On the Merry, the Straw Hats sighted an island on the horizon, a massive fountain easily standing out.
"Is that it?" Usopp asked.
"Yeah! It's an island!" Luffy replied excitedly.
They marveled at its appearance.
"How pretty." Robin murmured.
"An island filled with clouds and now one filled with water…" Ryomen muttered.
"Isn't it amazing?" Nami asked him, her eyes bright.
"Yeah, until someone decides to push a Devil Fruit user into the water." Ryomen replied with a shrug.
"When you say it like that…"
"Hey, stop ruining my fun!" Luffy shouted, puffing his cheeks at him.
As they approached, they reached the station where the steam car runs through.
"Wonder where the port is…" Nami mumbled, squinting toward the shore.
"Hey! You there!" A fisherman waved at them from the dock.
"Pirates'll get in trouble if they enter through the front. Steer over that way and come around the other side!" He called.
"Alright! Thank you!" Nami replied, giving him a quick wave.
They passed through buildings built below the water's surface, marveling at the unusual architecture, before a man on the dock stopped them.
"You can't come this way. What are you doing here?" He questioned, eyeing their ship.
"We're here to get our ship repaired!" Luffy replied cheerfully.
"Then there's a cape up ahead. You can drop anchor there." He said, gesturing ahead.
"Oh…thanks." Nami replied, grateful.
"You know, I'm surprised no one's tried to rob us yet." Ryomen remarked, glancing back at the gleaming golden pillar they had brought along.
"Water Seven is pretty civilized and doesn't take kindly to pirates, so we shouldn't have too much trouble here." Robin assured him with a calm smile.
They soon found a place to anchor. Nami, Ryomen, Usopp, and Luffy disembarked, bringing the golden pillar with them to exchange it for cash. They also planned to search for a man named Iceberg, to whom Kokoro had written the letter of introduction.
"Alright! Let's go explore the City of Water!" Luffy declared, marching forward with renewed excitement.
…
"Bull rental? What's that?" Luffy asked, squinting at a sign.
"What do you think it's for?" Nami wondered, equally puzzled.
"What even is a bull?" Luffy mumbled.
"Maybe it's a bulldog. Probably not, though." Usopp guessed, scratching his head.
"The drink, maybe?" Ryomen suggested with a slight smile.
"Rent a drink?" Usopp and Luffy exchanged glances.
"Pfft, hahaha!!" They both collapsed to the ground in fits of laughter.
"Since when are you so funny?" Usopp managed through his laughs.
"'Rent a drink'...What an idiot!" Luffy snickered.
"Hey, don't go too far." Ryomen said, casting them a dark look.
"Yeah…It wasn't that funny." Usopp said quickly, wiping his tears.
"It was a good suggestion." Luffy added, straightening up, his face suddenly serious.
YOU ARE READING
Cursed Seas and Slashing Tides
FanfictionRyomen lived a life of imprisonment. After finally tasting freedom, he decides to join Luffy on his quest to become the Pirate King. Will he fulfill his own dream, or will he give up on his thirst for revenge in exchange for the people he now sees a...
