Under water you started swimming with along some channels going downward. You reached a specific place and decided to get out of the water and look around. You got out and started walking. Surprisingly you blended in with the people, there were many wearing masks which was cool maybe there was a festival or something. You took this chance to buy three new masks that you thought looked good. One of them was a gas mask that might be hopeful someday.
"The total will be 5000 berries." You reached into your pocket and paid the merchant the full amount before leaving. You went back into the water and got out where you heard commotion, it was the outside of dock 1.
There were some pirates causing a commotion but it didn't take long before the shipwrights took care of them, these guys were really strong. They were probably the reason why the fear of pirates wasn't high, there were suitable means in taking care of them.
People were cheering as the pirates were all put into a single pile bloody and beaten. You were silently watching and then your grumbling stomach got you out of your head. You were hungry and decided to go look for something to eat. Some street food wouldn't be so bad.
You got some tokoyaki luckily and some juicy meat on a stick that was apparently the yagara bull's favourite. As you were walking back to dock 1 munching, you had the thought of trying to cash in the giant gold pillar or maybe even an eighth of it. You would just try and melt some of it and then see how much you could get. But not right away, the place still gave you some underlying creepy vibes despite how great it was.
When you arrived back there you saw the guys you had left all three and each one with a suitcase. "Hey guys." You said waving as you walked over.
"Y/n why did you just leave us like that?" Nami said all teary.
"I just wanted to look around. Now that I'm here I don't mind carrying the money."
"As if!" Nami said moving the bag closer to her and Usopp even gave you some kind of side eye.
There was a man here that looked like Usopp just taller and built differently. "Only authorized people are allowed to go into the plant." It was the guy who looked like Usopp that was talking.
"Square Usopp." Luffy said what we were all thinking. "I'm not rectangle or triangle."
"But you're kinda circle." You said to him. Nami handed Kaku, the square Usopp, the reference letter that we got from Kokoro to which he read loudly.
"You talk like an old man." Usopp said to Kaku after he read the letter. "People often tell me that."
"So do you know Iceberg?" Nami asked. "He's the mayor."
"He's that high up?" Luffy queried.
"He's also president of Galley La company and manages the sea train."
"So he's like the most important person in water 7?"
"Well there's no one who doesn't know him."
"Where do we find him?"
"He's busy but I can help. Where did you guys anchor your ship?"
"at rocky cape."
"I'll run and check on your ship give me ten minutes." He then bent down and then started sprinting all of a sudden then jumped off the edge. He was jumping from building to building with some crazy agility none like any you had seen before. He likely had some other hidden skills.
"He runs freely in town, people call him mountain wind. His name is Kaku." The man who spoke was tall with a fade and purple hair and there was a lady next to him she was beautiful with blonde hair and wore glasses. She held a clipboard in her hand which she started reading from.
"Mugiwara no Luffy, Pirate hunter Zoro, Nico Robin and grim reaper Y/n. The group has those four members with bounties on their heads total bounty is 419 million berries. It was formed in the East blue. They're the straw hats and currently have 8 members." She then placed the clipboard to her side.
You had noticed that during the reading of names the man seemed to be uncomfortable at the mention of Nico Robin's name.
"I see, I'm glad you came. I'm the boss of this city Iceberg, and this is a mouse I found earlier his name is.... Tyrannosaurus. This is my secretary Kalifa."
His secretary started to read the schedule for the day and Iceberg didn't seem to like it very much. "Cancel everything ."
"That's so irresponsible."
"You aren't being a good mayor."
You stepped aside as kicks came flying your way, Kalifa didn't appreciate how they were talking about Iceberg, in the end Iceberg is the one who ended up getting hurt.
Nami took this chance to hand the reference letter from Kokoro to Iceberg. He took one look at it and immediately started ripping it up apart into tiny pieces he actually seemed disgusted at the sight of it.
"Why'd you tear it up?" You asked.
"Her lipstick mark was unpleasant. Well its a boring day let me show you guys around the factory." They started walking in and you noticed something weird about the secretary, looking through her glasses there was no lense.
"The money is gone!" Usopp said looking for the missing suitcase. "There!" There were some people with some odd looking outfits and they were in a boat with the bag of money. "It's the Franky family."
There was a man running away from a small group of men on the bridge that was there. He then hijacked the yagara bulls. It seemed like he was part of the shipwrights. "Heyy thanks the money is ours please bring it back." But the guy continued sailing on. Another man in a white tank top and a pigeon on his shoulder came up and it was the pigeon that spoke but not really.
"I'll go." He then went to bring the blonde man back along with the money.
"Those guys are demolition workers and bounty hunters on the side. They are just the underlings, whatever you do don't underestimate the family boss Franky."
The pigeon on the shoulder of the guy with the tank top spoke. You had to admit that both of them were kinda cute. You immediately shook that thought away. "Now apologize." They both ended up fighting. The blond one with ropes and the pigeon guy with just his hands.
Pigeon guy was doing really well and he looked like he was barely breaking a sweat, he probably had more skill than he was letting on and he looked familiar to you from a time before you even knew Luffy. There was dust rising and once it settled pigeon guy had his fingers stuck in the concrete.
It reminded you of that one military skill called bullet finger that Garp used to do. What was with these shipwrights that work here? "It's definitely the pigeon's fault for starting the fight." Luffy said trying to be on pigeon guy's side.
"It's not the pigeon if he's the one controlling it."
The pigeon then started talking again, "Coo coo I'm sorry for the fuss I'm Rob L..... No, I mean, Hattori the pigeon. And this is Rob Lucci. He works here. Nice to meet you. Coo coo!" "I'm Paulie."
"He almost introduced himself as if he was human. I got it! That's ventriloquism. " Nami said. Usopp and Luffy started clapping for Lucci. "Stop it it's no big deal." Hattori said.
"What's with that woman you are shameless showing your legs too much." Paulie said referring to Nami. You shook hands with Lucci and noticed that he had a devil fruit. "zoan?" You said slightly above a whisper but it seemed like he heard you as you saw the shift on his face. Iceberg luckily broke the awkwardness by speaking up.
"Okay that's enough let's go inside. Keep your money safe, I don't think we have thieves but just to be safe." Lucci and Paulie went to open the gate that required enormous strength that only the shipwrights working there had.
"Iceberg-san." You called while you all waited for the door to be opened.
"Yeah."
"Do you let your employees have more than one job or shift loyalties."
"Not particularly but we have the best craftsmen." That was his reply, maybe he didn't want to go into detail. His secretary was listening in a little too intently for your liking. You barely knew the guy but he was probably also walking on egg shells as well.
"Okay guys I need to go, I'll see you later."
You started walking away, that Kaku guy was probably going to come back and say that the Merry couldn't be fixed, what was going to be difficult was how the crew would take it. You were particularly worried about a certain sniper.
For now you wanted to seek out Sanji, Chopper and Robin if she wasn't busy. You walked around town listening in to conversation trying to hear for anything that might sound like your crewmates and in no time you had found Sanji and Chopper but no Robin. You thought that Chopper would stay with Robin. They explained to you what happened with the bookshop and the following into a dead end.
The three of you were now riding a yagara looking for her.
"Sanji I'm so sorry. I was so focused on books that..."
"It's nothing you should apologize about." Sanji said to calm Chopper and maybe make him feel less guilty.
"Yeah she's a grown woman and knows what she's doing." It came out way harsher than you had intended for the statement to be.
"I assumed it was you in your human form with Robin. So who was that masked man? In addition , it's strange that they suddenly disappeared." " Her scent ended there too,." Chopper added.
"I hope nothing bad happens my stomach's in a knot." Sanji said and you couldn't help but agree. "Yeah I also have a bad feeling."
"Do you want me to take a look at you Sanji?" Chopper asked all cute like.
"That's not what I meant. This reminds me of what Aokiji said. He said stuff about Robin-chan's past and that we'll regret taking her. Let's go back to the ship."
"I think that she'll return if she wants to." Once you guys arrived at the ship you still had a a feeling that something was terribly off. Zoro gave us a breakdown on how the going Merry couldn't be fixed. The keel was broken and the only thing to do was get a new ship.
"The ship looks the same." Sanji said.
"I Love Merry." Chopper was teary eyed.
"We all do but Merry's scars are too deep." Zoro said deep in thought looking up to the crow's nest. You heard panting coming towards the ship and it was Nami. But there was something very wrong she had come back alone with one suitcase in hand.
"Nami-swan did something happen?" Nami explained everything that happened. We needed to go get Usopp and then try and see if we can get the money that was stolen back. Usopp was probably feeling like shit right now and blaming himself a whole lot.
You all decided to go to the place where Nami left Usopp. When you guys arrived there was nobody there. However, there were blood marks on the concrete as well as some bloody puddles.
"Don't tell me he-" Zoro began.
"He probably tried to get the money back himself." You finished.
"A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a!" Luffy came flying through bouncing off the walls and into the water. Everything happened so fast and we couldn't process what happened until we started hearing.
"Help meeer." Luffy was drowning. Sanji quickly jumped into the water and saved Luffy. They both got out all wet with Luffy coughing up so much water. You tapped both the boys and they dried immediately. "Thanks Y/n-chwan." "Anytime."
Luffy was still all panicky and unsettled. "Guys we have a problem. Usopp got abducted and the money is gone."
"We know," Sanji said, "Usopp got beaten up and had the money stolen from him. He felt responsible and and went to fight the Franky family." There was a sense of urgency and we all went back to the ship. We left Nami to look after the ship together with Kuro and Shiro.
The rest of you guys took a walk to the Franky family's house. On the way you were met with the infuriating sight that was Usopp all beaten and battered left on the road side. Chopper got close to him to try and listen for a heart beat.
"Is he okay Chopper?"
"Although he's completely unconscious, he's still alive. He'll be okay I can save him." Chopper replied after he lifted his head of Usopp's chest.
"Just wait a bit Usopp we're gonna blow that stupid house away." Luffy said as he tilted his hat. Sanji lit his cigarette, Zoro tied his bandana, Chopper was fuming and in his human form while you got Adira out after a long time.
The situation had drastically changed, this had become personal. It wasn't about the money anymore, it was about treating a crewmate like trash. Someone who was basically family.
You all walked to the door of the house and Luffy kicked them down.
"That's....that's Mugiwara no Luffy." The man that spoke was as huge as the door and the doors were gigantic, he's peach afro swayed slightly from side to side as he walked closer and cloer towards Luffy.
"So you came back to get your money? See all the guys here? What do you think the five of you can do?"
"He's the captain of that weak long-nosed guy he can't be that strong."
"He's got a bounty so leave that head with us.."
"Canon!" Luffy had already finished with the huge guy and this made the rest loose their confidence. One of them even tried to negotiate
"Wait a sec you guys let's have a talk...Fire the canon balls!" Zoro sliced each and every canon ball that almost reached us.
"Let's escape through the back door. " "You started the fight don't act pathetic. Party table kick course."
"Horn point!" Even with all that Sanji and Chopper did they were still trying to escape. You weren't one for yelling out moves so you just struck a lightning bolt similar to Vaari at the door.
They were rather surprised to see lightning indoors.
"Wait you guys. The money, right?! You want the money back right?! The 200 million. Unfortunately the money isn't here so..." Luffy didn't even let him finish and he punched the guy while he was still talking.
"AHH! Zambai."
"You don't get it." Sanji said.
"This isn't about the money." You added.
"It's already too late." Zoro said.
"We'll beat you up so bad that not even your bones will remain." They had this special canon where they would put something in it and just launch any kind of object randomly. You guys then began to fight them off and it was going great.
You were slashing every which way and destroying objects as well as the bodies of the Franky family members. After all was done you were using one of the unconscious bodies as a couch.
"Shall we go look for Franky?" Sanji suggested.
"Where?" Zoro was curious and so were you. You placed your hand on the head of the guy you were sitting on but there wasn't anything much there.
"All they know is that Franky has really wanted to get this thing for a while and they had failed at trying to save up for whatever it was." You told those who were listening.
"Even if we strangle this Franky guy, if he already spent the money.."
"What do we do even if we wait here he won't come back right now."
Chopper who was a little ways away fixing up Usopp spoke. "I finished wrapping him, help me carry him."
"We need to go back to the ship we left Nami there and we still haven't found Robin." Sanji said.
Luffy who was sitting at the top of the pile that used to be the Franky family house also had something that he had to say.
"About the ship, I've made a decision. Let's say goodbye to the going Merry here."
We were all at the ship that we were soon going to leave waiting for Usopp to regain consciousness. Nami had remained safe the whole time which was great, you told Kuro to become as small as possible and go look for Robin and follow her slowly.
"Usopp. Woke up." Chopper said. We all climbed up and went to take a look at our companion who had all of us so worried.
"Is Robin even going to come back?"
"We were worried."
"Just because I'm so good for nothing I'm ashamed. I'm sorry guys we really needed that money and I..I.." Usopp was now crying at Zoro's feet holding onto his boots. You helped in calming him down before he was given a brief breakdown of what happened a few hours ago.
"Then as I thought the money won't come back."
" Well, we won't know for sure until this Franky guy comes back."
"I see... I'm sorry." Usopp apologized for what felt like the hundredth time in the span of a few minutes.
"We still have 100 million so it's okay." Luffy said trying to calm Usopp.
"Its not about money." Nami said kind of angry. You began to think that maybe she should have come with you guys to fight to get all that pent up stress out.
"So Luffy about the ship, can we somehow have her repaired with the remaining 100 million? We're lucky that we can have her repaired in such a first-class shipyard. For her to travel the seas ahead I'd like her to be stronger. I want her to be repaired perfectly so will 100 million be enough? Luffy?" Usopp had been rambling on about how he wanted the Going Merry to be fixed but he needed to know the truth about the final verdict.
"Eerr.. well. Usopp about the ship... I decided to get a new ship."
*Didn't sleep to write this :). Merry Christmas although I don't believe in holidays.