Sun Sailor

Chapter 3

The dawn had risen a few hours before Nami spotted a small island off in the distance. As she alerted the others she knew that she would have to part ways with them sooner rather than later. She hated pirates so it was only natural that she used them for her own gain. She hoped that this island, Syrup village, would have a large enough port that she could sneak a ship off without anyone noticing. A sly smile slid across her face with the hope that she was lucky enough to grab a ship that had a nice stack of cash on it as well. If it didn't she may have to compromise and steal some gold from the island before heading off. If anything she wanted to leave by the following dawn. Early enough before anyone was awake to notice her stealing a ship.

Luffy cheered at the idea of landing soon. He jabbered on to Zoro about how they needed a better ship to sail across the East Blue. Zoro all but nodded absentmindedly as he kept watch on the horizon. At some point Luffy also mentioned that he wanted to go to the Grand Line, this caught Pearl's attention, more so because Fenghuang had prodded her head about it.

"What's the Grand Line?" Pearl asked as she looked down on the three below her. At some point between dusk of the previous day and early dawn she perched herself up on the top of the cabin roof. She wasn't quite sure why, but she had a longing in her stomach that wouldn't go away. It wasn't until she unknowingly climbed up on top of the roof that the sensation went away. So, she accepted that this was where she needed to be.

"You haven't heard of the Grand Line?" Zoro asked incredulously as he looked up at the girl. At the same time it crossed his mind that he didn't actually know her name. He thought it awkward to ask now of all times, he hoped that someone would mention it one way or another.

Pearl shook her head, she hoped that they wouldn't ask her why. She thought of a reason why that was enough to satiate any lingering questions they may have had. "Tiny village y'know, didn't know much." was all she could come up with. Nami, and Luffy nodded in agreement as Zoro just gave her an indifferent look. Not really accepting the answer but not prodding too much further.

"The Grand Line is a belt of water that wraps around the entire world, it separates the north and East Blue from the South and West Blue seas. The Grand Line also cuts through the strip of land known as the Red Line. I'm sure you've heard of that in day school." Nami said with a slight scoff at the end. She couldn't believe how dense someone could be, but she also looked at Luffy and thought that maybe there was. Pearl shrugged her shoulders and remembered that both Alvida and Koby thought that she had amnesia so she played into that.

"Sure I suppose, the pink haired guy, Koby, said that I had hit my head when they found me. Guessed I hit my head from the last ship I was on. That's why my memory is all shit right now." Pearl mumbled as she sat down, her feet dangling over the side of the boat. It was a half truth, and maybe even the full truth if it wasn't for the fact that Fenghuang had pulled her into the realm of the Gods and told her otherwise. She still hoped that this whole cosmic contract thing was a lie and that she was actually insane. Harboring a God and doing its dirty work? Nonsense.

"Oh yeah, I remember him. I didn't know you two had met before." Zoro said as Nami returned to navigating the ship. They would be landing within the hour by the looks of it.

"Mhm, He was actually the first person I met besides Alvida and her crew." Pearl said as she kicked her feet back and forth. She was growing anxious and she wasn't sure. Closing her eyes she buried herself in darkness and dug until she came to the ivory doors. She saw that they were opening a crack. From the crack a stream of heavy smoke leaked into her own consciousness. She walked forwards and peered inside. The sight before her made her wary, a mass of smoke lay beyond and instantly she clicked the two feelings together.

"Fenghuang, what's the matter?" Her voice echoed around her as she stepped back from the door. The glowing runes pulsed as Fenghuang shifted them from the other side. The runes shifted and turned amongst themselves and the door pulled itself closed. The feeling she had felt was instantly gone. "Right, You can't talk in this realm." Pearl remembered what Fenghuang had said. Only Fenghuang is able to communicate with her on her own terms in the realm of mortals.