- Flashback 4 years ago, Nana: 12, Franky: 30 -
Franky sat with his legs crossed and his arms folded tightly around him, while he angrily stared at the seawater in front of him. He had stormed out of that insane meeting with Bakaberg and was cooling off at the top of the scrapheap on scrap island. Some super homecoming this was, he thought with a scowl.
The plans for Pluton were stored safely in his body and out of sight, but it was like he could feel it burning a hole through his stomach. Franky knew that to be impossible because his stomach was nonexistent and was now a cooling system for his cola bottles. He clenched his fist and scowled. Why is Bakaberg asking him to do this? Why is he even helping the government? Nothing good ever comes with working with the government.
He heard the sounds of rolling metal and he turned around to see a strange little girl standing behind him on another scrapheap, with a wrench in her hand, a thunderous look on her face, and a growling dog next to her.
"Ow, what's your problem, brat? Can't you see I'm trying to have a moment alone?" Franky yelled at her.
Clang!
Without warning, she had thrown her wrench directly at his head, knocking it back. "Owwwww!" he shouted. He snapped his head upright and glared at her, "What was that for?!"
The girl was staring at him now with widened eyes and she tilted her head to the side. "Your head is...metal?!" she asked softly. She had caught the sound his head made when the wrench came into contact with him. She knew iron when she heard it.
Franky got up to his feet. "Ow! That's right, you little brat. I re-engineered my body so that I'm a super human. I'm a cyborg!" He put his forearms together and stuck it over his head so that she could see his star tattoo. "I'm Franky!"
"How'd you get work done on your back?" the girl asked without missing a beat.
Franky fell over with shock and he landed hard on top of the scrapheap. "You're not impressed at all?!"
When he sat back up, he saw that the girl was now sitting beside him. She ran her hand gently over his arm and her dog was sniffing in circles around him.
"Whoa," she breathed.
He jerked his arm away from her. "Ow! What are you? Some kind of pervert? Don't just go around touching people."
She scrunched her nose at him. "You're the one running around in a bikini."
"I never said I wasn't a pervert," Franky said, flashing her a grin. Then his head throbbed in pain and he realized he had gone off subject. The grin switched to a frown. "Ow! Why did you super throw your wrench at me, you brat?!"
She folded her arms and stuck her tongue out at him. "You made Icy sad," she said accusingly.
"Icy?" Franky was perplexed, "Who is-...ICEBERG?! You mean Iceberg?!"
"Whoever makes him sad needs to answer to me," she said with determination.
"Who the hell are you?!" Franky barked back.
"I'm Mizu Nana, child of Water 7, adopted daughter of Mayor Iceberg, and top mechanic for the Galley-La Company," she said with her chin held high.
"Adopted...?" Franky was stunned, "Why would Bakaberg adopt a brat like you?"
"Bakaberg?" Suddenly, the girl was cracking up and rolling around the scrapheap in laughter, "Oh, that's a good one! Haha, I should call him that one day."
"Yah. I made that name up for him when we- WAIT! Crap! I've gotten off topic again," Franky yelled in frustration, "Listen here, Nana-brat. You can't just go around throwing wrenches at people that piss off Bakaberg, especially me."
"Why?"
"Because we piss each other off all the time."
"Why?"
Franky glowered at her. "Are you going to keep asking me that just to bother me?"
"No," Nana said, "I want to know who you are and why did Iceberg secretly meet up with you. He's never had secrets with me before and I want to know. I had to follow him all the way to that stupid warehouse under the bridge but I couldn't sneak in in time to hear what you guys were saying."
Franky raised an eyebrow. "How about I make you a deal? You tell me about you and then I'll tell you about me."
Nana was silent as she weighed her options. Finally, after a few minutes she stuck her gloved hand out to him. "Deal."
He shook it and then pointed a finger at her. "Alright, you're up. Why did Iceberg adopt you?"
"I don't know. He just did," Nana said with a shrug.
"What happened to your real parents?
"I don't know. I don't remember."
Franky got up to his feet and lifted her up into the air by the shoulders. "Ow! This is not how it's supposed to work, Nana-brat."
"I really don't remember!" Nana shouted as her legs flailed about, trying to land a hard kick to get released from his strong, mechanical grip, "All I know is what the doctors and marines told me!"
Franky immediately let go and he dropped her to the floor like she was a used tissue. "What? The government? How are you involved with the Navy?"
"I'm not," Nana said and crossed her arms in front of her, "They were the ones who just happened to have taken me to the hospital."
"Why?"
"Because they accidentally blew up the ship that I was on...At least that's what they told me..." Nana frowned. "Apparently, I was on some sort of a merchant vessel that happened to have a couple of families on board. We got caught up in the crossfire between marines and a pirate ship and the ship sank...After realizing their mistake, the marines were able to retrieve me and a hundred others from the wreckage...but I was the only one who survived by the time we reached a hospital. I woke up with no recollection of who I was. I probably had family on board...but there's no way to know for sure."
"OW!" Out of nowhere, Franky pulled out a guitar and started to tearfully strum it, "I'll sing...about your hardships. The song title is, 'Sad Farewell! Memories in the Wind!'"
"I don't need you to sing for me!" Nana shouted with annoyance.
Franky rubbed the tears away from under his sunglasses and set his guitar down. "So you must really hate marines then, huh?"
Nana stared at him blankly, "Why would I?"
"They killed your family."
"...But they saved me," she said.
"But they wouldn't have had to if they didn't make a mistake."
"They tried to correct their mistakes and save the people they accidentally harmed," Nana replied, "There's no point in harboring negative feelings towards someone who is already blaming themselves...I saw the look on all the marines' faces when I woke up. They looked really sad and guilty. Me hating them won't change things and it won't make anything better."
Franky was struggling to find the right words to say. This child is resilient.
"So...what are you doing here in Water 7 then?" he finally asked.
"I want to make weapons."
"Ow! So you can use them to attack the marines?!" Franky shouted accusingly.
"Of course not!" Nana yelled, "My weapons are going to be only used to help end fights but not harm people."
"Weapons are weapons, Nana-brat. Surely Bakaberg, of all people, would be against you making those things," Franky responded, "They can cause harm to people even if you never intended them to if they fall into the wrong hands."
A furious look came over Nana's face. "I'll tell you what I tell Iceberg! Life is not that black and white. Nothing arrives in this world completely good or completely evil. People make mistakes. People change their minds. There is always a chance for things to become better or worse. That is why we have hope and that is why we have faith and I'm willing to put my hope and faith in my dream."
Franky was floored. "...Which is?"
"That one day I can arm a ship that can travel safely through the New World and back without killing anyone," she stated with determination and confidence, "I want to prove that people can conquer the seas without having to take any lives."
She took a deep breath and then glared at Franky. "Okay. I fulfilled my end of the bargain. Who are you?"
"Ow!" Franky said as he thought about the plans in his stomach, "I'm just an old childhood friend of Iceberg. We had a falling out and I left town...but now I'm super back and planning to stay in the city for a good long time."
Nana narrowed her eyes, "What was the falling out over?"
"A girl," Franky lied, "I stole Bakaberg's girlfriend and we left the island together...But then she dumped me so now I'm back."
Nana wrinkled her nose. "So why did Iceberg insist on meeting you in secret?"
Franky shrugged, "Maybe he doesn't want people to know that he lost a girl to me."
Nana eyed him and then nodded her head. "Yeah...I can see that. I'd be embarrassed too if I lost to a guy like you. No one in their right mind would choose you over anyone else."
"Exactly," Franky said, "It would be-Wait. What did you say, Nana-brat?!"
---------
Franky wriggled impatiently inside the sack that held him. "Okay, I told you everything I know about that Nana-brat so can you please let me out now?"
So the angel has a very sympathetic heart, huh? No wonder her attitude had changed so quickly since this morning...Sanji took a long drag of his cigarette and then raised an eyebrow at Franky. "Was that the deal? I never agreed to it."
"What?!" Franky was outraged, "I told you what you wanted to know...Now let me out!"
Sanji scoffed and loosened the ties around Franky's neck. He then moved over to Usopp's bag and did the same. Both men stood up and looked at Sanji. "Okay, now what should we do?" Usopp asked.
Sanji surveyed the area. The Government officials in cars 6 and 7 all got a taste of his kicks so they were all wiped out. Clearly, just walking through the cars was not an efficient and quiet method. He rubbed his chin and then noticed the ceiling. "Let's go up," he said.
"Up?!" Franky and Usopp cried.
"Yah, up. Now follow me you, you idiots," Sanji ordered as he grabbed a transponder snail from a table next to a window and then climbed out of it.
---------
"Whoahhhhh! This looks so cool!" Luffy and Chopper shouted. They were completely dazzled by the Rocketman.
Nana and Pygmy stuck their heads out of the engine room window and was surprised to see Granny Kokoro, Chimney, and her little rabbit pet standing behind Luffy, Chopper, and Zoro.
"Oh! Nana-chan! You're here?" Granny said as she clutched her wine bottle in her fist, "Does that mean-?"
"Ah," Iceberg said as he exited the train. He was wiping his hands on a towel and he sat down on a wooden crate by the wall, "We just finished servicing the train. We've stocked the water and coals."
"The steam is gathering as we speak," Nana reported from the engine room.
"Oooh! You've been prepping it for us?" Luffy cheered, "Thank you!"
"Seems like we had the same idea," Iceberg shared a chuckle with Granny Kokoro, "We both want to lend a hand to these idiots."
"Luffy...where's Nami? I thought she'd be with you?" Nana asked, surveying their visitors.
Suddenly, there was a sound of something crashing down the stairs. It sounded heavy and if Nana wasn't mistaken, there were the sound of squeaking wheels. Pygmy barked and wagged his tail excitedly as Nami came bursting through the door with the two stationmasters behind her, pulling a giant wagon.
The wagon was carrying a large sack that was filled to the brim with something. It was tied off at the end so Nana couldn't see what was in it.
"Oy, get in, you idiot!" Luffy shouted to Nami from the train steps, "We need to leave soon! What is in there anyways?"
Nami tilted the wagon and the contents spilled out of the bag. It was mounds and mounds of meat, produce, and liquor. Luffy instantly changed his tune while Zoro grabbed himself three bottles from the pile. "Thanks, Nami, you're the best!"
"AH! It's Nana-san! You're on this train!" one of the stationmaster shouted as he pointed a pudgy finger at the mechanic.
"Oh my!" The skinny stationmaster gasped and he loudly whispered to his colleague, "I bet she's chasing after that Mr. Prince guy after he left without her on the train. She must be so heartbroken that she didn't get to say goodbye."
"What are you two babbling on about?" Nana snapped at them.
"Nothing!" they called in unison.
Nami glanced over at Nana and then she remembered her message for her. "Oh! Nana...Sanji-kun wanted me to tell you that he has your bag and waterboard."
"Sanji...kun?" Nana asked slightly taken aback by Nami's use of the familiar.
"Oh no...That must be the Mr. Prince guy," the fat station master hissed at his colleague, "Nana must be in love with him but he's already involved with this girl...who Paulie-san is trying to get."
"Oh..what an ill fated romance!" the skinny station master gasped.
"Seriously. What are you two whispering about?!" Nana snapped again.
"Nothing!"
More sounds started to come from the stairwell again. This time, it was a smattering of footsteps and then a group of Franky Family members burst through the door, including the twin girls that Nana recognized as always hanging next to Franky. They had the weird square shaped hairstyle that Nana could never quite understand.
"Straw Hat!" a bandaged Zambai shouted with tears in his eyes, "We heard you guys were going to Enies Lobby and we want to come too! Please let us come and rescue our bro, Franky!"
"Please!" the rest of the Franky Family chorused.
Nana exchanged looks with Iceberg and she tilted her head curiously. Pygmy started to growl at Zambai but Nana put her arms around his neck to soothe him. "It's okay...They won't hurt you again. They've learned their lesson," she soothed.
"After all the trouble you caused us?" Nami huffed.
"I know...I know..." Zambia sobbed and he got down on his knees, "But...that's why we're swallowing our pride and begging you to let us come. Please! We really want to save our bro! We want to go after them but...we can't get through Aqua Laguna by ourselves."
"It's the World Government you're up against," Granny Kokoro warned as she climbed into the engine room with Nana.
"It doesn't matter who it is!" Zambia exclaimed.
"We're willingly give up our lives for him!" one of the twin girls said.
Zoro scowled and placed a firm hand on his swords while Nami and Chopper watched them with cautious eyes.
"Get on."
They all turned in surprise at the rubber man, who stood back on the steps of the train with his hands on his hips. "Hurry!" he yelled angrily.
"Thank you! Thank you so much," Zambia cried as he slammed his forehead down on the floor, "We're deeply indebted to you."
"Oy, Luffy!" Nami protested but her captain only grinned back.
"It'll be fine," he said cheerfully.
"Ah!" Zambia got up to his feet and stuck his hand up in the air, "We don't have to get on the train."
"Hm?" Luffy asked.
"We'll jump out to the sea using our King Bulls at the same time you come out," he said with a smile, "So all you need to do is to let us hold on to the end of the train."
"King Bulls?" Zoro asked skeptically.
"Thanks for letting us go with you! We'll see you later," Zambia cried as he and the rest of the family dashed off with cheers and cries of happiness.
"Weirdos," Nana scoffed to Pygmy. She returned back into the engine room to shovel more coals into the furnace.
"If you can get on the railway after going out to the sea via the canal, that'll be a success for the time being," Iceberg advised from outside the window.
"Don't worry. I'm more experienced in operating it than you are," Granny Kokoro said with a smile as she entered the engine room herself. Her eye caught Nana's action and she looked at Iceberg, "Is it okay for Nana-chan to come with us?"
Iceberg chuckled, "I couldn't stop her even if I tried."
Granny Kokoro laughed, "Ah...children can be like that sometimes. You take it easy and rest here. Chimney and Gonbe should be playing back there somewhere. If you take care of them, I'll take care of yours."
Iceberg nodded and his eyes furrowed with concern but Granny Kokoro knew it was not for Nana. "I bet he's fine," she consoled, "We're talking about a guy who survived being hit by a sea train, after all. On top of that, we have the King of Pirates and his friends."
"King of Pirates?" Nana asked not looking away from what she was doing.
"That's what the Luffy kid says he's going to be...The King of Pirates. He's going to sail to the New World and find the One Piece," Granny Kokoro answered.
Nana froze for just a moment. "The New World," she breathed. Then she caught herself and continued on her task. Her pause, however, did not go unnoticed by Iceberg.
"Nana," Iceberg called over to her, "You stay on the train and by Granny Kokoro's side, okay?"
Nana gulped and nodded her head, "Okay."
"Alright, everyone ready?! Let's go!" Granny Kokoro shouted as she pulled on the train whistle.
WOOOOOO! WOOOOOOO!