The weather had been fluctuating between Spring and Summer, and the sun is heavenly either way. Perfect for harvesting in Yukiko's case as she gathered the crops.
"We must be entering the next climate zone..." Yukiko said to herself as Pachi took Luffy's hat as a bed.
Again.
And Luffy chased the squirrel around the ship for it.
After Yukiko got the hat back for Luffy, his stomach growled.
"Hungry? How about some Sausage curry?" Yukiko asked.
"That sounds good! I'll have that!" Luffy cheers.
However when the ship rocks sharply. Arms appear and keep everyone steady, including the food.
"What the...what's going on out there?!" Nami exclaims.
"It seems like the ship has changed course." Robin answers, sipping her coffee.
"What?!" Nami springs to her feet and bursts out the door.
"Do you see an island?!" Luffy shouts to Nami, who's looking through her binoculars.
"Not really; just a lighthouse." She answers.
"What about the frog? Where did it go?" Luffy asks.
"Frog? What frog?" Yukiko asked.
"Like I'm telling you!" Nami retorts.
"It looks like it's heading towards the lighthouse." Robin says, making Nami flinch.
Yukiko squints and sees something swimming towards a lighthouse figure in the distance.
"Wait, that is a frog!" Yukiko said.
"Pach!"
"Frogs should be marinated in white wine to dissolve the mucus, then you cook them with flour and fry them up until crisp." Sanji says out of nowhere.
"Sanji, now's not the time!" Nami snaps.
"If the Captain says we're going after the frog, we don't have much choice in the matter." Robin says.
"Robin…" Nami whines.
"It may be a good idea. If I'm right, it's heading to land. It makes it easier for us." Yukiko said.
"Full speed ahead!" Luffy yells. "After that frog!"
"Aye!" The Merry follows the frog until they get closer to the lighthouse, and the frog leaps out of the water.
"Quick, don't let it get away!" Luffy yells. But then....
CRASH!
"What the heck was that?!" Nami exclaims.
"We must've run ashore or something." Usopp says.
Then the crew hears a strange ringing sound. "What's that?" Nami wonders.
But Yukiko was familiar with that sound.
"Is that, a train whistle?" She whispered.
Nami also caught on quickly.
"Full reverse!" She screams. "Turn full 180 degrees!"
"What the hell is that?!" Sanji yells as the train grows closer.
Everyone else panics and springs into action, Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and Chopper grabbing the oars. Luckily, the Merry slides off the tracks just in time, landing safely back in the ocean just as the train zooms by.
"That was close!" Luffy exclaims.
"That hunk of metal is trying to kill us!" Usopp cries.
'what on earth is a train doing in the middle of the ocean?' Yukiko thought.
"Is it a ship?" Chopper asks.
"No way; something that big and heavy shouldn't even be able to float!" Nami exclaims.
"Wait. You guys have never heard of a train?" Yukiko asks getting their attention.
"What's that?" Luffy asked.
"That is a train," Yukiko said pointing to the locimotive.. "It's form of transportation for goods, cargo, and even people. We have all kinds of trains back in my world, from old locomotives to bullet trains that can go over 60 miles an hour. But this is the first I've seen one on the sea. If I had to guess, the train tracks were what we hit down in the water." Yukiko said.
"Wow!" Luffy, Usopp and Chopper said amazed.
"GRANNY, GRANNY! PIRATES!" A little voice yells out. The crew all turn to see a little blonde girl with pigtails outside the little island near the tracks, with a little blue bunny beside her.
"Pirates?" A woozy voice calls out. "Better get the Transponder Snail, then!" A large blonde woman stumbles out the door, wearing what looks like a conductor's outfit. The little girl brings out a big transponder snail and the woman picks up the transceiver without even dialing, "Hello...who is this? ...Sorry, wrong number!" And she hangs up, making us all sweatdrop.
"She's totally drunk!" Usopp exclaims.
Though the crew was able to explain that we come in peace, Sanji sweetening the deal with some leftover potato paella and some of Yukiko's pokepuffs. The little girl introduces herself as Chimney, the bunny as their cat Gonbe (not gonna question that), and the older woman as Granny Kokoro. Nami asks for a bit more information about the train they just saw.
"It's a Sea Train called the Puffing Tom, the only one in the world, taking people, packages, and even ships from one island to another." Chimney said excited.
"Though you guys should be more careful!" Chimney says. "Didn't you hear the warning bells?"
"Oh, That's what that thing was for?" Usopp asks, pointing at the crossing sign. "To be honest, we never heard of a train until now."
"If we couldn't figure it out, that frog sure wouldn't either." Luffy adds. "That was really rude of you to run into him like that."
"Oh, you mean Yokuzuna?" Chimney asks. "Don't worry he's pretty tough; and this wasn't the first time he's challenged the train and lost. He's kind of a pain."
"Ooooh!" Luffy exclaims. "I thought that frog was just being stupid, but he was just being super manly!"
"Easy for you to say! You don't have to put up with him all the time!" Chimney exclaims.
"So, where are you heading next?" Granny Kokoro asks. "The train travels to a whole bunch of different islands around here."
Nami waves her hand, "Thanks, but we don't need to take the train since we have our own ship; we'll just follow the log."
"Where's it pointing to?" Chimney asks. "Somewhere east of here."
"In that case, we know where its going. Water 7." Granny says. "They call it the City of Water; they got lots of great shipyards and are always building new ships for the government and other customers."
Luffy grins, "I bet that means they have some awesome shipwrights over there!"
Granny scoffs, "Some? More like damn near all of them! That place is like a shipwright convention. In fact the best shipwrights in the world live there!"
"Then it's settled!" Luffy proclaims. "We're gonna find the best shipwright there and get them to join our crew!" Sounds like a plan to me!
Granny gives the crew a map of the city as well as a reference letter that we should give to someone named Iceberg. She also tells them that the Log won't reset for another week so they have plenty of time to hang around and explore as they get Merry all fixed up.
'I wonder if we'll be able to find someone crazy enough to sail with pirates, or even a group like us.' Yukiko thought.
'Water 7, here we come!'
----------
As Yukiko was in the Crow's Nest with Pachi, she spotted their destination.
Smiling, she calls out to the crew, "Land Ho, Water 7 dead ahead!" She said as everyone gets to the Upper deck.
The island gets bigger and our eyes widen as it becomes more clear. The place looks like it's one big city! And not only that; it looks like a giant fountain! There's water everywhere, creating canals all throughout the city! This is definitely the city of water!
-------------
The crew drops anchor and Zoro folds the sails, but pulls on the rope a bit too hard, making the top half of the mast bend dangerously.
"Are you trying to break the ship?!" Usopp shrieks.
"No! I just pulled the rope like I always do!" Zoro responds, before slowly pushing the mast back upright, "If the Merry's falling apart this easily we're lucky we made it this far!"
As Yukiko had Leota out with Pachi, Leota looked at the Merry figurehead with a sad look.
Yukiko noticed that as began to think.
'Leota used her visions to know what is in the future. If she is looking at Merry sadly......it's possible.........is Merry......?' Yukiko thought with worry.
Nami, Luffy, and Usopp decide to take the gold to be cashed in and talk to Iceberg about repairs, and soon they're heading off with the gold in tow. "Aw...looks like I missed my chance to go with them." Chopper whines.
"You can come with me, if you like." Robin offers.
Chopper lights up, "Can we go to a bookshop?"
"Sure." Robin replies.
"Ah, I'll stay here with Merry just in case. Is that alright?" Yukiko asked.
"Sure, we'll be back." Luffy said kissing Yukiko before he left.
Yukiko and Pachi went up on deck to Merry's figurehead.
Yukiko touched her head softly with a sad smile.
"What's the problem? You look worried." Zoro asked as he also stayed behind.
".............Leota, you see......she has the ability to see the future. She was looking at Merry sadly. She looked like she was gonna cry. Her species, Gothitelle, it's said if they see that their trainer's time will come, they cry in sadness. So..........." Yukiko said with a sad look.
Zoro didn't say anything.
He didn't have to.
-----------------------
Things are getting tense.