Queen of the Pirates

Alone in the Forest

The first thing I need to do is figure out which direction that I need to go. Unfortunately, the navigating lesson that Nami gave me was for the sea, and I am stuck in the middle of a giant forest. That means that my best bet to figure out where to go is by getting above the trees, and the only way I can do that is by running up a tree. At least a giant snake isn't trying to kill me this time.

I've always been fast, especially once the man who raised me started to throw whatever he could get his hands on at me. I learned to run away from animals in the forest while Luffy and Ace stayed back to fight, and I had to be able to sprint away if the boys caught me snooping while they trained. It just never occurred to me until I officially became a pirate just how fast I've become. I can understand why the Navy has decided to call me a phantom.

"Incredible," I breath out as I burst through the branches to see the entire island. "All of this is up in the sky because of the Knock-Up Stream. Nature is unstoppable."

I could stay up among the treetops for hours, but there's no more time to waste. The ancient ruins aren't going anywhere, but I want to get back with the others as soon as possible. We have a man who thinks he's a god to be taken down a few pegs.

The journey down the tree isn't nearly as easy as going up, but I feel a bit like Luffy as I use the branches to grab and swing down. If only we could have had a tree like this back home for the treehouse the boys made all those years ago. All those nights I was able to spend in that treehouse I will never forget. Even if I was snuggled into Ace when I fell asleep, I did not wake up next to him. Luffy would snatch me in the middle of the night to hold me close, and that's probably where my need to be cuddled up to him when I fall asleep came from.

My feet hit solid ground once more, and then I am heading off in the direction that I believe to be where I spotted what could be the ruins in the distance. At least I have a backpack of supplies if I do get lost for a little too long. Not that I expect myself to be wandering around this forest for that long, but I've learned to expect that anything can happen when following Luffy.

"I'll keep believing in the future," I sing out, putting a little pep in my step. "Not caring if anyone laughs at me! The passion running within you makes you shine! It's too dazzling, but I want to keep watching you. Somehow, sensing those aesthetics makes me...I'm really, really stuck on you!" I goofily smile as I think about Luffy being the 'you' in the song. I am stuck on him, but the same is true the other way around.

I take a deep breath, getting ready to dive into the next verse if I can remember it, but I am rudely interrupted by what must be a minion of the damn Kami Eneru.

"You, Blue Sea Girl, I will destroy you in the name of Kami! Baa!" an annoying male shouts.

I turn around to see what looks like a goat if it was a person. This must be one of the underlings to the damn man who believes he is a god, and it makes me sick just looking at this being that I have to fight. My entire face scrunching up in disgust. "I'd pretend that you never saw me if you know what's best for your life," I snarl.

The goat-man laughs. He has the wings that we've seen the sky people have, with a white robe and baggy pants that reminds me of the soldiers we met back in the city. He also has two pointy little horns on top of his head, long ears like an animal, a red collar with a golden ring in the front, and damn wavers on their sandals. "Are you saying that a puny Blue Sea person like yourself can take me on?"

I pull sick shurikens out of my pouch; three for each hand. "Easily, jackass. That's what Portgas's do."

"Then let's dance!" He comes rushing at me.