The Straw Hat's Red Devil - Sky Island Saga (No. 3)

THE GRAND LINE CAN WAIT: PART 4

THE GRAND LINE CAN WAIT: PART 4

East Blue Saga - Warship Island Arc - Episode 60 - 61 (End of Saga)

Dakota's POV:

I land on the raft lightly and wrap Apis in my arms, letting her cry on my shoulder for our friend as he lies in the water. "GRANDPA RYU!" She screams with such heartache I hold her tighter, trying to take the pain away. "Grandpa Ryu." She whimpers into my shoulder and clings onto me as the Marines shoot a harpoon towards the ancient dragon, but thankfully Luffy catches it before it can touch Grandpa Ryu.

"What are you doing?" Luffy asks with a deadly tone, and the Commodore laughs loud enough to hear him from where we are.

"You little twerp, you don't even know what you're standing on." The Commodore laughs rather loud. "The only thing I want is that Millennium Dragon's bones. When I acquire that Dragonite, I will obtain eternal youth!" He laughs some more, angering Luffy as he tightens his grip on the harpoon and throws it back at the Marine battleship.

"BASTARD!" Luffy screams angrily, throws the harpoon hard towards the Commodore, and hits the wall to his left, leaving him agape. "Grandpa Ryu isn't some object! He's our friend! We've sailed together! He's an important friend to us!"

"Poppycock!" The Commodore shouts back, "If that's your answer, why don't you just sink into the sea with your 'friend'? Pesky nuisance... how dare you throw that harpoon at me! Kill that twerp as well!" The Marine next to him talks back, but I can't hear them well enough, but I know it's not good as I jump from the raft onto the Going Merry.

"Aim all cannons at the ocean surface! Aye!" The Marine subordinates shout, and they move the cannons. I look over to Grandpa Ryu and Luffy to see the dragon sinking further into the water as Luffy talks to Grandpa Ryu when an earthquake shakes through the surrounding ocean of Warship Island. I grab onto Apis and tie her to Usopp's back for now.

"Untie me!" Apis protests as I finish the knot with an unaware Usopp. "I have to get to Grandpa Ryu!"

"What's that?!" Usopp wonders and turns to see Apis tied to his back. "What did that happen?" He asks and sees me smiling at him.

"See now I know you'll look after her," I tell him and walk away.

"Just let Luffy take care of Grandpa Ryu!" Usopp tells her.

"No, no, no!" She argues back, struggling to break free. "I'm going! I'm going! I'm going!"

"He'll keep him safe! You'll see!" He yells over the quake.

"The whole ocean is shaking!" Nami yells over the rumbling. "What is this! What's happening?!" I walk over to her and see Luffy pulling on Grandpa Ryu's feathers, trying to keep him afloat, and the quake gets rougher, and I see land coming closer to the ocean surface. The Marines are in the middle of the earthquake as it worsens, and they light the cannons firing on Grandpa Ryu and Luffy. As if sensing something, the ancient dragon lifts his head and gives another mighty roar as if calling out for something or someone.

"Grandpa Ryu!" Apis calls out to him.

"What's he crying for?" Usopp wonders.

"He's calling them." She answers.

"Calling who?" The others ask her.

"The Millennium Dragons scattered around the world. 'The time has come.' is what he's saying." The young girl answers.

"'The time has come'?" Nami echoes and looks over. "What does that mean?" I look around and see something in the distance.

"O-Oi, what're those!" Usopp yells and points over.