Sakura had experienced many anomalies in her life as a kunoichi, but nothing that had prepared her for a journey on the sea. She was confident in the beginning, that it wouldn't be too hard of an adjustment, however, the type of ocean that she would be voyaging wasn't taken into account. It was like one of those moments when something that seems inanimate turns out to be vitally, or even dangerously alive. Like discovering the vine you grabbed a hold of was a snake ready to bite you. Sakura was figuring that might just be the case for the Grand Line as well.
They had left the Twin Capes and were only a few hours into their journey on the Grand Line towards Whisky Peak when the air started giving chills, the sky darkened and snow began to fall as if they were on the top of a mountain in the dead of winter.
Holding out her palm, so that she could catch a handful of snow on the deck, the cold seeping into her hand proving how real this phenomenon was.
"Is this even possible?"
The others were taking it in a more positive stride, like Luffy and Usopp who were gathering up the snow to sculpt and throw at one another while Sanji was shoveling away at Nami's command.
The thickened clouds clashed together and lightning rumbled and broke free from them.
'What the hell is wrong with this place?'
"Sakura dear, you should put on a coat you'll catch a cold out here," Sanji said. "You can have mine!"
"That's okay Sanji, I'll just go inside, otherwise you might get sick shoveling,"
"If I get sick will you nurse me back to health?"
She laughed dryly. It was clear that Sanji's flirtations were going to have to be marked as a regular event, like the sun coming up in the morning. "My job is to keep you guys from getting sick, and I would like to do it,"
That just made the blonde swoon further, "You're so considerate,"
She glared over at Luffy and Usopp, "And this is the third time I'm telling you guys to put on coats! You're the ones who are going to catch a cold at this rate!"
The two had been rolling around in the frost dressed as they had been all along. Even Zoro was asleep on the side, with snow piling up on him like a blanket and he hadn't shown any signs of moving, as if he had gone into hibernation.
"But Sakura, I've never been sick," Luffy whined.
"Really? Me neither," said Usopp.
With a huff, Sakura decided to leave. She had given enough warnings but said that if someone turned out sick because of this she wouldn't be treating them with proper bedside manners.
The weather still concerned her, so she slipped back into the kitchen where Nami would be, with their two ship guests. Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday sat comfortably at the table, with cups of hot drinks, curled up in blankets and by the look of her crew mate's face working on her last nerve.
They had been berating Nami for her lack of knowledge of the Grand Line and its conditions despite being the navigator and then complaining about the accommodations they were submitted to. Even though they made it a point to remind them this wasn't a pleasant request for the pirates to fulfill either.
"Okay, when Crocus said there would be some unusual weather patterns, I didn't think he meant this," She rubbed her arms to remove the goosebumps.
Nami was already in a winter coat and mufflers, "I know. What the hell right? It was sunny not too long ago,"
"You lot have no idea how to survive on the Grand Line do you?" scoffed Mr. 9
Sakura held up her fist in warning, "Keep talking, we'll gladly throw you overboard, I think there might be a nice thin layer of ice you can try skating across to get back to Whisky Peak."
"Vicious women! I'm simply stating the facts. You're surprised by the change in weather, and it's clear with the kind of ship you have, you are utterly unaware of the dangers that lurk in this sea,"
Even if Mr. 9 was correct, Sakura wouldn't acknowledge him as such.
Miss Wednesday chuckled, "You haven't checked the log pose in a while is that smart?"
Nami glanced at the log pose, she hadn't been turned away from the contraption for that long however when she looked, she shrieked.
"Crap! The ships going in the wrong direction!"
"What?"
Sakura followed Nami out as she called attention to the rest of the crew so that they could get the ship back on course. With the weather patterns and the movements of the waves, no one had even noticed they had been turned around completely and were heading back in the direction they came from.
Sakura didn't know a thing about sailing but she was certain nothing about this sea was natural. Nami kicked out the two 'guests' so that they could do something other than criticize her for the mistake.
Nami took a lot of pride in her navigation skills, self-taught from when she was a child and so well-written when it came to maps and charts. However, the Grand Line was an entirely new territory and it was proving itself to be quite the adversary.
Even as they were adjusting the sails to catch the wind, it changed in an instant. There was a warm wind this time that took them in another direction, and the snow also stopped. Even as they were rushing to combat against the heavy winds and unsteady waves, an ice bulge appeared, followed by a thick fog that obscured their vision and the ship took a hit from the
base as they weren't able to redirect it in time.
Sakura was tugging at the sails when this happened and jumped when she heard a tear from above. The fabric of the sail had ripped slightly under her guidance.
"Uh, the sail's tearing!"
Nami was looking ahead though, watching a thick group of storm clouds coming at them like an army ready to ambush. "We've got storm clouds and the winds picking up! Unfurl the sails!"
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It was exactly like a vine turning out to be a snake, the weather continued to shift and the crew had to combat as quickly as possible. It was only then that Sakura came to realize just how little she was understanding the ocean and the skill of sailing. It was nothing like navigating on land. There, they had a solid foundation, and if it shifted there was a limit to how much it could reconstruct. But the sea was different in that aspect, and combating weather on it was a new experience.
"There's another leak over here!" exclaimed Miss Wednesday.
Sakura and Usopp rushed to fix the hole quickly before they sank. When they got to the bottom there was already a bit of seawater leaking through. Sakura didn't like the gritty feeling of the salt water on her skin.
'Why is this so uncomfortable?'
"Come on Sakura, we have to patch this up!"
"Right,"
By the time they came back out the sun had vanished completely behind dark angry storm clouds with a powerful wind that was controlling the ship and the seas.
That was more than half of their day, trying to navigate through the bipolar weather and seas trying not to end up sinking. By the end of it everyone, including Sakura was worn out.
It felt god sent when the seas finally calmed and the skies cleared without a single cloud remaining, and the howling winds had turned into a whispering breeze. The whole ordeal had taken such a toll on everyone that they all sprawled themselves out on the deck, some trying to settle their churning stomachs, feeling regret for eating the rice ball Sanji prepared during the storm.
"I'm amazed we weren't struck by lightning,"
"Came close about half a mile down there," Usopp grumbled.
"What the hell is wrong with this place?" They had just experienced an entire year's worth of seasonal weather in a few hours.
There was only one passenger that hadn't been bothered by any of this despite sleeping outside on the deck all this time and that was Zoro.
The green-haired swordsman stretched out his arms and stood up on deck working out the knots in his neck when he saw everyone laid out on the floor like laundry that fell off the line.
"Hey, no matter how nice the weather is, you guys shouldn't be so lazy,"
The vein on her forehead was throbbing and she could feel it, as Sakura walked up to Zoro. "How the hell could you possibly have slept through that!?"
They had tried on multiple occasions to call out to Zoro for assistance, but couldn't physically do anything to him because it would break their concentration from keeping the ship from overturning and sending them all to the bottom of the ocean.
Zoro raised an eyebrow, straining his neck to look at Sakura. "What are you talking about?" He was officially the last to find out about Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday on the ship and walked over to the two on the floor, asking why they were even there.
"If you hadn't slept through the entire day you might have heard about this," Sakura snapped.
"We're taking them to their hometown, it's called Whisky Peak," Luffy told him. He was the only one aside from Zoro who hadn't been overturned by the storm and was happily seated on the other side of the ship.
"Why? We don't owe them a damn thing," Zoro didn't argue against it any further though. Of course, there wouldn't be any point. But he had gone back to the two. "What were your names again?"
"I'm Mr. 9,"
"And I'm Miss Wednesday," Both were sweating bullets as they were confronted by the swordsmen's frightening grin.
"Something about those names has been bothering me for a while. I'm sure I've heard them somewhere….ARCK!"
He hadn't been expecting the heavy hit from behind, nor realizing why he deserved it even after Nami had given him an earful about sleeping through a change in weather patterns that could give someone whiplash and them miraculously waking up the very moment they were on calm waters. Zoro took his beating with a certain degree of grace, he didn't try to fight back when Nami clobbered in his head over and over again, repeating the horrid events they had just endured while he snored through it.
Sakura uncurled her fists as she watched him curl his hands on the growing bumps along his head. She had been ready to do the same, but since Nami interjected she decided to leave it at that and just say:
"I'm not treating you,"
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Their first hurdles of the Grand Line wasn't going to go without reward though. Clearing the weather had also cleared the way to their next destination. The log pose directed them to an island, with cacti standing as tall as mountains surrounding the island. It was a landscape none of them had ever seen before and could hardly take their eyes off. This was also the landmark of Whisky Peak.
"Look over there!" Luffy pointed ahead.
"So this is whisky Peak," Sanji puffed smoke from his mouth, grinning. They could feel each other's excitement as they neared the island and for a moment they had forgotten the reason their course had led them here first. But were soon reminded.
Mr 9 and Miss Wednesday jumped onto the railing of the ship, "Thanks for the ride but we must be on our way,"
"Bye bye baby,"
The two just jumped off and into the ocean to swim the rest of the way over.
'Hope that's the last time we hear from them,' Sakura thought.
They came to a waterway leading inland to the island and took the path, eager but also cautious. They would need to wait for the log pose to record the island's magnetic field before they could head off again so that the needle could direct them to the sea. The time variations for the log pose to make those recordings depended on the island. Nami explained that it could vary between hours or even days.
"What if we run into monsters on this island?" Usopp trembled.
"Well, this is the Grand Line so it's possible,"
"Define monsters," Sakura held her chin. She had seen those sea kings, and they would be a prime example. She couldn't deny any possibilities in another world. "Though I do feel like we're being watched the closer inland we get,"
Usopp jumped, "Not funny Sakura!"
"I'm not joking,"
There was a fog obscuring most of their vision but they could see a few dozen silhouettes out in the distance on land. Although instead of monstrous sounds or hostile natives, a roar of cheers erupted as the fog rolled out.
On both sides of the division of the island, were stone buildings of asymmetrical structures, all of the same material but individual in craft design.
Stranger than the town's structure was its people.
Many gathered along the water's edge, some holding banners that had welcome pirates or something of that nature. They were shouting out their greetings, all with wide grins on their faces.
"Is this normal?"
"Not even close," Nami said to Sakura. Usually, when pirates appeared anywhere civillians would go into a panic and contact the navy for assistance. Sakura could tell that some of her crewmates were a little unsettled if not taken by surprise. From Luffy's grin, she assumed he wasn't concerned about this behavior, and Sanji was quickly distracted by a group of women casting flirtatious smiles and winks.
They docked and when they came ashore, a man appeared, stepping in front of the crowd, holding a trumpet. He was tall, with long hair in symmetrical curls that went all the way down his wide shoulders. He spoke with a friendly tone, but they picked up on a pattern in his speech.
"Wel….ma, ma, ma" he coughed, "Welcome. My name is Igarappoi, I am the mayor of Whisky Peak,"
Luffy was very trusting of the man right away, even before he explained the doctrine of Whisky Peak to be hospitable and welcoming to pirates.
"Will you allow us to throw a party in your honor so that we may hear your tales of….ma, ma, ma, adventure?"
Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp were all for that, pulling each other into a clutch, arms around shoulders and practically prancing away while Nami, Sakura, and Zoro knew even if the votes were a stalemate, they would have to follow after them.
"Is this really alright?" If she had been with other shinobi, their reactions would've been very different to this situation. No one would let their guard down.
'Is this just how pirates behave?'
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"Sorry I can't drink," Sakura pushed away what was the third mug offered to her by one of the many towns folk that had crowded themselves into the small inn's lounge.
Luffy had found himself at the bar counter having a private battle with the chefs, devouring a buffet of dishes with such rigor it was amazing he didn't inhale the plates. Usopp was blatantly concocting tales of the crew's adventures on the sea with him as the protagonist always dashing in to save the day, while the crowds stared in awe, captured by the creative words. Even knowing Usopp had a streak for lying, Sakura was amazed at what could run through his mind at a moment's notice. Sanji wasn't indulging in any food or drink, but the company of women that had crowded him on the sofa.
Food, drink, and live entertainment, it was all too good to be true.
"What kind of pirate doesn't drink?" Zoro asked.
"The kind that's underage,"
"I was drinking then,"
"That's called having a problem,"
"You!"
Nami got between the two, pushing them apart, "Hey, hey hey, behave. Can we just enjoy our time here without you two going at each other's throats?"
The two just glared at each other in response, huffing as they turned their heads away hard.
"Don't worry," Igarappoi reassured clearing his throat, "Ma-ma-ma, It doesn't contain any alcohol but still has the flavor of wine,"
Nami seemed intrigued, although she had also been pushing away the offers for a drink, that statement seemed to assure her. "This is good,"
Igarappoi grinned, "We had a good harvest this year, and to celebrate we'll have our usual toast competition. You toast and the last one standing wins. The prize for the winner is 100 000 berries!"
Nami was on her feet, with a full mug in her hand, "Another cup!"
Sakura sighed, 'Looks like she's lost,'
Taking the offered cups to her lips, Sakura gave a slight sniff no one noticed.
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The party went on into the late hours of the night, eventually, Luffy had fallen over from stuffing his face and was left with a huge belly that seemed to expand because of his rubber body, but otherwise, he seemed happy, Usopp had fallen asleep as well, smothered in the praise for his tales. Sanji was napping with a very wide smile on his face as if he was still partying in his dreams. Zoro passed out from drinking, along with Nami, who had won the competition but didn't stay up long enough to collect her reward.
It wasn't a foolish ploy but for a shinobi who was observant and knew better than to let her guard down in new places, she was well aware of the slips in stares and glares that the group had been receiving since their arrival. Everything had gone quiet now and the lights were off, but she knew things were still lively.
She fell resting on the couch, with her head on the arm, pretending as if the spiked drinks had affected her immune system. It wasn't too bad for her first experience with alcohol, other than it was spiked into her drink, and now she and her crew might be in grave danger.
The last of the townspeople had finally left the lounge, leaving the pirate group alone. There were several people around, they were just gathering outside of the inn.
'I knew something was up,' Sakura moved to get up and confront this situation when a hand grabbed her wrist. It was Zoro.
"What the hell?!" Sakura hissed, glancing at the doors and windows before crouching down beside the table. "You were awake this entire time?"
"I could ask you the same thing,"
Without explaining her previous training and experience that made her sensitive to situations like these, she said, "This just didn't feel right to me, especially since I know there is alcohol in those drinks because I am a little tipsy right now,"
Shinobi usually had a degree of tolerance for poisons and their alcohol, so even though she drank quite a bit, Sakura wasn't feeling heavy effects. That's probably why so many of her senseis enjoyed liquor. They got to drink a lot of it before being affected.
"Yeah well then sleep it off," Zoro got up, hand resting on his sword.
"Where are you going?"
He stopped at the door, "There's a bunch of people waiting outside for us, and I've got two new swords I wanna test out,"
"You're going to take them on yourself, don't you want help?"
Zoro scoffed, "I don't need anyone getting in my way, I wanna let loose. Besides, I know what these guys are gunning for"
He might not realize that she was capable of fighting but his candid attitude truly agitated Sakura.
"Wanna explain it to me then?"
"Not really," He waved walking out.
"I hope someone stabs you," Sakura muttered angrily after he closed the door behind him. There was shuffling again, someone had entered once more and she returned to her position feigning sleep.
"They don't seem to be carrying any treasure on them,"
"I bet their ship might be loaded,"
"One of them is missing!"
After realizing Zoro was gone, they rushed out, probably to alert the rest of the lot. So the goal of these people was to rob them after luring them to sleep.
It didn't take more than two minutes before loud shuffling and screams were heard outside. Zoro had made his move.
'What should I do now?'
"That jerk, what's his problem?" Sakura yelped when someone laughed in response to her question. Nami sat up, covering her mouth.
"Zoro's rough around the edges like that, no point in pouting about it,"
"Nami!" Sakura blushed, "I wasn't pouting, and since when have you been awake?"
"I wasn't sleeping, to begin with" Nami stood, "Let's go,"
"Where?"
She winked, "It's it obvious? We're going to ransack this place,"
Sakura stopped, "Huh?"
"They were going to steal from us anyway, besides this is what pirates do,"
Right, Sakura hadn't exactly gotten a contract with fine prints to miss out on, but that wasn't going to stop the crew from dragging her into every aspect of the lifestyle.
"While they're out there dealing with Zoro we'll search for and swipe whatever treasure they've got lying round,"
"That's…." Okay as a ninja, Sakura wasn't sure what kind of moral high ground she had on a pirate. If any. Then she heard Luffy's loud snores and was reminded that there were other crew mates still fast asleep completely unguarded.
"What about these three?"
Nami just waved them off, "They can take care of themselves even in their sleep. Besides Zoro seems to be keeping everyone busy so nothing to worry about,"
And yet she was worried.