"I told ya ta stay down," Run mutters, staring at the man's motionless body. "All ya had ta do was let it go." The red head paces away from him, squatting down and scrubbing a palm through his hair. After a few moments he stands and spares him a single glance before walking away. He's barely made it more than a few steps, however, before a huge explosion of lightning pierces the ground in front of him, erupting skyward violently. "What in the hell?!" Run squints his eyes against the bright light, waiting for it to slowly die out. When it finally does he sprints quickly in the direction of the ruins in the distance. He quickly finds himself back in the area Yama had destroyed the monument but has no idea where Robin might have gotten off to. "Alright, alright...whew..." He takes a deep breath to calm himself down and closes his eyes.
'Kenbunshoku works best when you keep a cool head, kiddo'...Shanks' words echo through his mind. Of course, it would probably work best if he wasn't piss poor at it compared to Busoshoku and Haoshoku. He takes several calming breaths as the sounds of the world fade away, replaced with silhouettes light moving around him. Insects...birds...wolves...people! There are people below the ground! Not just normal people but the crew. He'd recognize them anywhere. His eyes snap open and he looks at the ground below his feet.
"Alright, then! Aaah, I'm really gonna have to apologize to Robin for this one..." He cracks his knuckles loudly, coating his fist in Busoshoku. With a grunt he leaps skyward and drops straight down, driving his fist as hard into the ground as hard as he can...which results in him immediately knocking a hole in the ruins. "Oh-ho...crap...!"
- - -
"And now we approach our final curtain!" Eneru calls, watching them approach. "Welcome, splendid survivors! I'll offer you my praise for making it this far! Well, in the end I was just having a little fun! I was curious to see how many people out of eighty-one, including myself, would still be standing after three hours. My guess was five...but it seems we have six here, and that just won't do. So...who will die? Will you fight each other...or shall I take care of it myself...?"
"Well, what do you wanna do?" Zoro asks everyone gathered.
"I'm not going to be the one," Robin says.
"I won't accept that, either," Wyper grunts.
"I, too, firmly refuse," Gan Fall tells them. The ruins around them suddenly begin to rumble loudly, and seconds later, part of the ceiling suddenly collapses. "What's happening now?! Is this more of your work, Eneru?! You--" The words die in his throat as a voice suddenly pieces the air.
"Oh-ho...crap!" shouts a familiar voice, a figure dropping through the storm of dust and rubble. The man strikes a large building behind the group, tumbling down the stairs ass over teakettle. "Aaah, fer-- son of a-- who built damn thing?!" The familiar figure eventually comes to a stop at the bottom of the building with a loud groan. "Aaah...my back!" With a loud grunt Run slowly pushes himself up, pressing a hand to his lower back and arching only for a loud series of cracks to echo. "Oh! That...That actually...that felt pretty good. I'm alright with that."
"Well, well," begins Eneru. "Looks like another rat managed to make it's way here. I guess we'll have to eliminate two of you now."
"Aah, what in the hell did I miss?"
"We'll have to refuse," Zoro tells him. "The one who has to die is YOU!"
"You're telling me to die?" Eneru laughs. "Listen to yourselves!" His laughter echos across the silent ruins as he stares at them. "That's just what you'd expect from the game's survivors! However, it doesn't seem like you realize who you're talking to. You still don't understand the existence of God. An old fool who wishes for Skypiea's happiness...a warrior who single-mindedly desires his homeland...and thieves from the Blue Sea who are after the gold. But this world is full of lost lambs, and I don't care one bit for their desires."
"If you've got time to prattle on about such nonsense then tell me where the Divine Squad is!" Gan Fall demands. "Just what is your goal?!"
"I've got a place I need to return to. A place regarded as God's home by the people on the Sky Island I was born! A place called Endless Vearth! A place where the ground extends as far as the eye can see! That is the world that I dream of!"
"This guy is friggin' nuts," Run says, finally approaching to stand with the rest of the group.
"Insolent fool! As god I am only adhering to the province of nature!" He strikes the cloud with the golden staff and it disappears, allowing him to float down. "I will drag down every Human from this sky!"
"You're planning to wipe out this nation," Gan Fall accuses, grinding his teeth.
"Naturally."
"Don't be so conceited, Eneru! 'God' is merely a title used to refer to the leader of this nation!"
"Yes, up until now, actually."
"The real 'God' does not live in the Human world!"
"Former God, Gan Fall...you're worried about the Divine Squad, aren't you? After losing against my forces, I took your six-hundred and fifty subordinates under my charge. Just this morning, they finished the work I asked them to do on this island. I told you before, didn't I? The only one's still standing are the seven of us." At this, Gan Fall finally loses his cool and rushes Eneru with lance raised.
"Don't!" Robin exclaims, watching the lance pass through the man harmlessly. The man holds his hands out above and below Gan Fall's head. Electricity charges at his finger-tips, gathering quickly in strength as he begins counting upwards.
"One million...five million...ten million...twenty million...thirty million! Thirty Million Volt Vaari!" Lightning arcs between his finger-tips, striking Gan Fall in the head and sending him sprawling to the ground. "God exists in this world."
"He's eaten a Logia Fruit," Run announces. "Aah, that's the Grand Line fer ya! Just one thing after another."
"Most likely the Rumble-Rumble Fruit," Robin adds. "And if I'm not mistaken...it's one of the few that's considered to be invincible."
"One down...one to go," Eneru says, turning to face them. "So, which one is going to be next?"
"I'll take that dance," Run tells him, grinning at the man.
"So, it's you then." A smirk appears on Eneru's face as Run rushes forward. "Are you just planning on throwing yourselves at me one after another? Don't you know that--"
"Sea King's Rush!" Run leaps in his direction, smashing his knee directly into Eneru's chin. Confusion appears on Eneru's face as he's thrown straight back, smashing into the base of a large temple several meters behind him. Eneru lands on his feet, slumped back against the rough stone with eyes wide in confusion.
"He...hit me...?" Hearing running foot steps he looks up just in time to see Run appearing in front of him. "Vari!" Eneru's outstretched arm immediately jerks right, sending an errant bolt of lightning crashing through the ruins of several buildings. A fist drives into his gut, smashing him back into the stone and another lands on his chin, snapping his head in the opposite direction.
"Sea King's Barrage!" His fist drives into Eneru's stomach a second time, then a third and a fourth his body curling more with each strike until Run's fist strikes him in the chin, standing him up against the stone just in time for another to strike him in the jaw. A loud 'boom!' sounds as a large part of the stone temple behind Eneru is demolished, chunks of stone scattering in all directions. Run reaches out, grasping Eneru by the throat and turns sharply, casting him to the ground several meters behind him. "'God'? Aah, hope ya can forgive me for not buying what yer sellin'. Yer just someone who lucked out with a Logia here in Paradise...nothin' more."
"What you're mouth!" Eneru disappears with a crackle of electricity, reappearing in front of the red head and driving his staff directly into Run's chest. "You're speaking to a GOD!!" Eneru sends the two of them crashing into the stone temple, a loud 'boom!' echoing as the entire building seems to collapse around them. In a shower of stone and dust the two men erupt from the opposite side. Run grasps the staff rightly as his feet touch the ground once more, spinning and tossing Eneru away who simply floats through the air before rushing back in his direction, electricity crackling from an outstretched palm. "El Thor!"
The red head surges forward, and surprises Eneru by dropping down and actually sliding under him, the blast of lightning striking the stone temple with a resounding explosion. Eneru whirls his staff around before tapping one of the many drums attached to the ring on his back. He whirls around quickly as the red head rushes in.
"Kiten!" Run's eyes widen in surprise as the wolf shaped lightning leaps in his direction, swallowing him completely. An explosion of smoke erupts in all directions while Eneru smiles. "This is the price we pay for challenging God!"
"N...Note...to self." Eneru's eyes widen as the smoke slowly begins to clear, revealing a charred yet still standing Run. Small jolts of lightning leap from his body, arcing to the stone below. "B-Busoshoku...is not...a very good insulator." He watches as what he once believed to be char slowly fades from Run's body. Hair, skin...it all returns to it's normal color as he drops to a single knee. "Whew...that...really hurt."
"You...! You just continue to defy God!" Eneru stretches an arm out his direction. "El--"
"Seis Fluer!" calls a familiar voice. Numerous arms sprout from the ground below a floating Eneru, stacking on top of one another quickly. "Iron Drive!" Robin's final arm makes contact with his chin, driving his head skyward an sending Eneru's lightning well off course. Eneru growls as he turns in her direction.
"Irritating woman! How many times do you believe that you can defy God's will?!" Eneru turns to face her just as Zoro appears in front of him, swords held at the ready.
"Oni...Giri!" growls Zoro, slashing through Eneru's body with ease and reappearing behind the would be god.
"Hah?" Eneru's body begins to reform as lightning arcs from the blades of Zoro's katanas. "Did you really believe that you could--"
"Sea King's Bite!" calls Run, appearing before the reforming Eneru and driving his fist into his jaw. He sails back, striking the remains of the temple with an explosion of stone flying out in all directions. The red head lands beside Robin and Zoro just as a large explosion detonates from Eneru's position. Wyper lands in front of them, pointing his cannon in Eneru's direction. "Good job! Just needed a moment to get my second wind!" Lightning slowly begins to crackle from the ruins moments before Eneru reappears, hovering above the stone and glaring down at all of them with a hand pressed to his temple. "Oh? Looks like he's mad."
"Listen," begins Robin, slowly raising her arms in front of her. "The three of distract him."
"Alright," Zoro grunts. "Robin, you take the left. You, you take the right, and I'll take the center. Make sure you finish this guy, Red."
"I don't exactly like the idea of working with you 'Blue Sea' people," Wyper tells them. "But if it means taking down Eneru...that's fine with me."
"I will do my best," Run says with a grin. "Just...make sure to give ground if you have to. That lightning of his really hurts!"
"Don't worry about us," grunts Zoro. "A little zap isn't going to bring me down."
"Aah, maybe it'll...SHOCK some sense into you?" When silence is the answer to his pun he nods. "Ahem. I wanna apologize. That was in poor taste."
"All of you little rats!" growls Eneru. "All of you defying the will of God! I'll pass judgement on you here and now!" He whirls his staff around and taps one of the drums along his shoulders. "Kiten!" The bold of wolf shaped lightning races in their direction while all four scatter quickly. Wyper immediately fires off a blast from his cannon which Eneru easily dodges, allowing it to strike the ruins behind them harmlessly. Zoro closes in from the opposite side, swords held at the ready all while Eneru spins his staff again, tapping it against one of the drums. "30,000,000 Volt Hino!" Lightning arcs from his body, rapidly forming a massive bird and flying in the swordsman's direction while he closes in.
"Cinco Fluer!" calls Robin, arms sprouting from a nearby wall. "Snatch!" Numerous arms grasp Zoro quickly, yanking him out of the path of the lightning and barely avoiding it. Zoro spins in air, planting his feet firmly against the stone. "Cien Fluer!" Dozens of arms sprout from the wall, grasping tight to Zoro as he glares at Eneru. "Throw!" As Zoro leaps, her arms propel him forward towards the man.
"Santoryu Ogi!" begins Zoro, crossing the distance almost faster than any of them can track. Eneru quickly brings his golden staff up in front of him as Zoro passes, appearing behind the man. "Sanzen Sekai!" A soft crackling sounds followed by the sound of metal clattering against the ground as Eneru's staff separates into three pieces with his body.
"Y...You...how dare--" Eneru turns as a shadow falls over him, finding himself staring at the red head.
"Sea King's--"
"Kari!" Run's eyes widen as electricity expands in all directions immediately, completely swallowing the red head. It fades as Run drops to the ground motionless, electricity briefly crackling from his body.
"Run," Robin mutters, staring at the unmoving red head.
"And now, there's five! Just as I predicted! It's a shame that you all chose to defy the will of God! You could have all traveled with me to Endless Vearth! Now all that's left if for you to sink into the endless abyss with this island and it's people!"
"I'd rather die than travel with you." Eneru scowls in response, and slowly raises his hand to point at her. A bolt of lightning flies from his fingers, striking Robin in the head. She pitches backwards towards the ground, her vision beginning to fade. Before she does, however, someone suddenly catches her. Even through fading vision she recognizes him, and a weak smile appears on her face. "Run."
"I'm here," Run pants, watching her slip into unconsciousness. Scorched and still tingling all over, he gently lowers her to the ground.
"Oh, so you were still alive," Eneru says, watching the two. "That won't do! I've already passed my judgement on you!" Run suddenly turns and rushes him quickly. Eneru simply raises the remains of his golden staff, tapping it against a drum. "Kiten!" A surge of wolf shaped lightning sails out, swallowing the red head once more...
- - -
Shouting voices....that's what brings him back around. Someone shouting at the top of their lungs, and then violent shaking. Grey eyes slowly open, and Run finds himself staring straight up at the concerned face of Luffy, who is gripping my by the front of his shirt.
"Run! Run! Wake up!" Luffy demands. He finally notices Run staring back at him and grins. "Run! You're alright!"
"Aah...I'll live," Run tells him, offering a grin. "C'mon, stop shakin' me."
"Aah, sorry."
"Li...Listen to me. The way things are right now...this nation is going to disappear. Do you understand?" A numb hand reaches up and grasps Luffy by the shoulder. "We...We have got to stop him. He's going to return this island, and everyone on it, to the ground. This guy is bat shit crazy!"
"Then this Eneru guy will definitely be when the golden bell is."
"Without a doubt." Luffy gently lowers Run back to the ground and nods in the affirmative before standing and running off. Run lies motionless for a few moments before finally pushing himself up. His whole body still feels numb from the electric shocks he's taken...and it doesn't seem like it's going to wear off any time soon. With a grunt he stands, looking around slowly and finding Robin leaning against the base of a small wall, her head slumped down.
"Robin!" He staggers in her direction, nearly falling flat on his face in the process. "Aah, friggin' electricity!" He crouches down beside her, carefully lifting her head to look at her. Her brow furrows slightly and her eyes open, a small smile appearing on her face when she meets his gaze. "Hey...sleepin' on the job, huh?"
"Mm, I was just resting my eyes," Robin tells him, as he turns and sits down beside her with a grunt. "Are you alright?"
"A little tingly all over but...I'll live. You?"
"The same."
"We need to get everyone out of here. Luffy is going to take care of Eneru." She nods in understanding, and after resting for a bit more the two go about moving everyone who is still unconscious to the center of the city, and the base of the gigantic bean stalk growing straight up through the clouds. In the middle of moving everyone, dark clouds suddenly begin appearing in the sky. Lightning and thunder boom and flash through them occasionally.
"What is going on?"
"Must be Eneru." Run carefully adjusts Zoro and Gan Fall, who he's carrying, but moving on again. The others are being moved by Robin, who sprouted feet from their backs and is marching them behind the two of them. When they reach the base of the bean stalk, they face the difficult climb up the bean stalk and out of the city but they manage and gently place the others down some distance from the stalk. The feeling is starting to return to both of their bodies now. It won't be long before they're back to normal.
"Oi!! Robin! Run!" shouts a familiar voice from the bean stalk, attracting their attention. Luffy is running on the massive vines, with what seems to be a gigantic ball of gold attached to his arm. "Look after these guys for a while!" He tosses a little girl and Gan Fall's bird at them, which forces Robin summon multiple arms to catch them with. "Robin, the golden bell is at the top, right? And Eneru's after it, right?"
"Yes," Robin tells him. "If the belfry exists, it would have to be there." Luffy nods in understanding, and then goes sprinting straight up the bean stalk. "Aah. He left." Robin turns her attention now to the little girl. "Say, do you know where our navigator is? She has orange hair, and--"
"Eh? If you mean Nami, then she's on that ship," the little girl tells them. "But now...I can only hear one voice coming from it." Hearing the sound of a waver, all heads turn in it's direction just in time to see Nami, Usopp and Sanji coming around towards them. "Aah! Nami!" Nami stops the waver several feet away from them, and the little girl goes running toward her. "Nami!"
"Aah, what happened to HIM?" Run asks, taking Sanji's unconscious body from Usopp with ease. He gently places him down beside Zoro and Chopper. "Looks like Eneru has been busy."
"Aisa," Nami calls, embracing her. "I'm glad you're alright."
"Zoro! Chopper! Old man!" Usopp calls, approaching with Sanji slung over a shoulder. "Don't tell me I missed the fighting?! Ahh, if only I was here!"
"Aisa, where's Luffy? Weren't you with him?"
"He went up the bean stalk to save you," Aisa tells her.
"Aaah! I just missed him!" Nami suddenly jumps on the waver. "Everyone, go to the Merry! I'm going to go after Luffy!" Without wasting any more time, she speeds off straight up the bean stalk, and disappears into the sky. The lightning storm over head grows in intensity, with bolts of lightning starting to strike the ground around them. Awakened by lightning and thunder, Zoro, Gan Fall and the strange man, who Aisa calls Wyper suddenly sit up.
"We should go, there's nothing more we can do here," Robin says.
"That's a good idea," Run agrees. "Zoro, get everyone to the Merry, I'm staying."
"Staying?!" echos Usopp. "Are you crazy?! It's dangerous--"
"Zoro, did you hear what I said?" He glances over at the swordsman, who stands several feet away, arms crossed and staring up at the top of the bean stalk beyond the dark clouds. "Aah, Zoro--"
"I heard," Zoro grunts. "I'm staying." Bolts of lightning continue to strike around them, and yet none of them move.
"He's far above now," Robin mutters. "It's only a matter of time before his ship reaches the top."
"What is it he's after there?" Gan Fall asks.
"A gold bell at the top."
"Gold bell?" echos Wyper. "Is that what you said?!"
"Yes."
"Where exactly is it?"
"Oi! This is no time for treasure hunting!" Usopp screams. "Didn't you see that lightning bolt?! We're gonna die for sure if we don't get out of here!" Both of them ignore the sniper, and continue talking about the bell. Robin tells him that it's located at the top of the bean stalk. She came to that conclusion based on the fact that the vine pierces right through the center of the city, and that a map she found indicated that the center of the city was where the belfry was at.
"Heads up!" Run suddenly exclaims, looking straight up at the sky. A huge chunk of bean stalk plummets straight down towards them, forcing them to scatter in all directions to dodge it. "That's the top of the vine. Someone's making a real mess up there."
"Wyper, no!" Aisa cries. "Even if you climb the vine you can't reach Eneru in the sky!"
"It's above," growls Wyper. "The bell that the great warrior Calgara was seeking! Eneru...I refuse to let you have it!" Everything is going from bad to worse for them. In the distance, Robin is the first to notice that the clouds over Angel Island have formed into a massive sphere, and are slowly descending towards the island. They can do nothing but watch as it drops lower and lower until it finally makes contact. The resulting flash of lightning is so bright that it nearly blinds them as it destroys the island.
"Did you see that?!" Usopp screams. "All that lightning, and the explosion! We need to leave before we're next!"
"We can't," Run tells him plainly.
"What do you mean?! Why not?!"
"Well, because Luffy is going to ring the bell." A grin splits the red head's face as he looks at Usopp. "Obviously we have to wait for him!"
"He's going to ring the bell?" Wyper asks.
"Dahahahaha~! Nami won't be able to bring him back! Once he's sets his mind to something no amount of convincing will change it!" Even so, Usopp continues complaining, demanding that they leave while they can but everyone simply ignores their sniper.
"Aaah! Watch out! Something's falling again!" Usopp screams, diving to the ground only seconds before a giant leaf floats down beside them. "A...leaf?" Scrawled on it's surface are instructions from Luffy and Nami for the crew to cut down the bean stalk so it falls to the west. Above their heads, the clouds begin swirling, shaping themselves into a huge sphere far larger than the last one. It's so large that they're all sure they won't be able to escape from this place anymore. Bolts of lightning being striking around them, forcing them to sprint for cover.
"Damn it," Zoro complains. "If this keeps up we're going to get blown off onto the ruins below!"
"Alright!" agrees Run, grinning at the swordsman. "Then, let's bring it down!" Both men slide to a stop and immediately double back in the direction of the bean stalk. They dodge bolts of lightning, weaving this way and that as the run. When they reach the edge of the clouds, Zoro leaps the distance and makes the first cut, cutting one part of the twisting vine completely in half...only to be struck by lightning moments later. Run jumps the distance, cocking back and coating his fist in Haki. "Sea King's Bite!" His fist impacts the surface of the stalk, and immediately blows a hole in it much to everyone's amazement. Even with that, it doesn't seem any closer to falling...and Run notices Wyper out of the corner of his eye.
"Try this! Reject!" exclaims Wyper, slamming his palm against what little bit is left, and blowing another gigantic hole in the stalk. With that, it shudders, and finally begins to fall while Usopp, Gan Fall, and Aisa begin cheering. Lightning begins raining from the sky, striking all around them. Run retreats back to the others, taking cover in the forest from the stray bolts with everyone else. They watch as the stalk slowly tilts, and then rapidly begins falling before finally crashing loudly to the ground...and immediately following it, the clouds begin to disappear. It's slowly at first and then just as suddenly as they appeared they are gone leaving nothing but blue skies behind.
"Dahahahaha~! Go, Luffy, go! Ring that bell!"
'Gong!'
"That bonehead actually did it!" Usopp laughs.
"How beautiful," Robin says.
"What a pretty sound!" Chopper adds.
"I believed that this moment would come one day," Gan Fall chokes, tears welling up in his eyes.
"So, this is the sound Noland heard," Sanji muses.
"I knew he would..."
- - -
When everything seemed to be said and done, they headed back to the ruins to look for Zoro. He wasn't that difficult to find, since he was just sitting still and even though he'd been hit by a bolt of lightning, he didn't seem to be any worse for wear. It was Wyper who needed to be treated immediately. According to Chopper the man was on deaths door-step. Even though they were glad to stop Eneru, they didn't end up with a single thing to show for their trouble. The city had been stripped of it's gold, the belfry sank into the cloud sea...they have nothing to show for helping out the Sky People.
"Dahahaha~! Well, at least we got a good story out of it!" Run laughs, grinning at everyone. "I mean-- owie!"
"How can you be so relaxed about this?!" demands Nami, standing behind the red head as a knot slowly appears. "We went through all of that and didn't come out with a single speck of gold to show for it! Are you an idiot?! Stories won't fill our stomachs! You--" Arms suddenly sprout from the ground in front of her, clutching a small golden ingot. "W-What the?!"
"In all the excitement I forgot to give you this," Robin says. "Run managed to find an ingot when we were at the shore, Nami."
"Waaaah!" Nami snatches the ingot from the hands as they disappear, holding it up to examine it with a grin on her face. "Good job, Run! I knew I could count on you more than the rest of these idiots!" Her compliments fall on deaf ears, however, as Run approaches Robin, sitting down on the ground in front of her.
"Robin! Nami hit me again!" complains Run. "My head hurts!" Robin giggles and leans forward, arms gently encircling his neck while she presses a kiss to the top of his head.
"Oi, should we really be treating that guy?" Sanji finally asks, watching Chopper treat Wyper. "He's one of the guerrillas, after all. It's not like we owe him anything."
"It'll be fine," grunts Zoro. "He helped us square off against Eneru, and helped again with the bean stalk."
"Oi, Red, I don't suppose you managed to sniff out any more gold than that, did you?"
"I'm a pirate not a metal detector, casanova," Run tells him. "What Nami's got is all I found."
"Looks like our journey in poverty continues," Zoro grunts, smiling.
"I'd rather have the dials than the gold," adds Usopp. "We won't be able to get them ever again once we return to the Blue Sea." Suddenly, they're interrupted by someone calling loudly, and all heads turn to see Luffy and Conis running in their direction with Luffy pulling a huge bag behind him. "Oi! Luffy!"
"Everyone! I finally caught up!" Luffy laughs. "Look, look! I brought a whole bunch of food! It was in the priests storage...!"
- - -
None of them are quite sure how the party started. They Straw Hat's had only intended to have a small celebration but before they knew it nearly everyone who had escaped from Angel Island had joined in. Even the snake that had chased them earlier was part of the party! Everything was a blur of food and drink as they celebrated their survival and freedom from the 'God' Eneru. Eventually, however, things began to wind down and people started going to sleep. By the time the bon fire had burned out, everyone was fast asleep...everyone except for Luffy.
The rubber Captain sneaks through the darkness, stepping over sleeping bodies as he heads for his crew with a grin. They're sleeping on top of an elevated platform, away from the rest of the sky people, which makes them easy enough to spot. He climbs up the few stairs and approaches a sleeping Nami.
"Oi, oi!" Luffy whispers, shaking her by her shoulder. "Nami! Wake up!"
"Mmnnh...what is it?" Nami complains, eyes opening slowly. "I'm trying to sleep."
"I know but...I need to tell you, I found the gold."
"YOU FOUND THE GOLD?!?" Unfortunately, Nami's screaming wakes everyone who had been sleeping. While the Straw Hat's voice their complaints at being woken, Luffy pulls them all into a tight huddle and explains what's going on.
"We're going to steal it and run!"
"Alright, then," Usopp says. "Tomorrow, we're going to leave these sky islands! Let's make sure we don't have any regrets...!"
- - -
"Mmmm....mmmnhh!" grunts Run, stretching his arms skyward. "Aaah, what a nice breeze." Robin giggles as the two walk the streets of the ruins. Today would be their last day here, and Robin had wanted to take a look around the ruins so Run had decided to accompany her. "Wonder what this place looked like in it's heyday."
"It must have been a grand sight," Robin says, scanning their surroundings. "Although, even now it's quite a sight to behold."
"Let's go, let's go!" shouts a voice ahead of them. "The belfry was found! It's at the western seashore!" Several men go sprinting past, moving as fast as their legs can carry them as they disappear through the ruins. Both immediately come to a stop in the path.
"The belfry?" Robin looks at the red head and smiles. "Let's go. I want to see it."
"Sounds good to me!" agrees Run, grinning. "After everything we went through, I wouldn't want to miss the chance to actually see the thing!" The two follow after the Shandorians quickly. This is a once in a life time chance for them, after all. When they arrived, the Shandorian's were gathered in front of the absolutely massive structure, simply gazing on in reverence. The only part of it that's not gold is a large square stone set into it...a Poneglyph! There is actually a Poneglyph set into the base of the belfry's structure!
"Chief, what does it say?" one of them asks.
"I'm sure it's something we're better off not knowing," the man replies.
"'Hold our true motive in your heart and speak not of it'," Robin translates, weaving through the crowd and approaching the bell with Run on her heels. "'We are the one's who weave history with the sounding of the grand belfry.'"
"How do you know those words?"
"They were engraved on a Shandoran ruins. You were the keepers, entrusted with this for generations." The two stop in front of the belfry, and Run whistles in appreciation as he stares on. Truly, it is a magnificent sight to behold, and one he's glad to have the opportunity to see.
"Could it be...you can read those characters?"
"Aah, these things are always impressive," Run says, observing the Poneglyph. "Not that I've seen many. Hmmmm...is it what you were looking for, Robin?"
"No," Robin tells him. "It's just information about an ancient weapon called Poseiden. It's whereabouts...nothing I'm looking for. It's just a disappointment." The red head nods in understanding, and watches as she turns away. He's about to follow when he notices more of the same characters struck into the gold beside the Poneglyph.
"Hey, Robin, look." She stops and glances back as he motions to the writing in the gold. "Looks like someone engraved something there."
"G...Gol D. Roger..."
"Roger?"
"...'I made it here. I will guide this text to the ends of the earth. Pirate Gol D. Roger.'"
"Roger made it here?!"
"The King of the Pirates! He came to this sky island, too?! What do those words mean?! No." She stares intently at the words. "More importantly, why does he know how to use these characters?"
"So, it says Roger?" asks Gan Fall, earning their attention. When the man had arrived was beyond them.
"Did you know him?"
"Yes. He's a Blue Sea pirate who came to this sky twenty years ago. So, his name is engraved there." Robin nods in the affirmative.
"There are two kinds of Poneglyph. One's that hold information, and one's that guide to one's that have information. This is the former." She reads the text again and suddenly her eyes widen. "I see. Chief...this Poneglyph had fulfilled it's purpose." She explains that Poneglyphs that hold information must all bear a connection to each other, and when put together will give a complete history of the Void Century. This one had it's text deciphered and was taken to the end of the Grand Line where it was added to the rest of the text that Roger must have gathered.
"So...in other words...does that mean our duty has been fulfilled as well?" the chief questions her. "We...We no longer...have to fight?" At Robin's nod, the man breaks down into tears. It seems the centuries long burden placed on these people by their ancestors has finally been lifted. "Good...our duty has finally been fulfilled!" Run stares at the text carved into the gold by Roger...and a smile slowly appears on his face.
"What is it?"
"If Roger stood here," Run begins, still smiling. "That means, my father might have stood here, too!"
"That's true. It's entirely possible that Shanks had visited here."
"Dahahahaha~! This is great! It feels like I'm just one step closer now! One step closer to surpassing the old man! Dahahaha~!" The red head turns and actually thrusts a fist into the air. "Alright! I'm feelin' really good now! Let's have a drink and celebrate, Robin!" Run struts back in the direction of the ruins, the crowd of people parting for him.
"Mm...I think you might be more than just a step closer, Run."
"By the way, that straw hat kid reminds me of Roger," Gan Fall tells her. "Maybe it's just this old man's imagination, though."
"His name is Monkey D. Luffy."
"'D'? So he has the same letter in his name. I see."
"You two," calls the chief. "You guys wanted gold, right? You said it's more valuable than Vearth in the Blue Sea. So, how about taking that broken belfry column. Though, we can't give you the bell you're welcome to take it if you wish."
"You're sure? Well, then, who are we to turn down a gift...?"
- - -
When they returned to the ruins, at the head of a group of people dragging the column, they found Luffy, Usopp, Sanji and Chopper waiting for them. Each one of them was carrying a large sack stuffed full of what Robin and Run could only imagine to be gold.
"OI!! ROBIN!! RUN!! HURRY!! WE GOTTA RUN!! WE STOLE SOME GOLD!!" Luffy bellows when he notices them. Upon noticing the huge wrapped up column, Usopp and Chopper began panicking, believing they were going to be attacked for stealing.
"What's the hurry, Luffy?" Run shouts back, scratching the stubble on his jaw. "Aah! You're not going to believe this but--"
"Look, look!" Luffy turns his back and points into the over-flowing sack of look. "We got a really good catch! We're rich!" They start running away, leaving them standing there in confusion. Robin and Run immediately take off after them.
"Oi! Are you guys going to take this?" one of the men calls.
"Sorry, looks like we won't be needing it!" Robin tells them, as they sprint to catch up. It's a dash through the ruins and the forest all the way back to the Merry where Nami, Conis and Pagaya are waiting. They quickly board the Merry, weigh anchor and set sail for Cloud End. They store their ill-gotten gains and then all they can do is wait. While they're excited to set sail again, they're also a bit sad to be leaving behind sky island. All too soon, they find themselves at Cloud End.
"I wonder if we can visit this place again," Nami says, staring off at the horizon.
"Who knows," Usopp offers.
"Well, I guess it's time to bid farewell," Run sighs, staring at the gate ahead. Conis, Pagaya and Suu all quickly disembark from their ship and bid them fairwell as they sail through the gate. Pagaya even tells them to furl the sails and hold on tight to the Merry. Even though they were sad to leave, Luffy was raring to go for their next adventure. As they pass through the gate, however...they suddenly found themselves in free fall, dropping straight down towards the ground. Fortunately, it seems that it's all part of the process, as the next second the Merry was suddenly wrapped up tight by a giant octopus that inflated itself like a ballon.
"What the hell?!" Zoro demands.
"This is soo cool!" Luffy gushes, laughing wildly.
"Dahahaha! The fun just never stops!" Run laughs, releasing the railing of the Merry with a grin. The loud chiming of a bell sounds moments later, bringing a smile to their faces. "They really know how to send off their friends, huh?" Their spirits lifted by the sound of the bell...the only thing they can do now is just wait to float down back to the sea...