(A/N: No one probably cares, but to show how good of a relationship my sister and I have, these are characters who have the same relationship as she and I have: )
Mario and Luigi
Cuphead and Mugman
Dipper and Mabel
(Yeah, we're pretty cool, so this chapter is dedicated to her for no special reason)
(NOTE: The bolded letters for this chapter are the voices heard through a phone or recording)
We continued walking through the facilities, which were a confusing maze of bridges and sidewalks. The highest one we've been on yet was equivalent to the third floor of some nearby buildings.
Usopp, Zoro, Robin, and I were walking on one as high as the second story of a nearby building, while Luffy was on the ground level, one below us, with his new legs, of course.
"It seems we can't go around the lake. It's too large. We'll have to cross it." Robin said, getting to where we could see the edge of the lake.
"Alright, but the question is how?" Zoro asked as I stopped behind them.
"Hey, guys. Yeah, I think... I think I'm just going to lie down and die instead," Usopp panted, "I'm done."
"Snowcones!" We heard Luffy's voice a bridge or two below, and Usopp grimly watched him walk without a care in the world.
"Huh? Where'd you get all of this energy from? I'm melting."
"I scream! You scream! Snowcones!" [Luffy]
Quickly, I watched a shadow block out the view of Luffy, and watched Luffy's body dodge, seeing a crash, of the shadow holding something.
We were standing on the bridge, and facing this newfound fight scene. Luffy was facing us, a safe distance away from whoever just attacked him, who had his back to us. We were elevated, but they were on the ground.
"What the- Who are you?" Luffy asked.
Once the dust settled, I heard and saw the man who attacked Luffy, "I am your worst enemy, intruder!" I couldn't see his face, but I clearly saw his body. He was a Centaur. An actual one. Not makeshift like fluffy. He had a leopard print on and a dark blue bandana over the top of his head.
"Those legs! Where did you... get them?" [Luffy and Centaur]
Luffy and this centaur got along faster than I could snap. They wrapped an arm around each other and started complimenting each other's second pair of legs.
I could see the centaur's face now. He had large arms and legs, being very muscular, and very tan, along with a large blonde beard.
"Oh! Sorry friend. I was searching for intruders and I hadn't seen you before, so I got carried away!' The centaur apologized.
"No big deal! I forgive you!" Luffy smiled brightly, putting his hands behind his head.
'Good thing Luffy's so stupid, or he would've given away that he is an intruder.'
They kept gawking about one another's legs until Luffy's legs spoke, and they gawked about that.
Robin, Zoro, Usopp, and I moved closer to the bridge we were on to have a better look, and I realize now that the man had a shirt that was leopard print, and his legs, were the legs of a leopard! They had white paws and everything!
"Oh, great. Now he's gonna ask that freakshow to join the crew." Zoro grumbled.
"A... leopard centaur?" Usopp asked.
Luffy and the centaur kept talking, then racing, and Zoro made an audible grumble, getting our attention, "Come on. This is boring."
"I agree, but if that guy is looking for intruders, it's best he doesn't see us," I pointed out, and he gave me a look.
I glanced behind me, as did he, to hear Usopp yelling about how everyone was gone. Not only was I watching him, but I was also keeping an eye out for the Bird Lady I saw from before. That was scary, and I want to make sure I don't cross paths with her ever again!
I went back to watching Luffy and the leopard man, as did Zoro because Luffy was beaten in a race.
"Haha! Well, your legs aren't built for running like mine!" The centaur bragged.
"Okay! Round two, C'mon!" luffy cheered.
"Kay, suit yourself, but-" The man said, before he paused, and pulled out-
"A transponder snail?" I said quietly, and Zoro and I watched carefully.
"Hello?" [Leopard man]
"What the hell are you doing?" [???]
"Sorry. I can't find them. Are you sure the intruders are nearby? I got nothing." [Leopard man]
'So they know we're here.'
I noticed Zoro walk towards Robin and Usopp, but I kept my eyes on the conversation.
"There's a guy, though. He's got talking legs, but he's one of us- [Leopard Man]
"No, he's not, you moron!" [???]
The Leopard Man gasped, and lowered his Transponder snail to look at Luffy, who was heading down the stairs they raced up, "Something wrong? I'm ready to do this!"
"What?" the Leopard Man's eyes practically bulged out of his head. The leopard man immediately took out his club again and was swinging at Luffy, who was effortlessly dodging, "Think you can trick me, do you?"
Luffy kicked him down and got mad, saying how they were friends a second ago.
A man, which I wasn't expecting, ran up behind Luffy and aimed at attacking him with a sword.
It was another centaur, but this time, he had giraffe legs and was incredibly tall.
Hands appeared all over the giraffe man and cracked his entire body. I glanced to see Luffy still watching the man who he was racing. He turned, as if not knowing he was there, as the giraffe man fell, dropping a transponder snail.
We joined Luffy on the ground level, as the volcano erupted again, making Usopp and I flinch.
"I guess there are all kinds of centaurs out there, huh? That's funny." [Luffy]
"It is not funny! These guys are monsters and they're trying to kill you!" [Usopp]
"What happened with your friend?" [Robin]
Luffy mentioned he answered a transponder snail, and it reminded me, so I went and picked it up, coming back over, "You mean this one?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, that's it!" Luffy smiled and pointed, as I examined it.
"It says "CC" on it," I noted, the large black lettering standing out on the yellow snail shell.
"So, they; 're not just free-roaming magical creatures, they're part of some organization," Usopp said, taking it from my hand and showing everyone.
"CC?" [Zoro]
"Well, that's lame." [Luffy]
"What's worse, is even if we tried to get out of here, the Sunny is gone." [Usopp]
"WHAT?!" I cried and looked at him.
He explained to me that the transponder snail he got a second ago was Brook, and he was alone on the Sunny, and he was somewhere cold and snowy. He saw some guys in matching masks and defeated them before asking any questions.
"So, all we can do now is go to the frozen side of this island and find Brook. I think that's our best chance." [(Y/N)]
"Chopper. Sanji. Nami. Franky. We've lost them all!" [Usopp]
"It is troubling. They were all taken by those men in masks. If they're passed out, the enemy could kill them at any time they like." [Robin]
"Don't say that!" [Usopp and (Y/N)]
"What a mess. We did this all wrong. Everything's happening on the frozen side." [Zoro]
"We did fine! I got to eat that big dragon! And I got to meet Dr. Legingston, too." [Luffy]
"Did you say, Legingston?" [Zoro]
"That's what I named my new back legs!" [Luffy]
"Poot! I have no idea what's going on right now! There seems to have been a fight!" [Legs]
"Sop what's next, legs?" [Zoro]
"We were going to the other side anyway, so nothing really changed if you ask me. Rescue, then snowcones." [Luffy]
"Forget the snowcones, it's a rescue mission! And since I can't run away, I guess I'm gonna fight!" [Usopp]
"Well. I hope they sell warm coats over there." [Robin]
"More likely, we'll just freeze to death... it was nice knowing you." [Usopp]
~~Somewhere else~~
"Hello? I'm Monkey D. Luffy! And I'm gonna be King of the Pirates–" [Luffy]
"You said too much too soon!" [Usopp]
"Hello? Is anyone there?" [(Y/N)]
The New Warlord's face flinched at the familiar voices.
"Agh! Someone help!" [Man]
"Wh-what happened?" [(Y/N)]
"Please, it's cold! We need Boss!" [Man]
"Th-this isn't the Boss. It's cold?" [(Y/N)]
"My friends are getting cut down one after another! The samurai is gonna kill us!" [Man]
"What's your name?! Where are you?!" [(Y/N)]
"Please hurry! We're on the island of... Punk Hazard! We don't have much time left!" [Man]
The sounds of the man's screams were heard through the recording on the transponder snail.
"He said it was cold and named the island. Given those facts, it's almost undeniable that the signal was sent from here on Punk Hazard." [Tashigi]
"And you've met the Straw Hats before, haven't you?" [Smoker]
"Two years ago, during an incident involving the Roswalds, a Celestial Dragon Family, you, Luffy, and Kid fought together. We know what happened at the War of the Best, too. Straw Hat Luffy and Red Wood (Y/N) escaped Akainu's clutches, and you helped them." [Smoker]
"All right, then. What now? I happen to know you, Marines, pretty good at faking those distress signals." [Law]
"If you're suggesting this is a trap we set, I'm sorry to say you're wrong." [Smoker]
"Is that so? Well sorry, I have no more information for ya." [Law]
"You and I both know that's bull crap. Now I wanna see what's inside that lab." [Smoker]
"It's my vacation home, that's all. So beat it. You abandoned this place, so why can't a pirate come to relax? I don't see anybody else around. And if Straw Hat does show up, I'll behead him for ya. If there's nothing else, get lost." [Law]
~~Back With (Y/N)~~
"Uh... Luffy. Take a good, long look at this lake. Are you sure you wanna cross it?" Usopp asked as we all examined the lake, getting the nicest breeze we'd felt in a while.
Everyone had their original clothes back on, as the breeze was coming from the weather on the other side. It looks like strong winds are blowing some snow around. Half of the lake on the snowy side was iced over, and the further towards us you got, the redder the water looked, the more the ice melted, and the more apparent the flames were.
"Uh-huh!" Luffy said, crossing his arms. Naming everyone across the line from left to right, facing our backs were Robin, Luffy, Usopp, Myself, and Zoro.
"You gotta be kiddin' me!" Usopp whined, waving his arms around, "It's going to be impossible to get across that thing! Half's on fire, the other half's frozen!"
"Then the temperature of the water should be perfect." Zoro said, his arms crossed as well, "Let's swim."
Usopp gasped, "You're crazy!"
"Robin, (Y/N) and I can't get wet, so you know what to do," Luffy said cheerfully, him and Robin smiling large smiles.
"Are you trying to imply that we should carry you across?!" Usopp barked, "Surely you can't be serious."
"..." [Robin]
"..." [Luffy]
"Stop looking at me like that!" [Usopp]
"Please, do you really think Zoro's gonna agree to" [Usopp]
"Aw, crap, he's already stretching for it." [Usopp]
Luffy chuckled.
I looked to Usopp, who looked back, "If we don't cross it, we'll have to go all the way around. Maybe I could make a boat, though I don't know how well my wood will fare on the fireside." I said, hesitant to even test the water.
He gave me a pleading look and I sighed, "Alright, lemme see what I can do."
I kneeled down next to the edge of the lake and focused hard. I tried to make something similar to the Mini Merry, with enough seats for us all, but it was difficult to imagine since that was my first time in it, so I made a large-looking canoe but with more stability, similar to the Mini Merry.
"...It looks like a banana." [Usopp]
"Don't judge my work!" I hit him in the back of the head.
"Ha! Woah, a boat! This is awesome, (Y/N)!" Luffy cheered as he jumped inside, making ripples.
"Here," Usopp said, and used an attack from his bag, sprouting some plants that look like oars, "We can use this fan grass as oars!" he said, proud of himself.
'I could've just made some, but I'll let him have his moment.'
"You've got so many different seeds now. How nice!" Robin smiled, and Usopp smirked confidently.
Usopp was talking about how he survived on the Bowin islands with these plants and was laughing maniacly, as Zoro held his hand out for me to get on. Luffy called for Usopp, and he pushed us off.
I made some poor benches and holes for the paddles, and we all had a paddle. Luffy was on the front of a boat, paddle in hand, but only waving it in the air, pointing to the other side. I was on Robin's right in the back of the boat, Usopp was in front of Robin, facing her, and Zoro facing me.
The wind was stronger on the water and it was difficult to keep the boat straight. Robin explained that the temperature difference is causing it.
"Look, the water's boiling!" [(Y/N)]
"See? If we'd have tried to swim across, we'd be poached pirates!" [Usopp]
"Can't you row any faster?" [Luffy]
"Why don't you try helping us, ya bum!" [Usopp]
"Come back here!" We heard from the place we just left, and the water raged when a bolder barely missed the boat.
"Not that centaur again!" Zoro complained. Robin and I had our backs to the centaur.
The water rocked to sard, and Luffy landed between the four of us, standing, and called to the centaur, saying "Hey! Lemme guess, you changed your mind and decided to join us?"
"Would you quit recruiting folks, Luffy?!" Zoro barked.
"Yeah, it's not like we need any more strange creatures joining the crew!" Usopp did the same.
We were probably halfway across the lake when the centaur from before blew a strange-sounding horn.
"A horn?" Robin asked as Luffy went behind us, leaning off the back of the boat, and Zoro was standing.
"Now, Boss!" [leopard guy]
"Boss?" [Zoro]
"The guy on the snail! He said something about a boss, too." [(Y/N)]
"Finish off the intruders! They're headed right for you!" [Leopard Centaur]
"Look at the shore on the other side." Robin pointed out, and we turned to see shadowy figures standing there.
Luffy was between the four of us again, Zoro had turned fully, and Usopp turned his head. Now we were all facing the frozen shore where multiple large shadows and one incredibly large shadow stood.
"Guess that's the boss." [Zoro]
"The distress signal was meant for him? If that's the case, we don't have anything to worry about! This "Boss" Guy's got bigger problems to deal with than us washing ashore." [Usopp]
"Then prepare yourselves, scoundrels! 'Cause Brownbeard's gonna kick your asses all the way to hell!" The big guy yelled. He was exactly as his name described, His large brown beard was braided into three parts and he had a classic pirate hat and a sword over his shoulder, with a large coat covering his body, and once we got closer, we realized that they were all centaurs, as Luffy generously pointed out.
Luffy asked about them joining the crew and Usopp pointed out that they want to end us.
"Do you think these guys could be friends with the person who sent the distress signal?" [(Y/N)]
"Hey, how are ya? We're not here to cause trouble, we're just here to help!" Usopp assured, calling to the centaurs on the other island, "So, whaddya say we talk this out?"
"You're lyin' through yer teeth, you scallywag!" Brownbeard yelled, or at least who I'm assuming is Brownbeard, "It's obvious you're lookin' for a fight! Why else would you've brought that samurai with you?"
"Wait, what samurai?" [Usopp]
"Hm?" [Zoro]
"Hey, I think he's talking about you!" [usopp]
"Who, this guy? He's not a samurai, he's a swordsman! I promise you, he's not nearly as tough as he seems! I mean, sure, he's a big, dumb meathead and he gets violent sometimes, but he's not a murderer or anything!" [Usopp]
"Did you really just call me a "dumb meathead"?!" [Zoro]
"Oh no! Someone help, he's gonna murder me! It was a mistake!" [Usopp]
"--Would you shut it!" [Zoro]
"AHH!" [Usopp]
As they were arguing, someone shot something our way, and it exploded over us, only because Zoro was able to cut it quickly. When the smoke of the explosion cleared, they sent many more, and Luffy used a Gum-Gum balloon and sent them back.
They prepared to shoot another round, but Robin told us they were aiming at the water, and they plan to sink our boat. They fired and low and behold, the boat went crazy. Luffy was holding onto the front, Usopp the back, and the rest of us on the walls.
Robin told us to get behind the icebergs, and we all paddled so fast from fear, we were out of breath. We were practically moving at the same pace a motor would take us.
The centaurs didn't stop shooting and the iceberg shattered under the pressure of the shells.
We were rocking around like crazy on the waters, and I was trying to think of a way to stop us from being sunk or to get us to safety.
"Come on, let's turn back!" [Usopp]
"Like I would ever do that, Usopp!" [Luffy]
"Go forward!" [Luffy]
"Oh, I'm sorry, did you not notice the nonstop gunfire?!" As Usopp yelled this, a nearby shell almost made Luffy lose his foothold, and I wrapped a trunk of wood around his waist, it connected to my hand, and Usopp pointed at Luffy, after being sure he wouldn't fall, "I told you, we're this close to sinking to a watery death!"
"You'll never escape the wrath of Brownbeard, you fools!" [brownbeard]
"Huh? The Wrath of who, now?" [Luffy]
"Don't play dumb with me!" Anger was clearly written in his voice, "I'm the former pirate with a bounty of over 80 million berries! The Mighty Brownbeard! Did you hear that?! Brownbeard!" he spelled it out, "Make no mistake, boy!"
'I think more than half of us trump that bounty...'
Luffy looked back at us. Zoro yawned and Usopp waved his hand as if saying 'don't bother'.
"I've never heard of ya!" [Luffy]
This "Boss" guy seemed broken after Luffy said that. He took someone's gun, which was about the size of the canon, and shot at us, successfully hitting and knocking the boat into the air and upside down.
We collided with the icy cold water, and I held my breath as best I could, desperately swimming for the surface, but only sinking lower.
While I was still able to move, I watched the other members fall and the boat head straight for the ocean floor. I coughed, and lost the ability to move freely, when I felt a tug on my wrist, and someone holding me.
I heard water moving, then multiple familiar voices gasping for air. I shakily opened my eyes and took a deep breath in as well. Usopp had saved Robin, holding her over his shoulder to where her head was behind him, and Zoro saved Luffy and me, although he was definitely kinder to me.
He had me over his shoulder, and his arm wrapped tightly around my waist, where my head was at his front, opposite of Robin, while he just had his hand firmly on the corner of Luffy's mouth.
"This blows," Zoro panted.
"Man, I'm really tired now." Luffy groggily said.
"This is all your fault, Luffy." Usopp grumbled, his voice quivering, "We coulda gotten away. But no, you just had to keep on pushing his buttons, didn't you? Oh doh! I cad eeben tahk dow."
"I'm sorry. Oh well, I guess they won't join the crew after all." [Luffy]
"Now, finish them off!" Brownbeard's voice rang out, and Zoro tightened his grip, on me and Luffy, as we all looked to the shore, to see the former pirate raising his sword.
"Now here's what we'll do," Zoro said and Usopp quivered, "You stay and keep them from drowning. I'll get slicing. Be right back." Zoro sounded angry as he handed me and Luffy off. Usopp held me over his other shoulder, though still facing forward. He wrapped his arm around Robin's legs tightly, then used that hand to hold the corner of Luffy's mouth.
"B-B-Bake it quick, I duddo how log I-"
"It'll just take a sec–"
Before Zoro could finish, he was pulled underwater by something unknown, and I gasped. Usopp leaned forward and looked in the water, allowing me to as well. We both brought out heads back up and screamed.
"Sharks!" [(Y/N)]
"Hey! Why are there sharks in here?!" [Usopp]
One had grabbed Zoro by the torso and carried him off, and Brownbeard laughed, "It's simple! That's not a lake it's a sea!"
I couldn't hear much of what he said, but basically, there was some battle between Aokiji and Akainu, and it was so impressive, it made this place, which explains why it has no magnetic field.
"No! Don't get eaten, Zoro!" Usopp called, "Also, hurry! I'm cold!"
Brownbeard called for his men to aim, "There's nowhere for them to go!" he called.
"Hate to say it but he's right!" Usopp cried, "After all the crazy crap I've lived through, this is gonna be what kills me?!"
Usopp started swimming as best he could while holding three people, and we heard Brownbeard yell Fire, and the guns did go off, but I felt nothing, and Usopp kept swimming. Usopp and I looked over to see all of the men besides the boss had fallen over.
"My soldiers! What just happened to them?" Brownbeard yelled.
"Usopp gasped, "I think I know!"
He swam faster to the side and helped us onto a flat ledge of an iceberg, and when I looked back, the sharks were floating on the water, either unconscious or dead.
Zoro surfaced and took a deep breath, and I helped him onto the iceberg, where we climbed to the top. The snow after getting out of the ice-cold water was almost unbearable. I bet these guys have coats we could borrow, right?
"I'm sure the others have already been devoured by the sharks! See? You were too late!" [Brownbeard]
"H-Huh? Did they beat up the sharks? What? Where did those wretched pirates go?" [Brownbeard]
"Right here!" [Luffy]
"Huh?" [Brownbeard]
"This is a pleasant surprise, Brook." [Robin]
"Yohoho! It's so good to see you all! Who knew running from that terrifying ghost would lead me directly to where you guys were?" [Brook]
"Centaurs, dragons, sharks. I don't care what this island throws at us. You shoulda run while you had the chance, 'cause you sure as hell can't stop us!" [Zoro]
"Huh?!" [Brownbeard]
"B-But this damn w-weather, that a-another thing!" Zoro shivered, wrapping his arms to his chest, "I-I can; 't cut that with my s-sword!"
"It's freezing! I can barely walk!" [Luffy]
"I told you guys, don't you remember? "We can't just go to the cold side like this", I said, but no!" [Usopp]
"Hey, look over there. If you ask me, we got lucky. R-Running into them was the best thing that could have happened." [(Y/N)]
"Good thinking, (Y/N). I call the fourth guy from the right." [Zoro]
"Yeah, nice one. I'll take the guy next to him." [Luffy]
"Alright, let me see. The girl on the far left will do nicely." [Robin]
All three of them laughed an evil one, and spoke at the same time, "Those coats look nice and warm!"
"All right, good idea, but please get me one, too!" [usopp]
Brownbeard then recognized Luffy with a 400 million berry bounty.
"Mil Fleur, go!" Robin yelled with her shaky arms in front of her chest.
Robin used her large hands to grab two people, one being the girl she pointed out, with the pink and purple jacket. Luffy stretched his arm and grabbed the guy he pointed out as well, "Gimmie your clothes, animal people!"
"You freaks aren't gonna make this difficult, are you? I'd rather not have to hurt you too badly!" Zoro said, now on the shore with the centaurs.
Luffy and Zoro took care of everyone as Robin helped Usopp and me down to the shore as well.
'At least we won't die. That's a start...'
(A/N: Y'all, I'm not a Law simp, but his English voice is kinda...😯)