A Thousand Treasures (One Piece)

Five

"So, you've sailed the Grand Line before, Ria?" Nami leaned over the tabletop. Illyria sat on the chair across from her, a notebook in front of her as she logged the gained sums and adjusted the allowance as needed.

"I've been through it." Tapping her pencil on the top of the book, her gaze lifted, "The only time I stopped was at Navy bases, but I travelled through to get from the West to the North Blue then again to get from home to here."

"Through it?" Nami met her gaze, "but there's the Calm Belt along the edge of the Grand Line."

"My ship was a paddle boat, remember?" Her hands rose and moved as she spoke. "The Calm Belt may not have any wind, but that's what the paddles were for. The Navy uses the same method. By making the paddles on the sides of their boat from sea prism stone-which has the power of the sea, the Sea Kings that nest in the Calm Belt will leave the boat alone."

"What took you to the North Blue?" Sanji asked.

"Treasure." Illyria turned to him, "I got a lead on some serious treasure stashed away on an island in the North Blue. Got shipwrecked for a while there, it was a bit harder to navigate through the ice than I thought." A sheepish grin lined her expression, "I got out with a pirate crew's help, though. And I found the treasure."

"Look at this." She placed the map in front of her, "I've heard rumors, but is the only entrance to the Grand Line really a mountain? The map is showing canals to a single mountain channel. If we go based on it, then we'll have to find some way up it."

"Oo, neat," Luffy cheered around the glass between his teeth.

"What're you talking about?" Zoro shook his head, "even if there are canals or whatever, a ship can't climb up a mountain."

"The map's right." Scooting forward, she pressed a finger to the mountain's entrance. "It's known as Reverse Mountain, the ocean runs up the mountain side and it'll carry ships into the Grand Line. It's the only way, besides the Calm Belt, to enter. There are currents from each sea that flow up the mountain."

"Reverse Mountain being a winter island, any currents that collide into the Red Line will plummet from the surface into the depths." Nami carried on. "If we screw up and miss the entrance to the canal the Going Merry will run smack into the Red Line's rock face and get wrecked. And then we'd be at the bottom of the ocean. Understand?"

"I need some help over here!" Usopp shouted, fighting against the ram head of their rudder. "It's not moving! The current's too strong!"

"We must be in the current. Just leave it be, Usopp, as long as we don't mess with it then we should be able to ride it all the way to the summit."

"Nami-san, you're so amazing!"

"I've never heard of ships going over mountains before," Zoro stated.

"Just wait," Illyria snickered, "it's going to be a hell of a ride."

Drip. Patter.

A drop of rain fell against the glass then three and within seconds a drumming beat filled the background, grey overshadowing the short-lived sun. Wind began to rock the Merry over the waves. "The sail needs to be raised, Sanji-kun," Nami instructed. Come stormy weather, the crew hopped to their respective jobs. Sanji and Luffy climbing the mast to raise the main sail.

"Hey!" Luffy shouted over the rain, "I see the mystery mountain!"

"What?!"

Illyria sat on the railing of the ship, arms crossing in front of her chest. It's been almost a year since she last seen the Red Line. The steep rocky wall reaching up and disappearing into the heavens. Currents rushed towards the mountain and crashed into each other, creating large whirlpools on both sides. One slip and they could find themselves torn apart by the spiraling cyclone, ripped to shreds by the mountain's spikes, or rammed into the rocky wall. The ocean was already showing its ire, testing the blood that would dare enter, and they haven't even gotten into the Grand Line yet.