(Y/N) sat in Franky's lap as they sat around a small table with Sanji, Robin, Nami. (Y/N) sipped on her tea, listening to Luffy, Usopp, Chopper and Brook complain about not being able to catch any fish. Luffy leaned back to look at his navigator. "Ughh Nami! Are we there yet? I wanna be on Fish-Man Island right nowww."
Nami grew irritated by her captain's childish demands, the navigator whipped her head around to Luffy. "Could you shut up for five minutes?! We're getting closer. That's good enough, okay?"
(Y/N)'s peaceful enjoyment of tea was irrupted by Sanji fanboying about the mermaids on Fish-Man Island. The woman huffed in irritation, setting down her tea before leaning back of Franky's chest. "Is something bothering you?" Franky looked down at the woman in his lap.
(Y/N) crossed her arms, sighing in frustration. "I don't know why, but I'm extra pissed today. It's like something has ticked me off."
"Maybe someone you despise is speaking about you." Robin set her cup down on the table. "It's only superstition, but many believe a person can feel when they are being thought about by someone they are close too."
"Not sure I believe that, but if it's true. Whoever it is needs to shut up because they're making me moody." (Y/N) huffed again making Robin giggle.
Nami stood up, walking to the railing where the boys sat. Chopper offered the navigator his fishing net, but Nami ignored him. Concern lingered in her voice as she spoke. "I'm not sure, but something feels off here."
Luffy screamed about the fish they spotted swimming away. "That looks bad." Zoro spoke up making his crew turn to him. (Y/N) traced the direction of his gaze up to see thunder clouds forming overhead.
"You're kidding me.." Nami stared at the clouds in concern. Usopp quickly yelled at the navigator for scaring him and demanded to know what she's thinking. Nami yelled in concern as the sky darkened. "It's a sea snake current!"
(Y/N) quickly stood up, running to the railing. "Oh shit. She's right. Everyone! Get ready!!" (Y/N) pulled the boys off the railing and onto the deck as the ocean's waves began to spiral into the air. Usopp, Zoro and Franky spoke up in disbelief from the current before them. (Y/N) confirmed their fears. "Those are deadly if we get caught up in them. I've seen them wiped out ships left and right."
Nami quickly ordered Sanji to get them out of these waters, but the cook yelled back that the helm wouldn't steer. The sea snakes began to loom over the Sunny, forcing the crew to protect their ship. Zoro leaped into the air, slicing a wave back down to the ocean. Franky used his Weapons Left on a second one while (Y/N) flew up to a third sea snake, sending a powerful thrust of air with the sickles through the wave. The (h/c) haired woman landed back on board, holding her Air Umbrella up as sea water soon poured upon her. Zoro huffed a bit before turning to Sanji. "Hey! What are you doing up there?! You forget how to steer the ship?!!"
"Shut up! It's not my fault!! Don't run into a lot of snake shaped tidal waves in the kitchen!" Sanji yelled back at the swordsman.
Soon after, Luffy could be heard using his Gum-Gum Pistol attack on a wave. Sea water poured down on the captain making (Y/N) gasp. 'He's a devil fruit user... What the hell was he thinking?!' (Y/N)'s thoughts were interrupted by another sea snake over head. Thankfully, Brook was able to swiftly take care of it. (Y/N) formed her umbrella once more as water poured down upon them. "I trust no one is injured?" Brook questioned his crew mates, but was relieved to see everyone okay. "The term 'slippery as a snake' certainly applied to the current situation. Current, ya get it? Cause water. Yohohoho!"
"You did not just throw out a dad pun in a time like this." (Y/N) facepalmed from her crew mate's words. Usopp yelled at the two to stop yapping and protect them. (Y/N) rolled her eyes at the long nose before sky leaping up to another sea snake. The woman held her hand up the wave, pushing air against it to force the wave back into the ocean. (Y/N) spun in the air, sending a large thrust of air from her leg to kick down another sea snake before landed back on the grass deck. "How the hell are we getting out of this one?" The woman questioned her crew mates.
"Think we can fly out of here with a Coup de Burst?" Franky questioned back making Usopp happily agree.
Nami shot down the idea. "I can't see an end to these currents. In other words, even if the Sunny takes to the sky... There's no escape for us!"
"NOOO WHYY?!!" Chopper cried out in fear.
"Yohohoho! Shall I play a song for everyone?" (Y/N) looked over at Brook in confusion from his words. "In times like these, one must remember that no matter how terrible the storm it will eventually pass. So I'll play some music to see us through and you can sing along!"
Luffy giggles at the thought. "Sounds good, Brook! Let's do it!" Just as Brook prepared to start playing, the Sunny began to shake. (Y/N) caught the falling skeleton, helping him stand upright. Luffy looked down the ocean before him. "Are we going up?!"
The Sunny was set flying into the air from a huge sea snake below the ship. Robin called out for Chopper making (Y/N) turn to see the doctor flying off the ship. "I got him!" The (h/c) haired woman sonic boomed off the Sunny, catching the reindeer in her arms before he could hit the ocean.
"I.. thought I was done for!" Chopper cried into (Y/N)'s chest as the two flew back to the Sunny. (Y/N) joined the others on the upper deck, gently laying Chopper on the ground. The woman huffed lightly as she sat deck, next to the reindeer. 'I need to work on my stamina and endurance if I'm going to be flying like this.' Nami pointed out something in front of the Sunny making (Y/N) stand up. Her (h/c) eyes widened in shock when she saw something she longed to see again for years. Luffy smiled brightly at the sight. "I see it! We're there! It's the Red Line!"
"It really is the Red Line!!" Usopp yelled out.
(Y/N) smiled brightly. "We've finally made it."
"Remember? There was a terrible storm last time too." Sanji reminded the crew mates that came from the East Blue of the beginning of their adventure.
"We can do this you guys!" Luffy smiled brightly as a gigantic sea snake emerged before the crew. "It's big!!"
(Y/N) took held onto the handles of her sickles as Nami called out for Sanji to ride the wave. Franky quickly yelled at his navigator, calling her insane. "Don't worry about it! We did the same thing when we went to Skypiea and we turned out just fine!" Nami yelled back.
"Oh yeah. The Knock Up Steam, right?" Sanji smirked at the gigantic wave in front of them.
Luffy giggled, holding his straw hat on his head as he talked about how much fun that stream was. Chopper quickly yelled at his captain, reminding him how it was truly terrifying. "We've survived that, we can survive this too!" Usopp quickly stated as the Sunny rode the gigantic sea snake.
"Time to fly! Pull in the sails!" Nami ordered her crew. (Y/N) and Brook quickly leaped onto the foremast before simultaneously pulling in their ends of the sails up.
"You ready?!" Franky called out from the helm. "Coup... de BURST!!" The Sunny was sent flying into the sky at tremendous speeds.
(Y/N) smiled at the view, but stumbled forward when the Sunny hit the ocean. "Whew. That was one wild ride."
"Yeah.. well. I wasn't scared." Usopp attempted to act 'cool' making (Y/N) roll her eyes and giggle at the long nose.
"We're here." Luffy spoke up making (Y/N) turn her attention to the Red Line. "WE'RE FINALLY HERE! WE MADE IT!!"
Chopper looked up at the gigantic stone wall in shock. "I can't even see the top. It's huge! So this is the Red Line."
"It's beautiful." (Y/N) smiled brightly at the sight.
"It's strange. Feels sorta nostalgic. I'm getting a bit chocked up." Nami smiled up at the Red Line.
Zoro wore a grin on his face. "It hasn't been that long since we last saw this, but I feel like we've grown up."
"I can't seem to stop crying... Guess a lots happened huh?" Usopp sniffled, holding his hand over his eyes.
Luffy giggled at his crew mates. "Anyway. We're half way there. The Twin Capes where we met Laboon are connected to the Red Line on the other side of the world. We're had some close calls, but I'm glad we made it this far without losing anybody."
"When I was a baby, I came to the South Blue down reverse mountain. But that was well over thirty years ago. Red Line means a lot more to me this time." Franky smiled at the sight before him.
"I came from the West Blue to this ocean five years ago, but it seems like forever now." Robin added in.
(Y/N) put her hands on her hips. "The last time I saw the Red Line, I never made it past the Calm Belt. That was four years ago and now here, we meet again."
"If we keep this up and sail around the rest of the world, we'll come to this wall one more time. And when we do... I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!!" Luffy grinned from ear to ear.
"We have to be extra careful from here on out. We're right next to the holy land of Mary Geoise, home of Navy Headquarters and the World Government." Nami quickly explained making (Y/N) grow anxious.
Her concerns were stolen by a certain swordsman heading up the the gym. (Y/N) followed after him, hesitating a few minutes before opening the latch. "Zoro?" (Y/N) looked up in amazement to see the swordsman doing weighted handstands with extremely large weights.
Zoro grunted in pain, not looking up at the woman in front of him. "What? Are you here to train?"
"I wouldn't mind, but I need to talk with you first." (Y/N) spoke with concern in her voice making the swordsman stop and slowly put down his weights. (Y/N) sat on the ground, Zoro returning the gesture in front of her. "I know what you've been thinking lately." Zoro's gazed down the woman, but (Y/N) didn't falter as she locked her eyes with his. The swordsman 'tsk'ed in response as (Y/N) continued. "You've been thinking about what happened as much as I. Yesterday, I chose to rest because of my exhaustion but you pushed through it. I'm not applauding your behavior, in fact I'm scolding it." Zoro was about to speak, but (Y/N) cut him off. "Let me finish... You are putting yourself through hell because you believe you need to. Getting stronger is one thing, recovering from that living nightmare we experienced is another. What I'm trying to saw is, give yourself a break. I can't sit by and watch to slowly kill yourself."
"You think that's what I'm doing? Slowly killing myself?" Zoro glared down the woman.
"That's exactly what you're doing! You have yet to give yourself proper rest."
"I've rested plenty of times."
"Mental rest, Zoro!!" Silence ran in the room for a few moments before (Y/N) sighed, looking away from the swordsman. "I can only imagine how you must feel. Especially when you allowed me to take in Luffy's pain along side you. I don't regret what I did, but I can sense you do. Not for the damage dealt on your own body, but to mine... I can only ask for you to forgive not only me, but yourself. You didn't cause my pain. You never caused anyone's pain, but.." (Y/N)'s eyes began to water. "I can tell you blame yourself for what happened. I can't have you doing that any longer! It hurts too muc—"
(Y/N) was cut off by Zoro kissing her lips. Her (e/c) eyes widened from the kiss, but she didn't pull away as she eyes softened. The kiss lingered for a few moments before the swordsman finally pulled away, still holding her face in his hand. "That was a bit direct, but I wanted to show you my gratitude."
(Y/N) placed her hand over his. "You call a romantic gesture like that, showing gratitude?"
Zoro lightly blushed. "Well um.."
"No. I get it. We've been though a lot together these last few days. I've begun to see you in a different light myself." (Y/N) softly smiled at her swordsman, light blush ran across her cheeks as she let go of Zoro's hand.
Zoro lightly sighed, blush growing on his face. "Let's keep this between us, okay?"
"Absolutely. Just so you know, I'm not ready for a relationship right now... I saw the kiss as a gesture of endearment, nothing more." (Y/N) calmly stated back to the swordsman.
Zoro nodded his head, rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke. "Back to what you were saying before, I understand what you meant. I can't promise anything, but I'll do my best to take it easy."
"Thank you. That's exactly what I wanted to hear." (Y/N) smiled at the swordsman before standing up. "I'll see you in a few?"
"Yeah." Zoro waved (Y/N) off as the woman left the gym.
'Zoro just kissed me? Zoro just kissed me!! ZORO JUST KISSED ME?!!!' (Y/N) flew down the gyms ladder to the ground. 'Oh my goodness. It was so hard to act cool and like nothing just happened, but he really just kissed me... ON THE LIPS?!!' (Y/N) crotched down, holding her red hot face in her hands. (Y/N)'s attention was stolen by Nami's yells. "YOU WANT A MONSTER! I'LL SHOW YOU ONE!!"
(Y/N) peaked around the foremast to see Franky, Chopper, Nami and Usopp sitting around the small table with a transponder snail. 'Shittt please face stop being red. I need to calm down. Think about kittens.. sweet, little, adorable kitt—" (Y/N)'s thoughts were cut off by Usopp calling out to her. "Hey, (Y/N)! Whatcha doing over there?." (Y/N) peaked around the foremast to see all four of her crew mates staring at her in confusion. 'Awe fuck they saw me.'
(Y/N) deeply sighed, walking up to her crew. "Heyyy what are you guys up too?" The woman gave her crew finger guns. Franky tilted his head at the woman, making (Y/N) awkwardly look away from him. Nami explained Luffy, Robin and Brook went into the Shark Submerge to see if they could find anyway through the Red Line. (Y/N) nodded, sitting down between Usopp and Chopper.
Brook's voice was heard through the transponder snail. "That's odd. I don't imagine its suppose to make that creaking noise."
"Oh no. That's bad. I'm afraid, we already past five thousand meters." Robin's voice was heard next. Brook calmly stated that's must be what's was causing the creaking noises before screaming in fear about the sub potentially being crushed.
"Hey! It's that monster again! I think he likes us." Luffy's voice came through, followed by Robin. "My. What big teeth he has." Brook's screams of fear and Luffy's laughter were heard soon after.
"So are they in trouble or not?!" Franky sassed the situation. Chopper and Usopp body agreed to never ride in the sub.
(Y/N) facepalmed in defeat. "Who's big idea was it to let Luffy go down there, again?"
"Luffy's." The four said in unison.
"I should have known." (Y/N) rubbed her temples in frustration.
"Nami~swan!! (Y/N)~dear!!" Sanji came twirling out of Aquarium Bar to the women. "I made a couple of tarts with horror pears I've found on Thriller Bark. It sounds scary, but I promise it's yummy!!" The cook placed the sweets in front of the girls.
"Ooo I can't wait to try it!" Nami explained, (Y/N) added in. "It looks yummy! I never had a tart before. Thank you, Sanji!"
The Straw Hats listen to their crew mates on the other end of the transponder snail scream and laugh about a sea monster. "This really is a mess, huh?" Nami questioned. (Y/N) nodded her head in agreement as the two ate a bite of their tarts. "Wow that's yummy!!" The girls said in unison as boys behind them cheered praises for the desert.
Sanji looked down at the ground for a few seconds. "I though we knew where we were going, but it's like Skypiea all over."
"No kidding." Nami looked at her log pose with worry in her eyes. "Even if we know which direction to go, that doesn't tell us how to get there. Give me a break, Fish-Man Island. Where are you?"
(Y/N) placed a her hand on Nami's shoulder. "Hey, it'll work out like it always does. Let's just be a patient, okay?"
Just as (Y/N) said that, the Shark Submerge surfaced. "We're baackk!!" Luffy called out followed by Brook's laughter. Nami went over to discuss with the three on the Shark Submerge.
(Y/N) felt someone come up behind her, but she didn't turn to face them. "What happened up there with Zoro?" Franky softly spoke in her ear making (Y/N) lightly blush.
"Nothing." (Y/N) whispered back.
"Oh yeah sure. I've seen that look in your eyes before. Something definitely happened." Franky chuckled before standing upright. "And you'll talk, one of these days." (Y/N) waved off the cyborg and was about to give him a smart ass reply, but was halted by a giant sea monster emerging from the water.
"AHHH!! WOAHHH ITS A MONSTER!!" Luffy screamed out, his eyes popping out of his skull. Brook joined his screaming. "IT FOLLOWED USSS!!"
(Y/N) gasped in fear and awe at the sight of the beast. The sea monster screeched at the crew as Luffy hopped on Sunny's head. The captain cockily grinned up at the beast. "Huh. If you think you can beat me out of the water, you're in for a surprise!" The beast bared his fangs at the captain as Luffy prepared his Gum-Gum Rifle attack. The punch was a direct hit into the beast's stomach making it groan in pain and fall back towards the ocean.
"You know what. It doesn't seem all that big." Usopp crossed his arms, looking up at the defeated sea monster, Chopper added in. "We did just fight Oars. Now everything's gonna seem small!" The little reindeer evilly laughed making (Y/N) giggle. 'He's so precious.'
(Y/N) tilted her head in confusion at something flying out of the sea monsters mouth before it crashed back into the ocean. "Huh? A fish?" Luffy spoke up as the sounds of a young woman screaming was heard.
"Is that a..." (Y/N)'s eyes widened in shock as a mermaid fell from the sky. The young mermaid crashing right into the love-sick cook as a small orange starfish landed on its feet in front of the crew. "AHH WHAT IS THAT?!" (Y/N) screamed in confusion.
The starfish caught his breath, smiling to itself. "I made it!" The mermaid looked towards the starfish, cheering from their adventure. The starfish irritatedly turned to the mermaid. "Oh yeah?! That was a blast. If fact I had so much fun I'm gonna jump right back in his mouth! Now you want to tell me why you didn't run away from that thing when you saw it?!"
"Well that's the thing. I kinda didn't see it." The mermaid hung her head in defeat.
"Of course not! It's not like it was freaking huge or anything!!" The starfish sarcastically yelled before looked at Sanji. "Hm. Maybe you haven't noticed, but you got a little something under your tail there."
The mermaid curiously looked down at the cook, hearts still in his eyes. "AHHH I CRUSHED A HUMAN! OH NOO!!" The mermaid shook Sanji by his shoulders, apologizing to the cook and asking if he was okay.
"Okay? Course I'm okay! Never been better! Anyways, how are you doing?" Sanji was indeed on Cloud Nine from her presence.
The crew stared at the mermaid in utter shock. "That's... a tail." Nami spoke in disbelief. Usopp pointed out her fins as Nami continued. "Then.. that means... she's a.."
"A MERMAID?!!" The Straw Hats screamed in disbelief.