Two years...two whole years have passed since he last set foot on Sabaody Archipelago. It feels like it's passed by in the blink of an eye for Run. The harmonious popping of bubbles echos through the grove as Run approaches the long stairs that lead to a familiar bar. He stops at the base of the stairs and glances over his shoulder in the direction he's come from. It was a somewhat difficult goodbye to Shanks, Raye and the crew but...without a doubt they'd meet again in the New World. With a grin on his face he climbs the stairs to Shakky's Bar and pushes the door open. Shakky stands behind the bar while Rayleigh occupies a spot in front of it, his back to the door.
"Oh, my," Shakky says. "Look who it is. Mm...you look stronger than you were before."
"Dahahahaha~! Just a bit," Run tells her, closing the door with his heel and crossing the bar to take a seat beside Rayleigh. "It's been a pretty lively two years."
"So I've heard. There was a story in the paper about a clash between the Red Hair Pirates and the Kid Pirates." Run chuckles a bit in response while Shakky places an empty glass on the bar in front of him. "Apparently, their captain was dealt quite a significant blow and forced to retreat from the battle." She produces a bottle and fills the glass before setting it down on the bar as well. "You still prefer your whiskey neat?"
"Always. As for the story..." He picks up the glass and empties it in a single drink. "...aah, that's one way to describe it. Considering where I was aiming, Kid is lucky he dodged as well as he did. I had every intention of taking his head not his left arm." Run picks up the bottle and tops off Rayleigh's drink and then his own. "Has anyone else shown up, yet?"
"You're the second to arrive," Rayleigh tells him, lifting his glass and taking a drink. "Guess you were in a real hurry, huh? There's no need to rush, you know." Rayleigh picks up the bottle and tops off Run's glass as he spins back around. "You spent these last two years training in the chaos of the New World...I could tell right away that your Haki has improved by leaps and bounds."
"Something like that. I mainly spent it on Yukiryu Island...except for Kid coming to cause problems we didn't really do much else-- no, that's not true. We spent a lot of time partying as well. Turns out I can drink and fight for three days straight before I finally black out from exhaustion."
"I...don't know if 'exhaustion' is the right word but sure, kiddo." Run looks at the glass in front of him with a grin.
"I almost didn't make it on time. Dad had a...well, lets call it a 'condition' for me to leave the island." The red head grasps his glass and once more knocks it back. "I had to knock him off his feet before I was allowed to set foot on the Red Force."
"Hooh? I take it you accomplished that, then?"
"Dahahahaha~! No-ho! Not even by a long shot! I couldn't knock him down no matter hard I tried...but I managed to give him a nose bleed and he cut me some slack. That was enough for him to 'pass' me." He sets the glass down on the bar with a grin on his face. "It was my loss but I got my shot in so I'm content. I also heard the full story...about Ace I mean. We visited his grave a few weeks ago."
"Run--"
"Revenge is a fools errand?" Rayleigh sighs and Run actually reaches out, giving him a firm pat on the back. "Relax, relax! I'm not going to go flying off the handle chasing Teach across the Grand Line. Still...I refuse to let him run wild as he pleases. Ace and I didn't always see eye to eye...but we were still friends."
"Killing him won't resolve anything...and it certainly won't bring the dead back to life."
"No. But it'll help them rest in peace."
"You need to think about this, Run. If you happen to get captured--"
"Aah, relax, relax! Like I said, I'm not going to go chasing him across the Grand Line. Besides, it sounds like you think I can't take care of myself. Have a little faith! I'm not the same little kid that I used to be, Rayleigh."
"I know that. I'm just offering you this old man's wisdom." The red head nods and finally stands from the bar. "Going already?"
"Yeah. I think I'll take a walk around. I've been all holed up for two years, and I'm eager to do a little exploring..."
- - Several Days Later - -
The red head has explored the streets of Sabaody for a little under a week now. The whole Archipelago has certainly become a lot rougher in the two years since they've been here. No doubt that's the result of Navy HQ relocating from Paradise to the New World which has had the consequence of the number of lawless groves skyrocketing. Regardless of the harsh reality that comes with living in such a place however the streets are remarkably lively. They're lined with stalls on either side with people selling all sorts of souvenirs to those that have made it across the first half of the Grand Line. It seems that some things never change.
He's been checking in with Shakky and Rayleigh daily, and it seems that almost the entire crew has made it back to Sabaody. In fact, the only two that are still missing are Robin and Luffy. Run sighs heavily as he walks the street with no particular destination in mind. He presses onwards down the street, and comes to an abrupt halt when he passes in front of the mouth of an alley. With a grin appearing on his face he turns and calmly strides down the alley, casually approaching a dark haired woman in sunglasses. She stands with arms crossed, paying him no mind at all not even raising her chin to look up as he stops in front of her and then leans in, resting his forearm on the building above her head.
"Fancy meeting you here," Run nearly purrs. She casually reaches up, raising her sunglasses and tilting her chin up to stare into his eyes.
"Hello, Run," Robin says with a smile. "Mm, it's been a while."
"Feels like more than a while."
"I meant to get back earlier but there were a few things that still required my attention, unfortunately." She reaches up and very gently traces a thin scar over the corner of his right eye. "It's new...what happened." Run chuckles and reaches up as well, gently capturing her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.
"Just fell down--"
"Run."
"Aah, I had a little run in with Kid and his crew during our two years apart."
"I read about that in the newspaper. The Kid Pirates challenged Shanks but were forced into a retreat."
"He left me a souvenir to remember him by...although, I took his left arm and scarred him up pretty good immediately afterwards. I had every intention of finishing him off but his first mate, uh...Killer, I believe his name is, managed to scoop him up and make an escape." He presses another kiss to her knuckles. "But enough about THAT...I heard that you've been busy these last two years." Robin arches a single brow in response. "Mom--Raye, may not be with CP0 anymore but she certainly knows how to gather information. You've been with the Revolutionary Army."
"Yes. As it turns out, a woman with my skills is quite useful to them...speaking of skills, I picked these up on the way." A hand sprouts from the wall between them, quickly holding out two folded pieces of paper in his direction.
"Hmm...and here I was about to make my move." Robin giggles as he steps back, taking the papers from her hands and opening both of them to apparent confusion. "'Straw Hat Recruiting'? 'Soul King Brook'? What in hell has been happening since we've been apart?"
"It seems Brook has become a famous musician...and we've finally managed to attract imposters."
"Wow. These guys have got a lot of guts, that's for sure."
"Mm, it's almost a shame they don't have the brains to match. They've apparently been spreading these all over Sabaody looking for any captain with a bounty over seventy million."
"Which means that Marines are probably on the way already."
"So much for quietly setting sail."
"Aah, that's not really our style. C'mon. Let's head to the Sunny..."
- - -
The walk to the Sunny feels almost unbearably short as far as Robin and Run are concerned, and it's made to feel all the shorter as they talk and laugh about everything that has happened in their two years apart. Eventually, the grove ahead of them opens up, and they find themselves standing across from the Sunny.
"Sunny," sighs Robin. "Sorry to keep you waiting for two years."
"Aah, there's really no place like home, huh," Run says, grinning at her. She captures one of his hands in hers and gives it a gentle squeeze.
"YOOOOW~!" screams a voice from the deck. "What an attractive couple before me~! Robin and Run, that's you, isn't it?!" The man, who has completely changed over the past two years, leaps up onto the railing of the Sunny closest to them and poses boldly.
"Hey, Franky, been a while," Run calls. "You, uh...you've changed a bit I see."
"Really? I would say he hasn't changed at all," adds Robin, giggling lightly.
"What are you talking about?!" demands Franky. "Of course I've changed! Just take a look at my body! It's FULL of romantic masculinity! YOW~!"
"Yes, it's rather difficult to see you as merely Human now." Both of them jump the distance to the Sunny with ease. Robin looks down at the squishy coating under her feet and smiles. "Is this the coating?" She approaches the mast and gently pokes at it. "It's like jelly!"
"Rayleigh did an amazing job on the coating."
"Has everyone else been by?" Run questions.
"Usopp and Sanji stopped by. Usopp went to get fuel and Sanji went to get some food. Counting Robin, that makes nine people. The only one who still hasn't show up is Luffy." Run nods in understanding and approaches the railing of the Sunny. "Oi, where are you heading?"
"Well, we need to find Luffy if we're going to set sail! I'll be back in an hour so just sit tight if he makes it here first!" The red head jumps back to dry ground with ease, and disappears from their sight quickly. He's barely left behind the Sunny before a loud ruckus in the distance draws his attention. People shouting, fighting and explosions echo through the grove. Run grins from ear to ear as he comes to a stop. If Luffy is anywhere...Run would bet money that's where he'll be. So, he makes a dash for the noise, covering ground as quickly as possible. The closer he gets the louder the fighting seems to get.
"Oi! Red!" shouts a familiar voice, causing him to come to an abrupt halt. He looks back quickly, finding Sanji and Zoro sprinting in his direction. "Long time no see!"
"Dahahahaha~! Zoro, Sanji! It's good to see you again!" laughs Run, grinning at the two.
"What the hell happened to your face?" Zoro asks, motioning to the scar above his eye.
"Aah, Zoro, as abrasive as ever! Dahahaha~! It's good to see some things never change."
"You look like you've gotten a lot stronger...care to go a few rounds?"
"Hmm." The red head reaches up and scratches the stubble on his jaw. "Normally I'd agree--" A deafening 'boom!' sounds in the distance and all heads turn. "--but I don't think now is really a good time. I have a feeling Luffy is the one making all that racket. C'mon! Let's go check it out!" The trio turn and go sprinting towards the commotion in the distance. The closer they get the louder the sounds of fighting grow until at least they can see everyone. Dashing away from the crowd and carrying a large pack on his back is someone they'd recognize no matter how long it's been. "Luffy!"
"Ohh!" laughs Luffy. "Run, Zoro, Sanji! There's definitely no mistake! It's really you three! It's been a while, guys!"
"Damn it!" screams a voice from the crowd. "'Black Foot! Roronoa! 'Red'! I knew you three were still alive! PX-7!" A Pacifista barrels out of the crowd towards them.
"Looks like they rebuilt you!" Run says with a grin. In a flash they've appeared behind it, cutting it down with ease...which spawns an argument between Zoro and Sanji as to who actually killed it in the end. The Pacifista explodes violently and the red head head quickly shields his face with a free hand. "Whoa-ho! Wow! That was VIOLENT! Aah, Luffy, everyone is waiting so let's get back to the ship." They take off in a flash, heading back in the direction of the Sunny when Luffy suddenly comes sliding to a stop. They follow their Captain's line of sight to find Rayleigh standing in the distance.
"Rayleigh!" screams Luffy, grinning. "Thank you for everything these past two years!" Luffy drops his pack and thrusts both hands skyward. "I'm gonna do it, Rayleigh! I'm gonna become King of the Pirates!" Hearing the Marines start running in their direction, Luffy quickly picks his pack back up and they go sprinting off in the direction of the Sunny. They feel like they've lost them when they suddenly find the Marines standing in their path. Before they can do anything, the Marines are brought to their knees by a swarm of familiar ghosts. They come to a halt as a woman they recognize hovers down from the sky.
"Jeez, you haven't even left yet and you're already making a fuss," complains Perona.
"What are you still doing here?" Zoro grunts, crossing his arms.
"Huh?! How could you talk to me like that?! If not for me, you wouldn't have even made it here!" Zoro muses out an apology while Sanji seems to have fallen head over heels for her. "A-Anyway, just set sail, already. I saw Navy Ships on their way here. If you wait much longer, you won't be able to escape!" A huge shadow falls over them and all heads turn skyward to an absolutely huge bird.
"There you are!" screams a familiar voice. Sitting on the head of the massive creature is none other than Chopper. Their doctor is all smiles as the bird flies low enough for them to jump on it's back. He's over-joyed to see the four of them. Even making their escape he's chatting and laughing, and asking them where they've been and what they've been doing for the last two years. They arrive at the Sunny within minutes, and the moment Sanji lays eyes on Nami and Robin, he suffers such a severe nose-bleed that he actually goes flying off the back of the bird and into the sea below.
"Dahahaha~! Wow! He got distance!" Run laughs, watching him splash down. "Aah...crap! Hold on, casanova!" The red head stands and quickly dives off the back of the bird into the sea. He quickly fishes their cook out of the sea and hauls the two of them up onto the deck where he's quickly swarmed by Usopp and Chopper to treat his still bleeding nose. Luffy seems to be completely mesmerized by Franky's upgrades, ignoring nearly everything going on around them. It isn't until a barrage of cannon balls crash down just beside the Sunny that he finally tears his attention away. Navy ships loom on the horizon, sailing rapidly in their direction. Before they came come closer or fire another barrage, they're cut off by another ship.
"That's a Kuja Logo," observes Robin. "They're strong amazonian pirates led by the Shichibukai Boa Hancock."
"Always with the Shichibukai," complains Run, approaching the railing of the Sunny. "Why do we have such rotten luck?" Brook comes dashing over to the railing of the Sunny, and snatches the telescope out of Usopp's hands.
"They say that anyone who see's her will be attracted to her beauty and turned to stone in the end."
"Waah! Too bright!" cries Brook, recoiling sharply. "She is dazzling! There's no end to her beauty!"
"Wow! She must be a goddess!" adds Usopp.
"G-Goddess?!" exclaims Sanji, suddenly rushing in their direction spotting scope in hand. "W-Where?! Where?! G-Goddess?!" He rapidly scans the ship in the distance for several moments before suddenly seeming to turn to stone before their very eyes.
"Wow," Run says, approaching and rapping a knuckle against his temple. "That's impressive."
"Oh, it's Hancock!" announces Luffy. "She's helped us! So let's set sail!"
"You know her?" Nami questions him.
"Yeah, I was sent to Maiden Island and became friends with her."
"Isn't that the legendary female only island?" Usopp mutters. "I thought it was just a myth...I didn't know it was real."
"D-Damn it!" screams Sanji. "I-It's not fair...! It's not fair!"
"Alright! Let's get ready to set sail!" They quickly weigh anchor get ready to descend to Fishman Island. Franky jumps over the railing of the Sunny and disappears below the surface of the sea. The coating covering the ship shudders and then begins expanding before ballooning out into a big bubble. This amazes most of the crew save for Nami and Run. Their Navigator unrolls a piece of paper and holds it out in front of her.
"Everyone, listen up!" calls Nami. "A coated ship has the ability to reduce any kind of pressure. But once the ballast balloon on the bottom of the ship has been deflated, the ship will begin to sink. This is how we're going to get to Fishman Island. Now, unfurl the sails!"
"A coated ship is driven by the sea current instead of the wind," Run tells the confused members of the crew.
"Everyone," begins Luffy, drawing their attention. "I've got a lot of things that I want to share with all of you...but thank you for going along with my selfish decision these past two years! Now...let's go! Spread the sail!" Brook and Zoro jump down from the mast, unfurling the sail quickly. "Set Sail! Let's go to Fishman Island...!"
- - -
"The surface is already so far up there," Robin sighs, smiling softly. "It's beautiful."
"Can't get this kinda view anywhere else," Run tells her, watching the colorful fish swim past slowly just outside of the coating. "Aah, it's still amazing no matter how many times I see it." The huge roots of the mangrove tree's reach further than their eyes can see, tracing out into the darkness towards the sea bed below.
"It's like we're leaving the inhabited world," Nami mutters. "It makes me feel nervous."
"Dahahaha~! Relax, relax! Have some trust in Rayleigh!"
"C-C-Can we go back on the surface for sure?" Usopp asks. "But it's not like I'm scared or anything!"
"Wow! It's like an underwater adventure!" calls Luffy, watching all the fish swim around them. "Oh! Look! I bet that I can catch them!" Their captain suddenly charges the railing of the Sunny, and leaps onto it's surface, clinging tightly as he struggles to reach the fish. Usopp and Chopper are quick to haul him back onto the deck of the Sunny, smacking him in the head and shouting at him while Run laughs.
"Nami, can you give us some do's and don't's for the coated ship?" Sanji asks, turning to face her...only to erupt with another massive nosebleed. He pierces the bubble and goes flying out into the sea as a result.
"It's amazing," Robin says, watching him float through the sea. "The bubble doesn't break even under the tremendous pressure but things can pass through it just like that." Luffy stretches an arm out through the bubble and snatches him back quickly.
"We should see if we can get some blood donations at Fishman Island," Chopper says, staring at the great number of transfusion bags he's hooked Sanji up to. "I wonder if Fishmen and Mermaids have compatible blood with Humans?"
"Seems that the coating bubble has the same quality as the bubbles we saw on Sabaody."
"Aah, yeah, they're pretty much the same," Run tells the crew as they gather around the downed Sanji. "Just like the bubbles on the archipelago the coating bubble will stretch to a certain point and then allow things to pass through it. You can even fire things like cannons through it without worrying about it popping."
"Then, on what occasion will it actually pop?" Usopp questions him.
"If you try to push too many things through it all at the same time then that can cause it to pop. So, let's avoid getting chewed on by a Sea King if we can help it, huh? Aah, that said, about seventy percent of those that attempt the journey end up failing so...let's keep our fingers crossed, huh?" While Sanji is recuperating, Luffy pulls out a number of lunches from the over-sized pack he's been toting around the whole time and they decide to eat. While they're doing this, Franky let's them all in on a little secret; the man protecting the Sunny while they've been training is none other than Kuma.
Apparently, the Shichibukai has completely lost his personality, and memories...but even so he asked the man who's been modifying him to program a mission into his head; defend the Thousand Sunny until the day one of the Straw Hat's returns to it. All of this is due to his connection to the Revolutionary Army, and Luffy's father, Dragon. But...now they'll never be able to ask him what his actual motives were. The next time they meet, he's going to be nothing but another tool for the World Government.
"Turning someone into a walking weapon," Run mutters. "I just can't wrap my head around the thought process."
"No one ever accused the World Government if being anything other than heavy handed," Robin tells him.
"You'd think there would be a limit but...aah, what do I know? I'm just a pirate."
"Hey, everyone!" Usopp suddenly shouts, drawing them to the stern of the Sunny. "There is a ship kinda thing coming up from behind! It's coming towards up!" The next second, the Sunny is struck on the starboard side by another ship, nearly throwing them all off of their feet. "It's a pirate ship! Go away! You're gonna pop the bubble!"
"Hard to port!" Franky screams, and Run quickly dashes up to the helm.
"I'm on it, I'm on it!" Run shouts back, turning the wheel away from the enemy ship as a roar pierces through the sea. "What the? That sounds familiar! Is that...isn't that the sea cow from Arlong Park? Luffy! I think that's Momoo!" Luffy dashes up the stairs and looks at the sea cow in question, who immediately begins to shake violently as it recognizes faces from the crew.
"Yaaaah! Someone is coming through!" Chopper shouts, drawing the two away from the helm of the Sunny to the lower deck. A dark haired man in an oversized shirt and his tongue hanging out of his mouth stands on the railing of the Sunny.
"Now, while they're dumbfounded, we'll kill them all!" cackles the man. "Guys, follow my lead!" Rather than face his crew swarming onto the Sunny, however, they watch in surprise as Momoo immediately makes a break for it, hauling his ship behind him as fast as he can swim. "Alright! By way of greeting, let's fire the gattling gun! Kill all the Straw Hats!" Rather than the roar of gunfire he was expecting silence is his response, and after a few moments he quickly looks over his shoulder. "H-Huh?!" Franky calmly approaches, and casually grasps the man in one hand before lifting him overhead with ease. "W-Wait! Hold on! You-You can't throw me over-board?! Th-Think about the gods! The gods are watching! The--" Franky throws the man to the deck with ease.
"That's some awfully bold talk for someone who was about to open up on us with a gattling gun!" Franky growls.
"Th-That was just a play on words, honest! I was just kidding!"
"Dahahaha~! Really?" Run asks, approaching with Zoro and Sanji. "Sounded pretty serious from where we were standing, pal. Also sounded like you might just be the captain of that crew." The man immediately looks between Zoro and Run quickly, as if recognizing them.
"Wh-What? No, no, no! I'm-I'm actually a slave! Yes, I was just a slave on that ship!"
"Aah, roll 'em up, everyone, it's gettin' deep here."
"He does seem kind of pathetic," Chopper mutters.
"Chopper, he's lying."
"Ehhh?! He's lying?!"
"Hey, where did you find that Sea Cow drawing your ship?" Nami questions the man. Just as before he shows recognition as he leers at Nami...which only serves to earn him a kick in the face from Sanji.
"Nami, I..." begins Sanji, his words trailing off as he turns in her direction. The red head reaches out quickly, catching Sanji by his ankle as his nose starts gushing blood and sends him skyward. Several moments pass before it finally subsides and Run drops him to the deck.
"Wow. He's gettin' some real lift!" Run says, kneeling beside their downed cook.
"I just caught that sea monster somewhere," the man tells them. "Experienced people often have those animals pull their ship." Apparently, that's all Luffy needs to hear to begin scouting the waters surrounding the Sunny for a creature to pull the ship. After retrieving a bit of rope, Run begins to tie the man up on the deck of the Sunny. "Th-That's a little tight! It's-It's making it a little hard to breathe-- aah, it's chaffing!"
"Is it?" Run pulls a bit tighter and the man squirms in response. "Relax. This is as much for your safety as it is ours. Once we get to Fishman Island we'll toss you overboard and go our separate ways." With the problem of their boarding party taken care of now Run begins to notice that the temperature is slowly dropping, and Nami quickly dawns a coat in response.
"Everyone!" Nami calls. "It's going to be getting colder from now on, so don't forget to put on a coat."
"Are we going somewhere cold?" Zoro questions her. "Not the deep sea?"
"It gets colder the deeper we go," Run tells him. "The further from the surface you get the colder the water will become...aah, it'll also get a lot darker as we lose the light. So, we'll have to make sure we're ready react since we won't be able to see very well."
"Those aren't the only differences," Brook adds. "In the deepest parts of the sea there are also giant currents called deep currents that you don't get to see very often. They flow completely independently of the surface currents. Deep currents flow incredibly slowly. In fact, once they flow into the deep sea it takes two thousand years until they flow back to the surface. As such there are numerous myths about the dark and undiscovered deep currents. Monsters! Curses! Spirits of the dead!"
"Waaah! Ghost?!" screams Chopper.
"I don't know about that," Nami begins. "But we're gonna get on a downward flow. That's how you get to the deep sea." It seems like a simple explanation, however, it also seems to go right over the heads of Luffy, Zoro, Chopper and Usopp...which earns them a quick scolding from Nami while Run approaches Robin sitting on the railing of the Sunny. She briefly glances up from her book as he leans against the railing.
"Mm, you should put on a coat," Robin tells him, carefully turning the page of her book. "I--"
"Wait, hold on, I was still reading," Run says with a grin, earning a giggle as she turns the page back. "Aah, I'll be fine. I spent the last two years on a Winter Island, after all." The current surrounding the ship suddenly begins to speed up rapidly, and all heads turn towards the bow of the Sunny. "Dahahaha~! Looks like we're finally getting started." The whole crew goes sprinting to the bow of the Sunny to have a look at this current...which looks to them to be a giant undersea waterfall of sorts.
"Is the ship going to be alright?" Nami questions Franky, who is manning the helm.
"Don't worry!" laughs Franky. "The Sunny is the strongest ship made from the rare tree of Adam! It'll be completely fine!"
"Yeaaaah!" cheers Luffy. "Let's go!" The man who Run has tied up somehow worms his way up to the bow with them and looks over the railing of the Sunny. He begins mumbling to himself about some 'monster' at the bottom of this 'waterfall'.
"Straw Hats!" exclaims the man. "Y-You should turn back now!"
"Huh," grunts Zoro. "You know, I completely forgot about you."
"There's a monster down there!"
"Aah, would you relax?" Run questions him. "You're along for the ride for now so just..." His words trail off at several massive tentacles rise from the depths in front of the ship. "...oh-ho! Look at the size of that thing!"
"It's the Kraken!" bellows Usopp, pointing at the creature. "Look at the size of it! I-It's got ships in it's grip!"
"Please!" begs the bound man. "I don't wanna die! Let's just go back! If you just wait a few days it'll--"
"I have a great idea!" exclaims Luffy. "Run! Let's swim down there and tame it! Then we can make it pull our ship for us! That'll definitely get us there faster!" The red head scratches the stubble on his jaw with a grin on his face.
"Dahahahaha~! That sounds like an idea!" agrees Run. "Alright! Let's--"
"You two can't go down there!" Usopp screams, still pointing at the Kraken. "Just look at the size of that thing! You don't even have to look closely! That thing must have lived for hundreds of years! It's the total bane of all pirates everywhere!" Beside Run, Robin is sketching a picture of the Kraken in a notebook, and the red head tilts his head to take a look at her drawing.
"Looks, uh...looks good."
"Thank you," Robin tells him with a smile. "It's not every day that you get to see something like this. I thought I should record it."
"Shift the helm straight south!" Nami orders.
"Oi, Nami, go straight toward the Kraken!" retorts Luffy. Franky suddenly points out that the ship is being approached from the rear. It seems that the man's crew is coming back to rescue him...at least until the Kraken grabs their ship and crushes it in an instant. Zoro and Run stare at the bodies of the crew floating towards the surface.
"They look like a school of jellyfish," mutters Zoro, earning a glare from the bound man. With the enemy delt with in an instant, the Kraken sets it sights on the Sunny. It takes a swing at them, and thankfully, Franky activates one of the many gadgets built into the Sunny to dodge it. Seeing that they're not going to be deterred from confronting the Kraken the tied up man tells them that they can make small personal bubbles from the coating, and use them to swim out and fight with the Kraken...which is all that Luffy, Sanji and Zoro need to hear. "Oi, aren't you coming, Red?"
"Aah, I'll hang back and leave it to you guys," Run tells him, motioning to the bound man. "Just in case." Their swordsman follows his line of sight to the bound man and nods in understanding. Luffy leads the charge for himself, Zoro and Sanji out to fight the Kraken. They've barely left the Sunny behind before the Kraken raises one of it's massive tentacles to crush them. Chopper and Usopp both panic while Franky responds again by firing off a barrage of missiles at the tentacles. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to really deter it as it attacks from the opposite side.
"Guard Point!" exclaims Chopper, puffing himself up like a giant balloon. His fur completely absorbs the blow but doesn't absorb the momentum imparted. It pushes them directly toward the mountain in the distance.
"We're going to hit the mountain!" screams Brook.
"Mil Fleurs!" calls Robin, crossing her arms. "Gigantesco Mano!" They watch as millions of arms sprout from the side of the Sunny, and press against the mountain, stopping them from striking it and putting them back on their proper course.
"Nice!" laughs Usopp. "You saved us, Robin!"
"Wow!" Run shouts with a grin. "I've never seen you do THAT before! Guess you learned some new things, too!" They turn their attention to the three outside of the Sunny to see how they're fairing against the Kraken. Luffy surprises them all by suddenly throwing an arm up and out of his bubble.
"Third Gear!" exclaims Luffy, inflating himself and then his outstretched arm bigger than the ship. Seconds later, it turns and inky black. "Hardening!" The Kraken raises one of it's massive tentacles, intending to smash Luffy before he can act. Sanji streaks out of his bubble, heading to intercept the tentacle.
"Diable Jambe!" growls Sanji, his leg glowing fiercely. His kick nearly roasts the tentacle as though he's thrown it on the grill, and then starts retreating back to his air bubble. Angry at having been stopped and being attacked it targets their cook immediately.
"Three Sword Style technique," mutters Zoro. "Crossing the Six Paths!" Run's eyes narrow as he watches the technique, a small smirk appearing on his face. It would seem he's not been idle in the least these past two years. Mihawk must have really put him through his paces.
"Oi, oi!" Luffy shouts. "You can't cut his arms off! I want to tame it!" Luffy flexes his arm and then brings his massive fist down towards the Kraken. "Now...Gum-Gum...Elephant Gun!" The punch knocks the massive Kraken out in a single shot. His punch also causes the Kraken to 'spit-up' a gigantic shark that immediately swims to Luffy, Sanji and Zoro. It seems to be quite thankful that they've saved it and immediately after 'thanking' them it swims off. Seconds later, the whole current shifts pulling the Sunny and the others into the downward current.
It takes everything they've got to keep from crashing into the protruding rock shelves as they're pulled down. Although they do their best to chase up with Sanji, Zoro and Luffy they eventually lose the trio in the gloom the closer they go to the bottom. When things finally settle down, it comes with the realization that they've lost the other three completely.
"Aaah, well," Run begins, staring into the gloom surrounding them. "That's not good."
"I hope they haven't been shredded to pieces by that monster," Robin mutters.
"It's too dark down here," complains Usopp. "I wanna search but I can't see anything!"
"We're probably around the seven thousand meter mark," Franky tells him. "Even the Shark Submerge can't take the pressure this deep."
"Are we near Fishman Island?" Chopper asks. "Maybe they made it already?"
"Keimi said it's located ten thousand meters below sea level," Robin reminds him.
"We're not gonna accomplish anything like this," says Franky. "Let's look for them! I now have a search light. Franky...Nipple Light!" Franky immediately lights up their surroundings...and reveals that they're surrounded on all sides by absolutely massive sea creatures. They beat a hasty retreat on the current, leaving the creatures behind them. Unfortunately, even though they want to search for the others they're swept up in the current and can only try to keep an eye out for them.
"Oh, it's a jellyfish!" Chopper suddenly says, drawing their attention to a massive jellyfish over head. "There's a big jellyfish over our heads!" It settles on the outside of the coating bubble, and one of it's massive tentacles snakes through in Chopper's direction. "It's so pretty...oh? D-Do you want to be my friend?"
"Don't, Chopper!" Robin shouts. "It's probably venomous!" Run moves in an instant, appearing behind Chopper and yanking their little doctor away by the back of his shirt.
"Dahahaha~! Safe!" Run shouts, holding Chopper under one arm as he leaps back. Out of the gloom a massive Sea King rushes towards the ship, it's mouth opening wide.
"Here's a little...Coup De Burst!" exclaims Franky, propelling the Sunny out of the jellyfish's grip and out of danger. They watch as the Sea King chomps down on the jellyfish for just a moment before suddenly turning upside down and floating down towards the bottom of the sea.
"Waaah!" screams Chopper, now straddling Run's shoulders and holding tight to his hair. "That fish turned upside down!"
"I see," begins Robin. "So they contain a neurotoxin as I thought."
"My hair!" Run complains, staggering about the deck with Chopper holding tight to him. "Chopper, my hair I-- no! Don't cover my eyes!" After several long moments he finally manages to pry their frightened doctor off his head and gently return him to the deck of the Sunny.
"Oi," speaks Brook suddenly. "Has anyone seen that pirate guy from before?" All heads turn to the skeleton, who holds in his hand a set of ropes. The same ropes that they'd used to tie him up quickly. All heads quickly begin scanning the deck of the Sunny. The last thing they need is an enemy running amuck while they're down here. He could be hiding anywhere...but when Run's eyes fall on a barrel just left out in the open a small smirk appears on his face. Having hidden in a barrel before it wouldn't be strange if this man had the same idea. So, the red head calmly approaches it, and when he arrives in front of it he's surprised when the lid suddenly cracks open. He quickly squats down, finding himself staring into the man's eyes with a grin on his face.
"Hello, there!" Run calls, noticing that half of the man's body seems to be made of liquid...a Logia fruit eater? He reaches up and slams the lid closed with a grin on his face. "Everyone, I found our stow away! Franky, bring the tool box!" Franky jumps from the upper-deck to the lower and rapidly begins sealing the barrel. "Aah, make sure it's water tight now. This guy seems to have eaten a Logia Fruit that allows him to turn to liquid." Franky does just as asked, despite the man's protesting and thrashing within the barrel.
"P-Please, let me out!" pleads the man. "I-I'll be your servant! I swear!"
"Now, now, you had your chance to behave! Remember what I told you before? This is as much for YOUR safety as it is for OURS, so just stay quiet before we have to toss you over-board." The thrashing and screaming stops abruptly, and Run nods with a grin. "Glad we could come to an understand!" With that taken care of, they continue their search through the sea...but things never seem to be so simple. The deeper they go the hotter things seem to get...which is very concerning, actually. How could it be so hot at the bottom of the sea?
"Why is it so hot?" complains Usopp, stripping his coat off. "W-Wait? What's that? Smoke? Why is there smoke underwater?" Everyone moves to the bow of the Sunny to look at what's going on. The only one who seems to know what's going on is Nami...and she begins to panic quickly.
"U-Underwater volcano!" exclaims Nami. "We need to get away! If it erupts, we're going to die!"
"We don't have a choice, then!" growls Franky. "Coup de Burst!" They go sailing away from the volcanic area as quickly as possible but it seems to be just one danger after another. It seems to be just one deep sea creature chasing them after another! Before they know it, they've shrank the bubble down considerably. "I used the Coup de Burst little by little...but we've still lost so much air. Hm?" Franky squints his eyes as a bright light begins to shine in the distance past the bow. "Oi! Look!" Even if he hadn't called out, it would have been difficult to miss the shining light in the distance. It's nearly blinding in it's intensity, especially considering how dark their surroundings are. The closer they get the brighter the light seems to get...until at least they see what's causing it.
"Angler!" shouts Chopper, staring at the huge fish.
"Waaah! We were tricked!" screams Brook. "I can't believe it!" They Angler's massive jaws open to swallow the ship whole, and at the last second, it freezes in place. It's whole body shudders violently as it stares at the red head who is leaning against the railing on the bow of the Sunny. "Wh...What's happening? It's not moving!"
"Yeah, picked us a winner!" Run says with a grin. "C'mere, buddy! We could really use your help!" The fish wastes no time at all in obeying the command, shutting it's massive jaws and moving closer to the bow. "We're looking for our friends. We need you to light the way for us, alright?" It, somehow, nods in understanding. "Alright! Let's go!"
"Wh...What is that?!" Ahead of them a massive human appears over an underwater mountain-range.
"I-It's a Sea Bonze!" panic's Usopp. It raises one of it's giant fists...and punches the angler in the head?
"You can't do that, Ankoro," complains the sea bonze. "How many times do I have to tell you? Captain Vander-Decken won't like it." The angler swims around to hide behind the Sunny quickly, staring at the massive creature in question.
"D...Did he just hit that angler?" mutters Nami. All of them freeze, however, when a massive ship sails out of the gloom from behind the two creatures in front of them. It's sails are tattered, it's hull beaten...and emblazoned boldly on what remains of the sails are the words, 'Flying Dutchman'.
"T-T-That...That ship shouldn't exist!" screams Brook. "It shouldn't exist in this world!" Brook explains to them the story behind the 'Flying Dutchman' and it's crew. Apparently, it's Captain went insane during a violent storm, and threw every member of his crew into the churning seas. He even went so far as to curse the Gods, and as a result was punished for his actions. The Captain, Vander Decken, was set adrift for all eternity by the Gods under constant torture. Chopper and Usopp panic immediately, running circles around the deck of the ship rapidly.
Robin begins sketching in her book again while Run peeks over her shoulder. Franky tries to keep everyone calm, reminding them that Brook's ship wasn't exactly a ghost ship so there's really no proof that this one is either. After all, stories are just stories, right?
"We just saw the Kraken which was believed to be an imaginary monster," Robin says. "So, it's not really that surprising to see a ghost ship." Any sort of assurance that Franky might have brought on is immediately blow away like a puff of smoke by Robin. Chopper and Usopp go back to panicking, this time including Nami.
"Hey, be nice," Run murmurs into her ear. Robin smirks and giggles lightly as she continues to sketch in her book. Usopp and Chopper immediately grab onto either one of Run's shoulders, holding tightly as they panic. "What the-- don't hide me behind! I'm not a meat shield!"
"Run, do something!" bawls Chopper.
"You have to do something!" adds Usopp.
"What do you want me to do?" Run questions them.
"Ankoro! Wadatsumi!" calls a voice from the ship. "We can't seize their treasure if you eat the ship! Knock it down instead!" The massive Sea Bonze nods in the affirmative, and then raises one of his huge fists high above his head. But before he can complete his task, he's struck right in the chin by a long tentacle. All heads turn towards his attacker, to find the Kraken several meters from their ship. The Kraken continues his beating in an instant, knocking the Sea Bonze flat onto his back where he lies unmoving.
"Oi, that's enough!" calls a familiar voice. "Good job, Surume!"
"Luffy! Zoro! Sanji...!"