper, stop making so much noise! What're you even doing anyways!?"
Chopper looked at her with a shocked expression, his body going rigid at her question.
Sanji ignored the sad tragic scene and cheerfully continued telling Usopp about his childhood, a chuckle leaving his lips, "No, I was only raised in the East Blue, but whatever." He pointed a finger at the book in Nami's hands, "This is a famous story in North Blue. It's labeled as a fairy-tale, but the Noland character of this story, was actually a real-life person, or so I've heard."
Nami sat down while the rest of the crew surrounded her like little children. She had a slight smile on her face as she glanced down at them. Sitting down on the stump, she flipped the cover over to see the first page, "Hm..."
"This is a story from long, long ago. A story from over 400 years from now... In a certain kingdom in North Blue, there lived a man named Montblanc Noland."
Faythe perked up at the name, remembering back to the man their visiting, 'Montblanc Cricket'. She assumed he was some descendant of the famous liar in the story.
"Noland the explorer was always speaking of his great adventures so grand and unbelievable that they seemed like lies. The townspeople had no idea whether Noland's tales were truth or fiction."
Nudging Usopp in the side with her elbow, Faythe gave him a Cheshire look. Usopp in return stuck his tongue back at her while giving her an elbow to the rib.
"One day, upon returning from another voyage, Noland reported to the king thus: 'On an island in the Grand Line, there is a pile of gold stacked as high as the mountains.' To verify Noland's claim, the brave king took 2000 soldiers with him, and sailed for the Grand Line."
"Pfft- Brave my ass, if he was he wouldn't have taken so many soldiers and limited the numbers." Faythe muttered.
"On his way he battled many sea monsters and overcame fierce storms. By the time the king arrived t the island, he only had 100 soldiers remaining. But facing before the king was only a jungle. Noland was put to death for lying to the king. His final words before his execution went like so... 'That's it! The mountains of gold must have sunk into the sea!' The king and the people were dumbfounded by his brazenness. Nobody believed in Noland anymore. Even to the very moment of his death, Noland could not stop lying."
Nami slowly closed the book while looking at Usopp in particular, "And so the liar, very pitifully, met his end..."
Luffy was too distracted by the bubbles in the water near the edge to pay attention to the full story.
'Wait, bubbles?'
Usopp looked at the ginger baffled, "WHAT'RE LOOKIN' AT ME FOR!?"
Nami shook her head sadly, "...Without even becoming, a brave warrior of the seas.." She finished.
"AND DON'T GO INSERTING LINES THAT AREN'T EVEN IN THE STORY!"
Luffy shout of surprise alerted Faythe as she watched him fall into the water, "EH!?"
Nami looked over shocked, "Wha!? Luffy fell into the ocean!
Usopp looked over dumbfounded, "W-what do you think you're doin'!?"
Suddenly a large built man crawled out of the ocean, "JUST WHO THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE!?"
Faythe squared her feet into a fighting position, her wings flexed out.
"You've got some guts barging in another man's house and making yourself at home." The largely built man was posed in some kind of martial arts stance, one of his hands struck her like a snake would when standing down an enemy, with the other just kept him balanced. On the snake posed arm, there was a tattoo that was located on his shoulder. It looked like an acorn with lined black sunrays around it. The word 'Maroon' written in the middle. Though his head was what confused her even more. He had blonde hair spiked out on the top but what sat on the top was an upside down acorn.
Sanji had already made it beside Faythe, "USOPP! GET LUFFY OUTTA THE WATER!"
"The seas around here are my territory." The stocky man who she now assumed to be Montblanc Cricket, puffed out a drag of smoke from his cigarette, "You've come for my gold haven't you? Over my dead body you will..." He sprinted forward with a high kick at Faythe first.
Faythe dodged to the left while his leg was still in the air he tried to swipe to the right at Sanji. Luckily he ducked down in time to dodge. While he was down, Cricket struck forward for a jab in the neck with his snake posed arm. To Faythe's surprise it was a bit to swift for her liking. Fortunately, Sanji caught it in his leg in time.
Cricket's expression seemed to be neutral making Faythe feel a dread in her stomach for some reason. His other hand swiped behind his back and whipped out a pistol, only inches from her face. Her eyes widened slightly as she smacked her wings against the ground, almost like a instinct to dodge the bullet.
She blasted off into the sky in time to dodge the gun fire, "Are you kidding me! He brought a fuckin' PISTOL!?" She exclaimed in mild panic.
Chopper screamed out in worry, "FAYTHE! GAHHHH!"
"FAE!" Nami called out.
Sanji looked up to the sky to her, "Did you get hit!?" he struggled a bit to hold the man's jabbing hand locked in his leg.
Faythe flipped over in the air with her head closer to the ground, "Nope! I'm okay! No bullet wounds to worry about!" She winked.
Sanji wanted to melt on the spot from her wink but decided to leap away when Cricket pointed his gun at Sanji, "Just gimme a lil' longer to finish him off!" Sanji called out as he rolled over to dodge an on fire of bullets raining down on him.
Faythe glared at the sight before tucking in her wings. She then lost the gliding momentum and came shooting down like a bullet. She sky rocketed downward on the Cricket man like a bullet, knocking him over and the gun out of his reach. Cricket was now knocked unconscious. But it seemed rather odd how seemed a little heated to skin touch.
Sanji looked over a bit concerned as he saw the man start gasping for air, "You... You okay, old man?"
Faythe got up from on top of Cricket and walked over to the gun. She kicked the gun to a distance for her liking until she turned her attention back to Usopp who was pulling Luffy onto the coast.
Zoro walked over with his arms crossed s he looked down at the fallen man, "Seemed to have a lot of energy for a sick dude." He huffed before patting Faythe's shoulder, "That was a clean kick to the dead. Hopefully ya didn't kill 'em."
Faythe shrugged, "We need him alive if we want information on the Sky Island."
"Damn, getting ruthless aren't we?" Zoro chuckled at her rather cold tone.
Faythe glanced up at him with a grin of her own, "What do you expect from me? I'm a pirate. Not a saint." With that she walked off towards the house where Chopper dragged Cricket into to fix him up.
Zoro watched her go and whistled out rather amused at her answer.
/;/~***~/;/
"Cool this towel a little more."
"And open all the windows!"
After figuring out what the hell was wrong with the man, they concluded it to...
"Diver's disease?" Zoro raised a brow.
Luffy loomed over the large man in the bed like he was squaring up for a fight, "This old man's sick?"
Chopper nodded, "Yes, It's an illness that occasionally affects divers, but normal, it doesn't grow serious enough to become a chronic illness." He placed a fresh cold towel on the patient's forehead carefully, "The cause is the sudden drop in pressure when rising from deep below the sea to the surface. This drop in pressure destabilizes the dissolved gases in the human, forming bubbles."
Faythe walked over to Luffy who was looking out the window dramatically, "Do you understand what's going on with the old geezer?" She pointed her thumb over her shoulder.
Luffy glanced at her but focused back outside, "No."
"As the formed bubbles collect in blood streams and tissues, they cause pain and distress in the muscles, joints, and blood vessels."
Luffy blinked, "Oh, so it's some sort of a magic disease."
Faythe shook her head at him, "You got it wrong. It's not just 'magic disease'."
Luffy looked over at her with a raised brow, "What else could it be?"
"It's some sort of 'dark magic disease'. After all it's hurting him remember?" She pointed out only listening to the ending of the explanation.
Luffy frowned at the new revelation, "That's not good. Is there a way to try an save him, Fae?"
It was Faythe's turn to frown at him, "Do I look like a wizard of some kind, to you? I can literally only turn into a bird." She wiggled her fingers towards him.
Chopper sighed looking down at Cricket, "This person must have been diving so frequently, that bubbles didn't have enough time to disappear naturally."
Nami ignored the two idiots discussing wizards and sorcerers. She looked down at the patient curiously, "What could have driven him to this?"
Chopper shook his head sadly, "I don't know... But it's very dangerous. Depending on the severity, diver's disease can even lead to death."
After a moment of silence, the red head spoke up.
"Damn, that's tough." She spoke blankly. Though it didn't last long until Usopp threw a pan to her head annoyed at her indifference, "SHUT UP FAYTHE!"
/;/~***~/;/
Word Count:(2923)
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