Towering Memories and Treasured Dreams (Updated Version)

Floor 8: Battle on the Ocean Floor

The Straw Hats climbed up the stairs, excited to see more on the next floor, a part of them actually enjoying seeing these events once again. When they reached the next door, Luffy, Usopp, Brook, and Chopper were all falling over each other as they tried to force themselves through the door at the same time.

"Let me through!"

"Get outta my way!"

"Me? You're in my way!"

"I got here first!"

"Shove it!"

"Would you all knock it off?!" Nami called as the rest of them went running after them. "This isn't a game!"

But with much struggling, the four jammed in the doorway managed to squeeze inside the room all at once, tripping over the other as they fell onto a pile on the floor.

"What do you all intend to do if there's a monster hiding in one of these rooms?" Sanji asked with a roll of his eyes. "I'm not gonna come to your rescue if you bozos get killed."

The memory shifted almost as soon as they stepped inside the room and the door shut behind them. They were suddenly back out in the open sea with memory Luffy, Shirahoshi, and the princes. Shirahoshi was now swimming straight up, continuing to lure Noah away from the island while Luffy and her brothers surrounded Hody, ready to stop him should he try to go after her again.

"Keep going, my love!" Sanji called up to Shirahoshi. He then looked down to their own Luffy and added, "If you let any harm come to my dear Shirahoshi then I'm gonna have no choice but to kick your ass, Luffy."

"Huh?" present-day Luffy asked, obviously not paying attention to a word that he was saying.

"You say you'll protect them all?" Hody sniggered as if he had never heard of a more ridiculous thing. "Don't make me laugh! You sure have a big mouth, Straw Hat!"

"While that last part is true, I wouldn't be laughing if I were you!" Nami called out.

"Hey!" present-day Luffy said at once.

"What? You do have a big mouth!" Nami retorted.

"But what about you?" Luffy asked, not even thinking about what he was saying. Silence fell around them at Luffy's daring, and Nami's eyes narrowed.

"NO!" Usopp yelled as he and Chopper tackled their captain to the ground, covering his mouth desperately.

"What was that?" Nami hissed menacingly, her eyes practically aglow with rage.

"No, Luffy, you'll die!" Usopp gasped out.

"Don't be a hero!" Chopper cried fearfully, knowing that Nami could kill him very easily here. "We don't want you to die!"

Nami's eyes were twitching in anger, but Hody's dark chuckle caused her to look back, temporarily forgetting about the boys—who were thanking whatever deity that was looking out for them.

"Damn that Hody," Manboshi hissed out as he glared at him. "He's even willing to attack Decken."

"What?" Brook asked in confusion, tilting his head.

"Oh, right," present-day Luffy said, once he got his mouth free, "Hody went and attacked the guy who kept throwing things at Crybaby."

"Man, I guess he's not the type who doesn't mind when an alliance goes bad," Usopp muttered darkly. Though, to be fair... if someone who you made an alliance with tried to kill you along with everyone else, you would probably want to take them out too.

"Run away, Shirahoshi!" Ryuboshi called up to their sister. "Draw the Noah away from the island! Go as far as possible!"

If she heard him, she didn't stop to address him; instead she just kept going straight up as Hody only smirked.