Chapter Six
Deep in the abyss, beneath a massive landform on the ocean floor, lay a town. The town was notorious for being a haven for unruly fish-men. There had once been a time when the town was peaceful and thriving with trade, but those days were long gone. The district was now under new management.
The town was now ruled with an iron fist by the New Fish-Men Pirates and their captain, Hordy Jones. His goal was to put the human race in their place, just as his role model, Arlong had dreamed. But first, he had plans to set in motion.
The fish-man captain leaned back comfortably on a coral sofa in one of the central buildings, focusing all his attention on the 'guest' in front of him.
"Remember, Vander, don't mess up my plan," Hordy said, his voice cold.
Vander, a Japanese bullhead shark fish-man, ignored him, too absorbed in his own thoughts to listen. He was professing his love for the mermaid princess.
Hordy's blood boiled at the Flying Dutchman captain's antics. "Vander!" he barked.
That seemed to get Vander's attention. He stopped and waved dismissively at Hordy.
"Yes, yes, Hordy. You've made yourself clear—over and over. I'll stick to the plan. But remember! Princess Shirahoshi is mine!" Vander shouted, chuckling to himself.
Hordy scoffed at the sight. He couldn't afford to be picky about his allies. Despite Vander Deckman's oddities, the man was strong—and strength was exactly what Hordy needed.
"Good. We're almost ready," Hordy announced, grinning widely. "Nothing can stop us now."
XXX
There actually was something that could stop them. And that something just so happened to be traffic. Literally.
"Come on! Why do we have to wait so long?" Luffy whined, flopping down in his favourite spot.
"Because we don't want to be chased around Fishman Island. We want to explore peacefully, entering legally. Right, Robin?" Nami sighed, exasperated, as she turned to Robin for help.
"It would be nice to see the sights. Think of all the shipwrecks and skeletons! Hehe," Robin added with a mischievous grin.
"Please don't talk like that Robin!" Usopp wailed.
"I don't see the fuss. If they've got a problem, we'll just cut them down," Zoro remarked, nudging his swords. Of course, Sanji couldn't let that slide.
"Of course, a savage like you can only think of violence," Sanji scoffed, shaking his head.
"Why you—"
"Knock it off!" Nami shouted, bashing both idiots into the deck.
Hancock shook her head at the antics. She was already adjusting to their dynamics, oddly enough. She turned to Luffy. "Luffy, remember, we don't want to make things difficult for Jinbe." Despite her words, it was clear she wanted to knock someone around for making her wait.
Luffy sighed. "But I don't like it," he pouted.
"Oh, that's massive?" Usopp exclaimed.
The crew glanced at Usopp and then followed his gaze to the horizon. In the distance, they could just make out a small brown dot, which, upon closer inspection, seemed to take shape.
"What is it?" Nami asked.
Usopp lowered his goggles for a better look. "It looks like a ship... that's insane, especially from this distance!"
"That thing must be massive!" Franky added.
Before they could continue, a commotion erupted near the front of the line. They saw that a ship was being attacked by guards. Moments later, the bubble burst, and the ship rocketed upwards. It was clear that the people aboard had nefarious intentions.
"Whoa," Luffy commented as the ship shot to the surface.
"Well, that's even more reason to stay on our best behaviour," Sanji said.
"We could all be crushed by the water pressure and die... Fufufu," Robin said lightly.
"Let's not," Nami replied, refocusing the crew's attention on the line leading to Fish-Man Island.
And so, the crew slowly moved forward, caught in the line of fish-men and ships all trying to reach Fishman Island. They attracted a few curious and fearful stares as they were pulled along by the Kraken. Eventually, they made it to the front of the line. The guards on duty gaped at the sight of the Kraken but quickly regained their composure. The Kraken was a rare species, even to them.
One of the fish-men, a hammer shark fish-man in decorated armour, swam up to the ship. He addressed Luffy with caution, clearly aware of his reputation. However, Fishman Island was under the protection of Big Mom.
"State your business," the fish-man ordered.
"We're here to see Jinbe," Luffy stated plainly, as though that was all that needed to be said. This wasn't the answer the guards were expecting. Jinbe was highly respected among the Fishman people, and they wouldn't want to endanger him.
Hancock, reading the guard's mind, stalked closer to him. "Listen here, we're friends of Jinbe. We're not here to pick a fight, simpleton," she said firmly. Her reasoning was fine but the added comments angered the guards.
Before the situation could escalate, Robin stepped forward to intervene. The guard clearly didn't appreciate Hancock's mannerisms. "We're also friends of Cami, Pappag, and Hatchi. We intend to visit them while we're here," Robin added calmly.
The guard softened at the mention of the island's more well-known figures—Hatchi, in particular, had become a beloved figure since his time with the Arlong Pirates. He wasn't an easy target either.
There were a few tense moments as the guard considered the Straw Hats, but Luffy merely grinned and laughed lightly, amused by Hancock's fuming beside him. It was clear to the guard that these people could enter with or without his permission, but they chose to wait for the gate to open. That earned them some respect in his eyes.
"Alright. You can go through, but no funny business."
With that, the guard swam away, and the gate was opened. But first, they had to deal with the Kraken.
"Alright, Surume. This is it for now. Go and play for a while. We'll gather information inside," Luffy said as Franky removed the reins. Surume waved goodbye as it swam away.
"I'm going to miss that Kraken," Brook said with a nostalgic sigh, thinking about Laboon.
"I can't wait to see Cami again!" Sanji swooned, imagining all the mermaids he'd get to see.
"I'd advise you to keep yourself in check, Sanji. The fishmen might think you're here to kidnap them," Robin warned, deflating Sanji's enthusiasm.
"Haha. Let the love-cook go to jail. It's where he belongs," Zoro chimed in.
"Muscle-head. They're more likely to arrest you for that ugly mug of yours," Sanji shot back.
"Woah!" The rest of the crew shouted in amazement, halting their argument. They turned to look at Fishman Island, and their eyes widened. The island was truly breathtaking. Coral reefs that would normally be underwater dotted the land like trees, creating an underwater paradise.
The crew gathered to split up for the day. Sanji would accompany Nami to find Cami and Pappag. Robin, Usopp, and Chopper would explore the rumoured polygraph and maybe stop by some bookstores. Franky and Brook would resupply, while Zoro would stay on watch and train. Luffy and Hancock decided to spend the day together.
"Alright, let's meet back here at 4 PM," Luffy said, and the crew went their separate ways.
XXX
Luffy and Hancock strolled hand in hand down the road, taking in the sights. The streets were lined with unique items, clothing stores, and food vendors. It was like a fishman's dream, with fish being served in every form imaginable. Luffy couldn't help but think it was a bit like cannibalism.
Hancock looked around, but soon, she was tugged to the side by Luffy as something caught his attention. They stopped in front of a jewellery stall, where an assortment of coral-themed pieces lay on display.
"Check this out, Hancock! There are so many colours!" Luffy exclaimed, pointing at a particular necklace. Hancock glanced over at what caught his eye. She had never cared much for jewellery, having seen countless exquisite pieces before, but this was different.
Hancock's eyes widened as she took in a piece that stood out from the rest. The jewellery before her was a ship-shaped coral necklace. The coral was tied with thread that coiled around the shape of the ship, creating a beautiful, multi-coloured piece. The colours of the coral captivated her, even though it was a simple designed necklace.
"Ah, I see you've caught the eye of my most prized item. Pretty amazing, isn't it?" the old fish-man behind the stall said with a smile. Hancock glanced at him, unsure what type of fish-man he was, but it was clear he had seen his fair share of customers.
"The shape—was it cut?" Hancock asked. The ridges of the coral were too rough to have been shaped by human hands, unless it was intentionally made like that. But that is a rare skill to make the necklace so natural.
"Oh, no, not at all. That's actually been formed naturally. There's a myth about it, if you'd like to hear it," the old fish-man offered.
Luffy's eyes lit up at the mention of a myth. "Let's hear it, old man!"
The old fish-man chuckled at Luffy's enthusiasm.
"Well, the story goes that there was once a strong, fearless ship captain—he had sailed every stretch of ocean in the world of his time. No place was untouched by his ship. Then one day, a terrible storm hit, and one of his crew members fell overboard. Seeing this, the captain jumped in after him. While underwater, he swam as hard as he could and caught up to his crew member. Just as he was about to surface many sea kings swam in his way. Desperate to help his crew member he prayed to the sea. Then he saw her, a mermaid. And not just any mermaid, but the mermaid princess of the time. The princess saw their need for help and used her abilities to bring them both to the surface.
The captain, grateful for her assistance, offered to help her with anything she desired. The princess, wanting to get to know him better, asked him to build her a ship—a massive one, so that the captain could stay long enough for them to spend more time together. Over time, they grew close. Some stories say it was romantic, but personally, I think they were just best friends.
Anyway, a huge war broke out in the captain's homeland, and he was needed back. See the captain was going to leave the princess cried. Her tears formed the coral you see before you, and another piece just like it. She then made a necklace from the coral and gave it to the captain, hoping he would return to finish his promise."
"Hey, old man, you're not going on about that crazy story again, are you?"
"Yeah, no matter how many times you tell it, it doesn't make that worthless coral necklace worth anymore!"
Two fish-men, who had been drinking at a nearby table, shouted over to Luffy and Hancock, interrupting the old man's story.
Hancock, annoyed by the interruption, turned and glared at the intruders. The fish-men, seeing the beautiful yet dangerous woman glaring at them, wisely fell silent.
"Man, that's quite the story, old man," Luffy remarked, beaming. "That must have been some ship."
The old man chuckled and pointed to the dome of Fishman Island. "Surely you saw the enormous ship as you were entering the island, correct?"
"Seriously!" Luffy shouted. "That ship was massive! It's badass!"
The old man laughed at Luffy's reaction. "It is indeed, and it adds to the myth of the rainbow coral necklace."
"I want the necklace," Hancock interrupted, her eyes locked on the piece. She was intrigued, and even if the story was fake, the necklace was beautiful—and the backstory added to its charm.
"Wonderful. Here you go," the old fisherman said, accepting the money Hancock handed over for the necklace. He handed it to her with a smile.
As he placed the necklace in her hands, Hancock turned to Luffy and handed it to him.
"Please," she said, turning her back to him.
Luffy carefully put the necklace around her neck. Once it was in place, he stepped back and marvelled at how it complemented her.
"Wow, Hancock, that looks great."
"I think so too," Hancock replied with a smile. "Unfortunately, there's none for you, Luffy."
"Actually..." The two pirates turned to see the old fisherman again. "I do have the matching piece. Both of them are one of a kind."
As the old fish-man rummaged through his wares, Luffy and Hancock exchanged a look. It seemed like just another bogus story, but Hancock liked the necklace, and the idea of having matching ones with Luffy felt romantic. They decided to buy both necklaces and continued their walk.
"Even if the story's fake, the necklace is lovely," Hancock remarked, admiring her new piece as she glanced at Luffy's necklace.
"He was a cool old man," Luffy said with a snicker, clearly not bothered by the fanciful sales pitch. It had been entertaining.
Their moment was interrupted by a commotion. Fish-men around them were excitedly pointing to the sky, gossiping. Luffy and Hancock turned to see the source of the stir—a carriage being pulled by large seahorses. The open carriage allowed them to see the three fish-men aboard, each with a more regal appearance. They were accompanied by royal guards, floating in bubbles alongside the descending convoy. Hancock immediately recognized them.
"That's the three princes of Fishman Island," Hancock whispered to Luffy. "I wonder what they're doing here?"
"Lunch?" Luffy guessed. But it seemed food wasn't the answer as the princes stopped just a few feet in front of them. The prince with a blue ribbon swam forward, locking eyes with Luffy.
"Are you Monkey D. Luffy?" the prince asked, his voice carrying a sense of authority. The crowd, curious about what one of their princes was doing searching for a human, fell silent.
"I am," Luffy replied, undeterred.
The prince looked pleased. "I am Fukaboshi, and these are my brothers, Ryuboshi," he pointed to the fish-man with the orange ribbon, "and Manboshi," he pointed to the fish-man with the yellow ribbon. "We've come to invite you to the palace."
At the prince's statement, the crowd erupted in chatter. The royal family personally seeking out a human was a rare occurrence.
Hancock, curious, asked why they were interested in meeting them. There seemed to be no obvious reason for the royal family to know them.
"That's because Jinbe is a close friend of our family," Fukaboshi explained. "He mentioned a pirate captain who would be arriving soon, and asked us to keep an eye out for you. Now that we've found you, we'll notify Jinbe."
"Jinbe! I can't wait to see him!" Luffy grinned. "Is he at the palace?"
Ryuboshi shook his head. "Unfortunately, he just left for the shipyard forest. But he won't be long. We'll have a banquet ready in the meantime."
Everyone blinked in confusion. One moment, Luffy was standing in the street, and the next, he was nowhere to be seen. Hancock remained in place, shaking her head. "Luffy, my love, so easy..." she muttered, her gaze drifting behind the fish-man princes, towards their carriage. The others turned to see Luffy vibrating with excitement, already sitting in a seat.
"Coming on, Fushi. Food awaits! Why didn't you say so first?"
"It's Fukaboshi," the prince corrected, clearly impressed by Luffy's quickness. As Hancock climbed into the carriage next to him, Fukaboshi followed. Manboshi gave orders to the crew, and the royal convoy set off towards the palace.
XXX
Zoro couldn't believe his luck. All he wanted to do was to train—how did he end up in this situation? As the others left, Zoro set about his usual routine, practicing with weights, refining his form, and strengthening his haki. When that was done, he decided to push himself further. He asked a nearby fish-man if there was anything heavy to train with. The fish-man pointed to some corals near the docks.
Now, Zoro found himself surrounded by a huge crowd of fish-men mix in with humans, some of whom were pirates. But there was no sign of the coral weights the fish-man had mentioned. Clearly, the man had given him the wrong directions.
Zoro scanned the crowd—armed pirates, all of them looking like they were ready to fight with him. He didn't even start it this time but he was going to finish it. A savage grin spread across Zoro's face. He didn't have his coral weights, but this crowd would make a perfect substitute for his training. Sorry, Jinbe, Zoro thought. It looked like he'd have to make some trouble.
Drawing all three of his swords, Zoro dashed forward fearlessly into the pirates. He attacked, blocked, and sidestepped with ease, cutting down anyone who came within his reach. The pirates were relentless, but so was Zoro.
"Let's show this human the might of the New Fish-Man Pirates!" one pirate shouted.
"It's just one human—he'll wear out soon enough," another added.
Zoro smirked at their words. "Heh, wear out? You'll be fish food long before that."
The pirates, infuriated by his taunt, charged at him again. Zoro readied himself, and with a swift spin, he raised his blades and unleashed a powerful whirlwind of spinning swords.
"Great Dragon Twister!"
The attack whirled around him, pulling in pirates from all directions. The sharp blades sliced through them, sending them flying in all directions. When the dust cleared, the pirates were either scattered or too afraid to continue fighting. Zoro, however, remained standing, barely winded.
"Looks like this'll be over sooner than I thought," Zoro said with a smirk.
Enraged, the pirates charged again, determined to prove Zoro wrong. This was exactly what Zoro wanted.
"Bring it on."
Meanwhile, not far from Zoro, the officers of the New Fish-Man Pirates watched with growing frustration as their subordinates were effortlessly defeated. The sight ignited their anger.
"We can't let this human make a mockery of us," Dosun, a hammerhead shark fish-man, growled.
Most of the officers agreed, but not all.
"Wait a minute. Let the others wear him down. He'll be easy to deal with," Hyouzou argued, casually sipping his drink.
"No, I'm not afraid of some human," Dosun shot back, marching toward Zoro.
"I agree with Dosun. What are we waiting for? It's just one human," Zeo added, following his colleague.
Hyouzou shook his head as the Japanese wobbegong fish-man waded into the crowd. They were impatient fools. The green-haired swordsman was nothing like the other pirates they had faced—he was strong.
Zoro dodged to the side, cutting down an enemy with a swift swing of his sword.
"Make way!"
Zoro turned to see a large fish-man pushing his way through the crowd, a massive hammer resting on his shoulder. The fish-man stopped before Zoro with a smug expression.
"Human, I hope you don't die too quickly," Dosun sneered, swinging his hammer down at Zoro.
Zoro's eyes glinted with cold determination as he stared at the incoming hammer. The fish-men around them cheered, confident that Zoro's defeat was imminent. Zoro ignored them, raising his blades to block the hammer. A loud clang rang out as the two weapons collided. They both flexed their muscles, struggling for dominance—but it was a short-lived battle. Zoro overpowered the hammerhead fish-man, sending Dosun's weapon flying into the air.
"Oni Giri!"
With one clean strike, Dosun crumpled to the ground, bleeding and unresponsive. Zoro looked at him disinterestedly, the crowd of pirates stunned by his swift victory.
"Wide open!"
Out of nowhere, Zeo appeared, his chain swinging at Zoro's neck. Zoro glanced at the new threat. "Another one?"
Without hesitation, he raised his blade, slicing through the chain before bringing his swords horizontally across his body.
"108 Pound Phoenix!"
The flying blades tore through the air, striking Zeo, who was unable to defend himself. He was sent flying, completely unresponsive. The fish-men around him stood in stunned silence, unable to believe their eyes. One human had managed to take on multiple of their comrades—and even some of their officers. Their arrogance had been their downfall. They'd come into this fight complacent, knowing nothing about Zoro.
But not Hyouzou. He wouldn't make the same mistake as Dosun and Zeo.
"Human, what is your name?" Hyouzou asked, his voice calm and steady as he stood before Zoro.
Zoro turned to face him, sizing him up with a critical eye. He smirked, sensing that at last, there was someone of real strength before him.
"Roronoa Zoro."
Hyouzou's eyes narrowed. "Hoho, die!"
With a roar, he lunged at Zoro, swinging his blade.
XXX
Meanwhile, Sanji and Nami made their way toward Mermaid Cafe, guided by directions from a fish-man they had asked along the way. Nami recalled that when she spoke to Camie about Fish-Man Island, Mermaid Cafe had been mentioned as a good starting point to look for clues about Camie and Pappag.
Sanji, as usual, was distracted by the beautiful mermaids around them. By the time they reached the cafe, Nami noticed the heavy traffic—clearly, it was a popular spot for information.
As they entered, Sanji staggered back as if struck, his hand clutching his nose. Blood streamed through his fingers.
"You truly are pathetic," Nami commented, unimpressed.
"My darling Nami, I haven't seen beautiful women in two years, and now mermaids… I'm in heaven," Sanji swooned, almost levitating with joy.
Nami could only rely on herself for this one.
"Ah, Nami!"
At the sound of the unforgettable voice, Nami turned to see the person they were looking for.
"Camie!"
The two women embraced in a hug.
"What a coincidence! We were actually looking for you," Nami said, smiling.
"It's so nice to see you both on my island. I was so worried about everything that happened," Camie said. "But I'm glad to see everything's okay with you. Is everyone here?"
"We're all here on the island, but we split up. It's just Sanji and me right now." Just as Nami spoke, Sanji appeared by her side, dropping to one knee to kiss Camie's hand.
"It's been forever, my dear Camie," Sanji said smoothly.
Camie smiled brightly. "You haven't changed, Sanji, but it's great to see you again."
"Camie!"
All three turned toward the voice that called out to the mermaid. It was Madam Shyarly, the owner of Mermaid Cafe. She looked over the two pirates with a guarded expression.
"You're not being bothered, are you?" Madam Shyarly asked Camie. Her café may have used the charms of young, beautiful women to attract customers, but she would not tolerate any mistreatment of her staff.
Camie shook her head. "No, Madam Shyarly. These are actually my friends. They finally came to visit me. You remember the story I told you about being rescued in Sabaody? Their crew are the ones who rescued me."
Madam Shyarly appraised the two pirates with a critical eye. "Alright. As long as everything is fine. How about you take the rest of the day off and catch up with your friends?"
"Is that fine?" Camie asked, concerned. She didn't want to burden anyone with extra work.
"We'll manage just fine. It's a bit slower today, and it's not like your friends are going to be here too long," Shyarly reassured her.
"Thank you," Camie bowed and turned to Sanji and Nami. "I'll be right back. Let me just grab my stuff." She rushed toward the back.
Madam Shyarly turned to Nami and Sanji. "Please look out for her. She's such a pure-hearted child."
Nami and Sanji nodded. "We will, don't worry. Nothing will stop us. I'll even put my body on the line," Sanji confessed, a bit dramatically.
Shyarly smiled at the display. "Oh, I have no doubt about that. Your crew is always one of interest."
Nami was surprised. "You know of us?"
"Oh yes," Shyarly replied. "I don't think there's anyone who doesn't know your captain. 'Straw Hat' Luffy, who caused havoc at Marineford. By association, his crew is also well known. I also make it a point to keep up with the goings-on in the world." She smiled knowingly. "The lengths your crew will go to protect. I know Camie is in safe hands."
Nami nodded in agreement, just as Camie emerged from the back with a bag. Sanji leapt forward.
"Camie! Let me carry your bag for you," he said, taking it from her.
The trio made their way out, following Camie. As they walked, Nami filled Camie in on all the adventures she'd had on Weatheria and her training. Camie, in turn, detailed her return to Fish-Man Island. While still pursuing her dream of design, she worked at Mermaid Café. Pappag had been mentoring her, but she still had a long way to go.
"Wow, I'm so happy for you," Nami said, her thoughts drifting to how much money she could save on clothes and how useful it would be to have a designer as a friend. Camie, oblivious to these thoughts, turned to Sanji, who was enjoying the company of two beautiful women.
Nami, too distracted by her own thoughts, didn't stop the inevitable question from Camie.
"And Sanji, what did you do in the two years you guys were gone?"
That question immediately broke Nami's trance as she turned to the blonde cook, who looked as though his soul had drifted far away. Nami rubbed her forehead.
"Best not to bring that up," she warned Camie.
Camie looked curious, but before they could continue, a group of fish-men rushed past them.
"Hurry, there's a fight!"
"A fight?"
"I don't know. It's those thugs from Fish-Man District."
"Causing trouble again? Hopefully, the guards are there."
"I heard they are fighting just one human."
"Seriously? You're lying. That's thousands!"
"I'm not! I swear."
The fish-men continued their chatter, quickly moving out of earshot. Camie and Nami exchanged bewildered glances. It seemed odd, but Nami had a theory about what was going on. It was just a possibility, but a strong one. With it being only a single individual... Luffy was with Hancock, which left…
"That damned, shitty swordsman," Sanji groaned. "Always getting into trouble." He turned to Nami and Camie. "I'm sorry, ladies, but it looks like someone needs a lesson in etiquette." With that, Sanji dashed off in the direction the fish-men had gone. There was no way he was going to let Zoro steal all the action. Plus, he needed to vent a little after two years.
"Sanji! Remember the meeting time!" Nami called after him.
"I shall, my love!" Sanji shouted back.
Camie watched Sanji disappear and then turned to Nami. "Shouldn't we be worried?"
Nami flicked her hair and smiled. "Worried? No. Those two idiots are too stubborn and tough. Now, how about we go find Pappag?" Nami continued walking.
Camie looked back one last time in Sanji's direction before following Nami, trusting her to show the way. Trust was a powerful thing.
XXX
Brook and Franky stood in front of the last store they needed for resupply: the bakery, where they had placed an order for food to be delivered to their ship. They paid for the supplies and delivery before heading back out.
"Alright, that's all we need. That took longer than I thought," Franky said.
"Yohoho! Franky, that may be because of the cola we spent looking for."
"How was I supposed to know they don't have cola down here?" Franky replied, a bit exasperated. "It's not ideal. We're lucky the supplies we have from Sabaody will last us a while, but who knows when we'll come across an island again." He justified the nearly two-hour search for cola. It was the fuel for his beloved ship, the Thousand Sunny. They had enough for now, but that meant Franky wouldn't be able to enjoy his cola as he wanted until they found an island that sold it. Franky was down about the long journey ahead.
Brook pointed to a stand selling frozen desserts. "Why don't we have some?"
Franky looked at the desserts, which certainly looked good. "Let's get some. We deserve it after all this work."
The two made their way to the fish-man selling the frozen treats. The vendor seemed a bit spooked by them, probably due to Brook's skeleton appearance and Franky's imposing cyborg body, which was the dream of all men.
"Excuse me," Brook said, but the vendor seemed even more spooked. "Ah, please don't mind the appearance. I'd just like a frozen dessert. Yohoho."
Franky watched as Brook tried to ease the vendor's tension, but it was clear that the fish-man was still uneasy. On the Grand Line, you'd think people would be more accustomed to the bizarre, but they still weren't used to such unexpected sights. Most of the people they'd interacted with that day had reacted the same way.
"Oi, move it, Mac," a voice called out. A female fish-man bumped the vendor aside. "You're losing me money." She turned to Brook with a friendly smile. "The name's Tomiko. So, what'll it be?"
Franky and Brook blinked in surprise at the change in demeanour. Brook "blinked". "Ah yes, I'd like a strawberry flavour, and my friend here would like—"
Franky stepped closer to the flavours, scanning the options but not seeing any of his favourites. He turned to Tomiko. "You don't by any chance have cola flavour, do you?" he asked hopefully.
Tomiko's eyes lit up, and she clapped excitedly.
"I don't," she said, dashing Franky's hopes with a cheerful tone. "But I'll take it as a challenge. If you don't mind waiting, I'll create the best similar flavour I can. Do you have anything for reference?"
"Sure do," Franky said, opening his chest compartment and revealing three bottles of cola. If Tomiko could make something similar for him, it would be worth the sacrifice. He handed her the cola, though she seemed unfazed by the fact that he had just opened his chest.
Tomiko immediately tasted the cola and handed it back to Franky. "I've got it," she said before getting to work, mixing various ingredients in front of the two pirates.
"Say, you don't react to us the way others do. Why is that?" Franky asked, curious. Usually, when they went without disguises, people gave them curious looks.
Tomiko didn't stop working as she answered. "Mhm, I don't care that you're a skeleton and a cyborg. A paying customer is a paying customer," she said seriously, causing Franky to think of their orange-haired crewmate. With money in sight, all else fades away.
Before long, Tomiko presented a dark, brownish frozen dessert to them. Franky examined it critically. It certainly looked like cola. He looked at Tomiko, who was watching him expectantly. He took a lick of the dessert, and his eyes went wide. He jumped into his signature pose.
"Super!" The dessert was almost an exact replica of cola in taste. He looked at Tomiko. "This is amazing!"
"I'm glad I could provide you with my treat," Tomiko beamed.
"Franky, that's some excellent skill!" Brook remarked thoughtfully. "Sanji would definitely want to meet you."
"That would be great. Then we can have more cola desserts," Franky agreed.
"I'd be more than happy to talk to your friend. From the sounds of it, he's your chef?" Tomiko asked.
"The best!" Franky said with pride. "Sanji makes the best food around. I dare say no one can beat him."
Tomiko looked intrigued. She considered how this could be profitable for her. Meeting their chef might help her expand her repertoire, especially with the variety of islands they'd definitely been to.
"Maybe that would be a good idea. Bring him over before you leave the island. But let's get Mr. Skeleton here his strawberry dessert first," Tomiko said with a smile.
Brook had just finished his strawberry dessert, now paid for, and was walking down the street with Franky after saying their goodbyes. They may have been overcharged, but at least it was an experience. They hadn't gotten far when the screams began.
Franky and Brook turned toward the chaos. Fish-men were running out of a large factory, screaming. The factory, to their surprise, bore Big Mom's insignia. Before they could process what was happening, a massive explosion rocked the factory.
They dove for cover to avoid the falling debris. After a few moments, they emerged from their shelter to survey the destruction. The area was filled with moaning fish-men, but fortunately, none appeared to be critically injured or dead.
Their attention was drawn to the sound of laughter. A large group of fish-men stood in front of the ruined factory, clearly the culprits. As Franky began to focus on the situation, something nagged at him. He looked down at his hand in horror.
"My cola!" he shouted, his hands on his head in panic. The dessert he'd been holding was now just a smudge from seeking cover.
Brook glanced at his friend, bewildered by his freak-out over the destroyed dessert. "My friend, it looks like we've stumbled into a mess."
"You could say that," a voice chimed in from behind them. Tomiko, drawn by the explosions, had approached. Brook tilted his head, waiting for more details.
"They're the New Fish-Man Pirates," she said in a mocking tone. "They come from the Fish-Man District. Our slums, if you will. They're nothing but cowards who cause trouble. Bad for business."
Brook had encountered such groups before—self-proclaimed rebels causing chaos in the name of their cause. "But why now?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Tomiko shrugged. "I'm not sure myself. But from what I heard, they want to send a message that Fish-Man Island is for fish-men only. Ridiculous, right?"
Brook agreed. It seemed absurd, especially considering their target: a Yonko. Big Mom would not take this lightly.
"If you don't mind me asking, you seem to know them personally," Brook inquired, sensing some familiarity in Tomiko's tone.
"Oh, I'm from the district. But I worked my way up and made a name for myself," Tomiko said proudly. "It's something to take pride in. Say, you guys are strong, right?"
Before Brook could respond, she quickly added, "How about a little transaction? These disturbances are bad for business. Can you take care of them?"
"Two colas," Franky said, now calm after his earlier meltdown. "That's the deal."
Brook agreed silently; they weren't ones to shy away from trouble.
Tomiko grinned widely, extending her hand. "You've got a deal."
Franky shook her hand. "Super! We'll take care of these small fry and grab our desserts!"
Their declaration caught the attention of the New Fish-Man Pirates, who quickly charged toward them.
"You're not fish-men," one of the pirates observed.
"That's right," Franky said. "Now, time to pay for my cola that was taken too soon!"
"Yohohoho. I wonder how the others are doing," Brook mused, drawing his sword from his cane as the fish-men closed in.
XXX
Elsewhere on the island, outside a bookstore, Robin, Usopp, and Chopper walked out, each holding a book. Chopper was grinning, especially pleased with the medical books he'd found. They headed toward the bus stop that would take them to the Sea Forest.
"I'm so happy! The medical books here are so different from what I've seen. I wish I could take more," Chopper lamented, frustrated that they could only carry so much. The fish-men had diseases and illnesses completely different from what he was used to.
"Don't worry, Chopper," Robin reassured him. "We'll come back before we leave. I'll even buy you another book."
Chopper's eyes sparkled. "Really, Robin? You're the best!"
Usopp chuckled. "You spoil him, Robin." He looked at his own engineering books. "Well, I got some good stuff too, so this was a good trip."
As they chatted, the bus arrived, and they boarded. On the way into the island, Usopp noticed a giant ship in the distance and was curious about it so he asked a nearby passenger, a bering wolfish merman, about its history.
The merman was surprised by the question but happy to answer. "Oh, Noah! I'm surprised you asked. Most visitors don't even spot it from here. You must have a good eye."
Usopp smiled, proud of his sharp vision. "I have good eyes," he said modestly, though the ship had appeared as little more than a dot on the horizon.
"That ship is the pride of every shipwright," the merman continued. "Up close, that ship makes even the best shipwrights feel like apprentices again."
Suddenly, a thought struck Robin. She leaned in, her curiosity piqued. "Noah... I've heard about that ship before."
"Really, Robin?" Chopper asked, intrigued.
Robin nodded. "When I was a kid I read about a ship that's been at the bottom of the sea since the Void Century. They never mentioned the ship's size, only that it's massive. But now, I can see that even that description doesn't do it justice."
"Void Century?" Usopp began, but Chopper interrupted.
"800 years ago... how is that possible?"
The merman nodded. "That ship has been here for as long as we can remember. We've forgotten why it was built, but it's called the 'Ship of Promise,' meant to wait for a fated time. It's a true marvel. Our research suggests it's made of adam wood."
"Adam wood?" Usopp exclaimed. "Just like the Sunny—"
Before he could finish, Robin quickly covered his mouth. But the merman had heard. His eyes lit up like stars.
"You have a ship made of adam wood?!" he asked, clearly impressed.
Robin released her hold on Usopp's mouth. "It's the masterpiece of my bro, Franky," Usopp said proudly.
The merman's expression shifted as he studied them more closely. "Franky? Could it be...?"
Usopp grew nervous under the merman's intense gaze. "What's wrong?"
"Are you the Straw Hat Pirates?" the merman asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
Chopper, Robin, and Usopp tensed, but Chopper quickly responded. "That's right. You got a problem with us?"
The merman quickly waved his hands. "No, no, not at all! I'm Den, the brother of Tom, Franky's mentor. I've always wanted to meet the young lad!"
The Straw Hats relaxed.
"Franky did mention someone he wanted to meet when we arrived on Fish-Man Island," Robin said.
"He did? When?" Usopp asked, surprised.
"He said it while we were waiting for everyone to meet us at the Sunny," Robin explained. Turning to Den, she added, "It's nice to meet you, Den. I'm sure Franky would love to meet you. Are you a shipwright too?"
"Hahaha, that I am," Den said with a grin. "But nowadays, I'm more of a researcher in the Sea Forest."
This piqued Robin's interest. "You know the Sea Forest well?"
"I do," Den replied. "Are you looking for something in particular?"
Robin nodded. "The Poneglyph. I'd like to see it."
Den's eyes widened. "Ah, I thought so. I'll take you to it. For Franky's friend, I'd do anything."
The rest of the bus ride was spent with Den sharing more about Fish-Man Island's history.