"That fool! Him and his pervy thoughts!" you grunted as you lifted the chef on the shore.
"All that blood...Sanji's in trouble!" cried out Luffy in worry.
"It didn't work! All the excitement he was holding in erupted!" said Usopp.
"Sanji!" shrieked Chopper.
The reindeer went to aid him as best as he could right now, but you knew that what the blonde needed right now was a blood transfusion. You watched as the royal ship of Neptune's sons returned to the bay, having heard and seen all the commotion. Luffy stood up and faced them as you took a defensive stance, ready to protect the moron if you have to.
"Please, wait!" pleaded Chopper, gaining the attention of the soldiers who were pointing their spears at you. "We're sorry about entering the country illegally! But if you're gonna arrest us, please do it later! Is there anyone here willing to donate their blood?! Without help, our companion will be dead within an hour! He has blood type S Rh negative. It's not very common, but is there anyone here with that type?! Or do mermen and fishmen have different blood from humans? Is there anyone?!"
"You can't..You can't die such a ridiculous death!" snapped Usopp at the chef, who was still convulsing with an idiotic smile.
"Please, anyone! I'm begging you!" begged Luffy, falling on his knees in front of the soldiers and the princes. "Give Sanji blood!"
"Luffy-chin, Chopper-chin! Both mermen and fishmen have the same blood types as humans. It's possible to do a blood transfusion! But..." trailed Keimi.
A weird laughed resonated loudly across the bay, and the same group of fishmen from before appeared. Hammond advanced forward, a cocky smirk on his face:
"These humans are spouting nonsense!"
"Prince Fukaboshi, it's Hammond of the Fishman District" spoke a guard to the prince with blue hair.
"Give our blood to an inferior species like you humans?" continued Hammond with a raised brow. "Nobody on Fishman Island would be so obliging! And even if you found someone...the human haters on this island would subject them to Judgment of the Dark Night!"
"Judgment?" you repeated with narrowed eyes.
"That kid can just lie there and bleed to death. He's completely beyond help!" spoke with venom the fishman. "There's an old law in this country...'You shall not share your blood with humans' "
"What?!" cried out Usopp.
"Make no mistake! This law was created by you humans. During our long history together, you humans have always feared us as monsters! You were the ones who forbade the mixing of our blood! That is what caused the death of Fishman Island's hero, Fisher Tiger"
"Fisher Tiger?" repeated Luffy with furrowed brows, thinking that he heard of this name before.
"The man who put his life on the line to free all slaves, regardless of their species. He died after a bloody battle, even though he could have been easily saved by a blood transfusion!" explained Hammond. "The heartless humans refused to give him blood...so he died! Straw Hat. I only have one thing to say. Disregard the life of that one underling of yours, and come with us to the Fishman District! The captain of the New Fishman Pirates, Hody Jones-sama, wants to see you!"
"Shut up! I don't anything about your rule but, please, isn't there anyone here with the blood type S Rh negative?! We don't care what we have to do in return! For now, just save his life!"
No answer came from the soldiers or the mermaids. You couldn't blame the latest since you were pretty sure that no one of them did have the same blood type. But then, if there was one, she wouldn't dare raise her hand in fear of what could happen with that Judgment.
"I'm telling you, it's pointless. If you're not gonna come willingly.... " threatened Hammond, lifting a cannon under his arm and aiming it at Luffy.
"Gear Second" stated Luffy, steam coming out of his body and teleported himself out of the fishman's range.
"....We'll just bring you along by force!" finished the fishman, firing a net of Sea Stones.
"I thought I already told you..." grunted your captain, avoiding the net and reappearing in front of them. "I won't do what you say! Jet Pistol!"
The fishmen were pushed backward and far away from your group. The sea monster who was with them decided to take this time to charge at Luffy from behind. Usopp and Chopper both yelled out warning at their friend, but your captain simply opened one palm and used Haki to stop it. The beast whimpered, and lowered its head like a scolded puppy.
You almost found it cute.
"Well, he is certainly becoming good at it" you smirked, crossing your arms over your chest.
"Shishishi, your old man was a good teach after all!" grinned the ebony male.
"Luffy-chin!" called Keimi, who stole the royal ship without them realizing it. "Bring Sanji aboard! Let's go to the city! There are plenty of humans at the port in the city. Hurry!"
"Alright!" responded Luffy.
Your captain enrolled his arm around your comrades and you, and stretched the other to grab on of the royal ship. You all climbed on top of the giant fish, and Luffy told the mermaid that they were ready to go. With the indignant cries of the soldiers that yelled at your group to stop, the royal ship sailed in the direction of the town.
"I'm so sorry. If only I had the same blood type, I would gladly help" frowned sadly Keimi, looking at Sanji over her shoulder.
"You have nothing to apologize for. It's his fault for having perverted thoughts in the first place" replied Usopp. "Just look! He's still grinning"
"...and yet they were bouncy...." you managed to hear from the perverted cook.
"Sanji! Just stop it already! Don't imagine anything at all! We don't have a second to spare!" scolded the doctor.
"Still, this reminds me of the discrimination that you and Hachi suffered on Sabaody two years ago" sighed Usopp. "It looks like the problem runs deep. I never thought a nosebleed could become something serious like this"
"Yeah...Even if we get to the city, I'm still a bit worried. Will we find someone willing to donate blood on time?" said the mermaid.
"How so?" you asked.
"In the past month, no humans have come to the island at all. You are the first guests we've bad in a while"
"Why? Isn't this a famous tourist spot?" said Luffy.
"Yeah, it is, but...We don't know for sure, but there's a rumor that something is interfering with travelers' voyages. That there's some shadowy force behind all of this...People all over the country are talking about it"
The royal ship finally reached the city, and the guys started to shout at the citizens if there was anyone with the same blood type as the chef. However, none of the fishmen or mermen present wanted to volunteer. And there was no human in sight. They were all looking away with their eyes closed tightly, trying to forget your presences. You gritted your teeth, and with a snarl jumped from the ship with Sanji under your arm.
Your comrades called after you, disbelief plastered on their face as you put the chef down carefully. Clapping your hands together:
"Animal Realm: Xbalanque!"
Your body shifted to your panther form, causing some fishmen to yell out in horror at the sudden appearance of this giant animal. You brought Sanji between your jaw, and ran through the crowd of people in search for humans. You stopped at a corner and sniffed the air, your vision becoming purple as you tried to distinguish people whose blood where S Rh negative. To your relief, you saw two red figures at the distance and ran toward them.
You reverted to your human form once you landed at their feet:
"Please, you have to help us!" you pleaded, eyeing the two persons in front of you. "That man needs a blood transfusion and quick!"
"Hmmm~"
You blinked once you got a good look of them: they were Okama, wearing too much makeup to your liking. Your eyes widened when one of them pinched the pale cheek of Sanji and giggled:
"That cutie needs a blood transfusion?~ And what type is he?" cooed the Okama.
"S Rh negative"
"Ooooh~ How lucky of him that the two of us have the same blood type!" said the other. "This way, please! We have no time to lose, and the world will be a darker place if we lose this cutie~"
You deadpanned as the two gave an exaggerated wink, and brought Sanji in a small home just at the corner to your luck. The others arrived a few minutes later, out of breath with how fast you were on your four limbs in panther form. Chopper faced you, a worried expression on:
"W-Where's Sanji?!"
"I think he will survive" you stated with a relieve sigh. "I was able to find humans with the same blood type..."
"Thank god!" said Chopper, letting himself flop down in tiredness on the floor.
"What a relief!" added your captain, beaming.
"Yes! Good job (y/n)!" said Usopp, hugging your side.
"Let go!" you barked, but the sniper ignored you and continued to do so.
The chef's condition was stable, but still sleeping deeply in the small house that served as an infirmary. Everyone were waiting in the same room for his awakening, with both Keimi and Chopper standing close to his bed. Finally, after a few hours of the blood transfusion, the blonde male let out a groan and opened his eyes.
"Where am I?" he asked, and your comrades released a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness!" said the reindeer, his head falling on the bed's sheet.
"We're in the house of one of my friends from the port town" replied a teary eyed Keimi. "Sanji-chin, you'd lost most of the blood in your body!"
"I'm so glad we were able to find a donor with the same blood type!"
"I see...My blood, huh?" murmured the blonde, and sat up. "What happened to me?"
"You mustn't get up so suddenly! Stay in bed!" you scolded, slapping his naked shoulder. "Don't ever do that again! Last time you ever see a mermaid - beside you Keimi, of course!"
"Aww~ (y/n)-swan was worried about me~" said the male with hearts floating all around him.
"No, Sanji! It isn't the time to have perverted thoughts about (y/n)!" snapped the reindeer.
"But really, why did the fishmen refuse to give him blood?" groaned Luffy. "We ran all over town after (y/n), but we couldn't find any humans!"
"I honestly thought it was hopeless!" enriched the sniper.
"Thanks for helping me, guys" said Sanji. "But...I can't remember a thing. Where was I, and what was I doing?"
"It's better that way" you growled, crossing your arms over your chest with flushed cheeks from the anger.
"Though, I can almost recall it, but..."
"DON'T RECALL IT!!" cried out Luffy and Usopp, jumping out of their seats.
"If you get another nosebleed, you'll be beyond saving!" warned the doctor.
"Oh, right!" suddenly said Usopp as he stood up and went to the pink curtain. "Sanji, let me introduce the blood donors (y/n) found at the bar. You really should thank them"
A hand passed through the small opening the sniper gave, revealing a smooth arm with nails well manicured. Sanji blinked at the sight, and mistook it as a woman's:
"You mean I was given blood by...a delicate lady?" said slowly the chef.
He went out about one of his wildest fantasies, his eyes turning into hearts. However, once the curtains was pushed away to reveal the two Okamas, everything shattered.
"Silly, it's alright!~"
"If you like, we'll gladly give you more, silly~"
Sanji screamed loudly as he jumped from the bed, and entered in panic mode. He couldn't stand still as Chopper tried to calm the pervert down from worsening his condition. Your captain let out a loud laugh, sitting back down and crossed his arms behind his head:
"I'm glad you've recovered"
"I'm going to hang around the city, Chopper. I leave Sanji-kun to you, boys" you said to the two Okamas and the reindeer.
"Count on us, darling!~" replied in unison the Okamas.
"Be careful, (y/n)" warned the doctor with a slight frown.
"DON'T LEAVE ME, (Y/N)-SWAN!" panicked the chef, and you sweatdropped as he fell from the bed and Chopper quickly reprimanded for being reckless in his condition.
"Come on, they will take care of you" you sweated.
"We will bring you back to the best of your health!" winked the blonde Okama, and the chef shivered.
"YOU'RE THE WORST FOR MY HEALTH! Not seeing my beautiful (y/n)-swan at my side is a pure nightmare..."
"Sanji! Don't think further! You're going to have indecent thoughts about our Master Gunner!" shouted Chopper.
Luffy and Usopp has left with Keimi to visit a woman named Shyarly, who was also her boss and a fortune teller. You exited the house of the Okamas and walked through the town in search for something to pass the time. Steven jumped on top of your shoulder, and stayed there as you visited this country. As you passed some fishmen and mermaids, you remarked how they were watching you from the corner of their eyes.
Some of them flinched when you would stare back at them, quickly averting their gaze on you. On a side, you understood why they would judge with everything that happened within the history between fishmen and humans, but at the same time thought it was foolish to fight discrimination with discrimination. It's only a never ending cycle that hurt both sides.
"M-Miss, that's impossible!"
"It's too expensive! Let's make it 20,000 berries"
"B-But, m-miss..."
You arched a brow as you stretched your neck to look inside a shop filled with clothes and jewelry. You deadpanned as you caught sight of Nami trying to make an outrageous deal with the shop assistant. You grew even more exasperated when you saw the large pile of clothes on the counter to pay.
"Er...Nami?" you waved hesitantly, and the ginger girl blinked before she turned to face the entrance of the shop.
"(y/n)! So you were able to get here too?" she beamed, and you nodded, walking to her.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm buying clothes, of course. However, they are too expensive! They are really cute, but I can't afford them at this price. Let's make it 10,000!"
"That's too cruel, Miss! It's less than half price!" exclaimed the assistant, and sweated when she narrowed her eyes and shoved one finger at his face.
"5,000 berries, then!"
"That's lower..." you groaned.
"(y/n)! Nami!" yelled a voice outside.
Luffy was there with the others, along with Pappug and Brook. The navigator let out a shout of surprise at the sight of the mermaid, and quickly ran up to her. As they conversing quietly together, the skeleton approached you with a hand over his chest:
"(y/n)-san. May I see your panties?" was the first think he asked.
"Heck no, you damn pervert!" you barked, and slammed your foot inside his stomach.
"Yohohohoho! Is it a thong then?-ACK"
Brook's face smashed against the ground as you pounded his head with your right fist. You gritted your teeth in irritation at the skeleton, yelling profanities and insults while the rest of your comrades sweatdropped. Pappug offered to your group to take everything that pleased them in the shop for free, stating that it was a way to pay back his debt from two years ago.
However, you watched in disbelief as they decided to take everything in the shop....literally. While the starfish shouted at your comrades about how they were merciless, a bright light shone through the windows from the sky, and another assistant came running in telling that he has come.
"Why did he come down to the lower world?...." paled Pappug once he exited the shop and gazed at the sky.
"This is the first time I've seen him in person!" added Keimi with the same expression.
An old merman sitting on top a whale descended to land a few feet away from you. Silence hovered your group and the citizens as they gazed with wide eyes this person with a crown over his head. Luffy tilted his head to the side, and as blunt as ever:
"Who is that old man?"
"Idiot, you don't know who he is?! That man is the king of the Ryugu Kingdom on Fishman Island - Neptune-sama!" exclaimed indignantly Pappug.
"That's a big merman there..." muttered the sniper under his breath.
"I prefer mermaids..." said Brook.
"CUT IT OUT, GUYS!" panicked the starfish.
"He's a very hairy old man!" continued your captain, ignoring how Pappug was doing his best to make a good impression to the king.
"THAT'S RUDE! GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES NOW!"
"The whale...is cute" you said, cheeks turning pink.
King Neptune continued to eye each one of you, scrutinizing under narrowed blue eyes. Then, the merman faced a familiar shark wearing a shirt to his right:
"Megalo! Are you sure that it was these people-jamon?" he asked, and the shark nodded.
"Oh? We saw that shark in the water!" said Nami.
"Yeah, that one wearing clothes!" enriched Usopp.
"You Straw Hat people" spoke the king, and everyone flinched at the tone he used. "I'm going to..."
Your comrades held their breath, waiting for King Neptune to finish his sentence. Usopp gulped under the pressure, his hands around the sack he was holding tightening. Nami and Keimi were holding their hands together, gaping at the intimidating silhouette of the merman. Luffy simply blinked at the long pause, humming in confusion.
"...invite you to the Ryugu Palace-jamon!" finished the king, becoming enthusiast.
"........................................EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?! RYU-RYU-RYU-RYU-RYUGU PALACE!!!" screamed Keimi and Pappug.
"What's the Ryugu Palace?" asked Luffy, completely lost.
"Idiot, don't you know what it is?!" barked the starfish. "I'll tell you. It's pretty much a holy place for us citizens. A celestial world where ordinary people aren't allowed! The Ryugu Palace is...the place where King Neptune, the Neptune 3 prince brothers and the Mermaid Princess live - it's..."
"...The royal palace of the Ryugu Kingdom!" finished Keimi.
"Oh....." you all hummed.
"Hmm...So old man..."
"DON'T CALL HIM THAT"
"Is there a lot of good food at the Ryugu Palace?" grinned the young boy.
"Of course" nodded the merman. "We are prepared to have a banquet-jamon"
"Oh yeah? I can't wait! Shishishi!"
"I'd like to see the Ryugu Palace!" said Brook. "My heart is filled with expectations. But I don't have a heart to be filled! Yohohoho!"
"I wanna go too!" added Nami with a grin, and you deadpanned at her.
"You only want to get close to their treasure" you told the navigator, and she faced you with a mischievous look.
"I don't know what you are talking about"
"Your eyes are berries"
"Okay! Let's go!" declared Luffy. "To Ryugu Palace!"