"Isn't that how this reckless frog got those injuries?" Usopp asked, raising an eyebrow.
"That's probably it."
The crew stood silently, watching as the sea train zipped past. The spectacle left them speechless—until…
"Hey! Who are you?"
A voice from the distance pulled their attention. They turned to see a young girl with green hair styled in braids, wearing a white top. She stood on a nearby platform, staring at them with curiosity.
Hearing her call out, Luffy responded instantly:
"We're pirates, chasing frogs!"
Then, without missing a beat, he added:
"By the way, how old are you? Why are you wearing lipstick when you look so young?"
The crew collectively sighed. Would you really say that out loud?
"Oh, this?" The girl pointed to her lips. "It's just my personal style. Don't think too much about it!"
"Ah, I get it now! Haha, you're funny!" Luffy said with a grin.
"Hahaha, and you've got good taste!" the girl replied cheerfully.
Their lighthearted exchange left the crew baffled. The conversation had jumped topics so abruptly that it was hard to keep up.
At that moment, a voice came from inside the platform building.
"Chimney, what's all this noise about?"
"Grandma, I met some interesting pirates!"
"Oh? Let me see them!"
An older woman stepped outside. Her green hair matched Chimney's, styled similarly in two braids, though hers hung downward. Perhaps age had softened its vigor.
"Pirates, huh? Well, then—"
"Chimney, grab the Den Den Mushi!"
"On it!" Chimney dashed inside, quickly returning with a small phone snail.
"Huh? Are you calling reinforcements? Guess pirates aren't welcome here," Zoro said, his voice calm but edged with annoyance.
Sanji took a puff of his cigarette and muttered, "So, what do we do now? Just stand here and let them summon someone to come deal with us?"
"No need to worry," Kai said with a relaxed smile. "Just wait and watch."
Chimney handed the snail to her grandmother, who began speaking:
"Moshi moshi? Uh… wait, what was I going to say? Oh, darn it, I forgot. Hiccup~"
The crew collectively sweat-dropped, their patience thinning. Is she seriously too drunk to function?
After a moment, the grandmother burst into laughter and exclaimed, "Ah, I see now—you're here because of Yokozuna!"
"That frog's caused us plenty of trouble!" she added after taking a sip from her flask.
"Exactly!" Chimney chimed in angrily. "It's always breaking our fences. Total headache!"
"Then why was it on the tracks, challenging the sea train? And how is it even okay after getting hit like that?" Nami asked, joining the conversation.
"It's been hit so many times that it barely fazes it anymore," the grandmother replied. "That frog's stubborn! It's always trying to take on the sea train. You'll see it get knocked away like that often—it just doesn't give up."
"Sugoi! Such determination! In that case, I won't eat it!" Luffy declared with admiration in his voice.
Nami rolled her eyes at him. "You were planning to eat it?!"
She then turned to Chimney. "That big thing we just saw—is it really called a sea train? How does something like that even work, and why haven't we seen it anywhere else?"
Chimney puffed her chest out proudly. "Of course, you wouldn't see it anywhere else! This is the only one of its kind. It's a masterpiece—Mr. Tom's greatest creation!"
"The Sea Train!" she continued. "It runs on steam power and travels along rails laid over the ocean. Pretty convenient, huh?"
"Oh~ I see!" Nami said, nodding thoughtfully. She then asked the grandmother, "By the way, do you know what island is directly east of here?"
"East? That would be Water 7—the City of Water. It's home to the world's best shipyards and top-tier shipwrights!" the grandmother explained.
"Shipwrights?" Luffy and Usopp's eyes sparkled at the mention.
Though they had done their best to maintain the Going Merry, they both knew it wasn't in its original shape. Repairs had mostly fallen to Usopp, who, while handy, wasn't a professional. The thought of finding someone capable of truly fixing and reinforcing their beloved ship excited them.
"The log pose to Water 7 will take about a week to set," the grandmother added. "You'll have plenty of time to explore—it's a city built on water, after all! Everything there revolves around it, including water-powered meat grills and other unique stuff. You'll love it!"
"Water-grilled meat?" Luffy's eyes turned starry, his excitement bubbling over.
"By the way," Nami interjected, "do you know any skilled shipwrights you'd recommend? Our ship's not badly damaged, but we want to reinforce it and make sure it's in top condition."
The grandmother thought for a moment. "Ah, I do. Look for a man named Iceberg. Tell him I sent you, and he'll sort you out."
She handed Nami a map of Water 7, with Iceberg's location marked.
(☆▽☆)!
"Thank you so much, Granny! You're amazing!" Nami said, holding her hands gratefully.
"Hahaha, don't mention it! We're heading to Water 7 ourselves soon, so we'll see you there!"
"All right! Let's set sail for the Meat City!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly.
"It's Water 7, you idiot!" Usopp corrected him, exasperated.
As the crew waved goodbye to Chimney and her grandmother, Zoro spoke up: "By the way, what kind of shipwright are we even looking for?"
"Obviously, a gorgeous woman!" Sanji said dreamily.
The rest of the crew gave him a collective look. Their expressions screamed, Seriously?
"A shipwright needs to be strong, not some beauty queen! You'd need someone who can swing a hammer and lift wood!" Usopp argued.
"Maybe a big, burly guy—someone tough-looking!" Luffy suggested, gesturing enthusiastically.
"Isn't it too soon to worry about that? Even if we find someone, we still need them to agree to join us," Zoro pointed out. "Not everyone wants to become a pirate."
"What's wrong with being a pirate?" Luffy shot back. "You're a pirate with nothing better to do!"
Zoro: …
"Hey, stop bickering and look ahead! The island's in sight!" Kai called from the bow.
"!!!"