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Why being caught in a Casual Loop is best to be avoided: I

Chapter 2

”Um..." Nami hesitated at the shocked look the sailor is offering her. He looks as if he is genuinely surprised that she can even speak in the first place. She knows the word, but she feels so crippled, not knowing how to speak this strange language and having doubts at each interaction that she will not be able to understand more than a few simple sounds at a time. But anyways, the navigator has to try if only to smother the overwhelming curiosity gnawing incessantly away at her. Because damn her and her curious personality, this request is the simplest and most rudimentary one in her line of work and she’ll lie if she’d say that she was not dying to know about it. Ever since they’ve been strapped here.

"... Map?"

Maybe because he is still shocked with her sudden sound-making ability or because she is damn intimidating, the man that seems to be barely three years older than her looks and looks. And her mind suggests as she shifts from foot and foot that he might be the one with the problem.

After two minutes that seem like years, he raises an eyebrow and considers her squirming form in return for a few more unnerving moments in which Nami wants nothing more than to yell for Robin's help. But she bites her lip at the last second, knowing that they, some way or another, have to find a way to communicate in cases like these by themselves. Not only rely on Robin’s albeit wider expertise in this area. The archeologist already has enough on her plate as it is, if her drooping shoulders basically every other moment of the day, are anything to go by.

At long last, the shaggy haired guy nods and leaves to search for a map, presumably. Nami taps her foot impatiently and hopes that he didn’t leave her standing like an idiot in the middle of the deck for real. Blood will be spilled in that case, with or without knowing what he is screaming about.

Nami sighs in relief when she spots him making his way back to her position, an old looking piece of parchment in hand. She inhaled sharply when it is placed on the barrel in front of her and moves with trembling fingers to unroll it.

"What do you plan on doing with that map, young lady?"

Nami screeches and almost drops the map on the planks when an old, short woman pops up from the other side of the makeshift table, eyeing her with the most suspicious pucker of the lips the navigator has ever seen. And she has been a pirate and a scourge for long enough now. Her eyes widen to disbelieving proportions at the unimpressed, stern looking lady wearing a pair of large, round glasses and white hair tied up in a crisp bun. She looks so out of place on this ship, but somehow still fits in readily. It looks like she is waiting for an answer to whatever question has startled Nami earlier, but the navigator didn't catch a word of it.

"Nami, are you alright?!" Robin's breathless inquiry seems to give the strange lady all the answers she needs, but Nami could care less as she catches Robin’s arm in a death grip and swears to never let go.

"Strangers, huh?" She speaks more for her own benefit, though Robin nods anyway.

"She just wished to look."

The old woman waves a hand in dismissal.

"Yes, yes, I figured that out. It's fine!" She announces loudly to basically no one but the two of them, her eyes fixed on Nami's still disturbed form. "You. Can. Look." She adds deliberately slow.

The orange head purses her lips, trying in vain not to bristle at the tone of voice, but finally understands the message. This old bat is looking down on her, of course she should have seen that coming. She feels like a goddamn toddler, with no way to make herself understood even though there is a language she can speak. Nami knows that she'd be fighting a losing battle if she tries to argue. Toddler language against crazy stuff from the Void Century. Go figure.

"This is our navigator. She wanted to know who wanted the map." The sailor from earlier feels the need to explain himself, seeing as the Strawhats' own navigator is already pinning him under an accusing stare.

Nami exhales, swallowing her nerves and pointedly choosing to ignore the stare of the old woman as she works to smooth out the map and take a good look at it. What she finds has her eyes widening and her mind screeches to a halt for a second there because this just couldn’t freaking be and let’s be serious.

But this wide, fucked up world has convinced her that things can go either way at any second. Since it hasn’t blown up by now in their timeline, she has let herself believe that nothing quite like what they have encountered can possibly bring about this. This sort of rapture in their reality. Maybe shei being overly dramatic, but Nami guesses that maybe the world has already blown up right around now because this wasn't right. It couldn't have been right. Even if they got sent five hundred years into the past this couldn't have been slightly right. Not for this over the top, flipped around world. Not in what she used to call their world.

"W-W..." The word lodgead inside her throat doesn’t want to come out and it’s all for the better, a cynical part of her still working brain believes.

Robin bites her lip, trying hard not to give in to the tidal wave of desperation because Nami needs her as moral support and she can’t do that to her. But even the usually clear minded former assassin is having a hard time believing that this is the place called home in the future. Not knowing what to do, she calls out the first name to roll on her tongue.

"Chopper!"

The small reindeer has been exploring the strange ship's deck ever since they embarked, but pauses at the strange tone Robin has spoken in and follows it upwards in surprise. The dark haired woman is supporting Nami's shivering form, though she does not seem to be doing too well herself. Mind already whirling, the Zoan user enters his doctor mode automatically.

"What's the matter, Robin?! Do you need a doctor? Is Nami okay?"

Robin waves the string of questions away and answers shakily. "I need you to call everyone over here, please."

Chopper blinks, but nods nonetheless and sprints away to inform their friends.

"You look positively horrified." The old woman comments absently, judging them behind her grey, judgy eyes, Nami’s mind sneers. "Why?"

Robin's smile is awfully sour. "It a shock."

"Why?" The old navigator repeats her question as if just asking it will unlock some goddamn secret treasure chest. Nami would have known if this was the case.

The archaeologist chooses not to respond this time around and studies instead the lines of the map, trying to memorize everything she can.

"Nami-swan, Robin-chwan!" Sanji's shout breaks her concentration. The cook is watching them with clear written concern under his usual fool façade.

His stare manages to snap Nami out of her shocked stupor.

"What happened?" Franky bows over the group, looking at the map over their heads. "Somethin' wrong with the map?"

"Lots of things are wrong with the map!" Nami rasps, slamming her palm next to the piece of paper and successfully attracting everyone's attention.

"Can you read it to us, Miss Nami? I'm afraid I don't understand everything there..." Brook says softly, though he still manages to scare the crap out of the two standing on the other side of the barrel.

Nami sighs in frustration and ruffles her already disheveled locks.

"You see this?!" She jabs a finger at two jagged sets of parallel lines drawn vertically in the middle of the map, spread further apart.

"Uh-huh..." Luffy agrees as he rubs his chin in deep thought.

"This-" Nami's index finger contours the mass of land covering what is supposed to be half of East Blue in their time. "This isn't in our world!"

The echo of her exclamation leaves the colorful group in a grim silence, but the navigator can't be bothered by it. She is on a roll now.

"This land is connected to the Red Line itself. Well, it doesn't look too solid judging by the jagged lines that indicate possible ruptures of the land, but even so, how can it be?! And there're no islands! Look!"

The Strawhats eye their navigator warily. She seems to be so into it that she forgets to breathe for a couple of moments there. Chopper unknowingly releases a sigh in relief when he hears air whooshing out of Nami’s nose.

“But it looks-“ Zoro points at a few circular masses thrown like random dots on the ocean.

“Okay, there are a couple of them.” Nami grunts. She moves her finger downwards to South Blue. "This is the almost same. And North and West Blue, too!"

"But where is the Grand Line then?" Zoro insists impatiently. He crosses his arms, index finger tapping his forearm restlessly.

"It isn't marked with anything..." The orange haired woman stops and starts mumbling to herself. What she’s saying, only Nami herself knows.

"What sea... this?" The foreign words leaving Zoro's mouth take them all by surprise, but the small, old woman seems more indignant than perturbed. She watches Zoro from under the thick, black rim of her glasses and she seems to ponder if he is really worth giving an answer to.

Most of all, she raises an eyebrow at the rudimental way of speaking, but grudgingly approves that they at least know a little of the language. Though it seems at various degrees and only that black haired woman knows it best, but credit goes where it’s deserved. The old navigator's mouth pulls taut, not liking the strange group and their out of nowhere appearance on her boat. It is best they are left alone, especially after seeing the orange head's reaction to finding out what the old woman feels that is general information. Even for someone that has lived under a rock in the capital. These kids look the part. So why are they acting like surprised maggots when even provincials from the Outer Rim, like the village they were picked from would not find this so earth-shattering. But she also knows that whatever their business here is, they are now travelling under her care.

Actually, she has heard that strange language before and now whenever they speak it, it reminds her of dangerous lands and bad people. Dark places and overcast skies filled with smoke and ash from a thousand burning corpses and trees. Most of all, though, it’s the haunting vibes that would never stop bothering her for the rest of her life.

Even so, she decides that answering will be the best option in this case. Their faces are as white as the clouds on the sky and most look on the verge of passing out which will not be beneficial when there isn’t any real doctor aboard. She’d hate another death at sea to be on her hands.

"This is the Grand Blue. The one and only sea of this world."

It takes Nami two days to calm down and analyze the situation from an objective point of view. In that time, their ride passes swiftly through what should be the Calm Belt and enters the hypothetical Grand Line, making full speed towards the New World.

Or where the New World should be.

Though if any of them had any doubts that this is the same sea they have been travelling on until a short while ago, the often Sea Kings attacks and very rare, but still certainly there, illogical behavior of the weather convinces them otherwise quickly. Which is a short lived relief.

Unfortunately, it rapidly becomes a presence that serves to remind them of their own time, which to Nami seems like a far, far away dream even after such a brief span of time. And it makes her want to cry whenever the treacherous thought sneaks inside her mind.

"Nami-san, are you hungry?" Sanji startles her from her latest and depressive trail of thought. Light brown eyes glance up in quiet surprise at the soft smile the blond is displaying and her stomach doesn't hesitate to growl pointedly.

"It seems so." The navigator giggles quietly as she gratefully accepts the bun and small cooked fish. It isn't one of Sanji's most amazing masterpieces, but it will have to do. She barely remembers the last time she ate.

"I'm glad to see that you're back, Nami-swan!"

In all honesty, she should have expected this kind of reaction. But she is still surprised at how calm Sanji was when he's said it. This act in itself signals that something is on the cook's mind and Nami has no qualms about asking, desperately wishing to escape her own muddled head for a little while.

"Something wrong, Sanji-kun?" The orange head asks nonchalantly as she shoves a third of the bun in her mouth. Her gaze never strays from the blond and she watches Sanji's lips tighten into an ironic upturn.

"I suppose it's the same thing that's been keeping you occupied for two whole days.” He says. “Robin-chan has been fighting a losing battle with the old woman. She wouldn't show the map to us anymore."

Nami's mouth goes taut as she considers his words. A part of her really wants to inspect it further, but the other screams and trashes that it wants nothing to do with it anymore. She wishes more than anything to call this all just a bad dream and pinch herself on the arm until she wakes up. But it won’t work, of course. Nami may be a dreamer, but she isn't delusional. She can only continue to hope.

Heaving a shaky sigh, she munches on the rest of her meal quickly, unmindful of Sanji's advices to slow it down and stands up when she is finished. She pats away the dust on her jeans and glares at the shining disk on the sky with more determination than she had just ten minutes ago.

"Nami-san?"

"Mind helping me convince that stubborn crone?" Nami grins slyly and the cook mirrors her expression after a second’s hesitation.

"It will be my absolute pleasure!" Sanji intones in obvious delight as he shakes a cigarette from his pack and lights it up in one fluid motion that always managed to impress Nami.

The cook consider his choice to take a new package before disembarking on No Name Island has been his best one yet.

The duo maneuvers easily around the working sailors, spotting some of their friends along the way as they direct steady steps towards the main cabin’s doors. Nami does not hesitate to knock on the weathered wood three loud times before she takes a step back and crosses her arms, her foot automatically starting to tap an impatient rhythm on the ground.

Her mental count is at 86 seconds when the old woman decides to throw the door open, face as unconcerned as ever. Her eyebrows draw up though, when she spots Nami's narrowed eyes and pursed lips.

"What is it now, girl? Haven't you had enough of moping around?"

Nami mostly understands the first part, but only catches a whiff of the main idea in the second. The question is, at least, one that she can answer.

"I see map again. Please?"

There is no answer as she has feared. She might have to start begging with gestures because she doesn't want to risk saying stupid things besides the word 'please', but Sanji chooses that moment to intervene.

"Please, miss Zahra." The cook insists politely and Nami doubles back at the form of address for which the old woman – Zahra, apparently – rewards him with her attention. "It is important."

"Why? What else do you want to see?" The older navigator asks catatonically. "Haven't you already seen enough?"

Sanji's eyebrow pulses, a sure sign that he is struggling to keep up with the sudden accelerated rhythm of conversation and Nami can sympathize with him on that matter. But otherwise he appears nonplussed by the words coming out of the old navigator’s mouth.

"Then you explain, please?" The orange head decides to tackle the subject another way.

"About islands and map." Sanji helpfully includes his two cents and Nami applauds inside her mind for their collaborative creativity. It seems that he has practiced speaking the language and got even better than her during her short seclusion from the world.

Zahra takes a minute to make her decision. Rubbing her temples, she turns to reenter her room.

"Gather your friends then."

Sanji grins victoriously and Nami winks at him before dashing around the deck in search of the others with the cook hot on her heels.

"This," Zahra begins, pointing to the irregular mass of land where the Blues are supposed to be, "continents."

"Continents." Robin translates for the benefit of those not knowing the word.

The old woman purses her lips at the horrid language, but does nothing to reprimand her.

"This is the only sea, Grand Blue." She contours the water.

"That is the Grand Blue, the only sea. What is this?"

Zahra's grey eyes barely acknowledge Robin's pointing finger, tracing it towards their time's Reverse Mountain.

"We call it the Gate. The capital has carved passages through it and created a way for ships like ours to enter the other parts of the Grand Blue. Of course, the continentals did not like it too much. Been having wars with them over it for centuries!"

"What'd she say, Robin?" Chopper asks curiously, having trouble understanding everything even after looking through Robin's notes.

"They call Reverse Mountain 'the Gate' and apparently the capital has created it to allow ships to travel to the other Blues, I suppose. There was something about a war with people from the continent." The archeologist taps her chin silently before another thought occurs to her. "Are there islands, too?"

Zahra scoffs. "Of course! But not many are known or are too important."

She moves her finger to punctuate along the ocean.

"The kingdom of Alabasta. Shandora, Wano, Dressrosa. Water's Seven and the capital itself." Her finger pats an accumulation of islands drawn as little, scattered circles, but otherwise unmarked. "Others are either not inhabited or discovered yet."

"Water's... Seven?" Franky chokes from the back, clutching Robin’s journal like a lifeline.

Zahra's eyes don't lose any time in fixing him up with a glacial beam. "That the name, blue hair."

"Maybe that's how they call it in this time." Usopp lifts his shoulders in a shrug, trying to offer a little support at the curious name. "Why that name?"

The old woman hesitates, apparently judging if the long nosed kid is an idiot or has really been living under a very uninformative rock. Sadly, neither is true.

"Water's Seven docks. The city has seven docks and it's built on water." The intended duh makes Usopp wonder if the word would sound the same in the ancient language.

Robin bites her lip when she sees her theory proved true right before her eyes. And she isn't sure if she would rather weep with joy or remain thoroughly disappointed.

"This... wasn't how I wanted to find out about this. If I am to be completely honest." The black haired woman releases an airy laugh devoid of any amusement that successfully confuses her crewmates.

"Did she say anything else, Robin?" Franky prods gently, hoping to not upset the archaeologist further, but wanting to know if anything about his home city was added.

"I only caught the names. She was listing islands, right?” Zoro doesn’t seem to mind the subdued atmosphere. “And then something about Water Seven's name or whatever."

He crosses his arms, brow furrowed in concentration. The swordsman isn't exactly sure if the countries on the list are the only ones remaining or not. Or the only ones that exist at the moment, though this particular thought does not sit right with him.

"Yes." Robin agrees softly. "At this point, there are only these five islands. Others are not discovered or inhabited so they didn't write them down. Also, she was pointing toward the capital just now."

"Oh. And what has you so worked up then?" Luffy asks bluntly, basically confused why this is such a big deal and partly concerned about his friend’s grey face.

One corner of Robin's mouth pulls upwards.

"Because I was right – Shandora being called Shandora means that we have been sent back to the Void Century." The historian turns around to face her friends and extends her arms in a un-Robin-like gesture. "This 'capital' being here means that we've been sent more than nine hundred years into the past."

Usopp swallows heavily, past the lump in his throat, past the sickness he knows he was coming down with since it was only a matter of time. And now past the uncharacteristic way Robin is eyeing them. As if she thinks that she is dreaming.

At some point, he manages to croak.

"Ni-Nine hundred?!"

"Damn." Zoro clicks his tongue, decidedly not in the mood. He wonders if there is any alcohol to be stolen from under the deck.

"That means that this is the ancient language and we are now heading towards the capital. So we should expect to see many differences to our own world." Robin nods as she speaks and Nami resists the urge to rub her temples. If this is her friend’s way of having a breakdown, she would have been decidedly happier with anything relating to crying and shouting. Hell, suicidal thoughts all the way. But an out of character Robin is too creepy to not give anyone nightmares. Damn, they always manage to get into the worst situations without any visible way out.

Her questions more or less answered, the navigator turns towards Zahra with a small smile.

"Thank you for... help." The orange head recites the word out of Robin's little notebook. It has become their one and only dictionary in this apparent past.

Zahra nods and rolls up the map, departing without another word.

"So," Brook begins, looking to be debating whether a song would be appropriate in this situation or not, "what do we do now?"

"Go to the fucking capital and find some damn answers!" Zoro roars, his temple twitching visibly. Many men stop and throw him irritated glares over their shoulders while others simply wish to see what the green haired stranger is so worked up about now.

Sanji clears his throat and jabs him in the small of his back. It thankfully seems to do the trick.

"I second that!" Usopp nods fervently, half hidden behind his swordsman friend now that he isn’t in homicidal mood anymore.

"I suppose it's the best bet we have." Franky lifts his sunglasses on his forehead, watching his crewmates' half shouts of agreement.

"Come on, you guys!" Luffy complains loudly. When he knows he got their attention, he allows his usual wide, confident grin to overcome his features. "This is an adventure! We should have fun, too!"

Chopper sniffs, but readily agrees. There is no point in arguing with Luffy anyway.

"Yohoho! Luffy-san really knows how to lighten the mood!" Brook hums, feeling pumped up for the road ahead. At least someone has to be.

It takes only four more days until they arrive at the Red Line and, consequently, to their time's Sabaody Archipelago. But there is nothing there to be seen but a relatively small patch of trees. They are half the size of the Yarukiman Mangroves they are used to encountering and look like they offer no shelter. There’s certainly no island underneath their branches. Only bare roots and the ocean.

A few ships are in sight, but then again, ships have always been in sight ever since their ship entered deeper waters. None of them even remotely resemble a pirate one. Rather, the locals who own them are busy fishing just like Luffy, Usopp and Chopper are doing after having robbed some poor sailors of three fishing rods. The trio is busy making funny faces at the people on the other boat that floats closely to theirs while the rest of the crew is relaxing near the railing.

"Water Seven is the place where Pluton was constructed," Robin recounts slowly and Franky nods behind her in silent agreement, "and then it was shipped off to Alabasta.” She stops, flips another three pages. “Technically. But there was no mention on the Poneglyph about Pluton's whereabouts in Alabasta the last time we've been there."

"What!" The shipwright's jaw falls at the news. "So it didn't tell you anything about it?"

"No details as far as I'm concerned. It has been only mentioned in passing. The real information is still out there somewhere." Brown eyes glint in the sun's rays. "Now closer than ever, it seems."

"I wonder what this 'capital' is all about." Nami mumbles distractedly, making air quotes with her fingers and noticing with a prayer of thanks that Robin is back to her usual self.

"The better question would be what we'll be doing there when we arrive." Sanji exhales a cloud of smoke, stubbing his consumed cigarette on the railing he is leaning up against. He makes a mental note to beg tobacco selling places out of Zahra. "We have zero clues and now there’s important we are careful not to stand out..." The blond trails off, eyes his friends and promptly reformulates his earlier statement. "Too much."

"The even better question would be how do we get to the New World?" Usopp leans back to stare at them all, only to receive blank stares in return. “What? Am I the only one who thought about that?!”

When only blank stares greet him again, the sniper fights hard not to lose it.

“C’mon guys!”

"Sanji-kun is right, but Usopp's words are worrying me. Though I believe that Fishman Island must be still here. Or at least some form of it." Robin gazes at the commotion around the deck with interest.

The ship has slowed down noticeably in the last hour or so and they are now floating through the calm waters, heading straight for the dark red mass of rock towering over them imperiously.

"Let's begin, boys!" Zahra appears on deck then, her eyes scanning the crowd of fully equipped sailors critically. Most are holding barrels and buckets along with large brushes and cloths in their hands. Her critical gaze stops on the Strawhats and the old woman opens her mouth to reprimand them. "You kids stay out of the way. Got it?"

Most nods with the exception of Luffy. He still doesn’t understand any of her words.

“Is lunch ready?” The captain asks as he wrestles with a fish his size.

No one answers him. Instead, they watch as the workers move as one, starting to apply a sticky substance to various parts of the ship.

"They are... coating it. Please tell me they are coating it." Franky whispers in awe with a hint of fear, watching the men work carefully, but efficiently.

"So we're going under like usual." Zoro is glad that at least this is something they are familiar with.

"I wonder how long this will take." Chopper rubs his cheek, his bright eyes more interested in the current proceedings on the vessel than his latest catch.

"Chopper, it's pulling!"

Only Franky has been around the Sunny when it was coated before and he is honestly surprised by how little it takes the sailors to finish the job. Granted, the last time there has only been one fishman to the job with small help from the cyborg when Den allowed it. These guys’ collective effort took half an hour and by then the Strawhat pirates have already caught two big fish and a smaller one that were to be served for dinner later in the day.

Robin and Nami – the newly formed annoy-Zahra tag team, as the woman herself put it– have been pestering the old navigator with various questions about the nature of their next part of the journey, but have been left with barely a grumbled out response in return. This has them stuck with even more curious inquiries. For the moment though, they've been assured that their underwater journey will be taking only half a day at most after which there is a five days' journey to the capital if the winds are in their favor. If her calculations are correct, Nami concludes that the islands they are sailing toward can’t be too far into the New World.

"Or maybe it's because the weather isn't so abruptly changing and so they're going at full speed?" The revelation only manages to bring about horror and she spends the next few minutes moaning and groaning because of the unfairness.

Sanji takes it upon himself to solve the upcoming issues of their arrival and speaks to Zahra about the port they are going to dock at. He finds himself surprised at how willing the old crone is to tell him all about it. But either way, the cook brushes it off and concentrates on catching everything she is saying, gritting his teeth when he sees that she is slowing down and using simpler terms intentionally. Sanji swallows his frustration and nods along. By the end of his little chat, he has acquired enough information to formulate a good strategy for the visit on the main island of the so-called capital.

As last minute preparations are being done, Sanji returns to his friends' side, ignoring their burning stares full of curiosity.

"We'll talk after we sink." He explains briefly, wondering how strange that sentence really sounded.

Barely a minute later, three fishmen and one merman surface on opposite sides of the ship. They exchange a few rushed words with Zahra before another middle-aged sailor, starts tying thick ropes on the masts and railings.

"What those for, Zahra?" Franky asks, excited as he gives a helping hand in tightening the knot on the foremast.

The old woman raises an eyebrow, but decides to humor him. "For those who will carry us." She indicates in the water's direction where two large, multicolored fins are protruding its surface.

She smirks at Franky's impressed whistle.

"Everyone grab onto something and keep tight! We don't want to have our friends here run back in vain for your stupid asses!" Zahra's voice reverberates over the deck and, as one, everyone clings to anything glued to the ship.

"Make sure you guys keep an eye on Luffy and the others, alright?" Nami shouts over her shoulder, bracing for something like an impact to come.

But there was none.

"But is it going to be fine?" Usopp is glancing around nervously. The water level is past their heads now. "We've been sinking for a while now."

"Yes, ever since they finished with the coating." Robin agrees, prompting the sniper to release an undignified shriek. "I don't know what they did, but the rate of sinking was so slow, it was barely noticeable."

"Maybe it has to do with the mass of the ship?" Brook proposes, double checking his hold on the railing. "I don't sink if I run fast on water."

"You mean to say that this ship's extremely light?" Franky asks from behind Luffy’s wild tuft of hair. The shipwright has one of his massive hands wrapped around their hyperactive captain, keeping his struggling form in place.

"Could be, seeing as we've got here in, what, four days?" Zoro guesses, lounging on the ground and entirely too unconcerned.

"It took six, you stupid algae brain!" Sanji grunts from his side and receives the stink-eye in return. "But I agree with the idiot. It can be one of the reasons."

No one has time to offer anything else. The ship suddenly lurches forward and sinks the rest of the way into the water. A wave of nostalgia and wonder hits Nami as she takes in the underwater landscape once more and its array of different life forms. She is also able to take a good look at the large creatures pulling the ship. There is a Sea King with pale green skin with colorful dots are splotched all over its body that is guiding their ride from the front, while another one swims by next to him. The beasts are very tame with the fishmen handling them and their kin is avidly avoiding the vessel at all costs.

"This is new." Chopper confesses, looking all around them with wide eyes. "Usually they won't hesitate to attack ships."

"Yeah. Seems like these guys know what they're doing." Usopp agrees, tapping his fingers on the wooden floor nervously. "I wonder why everyone's still latched to the ship, though."

"Probably as a safety measure." Franky concludes. "We should take their example and do so as well." He added mostly for the benefit of his impatient captain still struggling in his hold. Luffy only huffs and crosses his arms.

"Now you better start spewing, stupid cook." Zoro blurts out, eye narrowed on the back of the man's head, daring him to argue. "What did that hag say to you?"

Sanji sighs, knowing he has landed in the middle of them for that very reason. "Alright, don't get your panties in a twist, algae."

"You-"

Now that he has their attention, Sanji continues. "So I asked her about the city mostly. What we can find there and who we can talk to about some important stuff. She finally told me at some point, but first insisted I know about the islands themselves."

He stops, feeling the desperate need for a cigarette, but doesn’t want to risk the old crone's wrath by lighting it up underwater and having her yell at him that he'll set fire to everything. It won't be the first time, either. Seeing as no one is planning to interrupt his monologue, the cook continues on, swiftly recalling the shocking next bit he is about to relay.

"The main island of this capital where we'll be docking on is named Raftel."

"What!" Nami's shout makes even the Sea Kings turn their way, but it unfortunately is quickly covered by a series of unintelligible stammering from the others, culminated by Chopper's strangled yelp.

Sanji sees Usopp's face gradually lose all color so that it is in the end as pale as a sheet of paper. Franky whistles again in that annoyingly unconcerned manner of his that makes the cook want to deck him for being so stupidly unimpressed with anything they stumble upon – especially the goddamn island that has sparked so many legends in their time and caused everyone to lose their shit and minds over. For which they would trade a civilian life for something resembling an endless and futile search. Brook releases a nervous laugh that seems more in tone with the problem here and Sanji approves and turns his head to see Robin's taut mouth and Zoro's shuttered expression. It’s rewarded with a glare from the cook because why does he have to be so damn unexpressive when there is the obvious issue at hand and is he the only one at least a bit concerned about it. Luffy simply continues to regard him calmly, urging the story on. Which gives Sanji all the thumbs down needed to know that his captain either isn’t buying it or is slowly coming to the conclusion that things won’t go his way this time around.

"The four surrounding it are Poseidon, Pluton, Uranus and Atlantis – Fishman Island, in our time."

"So they are named after the three Ancient Weapons-" Robin stops abruptly, eyes going wide before she bursts out laughing. "But then again, of course they are!"

Nami cleares her throat uncomfortably at the exclamation.

"And Fishman Island seems to be on the surface. It's kind of great, actually." Usopp flashes a wavering smile full of dashing hope and Sanji, heart heavy, inwardly prepares to destroy it.

"This means that the city before us is just a small settlement then, no?" Brook would smile, had he possessed muscles to do so.

Heads turn just in time to see the first coral roofs rise in the large air bubble. There are noticeably fewer houses than the Fishman Island they know, but this is only expected of such an early settlement. There is little agitation inside the city, but their guides carefully avoid it by swimming around the bubble full of air. The pirates use this chance to study the small crowds, so familiar yet full of strangers.

"I suggest we admire the sights for now." Brook says, hoping to share in the thirst for adventure. "Yohoho!"

Five long days that seem to stretch on endlessly later and the time travelers conclude that Zahra has not, in fact, lied to them. In front of their very eyes, sprawled on the horizon, Raftel's high stone buildings and towers spiral into the clouds over the island as they come into view – competing with one another in height and architectural design. After the initial shock, the crew’s expectant gazes settle on the approaching port, lined with merchant vessels and civilian fishing boats alike that creates a solid fence for the city limits.

"This is. Something else." Robin says, breathless all of a sudden as the others disembark behind her.

The archeologist glances up and down the wide street, to the unique decorations hanging on houses and stalls that consist of flags, lanterns and an array of exotic and colorful flower arrangements. Finally, Robin looks to the mass of cleanly cut marble and stone of the large palace sprawling not far out in front of them. It feels so gigantic against the ordinary buildings and in turn makes Robin feel so small in comparison.

"It’s. It's..." Nami trails off, light brown eyes impossibly wide and sparkling with the usual reflection of money as one hand covers her mouth in shock.

"It's made of gold!"

The navigator's shout echoes down the street, attracting a few confused stares. Usopp offers them sheepish smiles and a small wave in return and, luckily, the citizens carry on with their business.

It falls on Sanji, as it is, to thank Zahra and the sailors for getting them there. But if it is for sweet Robin-chwan and Nami-swan, the cook will do it without grumbling. Too much.

And so, after learning this convenient combination of words from the magical little notebook of one of his objects of affection, he decides to get this over with.

"We thank you for the help!"

And the blond bows to the small woman to add effect.

Zahra scoffs and inclines her head jerkily. "You kids better not cause trouble around here."

"Yes-"

"Now get lost!"

Zoro chuckles as he sees the stupid cook manhandled by the old hag.

"I'm glad it was so funny to you, stupid water caricature freak!" The cook grumbles as he takes out a cigarette from his rapidly emptying pack and curses. He forgot to ask Zahra about it as he should’ve. He inwardly hopes that he'll be able to find some tobacco around here since it seems like a rich city. Especially judging by how everything sparkles in the sunlight-

Sanji's feet draw to a stop as the man himself gapes like a fish out of water. "What."

"Look at this! Look!" Luffy shouts, jumping up and down in the middle of the street. "It's all gold!"

"Oh my god, it really is!" Usopp exclaims from his spot next to the nearest building, touching it with overwhelming reverence that borders on something less healthy.

"It seems like Shandora wasn't the only city of gold." Robin smiles with bemusement at the crew's antics.

"Yow, bro! How many Berri do you think a single house here makes?" Franky rubs his chin and smirks as his businessman side takes charge.

"More than ten million for sure!" Nami screeches obscenely loud again, her eyes definite Berri signs and knees shaking. The navigator looks like she could melt into a puddle at any given moment because of the luminescent sight of so much precious metal splayed right in front of her.

"Really?!" Chopper's jaw hangs open and the reindeer hugs the nearest statue of gold that he finds in his path with a white knuckled grip.

"Come on, stop fucking around!" Zoro scowls, eye narrowed at the too relaxed attitude of the others. They are in enemy territory, damn it!

"Yohoho! I believe it will be better if we’d find a change of clothes first." Brook proposes, walking with hunched shoulders in the hope that not too many people will notice his ghastly appearance. Of course, that is a futile wish since his height is outstanding on its own, but many luckily assume that it is a costume. "I can see a large variation in clothing styles!" The musician points out from his vantage point.

Zoro wants to groan at the sight. The skeleton is right – the clothes are totally different and he is certainly not looking forward to put such things on. Some are different, probably signaling that there are natives of other cultures visiting the island. He spots a few Alabastian outfits and others that would belong to Wano, judging by the samurai-styled clothing. There are also normal ones in the sea of white and color, but of course the Strawhat pirates won't go for normal. They have to go for more than normal so the completely abnormal will be covered expertly.

Sanji finally snaps out of his fit of admiration for Nami and Robin and straightens as he clears his throat.

"Brook’s right. Our first stop is a shop with clothes!" The cook announces to the audience in general and grabs Luffy by the scruff of his vest. He gestures Usopp and Chopper to detach themselves off the golden objects they are holding onto lest they get arrested for being too weird for this timeline.

They are being the too-obvious outsiders in this moment and the blond is starting to feel self-conscious.

"Zahra showed me the general direction the nearest shop is in so we should leave before someone decides we are too out of place and does something about it."

Zoro raises an eyebrow at the tense posture of the idiot, but bites his tongue. He doesn't like agreeing with the guy on principle, but he is right this instance.

They end up going the wrong way two times and it isn't because of Zoro, shockingly. The third try is the charm and the pirate crew finally find themselves standing in front of a large shop’s entrance. It is decorated with colorful lanterns and garlands hang from its roof and over their heads in a mildly irritating manner. The inside is equally as cheerful and it smells of lily perfume and incense.

"Are you sure this is a shop for men, too?" Zoro grounds through his teeth, watching Robin and Nami converse about a dress they've found through the folded materials. Another look and the swordsman knows that there are only dresses in here.

"Yes, I'm freaking positive!" Sanji growls back. "Now shut up and go find some rag to wear. We don't have money for you, too!"

The swordsman rolls his eyes and mouths sarcastically. "Enough only for Nami and Robin, of course."

"Of course, algae." Sanji replies and sticks out his tongue, though he is distracted from a possible stare off with said water plant when the salesgirl approaches them with a hesitant smile and a skip in her step.

"How may I be of help to you?"

Robin intervenes before Sanji can begin bewitching in another language.

"We search for suitable clothes to wear."

The brown haired woman nods in understanding and helpes select garments for everyone. The process is a little tedious and seems complex at first sight since there isn't any scale of measurement besides the naked eye. This coupled with some of the more unwilling ones and it is way past noon when the crew had barely managed to cover half of its members.

Needless to say, there isn't only Zoro in the Disgruntled Club, but Usopp and Franky too. The trio isn’t willing enough to wear those long dresses – considered unmanly – but they do not have a choice in the end because Robin, Nami and Sanji working together prove to hold a little too much persuasive power over them.

In complete contrast, Brook seems totally content with the way his new white attire covers his bony body and makes it so much easier to pass of as normal. He combined it with a black scarf wound around his neck high enough to cover up to his nose and his hat hangs low over his eyes. Now the musician can easily say that he is artfully camouflaged.

Chopper uses the same method to cover his furry body as much as he can while keeping his hat on and hoping that his antlers will appear to be part of it. He spins around in a circle and grins happily, watching his white toga and blue embroidered shawl covering it swish with each movement.

Nami gets herself an outfit not unlike the one she has worn in Alabasta. The only difference is the large, orange flowered shawl wrapped around her waist and draped over one shoulder that hides her midnight blue bra and exposed back. The navigator was hesitant to cover herself up in this heat, but the salesgirl warned her about walking around in only that. Even if she is an Alabastian, it was advisable to wear it because of the sudden bouts of rain the rainfall season often brings. So Nami consented to the beautiful shawl in the end.

Usopp is standing in place awkwardly, not feeling up to walking around or even breathing as a matter of fact. He still doesn’t understand why he can’t keep his pants on underneath, even though he will probably die of overheat. The others look pretty happy with their dresses, but the sniper doesn't feel extremely comfortable without his pants. The cream colored toga and yellow and brown shawl are a nice touch and they certainly appeal to his artistic side. He has to hand it to the shopkeeper – she has chosen colors based on his former clothes well.

He is also forced to reconsider his earlier thoughts when he discovers the amazing inner function of hiding his satchel behind the shawl without it appearing to be anything there. These long clothes aren't that bad and this definitely awards the garments points in the sniper's book.

In the end, Usopp opts to just watch in amusement as Luffy bounces around in his new acquisition. Their captain is grinning widely, whirling in place continuously as he tries to make his own white toga and flaming red shawl fly along with Chopper's. His trusty straw hat is perched safely on his head, gaining the approval of his navigator and cook in style and color palette.

Robin smiles down at her lavender dress and gold embroidered shawl before her head lifts to watch Zoro and Franky's protests with infinite amusement. She was surprised to see the shop having such a large tunic for their uniquely shaped shipwright, but the salesgirl surprised the archaeologist when she got one out for him to try on.

It is white with blue embroideries and has a matching striped white and blue shawl over it. The color is slightly darker than his hair, but it matches well enough.

Zoro on the other hand, looks to be contemplating bloody murder under that green toga and white and red lined embroidered shawl. The color is very close to that of his coat so the archeologist can't understand why he is being such a baby about it.

"It doesn't look too different from what you usually wear, Zoro." Robin knows that she is threading into dangerous territory, but she cannot help herself.

The swordsman glowers at her predictably furious. "That was a long coat and this is a freaking dress. Check your eyes woman!"

The black haired historian grins teasingly and drapes a yellow veil over his head. "This will go nicely with your hair."

"Hey-!"

"You better take Robin-chan's gift! It will hide your ridiculous locks, y'know?" Sanji snickers behind his yellow shawl as he exits the fitting cabin leisurely, sporting a white toga embroidered with golden stitching.

Taking the bait right off the bat, Zoro plunges into another swear fest right on.

"Um. How much?" Nami asks, uncertainty creeping inside her chest. All these clothes are amazing, but she is afraid of the price they now have to pay.

The salesgirl smiles sweetly and answers without much thought. "These will be thirty Pons."

The navigator raises an eyebrow at the surprisingly low price, but does not complain and hands her the money with a grateful smile as the others fill out of the shop. Her light brown gaze lingers on the discarded clothes they have been wearing until now, not sure if they should take them along, but considering they do not know the extent of their stay here Nami supposes they are better left behind. Flashing another grateful smile to the brown haired woman behind the counter, she turns around and follows her friends out into the street.

Her mind flashes briefly to the small coins jiggling inside her bag and she takes one out curiously, flipping it on her palm. On one side of the golden coin is a circle with four large dots placed at its diameter points with another, larger one right in the middle of them. Nami frowns in confusion at the simplistic and overly strange picture. There are a few small characters in the ancient language that she'll have to ask Robin about, but the image itself reminds her of the World Government flag even though it did not look like it at first glance. But then again, these might represent the archipelago they are in.

Nami flips it to the other side and her eyes widen when she makes out a ship behind which there is a faded skull with a crown over its head. There are more ancient words on this side and her curiosity flares.

"Where should we go now?" Brook asks, walking at a leisure pace in front of Nami's distracted form.

"Robin!"

Robin raises an eyebrow at her approaching friend. She somehow seems out of breath, but her mind is clearly elsewhere.

"Can you read what's written on these?"

Robin nods at the simple request and accepts the golden coin thrust into her palm.

"Let's go eat!" Luffy declares loudly, pumping a fist in the air. Usopp, Franky and Chopper immediately agree with the idea, but Sanji is having none of it.

“Now wait a damn minute!” The cook protests vehemently, even though starving is a big no-no in his books, too. “We have no way to make money so we’ve got no way of filling Luffy’s bottomless hole. Understand?” He eyes his captain pointedly, but it is the others who nod in his stead. Sanji sighs, left with no other choice but to follow.

They move slowly through the crowds, trying to find a nice and cheap restaurant while also making sure Zoro doesn’t get lost in the influx of people populating the streets. It is a nerve wrecking half an hour of Nami and Sanji inspecting different places and deciding if they are suitable enough, but most prove to be simply too high or low class or not fast enough when it comes to cooking a large variety of dishes in a short amount of time.

In the end, their navigator has the mercy to announce that they will be stopping at a rather small establishment filled with cozy sofas and low tables. Everything looks nice without it being too expensive. It also offers a good side view of the palace and the pirates are now able to inspect the large structure more conspicuously.

"It's big." Zoro observs, feeling an incoming headache as he drops in his proclaimed seat.

"And made of gold, too." Usopp adds with honest incredulity. He shifts his legs left and right, not sure how to arrange them under a dress so he takes Nami’s feminine example. "Just how rich are these people?"

"Very, if the gold houses are any hint." Sanji puffs out a smoke cloud, keeping his eyes fixed on the golden building glittering in the late afternoon sun.

"It only says 'capital' and its amount. In this case it's one hundred Pons." Robin relays the information to Nami, who thanks her and pockets the coin.

"This means," the navigator's eyes pin Luffy down with a merciless glare, "that Sanji is right and you can't eat too much. Who knows how much an inn costs and we need to survive here, got it?"

The raven head pouts, but he knows that his friends won't budge and, frankly, he understands why the situation is so dire. None of the money from their world work and it isn’t like they had much of those with them either. And until they figure out how this world goes and why they are here in the first place, working is out of the question. So they should take care of the remaining amount for now.

The captain nods grimly, surprising his crewmates with his mature way of responding.

"This… went better than expected." The orange head whispers to no one, accepting the simple sheet of paper that composes the menu that their waitress handed to her with a smile.

“I can’t read any of it.”

“Yohoho, me neither! So what is our next move, Sanji-san?" Brook asks after the waitress takes her leave.

The blond startles out from his inspection of the building. He assesses his friends' expectant faces and licks his dry lips.

"Zahra – even she didn't know where we could talk about our, uh, special situation."

"Did you tell her anything?" Zoro interrupts, ready to gut the idiot if he had spilled anything.

"No, but she took a wild guess." The cook sighs in resigned defeat.

"And was she right?" Franky approaches carefully.

"Close enough to not be entirely comfortable. But anyway," he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, "she only said that we might be able to find somebody who could help us if we go to the palace. She said to ask to speak with the head of Science."

"Science then." Robin translates for everyone. "Probably a department of some kind."

"There is something like that here?" Usopp blurts in shock.

Sanji gives him the stink-eye, but does not make any effort in explaining the matter further. "After we eat, I suggest we go see about that."

The Strawhats agree, faces grim and determined.

"That old woman really has it in for you. Giving you so much free info." Zoro can't help himself anymore and makes sure to couple his words with an appropriately teasing smirk and wiggling eyebrows that leave the cook itching to kill him and on the verge of gagging.

"At least I was useful for something, you ungrateful moss ball!" The blond clicks his tongue and kicks Zoro’s seat strong enough to inconspicuously move it a few inches, not in the mood to argue with the damn bastard. Instead, he focuses on the nice looking lady shyly approaching their table to ask for the orders and beams like nothing happened.

Zoro shakes his head, feeling that the day is not done making a fool out of them yet.

Chapter 3

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