Chapter 85 - Skypiea

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As the crew sailed through the clouds, they soon reached Heaven's Gate, an imposing structure guarded by an old woman. She sat calmly by the gate, her aged eyes scanning the newcomers as they approached. "The entrance fee is 1 billion Extol per person," she stated matter-of-factly.

Nami quickly did the math in her head, her eyes widening at the absurd sum. "That's ridiculous!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. "What if we don't have the money?"

The old woman shrugged nonchalantly. "You can still go. I'm not a guard, nor a soldier." She then pulled out a strange device and snapped pictures of each of them, her expression indifferent as if she had done this countless times before.

Nami noticed the lack of enforcement and immediately saw an opportunity. A sly grin crossed her face as she realized they could avoid paying. "Kaching!" she muttered, the sound of cash registers ringing in her mind. The crew agreed not to pay, sensing no immediate danger.

Coby, however, knew better. He knew Enel and his priests would this as an excuse to hunt the crew. But then again, Enel would come after them no matter what. Paying the fee wouldn't have made a difference in the long run, so he had no intention of wasting their money.

A loud rumble from beneath the clouds caught their attention. Suddenly, a giant crab surfaced, its massive claws gripping the Merry. Without any resistance, the crab lifted the ship and began carrying it further above, traversing a twisted white river that spiraled into the sky.

The crew held on tightly as the crab navigated the turbulent waters. "This is insane!" Usopp yelled, clutching the railing. The ship twisted and turned as the crab carried them higher, the ride wild and unpredictable. The river twisted and looped in impossible ways, defying gravity as it led them further into the sky.

After what felt like an eternity, the crew finally reached the White-White Sea, landing on a pristine beach known as Angel Beach. The sky above was a dazzling blue, and the clouds beneath them stretched out like an endless ocean. The sight was breathtaking, unlike anything they had ever seen before.

Coby grabbed Bellamy and Sarquiss by the backs of their necks and tossed them onto the soft cloud ground with little effort. The duo, still chained to the railings from earlier, had been dragged along for the entire ride—from the violent Knock Up Stream to the masked man attacking the crew, to Gan Fall's arrival and their passage through Heaven's Gate, all the way to their landing on this strange, cloudy beach. Now, they lay there, dazed and beaten, unable to fully grasp what they had just witnessed.

Coby stood over them, shaking his head in pity. "Sky Island is real, Laugh Tale is real, and One Piece is real. Luffy is the one who's going to become the King of the Pirates," he declared with absolute certainty.

Luffy, who was nearby and had been listening, grinned widely at Coby's words. His chest puffed out with pride. "Damn right!" he exclaimed.

The rest of the crew joined in, their own confidence boosted by Coby's statement. Zoro crossed his arms and nodded, while Sanji lit a cigarette, a small smirk playing on his lips. Usopp puffed out his chest, trying to look as confident as everyone else, and even Chopper couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.

Nami stood next to Coby, hands on her hips as she looked down at Bellamy and Sarquiss with disdain. "I told you idiots not to underestimate us," she said, her tone dripping with satisfaction.

Robin, who had been watching from the side, simply smiled. "It seems they've learned their lesson," she remarked, her voice calm but amused.

Bellamy groaned, trying to process everything. He had mocked them, laughed at their dreams, and now here he was, lying on a cloud in the sky, having been dragged along by a crew he had looked down on. "This…this can't be real," he muttered, disbelief still clinging to his words.

Sarquiss, still winded from journey, looked around in shock, finally realizing the gravity of their situation. "You…you really made it here?" he stammered, unable to hide his astonishment.

Coby grabbed Bellamy and Sarquiss, tying them together with heavy chains. The clink of the metal echoed through the otherwise quiet beach as he calculated their next move. He glanced at the white sea surrounding them and noticed the familiar direction they had arrived from. Usopp's earlier near-fall towards the Blue Sea gave Coby an idea—if this was their entrance, it should be close enough to Jaya. With a sharp glance, he prepared to throw them back towards the Blue Sea, setting them on a direct path to their inevitable fate.

As he readied the duo for the toss, the System chimed in, cutting through his thoughts.

[System Message: Plot alteration detected. By showing Bellamy and Sarquiss Sky Island, you have significantly changed the course of events. Proceeding will cause further deviations. Consequences may include altered character development, future interactions, and unexpected events. Bonus: 1000 SP awarded.]

Coby stopped, his grip on Bellamy and Sarquiss tightening as he considered the system message. The idea of tossing them back to the Blue Sea, letting them fall 10,000 feet, had seemed fitting. But seeing that notification, he hesitated. Maybe Luffy had the right perspective after all. Luffy didn't hate Bellamy for mocking his dreams—he had simply left him broken, giving him the chance to piece himself back together and find his own dream again. Was that the better way?

As Coby stood there, lost in thought, Luffy walked up beside him, his usual carefree grin in place. "It's fine," Luffy said simply, his voice calm. "Let them be."

Coby clicked his tongue, a bit of frustration still lingering. But he nodded, locking Bellamy and Sarquiss back to the ship's railings. "I'll free you once we're back," he muttered, his tone firm but lacking the earlier malice.

Bellamy, still dazed and struggling to comprehend what had just happened, remained silent. Sarquiss, too beaten to protest, simply slumped against the railing, his eyes glazed over.

Luffy, sensing that the moment had passed, stretched his arms out and yawned. "Alright, let's go explore this place!"

The rest of the crew, picking up on Luffy's energy, quickly followed suit. As they explored the strange new surroundings, they noticed a figure in one of the higher clouds, her wings catching the light. Sanji's eyes turned to hearts as he sprinted toward her, completely convinced she was an angel.

The woman, surprised by the sudden attention, took a step back but smiled kindly at the crew. "Hello! My name is Conis. You must be new here."

Sanji practically floated closer, his usual charm cranked up to eleven. "An angel! Just as I suspected! Tell me, dear angel, how does one fall from heaven to grace us mere mortals?"

As they followed her, Conis shared stories about Skypiea and introduced them to something called Dials. She explained how these mysterious objects could store and release energy, a concept that fascinated Usopp, who immediately started brainstorming potential uses for them.

At her home, Conis brought out a few Dials, showing how each worked. Usopp's eyes lit up, already imagining how he could incorporate these into his arsenal. "These are amazing! I've got to get my hands on a few of these."

As they discussed Dials, an older man entered the house. Conis introduced him as her father, a skilled craftsman who had experience repairing various sky vessels. Upon noticing the Waver that Coby had salvaged from the sunken ship, Conis's father offered to take a look at it.

"This Waver's in pretty bad shape, but I can fix it," he said, examining the worn-out vehicle. "Give me some time, and it'll be good as new."

The crew relaxed while Conis's father worked on the Waver. The atmosphere became more comfortable as they enjoyed the hospitality of the Skypieans. Soon, the Waver was fully repaired and ready for a test ride.

Nami's eyes gleamed with excitement as she prepared to take it out for a spin. But before she could climb on, Coby slid in beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. "Mind if I join?" he asked with a grin.

Nami blushed, but she didn't protest. She revved up the Waver, and with a swift motion, they took off across the white sea, the wind whipping through their hair. Nami handled the Waver with expert precision, maneuvering it smoothly over the clouds as they sped toward a distant island in the sky.

Now, now. I can almost hear you call me kitty for not throwing Bellamy and Sarquiss, but the truth is, I really thought it would do some good for Coby to leave them with broken dreams and shattered reality. How will they come back, if they ever do? Will they still follow the plot? Even I didn't know what to do with them while writing this chapter. Well, anyways, I just thought a single second cruelty on text was not worth it.

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