Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

I don't own One Piece nor do I own DC Super Hero Girls (2019), both belong to their rightful owners being; Shueisha and Warner Bros; and of course the creators Eiichiro Oda and Lauren Faust.

"Normal Speech"

'Thoughts'

~Location~

Time/Transition

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Attack Moves

"Call or transmissions / Soft Spoken Words (Whispers or Muffled words) / Different Language"

[Texts, Notes, or other forms of written communication]

Wealth. Fame. Power.

These three words defined the legacy of the Pirate King.

Gol D. Roger. The man who had conquered the Grand Line, the one pirate that reached the farthest depths of the sea, the sky, and land. The only person that had obtained everything the world had to offer, and returned with a treasure no one could touch because it wasn't just gold or maps or weapons.

It was something truly amazing... The final echo left behind by a once great joyous man.

When Roger turned himself over to the World Government, it wasn't in chains or desperation. He walked to his death with the poise of a man who knew he still held the world in his hands. On the execution platform in Loguetown, no rope coiled around his neck. No manacles bit into his wrists. He sat tall, chest high, and smiled at the crowd. Blades were drawn, ready to pierce the heart of a legend.

So with his final breath, he smiled, and with a booming voice, he declared

"You want my treasure? You can have it! I left everything I gathered together in one place. Find it!"

With that, the blades pierced his heart, but those words did something; they lit the spark to something great!

The Great Pirate Era had begun!

Hundreds of thousands of sails unfurled. Dreamers, killers, and kings all raced toward a treasure whispered as myth: The One Piece.

Many years passed, and many pirates, wanting to achieve the same legend as Roger, continued to chase after that treasure.

Around twelve years after the death of Roger, a young seven-year-old boy held onto a dream that would change the world in the future...

He wasn't the strongest. Nor was he the smartest. He had no noble blood. But he carried something greater, a spirit that could bend the will of giants and win the hearts of strangers.

Just a kid with a reckless grin, a fire in his chest, and a promise made beneath the shadow of a red-haired man.

Monkey D. Luffy, the boy who ate the mysterious Gomu Gomu no Mi (Rubber-Rubber fruit) by pure accident, it was a Devil Fruit unlike any other, one that turned his body into rubber.

It stole his ability to swim and cursed him to sink like a stone.

But he didn't care.

He stretched, he laughed, and he kept going.

After all, rubber bends. It never breaks.

He had boldly asked Red-Haired Shanks once again before his departure to take him along on his pirate crew.

He wasn't shy about it. He wanted it with every ounce of his little heart.

He had asked the man numerous times, so he anticipated his answer.

To Luffy, Shanks was the pirate he looked up to, the person he idolized, someone who taught Luffy the values of friendship and what it really meant to be a pirate...

The red haired man had even gone so far as to lose an arm for the boy.

Saving him from a large sea beast, while at the cost of his arm

That moment had ingrained a high level of respect for the man in the young boy's heart and mind.

Shanks only laughed, teasing the boy, telling him that the sea wasn't a place for someone so small, so young.

But Luffy didn't back down.

With fists clenched and with a dream only few knew about, he shouted that he'd become a pirate anyway.

But not just any pirate.

No...he would become;

The King of the Pirates.

Something in those words, and that profound dream he had heard coming from the young boy's mouth before, a dream that made Shanks fall silent, as he shed tears underneath his hat after hearing it...

He took the Straw Hat from his head, the same one he'd carried through fights and terrible seas, one that he received from a great man, and gently placed it on Luffy's head.

"Give this back to me," he said, "when you've become a great pirate."

With that, a vow was made. A legacy was passed.

And the sea, so vast and wild, was waiting.

Thus began the start of a great voyage.

Prologue: #IslandoftheFuture!

~The Grandline; New World~

12 years into the future...

The sea swept across the sides of the vibrant ship that sailed through it, as rain drizzled steadily across its deck.

There was a soft constant sound of water tapping onto the wood, and glass.

The Thousand Sunny, the home of the now infamous crew, rocked gently with the rhythm of the sea as it made its way through yet another rainy day on the Grand Line.

It had been two days since they had set sail from the shores of Wano and fallen from the massive waterfall.

The weather wasn't rough, just dreary.

It was the kind that made people stay inside, get quiet, and keep to themselves.

Though, there was one person on the ship who didn't find solace in that tedium.

The now recognized as one of Four Emperors of the sea; the Captain of the Strawhat Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy.

He couldn't take another rain-soaked, dreary day.

So he found himself cooped up in the one place where he could eat away his boredom, the ship's kitchen.

The clatter of dishes and the hiss of steam filled the kitchen as Sanji, the chef of the crew, chopped up herbs that smelt wonderful.

His hands moved quickly as he placed another herb onto the cutting board before it was instantly chopped into smaller, neatly organized pieces.

Sanji turned around and grabbed a pan that was on the stove; before he quickly placed the small meat patties onto a plate, garnished it, and put them between some fluffy buns.

Looking down, he smiled at that the meal he had made;

In a blank of an eye, the plate full of smoked meat sliders skidded across the countertop, landing perfectly in front of Luffy, who was already drooling at the sight of it.

"Eat slowly this time, Luffy!" Sanji commanded.

As he turned his attention towards the sink, he put on an apron, and began washing the pan.

"No promises!" Luffy replied, already stuffing the hot food into his mouth with both hands. "Mmmfff! sho gwod! Thansh Shanshi!"

"This idiot's going to burn his throat again..." Sanji muttered, wiping his hands on a towel before grabbing the pan.

"Remember Luffy! This is your LAST snack. If you want more food, you'll have to wait for dinner."

Luffy, who was already done, licked his fingers and the plate clean.

He turned to the cook of the ship, eyes round and sparkling. "Buuuut Sanji~, can I have just one mor-"

"!!"

Before he could finish his sentence, the chef's boot connected with Luffy's chest, sending him soaring out of the galley door.

"WAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

"LIKE I SAID, DINNER! You've already eaten PLENTY since breakfast, including both Ussops and Choppers snacks!" The curly brow chef said.

He leaned on the door frame, lighting a cigarette.

He used his hands to cover it from the rain that was softly falling.

"Dinner is in about 2 hours, go find something to do until then. And if I find out you've taken anyone else's food that I passed out, I'm cutting off all your snacks until we reach the next island," He added, before closing the door.

Luffy hearing this had been frozen shocked, the threat of having no snacks for the rest of the journey had left him speechless.

His mouth still hanging, he pushed himself up, rubbing his stomach as a slow *grumble* could be heard coming from it.

He frowned before realizing he couldn't do much since Sanji wouldn't let him back into the kitchen until dinner was ready.

He placed his straw hat over his head, helping to stop the constant pour of rain on his face.

A wide smile appeared on his face, quickly replacing the frown he had.

"Yosh!! I'll go see what everyone else is doing." He said as he sprang towards the front of the ship.

He stretched his arms grabbing the mast, and swung to the front.

The helmsman's calm silhouette loomed steady against the gray sea beyond.

At the ship's wheel stood Jimbei, cloaked against the downpour of rain falling onto the ship. His hands were relaxed but were firm on the helm as he gently steered the ship through the sea.

"Jimbeeeeei," Luffy shouted, landing in-front of him.

"Wanna do something fun?" He asked grinning wide as ever.

He was bored beyond belief, and now that he couldn't eat it away, he had to find something to do...

Jimbei responded with a low chuckle. "I'd be happy to find something enjoyable to do with you Luffy, but for the moment, the helm needs someone right now."

Luffy frowned, "awwww, okay then, I'll find someone else then...I'll cya later!"

Jimbei nodded before focusing back onto the sea.

With that, he turned and ran across the slick deck toward the foremast, rainwater splashing at his ankles.

He grabbed the rope ladder and swung up toward the Crow's Nest, his feet thudding as he climbed the mast with ease.

Inside the gym, Zoro was training with massive dumbbells, shirtless, and drenched in sweat.

Brook stood nearby playing his violin, a bright, jaunty tune bouncing gently between the curved walls of the lookout dome.

"Zorooo! Wanna play tag?" Luffy grinned, bouncing on his heels.

" Huff  Not right... Huff...now, Luffy... Huff" Zoro grunted without missing a single one of his rep.

Brook looked over.

"Yohoho! I'll come and play some new songs I've written for you after I'm done here, Luffy! Chopper asked me to keep an eye on Zoro so he doesn't over work himself."

Luffy frowned again.

Watching Zoro lifting weights sounded boring, so he replied by nodding his head and climbed back down the mast.

He landed as his sandals made a *squelch* sound on the grass.

He jogged toward the rear dome, ducking into a hatch and descending down the interior ladder, which led to the basement level of the Sunny.

The air was heavy with the scent of oil, solder, and burning metal.

Luffy passed a pile of junk and peeked into the combined workshop of Franky and Usopp.

Franky was hunched over a welding station, sparks flying from the half-repaired General Franky arm.

Usopp had goggles on and was digging through a box labeled [Explosives]

"You guys wanna do something fun!?" He asked the two, whom didn't seem to turn around at the sudden appearance of their captain.

Their attention and eyes were glued to the stuff in front of them, and with that, Luffy knew what their answer was going to be.

"Nope..." Both replied at the same time, "Busy."

Luffy sighed, as his shoulders dropped.

He spun around on his heels and climbed back up the ladder.

Back on the deck, he strolled on up to the second floor of the ship.

He gently, and to his credit, wisely knocked on the door before peeking his head into the girls quarters.

"Yo, Nami!"

"WHAT IS IT!" Nami responded; her hair looked a mess, and there were papers littering the floor of the quarters.

There was a pause;

"Luffy, I swear if you don't clo-"

"Just wanted to see if you wanted to play tag or something." He said cutting her off.

There was another pause.

Nami was having a rough time drawing a map of Wano.

It was a massive island, and there were many areas within it, so she was having trouble finding a way to make it as comprehensible as possible without missing a single detail.

She had gone through a lot of rough drafts, as evident from the various papers surrounding the floor around her.

"Luffy...CLOSE THE DOOR! I'm busy right now! Go play in the rain or ask someone else!" She yelled.

Her patience being almost nonexistent at this point.

Luffy groaned and slouched down before closing the door.

He walked back down the stairs to the green deck of the ship, dragging his feet like a pouting toddler.

"But I already asked almost everyo-" his muttering cutting himself off as his nose picked up the smell of something.

*Sniff* *Sniff*

"Hm...?"

Even though it was raining, he could smell something, something good, something he could eat!

"Shishishi"

He quickly perked back up, the thought of food dispelling his down trotted mood.

In a flash, he ran towards the smell.

He had followed the smell all the way behind the ship.

As he stood before the doorway to the Library and Surveying Room, which was tucked neatly inside the rear dome.

Luffy slipped inside quietly, drawn by the promise of what he now recognized as the smell of Sanji's signature coconut biscuits.

The floor was patterned in alternating green and blue tiles, the kind that would squeak when wet.

Curved green benches lined the room, with tall rectangular windows between built-in bookshelves.

In the center sat a round wooden desk surrounded by sleek green chairs.

A ladder extended up through the ceiling, leading to the observation tower above it.

To no one's shock, Luffy rarely came in here.

There were too many books, and it was way to quiet for his liking.

It wasn't that he couldn't read; it was more or less that he had trouble sitting down and focusing on a singular book.

Normally, he would just ignore this part of the ship and go elsewhere.

But not today.

Today, the room held something delicious.

As he slipped inside, he spotted Robin.

She sat near the far wall, a blanket wrapped loosely around her shoulders and a thick book in hand.

The rain tapped softly on the rounded glass window behind her, framing the sea in a dull, silver mist.

A porcelain cup steamed on the side table beside her.

A small white plate held several delicate, golden-brown coconut flavored biscuits.

"Heya Robin!" Luffy called out, making his way to her, before his eyes zeroed in on the plate instantly.

"Oh, hello Luffy, what brings you in here?" She asked, looking up from her book.

Robin was a little surprised to see him here.

For as long as she could remember, she barely ever saw him come into the library.

That had her wondering what made him come in today.

Luffy grabbed a towel from one of the drawers, drying himself off, before responding.

"I was hungry." He said, with a grin.

She looked down at the table next to her, her lips curved in a small smile.

"Are those coconut biscuits next to you?" He asked,

"Yes, they are," She gently responded.

His stomach grumbled again, as his mouth watered.

"Can I have one? Just one. Or two. Maybe three. I won't eat all of them." He asked, trying to convince her to let him have some of her snacks.

Robin gave a quiet laugh and slid the plate toward him.

"Help yourself."

Understanding the real reason behind her captain's sudden interest in the library.

He plopped down cross-legged beside her and immediately stuffed one in his mouth.

Surprisingly didn't inhale the whole plate, maybe because Robin was watching, and somehow her calm gaze activated the little piece of his brain labeled manners.

"These are good," he mumbled, chewing happily.

"I agree. I'll make sure to let Sanji know that you liked them." She said, before turning to another page in her book.

That made Luffy's face go pale, as her words reminded him of what Sanji had said to him earlier.

He slowly gulped the cookie down; as panic rose all over his face.

" ROBIN! *SHHH!* DONT! Sanji told me not to eat anyone's snack until Dinner was ready! If you tell him, he's going to cut off my snacks until the next Island!" He replied erratically.

Robin giggled at her captain's response.

"If that's the case, then I'll keep my lips sealed"

" PHEW Thanks Robin!" He replied, not even questioning if she was being serious or not

With that, he went back to munching on the cookies.

Curious, he leaned sideways and peeked at her book.

"Whatcha reading?" He asked.

"Botanical history," she replied.

Luffy blinked.

"Baton...huh?"

"Plants," she clarified.

"How they were cataloged by people in the past, and how they understood them."

"Oh," Luffy said mostly confused, his eyes drifting over the dense page of diagrams and unfamiliar characters and a random assortment of numbers.

"So... a mysterious plant book. Neat."

Robin chuckled again.

"Yes, something like that..."

He grinned wide. "Do we have any books with fighting? Or treasure? Or cool adventures Or even ROBOTS!?"

"We do," Robin said, turning another page, still smiling. "I could show you some."

"YEAH! I wanna see!" He responded.

"Let me finish this book, and I'll grab one from the bookshelf."

"Okay. Shishishi " He replied grinning wide as ever, excited for the first time in...well ever, to be interested in a book.

It had been a while since Luffy had come into the Library.

Robin turned another page, her eyes gliding silently over the neatly inked lines, before glancing sideways at the dwindling pile of biscuits.

Luffy had eaten about...well most of them, slowly eating them as not to finish too fast.

Since if they were gone, he would probably get hungry and bored again.

Every so often, he would glace over to what Robin was reading, still not getting the gist of what it was about.

After a while, he eyed the last biscuit on the plate as if it were going to runaway.

Drooling at the thought of eating it, but hesitant to eat it in one fell swoop.

Robin noticed this, and smiled as she closed her book with a gentle *thump*.

"I think I have something you'd like more," she said, brushing her blanket aside.

Luffy blinked.

"Huh?"

She stood and walked quietly across the tiled floor, her slippers not making a sound.

The library's walls were neatly packed with all kinds of books; history, mythology, botany, linguistics, geography, strategy.

Some were rare, other's were common books that could be found in any other library.

Others were trashy novels Sanji kept trying to sneak into the back row.

Robin ran a finger along one of the upper shelves until it came to rest on a thick, well-worn hardcover.

She slid it out, inspecting the name of the book, and returned to her seat beside Luffy.

He tilted his head. "Does that one have pirates in it?"

Robin smirked. "Not quite."

She showed him the front cover, which depicted a sunburned man in explorer's gear being chased by what looked like an enormous beetle with human teeth.

The title read:

[Louis Arnote: The Boin Archipelago, the Honey Trap Island.]

Luffy's mouth dropped open slightly. Remembering something Ussop had told him about before.

"OOooh... is that a mystery story about the place Ussop was sent to by the bear guy?!"

"It's a dramatized travelogue," Robin replied.

"A little exaggerated, but yes, I assume so. The Boin Archipelago is what it's called."

Luffy grinned. "Hehehe! Ussop said that place was weird. And how it had plant that grew food! Like MEAT!"

She opened the book and offered it to him.

"Want to read it together?"

Luffy paused, the smile on his face slowly faltering.

His eyes flicked to the page.

Then back to her.

Then to the page again.

"...I've never read one before."

Robin blinked.

"Is that so?"

A bit surprised by what he said.

"That and It's sorta hard to read stuff. The words start movin' after a while. Or I mix 'em up. Or they're too long and I get bored." He answered honestly.

She studied him for a moment.

She wasn't sure what surprised her more, that he had never actually read one, or that she hadn't noticed it before.

Then again, it explained why he never stayed long in the library.

Why he sometimes looked confused during Navy wanted poster announcements, even when they were about him.

Or when there was big news going about in the world, he would usually never look at the news paper, either waiting for her or someone else to inform him about it.

If it was important enough to let him know that is.

She had just assumed he trusted her to let him know, but maybe there was more to it.

"I see…" Robin said quietly.

She glanced down at the open pages. "Would you like me to help?"

Luffy smiled back, "Yeah, could you!"

She nodded.

Luffy quickly scooted over, crossing his legs, and pulling the book onto his lap like a treasure map.

His mouth forming a cheeky smile.

Robin leaned in beside him and pointed to the first line on the page.

"Let's start at the beginning..."

Luffy squinted at it. His lips moved silently for a second. Then he started to read slowly:

["Lousy Armchair was a renowned a-advan...turtle..."]

"His last name is Louis Arnote, and the other word is Adventurer," Robin corrected.

"Right, that. Shishishi"

He went on an,

["Armchair had went on an exspeeditan..."]

"Expedition." She replied, overlooking him again and saying the name wrong.

She knew from experience that her captain had a tendency to give people some endearing nicknames.

"Oh, 'Expedition', you're really smart Robin!" He said, smiling at how well she knew these mystery words.

She just smiled, and patiently waited for him to continue.

["Expeti...Expedition! To the… boing"]

"'Boin."

["Boin... Archi… archi-"] *AHH!*

"why's it spelled like that?"

Robin chuckled. "Because it's from an old language. 'Archipelago' means a group of islands."

"Oh! I remember, like Sabaody!"

"Exactly."

Luffy furrowed his brows, he was starting to get bored. "This guy's already goin' places and he hasn't even eaten anything yet. What kinda story is this?"

Robin laughed softly, she was enjoying this.

"Give it a few more lines. We'll get to the food part soon."

He tried.

Thought the next paragraph was worse.

The author had a tendency to overuse long words.

Luffy tried to say "Vegitation" and wound up saying "Veganation."

Not to mention, he kept calling the main character "Lousy Armchair."

But he didn't stop.

Robin corrected him every few lines.

She never got impatient with his mistakes.

Never rushed him.

She simply smiled, pointed to the word again, and said it with him.

And Luffy, stubborn as ever, repeated each one with full, clumsy confidence.

After a few more paragraphs, he let out a heavy sigh and flopped sideways, leaning gently against her shoulder.

"This story is dumb," he mumbled, his lips in a pout.

She'd known him for years.

Followed him through hell and fire.

She'd watched him face false gods and monsters without blinking.

But somehow, this; the sight of him struggling through a book and not giving up, she found to be very endearing in a different way.

"You're doing well," she said.

"Would you like me to read it out loud to you?"

Luffy didn't answer.

But she took his silence as a yes.

Robin lifted the book gently and began to read aloud, her voice low and warm.

The rain outside softened to a misty whisper against the glass.

The smell of tea and coconut lingered between them.

Luffy closed his eyes and listened.

He wasn't asleep.

No.

Just resting, as  his back on her right shoulder, one leg up on the other, peacefully letting this boring day drift by.

Some time later...

The last page turned with a soft flick of paper, the corners slightly worn from years of use.

Robin's voice, gentle and steady, reached the final line of the travelogue before tapering off into silence.

["...and thus, Louis Arnote escaped the Honey Trap Island... wearing only one boot, two large bee stings, and a stomach full of stolen fruit."]

She closed the book, and set it near a table.

Luffy hadn't moved much during the whole thing.

His straw hat was pulled low over his face, shielding his eyes from the golden light of the wall lanterns.

But the soft, crooked grin on his lips told her everything she needed to know.

He was still awake.

"Did you like it?" Robin asked, tilting her head slightly.

Luffy's grin widened beneath the brim of his hat.

"Uh-huh"

He stretched his arms out, his back popping faintly as he pulled away from her shoulder.

He looked around like he was waking up from a nap, though he hadn't really slept.

Just. Rested.

"It was a good book," he said, placing the hat back on his head properly.

"I liked the part where he found the hot dog tree, and had to fight off the big bees." He replied, his mouth watering slightly.

"Thanks for readin' it out loud. I think it's the first time I actually liked a book."

Robin smiled.

"You're welcome."

He stood up, bouncing on his feet with energy he hadn't used in over an hour.

"It was Calm. Kinda like... we were in the story for a bit. And the time just-uhh"

"Flew by?" Robin offered.

"Yeah!" Luffy beamed.

Before either could say anything else, a familiar voice rang out from the main deck, muffled slightly through the thick hull but unmistakable in tone.

"DINNER TIME! COME AND GET IT WHILE IT'S HOT!" Sanji's voice echoed through the Sunny, followed immediately by the unmistakable *clang* of the galley bell.

Luffy's entire body lit up.

He practically bounced in place.

"YES! TIME TO EAT!"

Robin stood more gracefully, tucking the book under her arm and adjusting the blanket over her shoulders.

"I suppose that's our cue."

As Luffy made for the door, he stopped just before stepping out. His head turned slightly.

"Hey robin..."

She paused, meeting his gaze.

"Can you read me another one? Like, tomorrow maybe?"

She smiled, nodding her head.

"Great." Luffy grinned, already halfway out the door.

"Let's find one about treasure or maybe heroes in it next time!"

Robin let out a quiet laugh as she followed him into the hallway, carrying the tea cup and plate.

Behind them, the library lights dimmed as they closed the door.

By the time Luffy and Robin stepped onto the main deck from their time reading, the rain had faded into a soft mist.

The clouds still hung thick above them, painting the sky in bluish-gray, but the scent of roasted meat and freshly baked bread overpowered the damp chill in the air.

Warmth practically spilled out of the galley as Sanji opened the door to let everyone in.

"Lets get going everyone! Food's hot, plates are ready, and no, before you ask Luffy, you're not getting seconds until everyone's had their first!"

Luffy was already halfway inside before Sanji could even finish.

The table in the galley was loaded, from roasted sea beast meat, to a massive grilled fish with lemon butter glaze.

To trays of rice balls stuffed with pickled plum, bowls of piping hot miso soup, and, a neatly stacked pyramid of tiny desserts topped with whipped cream and berries.

"Yohoho! This looks amazing!" Brook said as he came in.

Chopper jumped into his seat and immediately started eating from the pyramid of deserts. "mMmM YUMM!"

Usopp followed close behind, a wrench still sticking out of his back pocket. "Franky and I skipped lunch, we are starving!"

"YOW! DAMN RIGHT!" Franky boomed, flexing as he entered.

Nami sat at her usual spot, her hair still a mess.

She held her head as she could feel a headache coming any second now.

Zoro wandered in last, towel around his neck, smelling faintly of sweat and metal.

He dropped onto his seat, arms crossed.

"Where's my booze, curly brow," he said flatly, demanding the chef.

"There," Sanji replied, sliding a mug of booze towards him.

"Now shut up and eat,"

Zoro huffed at the chefs words, not liking Sanji's attitude, he wanted to start bickering with him, but the booze came first.

Robin took her seat next to Nami and poured herself some tea before Sanji placed a nicely presented plate of grilled fish in front of both the girls.

"Thank you Sanji," Robin replied.

"Yeah, thank you." Nami replied, before pouring herself some tea as well.

"NO PROBLEM~~~ JUST LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE~~" He answered, twirling in place.

Luffy slid into the open next to Robin, which raised some eyebrows from the crew as he would usually be sitting next to Chopper and Ussop.

But it wasn't something too odd, so no one paid it any mind.

And then... as if on queue, the chaos began.

Luffy immediately tried to grab three rice balls at once, and Sanji smacked his hand with a ladle.

"You touch that platter before the girls get theirs, and you will be getting only ONE plate of food today!" Sanji shouted.

"BUT I'M STARVING," Luffy howled.

"SO ARE WE!" Usopp barked, yanking the platter away before Luffy could take it all.

Zoro started cutting the sea king meat with the blunt edge of his sword while ignoring everyone else.

Nami ate her food slowly before asking chopper if he could give her some medicine for the headache.

Then there was Franky who was trying to balance a tray of lemon wedges on his nose.

Brook started to play his Violin, as Sanji began making a plate to take to Jimbei as he was still outside steering the ship.

Luffy after not getting his hands on the Rice Balls, started to shove the roasted meat down his mouth.

Sanji barely turned his back before Luffy's arm stretched silently across the table and into the kitchen, trying to grab more meat as it was being cooked.

*WHACK!*

Sanji quickly smacked his hand away with a ladle,

"I SAW THAT!" Sanji barked, without even looking,

"Finish YOUR plate, then you'll get more!"

Luffy groaned at being denied again.

Usopp leaned forward,

"So Luffy, what were you up to? Sorry I couldn't play around with you earlier."

Luffy grinned with a mouthful of meat,

"Shishishi It's alright! I was in the Library!"

The table fell quiet for a second.

Robin, continued to sip on her tea, as everyone just stopped what they were doing.

"...C-Come again?" Usopp asked, not believing what he heard.

"I-I don't think I heard you right, Luffy. Could you say that again...?"

He swallowed his food before answering with a grin. "Yeah, I was in the library! With Robin. We read a book."

Nami paused mid-bite, "you...read a book...?"

'Guess anything is possible,' She thought.

Luffy nodded. "Yeah, sorta! She read it to me. But I read some of it! It had this guy, Lousy something, and he went to that island where Usopp got sent to, Boring Ar...Ar...uhhh...artichoke?"

Usopp blinked. "Boin Archipelago?"

"Yeah! That!"

Franky rose from his seat, before posing and "YOOOWWW! That's SUUUUPPEERRRRR LUFFY."

"YOHOHOHO! That's delightful, Luffy!" Brook replied.

"I had wondered where you went to after I was done helping Zoro!"

"HA! That's impressive, I don't think I've ever seen you touch a book before," Zoro mocked, wiping away some booze from his lips.

"Robin, did he really read?!" Chopper asked, surprised that Luffy had actually wanted to read something.

Robin smiled, "He did."

Sanji looked over from the stove with a skeptical squint.

"Did you actually listen to the story, or were you just trying to take her biscuits I passed out?"

Luffy's face went pale for a second, remembering once again what Sanji said.

"Nope, just listening and reading." Robin replied for Luffy,

Luffy grinned, grateful she didn't tell Sanji.

"Is that so...?" Sanji replied, skeptical of the reason Luffy was in the library, but decided to let it go.

The table resumed its cheerful noise.

The sound of clattering bowls as Luffy continued to eat plate after plate.

The sound of Zoro and Sanji eventually fighting over something idiotic.

With the overlapping conversations about repairs and Nami's trouble with the map making.

And not to mention the nonsense stories Ussop made up and told Chopper.

It was normal.

It was loud, it was messy, it was cozy.

With that another peaceful evening on the sea passed.

Everything was just right.

The days went by, and the rain had seen then faded, as the sun reclaimed the sky.

The Thousand Sunny glided calmly over the water, each day bringing them closer to their next island.

Nami by now had confirmed they were less than a day out before reaching the next island.

It was just a bit longer before they hit landfall.

The mood on board had brightened along with the weather.

The crew was out and about across the ship, but a quiet rhythm to their schedule remained.

And in that rhythm, a new routine had formed with a certain strawhat-wearing captain.

Every afternoon, like clockwork, Luffy could be found inside the ship's library.

A sentence that would've sounded like a joke to the rest of the crew just a week ago.

He never knocked.

He just wandered in after lunch with that wide grin of his, sometimes tracking grass or crumbs behind him.

He'd throw himself onto the floor or lean over the back of a bench, waiting for Robin to glance up from her book and give him a soft nod.

That was the signal.

He'd then either flop down next to her or wander over to the bookshelves and point at whatever looked colorful or interesting.

At some point, Robin had started setting aside a small stack just for him.

Sometimes they were short story collections.

Other times, picture-heavy books about strange animals or secret, mysterious islands.

Occasionally, she challenged him with longer tales.

It wasn't about turning him into a reader; she wasn't expecting miracles.

She just enjoyed his company, and reading along with him felt nice.

She helped him with the hard words.

He asked questions, some of them wildly off-topic.

One time, he had fallen asleep halfway through a chapter and woke up pretending he hadn't.

Sometimes, he'd stop her mid-sentence just to say, "That part's cool, read it again!"

Robin didn't mind.

In fact, she found herself looking forward to it.

More than she expected.

It was refreshing having someone to enjoy reading books with; not to say no one else on the ship read.

It was just that everyone had their own niche hobby that kept them busy as they travelled.

Sanji had his cooking, Zoro with his workout, Ussop and his inventions, Nami her taking care of her tangerine trees, not to mention her maps.

Then there was Franky who spent most of his time down in the basement, tinkering away at the various modifications.

And so on, everyone had their own thing to do in their private time.

It was odd for Robin, even after spending so much time traveling with Luffy, she had rarely spent any one-on-one time with him.

He would usually be running around with Chopper or Ussop playing games.

But with his recent interest in books, she found it quite pleasant to share her hobby with him.

Today, he sat sprawled across the green-tiled floor with his feet kicked up on the other.

His hat rested over his face like usual.

His hands behind his head, as he listened.

Robin sat beside him, her back to the bench, reading aloud in her usual calm voice.

The book was different from the others.

Robin couldn't remember when they had picked up the book.

It looked new, yet well used.

Its pages told the story of people in strange suits, leaping across rooftops, shielding towns from danger, and rising up against overwhelming odds.

It was a fictional superhero book; the author, Eel Nats, wrote on the final pages of the book, his inspiration behind the story.

They were apparently based on the odd dreams he had many years ago when he was still a child.

The dreams were so descriptive, he just had to write them down.

Luffy hadn't said much during this one.

He just listened.

At one point, he sat up and leaned over to tell her about one of the characters, a caped figure with a mask and an odd choice of clothing.

"He's weird, Shishishi" he said with a grin.

Interrupting her mid sentence.

"He wears his underwear on the outside! He must be a perv!"

"Is that so?" Robin replied.

Not minding the interruption.

"Yeah!" He grinned,

"Kinda reminds me of Franky."

Robin laughed.

"I guess it does resemble him a little."

"Uh-huh, but Franky isn't a perv, like this guy! Hishishi"

They didn't finish the book.

They rarely did in one sitting.

But when Robin closed the cover and set it aside, she noticed Luffy had stopped swinging his legs.

His head now leaned back against the bench, as he looked at the ceiling with a small, thoughtful expression.

She didn't question it;

Instead, she opened another one and continued reading aloud.

Not about superheroes this time, but a shorter folk tale with animals and treasure chests and a king who got turned into a crab.

Luffy just sat there listening.

A day later...

The skies had been clear for days.

But the moment the Thousand Sunny crossed into the next set of fluctuating Grand Line currents, everything changed.

The clouds didn't just roll in, no they swallowed the sky.

One moment, it was calm and clear.

The next, a biting wind swept down from above, carrying heavy sheets of snow across the sea like a curtain being pulled down.

The sun vanished behind swirling gray clouds as lightning crackled far off in the distance.

The temperature dropped so fast that the rails of the Sunny frosted over in seconds.

"WAAAH! What the hell?!" Usopp yelped, clutching the railing as a gust nearly blew him off balance.

"NAMI! Are we heading the right way?" He cried, bracing against the snow and wind.

She quickly checked her log pose.

"Yeah! This is the way! It seems our next island is going to be a Winter Island!" She yelled back, as large gusts of wind blew across the Thousand Sunny.

"This one is going to be intense..." She muttered.

"EVERYONE! PUT ON YOUR WINTER GEAR! The sea is going to get worse!" She ordered.

The crew scrambled.

Coats, scarves, earmuffs, and boots were pulled from storage as the winds grew sharper.

Zoro barely bothered with more than a wool jacket.

Leaving his bare chest out.

Sanji, on the other hand, looked like he was headed to a fashion show in snowstorm chic.

"Zoro!" Nami shouted from the upper deck.

"Can you see anything up ahead!?"

Zoro shaded his eyes against the whiteout.

"There's an outline! Land, maybe. But the snow's thick!" He replied, "I can't make out much!"

"Jimbei!" Nami called next, "can you-"

But before she could finish.

"I've got it!" Jinbei replied, already stepping to the helm.

His steady hands gripped the wheel.

"I'll guide us in; just tell me which way!" He yelled,

"Everyone, brace yourselves!"

As the storm raged on outside, the interior of the Sunny remained warm.

Robin sat comfortably at the table, a thick book in her lap.

Her blanket was draped neatly over the back of her chair.

Luffy was beside her, hunched forward with his elbows on the table, chin in his hands.

Across from them, Chopper was curled up with a blanket, his hooves sticking out as he sipped from a warm cup of cocoa.

"Robin!" Luffy said suddenly, turning to her.

"Did you bring a cool one today?"

She looked up, amused. "A cool one?"

"Yeah, a cool story," Luffy clarified.

"Chopper wants to read with us today."

Chopper nodded eagerly, "Yeah, Robin! Can we read something exciting?"

Robin smiled, reaching into her bag and pulling out a red-bound volume with a dragon etched on the cover.

"I have this one, It's a retelling about a dragon who terrorized a village until a samurai challenged it to a duel."

Luffy's eyes sparkled.

"WOOAAAH! That sounds awesome!"

"It's based on an old Wano legend." Robin added.

"That one, Robin!" Chopper said, scooting closer.

"Read that one."

"Uh-uh!" Luffy replied.

Robin opened the book, her voice warm and steady as she began to read.

["In a land of snow and ash, the dragon soared above the peaks, its shadow darkening the valley below…"]

Both Luffy and Chopper leaned in closer, eyes wide.

But before she could continue;

*BAM*

The door to the kitchen flew open with a bang, and Usopp burst in, snow clinging to his jacket.

"There you are!" He panted, as the wind blew behind him.

"Luffy! We're almost at the next island! Nami says we're getting close!"

Luffy blinked. "Already!?"

"Yeah! It's going to be a Winter Island, so you better throw something warm on before you freeze your butt off!" He added, before throwing him a coat.

At that, Luffy leapt up, grinning ear to ear. "AWESOME! A snow island?! I wanna be the first to jump into a snow pile!"

Robin calmly closed the book.

"Can we read more later?" Luffy asked, already halfway to the door.

Robin nodded. "Sure."

Chopper looked torn.

He wanted to go, but he also wanted to read the samurai book as well.

"I kinda wanna go too, but...I wanna read the book too! Ehhh...I think I'm going to stay inside Luffy."

"Hehe Okay! Tell me how it goes." Luffy replied

Robin gave him a gentle pat on the head. "Let's start reading then, shall we?"

Chopper beamed. "Okay!"

"I'll see you guys in a bit then!" Luffy shouted from the hallway, already stretching into his winter coat.

A few minutes later, Luffy stepped out onto the deck, the storm winds slapping him in the face.

He shoved his hands into his coat pockets and marched forward, eyes bright despite the flurry of snow.

He stretched and swung himself onto the helm and planted himself on his favorite spot, the head of the Thousand Sunny.

The snow was coming down heavier now.

Sails creaked, ropes groaned, and Nami was shouting instructions from the mid-deck as Jinbei calmly steered through the chaos.

Zoro was perched on the side rail, one hand on his sword, eyes squinting toward the white haze ahead.

Luffy raised an eye brow, he could feel something was off.

Both of them could.

Then, all of a sudden, the ship slowed as if hitting an invisible wall.

"...What the hell?" Sanji muttered, looking around.

The wind stopped as well.

"What's going on...?" Franky questioned.

The snow faded, and an Island emerged.

But it wasn't covered in snow.

It was lush.

Bright.

Almost tropical.

"It's...warm?" Usopp said, blinking.

Nami's jaw dropped."But...the log pose is definitely pointing this way, and we were just in a winter storm! This makes no sense!"

"Yohohoho! Maybe we died!" Brook offered, before Nami swiftly slapped her pole onto his head.

"DONT JOKE ABOUT THAT!" She screeched.

Then something rose from the ocean beside them.

It was massive.

It was made of metal.

It not non other then a giant robot!

Easily three stories tall, it was blue with white, red, yellow, and pink armor across its robotic body.

Its arms hissed with hydraulics.

A huge number was painted on it's shoulder;

[12]

But before anyone's mind could settle of the sudden appearance of the robot,

The robot hand emerged from the sea, and had picked the ship up in its palms!

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?" Usopp screamed, practically climbing onto the mast.

"WE'RE GONNA DIEEE!" Howled Nami, eyes bulging out of her head.

"HOW DID IT GET UNDER US?!" Franky shouted, stumbling as the Sunny was hoisted upward like a toy.

"My soul's not ready to depart to the afterlife! Yohoho!" Joked Brook,

Luffy's eyes shimmered a bright yellow at the sigh of the massive robot; he was absolutely mesmerized by it.

The robot's chest gave off a loud mechanical hiss;

*PSSHHHHHHHHH!*

The circular hatch on the center of its belt rotated open with *CHAK-KLAK-KLANG!*

From within the inner compartment, a woman stepped out.

Her bright orange hair flared in the artificial wind from the robot's vents.

She wore goggles over her forehead, a tight pink bodysuit that shimmered like metal under the sun, and a short purple jacket with metallic cuffs.

She stood casually on the panel, her stance cocky, one hand on her hip.

Her other hand held a bizarre pistol, glowing faintly with blue circuitry.

She looked down at the Sunny's crew with a wicked smirk.

"Well, well, well... What do we have here?"

Her voice echoed through the storm-dampened silence.

Her eye's focused on the flag at the top of the ship.

"Looks like bunch of pirate scum sailing where they shouldn't be."

"This is a private Island! You've got some nerve showing up around here!" She continued, tapping her feet on the robot.

"Well, I might as well, pila-" Before she could continue;

"HEEEEY!" Luffy shouted, completely unfazed.

He stood on top of the robot's heads.

Somehow during the women's monologue, he had stretched onto the top of the robot.

"THIS ROBOT IS SOOOOO AWESOME! SHISHISHI " He said bursting with excitement as he looked down at the girl.

"LUFFFFYYY!" Both Nami and Ussop screamed at the top of their lungs.

"Get down from there, you MORON!" Nami shrieked.

Zoro subtly adjusted the grip on his sword.

Sanji lit a cigarette, his usual cool exterior intact...for about half a second.

The moment his eyes landed on the woman standing on the robot, his whole demeanor changed.

His pupils turned into hearts.

"An Angelic goddess has descended down from the heavens~" He whispered.

And then, suddenly shouting, "DO YOU NEED A COAT?! A CUP OF TEA?! ANYTHING YOU WANT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW~"

Zoro grunted at the sight of the idiot cook, making an ass of himself.

Meanwhile, Franky was practically vibrating with excitement, arms raised, doing his signature pose, with stars in his eyes.

"WOAHHHHH! THAT MACHINE IS A WORK OF ART! LOOK AT THAT CHASSIS! THOSE JOINTS! LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOT A CUSTOMIZED SKELETAL MODULATOR?!" He yelled.

He leaned off the side of the Sunny, eyes looking up at the robot like it was a holy relic.

Eyes wide with admiration.

"HEY! LADY! Who made that robot?!"

The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the attention, as a smirk appeared on her face.

"I did," She said casually, brushing her orange hair aside, "From every bolt, to sheets of metal, all done by me!"

"YOOOOWWWWW! THATS SOMETHING!" Franky screamed.

"Yeah, it is! Now, let's see if you got some valuable cargo!" He yelled, as her grin turned into something mischievous.

"EHhhh? ...What did you say...?" Franky's excitement stopping, confused at the weird question.

She straightened her stance, placing both hands on her hips now.

"I'm a scientist currently contracted by the World Government, The name's Dr. Vegapunk! Now, you dumb pirates, show me your cargo before I crush you!"

She gestured, and the robot's grip around the Sunny tightened slightly, not enough to damage the ship but just enough to make the message clear.

"You're in government waters, idiots. I could vaporize you and strip your ship for materials within ten minutes." She smirked wickedly, giggly behind her hand.

"So, I think I'll do just that!"

"WHAAAAT?!" Ussop screamed.

"SOMEONE GET US OUT OF HERE!"

"I'M TRYING!" Nami yelled back, trying to figure out a way out of this mess.

"Are you really Vegapunk! I heard that Vegapunk was supposed to be an old man by now!" Franky yelled back, overlooking the threats.

"Of course I'm Vegapunk, you idiot!"

"Really?! I'm your biggest fan Vegapunk! I went to your old lab at Karkuri Island! Your old blueprints helped me out a lot!"

"ARRGGHH! THAT'S ENOUGH KISS ASS! Just bring me your cargo already! Or I'll blow you to smithere-"

Before she could finish her tirade, the snail phone on her ear rang.

"Zzzzzpptz!*

"Huh...? Who is it now?!" She yelled, which left some of the crew confused at who she was talking too.

"It's me..."

"Oh great.. What do you want?"

"Stand down."

The girl calling herself Vegapunk rolled her eyes, at the person's words.

"Now tell me, why should I? They look pretty weak, I mean honestly, they look like a bunch of chickens!"

The voice continued.

"Let me finish..."

She rolled her eyes again.

"You are currently threatening the crew of one of the Four Emperors. Monkey D. Luffy, the man standing on the robot's head, is the captain. His bounty is worth three billion"

Lilith turned pale, as sweat ran down her face.

The voice on the other end kept going.

"Observe the other members of the crew, the Fishmen, and the odd skeleton. Both have been quiet since you exited the Robot. Both are anticipating your next move. Now look at the one with the three swords, standing by the railing. That is Roronoa Zoro. The Vice Captain of the Crew. He has not said a word since you arrived. Do you know why...?"

She didn't answer.

"Because if he did, you'd be dead before your next breath. He's watching you. Sizing you up. He has no problem cutting down anyone who threatens the crew..."

Zoro, as if on cue, raised an eyebrow slightly.

Just enough to make Lilith flinch.

She lowered her pistol.

"Ughhh...why didn't anyone tell me they were such big shots?!"

"You didn't ask," The voice replied, "Now bring them on to the island, they might come in helpful; don't ask why. It's not of your concern for the moment."

"Fine, FINE!" The orange haired women huffed, glaring down at the crew.

"Change of plans pirate scum! Someone on the Island wants to see you; So you are being invited onto the island!"

"GREAT! Can I ride this thing the whole way?!" Asked Luffy.

"No!" Lilith snapped.

"Now get off my Robot!"

"Also, guide them to the docking platform. And be respectful. I'll prepare Labo-phase for their arrival..." The voice added.

"Ugh. Whatever. I'm not going to be the one responsible if they track mud all over the place." The girl said, sighing dramatically.

"Welcome them in, signing off..." The voice said, before a *click* sound confirmed the end of the call.

"Finally..." She muttered.

"Follow me pirates!" The girl said, pointing to the crew, grumbling at the thought of having to help them instead of just pillaging all their goods.

The robot gently set the Thousand Sunny back onto the water.

Luffy leapt down from the robot's head, and landing on head of the ship.

On the deck, the Straw Hats slowly relaxed.

Usopp was still shivering, clinging to the mast.

"We're not dead...We're not dead!" He repeated, as a smile grew on his face.

Franky posed, yelling how SUPER it was that he had met the Dr. Vegapunk and was being invited onto their Island.

Sanji on the other hand, clutched his chest like he'd been shot by a thousand love arrows.

"Vegapunk... A woman... a beautiful woman..."

Nami hearing this, bonked him on the top of his head.

"Focus!" She said.

"We don't know exactly why we are getting invited; let's be a little cautious. It could be trap for all we know!"

" Shishishi Don't worry Nami, we'll just beat them up if it is!" Replied with out a care in the world.

Nami was ready to hit him across the head, but realized that they could just fight if things got bad.

After all, they weren't just any other pirate crew now.

"My heart nearly popped out of my chest by that surprise...but wait! I'm dead so I don't have a heart! Yohohoho!" Brook joked, as he span around in place.

Luffy turned to the others with his signature grin.

"C'mon guys! LET'S GOOOOO!" He yelled, as he jumped into the air.

With that, they followed the so called, Dr. Vegapunk on to the Island.

A few minutes later...

The crew had docked the Sunny at the sleek silver pier jutting out from the shore.

Strange lights pulsed along the path, scanning them as they disembarked.

"Robin! Chopper!" Nami called out, waving her arms.

As the two made their way out of the kitchen and on to the galley.

"You guys missed the whole thing!" She added.

"Did something happen?" Robin questioned in a calm voice.

"Yeah, a lot!" Usopp groaned, still recovering from the whiplash of events.

"A giant robot, and some crazy lady who says she's a scientist! Not to mention we are now on the Island of said scientist, who claims to be Dr. Vegapunk the scientist from the World Government." He added.

Robin raised an eyebrow, amused.

"is that so? Sounds exciting. It's odd though, I've never heard of Dr. Vegapunk being a woman..."

"Yeah! She said she made the giant robot and told us to come with her since someone wants to meet us on the Island. Shishishi" Luffy said not caring about the suspicious nature of this whole ordeal.

"DON'T GET SO HAPPY IDIOT!" Nami replied, slapping the back of his head, as it bobbled in place.

"For all we know, it could be a trap!" She added.

"NaAamaiii-Sawwnn are you getting nervous~ Don't worry I will make sure to keep you saafee~" Sanji said, swooning all over.

"Get over yourself, love cook" Zoro replied, causing Sanji to quickly turn his attention to Zoro.

"HhHUUUHHH? What did you say, sword for brains!?" He replied, with disgust on his face

"You wanna go right now, number 4?"

Before the two could fight, Vegapunk voice echoed from nearby as the massive robot lowered itself into the port station.

The hatch opened again, and she jumped out effortlessly, landing in front of them.

"Come on! Let's get a move on!" She announced, folding her arms.

The crew turned their attention to her, and followed suit.

"YOSH LET'S GOO! COME ON!" Shouted Luffy, as the crew followed.

"Ugh... is it just me or is it boiling?" Usopp groaned, tugging at his scarf and pulling off his thick jacket.

"It's hot," Nami muttered, already fanning herself with her hand.

"Really hot. We were in a blizzard like five minutes ago!" She added.

Chopper's nose twitched. "It's humid too! Maybe we should have taken off our jackets!"

Zoro, already shirtless except for his winter jacket still hanging off one shoulder didn't notice.

After walking for a couple of minutes, the crew entered what they believed to be a city.

"Welcome to Egghead!" She replied with a smirk. "The island that is roughly 800 years into the future!"

"What?!" Usopp's jaw dropped. "800?! That's like... that's like... I don't even have a reference for that!"

"This whole island's tech is centuries ahead of the rest of the world," She clarified.

The crew eyes scanned the glowing walkways, floating orbs, and hovering droids darting through the air.

It seemed that the woman was telling the truth.

There was wonder and excitement in their eyes as they saw the Island.

Large building with technology they had never seen before.

The ground they walked on was a pattern, looking almost like tiles.

They had never seen anything like this before.

"Vegapunk I've got a question." Asked Nami.

"Eh? What is it?" Replied Vegapunk.

"This is supposed to be a winter island, right?"

"Yup," Replied the scientist.

"Then why is it tropical here? Shouldn't it be freezing like the sea around it?"

"Well..." She grinned, planting her fists on her hips.

Sanji swooned, cutting off Nami's thoughts for a second.

"Nami-swaaaan are you getting too hoot~~? Do you want me to fan you~~? If you're feeling dizzy from the heat I could carry you~~"

She ignored him, as she wanted to know what Vegapunk had done.

"It's all thanks to my invention: The Island Climate Regulation System" The scientist replied, also ignoring the romantic.

"The what-now?" Chopper asked confused by what she meant.

Nami raised an eye brow, somewhat understanding what she meant, but not fully realizing it.

"The Weather Machine," The scientist continued.

"It adjusts the temperature and climate zones across the entire island. We keep the outer perimeter cold for defense purposes. The snow storms help keep out any noisy idiots, while the central zones are nice and tropical. Perfect for research, testing, and walking around without turning into a popsicle."

Nami's jaw dropped.

"YOU. CAN. CHANGE. THE WEATHER?!"

"Yup, I can set seasons, wind patterns, humidity, precipitation rates, the whole package!"

"That's god-tier climate control!" Nami replied.

"With that kind of technology, you could create perfect sailing routes or dictate how each island's climate would be! You could turn a desert into a snow-filled wonderland or vice versa!"

"Yeah, aren't I amazing!" Vegapunk replied, appreciating the fact that Nami was admiring one of her inventions, in turn complimenting her as well.

As the crew continued walking, as Vegapunk told them more about the various inventions she had made.

They passed groups of other scientists and citizens of the Island.

They all wore, what looked like futuristic suits, with the same odd boots, the same ones Vegapunk had on.

After a while, Vegapunk stopped and gestured toward a wide domed building.

"You guys look like you're about to melt. C'mon, let's get you into something more suitable."

"Outfit change?" Robin inquired.

"Yup, this machine will put some clothes on that are well adapted for the island's current climate."

"YOSH! I'll go first!" Luffy replied, rushing into the building.

The crew was a little hesitant, so they waited to see what the so called changed outfits would look like.

Inside the building a screen showed up, and some buttons underneath came out.

"Press the button with the icon of something you like, and the robotic arms will change your outfit" Vegapunk replied, rushing in behind him.

Guessing he might not know how it worked.

"Shishishi Okay!" He replied. Before he pressed a bunch of random buttons.

The robotic arms came rushing out and began taking his clothing off. His hat was taken off, before he quickly reached out and took it back.

Moments later, the doors opened again.

Luffy had changed into a large red jacket and wore the same odd boots, they had seen.

"How do I look?" He asked, with a wide green.

"WOAAAH, YOU LOOK GREAT LUFFY!" Chopper replied.

"YOOWWW LOOKING SUPPPERR CAPTAIN!" Franky replied.

"It fits you nicely, Luffy." Robin replied.

"You could say that again, it fit's his style almost to a tee..." Nami added.

"OUR turn now!" Ussop ran in with the others.

After some time, the crew came out with their changed attire.

"YOHOHOHO! These are some nice outfits." Brook replied.

"YAAAY! My jacket is suuper comfy, I'm not hot anymore!" Chopper cheered, spinning in a circle.

"Yeah mine too!" Ussop added.

"NAAAMIIII-SWAAAANNN~~ ROBIN-CHWAAANN~~ YOU BOTH LOOK GREAATTT~~!" Sanji replied, already swooning over the girl's somewhat revealing outfits.

Zoro was as always indifferent.

Jimbei chuckled, liking the new clothes he had on.

"Alright, alright! Now that you are all changed, let's get a move on!" Vegapunk replied, directing them to what looked like a futuristic train station.

"Shuttle's ready, let's get to Labo-phase."

In front of them was a tube-shaped vehicle; it hovered, waiting for the crew to enter.

Everyone piled in, as the shuttle shot upward through a transparent tube.

And with it, a full panoramic view of Egghead opened before them.

Multiple tiers of the island could be seen: floating platforms, botanical test chambers, robot workshops, shimmering lakes, and mechanical beasts roaming enclosed zones.

"THAT'S A GIANT LASER COW!" Ussop screamed, pointing at it.

"WOOAAAH" Luffy added, his eyes glistening at the sight, off all the amazing stuff on egghead.

"That's a Hologram" Vegapunk added.

"Holololo?" Luffy questioned.

"What's that?" Ussop questioned.

"It's like video that's being projected onto the world without needing a screen." She replied.

"Oooh so a mystery video..." Luffy added.

"...Yeah, sure why not." She said, not correcting him, realizing that the captain probably wasn't the brightest...

As the crew rode the shuttle up, Vegapunk gave more random tidbits about the various inventions that could be found on the Island, like vending machines that made food from all throughout the four the seas.

That one, got the attention of the strawhat captain.

"Looks like we are almost here!" Vegapunk replied, "Welcome to the Labo-phase!"

After a couple seconds later, the shuttle came to a stop, as it played a soft *ding!* sound.

They stepped out onto a massive platform high above the rest of the island

It was like a futuristic castle that sat above the rest of the city.

High above the said castle, was what looked like an egg, with the words [Punk Records] glowing underneath it.

The floor on this part of the island seemed to be made of clouds, reminiscent of Skypiea.

They walked up a staircase that had a tube like glass covering it.

"This place just keeps getting crazier..." Sanji noted.

"It's incredible..." Robin murmured, her eyes tracing the futuristic skyline

At the top of of the staircase, they walked through massive doors and entered the building, but before they could even let their thoughts settle.

An unfamiliar voice spoke.

"Welcome." The voice replied.

The crew turned.

A tall figure was approaching them.

He was draped in a black bodysuit with sleek yellow trim, a polished white helmet covering his entire head, with the number [01] in the front.

He moved with calm, deliberate steps.

"Nice to meet you Strawhat Pirates, I am Dr. Vegapunk."

There was a short silence, as the crew turned there head to the girl they had met less then an hour ago and to the person in-front of them.

"HUUUUUUHHHH?!" Usopp, Chopper, and Brook screamed together.

"What do you mean your Doctor Vegapunk?" Nami questioned, not understanding what was going on.

"So, you're not Vegapunk?" Nami pointed to the girl.

Lilith smirked, crossing her arms.

"I am..."

Zoro frowned.

"You just said you were Vegapunk." He said, pointing to the man.

'Something is not right,' Zoro thought.

"I am," said the man.

Puzzling Zoro even more...

"My name is Shaka, Dr. Vegapunk Shaka, if that helps..."

"...So there's two of you...?" Franky questioned, understanding what was going on.

"Seven" Shaka corrected simply.

"SEVEN?!" The crew shouted in unison.

Shaka nodded once.

"Indeed. There are seven of us, we are satellites of the original. The one you see before you, is Lilith, represents the aspect of Evil."

"Evil?!" Brook replied.

Lilith grinned.

"YUP!"

"I am the aspect of good."

Shaka continued, his voice calm.

"The others embody different parts of the original Vegapunk's personality and intellect. Together, we are his mind divided."

"That's nuts..." Franky said, blinking.

"So you're all...him?"

"In a sense, yes." Shaka said.

"We share thoughts through a system called Punk Records. Information, memories, and calculations all flow to us. What one experiences, we all experience."

"So where's the real Vegapunk?" Robin asked.

The original, whom we like to call, Stella, is elsewhere on the island. He is occupied with a project at the moment"

"He's not up here?" Luffy asked, tilting his head to the right.

"Not at the moment, no." Shaka replied.

"But he is aware of your arrival. Me and him have something to discuss with you and your crew. However, for now, you are all welcome to explore the island, as you please."

Nami stepped forward, her tone sharp.

"How do we know this isn't some elaborate trap by the World Government? They've tried worse." She questioned.

"You have nothing to fear," Shaka replied, unshaken, trying to ease her suspicions.

"While Egghead does maintain a technological contract with the World Government, the island itself, including its citizens, are not under direct control. We operate independently to a certain extent."

"That's not really reassuring!" Nami shot back.

"Why not just tell us why you invited us onto the Island so politely, and what you and this 'Stella' want to talk about?" She demanded.

Shaka paused for the briefest moment.

"It's...a sensitive topic." He said.

"Something best discussed in private. At the right time..."

Nami's lips tightened, clearly still uneasy.

Luffy, who'd been quietly watching the back-and-forth, let out a laugh.

" Shishishi If you want us to wait," He replied.

"We'll wait!"

Nami turned to him, surprised. "Luffy we ca-"

"If Shockys got something to tell us; he can say it later," Luffy continued, a wide grin showing on his face.

"And if it's a trap, I'll just beat his ass."

Lilith let out a bark of laughter, clearly amused at the pirate saying Shaka's name wrong.

Shaka, by contrast, gave the slightest shake of his head.

"I would prefer it didn't come to violence," He replied, overlooking Luffy saying his name wrong.

"Then don't give me a reason to," He said, flashing a toothy grin.

"Alright guys! Let's explore this weird egg island!"

That was all the crew needed.

The mood lightened almost immediately, the tension melting away.

"If you'd like we could do a proper tour of the Labo-phase facilities." Shaka offered, gesturing down a hallway of glowing panels and suspended bridges.

"I can guide you myself."

Brook perked up.

"That sounds lovely! I've always wanted to see what a brain lab looks like! Not that I have one, since I'm dead! Yohohoho!" He replied, popping his skull open.

"I'm curious too," Jinbei added, crossing his arms.

"Knowing how this technology works could be valuable if we ever face it in battle."

Shaka nodded in response.

With that, both followed Shaka as he led them through the glass corridor.

Zoro silently followed behind the three, as usual going through the wrong corridor.

Franky, meanwhile, had stars in his eyes.

He turned to Lilith, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Can you take me to meet the rest of the Vegapunks?! I GOTTA see what kinda of gear they're working with! Maybe we can swap ideas!" He asked.

Lilith smirked, tossing a tool she picked up from a table over her shoulder and catching it lazily.

"Sure, fanboy. Try not to drool too hard." She answered.

Nami adjusted the strap on her shoulder and turned to look out one of the panoramic windows.

Her unease dying down.

"There's shops around here, right? I saw a shopping district near the shuttle station?" She asked Lilth.

"Yup, Fully automated and voice-assisted!" Replied Lilith.

"Perfect!" Nami replied, smiling.

"I'll do some browsing around."

"I'LL CARRY YOUR BAGS, NAMI-SWAAAAANNN~~!" Sanji immediately said.

Usopp stretched his arms over his head.

"I'm gonna go see if I can find a souvenir shop or something. Hey, Chopper, wanna come with?"

"Sure!" Chopper answered.

"Maybe they've got futuristic candies we could eat!" He added, already drooling at the thought of eating some delicious sweets.

The two ran off into one of the glowing corridors, quickly disappearing from view.

Luffy had stayed near the center of the room, spinning in slow circles while looking up at the ceiling.

"Hey, Robin," He said suddenly, turning to face her with that bright grin of his.

"Wanna find that food machine? The one with meat from all four seas!" He asked.

Robin smiled, amused at how predictable her captain was at times.

"Feeling hungry again, Luffy?" She asked, already knowing the answer to her question.

"Of course! Shishishi" He said, laughing as clutched his belly.

"All this talking and walking got me really hungry!"

She gave a quiet laugh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Okay, I'll go with you to find it!"

Just as they turned to leave, Nami passed by them heading toward the escalator ramp.

She reached into her bag and pressed a few heavy gold coins into Robin's hand.

"Here. This is Luffy's spending money." She said.

"Make him uses it wisely, and not all on meat."

Robin slipped the coins into a small brown satchel hanging from her shoulder.

"I'll try," She replied smiling, knowing trying to stop Luffy from eating would be impossible.

With that, Nami left.

The rest of the crew had now split up; the two remaining Straw hats strolled into the corridor ahead.

"Let's go, Robin!" Luffy cheered, already walking ahead in a random direction.

"Are you sure that's the right way?" She asked, trailing behind him with a smirk.

"Doesn't matter!" He said.

"We'll find it eventually!"

Robin shook her head, still smiling, as she followed him out of the building.

A while later...

"ARRRGHHHH! WHERE IS ITT!" shouted the Strawhat captain, throwing his arms into the air.

Luffy's voice echoed off the buildings and their sleek metal walls.

It was so loud that it started a small drone that buzzed away in a panic.

He stomped around in a circle, scanning the unfamiliar street with exaggerated frustration.

He and Robin had been strolling the island for nearly an hour trying to find the vending machine.

Somewhere between leaving the Labo-phase and returning to the main level, they had taken a wrong turn.

Or maybe five...

"That guy said to go this way!" Luffy huffed, pointing angrily toward a long, spiraling corridor behind them.

Robin walked a few paces behind, unbothered as usual.

"He also said, and I quote, 'I think it's over there? Maybe?" She reminded him with a small smile.

"Ehhhhhh! But he pointed!" Luffy insisted, spinning around to face her.

"And people pointing means they know stuff!"

Robin chuckled lightly.

"Not always."

They came to another junction.

three glowing arrows flickered in different directions.

One labeled, [ELEVATOR BAY B]

Another one labeled, [BIO-DOME ACCESS]

And the third had no label at all, just a slowly pulsing icon shaped like a sad face.

Luffy squinted at the signs.

"HmMMMMmm" Luffy hummed, with his hand on his chin.

"what do you think that one means, Robin?" He asked, pointing to the sign with the sad face.

"Something bad?" Robin offered, her tone light.

"Sounds mysterious. Let's go that way!" He replied.

Before she could stop him, Luffy was already jogging toward the unlabeled corridor, sandals slapping against the smooth floor.

Robin sighed, but followed anyway.

The path narrowed.

And slopped downward.

They had entered a corridor.

No more shiny signs or futuristic technology surrounded them.

Just exposed pipes, concrete walls, and old cables hanging from the ceiling like vines.

"I don't thnk this is where a vending machine would be...Luffy, should we turn back?" Robin asked, not wanting to get anymore lost than they already were.

Luffy didn't answer.

He was too busy pushing open a crooked steel door that looked like it hadn't moved in years.

A rush of dry air and dust hit them both.

Beyond the door was a large metal ramp that led into a basin.

Open-air, surrounded by cliffs of junk and debris.

Towers of broken tech. Shattered droids. Twisted exosuits. Rusted weapon frames.

The place stretched for miles.

"WOAAAH!" Luffy gasped, his earlier frustration instantly forgotten.

"Is this a garbage city?! Remind me of Goa!"

Robin stepped in behind him, scanning the area with narrowed eyes.

"It looks like a dump for failed inventions..." She said quietly.

"Most likely the scrapyard for egghead's failed technology.

Luffy was already leaping from one pile to another.

"This is awesome! I bet there's all kinds of weird stuff in here!"

Robin followed more carefully, stepping between tangled cables and scorched plating.

The ground was uneven, there were patches of dirt, with scattered piece of concrete and scraps of crushed machines.

A few metal arms twitched occasionally, still running half-alive on dying batteries.

The farther in they walked, the quieter it became.

The sound of Egghead's usual hum faded, replaced by distant wind and the low groan of shifting metal.

Then they saw it.

Tucked behind a collapsed dome and buried under coils of cable and rusted frame parts stood something odd.

A stone structure...

Not tech.

Not metal.

Nope.

Just Stone.

Robin slowly approached.

Luffy crouched near it, brushing some debris away.

It was shaped like a tall, broken ring.

Almost if half of it had sunk into the ground.

Strange symbols were carved along the outer edges, and the base had a spiral pattern inlaid with tarnished silver.

The markings didn't match any language Robin had seen before.

They almost seemed to be not from this world.

Robin stepped closer, eyes narrowing.

"I've never seen anything like this..." She said softly.

"It doesn't resemble any known writing system, that I know of..."

Luffy tilted his head.

"Hm? Then is just an old stone hole?" He asked.

"I'm not sure..." She murmured.

Robin's fingers hovered over one of the symbols.

The grooves looked deep, carved with precision, and yet weathered like they'd been there for centuries.

Maybe even longer.

Luffy, on the other hand, leaned forward.

And started smacking it with his palm.

"Mehhh. Boring" He said.

"Just some old stone hole..." He whined.

Robin moved around the ring slowly, her eyes scanning each symbol as if trying to decipher a pattern.

But the more she looked, the more she realized she didn't recognize even the style of writing.

To her it didn't seem like any other lost language she had encountered before.

...

...

...

*doom-doom*

Luffy blinked.

He tilted his head and placed a hand over his chest.

*doom-doom*

He grinned.

"Hey, my heart's makin' that funny sound again."

Robin looked at him, confused.

"What sound?" She questioned, not hearing anything.

"Hehehehehhehe" He giggled,

"It's that funny BEAT AGAIN!"

Robin was about to question again, but before she could;

The runes around the stone hole started to glow.

White light traced through the symbols, flowing like it had been sleeping out to the surface.

A spiral at the base lit up, silver lines pulsing outward in rhythm with Luffy's heartbeat.

*doom-doom-dat-da*

Robin instinctively took a step back.

The center of the ring shimmered.

Twisted.

The air around them began to hum, a deep, strange tone.

Robin's eyes widened.

The ground trembled beneath their feet.

The air grew thick, heavy, almost as if like the atmosphere around them was holding its breath.

*doom-doom-dat-da*

The spiral at the base of the ring pulsed once-

*doom-doom-dat-da*

And the center of the structure folded inward.

It looked like the world itself was being peeled back.

The air around them began to pull towards the portal.

The dust off the ground scattering loose wires and shards of rusted metal into the air.

Scraps flew upward, spiraling toward the stone ring.

"Luffy-!" Robin shouted, shielding her face from the flying debris.

Luffy turned, confused, and went to reach her.

Then the pull hit him.

His boots scraped against the dirt ground, as his body was dragged inward, sucked toward the portal with increasing force.

"ROBIN GIVE ME YOUR HAND!" He shouted.

Robin reached out.

Their hands locked.

But the moment their fingers touched;

The symbols glowed brighter.

Light exploded from the ring.

Then...

Silence.

The symbol's dimmed.

The swirling died down.

The force that was there a second ago, disappeared.

A lone cable thudded softly against the ground.

Wind blew dust across the rusted wreckage.

The scrapyard stood still.

As if nothing had happened.

...

...

...

On another climate controlled sunny day on the Island 800 years into the future,

Emperor of the Sea, Monkey D. Luffy, and Demon Child Nico Robin,

Vanished from the world.

End Chapter.