Back on the Merry Go...
When Carl took to the skies, he deposited Momoo on the beach a short distance away.
The sea here was a sea of clouds, and sea beasts like Momoo couldn't navigate it. Therefore, the only option was to leave him on the shore. Simply put, Momoo was currently useless and had become a complete burden on Sky Island.
But there was no other choice. Momoo was a long-standing crew member from the East Blue, and they couldn't just abandon him.
"Teacher Carl really just took off without a word. Are we that reliant on him?" Usopp couldn't help but grumble.
"Actually, yes, far too reliant," Zoro responded bluntly. "You cowardly lot, when have you not wanted to hide behind Teacher Carl? His attitude is clear this time. Even if we face a dead end, he might not lift a finger. If we can't overcome danger on our own, we'll never grow!"
The others were taken aback by his words.
Even Sanji, who usually relished arguing with Zoro, silently agreed this time.
Law, on the deck of the submarine, was also staring at Zoro, recalling something Carl had once said to him: Why don't you grow as fast as Zoro? Because you lack Zoro's spirit, the spirit of an indomitable swordsman!
At that moment, something clicked within Law's mind. He clenched his fists, a newfound determination welling up within him.
Swordsmen should always move forward!
Luffy adjusted his straw hat and said, rather inappropriately, "So, you guys have been leaning on me and Carl way too much on a regular basis, huh? Now you know how to reflect on it. Today's meal is on you all! Consider it a treat to express your gratitude to me!"
"The most unreliable one here is you!"
Everyone couldn't help but bare their teeth and roar in unison, Law included.
But Luffy just laughed and immediately changed the subject. "Yo shi! Sky Island's right ahead! Let's head to the beach where Momoo's lying!"
The Straw Hats were used to their unreliable captain and felt a familiar mix of exasperation and affection.
The two ships quickly docked at the coast, and Luffy eagerly jumped off, his feet bouncing on the sand-like surface.
"Wow! This is so cool! Is this beach also a cloud? It's so soft! It's clearly a cloud, but there's water too! This is amazing! Hahahaha!"
Luffy yelled and played on the beach with boundless energy.
Seeing this, Usopp, Chopper, Little 3, and Jango also bounded onto the beach, chasing each other and playfully fighting.
Even just stepping ashore felt like an adventure filled with joy. Leaky, the lion, couldn't resist either. He joined the others, pawing at the clouds, rolling on the beach, and having a blast.
Nami had already retreated to her room to change.
The stylish navigator emerged in a bikini top, shamelessly flirting with the men.
Robin, Tashigi, and Mari were more reserved but also disembarked one after another. They found everything about Sky Island novel and exciting, their faces beaming with delight.
Law sighed, rubbing his temples. Bepo's trio had already scampered off the ship, along with the medical staff from the submarine.
Only Law, Zoro, and Sanji remained on the two vessels, exchanging bewildered glances.
Sanji spoke first, a lovestruck expression on his face, "Honestly, these unsteady fellows! I'll go and keep an eye on them... Nami-swan! Robin-chwan! Tashigi-chwan! Here I come!"
"The most unsteady one is you, you perverted cook!"
Zoro couldn't help but growl, but Sanji was already making a beeline for the beach.
Zoro and Law exchanged a look and shrugged. These people were certainly a handful.
The ships dropped anchor. Although there likely wasn't a seabed here, the anchors were lowered instinctively to prevent the vessels from being swept away by any unforeseen currents.
Zoro now generally understood why Carl was always in such a hurry to leave.
These guys were far too unreliable. If you didn't make a quick escape, you'd inevitably end up doing all the work. Leaving early meant peace of mind.
Fortunately, with their current strength, nothing too serious was likely to happen. So, Zoro yawned and found a nearby gazebo to lie down and sleep. Law also sat in the gazebo, hugging Bepo and closing his eyes in contemplation.
As for the others, the beach was a scene of lively chaos.
Luffy somehow found a pumpkin-like fruit, but upon biting into it, he discovered it was rock-solid, nearly breaking his teeth. Enraged, he coated his head in Armament Haki and smashed the pumpkin open, greedily gulping down the surprisingly delicious juice.
Just then, the sound of a piano drifted across the beach.
Everyone froze, turning towards the source of the music. They saw a young girl standing on the clouds, gracefully plucking the strings.
This girl had blonde hair styled in two antenna-like tufts. Most strikingly, a pair of white wings sprouted from her back, and a fox lay obediently at her feet.
"This is... an angel?!"
Sanji's eyes practically popped out of his head, replaced by swirling hearts.
Seeing this, Nami swiftly punched the perverted cook, then addressed the girl politely, "Excuse me, are you...?"
The blonde girl smiled warmly. "Heso!"
He-so?
"You all are from the Blue Sea, correct? 'Heso' is the greeting of us Sky Islanders. My name is Conis. I imagine there are many things you don't understand since you've just arrived on Sky Island. If you don't mind, feel free to ask me anything."
The blonde Conis spoke enthusiastically yet gently, putting everyone at ease.
"Angel-sauce, we are actually..."
Sanji began to speak, but Nami swiftly elbowed him aside.
In this strange new place, it was best to prevent the cook from causing any trouble, so Nami acted decisively. Usopp and Chopper also efficiently dragged Sanji away, ensuring he wouldn't scare the young girl.
Nami smiled and said, "Actually, we do have quite a few questions. It would be a great help if you could tell us about things!"
A friendly exchange with Conis naturally followed.
Conis explained the general structure of Sky Island, including sea clouds used for sailing, (Land Cloud) island clouds that served as land, and artificial clouds that could be shaped into various buildings or everyday items.
The sofa in the gazebo, she explained, was made of artificial clouds, making it incredibly soft and comfortable.
The lives of Sky Island people were deeply intertwined with the clouds!
At that moment, a sound came from the sea of clouds, and a small boat approached.
On the boat, a middle-aged man with thinning hair, only two antenna-like tufts remaining, and a beard covering his mouth, steered the vessel with the speed of a motorcycle.
"Conis, I'm back!"
The middle-aged man shouted loudly, then expertly docked the boat on the cloud-shore.
"This is my father, Pagaya," Conis introduced.
Pagaya stood up and said, "Welcome. Are you all alright?"
Zoro couldn't help but grumble, "It's about time you showed up!"
P.S.: I had to refresh my memory on the Sky Island plot, and it turned out to be quite intricate to write, so updates might be a little slower.
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