The sun vanishes as the wall of fluffy white clouds engulfs the ship. The Going Merry hurtles down the mountain riding the monstrous current that brought us to its peak. The heavy moisture of the clouds clings to me, feeling cool and soothing against my skin.
Inhaling slowly, I savor the way the chilled air feels in my lungs. For the briefest of moments, I'm back home, traversing the mountainside in the predawn fog with my brothers as we return from a successful heist. I've never liked the cold, but the mountain air has always seemed fresher than that of the city. I blink and the ship with her crew are back before me, my captain's unique laughter whistling past me as it's stolen by the wind.
"WHOA! This is great!" Sanji laughs, his voice distant as the wind whips it away.
Nami cheers into the wind, her head tipped back and her smile wide. A smile tugs at my lips and a laugh tumbles free. I lift my chin, enjoying the way the wind rushes against my skin. I turn on my heel, dashing down the stairs and across the deck towards the port shrouds. I climb them easily, stopping about halfway to the yardarm to hang in the gale. The wind pulls at my hair, tugging the loose strands free from my buns to fly around my face.
My smile widens and my laughter grows louder the longer I hang in the air. The salty sea air mixes with the cool freshness of the surrounding clouds. I tip my head back and close my eyes, letting myself embrace my other senses completely. In my mind, I am one with the sky, soaring through these clouds as gracefully and effortlessly as the ship cuts through water.
"BUOOOOOOOH!"
The sound echoes around me, seeming to bounce off the water and mountain side. I open my eyes and look around, watching the rocky terrain speed by with a furrowed brow.
The mountain is barely visible through the thick clouds. We're going too fast to see if there's anything there... it could just be the wind... right?
"BUOOOOOOH!"
The sound fills the air again, rumbling so deeply that I can practically feel it in my bones.
"The hell is that?" I mutter, glancing around the ship at my crewmates.
Surely I'm not the only one that heard it.
"BUOOOHHHHHHHH!"
I spot Usopp scaling the mast. He makes it about halfway up before he lowers a single lens of his sniper goggles. His brow furrows as he stares straight ahead of the ship. I follow his gaze, trying to see what he sees.
"Nami!" I look around at the sound of Sanji's voice, finding him still hanging from the starboard shrouds. He leans forward, squinting slightly as he stares straight ahead. "I see a mountain up ahead!"
"What!?! That's impossible!" Nami shouts, turning to look back at the chef.
"But it's right there! I can see it!" Sanji insists, gesturing out in front of us with his free hand.
My eyes follow his pointing fingers, squinting as I try to see through the thick cloud cover. A black shape is just discernible through the haze.
"Who cares?! GOOOOOO!" Luffy cheers, thrusting his fists into the air.
"BUOOOOHHHHH!"
"After we pass the Twin Capes up ahead, there should be nothing but ocean." Nami yells, her brow furrowed as she turns back towards the bow.
We break through the haze and the sun illuminates the ship once again, its warm rays comforting after the cool moisture of the clouds. My eyes widen as the black shape comes into focus. I blink and rub my eyes, trying to make sense of what I'm seeing.
YOU ARE READING
Endless Loyalty
Fanfiction🚨SPOILER ALERT 🚨 There are spoilers ahead, you have been warned! Desperate for a new start, Rhea joins Luffy and his crew as they head towards the Grand Line. Soon after joining the StrawHats crew, Rhea finds herself in a whirlwind of an adventure...
