Ultimate Pirate: Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Ben 10 is created by Man of Action studios and owned by Cartoon Network and Warner Brothers. One Piece is the property of Eiichiro Oda, Shueisha, and Toei Animation. I do not own any characters or settings from the series. This work is a nonprofit fan creation made for entertainment purposes only.

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…

Ultimate Pirate

Chapter 9: Allies in the Firelight

…

By the time Zoro, Nami, Robin, and Aisa reached the cloud-lake shoreline again, the Going Merry looked worse than when they had left it. The ship still sat atop the sacrificial altar, but her main mast was gone. Smoke stains darkened parts of the deck, and scorch marks crawled across the wood like ugly black veins.

Zoro's eye narrowed. "Chopper! Where are you?! Did something happen?!"

Nami's stomach tightened. "Chopper!"

"The Merry's mast is missing," Zoro said. "This isn't the time to redecorate the ship."

"He wouldn't do that!" Nami snapped, panic sharpening her voice. "He was attacked!"

Robin rested a hand lightly against her chin, watching the deck. "Perhaps he was torn limb from limb."

"Don't even joke about that!" Nami exclaimed.

A moment later, Chopper stepped into view on the deck. His hat sat crooked. His eyes were swollen with tears. His little body shook as he tried very hard to stand normally.

What is he? Aisa blinked in surprise. Hold on, if their ship was attacked by a priest, how is he even still alive?!

"Nothing scary happened," Chopper said, voice wobbling. "Nope. It was b-b-business as usual." He sniffled loudly.

Nami's face softened at once. "Um… yeah. Okay, Chopper. We know you're tough. It's okay. You can tell us everything."

Before Chopper could answer, a familiar shout carried across the lake.

"Hey! Look!" Usopp cried from the small canal feeding into the cloud-lake. "It's the Going Merry! On top of the altar!"

The Little Crow sailed into view with Usopp gripping the wheel, Sanji standing near the front, and Luffy waving both arms like nothing about this island had been life-threatening.

"Nami-swaaan! Robin-chwaaaan!" Sanji nearly collapsed in relief. "You're alive!"

Nami exhaled. "They seem to be in good spirits. That's a relief."

Robin's gaze moved over the boat. "There is one missing though."

Nami blinked, then her eyes sharpened. "Yeah. There is."

Where the heck is that ridiculous guy? She thought, irritated.

…

A while later, everyone had gathered aboard the Merry.

Usopp stood staring at the broken mast like someone had ripped out part of his soul. "The mast… it's gone!"

"I'm sorry, Usopp!" Chopper cried, bowing his head. "I tried to stop him. But there was a big fire, and the bird was breathing flames, and I did what I could!"

Usopp turned from the mast to Chopper. "Did you treat your wounds?"

"Huh?" The reindeer blinked. "Um… uh-huh."

"A burning spear is serious business!" the sniper said, his voice cracking between scolding and relief. He then forced a shaky laugh. "I'm just glad you didn't get burned to a crisp. A mast can always be replaced, but we can't replace you."

Chopper stared at him. Then his eyes filled again. "Oh…" He suddenly jumped onto the railing, hooves raised. "I'm gonna become a strong, reliable man!"

"Good," Usopp said, trying to fold his arms proudly. The moment his injured shoulder moved, his face twisted. "Ow!"

Chopper's doctor instincts snapped back into place at once. "Usopp! Your shoulder!"

"It's nothing," he said quickly, despite the way he was already holding it. "Just a minor wound earned in glorious battle against a gigantic sky-eel."

Sanji glanced at him. "You mean when you used that Impact Dial and nearly blew your own arm off?"

"That is one version of events."

Chopper hurried over and gently prodded the shoulder. Usopp immediately yelped. "It's swollen," Chopper said, frowning with sudden seriousness. "You absorbed too much force with the Dial, didn't you? Sit down. I need to treat it before it gets worse."

"But—"

"Sit down!"

Usopp immediately sat.

Chopper quickly wound bandages around Usopp's shoulder and upper arm, his small hooves moving with practiced care. "Don't use that arm too much tonight."

"Hey Chopper," Luffy cut in. "Where's the weird old guy? Didn't you say he was badly injured?"

Chopper nodded quickly. "Yeah, the Sky Knight. I have him inside."

The group followed Chopper into the Merry's lounge.

Gan Fall lay on a futon beneath a blanket, pale and breathing unevenly. Pierre stayed beside him, head lowered, watching over his master with solemn eyes. Chopper moved around the room with careful urgency, checking bandages and sorting medicine with a focus that made him look far steadier than he had moments ago.

Nami's expression softened. "All because he gave us that whistle and came back to help…"

"If the Sky Knight hadn't come," Chopper said quietly, "the ship and I would be goners."

Sanji bowed his head slightly toward Pierre. "There are a lot of things I want to ask him, but let's wait until he wakes up." He glanced at the bird-horse. "You too. Thanks."

"P-ie…" Pierre answered weakly.

Outside, Chopper hurried to the railing where the girl South Bird was perched.

"Thank you for helping us, girl," Chopper said earnestly. "Because you brought your friends, I could save Sky Knight and Pierre."

The little girl South Bird lifted her beak. "Duh-duh-duh."

Chopper translated. "I only helped because of the tangerines."

Nami's eye twitched at the South Bird. "So you admit this was a paid rescue."

The bird looked away, shameless.

Chopper smiled anyway. "Still, thank you."

The bird's expression softened slightly. "Duh-duh."

…

Later, as dusk settled over Upper Yard, the group moved off the ship and set up camp near the lakeside. A sky-shark Zoro had killed earlier roasted over the fire, filling the clearing with the smell of cooked meat. The flames cracked and shifted beneath it, throwing orange light across the surrounding roots and darkening trees.

Gan Fall remained on his futon nearby, covered with a blanket while Chopper continued preparing medicine with intense focus. Pierre stayed close to him with his head lowered, quiet and solemn.

Aisa sat a little apart from the others, knees drawn up to her chest. Her eyes flicked from face to face, sharp and wary. Every laugh, every sudden movement, every burst of noise from Luffy or Usopp made her shoulders tighten.

Her gaze drifted toward the futon where Gan Fall lay. Everything else seemed to fade from her face. Her small hand tightened against her knee, fingers curling as her expression hardened into something cold and angry. She knew who he was. She knew what title he had held. She knew what that title meant to her people.

If they had been alone, if the others had not been gathered around him, if Chopper had not been kneeling beside him with medicine in his hooves, Aisa might have reached for the crystal shard hidden on her.

She did not. Not here. Not surrounded by strangers who were already indebted to him.

Still, Aisa's eyes stayed on him a moment longer, bright with the kind of anger that did not belong on a child's face.

Unbeknownst to her, Robin noticed this and watched Aisa quietly.

Luffy, however, only seemed relieved. "Everyone's okay!" he said brightly, as if that solved the whole matter.

Sanji approached Nami with both hands carefully presenting her bag. "Your belongings, Nami-swan. Protected with my life and soul."

Nami took it and immediately checked inside. Clothes. Supplies. Her things and Robin's things. "Good. Everything's here."

Sanji practically melted where he stood. "Your approval is all the reward I need!"

Zoro gave him a flat look from near the fire. "Pathetic."

Sanji's visible eye snapped toward him. "What was that, mosshead?"

Before the argument could form properly, Usopp shot to his feet with a stick in hand. He planted it against the ground like a lecturer addressing an audience.

"Attention! Everyone, thank you for all your reports!" he announced. "Many things are becoming clear thanks to this information!"

Luffy turned toward him with meat already in both hands. "Oh?"

Usopp tapped the stick against the ground for emphasis. "It turns out this island is the very City of Gold that the Saruyama Alliance was searching for!"

Luffy's eyes widened. "No kidding?!"

"I told you that earlier!" Nami shouted, eye twitching.

Usopp paused, then cleared his throat. "Yes, well, now it has been officially confirmed by Captain Usopp's investigative command."

"You didn't investigate anything," Zoro said.

"I gathered reports!"

"You listened."

"That's part of gathering reports!"

Robin smiled faintly from where she sat nearby. "It was a thorough listening process."

Usopp pointed at her. "See? Robin understands."

Nami sighed, though her attention drifted back toward the forest. "The point is, Upper Yard used to be part of Jaya. That means the legends weren't wrong. The City of Gold didn't disappear. It got blasted into the sky."

For a moment, even the noise around the fire settled. The idea hung there, huge and impossible, yet somehow perfectly fitting for the Grand Line's craziness.

Sanji, who was grinding herbs in a bowl for Chopper, glanced toward Zoro. "We also learned that Mantra thing is real. That fat priest used it to predict our moves."

Zoro frowned. "So Kevin wasn't exaggerating."

"No," Sanji said, his grip tightening slightly around the pestle. "Unfortunately."

Usopp shuddered. "That round guy kept dodging before you guys even moved. It was scary!"

Luffy nodded. "Yeah. He was annoying."

"That is not the word I would use," Usopp snapped.

"So," Zoro said, turning to Luffy. "What's the plan? Now that we know the City of Gold is on this island…"

Luffy's expression shifted. For once, treasure did not grab his attention first. "Gold can wait," he said simply. "We'll wait for Ben. Then we'll go beat Eneru."

Aisa's head snapped up. "Ben?!"

Zoro blinked. "Ben?"

Chopper tilted his head. "Who's Ben?"

Robin's eyes narrowed slightly. "Oh. So that is his real name."

"Real name?" Zoro's frown deepened. "Wait. You mean Kevin wasn't really his name?" He turned toward Robin. "And you knew?"

"I suspected Kevin was not his real name," Robin replied calmly. "I simply did not have the chance to learn what it actually was."

Chopper's ears drooped. "B-but why would he lie to us about his name?"

Robin looked as if she was about to answer, but Nami spoke first.

"To keep his cover. Eneru can hear people from far away. Ben didn't want to risk anyone saying his real name where Eneru could hear it." Nami eyed the group, specifically the guys. "And knowing you idiots, he was absolutely justified."

Luffy tilted his head. "I wouldn't slip."

Usopp immediately pointed at him. "You would slip first!"

"I would not!"

"You'd hear someone say Ben once and shout it across the whole island!"

Luffy thought about it for a second, then grinned. "Okay, maybe."

Sanji exhaled smoke through his nose. "As much as it pains me to agree with Long Nose, he has a point."

"Why does it pain you?!"

Zoro crossed his arms. "So he lied because of Eneru."

"Not exactly lied," Nami said. "More like he chose the only name that wouldn't get Conis and her father killed if someone overheard it."

That quieted the group again.

Aisa watched Nami closely now.

Robin's gaze slid to her, then back to Nami. "Quite the detective work, Navigator."

Nami shrugged, though her expression remained serious. "Can't take all the credit. Conis gave me a big hint."

Robin looked toward Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp. "I presume Ben's cover was blown after we were taken?"

Usopp nodded. "Yeah. He transformed into that XLR8 guy to save Conis from Eneru's judgment."

Sanji's expression darkened. "Good thing he did. Conis would've been gone otherwise."

Chopper went pale. "Eneru attacked Conis too?"

Luffy nodded, his usual cheer dimming for a rare second. "Yeah. But Ben saved her."

Zoro's eye sharpened. "Hold on. What happened after we got taken?"

Before anyone could answer, Aisa slowly stood. "Ben," she said again, quieter this time.

The camp grew still.

She looked from Luffy to Nami, her expression guarded and suspicious, but there was something else beneath it too. Something small and fragile that looked dangerously close to hope. "Do you mean the Ben who saved me from Eneru?"

Chopper's eyes widened. Zoro's gaze sharpened. Nami went still. For a moment, no one spoke.

Ben's story settled over the camp again, but now it had a face. The little girl he had tried to protect from judgment.

Luffy nodded. "Yeah. That Ben."

Aisa stared at him as if she was trying to decide whether to believe that answer or tear more out of him by force.

"You… you know him?" she asked.

"Yep," Luffy said easily.

Her eyes moved across the camp. "How?"

"We met him down below," Nami said, answering before her captain could explain it in the least helpful way possible. "On Jaya."

Luffy brightened. "Yeah! We found him in Mock Town!"

"More like he found you and Zoro getting into trouble," Usopp pointed out.

Zoro's eye twitched. "We weren't in trouble."

"You were bleeding."

"That happens."

Nami rubbed her temple. "The point is he had already been to Skypiea before us. He knew this place existed, so he helped us get here."

Aisa looked down, her brow tightening. "He really did come back…"

There was something in her voice that made Chopper's ears lower. Not disbelief, exactly. More like she had been carrying the hope alone for so long that hearing someone else confirm it hurt.

Robin watched her gently. "You thought he was dead."

Aisa's mouth tightened. "Everyone did."

The fire crackled between them, and for once, even Luffy was quiet.

Aisa lifted her head again. "Why is he traveling with you?"

"Because he's fun," Luffy said.

Nami gave him a flat look. "Because he needed a way back to Skypiea, and we needed someone who knew how to get here."

"And because he's strong," Zoro added.

Sanji exhaled smoke to the side. "And because he seems determined to throw himself between innocent people and so-called gods."

Chopper's eyes shimmered a little. "And he's nice."

Usopp crossed his arms. "And weird. Don't forget weird."

"That too," Zoro said.

Robin smiled faintly. "He is quite interesting."

Aisa absorbed each answer slowly. They talked about Ben strangely, but not like enemies. Not like people using him either. There was confusion there, suspicion from some of them, irritation from Nami (and maybe something else), and something easy and open from Luffy.

That made Aisa's chest twist, and she looked at Luffy. "Is he part of your crew now?"

Luffy grinned without hesitation. "Yep!"

"No,” Nami, Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji said at once.

Luffy blinked. "He isn't?"

"No!" Nami snapped.

"But he came with us."

"That does not automatically make someone part of the crew!" Sanji rebuked.

Luffy tilted his head. "Why not?"

Usopp pointed at him. "Because that is not how crews work!"

"If anything, he's more like a tour guide and ally!" Nami added.

Robin's smile curved faintly. "Our captain has a very generous definition of membership."

Chopper looked between them, uncertain. "But Kevin… I mean, Ben, did help us a lot."

Nami crossed her arms. "That still doesn't mean he's one of us."

Luffy scratched his cheek, thinking it over. "Hmm. But I like him."

"That is also not how crews work," Usopp said.

Zoro shrugged. "For Luffy, it kind of is."

Nami groaned. "Please do not encourage him."

Aisa looked from one face to the next. "Then… he's not your enemy?"

Luffy's answer came immediately. "Nope."

"He's annoying," Nami said.

"He talks too much," Zoro added.

"He insults people while fighting," Sanji muttered.

"He turns into scary monsters," Usopp said, shuddering.

Chopper lifted a hoof. "But some of them are really cool."

Luffy nodded hard. "Really cool!"

Nami sighed, but her expression softened despite herself. "No. He's not our enemy."

Aisa's hands tightened at her sides. "Then where is he?"

Nami's head turned slowly toward Luffy. "That," she said, "is exactly what I want to know."

Luffy rubbed the back of his head. "He went after some guerrilla guy."

The orange-haired girl’s face darkened. "He went on his own?!"

Zoro's brows furrowed as he glanced into the forest, jaw tightening.

"Yeah," Luffy said, completely unconcerned. "I'm sure he'll be back soon. He wanted to ask that guy about Aisa."

Aisa's eyes widened slightly. He…He was worried about me?

Chopper's ears drooped. "I hope he's okay…"

"Of course he is!" Luffy declared. "He turned into a new bug monster and can jump really high!"

The reindeer's eyes shone despite himself. "Really? That sounds amazing!"

Sanji shivered. "It wasn't."

Nami pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing. "So what ridiculous name did he have for it?"

Usopp proudly pointed at himself. "Crashhopper! I came up with it. A great name only a brave warrior of the sea like myself could think up."

Luffy pouted. "I still think JumpyBuggy was better."

"It absolutely wasn't!"

"Hold on." Nami turned toward Usopp. "What do you mean you came up with the name?"

Usopp blinked. "He didn't have one. It was a new form."

Silence fell. Even the fire seemed quieter.

Nami stared at him, blinking. "I beg your finest pardon, what do you mean it was new?"

Luffy grinned. "Yeah! Ben got a new monster form!"

Robin went very still, her eyes widening.

A Devil Fruit that granted over a dozen unique forms was already remarkable. One that could gain new ones was something else entirely. It was no longer merely a strange power. It was an expanding mystery, one that rewrote its own rules as it went.

A small smile tugged at her lips. He kept finding new ways to become more interesting.

Zoro looked toward Sanji. "He isn't exaggerating, is he?"

Sanji shook his head. "No. Ben was surprised about the new form too."

Zoro said nothing, but his expression tightened with the same quiet interest he wore when measuring a dangerous opponent.

Meanwhile, Nami's mind finally caught up to everything Luffy had said.

Ben had gone after Wyper. Alone.

After fighting one of Eneru's priests. After transforming into a new form he barely understood. After the Shandorians had already made it very clear they did not like outsiders. After one of them had already made it very clear he was willing to kill anyone who got in his way.

Nami's fingers twitched, and so did her right eye.

Usopp noticed. "Nami," he said carefully, "your face is doing that scary thing."

Nami slowly turned toward Luffy. "He went on his own," she said, her voice low.

Luffy blinked. "Yeah."

"After you fought one of the priests."

"Yeah."

"With a new form."

"Yep!"

"A new form," she repeated, "that he didn't even have a name for."

Luffy rubbed his chin. "Well, Usopp named it."

Nami shot to her feet. "That is not the point!"

The shout cracked through the camp hard enough that Chopper jumped and Usopp dropped his stick.

Everyone else stopped and looked at her in surprise.

Nami's fists clenched at her sides, eyes wide and furious. "Of all the stupid, reckless, idiotic, brain-dead moves!"

Sanji went still with the pestle in his hand. Even Zoro's eyes widened slightly.

She turned sharply toward the dark forest, as if she could somehow yell through the trees and make Ben hear her. "He gets a brand-new body, barely knows how it works, and his first thought is to run off alone? Alone! In a forest full of priests, monsters, traps, and warriors who already tried to kill us!"

Aisa flinched nervously.

She had seen Wyper angry plenty of times. More angry than usual, even. But somehow, in that moment, the Blue Sea woman looked scarier.

"And why?!" Nami continued, her voice rising. "Because he decided he needed to handle it himself again? After Luffy already said we were helping him? After Conis nearly died because of this mess? After he spent all that time hiding his name because he knew exactly how dangerous Eneru was?"

She dragged both hands through her hair, tangerine strands slipping loose around her face. "That idiot!"

A beat passed.

Usopp swallowed. "For the record, I also thought it was a bad idea."

"You didn't stop him!"

"He jumped away very quickly!"

"That's not an excuse!"

Chopper's ears drooped. "Nami…"

Nami's shoulders rose and fell with a sharp breath. "He fought one priest with Luffy and Sanji helping him," she said, quieter now, but no less intense. "And that priest still gave them trouble. Then he runs off toward another group that doesn't trust him, doesn't like outsiders, and has every reason to shoot first."

Her jaw tightened. "And he's probably smiling about it like that makes it less stupid."

Sanji stared at her for a moment, cigarette hanging forgotten from his lips. "I haven't seen Nami this upset since…" His expression shifted, and he stopped himself before finishing the sentence.

There was no need to finish it.

Robin's eyes softened faintly, though her voice stayed calm. "She has reason to be concerned."

Zoro leaned back slightly, watching Nami with a more serious expression than before. He still said nothing, but even he seemed surprised by how hard the outburst had hit.

Luffy, however, only looked at Nami for a long second before his grin returned. "He'll come back."

Nami turned on him. "You don't know that Luffy!"

"Yeah, I do."

The simplicity of it stopped her.

Luffy's grin did not waver, but his voice settled into something firmer. "Ben's strong. And he's not stupid."

Nami's eyebrow twitched violently.

Luffy paused. "Well, uh," he said, "not that stupid."

Usopp lifted a finger. "That is an important distinction."

Nami shot him a look, and he immediately lowered the finger.

Luffy kept going. "He went because he wanted to make sure Aisa was okay, right?"

Aisa looked down sharply.

"And he'll come back because he knows we're waiting," Luffy said. "He helped us. So now we're helping him."

Nami's anger faltered. Not because she was no longer mad. Oh, she was absolutely still mad.

But Luffy said it with such casual certainty that it left no room for arguing over whether Ben mattered to them now.

Chopper nodded quickly. "Luffy's right. Ben helped us a lot. And he saved Conis too."

Usopp crossed his arms, trying to look braver than he felt. "Exactly. Besides, if he survived Eneru once, then a bunch of angry guerrillas should be… manageable." He hesitated. "Probably. Maybe. In theory."

"That was terrible reassurance," Nami muttered.

"I'm working with limited confidence here!"

Robin tilted her head, gaze resting on the forest. "It may also be worth remembering that Ben has been careful before. His entire approach to returning to Skypiea was built around avoiding Eneru's attention."

Nami glanced toward her.

Robin continued softly, "He hid his name, used a cover, and kept others from speaking the wrong truth aloud. Reckless as his choice may be, I doubt he ran after them without thinking at all."

Nami looked away, her hands still clenched.

She exhaled hard. "…Sorry," she said, quieter. "I shouldn't have yelled at everyone."

Luffy tilted his head. "Why?"

Nami blinked at him.

He grinned again. "You're just worried about Ben. That's good."

Her face warmed before she could stop it. "That is not—"

"It is."

Chopper nodded earnestly. "It's okay, Nami. I'm worried too."

Usopp lifted a hand. "I am also worried, but in a much more experienced and tactical way."

Sanji smiled faintly, recovering enough to add, "Nami-swan's compassionate heart shines brighter than the stars in the night sky."

Zoro glanced at him. "As long as she doesn't set the ship on fire."

The cook's visible eye snapped toward him. "How dare you reduce Nami-swan's righteous concern to property damage, mosshead!"

"You were the one making it weird."

"It was poetic!"

"It was creepy."

Sanji's cigarette twitched between his teeth. "Say that again."

Zoro's mouth curved faintly. "Creepy."

Sanji's leg shifted while Zoro's hand drifted toward his swords.

Nami's fist came down on both of their heads before either could move. "Do not start!" she snapped. Both men hit the ground with matching lumps rising from their skulls.

Robin smiled subtly, satisfied that the crew was returning to its usual self.

Nami sat back down, still scowling toward the forest. "When Ben gets back, I'm yelling at him first."

Usopp pointed at her. "That's your first concern?"

"No," Nami said. "My first concern is making sure he's okay." Her eyes narrowed toward the dark trees. "Then I'm yelling at him."

Robin smiled softly. "A reasonable order."

Zoro leaned back against a root, one hand resting near his swords. "If he gets back before getting lost."

Sanji glanced at him. "That would be you."

Chopper looked toward the unconscious Gan Fall, then back to the medicine in his hooves. "Then we need him to wake up too. He might know where Ben could go."

"Right," Sanji said, returning to the herbs. "How much more do you need this crushed?"

Chopper looked into the bowl, his doctor's focus returning at once. "More. Make it easy to swallow. His digestive tract was hurt pretty bad."

Sanji nodded and kept grinding.

Usopp lifted his stick again, trying to reclaim the mood. "In that case, Captain Usopp's official plan is simple! We eat, rest, gather our strength, and when Ben returns, we heroically march into battle with perfect confidence!"

Nami gave him a look. "You're going to hide behind someone."

"I said perfect confidence," Usopp replied, lifting one finger, "not reckless positioning."

Luffy laughed around a bite of roasted shark.

…

The Shandorian warriors left Upper Yard behind, riding on their respective Wavers. Ben sat behind Wyper while he guided the Hoverboard Waver over the sea-clouds, leaning into the turns with a warrior's balance and a rider's instinct. Wyper kept his stance low, one foot forward, one foot back, his weight shifting with confidence.

Ben watched the way he handled it despite himself. Okay, credit where it's due, he thought. Guy adapts fast.

It still didn't make being tied up less irritating.

Later, the hidden village appeared gradually at first, then all at once.

A pocket of island-cloud opened ahead, tucked within the pale surroundings as if the land itself had been shaped to hide it. Teepee-like dwellings stood in clustered rows across the cloudland, while totem poles lined the paths, their carved faces weathered but fierce. Smoke drifted from low fires where men and women worked in tense quiet.

Children stopped what they were doing and stared. Warriors did the same. Within seconds, the entire village seemed to notice the outsider.

As Ben took it all in, something in his chest tightened in a way he had not expected. He had seen places like this before, or at least places that carried the same weight. Native American reservations back home came to mind.

He exhaled quietly through his nose. Yeah, this is going to be complicated.

Ben's shoulders tensed as Wyper brought the Hoverboard Waver into the main clearing. At the center of it all stood the statue of Kalgara. The stone warrior rose above the village like a silent guardian, fierce and unmoving beneath the filtered light.

Ben looked up at it. He did not know why, but whoever this warrior was, he sort of resembled Wyper.

Wyper stepped off the board first, then caught the frame with one hand before it could drift. "Move."

Ben sighed and slid off the board. "Relax. I'm going."

The warriors formed around him without fully closing in. Kamakiri stayed to his left, spear in hand. Braham remained behind him, silent beneath his hat. Genbo walked with his enormous frame slightly angled as if one wrong motion from Ben would be enough to bring a weapon down. Laki stayed closer than the others, watching him with open wariness and something less easy to name.

Curiosity, maybe.

They led him toward a larger dwelling near the center of the village. Inside, the air smelled of smoke, woven fiber, old wood, and cloud-damp cloth.

The Shandorian chief sat near the back.

He was an elderly man with long gray hair, a gray beard and mustache, and eyes that looked as if they had seen far too many young warriors leave and far too few return. A long robe covered the standard Shandorian clothing beneath it. One hand rested on a staff adorned with a tribal mask and white fur, while a canine-head helmet decorated with feathers marked him as someone important even before he spoke.

Ben and the others sat cross-legged before him. Wyper settled closest to the chief, rigid and watchful, while Laki, Kamakiri, Braham, and Genbo took their places nearby. Ben sat among them with his wrists still bound in front of him, trying very hard not to look like the only person in the room who had no idea what the rules were.

The chief looked at Ben for a long moment.

Outside the entrance, villagers gathered. Faces appeared around the opening. Children peered between adults. Warriors stood with arms folded. Nobody spoke loudly.

Wyper's voice broke the silence. "This is him."

"So I see," the chief said. His voice was old, but not weak.

Ben gave a small, awkward lift of his bound hands. "Hi."

Several Shandorians outside muttered among themselves.

The chief's eyes lingered on Ben's face. "So you are the Blue Sea dweller who struck Eneru and made him bleed."

The room quieted further.

"Guilty as charged." Ben's mouth twitched. "I'm Ben, by the way. Ben Tennyson. Nice to meet you, Chief… uh?"

"Sagara."

Ben nodded once. "Chief Sagara. Uh, are we free to talk without Dumbo listening in?"

A few of the warriors exchanged uncertain looks, while Laki's brows pinched together in confusion. Even Wyper looked like he was trying to decide whether the word was an insult or another strange Blue Sea name.

Chief Sagara blinked once. "Dumbo?"

"Right. Keep forgetting the cultural gap." Ben glanced between them. "I mean, Eneru," he clarified. "I'm calling him Dumbo because of his big, dumb ears."

A brief stunned silence followed.

Wyper's mouth curled slightly, just enough to show that while he didn't fully grasp the insult, he did not dislike it.

Laki blinked twice in disbelief. That was the closest she had ever seen Wyper come to smiling!

Sagara studied Ben for another moment before a faint breath left him. "You may speak freely here. Our village lies outside the range of Eneru's Mantra. His… Dumbo ears do not reach us."

Ben grinned. "Good to know."

His expression then sobered. "I've got some questions. Like, who are you people? Why are you living out here? And what is Upper Yard to you?"

Wyper's jaw tightened. "You know nothing, yet you walk into our war?"

"Dropped into it actually. And he was going to kill a kid in front of me, so now I made it my problem".

Aisa's name did not need to be spoken for the room to feel it.

Chief Sagara studied him again, then nodded slowly. "We are Shandorians. Descendants of those who once lived in Shandora. The land the Skypieans call Upper Yard was ours."

Ben went still.

The chief spoke without hurry. He told Ben of Jaya, of the lost city, and of the land torn into the sky four hundred years ago. He spoke of Skypieans who claimed what was not theirs, of generations of war, and of a homeland turned into sacred ground by those who had stolen it. He spoke of resentment toward Angel Island, but more than that, toward the rulers who sat above both peoples and called themselves gods.

Ben listened. For once, he did not interrupt with a joke.

By the time the chief finished, the room had become heavy.

The brunet looked down at his bound wrists. "Okay," he said quietly. "That explains a lot."

Wyper's voice cut in immediately. "It explains nothing you need to understand. You are not Shandorian, and we have no reason to trust you."

Ben looked at him. "Even after I helped you guys against those priests?"

"You helped yourself against enemies who happened to be ours."

The teen's eyes narrowed. "That's a very glass-half-empty way to look at things."

Braham gave a low, quiet sound that might have been amusement.

Chief Sagara lifted one hand before Wyper could answer. "Wyper. We do not have to trust an outsider to acknowledge a debt."

Wyper's eyes shifted toward him.

The chief looked back to Ben. "You gave aid in battle. If there is compensation you would ask for, speak it."

Ben's gaze sharpened. "Two things."

Wyper's expression darkened immediately, as if he had expected a demand.

"First, please tell me what happened to Aisa."

The room's atmosphere shifted.

Wyper held his stare for a moment before answering. "She lived. She returned here on the Waver you built."

Ben closed his eyes briefly and let out a sigh of relief at the hearing that. "Good," he whispered.

Laki watched Ben closely.

Wyper watched Ben for a moment before turning towards one of the warriors near the entrance. "Find Aisa. Bring her here."

The man nodded and left.

Ben opened his eyes again.

"What is your second request?" Chief Sagara asked.

Ben looked from the chief to Wyper, then down at the ropes around his wrists.

"I'd like you to teach me Mantra."

That made several people react.

Kamakiri's brows lifted. Genbo stared. Laki looked between Ben and Wyper. Outside the dwelling, the murmurs sharpened.

Wyper's face hardened. "No."

Ben blinked. "Wow. Didn't even pretend to think about it."

"Mantra is not a toy for Blue Sea dwellers."

“I know. And that’s exactly why I need it. Mantra’s the key to taking down Eneru, because if I’m going to hit him again, I need to know how he’s dodging everything first. The form I used before only worked because he didn’t know it could hurt him. That surprise is gone now. If I try the same trick twice, lightning-boy’s just going to play keep-away.”

"Even so, you cannot learn it," Wyper said flatly. "Mantra is not something an outsider can use. Only the people of the sky can wield it."

Ben tilted his head, a grin tugging at his mouth. "Okay. Bet."

Laki frowned. "Bet?"

"Uh, it's an expression where I'm from." Ben shifted where he sat, then lifted his bound hands slightly. "Anyway, please don't attack me. I'm not attacking anyone. Just proving a point."

He mentally activated the Omnitrix, and green light suddenly burst through the dwelling.

Several Shandorians outside shouted and stumbled back from the entrance. The warriors inside immediately stood up. Kamakiri's spear lifted. Genbo stepped forward. Braham's hand dropped toward his gun.

When the glow faded, Ben was gone, and in his place sat his Skypiean form, Ingram.

He was taller now, with a muscular, athletic build. His brown hair had lightened slightly, a vivid green streak cutting over one temple. Small wings rested on his back, and the Omnitrix symbol sat plainly on his chest. The ropes around his wrists remained, though they had tightened around Ingram's larger hands.

(A/N: Credit to SalvaShark)

The room went silent. Outside, the shocked murmurs began to rise again.

Wyper's eyes narrowed.

Laki drew in a sharp breath. "His presence…"

Kamakiri finished quietly, "It feels Skypiean."

Chief Sagara breathed, eyes widening. "You are… one of us now?"

"Chief," Ingram smiled. "I am one with everybody."

Wyper took one measured step closer. "Stand up."

Ingram listened.

As he rose to his full height, Wyper's eyes lifted slightly to meet his. It was not by much, only a couple of inches, but enough for the warrior to notice before his gaze swept over Ingram's frame.

For the first time, his look was not only suspicion. It was assessment. Height. Reach. Muscle. Balance. Even by Shandorian warrior standards, Ingram looked built for battle.

"What kind of Devil Fruit does this?" Wyper questioned.

"The complicated kind. And before anyone gets ideas, I'm not here to steal your secrets."

"You just asked to learn Mantra."

"Because Eneru and his priests know it. Before I fight them again, I'd like a better understanding of how Mantra works. Better yet, if I can use it myself."

Wyper said nothing.

Ingram looked toward Chief Sagara. "Look, I get why you hate Eneru. I get why Upper Yard matters to you. And I get why you don't trust me."

His gaze moved to Wyper. "But we have a common enemy. I'm willing to help you all dethrone him. I'm willing to fight his priests. I'm willing to put myself on the line."

A murmur moved through the watching crowd.

Ingram's expression hardened. "But I'm drawing one line right now. I will not help you attack the people of Angel Island."

The room became slightly colder.

Wyper's eyes sharpened.

Ingram did not back down. "There are good people on Angel Island. Scared people. People Eneru keeps under his thumb the same way he's kept all of you fighting."

"They benefit from land stolen from us," Wyper said. "They don't even live on it! They decree it holy and declare that no one but their so-called god can enter!"

"They were born into the world their rulers built for them," Ingram evenly replied. "That doesn't make them Eneru."

Wyper's hand twitched.

Ingram's voice stayed steady. "If you go after civilians, I will stop you."

For a long moment, nobody moved.

Laki stepped forward. "Wyper, this man came here asking about Aisa."

Wyper's eyes cut toward her.

Laki did not flinch. "Not for a fight. Not for treasure. Aisa." Her gaze shifted briefly to Ingram. "He allowed himself to be restrained when he could have easily escaped, and he still asked if she was safe before anything else. That should count for something."

Wyper's jaw tightened.

Chief Sagara tapped his staff once against the floor. "Enough."

The sound ended the argument more firmly than a shout would have.

His gaze shifted to Wyper. "Cut his bindings."

Wyper's eyes narrowed. "But Chief—"

"I said enough." The weight in his voice left no room for refusal.

For a moment, Wyper did not move. His grip tightened around his weapon; his stare fixed on Ingram as if he expected the outsider to lunge the second he was freed. Then, with obvious reluctance, he stepped forward and drew a blade.

Ingram held still as Wyper sliced through the rope around his wrists. The bindings fell away. Ingram lowered his arms and rubbed at the marks left behind. "Thanks," he said dryly. "Gotta say, your village’s welcome package could use fewer ropes."

Chief Sagara continued. "We have not made an alliance…yet. But neither will we pretend this young man means nothing to our war."

Wyper's eyes remained fixed on Ingram. "He must not be taught.”

"That is not up to you, Wyper." The chief turned to Ingram. "We will speak further."

Ingram nodded in understanding. At least the door to cooperation had not been completely shut.

Before anyone else could answer, hurried footsteps approached the dwelling. The warrior Wyper had sent returned, stopping just inside the entrance.

His face was tight. "Wyper! Aisa is not in the village."

Laki went pale. "What?"

The warrior looked toward Isa, who had appeared near the edge of the gathering, a light gray bag in hand. Fear was already breaking across her face.

"S-She is gone," Isa said, her voice trembling. "She even left her bag!"

Laki's hands curled. "She must have gone to Upper Yard."

But why would she leave her bag? Did she not go to gather more Vearth? Laki thought.

Ingram's expression changed instantly. "I'll find her."

Wyper turned on him. "You?"

"You know someone faster?"

Laki stepped forward. "I'm going with him."

"No."

"Yes, Wyper," she replied, firmer this time. "If Aisa went into Upper Yard again, someone needs to bring her back. And someone needs to watch him." She pointed to Ingram.

Ingram glanced at her. "That's fair, actually."

Wyper's eyes moved between them. Then, with clear reluctance, he nodded once. "Go. But if he turns on you—"

"He won't," Laki declared.

Wyper's stare sharpened.

She amended, "I'll be careful."

Ingram stepped out of the teepee and looked around. "Do any of you have something of Aisa's? Something she used recently?"

Isa stepped forward with Aisa's bag, its edges worn from use.

Ingram took it carefully.

Laki frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Tracking her." He glanced at the gathered Shandorians. "Also, before anyone panics, this next form can't talk and looks kind of scary."

Wyper's eyes narrowed. "What does that mean?"

"It means don't attack me when I transform. I'm not going to hurt anybody."

Ingram tapped the Omnitrix symbol on his chest, and green light enveloped his body once again.

This time, when it faded, several villagers actually cried out.

A truck-sized beast crouched where Ingram had stood, its massive body covered in orange fur, with darker brown stripes running down its hunched back. A long tail flicked behind it, and sharp fangs jutted from its lower jaw. Razor-black claws dug into the island-cloud as its chest expanded with each heavy breath. Three black gills flared on each side of its thick throat. Most unsettling of all, the beast had no eyes. The Omnitrix dial sat squarely on its chest.

With a low, vibrating growl, the creature snarled its name in an incomprehensible series of sounds.

This was Wildmutt.

(A/N: Credit to SalvaShark)

Several villagers stumbled back on instinct, hands flying toward weapons that only stayed lowered because Laki quickly raised an arm in warning.

Genbo's gaze stayed fixed on Wildmutt. "He was not exaggerating."

Kamakiri's jaw tightened. "What kind of creature is that?"

"He said not to panic," Laki reminded them, though even she had gone stiff.

Wyper did not lower his weapon. His eyes moved over the fangs, claws, and eyeless face before settling on the Omnitrix symbol on Wildmutt's chest.

"If it makes one wrong move, I bring it down."

Wildmutt gave a low, irritated growl.

Laki glanced at Wyper. "I think he understood that."

"Good," Wyper said coldly.

Ignoring the mohawked warrior, Wildmutt lowered his head to Aisa's bag on the ground. The gills along his neck pulsed as he sifted through the scents in the air. The village resolved around him in fragments of smell: smoke, iron, sweat, island-cloud, old wood, crystal, fear.

And beneath it all, something smaller cut through cleanly.

Aisa.

Wildmutt gave a low growl and turned toward the edge of the village.Laki watched him, apprehension tightening her expression.

The Vulpimancer crouched slightly, then lifted one foreleg and jerked his head toward his back.

She blinked. "You want me to ride?"

Wildmutt huffed once. A clear yes.

"That sounded impatient," she muttered under her breath.

Still, Laki reached for her long rifle, slinging it across her back and tightening the strap before climbing carefully onto Wildmutt's shoulders. Her fingers sank into his coarse, almost quill-like fur as she steadied herself.

Wildmutt waited until she was balanced.

Wyper then turned slightly and motioned for Braham to step closer as well. "You're going with her."

Braham gave a short nod. "Backup."

Securing his twin Dial pistols at his side, Braham climb onto Wildmutt and mounted him right behind Laki.

"Keep your eyes on him," Wyper ordered, pointing to Ben. "And on the Blue Sea pirates."

Braham didn't react. Laki only gave a small nod.

Wyper's gaze stayed fixed ahead. "I'll join you tomorrow after the village is settled and the others recover. If they prove to be allies, fine. If they interfere with killing Eneru…" His eyes hardened. "We eliminate them as well."

"Understood," Braham said evenly.

"I hear you," Laki added.

Wyper gave a final glance toward Wildmutt.

"Go."

Wildmutt gave a low growl and launched forward.

Laki and Braham lowered themselves against Wildmutt's back, grip tightening on his fur. The Vulpimancer rushed out of the village, following Aisa's scent toward Upper Yard.

Wyper remained still long after the others began to murmur again.

Aisa had believed in the Blue Sea stranger with a stubbornness that had irritated him.Now, watching that same power disappear into enemy territory to find her, Wyper was beginning to understand why.

…

After most of the sky-shark had been eaten (mostly by Luffy), Sanji had continued cooking with his usual intensity. A large pot hung over the flames now, bubbling steadily. Chopper sat nearby with a small pile of herbs, bark, and fruit the South Birds had helped gather earlier, carefully separating anything useful for medicine.

Luffy crouched close to the pot, eyes unblinking.

Sanji glanced at him. "You don't have to watch the pot, stupid. When there's enough distilled water in the bowl, pour it into the flask."

Luffy blinked slowly. "Man, this is so boring."

"That's all you have to do."

Nearby, Usopp sorted through a basket of gathered ingredients with the seriousness of a man convinced he had personally invented survival. "Walnuts, aloe, bananas, and garlic," he announced. "Also, a rat and a frog."

Sanji's hand froze over the pot. "Hold it. There were some weird ingredients just now."

Chopper looked up with a piece of aloe in his hooves. "I'm taking half of the aloe and garlic. I can make burn ointment and disinfectant with them to treat the Sky Knight."

Sanji's expression softened. "That part's fine."

Zoro sat a short distance away, his swords resting across his lap while he used them like oversized cooking tools. Two heated rocks were held between his blades over the fire, steam hissing around them.

His eyes twitched. "Give me a break. My swords aren't made for this."

"Just shut up and do it," Sanji snapped. "If you defy the chef, you'll starve to death."

The swordsman's jaw tightened. "Try saying that again."

Nami did not look up from the papers spread across her knees. "Both of you, stop threatening each other over stew."

Aisa watched all of this from her spot near the edge of the firelight. She had been quiet for a while. The firelight made the strangers look warmer than they had before, but warmth did not make them safe.

Aisa stiffened as her stomach gave a small, traitorous growl.

Sanji heard it and did not comment. He simply ladled a portion of stew into a bowl, added a few pieces of the cooked sky-shark, and walked over with the gentleness he usually saved for women and children.

"Here," he said, crouching a few feet away instead of crowding her. "Eat while it's hot."

Aisa stared at the bowl.

The blond held it out without moving closer. "No tricks. Just food."

Her eyes narrowed at him for another second. Then she snatched the bowl from his hand, pulled it close, and began eating quickly.

Sanji smiled faintly. "That's better."

"I'm only eating because I'm hungry," Aisa muttered between bites while managing to not show how delicious she really thought the food tasted. She wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.

"Most people do."

She glared at him over the rim of the bowl.

Sanji lifted both hands and backed off. "I'll leave you to it."

Nami watched the exchange out of the corner of her eye before forcing her attention back to the map. Thinking about Ben running around Upper Yard alone was not helping anyone. Thinking about gold, however, was both productive and emotionally healthy. At least, that was what she told herself.

"All right," she said, snapping the map open across her lap. "Everyone listen up."

Luffy leaned backward from the pot, finally interested. "Oh?"

Usopp sat up straighter. "Is this the official 'What are we going to do tomorrow?' meeting?"

"Yes," Nami nodded once. "And since Captain Usopp's investigative command would get us killed in five minutes, I'll be handling the actual planning."

Usopp clutched his chest. "My authority!"

"Gone."

Chopper looked between them. "So what did you figure out?"

Nami adjusted her glasses, eyes gleaming as she placed Noland's old notes beside the old map. "First, Upper Yard is the missing half of Jaya. That part is certain now."

Robin sat nearby with her plate resting neatly in one hand. "The ruins we found support that. The buildings were not constructed for this environment. They were carried here with the land itself."

"Exactly," Nami said. "And Noland's account mentioned gold in a specific location. He wrote, 'I saw gold in the skull's right eye.'"

Luffy's mouth fell open. "The skull's right eye?"

Usopp's eyes bulged. "Wait. Jaya was shaped like a skull!"

Nami grinned and placed the old map beside the newer one. "That's right. If we rescale the old map of Jaya and compare it to what we know of Skypiea…" She tapped the parchment. "Then the right eye of the skull is here."

The camp went momentarily quiet.

Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper then all screamed at once. "TREASURE!"

Nami's smile sharpened. "Make no mistake. A vast treasure trove of gold is waiting at this location."

Luffy shot to his feet. "Gold!"

Usopp's eyes turned into berries. "A treasure trove!"

Chopper bounced in place. "Amazing!"

Sanji stirred the pot, glancing toward Nami with a raised brow. "And here I thought we were waiting for Ben before making any big moves."

"We are," Nami said immediately. "We help Ben defeat Eneru first. Obviously." Her smile returned with terrifying brightness. "Then we collect our compensation."

Zoro looked at her flatly. "Compensation."

"Yes," she said. "For risking our lives, rescuing Skypiea from a self-proclaimed god, protecting innocent people, and generally doing a very expensive good deed."

Robin's smile deepened. "A humanitarian service fee."

"Exactly."

Usopp slowly raised a hand. "How expensive are we talking?"

Nami's eyes gleamed. "If the people of Skypiea want their tyrant removed, then I think it's only fair that they let us take as much gold as we can carry."

Chopper's eyes widened. "Is that okay?"

"Of course it is. We're not stealing. We're accepting payment."

Zoro snorted. "Sounds like stealing with extra words."

"Do you want treasure or not?"

He paused.

Nami pointed at him. "That's what I thought."

Luffy slammed both fists into the air. "So we beat Eneru, help Ben, and then get treasure!"

"That's the order."

"And if helping Ben gets us treasure faster," Usopp added, suddenly inspired, "then that means our noble hearts are also financially wise!"

Chopper gasped. "A good deed and treasure!"

Sanji smiled dreamily. "And if Nami-swan desires gold, then I shall happily kick down the gates of heaven itself."

Nami folded her arms, looking extremely pleased with herself. "Tomorrow, we divide into teams. We can't abandon the ship, and Sky Knight still needs rest, so we'll plan carefully. First, Ben returns. Then we handle Eneru. Then we head for the right eye."

Luffy grinned wide enough to split his face. "All right! Then tonight, we eat! Tomorrow, Eneru and then gold!"

Usopp jumped to his feet, waving his stick again. "Hear that, everyone? Captain Usopp declares this the official pre-victory treasure feast!"

"You did not declare anything," Nami said.

"I supported the declaration!"

Chopper spun in place. "Treasure feast! Treasure feast!"

Aisa slowed slightly with her bowl in both hands, watching them celebrate.

These people were strange. They had just decided to fight Eneru, help Ben, save Skypiea, and demand gold for it as though all of those things belonged in the same sentence. They laughed too loudly. They argued over impossible plans. They treated danger like an inconvenience that could be handled after dinner.

And yet, none of them sounded afraid of Eneru the way people in Skypiea did.

Aisa looked down at the stew. It was perhaps the best tasting meal she's had. That annoyed her a little.

Sanji noticed her eating more slowly now and smiled, but wisely said nothing.

Meanwhile, Nami let herself enjoy the noise for a few seconds, the ridiculous shouting, the greedy dreams, the smell of stew, and the fantasy of a ship full of gold. It was easier than picturing Ben somewhere in the dark with warriors who might still decide he was a threat.

She looked down at the map again and tapped the right eye of the skull. "Just come back, idiot," she muttered under her breath. "I'm not letting you ruin my payday."

Robin glanced at her but said nothing.

Her gaze drifted toward the fire. "It's late," she said calmly. "We should put out any unnecessary flames, or we may reveal our position to the enemy."

Luffy blinked at her. "What do you mean?"

Nami looked up from the map. "She means we shouldn't make ourselves obvious in enemy territory."

"But Ben's still out there," Luffy said. He pointed toward the dark trees with complete certainty. "If we make a really big fire, he'll see it and know where we are."

Usopp stared at him. "That is the exact opposite of what Robin just said!"

Chopper's ears perked up. "But… it might help Ben find us."

Nami's mouth opened, ready to argue, then closed again. Her eyes flicked toward the forest.

Sanji picked up another bundle of wood. "For once, I agree with our captain. If Ben is trying to find the camp at night, a bigger fire gives him a marker."

Zoro rose with a sigh and grabbed several logs under one arm. "Then quit talking and build it."

Nami stared at them. "Will you cut it out? You should know how dangerous this forest is! There are Kami's priests and guerrillas out there, plus we have no idea what else is lurking in the shadows!"

Usopp trembled violently. "There might be giant beasts and even monsters, for all we know!"

Aisa's grip tightened around her bowl.

"Monsters?" Chopper squeaked.

Luffy only grinned. "It'll be all right, Nami. Besides, giant beasts are afraid of fire."

"That is not the point!"

A heavy thud cut her off.

Nami turned.

Luffy and Zoro had already stacked a ridiculous pile of logs beside the campfire, with Sanji adding kindling as if this was a perfectly reasonable cooking decision.

"How's this for a bonfire?" Luffy asked proudly.

Nami's face went pale. "Not you guys too!"

The fire caught quickly.

In moments, the flames climbed high above the camp, roaring upward in a bright column that painted the enormous roots, trees, and cloud-ground in shifting orange light. Smoke curled toward the canopy, and sparks scattered like fireflies into the dark.

Suddenly, a low growl rolled out from the shadows.

Nami, Usopp, and Chopper froze.

Aisa's eyes widened, her Mantra prickling sharply as several presences pressed in around the edge of the camp.

Behind the firelight, pale eyes opened one after another.

"B-Behind you," Nami whispered.

Usopp slowly turned his head.

A pack of cloud wolves stepped from the darkness, their white bodies stark against the dark background. Their teeth gleamed. Their ears flattened. Their growls rumbled low and dangerous through the roots.

Usopp's soul nearly left his body. "THERE'S SOMETHING OUT THERE ALREADY!"

Chopper screamed and hid behind him.

Nami grabbed Usopp from the other side. "I told you! I told you this would happen!"

The lead wolf stepped forward, claws scraping softly against the ground.

Luffy and the wolf both stared at each other.

The Straw Hat captain's face then split into a grin. "Wolves!"

…

Wildmutt tore through Upper Yard like an orange blur. His claws dug into bark with ease, launching him across the highway of branches in powerful bounds. Darkness did nothing to slow him. He did not need sight to follow the world, not when every scent, vibration, and shift in the air painted the path ahead.

Laki gripped the coarse fur along his neck with both hands, her body held low against him as the trees blurred past. Behind her, Braham rode with one arm braced against Wildmutt's shoulder and the other wrapped securely around Laki's waist for support.

"He gets around well," Braham commented.

"How does he know where he's going?" Laki asked, raising her voice over the rush of air. "He has no eyes."

"Other senses perhaps?"

Laki looked down at Wildmutt's eyeless face as he bounded over a twisted root and landed on the next branch without hesitation. "That precise?"

"He found Aisa's scent. That answers enough."

Wildmutt's gills flared along the sides of his neck, pulling in the world.

Smoke. Bark. Cooked meat. Stew. Medicine. Flower blossoms. Metal. Human sweat. Reindeer. Cigarette ash. Tangerines. Fear. Joy.

The Straw Hats.

Wildmutt's pace hitched for half a breath.

They were close, and Aisa's scent was with them.

He did not know why. He did not know if that meant she had found them, followed them, or been caught by them. Before he could chase the thought further, another smell cut through the rest.

Wolves.

Wildmutt's body changed instantly. His head lowered, his shoulders bunched, and his lips pulled back from his fangs. A low growl rolled through his chest, deep enough for Laki and Braham to feel against their legs before he suddenly accelerated.

Laki tightened her grip. "What changed?"

Braham's eyes narrowed beneath the brim of his hat. "He smells danger."

Wildmutt bounded forward faster.

As far as he knew, those wolves had attacked him and Aisa days ago. If their scent was clustered around her now, then she and the Straw Hats were in trouble.

And he was not going to let anything happen to them!

…

The Straw Hats' camp had become complete chaos. The bonfire roared high into the night, its flames climbing so brightly that the massive roots and tree trunks around the camp flashed orange and black with every shift of firelight. Nearby, a barrel Zoro had dragged over from the Merry sat open beside the fire, already doing its part for the night's celebration.

Luffy, Sanji, Nami, Chopper, and the cloud wolves danced around the flames in a wild circle while Usopp sat on an overturned pot beside a hollow piece of wood, beating out a frantic rhythm with two sticks.

"Bam! Bam! Bam-bam-bam!" Usopp cried, striking the makeshift drums. "Dance, my loyal wilderness allies! Dance in honor of Captain Usopp's ceremonial victory feast!"

"Wah-ha-ha!" Luffy laughed, kicking his legs high beside a wolf that hopped along with surprising enthusiasm.

Chopper spun with both hooves raised, laughing as a smaller wolf bounced beside him. "This is fun!"

Sanji twirled past Nami with a dramatic flourish. "Nami-swan! Your beauty shines brighter than the flames themselves!"

Nami had somehow been pulled into the circle, one hand gripping a full mug. "That's right!" she smiled sharply, lifting the mug high as she danced. "Dance while you can! After we beat Eneru, Skypiea is going to pay us so much gold that we'll be rich enough to buy our own island!"

She then tipped the mug back and chugged the whole thing in one long pull.

Usopp's drumming stumbled. "Whoa."

Nami lowered the empty mug with a satisfied breath, still perfectly steady on her feet. "What? We're celebrating future income."

Luffy's eyes shone. "An island made of meat!"

"No!" Nami snapped without missing a step. "Gold first. Meat after."

Sanji clasped his hands. "A wealthy Nami-swan is a radiant Nami-swan!"

"You know it!"

Zoro sat near the edge of the firelight, drinking from his own mug with one eye on the trees.

Robin watched the scene with calm amusement from her seat, though every now and then her attention drifted toward Aisa.

The girl remained closer than she had before. She sat with her bowl held in both hands, watching pirates dance with wolves around a fire in the middle of enemy territory.

To her, it made no sense. They were surrounded by danger. Priests could be anywhere. Eneru could cast judgment from the sky. The forest was full of things that killed people who wandered carelessly.

And yet, they laughed.

Then, the wolves stopped. Every cloud wolf in the circle suddenly froze at once, ears snapping toward the forest.

Luffy stopped mid-step. "Huh? Something wrong, guys?"

Aisa gasped. Something spiked against her Mantra, sudden and wild, rushing toward them through the dark.

Before anyone could react, a huge shape burst from the forest.

Wildmutt leapt into the camp with a snarling growl, landing near the edge of the firelight hard enough to make the ground tremble. Sparks jumped from the bonfire. His fangs gleamed in the orange light, his eyeless face lowered, and his claws dug into the ground as he faced the wolves.

The reaction was immediate.

Nami, Usopp, and Chopper screamed.

Several cloud wolves yelped and scrambled backward, their fur puffed out as they made distance from the newcomer. Sanji moved in front of Nami by instinct, one leg already lifting to strike. Zoro's hand shifted to his swords.

Luffy's eyes widened excitedly. "Whoa!"

Nami grabbed Usopp from behind and used him as a shield. "What is that?!"

"Why am I the shield?!" Usopp shrieked.

Aisa saw the riders first. "Laki! Braham!"

Laki slid off Wildmutt's back quickly, though her legs nearly buckled from the sudden stop. Braham dismounted a moment after her, landing in a low, balanced crouch.

Aisa ran toward Laki.

Laki caught her immediately, one arm going around the girl while the other checked her shoulders, her face, and her hands for injuries. "Aisa. Are you hurt?"

"No," Aisa said quickly, clutching at her. "I'm fine."

Laki held her a second longer than necessary. Relief crossed her face, but only briefly before she remembered the Blue Sea pirates surrounding them and drew herself back into control.

Braham remained slightly behind her, watchful and composed. His hidden eyes moved across the Straw Hats, the wolves, the bonfire, then toward the futon where Gan Fall lay with Pierre nearby.

His mouth tightened, but he did not move.

Zoro's gaze shifted between Laki, Braham, and Aisa. "You two her parents or something?"

Aisa's head snapped toward him. "No!"

Laki shook her head, one hand still resting near Aisa's shoulder. "She is from our village."

Braham's voice came low from behind her. "She ran off. We came to make sure she was alive."

Laki gestured toward Wildmutt. "He followed Aisa's scent."

"S-speaking of," Usopp said, pointing shakily at Wildmutt, "can you please take your beastly mount away?"

Chopper nodded rapidly from behind him, though his eyes were shining with horrified fascination. "Yes! Please! But also, what is it?!"

Nami shoved Usopp a little farther between herself and Wildmutt. "I don't care what it is! Keep that horrible beast away from me!"

Laki blinked at them in genuine confusion. "Why are you calling one of your own a beast?"

Everyone paused.

"One of our own?" Nami repeated.

Luffy and Nami both looked at Wildmutt more carefully.

Wildmutt huffed, still standing between the wolves and Aisa, his black lips curled slightly over his fangs. The wolves were wise to keep their distance from the Vulpimancer.

Luffy noticed the Omnitrix badge on Wildmutt's chest first.

He grinned brightly. "Ben!"

Nami's eyes went wide. "Ben?!"

Sanji let out a long, annoyed breath and lowered his leg. "Well, it's about time you came back."

Green light flashed across the camp. When it faded, Ben stood in Wildmutt's place.

Usopp and Chopper stared at him with matching pale faces.

"You scared ten years off my life, Ben!" Usopp shouted.

"Mine too!" Chopper cried.

"Uh, sorry." Ben rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm guessing that entrance was a little more dramatic than planned."

Luffy blinked, then pointed past him. "Hey, Ben. Who are they?"

Ben glanced back at Laki and Braham before looking toward the others. "They're Shandorians."

"Shandorians," Robin repeated, her interest piqued.

Sanji's visible eye narrowed. "The same guerrillas who went after that dumpling priest?"

Ben nodded. "These two were part of that group." He blinked, then turned to Laki and Braham. "Wait. I just realized I haven't gotten your names yet."

Laki straightened, one hand still near Aisa. "I am Laki."

Sanji froze and his visible eye widened. "Laki-chan," he breathed, clasping his hands as if he had just witnessed a miracle descend from the heavens. "A beautiful warrior maiden from the sky, risking danger itself for a lost child. Such courage. Such grace. Such radiant—"

Nami's fist came down on his head before he could finish. "Not now!"

Sanji hit the ground with a muffled groan; one hand still raised weakly toward Laki. "Worth it…"

Laki stared at him, completely lost. "Is he ill?"

"I'm pretty sure he's been sick since the day he was born, so there's no hope for curing him unfortunately." Zoro commented. He then turned his gaze to Braham, silently measuring him up. "And you?"

“Braham.” Braham tipped his head, his face mostly hidden beneath the brim of his hat.

Ben nodded once. "Laki and Braham. Great. Glad we cleared that up before I had to start calling you Sniper Lady and Silent Hat."

Braham stared at him.

Laki blinked. "Silent Hat?"

Ben shrugged. "It was a work in progress."

Nami stared at him in disbelief. "He brought two strangers who could potentially be enemies straight to our camp," she muttered, "and he didn't even get their names?" Her right eye twitched. "I swear," she said through her teeth, "I'm going to let him have it later."

Zoro's hand stayed near his swords. "Hold on. Didn't one of them attack us on the White Sea?"

"That was Wyper," Braham said evenly. "Leader of our warriors."

Zoro's gaze shifted toward him. "Do you intend to finish the job?"

Braham did not react to the provocation. "No." He looked past Zoro toward Aisa. "As we stated, we are only here for Aisa."

Nami's eyes moved from Aisa to Laki, then back again. "Then we want the same thing."

Laki looked at her carefully.

Nami's expression stayed guarded, but her voice softened when her gaze landed on the girl. "We weren't going to leave a child alone in this forest."

"I'm not a child," Aisa muttered.

"You are absolutely a child," Nami said.

Aisa glared.

Laki's expression eased slightly. "She should not have come here alone."

"No argument from me," Nami said.

Braham's attention drifted again toward Gan Fall.

Zoro noticed, and his hand stayed near his swords.

Braham did not reach for his gun. "That man was once Kami."

The camp quieted slightly.

Chopper stiffened. "He's my patient."

Braham looked at the small doctor, then at Gan Fall. "Then he is under your care."

Zoro's gaze narrowed, measuring the Shandorian man.

Braham continued. "I will not strike an unconscious injured man beneath a doctor's hands."

Zoro's hand moved away from his sword by a fraction. "Good."

Luffy nodded, as if that settled everything. "Okay! If you're not fighting us and you're against Eneru, then you can stay."

Usopp stared at him. "That was your entire screening process?"

"Yep."

"That explains so much about this crew."

Ben's attention shifted fully to Aisa. She looked at him as though she were afraid he might vanish if she blinked. The firelight caught in her eyes, making the hope there look fragile and stubborn at the same time.

"Ben," she said softly.

His expression changed at once and he smiled lightly at her. "Hey, Aisa." He stepped toward her slowly, careful not to crowd her.

She lasted all of half a second before running forward.

Ben dropped to one knee just in time for Aisa to throw herself against him. He wrapped his arms around her, relief crossing his face. "I'm glad you're okay," he said quietly.

(A/N: Credit to Masamune X23)

Aisa gripped his shirt tightly. "I-I knew you were alive." Ben's brows lifted at her words. "I felt you," she explained, her voice muffled against him. "Your presence changed. Like before. I knew it had to be you."

Ben let out a soft breath. "Guess coming back to Skypiea made me hard to miss."

Aisa pulled back enough to look at him. "I had to see."

Ben's smile softened. "Yeah. I get that."

Nami watched them from near the fire, arms folded tightly. She had a full speech ready, and most of it involved the words "stupid," "reckless," and "jerk" in creative combinations. But Aisa still had both hands twisted in Ben's shirt, and Ben looked like someone who had been holding his breath since the moment he learned she was missing.

Nami exhaled through her nose. Later.

Robin noticed the decision and smiled faintly.

Ben's gaze shifted over Aisa's shoulder and locked onto the cloud wolves. His expression changed immediately.

"Okay…" He pointed at them. "Someone want to explain why there are wolves here?"

The alpha wolf bristled, lifting its head.

Ben's eyes narrowed. "Because last time I checked, those are the same ones that tried to eat me and Aisa."

The wolves growled.

Chopper listened, ears twitching. "Um… they say they weren't trying to eat you."

Ben looked down at him. "Could've fooled me."

Chopper turned toward the alpha wolf, listened to another string of growls, then blinked. "They were trying to drive you away from their territory."

Aisa frowned. "Their territory?"

The alpha wolf growled again.

Chopper nodded slowly, still translating. "They say when Eneru casts judgment, it destroys parts of Upper Yard. If their territory gets destroyed, they have to find a new one. They wanted you to leave before the lightning came."

Ben stared at the alpha wolf, and it stared back.

The teen hero shrugged. "That's… fair. Could've asked nicely, though."

The alpha wolf turned his head away with a dismissive snort.

Sanji had been quiet for nearly three full seconds, which was apparently his limit.

"So," he said, eyes narrowing toward Ben. "You let Laki ride you?"

Ben blinked. "It was the fastest way to track Aisa and get back to you guys."

Sanji's expression shifted into something Ben could not immediately name. It was too intense to be curiosity and too strange to be jealousy.

Ben leaned back slightly. "Uh, Sanji… you good?"

The cook's voice dropped. "And what did she feel like?"

The Omnitrix bearer stared at him for a second before understanding dawned across his face, followed immediately by a deadpan stare. "…Are you serious right now?"

Sanji pointed at him with trembling intensity. "Don't give me that look! Do you have any idea what an honor it is for a woman to sit on you?!"

Ben's mouth opened, then closed. He glanced at Laki, who looked more confused than embarrassed. Braham had gone still in the way of a man who wanted nothing to do with this conversation.

Ben looked back at Sanji. "…I'm sure it is."

Nami's fist came down on Sanji's head once more, and he hit the ground instantly. "Do not make this weird!" she snapped.

"It was already weird!" Usopp cried.

Luffy burst out laughing.

The tension was finally broken.

"Great!" Luffy threw both arms up. "If the wolves are here and Ben's back, then we keep partying!"

Usopp scrambled back to his overturned pot and hollow log, grabbing his sticks like a man reclaiming his battlefield. "Indeed! Captain Usopp has now negotiated peace between pirates, wolves, birds, Shandorians, and whatever Ben counts as!"

Nami pointed at him. "You screamed the loudest."

"A heroic scream!"

Luffy laughed, already pulling one of the wolves back into the circle. Chopper resumed translating, though he kept darting between the wolves and Gan Fall to make sure his patient was still stable. Sanji recovered quickly enough to return to the food, though he sent Ben wounded looks as if the other boy had personally stolen a dream from him.

The party returned around the fire, louder than before.

But Ben did not fully join it.

He stayed near the edge of the firelight with Aisa, Laki, Braham, Zoro and Robin. The warmth of the fire reached them, but the noise felt slightly distant there, softened by the shadows of the great roots around them.

Ben sat on a thick root and glanced at Aisa. "So… what happened after Eneru's attack?"

Aisa's shoulders drew in slightly. "I got back."

"That's not really an answer."

"It is."

Ben gave her a look, and she turned away.

Laki lowered herself beside Aisa, watching him carefully. "She reached the village on the Waver you built."

Braham stood with his back near one of the roots, arms folded. "Another warrior and I found what remained after your battle with Eneru."

Aisa's hands curled in her lap. "They used what you left behind."

"Yeah. I already noticed Wyper loves my board," Ben said.

"And the crystals," Braham added.

Ben's eyes shifted toward him.

Braham spoke plainly, but cautiously. "Aisa said they came from one of your transformations. A crystal warrior. The one that struck Eneru."

"Diamondhead."

Braham gave the smallest nod. "They are effective. Durable enough to change how the priests respond to our weapons."

Ben studied him. "And Wyper?"

Braham's expression barely changed. "Wyper uses anything that can help Shandora."

"That wasn't what I asked."

"No," Braham said. "But it is the answer I will give."

Ben held his gaze for a moment, then looked back toward Aisa. "Did he treat you okay?"

Aisa's chin lifted defensively. "Wyper protects the village."

"That also wasn't what I asked."

Laki looked between them.

Aisa's mouth tightened. "He was angry."

Ben's expression softened. "At you?"

"At everything," Aisa muttered.

"That sounds about right."

"He doesn't hate you," Laki said after a moment.

Ben glanced at her. "Again, could've fooled me."

"He does not trust you," she corrected. "That is different."

Braham gave a low sound that might have been agreement.

Ben leaned back against the root, eyes drifting briefly toward the fire. "Yeah. I've met a lot of people with that hobby."

A low chuckle came from behind them.

"Heh heh…"

Everyone near the edge of the firelight turned.

Gan Fall had pushed himself upright on the futon. His breathing was still uneven, and the bandages around his side remained stained, but there was a faint warmth in his expression as he watched the chaos around the bonfire.

"No one else would dare frolic like this in the land of Eneru."

Robin turned toward him. "Oh, you're awake. Is it wise to sit up so soon?"

Gan Fall gave her a tired smile. "I came here to help, yet I have become the burden."

Zoro glanced over from his place near the fire. "What are you talking about? We owe you plenty. There's still some stew left if you want it."

"No, thank you," Gan Fall said. "I fear I cannot eat right now."

From the bonfire, Luffy finally noticed him. "Oh! Weird old man! You're up!"

Chopper spun around. "Sky Knight!"

Luffy waved both arms. "Come on! Dance with us!"

“Yeah! Come dance with us!” Chopper echoed.

Zoro sweat-dropped. "Aren't you his doctor?"

Chopper froze. "Oh right! Don't dance!"

Ben stepped closer, his expression easing with relief. "Good to see you're still with us, Sky Knight."

Gan Fall's eyes softened at the sight of him. "And you as well, Ben Tennyson. I am glad to see Conis's faith in you was not misplaced."

Ben's face changed at once. "How are Conis and Pagaya? They okay?"

"Yes. Father and daughter are at my home. Rest assured, they are safe."

Ben's shoulders lowered in visible relief. "Okay. Good." He exhaled. "That's… really good."

Laki's expression tightened at the exchange, while Braham's gaze remained fixed on Gan Fall.

The old knight noticed.

"And it seems," he continued quietly, "a few Shandorians have joined this strange gathering as well."

Laki's hand shifted closer to Aisa's shoulder. "We came for Aisa. Nothing more."

Braham's voice was low. "We gave our word not to fight here."

Gan Fall studied them for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Then I will accept that word."

Braham's mouth tightened slightly. "Do not mistake restraint for forgiveness."

"I would not dare."

Robin stepped closer. "Since you are awake, there is something I would like to ask. I overheard some of what was said earlier. This island was once called Jaya."

Gan Fall looked toward her. "So you have learned that much."

"In Skypiea, this land is considered sacred, correct?" Robin asked. "Do you know why?"

Gan Fall's gaze drifted toward the enormous trees around them, then down to the soil beneath the roots. "To those born in the sky, this land is almost miraculous. Greenery can grow upon island-clouds, but true soil does not naturally exist above the clouds."

Robin's eyes sharpened with interest.

"That is why we call it Vearth," Gan Fall continued.

"Vearth?" Zoro repeated. "What, you mean dirt?"

"Yes. To those who live in the sky," Gan Fall said, resting one weak hand against the blanket, "Vearth embodies our eternal hopes."

Laki's jaw tightened. "Your hopes."

The camp grew quieter.

Gan Fall looked at her. "Yes. Our hopes." His voice lowered. "And your people's grief."

Aisa looked down at the ground, her fingers curling against her knees.

Braham did not move, but his voice came colder. "You speak of grief easily for a man who once wore the title of Kami."

Gan Fall's eyes lowered. "I wore it. I cannot deny that."

"Then do not speak as if this land was merely found," Laki said, her voice controlled but sharp. "It was taken."

Gan Fall was silent for a moment. "You are right. To the sky people, Vearth was a miracle. To the Shandorians, it was home."

Laki stared at him, caught somewhere between anger and surprise.

Braham's expression remained hidden, but his shoulders went still.

Gan Fall drew in a careful breath. "I cannot undo what began four hundred years ago. Nor can I pretend my hands are clean of everything that followed." His gaze shifted toward Aisa. "But tonight, I will not ask a child to carry the weight of that war while she sits among those who kept her safe."

Aisa's eyes flicked up at him, and for a second, she looked as if she wanted to argue. Then her gaze dropped again.

Laki's hand settled lightly against Aisa's shoulder. "We are not here for your absolution, Gan Fall."

"No," Gan Fall said. "You are not."

The quiet held for a moment.

Ben looked between them, the heaviness in the conversation settling over him.

Kalgara. Mont Blanc Cricket. Shandora. Vearth. Four hundred years of war, all tangled beneath one self-proclaimed god sitting above everyone.

He glanced toward Aisa, then toward the fire where Luffy was still laughing with the wolves.

"Okay," Ben murmured, mostly to himself. "No pressure."

…

Kami’s Shrine rested high above Upper Yard, pale beneath the moonlight. Giant Jack pierced through the shrine's island-cloud like a pillar holding it up. Below, the forest spread in black waves across Upper Yard.

The shrine gates then opened with a heavy clang.

Satori entered first, scorched around the sleeves and still carrying the faint smell of smoke. His cheeks puffed with wounded dignity, and his smile had become much thinner than usual.

Ohm followed in silence, severe and composed, with Holy padding beside him. Shura came after them with Fuza looming near the outer court, his jaw tight and his fingers locked around his lance. Gedatsu marched in last, arms folded, chin raised, and bottom lip caught firmly between his teeth.

Yama waited near the inner court, massive and still, both hands resting on his staff.

Gedatsu stepped forward. "Mmff mmff mmf."

No one answered.

He frowned and tried again. "Mmf mmff mmff-mmff."

Ohm turned his head slightly. "No one can understand you when you bite your lip."

Gedatsu's eyes widened. He released his lip with a dramatic gasp. "I was biting my lip?!"

Satori folded his arms. "Hoh hoh… how undignified."

Shura's eyes snapped toward him. "Be quiet. Kami summoned us."

Ohm's voice remained low and flat. "You speak boldly for one who abandoned his assigned task."

Shura's grip tightened around his lance. "I…I was getting to it. If Satori had not allowed his Ordeal to collapse into chaos, I would have finished Gan Fall and at least one of those Blue Sea insects."

Satori rounded on him, cheeks puffing. "Allowed? Forced, Shura! Forced! The Shandorians invaded my Ordeal, the pirates refused to die properly, and Tennyson began eating the contents of my Surprise Clouds!"

"He ate them?" Gedatsu asked.

"He ate them," Satori snapped. "Then he changed shape and saw through them. Then he changed again and began leaping around like some wild insect crashing through branches!"

Gedatsu crossed his arms harder. "My Swamp Ordeal would have swallowed him whole."

Ohm glanced down. "Your arms are crossed backwards."

Gedatsu looked at himself, and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Backwards?!"

Yama slammed his staff against the floor. The sound cracked through the court like thunder.

"Enough!" he barked. "You stand in the presence of Kami!"

A voice drifted down from above them, light and amused.

"Did someone say… Kami?"

Every priest went still. Their eyes moved toward the throne. It was empty.

For half a breath, even Shura's irritation vanished beneath confusion. Then a soft chuckle came from the side of the court.

Eneru reclined against a carved ledge near one of the open arches, one knee raised, an apple resting loosely in his hand. He looked as though he had been there the entire time, listening to every insult, every complaint, every ridiculous word.

His smile was lazy, and that made it worse.

"My priests," Eneru said. "Sit, stand, sulk, or posture as you like. Your little quarrels are not why I summoned you."

The priests bowed at once.

"Almighty Eneru," Ohm said.

Satori lowered his head, though his cheeks remained puffed. "Kami."

Shura bent stiffly. Gedatsu bowed too deeply, nearly tipping forward before catching himself.

Eneru took a slow bite from the apple. "The Blue Sea pirates have reunited at the sacrificial altar. Eating. Laughing. Planning. How lively they are."

Satori lifted his head. "They laugh in sacred land?"

Gedatsu frowned. "Shameless."

"Careless," Ohm said. "And doomed."

"Carelessness has its uses," Eneru replied. "It lets men speak plainly."

He turned the apple in his hand.

"They know Upper Yard was once part of Jaya. They believe the City of Gold remains hidden here. They intend to help Tennyson defeat me first." His smile widened slightly. "Then they intend to claim as much gold as possible as payment for their trouble."

Satori's scorched sleeves fluttered as his arms shot outward. "Payment?! They speak of sacred land as if it were a market stall!"

"Greed leads men deeper into suffering," Ohm said.

Gedatsu clenched one fist. "Then we should crush them before dawn."

Eneru laughed softly. "No." The simple word ended the thought. His gaze drifted toward the dark spread of Upper Yard below. "The pirates are not the only ones preparing for tomorrow. The Shandorians have sensed opportunity as well. They believe our movements and the pirates' presence have opened a path for another attack."

Shura's eyes burned. "Then let me burn their village out tonight."

Ohm lowered his gaze. "They crawl toward despair again and again."

Eneru's smile remained, but his voice cooled by a degree. "You misunderstand. I do not want the conflict stopped early."

He stood at last, apple still in hand. "I want it gathered."

The priests fell silent.

Satori's smile twitched, unsure whether he liked the sound of that.

Gedatsu's brows furrowed. "Gathered?"

"Tomorrow, the game opens." Eneru declared.

Yama's eyes lowered in reverence.

Eneru stepped from the ledge and walked toward the center of the court. "No more strict territories. No ordinary limits. Each priest may use any Ordeal in any part of Upper Yard. Use every resource at your disposal."

Shura's mouth curved slightly. "So the sacred land becomes the battlefield."

"It already is," Eneru said. "Tomorrow, everyone will finally admit it. And each of them will move exactly where I desire."

Yama stepped forward and bowed. "Kami, preparations in the ruins of Shandora are nearly complete. The work has followed your instructions."

The priests looked toward him.

Shura's eyes narrowed. "Preparations?"

Satori tilted his head. "Hoh?"

Gedatsu stood straighter. "What work?"

Eneru did not answer immediately. He took another bite of the apple and chewed slowly, letting their ignorance sit between them. "You will learn the shape of the game tomorrow," he said at last. "For now, know this. Maxim is nearly complete."

Even Ohm's expression shifted.

"Once it is," Eneru continued, "Upper Yard itself will no longer matter."

Satori's smile faded for a moment.

Shura glanced toward Yama, then back to Eneru. "Kami… you intend to abandon the sacred land?"

Eneru's eyes lifted toward the moonlit sky. "One does not mourn a steppingstone after reaching heaven."

The wind moved softly through the open arches.

Then Satori could apparently hold himself back no longer. "Lord Eneru," he said, trying and failing to keep the irritation out of his voice, "I don't wish to question you, but Tennyson remains the true problem. He makes a mockery of the sacred Ordeals. He changes shape whenever one challenge begins to work against him." His cheeks puffed again. "And then, worst of all, he becomes a creature that calls lightning."

Gedatsu nodded firmly. "Rule breaker."

Shura's jaw tightened. "He should have been destroyed the moment he returned."

Ohm's voice came quieter. "His presence disrupts the balance of the Ordeals."

Eneru looked at them for a moment…and laughed.

The priests fell silent again.

"Satori, you are wrong to call him a mere rule breaker."

Satori stiffened. "Pardon?"

"When Tennyson became that beast of lightning, I received a revelation." Eneru lifted one hand, and a faint coil of electricity danced between his fingers. "Tennyson is not an ordinary mortal at all. He is like me. A divine being walking among insects. Wearing weak faces. Pretending to belong with lesser creatures."

Satori swallowed. Gedatsu's eyes widened. Ohm's expression remained severe, but his gaze lowered in thought.

Shura's voice came hard. "If he is divine, why fight beside pirates?"

"Why concern himself with Shandorians?" Ohm asked.

"Why protect that child?" Satori added, his earlier anger bending into confusion. "Or the girl and her father?"

Eneru's smile turned delighted. "Exactly." He walked slowly past them, apple dangling from his fingers. "That is what fascinates me. He lowers himself for mortals. He worries for them. He hides his name to protect them. He places himself between them and judgment as though their brief little lives are worth the effort." His mouth curved with open amusement now. "How entertaining."

Ohm lifted his head. "If he truly carries divine power, how do you intend to keep him within the game?"

Gedatsu nodded solemnly. "A wild piece ruins the board."

"You think like mortals," Eneru said. "You assume he must be controlled by force." He stopped near the open arch and looked down toward Upper Yard. "Tennyson's weakness is not his body. Not his many forms." His fingers closed lightly around the apple. "His weakness is that he cares."

The priests listened.

Eneru's smile sharpened. "So I will give him something to care about."

A slow understanding moved through the court.

Satori's smile returned, though this time it was thinner. "Hoh…"

Eneru's eyes shifted. "Shura."

The Sky Rider stiffened. "Yes, Kami?"

"Why did you divert from the task I gave you this morning?"

The air dropped colder.

The Sky Rider's jaw tightened. "The pirates' ship was exposed at the sacrificial altar. I saw an opportunity to cripple their escape and strike down one of their own."

Eneru looked at him without blinking. "If I wanted their ship destroyed," he said softly, "I could do it at any time."

Shura went still.

"The altar is an ideal target. A single bolt would reduce their ship, their doctor, Gan Fall, and his bird to ash."

Satori, Gedatsu, and Ohm said nothing. Shura's grip tightened around his lance until his knuckles paled.

Eneru let the silence sit, then he smiled again. "Still, your disobedience was not entirely useless."

Shura did not relax.

"Gan Fall is wounded. Stationary. That may prove useful."

Shura lowered his head. "As you wish."

"Do not mistake usefulness for approval."

The words landed softly, but Shura flinched all the same.

Eneru turned away. "Finish the task I gave you. No distractions this time."

Shura bowed deeper. "Yes, Kami."

Fuza shifted behind him, smoke curling from his beak.

As Shura turned to leave, Satori's mouth curled. "Do try not to be distracted by wounded old men again, Shura."

Shura's eyes flashed toward him. "Try not to be humiliated by another form with too many eyes, Satori."

Satori's cheeks puffed. "Hoh?!"

"Enough." Eneru did not raise his voice.

Both priests went silent.

Shura mounted Fuza without another word. The great bird beat its wings once, stirring the air through the court, then launched from the shrine into the night.

Eneru watched him go before lowering his gaze to the half-eaten apple in his hand. His grip tightened and the fruit burst beneath his fingers, juice spilling between them and dripping down.

His smile widened. "The game continues." He lifted his eyes beyond Upper Yard toward the dark sky and the future he believed was waiting for him.

"Let us set out on a journey…" Juice slid down his wrist. "…to the world of our dreams."

…

The camp had gone quiet. After hours of partying, drinking, and feasting, everyone had finally gone to rest. The bonfire had burned down to mere embers, leaving a faint orange glow beneath the ashes. The cloud wolves were scattered around the clearing, sleeping deeply, with a few curled up against roots while others snored without shame.

Among the wolves, Usopp, Chopper, and Sanji rested in their respective sleeping bags near the edge of the firelight. Gan Fall had been provided with a sleeping bag of his own and lay peacefully near Zoro, who rested against a root with his hands behind his head. The three Shandorians had settled on the opposite side of the camp. It was far too late into the night to take Aisa back to the village, so they had decided to rest.

Braham and Laki were taking turns sleeping, with Braham taking the first watch. He sat upright against a root, his hat tipped low enough to make it impossible to tell whether he was asleep or awake. Laki and Aisa rested close enough to him that he could quickly wake them should it become necessary.

Nami had offered to let them rest with her and Robin inside their tent, but they had declined the invitation. She had at least provided them with blankets to keep warm. During this time of year, the weather was unlikely to reach particularly cold temperatures, but the gesture was nonetheless appreciated and accepted.

For Braham, these Blue Sea dwellers had so far proven not to be as hostile as he had first thought, but that did not mean they had earned any form of trust. They had allied themselves with Gan Fall, and despite their efforts to treat him and their surprising generosity, they still called themselves pirates. He recalled the previous band of pirates who had come to Sky Island. They had been a much more mean-spirited bunch, sometimes committing acts of cruelty. Once they regrouped with Wyper, he would debrief him on the situation involving the pirates, Gan Fall, and Ben Tennyson. Wyper would decide what to do about them.

Inside the girls’ tent, Nami lay on her side with her eyes open, unable to sleep. Across from her, Robin sat with her back against a pack, busily going over her notes and scribbling whenever she needed to add or change anything. The dim light they had provided enough illumination to work by.

Of everyone on this trip through Skypiea, Robin was the one getting the most out of it. Her notes covered an abundance of information, ranging across a variety of subjects such as the culture, observations about the people of Skypiea, a brief summary of island and sea-clouds, and how the Pyrobloin within Sea Stone allowed the density of the clouds to be adjusted, enabling people to swim through sea clouds and walk on island clouds, respectively.

Her attention was not on the science behind the clouds, however. She was no scientist. She was an archaeologist, so her attention was focused on the notes she had taken when they discovered the ruins in Upper Yard. She had written in incredible detail about everything she had observed, the brief information the Shandorians had shared with her, and possible theories and hypotheses about what had caused the City of Gold to be sent high into the sky and settle in Skypiea.

Nami was amazed by how diligently Robin took her notes, working with enthusiasm and energy despite the energy-consuming expedition they had undertaken that day. It almost made her want to create a rough drawing of a map of Skypiea, which she could later refine aboard the Merry once they had seen everything and gathered their well-deserved payment.

“You’re still working, Robin?” Nami asked as she watched her write.

Robin’s pen moved smoothly over the page. Without taking her eyes off her notes, she kindly replied, “Having trouble sleeping, Miss Navigator?”

“No, just resting my eyes.”

“Truly? You believe merely twenty minutes is enough?” Robin playfully countered. “Or are you concerned about the wolves deciding to rip our flesh apart and consume it as we sleep?”

“DON’T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT!” Nami yelped in a frightened voice, making the archaeologist laugh softly. Honestly, Robin’s ability to produce such descriptive and morbid imagery was truly a mystery.

Nami sighed to calm herself and rolled onto her back. Her eyes drifted toward the tent’s door, which was unzipped just enough for her to see the full moon clearly in the sky. Miraculously, the large leaves of the trees did not cover it.

For a time, the soft scratching of Robin’s pen filled the tent. Nami tried to get some sleep but was unable to, no matter how hard she tried. It was not because of Robin, but rather because of the words she had yet to speak to Ben Tennyson. She had told herself she would scold him later for leaving Luffy’s group, for making them worry, and for making her worry. Maybe that was why she was unable to get the sleep she needed—because she had not done it yet. If they were going up against a self-proclaimed god tomorrow, tonight might be the only chance she would have to do so.

“I’m going out for some air for a bit,” Nami said, sitting up.

“Careful. There might be other carnivorous animals nearby that we haven’t seen yet,” Robin advised.

Nami looked at her with a deadpan expression and sarcastically replied, “Yes, because I love fighting giant monsters at night.”

“Or being trapped in a web and eaten by giant, ape-like arachnids.”

“Will you knock it off?!” Nami yelled in a whisper, begging her to stop, which only resulted in another small laugh from Robin. She regretted telling her about Ben’s spider-monkey form. How was it that none of his transformations had unnerved her yet?

“I only jest, but in all seriousness, please do not go too far, Miss Navigator,” Robin said earnestly this time.

With a sigh, Nami affirmed that she would not, nodded, and stepped outside into the cold night air.

The camp lay quiet beneath the enormous trees. Only the bonfire’s embers remained, glowing a dim orange. Far above, the leaves hid most of the sky, letting only thin glimpses of night show through the canopy.

Nami folded her arms and walked slowly around the edge of the camp, careful not to step on anyone or any of the wolves sleeping across the ground.

She was halfway around the clearing when she heard a yawn.

Nami stopped. Her eyes narrowed as she looked around, searching the shadows until she finally found the source.

Ben sat high above the camp on a thick branch, far enough up that most people would have missed him in the dark. He was not sleeping. He was not even pretending to rest. He sat with one knee drawn up and one arm resting loosely over it, his eyes fixed on the night sky visible through a gap in the canopy. He was watching the full moon.

Nami stared up at him, her mouth tightening. She moved toward the tree, already searching for the best footholds and branches to climb, when she heard humming from nearby. The voice was carefree, confident, and free from fear of the night. It was unmistakably Luffy’s humming.

“Bathroom, forest bathroom... Oh, thank you for your care, forest bathroom,” Luffy hummed in a strange, improvised song as he wandered back from the trees with both hands behind his head, looking very relaxed.

Nami immediately ducked behind a massive root before he could spot her.

Luffy did not notice. He kept walking, scratching his stomach as he stretched one arm over his head. Then his gaze drifted upward, and he noticed Ben sitting in the tree.

“Ben?” Luffy called out, prompting him to look down.

“Hey, Luffy. Need anything?” Ben replied.

Luffy grinned, stretched an arm upward, and wrapped it around a branch. He pulled himself up beside Ben a second later, settling onto the branch casually. Nami stayed behind the root, telling herself she was only waiting for Luffy to leave.

“What are you doing up here?” Luffy asked. “Can’t sleep?”

“No. Figured I’d watch over the camp,” Ben replied with a tired smile, though his voice sounded slightly forced.

Luffy observed him quietly for a moment. He simply sat there beside him, his legs dangling over the branch, as if studying him.

“Isn’t Usopp supposed to be on watch first?” Luffy asked. He remembered that Usopp was supposed to take the first watch, followed by Zoro.

“Yeah, but I offered to go first. He looked like he needed the rest after the encounter with the priest,” Ben said simply as his gaze returned to the camp, his eyes becoming slightly distant and unfocused.

“Something wrong?” Luffy asked.

Ben did not answer at first, but then he quietly said, “How are you so... relaxed?”

The Straw Hat captain tilted his head, unsure what Ben meant by his words, and waited for him to elaborate. The teen hero looked at the moon as he sorted through his racing thoughts.

“Eneru. The priests. The Shandorians. Angel Island. Conis and her dad. Aren’t you angry about everything that’s happened? That at any moment, someone could be judged simply because he felt like it?”

His fingers curled slightly against the branch. He was frustrated and angry that he had not taken Eneru seriously the first time. Had he gone Chromastone in the first place, this whole debacle would have been over by now. He bet Prime Ben would have done it immediately.

Luffy blinked once and laughed. “Of course I’m angry. I can’t wait to kick Eneru’s butt.”

Ben looked at him. “Then why...?”

“Being angry only helps when you’re beating up someone bad. Anything else just takes the fun out of the adventure.” Luffy leaned back on his hands and grinned up at the leaves. “Think about it. We met you and saw your awesome transformations, rode a giant water column into the sky, arrived at an island made of clouds that people thought wasn’t real, and met people with wings. Now we’re in a giant jungle on the same sky island, with huge mysterious animals and lots of treasure to find after we beat up Eneru for what he did.”

Ben had no immediate reply for the Straw Hat captain. He only listened to him.

Luffy’s grin widened. “That’s fun!”

Ben had no immediate answer. Then, slowly, despite himself, he smiled. “Yeah... it is.”

Fun. The word in isolation struck something old within him, or rather... young.

For a brief moment, he felt himself becoming ten years old again, standing by the Rustbucket with a strange alien watch locked around his wrist, staring down at it with wide eyes and a grin he could not contain. Back then, danger had felt like an adventure before it became a responsibility. Being a superhero had been scary at times, sure, but it had also been fun. It allowed him to truly help people, stop all sorts of bad guys, and experience his universe in a way he had never imagined he would be able to at the time. He would throw himself into impossible situations with the same level of excitement Luffy carried everywhere he went.

Ever since he had arrived here, however, he had forgotten how to do so.

Since Eneru had thrown him off Skypiea, his main priorities had been to return, confirm that Aisa, Conis, and Pagaya were still safe, and defeat him. He had not allowed himself to enjoy the fun he usually found during missions. He had focused only on finishing a task that needed to be dealt with. Every decision had been practical. Every decision had been what a hero should do.

But where had Ben Tennyson gone?

Thinking back, he had appeared during brief moments. On the beach, laughing during volleyball. On the Going Merry, when he used Muckamorph to impersonate each member of the crew. In the middle of fights, because quips were easier than admitting fear. Most of the time, however, he had been moving from one crisis to the next, barely stopping long enough to think about what he felt.

On Jaya, he had gone into the forest alone to catch the South Bird instead of enjoying the night with his new friends. He had rushed back to retrieve Luffy because there was no time rather than helping Cricket regain his gold. After returning to Skypiea, he had investigated alone instead of asking Robin, Nami, or Usopp for help. Those three seemed to have been the ones who noticed the small, subtle inconsistencies in his story, even though ninety percent of it was true.

He had been so focused on being a hero that he had nearly repeated the same mistake his alternate future self had made: burying the boy beneath the job.

Was it because of... what he was? Was he grasping at being a hero because it was the only concept he could keep that did not feel copied from someone else? He was not sure... and he would rather not dwell on it.

Perhaps he should follow Luffy’s advice and start having fun again. It might help him bury the intrusive, self-destructive thoughts deep within his mind and throw away the key for good. Besides, beating himself up did not do him any favors. It only helped bad guys like Eneru.

The thought struck him so clearly that he suddenly laughed. A genuine laugh.

Luffy blinked at him. “What’s funny?”

Ben kept laughing for another second, quieter this time, then shook his head. “Thanks, Luffy.”

The pirate boy’s face scrunched in confusion. “Uh... you’re welcome? Did I do something?”

The teen hero looked at him, still smiling. “Yeah. You did.”

Luffy stared at him for a second longer, then shrugged. “Okay.”

The rubber pirate’s honest response made Ben’s smile brighten slightly more. Luffy’s simple attitude toward everything had been a breath of fresh air he had not known he needed.

Luffy stretched his arms over his head and yawned. “I’m going to sleep.” He grinned, sharp and certain in the dark. “I want to wake up early to eat the leftover meat. We’ve got a god to beat tomorrow!”

Ben nodded. “Yeah. We do.”

“Night, Ben.”

“Good night, Luffy.”

Luffy dropped from the branch without hesitation, his rubber body stretching just enough to soften his landing below. He wandered back toward the camp a moment later, humming that same ridiculous tune under his breath, only with different improvised lyrics this time.

Ben stayed where he was. For the first time that night, the weight in his chest had shifted. It was not gone, but it no longer crushed quite so hard.

Once Luffy was far enough away, Ben glanced toward the forest floor. “You can come out now.”

Behind a massive root below, Nami flinched. How did he know I was here?

For a second, she considered continuing to hide and trying to convince him that he had been mistaken, but that would be pointless. She had not come to eavesdrop on him. The orange-haired girl sighed, stepped out from behind the root, and crossed her arms as she looked up at him.

Ben looked down from the branch. “You know, it’s rude to eavesdrop. Need something?”

“Yeah.” Nami’s voice sharpened enough to erase the last trace of his smile. “I need to talk to you.”

Ben shifted on the branch, studying her face. Whatever she had come to say was important. “Do I need to come down?”

Nami looked up at him, then stepped toward the tree. “No. I’ll come to you.”

She started climbing the enormous tree, its bark rough enough to offer plenty of holds. The height still made the ground feel much farther away than she liked.

Ben watched her climb before leaning over. “You know, I could just—”

“Don’t,” Nami cut him off without looking up.

“...I was only going to offer help.”

“I know what you were going to offer,” she said, grabbing a knot and pulling herself higher. “And I’m saying don’t.”

Ben lifted both hands. “Fine. No assistance.”

A few moments later, Nami finally hauled herself onto the thick branch with a small huff. She sat beside him, brushing bits of bark from her palms before looking out over the quiet camp below. From this height, they could see the entire camp. It was easy to understand why Ben had chosen this spot as his vantage point.

If something came through the trees, he would notice it. If lightning fell from above, he might have a chance to move before anyone else even woke up. Of course he had chosen this spot. It allowed him to act first without telling anyone he was doing it, putting himself in front of danger without regard for himself.

That only made her more annoyed.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke before Nami folded her arms. “You picked a good place to brood.”

Ben glanced at her. “I was not brooding.”

“You’re sitting alone in a tree at night, staring at the sky after a life-and-death battle today,” she countered.

“It’s a good spot. I get a great view of everything. Heck, the full moon above us is the cherry on top.”

Nami gave him a flat look, unconvinced that was his main reason. Ben held the joke for another second before his shoulders eased with a quiet sigh. “So... you said you needed to talk?”

Nami looked out over the sleeping camp instead of answering right away. Her fingers tightened against her arm.

“When Luffy told me you ran off alone, I thought I had misheard him,” she said quietly.

Ben’s shoulders tensed slightly. “I didn’t run off alone.”

Nami turned her head toward him.

“I came into Upper Yard with Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp,” he said, lifting one hand as if that should count for something. “That’s not doing everything by myself.”

“Then why did you split off from them?” she questioned.

“I needed answers. Some Shandorians showed up during our fight with one of the priests. Wyper had the Waver board I built when I first got here, which meant he was connected to Aisa and knew what had happened to her. I had to know if she was okay and find out what they were planning,” Ben replied.

“You had to?” Nami repeated.

Ben glanced at her. “Yeah.”

“No,” her voice sharpened. “You wanted to.”

His expression shifted.

“You had just fought one of Eneru’s priests,” Nami continued. “You saw what their so-called Mantra could do. Twice. You know how dangerous this forest is. Luffy told you we were going to help you take down Eneru, and the first thing you did was leave his group to chase armed guerrillas through Upper Yard all by yourself.”

Ben looked away.

“That was stupid. Not brave. Not heroic. Stupid.”

He did not argue.

She continued. “And in the end, you didn’t even find Aisa.”

“...Okay, you got me there. But I found the Shandorians’ village, met their chief, and opened the door for a potential alliance. That counts for something, right?”

“And what if they had decided to kill you before listening?” Nami asked, feeling anger rise within her. “What then? Were you going to negotiate your way out of that too?”

Ben frowned. “I wasn’t going to fight them unless I had to.”

“That does not make it better!” Her voice cracked through the quiet a little harder than she had meant it to. Down below, one of the wolves stirred, then went still again. Nami forced herself to lower her voice.

“You keep acting as if you are the one who must do everything and carry it alone,” she said. “Pushing everyone away so you are the only one who gets hurt. As if asking for help means you failed before you even started.”

Ben blinked.

Nami stopped. Her words hung there, too sharp and too familiar.

He studied her face carefully. “This is starting to sound a little too personal,” he said, softer than before. “Are you okay?”

Nami drew in a quick breath. For a second, irritation flashed across her face on instinct. It then faded into something quieter. She looked away from him, down at the camp, where Luffy slept with one arm flopped over his face, content.

“No,” she admitted. “I’m not.”

Ben did not interrupt.

She hugged her arms tighter around herself. "I used to hate pirates. More than anything."

Ben's expression sobered.

"Eight years ago, they took my mother from me. My village too. A pirate named Arlong took over the whole place, and I made a deal with him. One hundred million Berri, and he would sell the village back to me."

Ben's eyes widened slightly.

Nami's mouth tightened. "So I stole. From pirates, criminals, anyone I could. For years. I lied, cheated, tricked people, pushed everyone away, and told myself it was fine because it was my problem. My burden. No one else needed to get dragged into it."

Her gaze stayed on the sleeping camp. "Then Luffy found out."

Ben followed her gaze.

"He didn't ask if I wanted help. He didn't make some grand speech either." Nami's voice softened, but there was something fierce beneath it. "He just put his hat on my head and went to fight for me. Zoro, Sanji, Usopp… they all did. They took down Arlong because I finally stopped pretending I could do everything alone."

Ben sat very still.

She looked back at him. "So when I see you acting like you have to handle Eneru, the Shandorians, Aisa, Conis, all of Skypiea, and whatever else is in your head by yourself, it makes me want to knock you out of this tree."

The corner of Ben's mouth twitched weakly. "You could try."

"I would succeed."

"…Probably."

Nami's eyes narrowed, but the edge in them had softened.

Ben looked down at his hands. "Guess I really have been a horrible beast, huh?" The joke was meant to be light, but Nami heard the jab underneath it.

Her face hardened immediately. "No."

Ben looked at her.

"I called that form a beast because it jumped out of the forest and nearly gave us all heart attacks. That's not what you are."

His throat shifted.

"I'm not asking you to stop caring," Nami continued, her voice softened. "I'm not asking you to stop trying to protect people either. But you don't have to carry this alone just because you can turn into something strong enough to take the hit first."

Ben's gaze dropped again.

"And…" Nami looked away, annoyed with herself now. "I'm sorry."

That made him blink. "For what?"

"For punching you yesterday." Her cheeks warmed faintly. "And calling you a jerk."

Ben stared at her for a second before a small smile crept back onto his face. "That? Nami, I've been hit way worse."

"That is not the point."

"And, to your point, I can be a jerk sometimes."

She gave him a flat look. "Sometimes?"

"Okay, occasionally with impressive consistency."

Despite herself, Nami huffed.

Ben's smile faded into something more honest. "But… yeah. I get what you're saying."

"Do you?"

"I do." He looked out over the camp. "You guys didn't have to help me. Not with Eneru. Not with Conis. Not with any of this."

Nami watched him quietly.

"I think somewhere in my head, I knew Luffy meant it when he said he'd help," Ben said. "But I'm used to hearing 'I'll help' and still having to be the one who makes the call, takes the hit, or handles the fallout. So I just… moved."

"Without telling anyone."

"Yeah." He winced. "Bad habit."

"A terrible one."

"Working on it."

"You'd better."

Ben nodded, more seriously this time. "I won't take your help for granted."

Nami held his gaze. She then pointed at him. "Good. Because I am going against every instinct I have by holding off on stealing the gold until after we help you beat Eneru."

Ben's brows lifted. "Wow. That is sacrifice."

"It is."

"Heroic, even."

"Don't push it."

Ben smiled. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Nami shifted on the branch and looked down at the camp. "We should get back. If I don't sleep at all, I'll be useless tomorrow."

"Yeah. Sleep sounds good."

They climbed down carefully, Nami taking her time with each foothold while Ben moved just behind her without touching unless she slipped. He clearly wanted to help, but to his credit, he kept his hands to himself.

When their feet finally touched the ground, Nami brushed bark from her palms and started toward the camp.

Ben stopped near the base of the tree. "Well, good talk, Nami. Glad we could have it. Guess I'll see you in the morning." He turned as if to head back toward the outer edge of camp.

Nami caught his sleeve.

Ben froze.

She looked at him through narrowed eyes. "You're going to sneak off when I fall asleep, aren't you?"

"What?" He turned back, putting on an offended look far too quickly. "No. Of course not."

"Uh-huh."

"I'm serious."

Nami's stare did not move.

Ben pouted. "Don't act like you know me."

"Clearly, I know enough." She tugged his sleeve. "Come with me."

Ben stumbled a step after her. "Where are you taking me?"

"Quiet," Nami whispered sharply.

Across the camp, Usopp stirred in his sleeping bag. His eyes cracked open as he sat up with a groggy mumble. "Huh…? Is it my watch already?"

He sat up and stretched before slowly making his way to find a good vantage point. Blinking the bleary vision away, he noticed Nami dragging Ben across the camp by the arm.

"Uh…" Usopp rubbed one eye. "What's going on?"

Nami did not stop. "I'm making sure this idiot gets some sleep and doesn't run off on his own again."

Ben lifted his free hand awkwardly. "For the record, I was not going to run off."

Nami kept walking. "You were thinking about it."

"I was considering my options."

"That means yes."

Usopp's mouth opened, ready to comment, until he noticed that Ben's captured arm had ended up pressed in between Nami's breasts. Something that neither of them seemed to realize as Ben looked too busy being dragged.

Nami yanked open the girls' tent flap.

Ben immediately stiffened. "Nami, I can't go in—"

"Just shut up and get in here," she whispered.

Before he could argue, she pulled him inside and the flap dropped shut behind them.

…

Usopp stared at the tent flap, his face completely blank.

"Huh?"

The camp stayed quiet around him while he stood there, mouth hanging open, one hand still half-raised as if his brain had forgotten what movement was.

Nami had just dragged Ben into the girls' tent.

His eyes slowly narrowed. "Nope," he whispered. He turned away from the tent with stiff, mechanical steps. "Nope, nope, nope. Captain Usopp saw nothing. Nothing happened. The great Captain Usopp is very tired, and tired eyes are traitors."

He walked toward the darker edge of the trees, moving carefully around sleeping wolves and tangled roots. The night air grew cooler the farther he got from the bonfire's embers, though it did absolutely nothing to cool the thoughts stampeding through his skull.

"Nami just dragged Ben into the girls' tent. His arm was between her—" Usopp immediately shook his head. "No. She didn't. Impossible. Ridiculous. Unfounded. Clearly a hallucination caused by stress."

He paused beside a large root and pressed a hand over his heart.

"I am a brave warrior of the sea," he whispered firmly. "I have faced pirates, fishmen, Marines, assassins, and monsters from the sky. I will not be defeated by something as horrifying as… implications." His face twisted. "Besides, Nami would kill me if I said anything. So there is nothing to say." He nodded to himself. "Because nothing happened." Satisfied with the lie, or at least determined to survive by it, Usopp continued farther into the trees to relieve himself.

That was when he heard it.

A soft tap.

"Eh?"

He then heard a scrape followed by another tap.

Usopp froze when he realized the sound came from the direction of the Going Merry. Slowly, very slowly, he turned his head toward the cloud-lake shoreline. The Merry still rested on top of the sacrificial altar, her wounded hull silvered by the dim light filtering through the canopy.

Tap. Scrape. Tap.

Usopp swallowed hard and crept closer.

In the pale moonlight, a small figure stood near the damaged hull. A tiny hammer rose and fell with careful, steady taps. Planks shifted into place. Nails gleamed. The figure worked silently, almost gently, as though tending to something precious.

Usopp's blood turned cold. His mouth opened, but no sound came out.

The small figure paused and, in a soft voice carried only by the night, said, "Don't worry. I'll carry you all a little longer."

Usopp's eyes widened until they nearly left his skull.

The scream finally arrived, but it did not get far.

His body went stiff, his soul seemed to leap several feet out of his mouth, and he toppled backward onto the ground with a faint, pathetic thud.

…

"There," Nami said, pulling the last knot tight with a satisfied little tug. "All done. Thanks for your help, Robin.”

Robin sat nearby, smiling pleasantly. "Of course."

Ben lay on the tent floor, bound from shoulders to ankles in enough rope to make even a captured pirate look underprepared. Thick coils pinned his arms tightly against his sides, crossing over his chest and stomach before cinching around his torso. More rope wrapped around his thighs, knees, and lower legs, keeping them pressed together while a final set of knots secured his ankles near his sneakers.

He lifted his head just enough to look down at himself. "Seems a bit overkill, don'tcha think?"

Nami shrugged and stepped over him to reach her sleeping mat. "We can't take any chances."

"This really isn't necessary. I can sleep with the guys outside."

"Nope."

"I'm serious."

"So am I." Nami sat down and pulled her blanket over her legs. "You can't be trusted."

Ben frowned. "I can be trusted."

"You'll wander off to stand watch all night the second everyone falls asleep."

"Well…" He looked away. "Not all night."

Nami pointed at him. "Exactly."

Robin's smile deepened. "Navigator is quite determined that you get your share of sleep, even if that means keeping you beside her."

The orange-haired girl's face warmed instantly. "D-Don't make it weird, Robin!"

Ben blinked, then glanced between them. "Wait. Was it not weird before?"

"It was practical," she snapped.

"Practical kidnapping."

"Sleep enforcement."

"Against my will."

"For your own good."

Robin turned a page in her notes, still smiling. "How considerate."

Nami gave her a sharp look. "You're enjoying this way too much."

"A little."

Ben shifted on the floor, twisting his shoulders slightly. He wiggled again, then grimaced.

Nami noticed. "Try all you like, but those knots aren't budging."

"I'm not trying to escape."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Yes, because right now there's a rope digging into my back and it's really itchy."

Nami stared at him.

Ben squirmed again, face tightening. "No, seriously. It's right under my shoulder blade. This is torture."

"That's what you get for being Mr. Independent," Nami said, lying down on her mat. "Now enough chit-chat. Time for bed."

Ben rolled his head back against the blanket beneath him. "Can you at least do something about the rope? It's really itchy."

"No."

"Nami."

"No."

"This is cruel and unusual."

"You should've thought of that before sneaking off alone."

"I didn't sneak. I dramatically pursued information."

"You abandoned supervision."

"C'mon, I'm eighteen years old."

"And currently tied up because you act like you're ten."

Ben opened his mouth, then closed it. "That felt personal."

"It was."

Robin set her notes aside and reached for the small lamp. "Perhaps tomorrow he will remember that teamwork is less uncomfortable than rope."

Ben looked at her. "You're both enjoying this."

Nami tucked herself beneath her blanket with a smug little smile. "Nighty night, Ben Tennyson."

Robin's smile softened with pleased curiosity. "Good night, Ben Tennyson." Robin turned off the lamp and darkness settled over the tent.

For a few seconds, only the soft sounds of the camp outside filled the silence.

Ben shifted again, the itch still there on his back. "Aww, man."

…

Ben lasted longer than he wanted to admit. The itch under his shoulder blade kept dragging him back toward consciousness every few minutes, and the ropes made getting comfortable impossible. He tried shifting onto his side once, only to discover that being tied from shoulders to ankles did not leave a lot of room for creative sleeping positions. After a quiet, defeated groan, he gave up and settled flat on his back again.

He had considered transforming into Big Chill or Ghostfreak and phasing out of the ropes just to prove a point. The only problem was that proving a point required being awake enough to care, and exhaustion had finally hit him like a freight train. When Ben fell asleep, he fell asleep.

Somewhere deep in the night, he stirred.

For a few seconds, he had no idea where he was. The tent was dark except for the faint silver wash of moonlight slipping through a narrow gap in the flap, and the air was warm with the quiet breathing of the two people on either side of him.

He then remembered the ropes.

Ben blinked slowly. Oh right. Sleep enforcement.

He was lying in the middle of the tent, still bound and half-buried beneath a thin blanket. Nami slept to his right, Robin to his left. At some point during the night, Nami had rolled onto her side facing him, one arm tucked under her pillow while the other rested loosely against the blanket between them.

Ben turned his head as much as the bindings allowed.

Nami's face was right there.

Not close enough to touch, but close enough that his groggy brain took a full second to reboot. Her orange hair had spilled messily across her cheek, and her breathing was soft and even. For once, she did not look annoyed, stressed, or ready to charge him interest for existing. Ben felt his face warming a bit as his eyes took in Nami's lips open and close slightly with each breath she took. Said breathe also being felt by his upper lip and nose as he registered a kind of fruity scent no doubt from the drinks that she had before.

If she wasn't asleep, I would think she was almost about to kiss me. Ben went very still. Nope. Definitely still dreaming.

That was the only explanation. Either that, or the ropes had finally cut off enough circulation to make his brain start inventing things. Given his week so far, both felt equally possible.

On the other side of him, Robin's eyes opened. She watched him for a moment from her mat, calm and silent. Moonlight caught the faint curve of her mouth as she took in Ben lying perfectly rigid between them, his eyes wide as if Eneru himself had appeared beside him. Her smile deepened by the smallest fraction. She then closed her eyes again.

Ben swallowed, lowered his head back against the blanket, and stared at the roof of the tent. "Okay," he whispered so quietly it barely made a sound. "Still dreaming. Definitely still dreaming."

Nami shifted with a soft murmur.

Ben shut his eyes immediately, as if that might erase the situation from existence. Nope. Not a thing. Stress hallucination. Totally normal superhero problem.

Within a few minutes, exhaustion dragged him under again.

For a while, the tent was quiet.

Nami then shifted once more in her sleep. Her hand slid farther across the blanket between them, fingers loosely curling against the fabric near Ben's bound arm. Her shoulder eased a little closer, not enough to press against him, but enough that the narrow space between them became narrower still.

…

Morning came quietly over Upper Yard. Sunlight filtered through the forest canopy in thin, broken shafts, catching on the damp leaves and the pale surface of the cloud-lake. The camp was still half-asleep until Usopp's scream tore through the trees.

"Look!" Usopp shouted, his voice cracking with disbelief. "I told you! Someone was here! I saw them! It wasn't a dream after all!"

Within minutes, the Straw Hat crew was stumbling after him toward the shoreline, some still rubbing sleep from their eyes while others reached for weapons out of habit. Usopp stood near the edge of the cloud-lake, pointing toward the sacrificial altar with a shaking hand.

"The Going Merry has been repaired!"

The ship sat there in the morning light, and she looked repaired.

It wasn't perfect or new, since the wear of their journey was still there in her frame. But the damage from the Knock Up Stream and the violent ride on the Lobster Express had been carefully patched. Broken planks had been replaced or set back into place. Torn sections of the hull had been reinforced. The wounds that should have kept her from sailing had been closed.

Luffy's eyes widened. "Whoa! Merry's fixed!"

Chopper hopped in place, staring wide-eyed. "It really is! But how? We didn't do it!"

Usopp's voice cracked again. "That's what I'm saying!"

To get a closer look, they swung across the vines toward the altar, landing near the ship one after another. Usopp reached the Merry first and pressed both hands against the hull like he expected the wood to vanish if he blinked.

Nami stepped closer, placing a hand on the metal plating around the mast's base. "He's right. Even the broken mast is fixed."

Sanji looked around. "I hate to say this, but the work's pretty shoddy."

"Still, someone's looking out for us." Luffy said.

Robin's gaze moved over the repairs. "Usopp did say he saw someone last night."

Usopp stiffened. "…I thought it was a ghost!"

"But who would fix ships for us in a place like this?" Zoro asked. "In Upper Yard, everyone's been nothing but hostile."

No one had an answer.

Nami looked from the mast down toward the cloud-lake, her eyes narrowing as the realization settled in. "Wait. That means whoever did this had to pull the mast all the way out of the lake, drag it up here, and reattach it overnight."

Sanji stared up at the mast again. "That's not a small repair."

Zoro folded his arms. "So someone snuck up here in the middle of the night, fixed our ship, hauled the mast back from the lake, and left without asking for anything?"

Usopp swallowed. "Exactly."

Luffy leaned over the railing and looked at the Merry's frame. "So it's no longer a flying ship, huh, Usopp?"

Usopp glanced at the missing wings, crest, and tail from the modifications done on Jaya. "That's what I'm thinking about right now."

Luffy blinked at him.

The sniper's hands tightened against the railing. "How did the guy who fixed our ship know what the Going Merry looked like originally?" His voice lowered, unease creeping through it. "How did he know it didn't have a crest, or wings, or a tail?"

For a second, the memory of a tiny hammer tapping in the moonlight crawled back up Usopp's spine. A small figure. A soft voice. Words he was not ready to explain because he was not sure he could explain them to himself.

"Don't worry. I'll carry you all a little longer."

Nami glanced at him. "Usopp?"

He flinched. "Huh? Nothing! I mean, I don't know! I just found it like this!"

Sanji gave him a suspicious look. "You're acting weird."

"I am reacting normally to a mysterious overnight ship repair!" Usopp snapped. "Anyone would be acting weird!"

Zoro looked back at the Merry. "Well, weird or not, she'll float."

Nami nodded, though her expression remained uneasy. "That's what matters for now. We can figure out who did this later."

The figurehead seemed to smile beneath the morning sun.

Usopp stared at it a moment longer than the others. Then, very quietly, he placed one hand against the wood and whispered, "Thanks."

…

Back at the camp, the Straw Hats reconvened as Sanji started the process of making a quick breakfast for everyone, including the Shandorians.

As the group settled, Usopp noticed one person was missing. "Uh… where's Ben?"

Everyone turned.

Sanji's visible eye narrowed. "He better not have run off again."

Chopper spun in place. "I didn't see him when I woke up!"

Zoro glanced around the clearing, his frown deepening.

Robin's eyes shifted toward the girls' tent, and her expression softened into faint amusement. "He is still here."

Before anyone could ask what she meant, Robin raised one hand. The ground beneath the tent shifted subtly, and a cluster of hands sprouted inside with calm precision.

There was a muffled protest.

The tent flap snapped open as Robin's hands lifted something out from within and Ben tumbled into the grass, still bound from shoulders to ankles. He landed face-first with a dull thud.

"Morning, guys," he groaned into the ground. "In case anyone asks, this is not how I usually start my mornings."

Luffy stared for one full second, then exploded with laughter. "HAHAHA! BEN GOT TURNED INTO A PRESENT!"

Zoro's mouth curved upward, clearly enjoying the sight far more than he intended to show. "Looks like someone had a busy night."

Aisa stepped forward, concern immediately overpowering her confusion. "Why is he tied up like that?"

Braham tilted his head. "Odd."

Laki crossed her arms, frowning slightly. "Even Wyper did not have him restrained this ridiculously."

Ben rolled onto his back. "You know, if I had one Berri for every time I got tied up in the last twenty-four hours, I'd have two Berri." He paused and blinked. "Which isn't much, but it's weird that it happened twice."

Sanji stepped forward at once, his voice rising. "Hold on! Why was he in the girls' tent in the first place?" He glared at Ben. “You! Explain yourself!”

Ben looked up from the grass. "Good morning to you too."

The cook pointed at him with trembling fury. "If you were up to anything perverted, I swear I'll kick you so damn hard you'll reach the Blue Sea before breakfast!"

Ben's expression flattened. "Yeah, because clearly the guy tied up like a roast chicken was the mastermind here."

Zoro looked from Nami to Robin, then down at Ben. A thought seemed to occur to him.

"Hold on. Was it you who repaired the Merry last night?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "Did you use that little red monster?" It would make sense with how fast and efficiently Juryrigg had repaired Cricket's house and reattached the Merry's bow on Jaya.

Before Ben could answer, Usopp snapped upright. "It couldn't have been him! He's tied up." He paused. "…And I might have seen Nami drag him in there last night."

The camp went still.

Usopp's face tightened as he realized how that sounded. "Or I might have been hallucinating from stress or exhaustion. Honestly, both are equally possible."

Nami went red in an instant. "Usopp! Don't say it like that! You'll give everyone the wrong idea!"

"What?" Usopp cried. "I said it was possibly a hallucination!"

Sanji's face went pale. "Nami… dragged a man into the girls' tent in the middle of the night?" His voice cracked. "This is scandalous. Forbidden. A heavenly opportunity that should have been mine!"

"See?" Ben said dryly. "And somehow I'm the suspicious one."

Robin lightly covered her mouth, watching the chaos with quiet amusement. "The reason Ben was bound is quite simple, actually."

"Thank you, Robin," Nami sighed in relief, expecting Robin to clear up the misunderstanding.

However, the archeologist’s lips curved faintly. "Navigator was quite determined to have Ben sleep beside her."

"ROBIN?!" Nami's face went fully red, her teeth sharpening as she glared at the older woman.

Robin's smile remained serene.

Ben glanced up at Nami. "So… should I start screaming for help now, or after breakfast?"

Nami's foot came down on his back. "You stay quiet!"

Zoro started laughing under his breath. "Guess the snake really did get charmed after all."

Sanji short-circuited. His body trembled as his soul seemed to drift halfway out of him. "Wait," he whispered. "He was in the girls' tent… with Nami… and Robin… alone…"

Usopp backed away. "Oh no."

Sanji clutched his head. "He got a face full of Nami's… then Laki sat on him when he was that weird dog thing… and now this… and the pillows—"

He then exploded. "CURSE YOU, BEN TENNYSON!"

Zoro laughed openly now, feeding off the chaos as Sanji spiraled and Nami tried to kill Robin with her eyes alone. "Careful, cook. You might start thinking he's your rival."

Nami turned sharply toward Zoro. "Do not encourage this!"

Zoro only shrugged, still smirking. "What? Just observing."

Sanji growled and lunged at the swordsman.

Zoro met him halfway, drawing two swords in a flash as the chef's heel came cutting toward his head. Steel crossed with a sharp clang, catching the kick before it could land.

Chopper screamed, hooves flying to his head. "They're fighting again!"

Usopp threw both hands up. "Why is it always like this?!"

Sanji twisted off the blocked strike and spun into another kick, his leg snapping through the air like a whip. Zoro leaned back just enough to avoid it, then brought one sword down while the other guarded his side.

Sanji's foot slammed into the flat of the blade. "Don't block with those rusty things, mosshead!"

"Then stop kicking like a drunk flamingo," Zoro shot back.

Their clash carried them across the grass in a blur of black shoes and flashing steel. Sanji pressed forward with sharp, precise kicks, while Zoro answered with both swords, parrying, deflecting, and smirking like that made it worse on purpose.

Braham and Laki exchanged a look, both visibly unconcerned but mildly confused.

Laki blinked twice. "Blue Sea culture is very… energetic."

"I was going to say ridiculous," Braham said.

Aisa simply watched Ben struggle in the grass. "Shouldn't we untie him?"

Ben turned his head toward her. "Yes. Please. That would be great."

Sanji's next kick crashed against Zoro's crossed blades hard enough to send a small gust through the camp. Zoro pushed back, boots dragging slightly through the dirt, his grin widening as Sanji landed lightly on one foot.

"Still weak," Zoro said.

Sanji's visible eye twitched. "Say that again."

Zoro tilted both swords over his shoulders. "Weak."

Sanji launched forward.

Nami finally stomped her foot hard enough to cut through the noise. "Both of you, knock it off!"

Silence hit instantly. Sanji froze with one leg raised mid-kick. Zoro stopped with both swords crossed in front of him, still smirking like he had won something.

Nami exhaled sharply, then pointed toward the bound hero on the ground. "We need to figure out our plan. And someone untie him before I change my mind."

Ben let his head drop back. "I appreciate the priority system here."

…

By the time the misunderstanding was cleared up and Ben was untied, the camp had mostly recovered from the morning's first round of chaos.

Well, mostly.

Luffy, as usual, seemed completely unconcerned. He crouched near the center of the group, grinning brightly.

"Okay, everyone! Today we beat Eneru!"

Usopp stared at him. "Could you at least pretend there's more planning involved?"

"There is," Nami said, spreading the map across a flat section of root. "Eneru still has his priests. And each one of them is dangerous enough to be a problem on their own."

"Not only the priests," Braham said.

The group looked toward him.

Laki stood beside Aisa with her arms folded, her expression grim. "There is also Eneru's Army."

Braham gave a small nod. "The Divine Soldiers serve Eneru directly. They are not priests, but there are many of them, and they will not simply stand aside if we push deeper into Upper Yard."

"And their commander?" Robin asked.

"Yama," Laki said. "He is brutal."

Nami tapped the map with one finger. "Exactly. So charging in blindly would be stupid."

Luffy blinked. "But we're still charging in, right?"

"Yes," Nami said. "Just not blindly."

Usopp swallowed. "That distinction is not as comforting as you think it is."

Zoro leaned against a tree, one hand resting near his swords. "We're going in anyway."

"Yes," Nami said. "But intelligently."

Sanji lit a cigarette. "So not the way mosshead usually walks anywhere."

Zoro's eye twitched. "Say that again."

"Enough," Nami snapped.

Gan Fall sat nearby with a blanket around his shoulders, Pierre close beside him. His face had regained some color, but Chopper had already made it very clear that he was in no shape to fight. Braham stood with Laki and Aisa on the opposite side of the map. He had said little since morning, but his attention remained sharp. Laki stayed close to Aisa, while the girl herself watched the Straw Hats with guarded curiosity.

Ben looked between the Shandorians and the crew. "The Shandorians are planning to attack Upper Yard too. If we run into each other out there, we can help one another." He glanced at Braham. "Or at least not get in each other's way."

Braham's mouth barely moved. "That depends on the situation."

"Good enough," Ben said. "That's basically cooperation with extra attitude."

Laki gave him a flat look. "You speak strangely."

"He does that," Nami said.

Usopp raised a hand. "Question. What about the Merry?"

That quieted the group slightly.

Chopper's ears drooped as he looked toward Gan Fall. "And the Sky Knight still can't fight. He needs protection."

"Which is why we split up," Nami tapped the map again. "Ship group: me, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Aisa, Gan Fall, and Pierre. We'll get the Going Merry away from the altar and out of Upper Yard's danger zone."

Luffy pointed at himself. "And us?"

"You, Ben, Zoro, Robin, Laki, and Braham push deeper into Upper Yard."

Aisa straightened. "I'm going with them."

Laki frowned. "Aisa."

"I know the forest," the little girl said, chin lifting. "And I can feel them. I can help."

Nami studied her for a moment, then looked at Laki and Braham. "She's from your village. You make the final call."

Braham looked at Laki. "She is safer where we can see her."

Laki's mouth tightened.

Aisa stared up at her, stubborn and silent.

Laki clearly hated the idea. Every part of her expression said she did not want to bring Aisa anywhere near a battlefield. But Aisa had already run off once and leaving her behind only meant risking her doing it again when no one was watching.

Finally, Laki exhaled. "You stay close to me."

Aisa nodded quickly.

"I mean it," Laki said, her voice sharpening. "No running ahead. No sneaking away."

Aisa looked down. "I know."

"You had better."

Gan Fall looked toward the direction of the altar. "How do you intend to move your ship without damaging it further?"

Braham's gaze followed his. "I am no shipbuilder, but even I can tell its condition is poor."

Usopp bristled. "Hey! The Merry's tougher than she looks!" His shoulders tightened a moment later, betraying him. He knew Braham was right.

Ben rose and dusted off his pants. "I can get her down."

Nami turned toward him. "Another one of your ridiculous monster forms?"

He smirked. "See? You're catching on."

She narrowed her eyes. "That was not praise."

"I'm choosing to hear it that way."

Ben glanced toward the shoreline, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Pretty sure Humungousaur could just pick it up."

Luffy's head snapped up. "Is that a big, strong monster?"

Chopper's eyes sparkled at once. "That sounds huge!"

Usopp's face paled. "Please tell me huge does not mean ship-crushing huge."

A short while later, the group gathered near the shoreline while the Going Merry still sat atop the altar. Usopp climbed aboard first, moving carefully as the ship creaked beneath his feet.

"Easy, Merry," he murmured, patting the railing with one hand. "We're getting you down. In one piece." He turned his head and aimed the last part directly at Ben.

"No pressure or anything," Ben murmured.

The Omnitrix bearer stood on top of the altar, looking over the damage along the hull. The longer he stared, the more his confidence shifted. The Merry was seaworthy, technically, but barely.

Humungousaur could easily lift the ship but could also break her by accident if he wasn't careful. And carefulness wasn't one of Humungousaur's strong suits.

Ben glanced at the Omnitrix. "Okay. Let's go with a different approach."

Activating the Omnitrix, he scrolled for the icon he wanted and slammed down the dial. Green light flashed across the altar as Ben's body instantly transformed. When the flash faded, standing in his place was…

"Echo Echo!"

On the shoreline, Chopper pointed. "Hey! It's the small one!"

Zoro crossed his arms. "The little screamer?"

Luffy's face fell. "That doesn't look like a Humungo Guy."

"I think it was Humung-o-soar?" Chopper offered.

Gan Fall lowered himself onto a nearby log, staring in open bewilderment. "What manner of creature is that?"

Robin's eyes brightened. "A Sonorosian."

Everyone turned toward her.

"That is what he said this form was called," Robin explained calmly.

Laki stared toward Echo Echo, then toward the Omnitrix symbol. "How many forms does he have?"

Braham's answer was quiet. "More than enough to be dangerous."

Aisa tilted her head. "This one looks cute."

Nami smiled at the Shandorian girl. "I know, right?"

Sanji went rigid. His cigarette nearly fell from his mouth.

He slowly turned toward Laki, desperation creeping into his voice. "Laki-chan… surely you, too, see the charm in refined human elegance over tiny walking speakers?"

Laki studied Echo Echo for another moment. "It does have an adorable aspect."

Sanji clutched his chest as though struck by divine lightning. "Even the women in the sky praise that tiny living whistle! There is no justice!"

Zoro snorted. "Pathetic."

The chef rounded on him. "Shut up, mosshead! You wouldn't understand the suffering of a romantic soul!"

On the ship, Usopp leaned over the railing and stared down at Echo Echo. "The freaky scream monster? How's that gonna get the Merry off this altar?"

Echo Echo looked up at him. "Don't. Worry."

With green flashes, he started cloning himself. In seconds, dozens of Sonorasians stood across the altar, each one looking at the Going Merry from a different angle as if the ship had personally offended their sense of logistics.

All of them spoke at once. "I'm. All. Over. It."

Usopp's jaw dropped. "That is still creepy!"

The Echo Echos ignored him and spread out beneath the Merry, each clone finding a stable section of hull, keel, or support.

The ship rose a little at first, then higher.

Usopp clutched the railing. "Whoa! Hey! They're actually lifting her!"

Chopper jumped in place. "Amazing! They're so strong!"

Robin watched closely, one hand at her chin. "Individually, perhaps not. But together, they distribute the weight. Similar to ants lifting objects much larger than themselves."

Luffy grinned. "So Ben is a bunch of tiny ants!"

Nami put a hand to her forehead. "That is not what she said."

The Echo Echos began shuffling toward the altar stairs…then they stopped.

One clone near the bow leaned out and looked down the long drop. "Okay. Bow. First."

Another immediately snapped, "No. Stern. First."

"The. Bow. Is. Pointed. Toward. The. Stairs."

"That. Is. Why. Bow. First. Is. Bad."

"How. Is. The. Front. Going. First. Bad?"

Usopp leaned farther over the railing. "No, no, no! You have to angle the bow first! Bow first!"

A clone looked up at him. "That. Is. A. Terrible. Idea."

"It's my ship!"

"And. We. Are. Carrying. It."

Another clone near the stern shifted his grip. "Lift. Your. Side."

"I. Am. Lifting. My. Side."

"Then. Why. Is. My. Side. Heavier?"

The Merry dipped half an inch.

Usopp's soul nearly left his body. "Don't dip! Never dip!"

He immediately pulled back from the railing, then pointed down at them. "Just get her down carefully!"

One clone near the middle called out, "Everybody. Turn. Left."

Another clone frowned. "Your. Left. Or. My. Left?"

"We. Have. The. Same. Left."

"No. We. Don't. I'm. Facing. The. Other. Way."

"Then. Turn. Around."

"If. I. Turn. Around. I. Drop. The. Keel."

"Then. Don't. Turn. Around."

"Then. Don't. Say. Left."

A clone near the front threw both hands up, then immediately remembered he was helping hold a ship and grabbed the hull again. "Fine. Starboard."

Another clone stared at him. "Which. Starboard?"

"There. Is. Only. One. Starboard."

"Not. When. There. Are. A. Hundred. Of. Us."

From the shoreline, Luffy burst into laughter. "Ben's fighting Ben!"

Zoro folded his arms, watching the mob of tiny aliens argue under the Merry. "So he's annoying in groups too."

Nami's shoulders shook as she brought a hand to her mouth, trying to hide her giggles.

Key word: trying.

Robin's smile turned fascinated. "Interesting. If each clone is an extension of him, then this suggests either independent processing or a divided expression of his own thoughts."

Nami watched the clones bicker beneath the ship. "That explains a lot about him, actually."

Sanji noticed Nami's laughter immediately, his expression softening into pure devotion. "Nami-swan's laughter is worth every inconvenience."

"I'm not laughing," she said, though the twitch at the corner of her mouth betrayed her.

The Echo Echos shuffled another few feet toward the stairs, then froze again when the bow angled too far.

"Stop. Stop. Stop."

"Who. Is. Pushing?"

"I'm. Not. Pushing."

"Someone. Is. Pushing."

"I'm. Stabilizing."

Another clone squinted down the altar stairs. "We. Cannot. Carry. It. Like. This."

A different Echo Echo gasped dramatically. "Finally. Sense."

"We. Need. A. Controlled. Descent."

"We. Need. Rope."

Usopp blinked. "Wait, that actually sounds like a plan."

The clones immediately began moving with more purpose. Several dozen climbed and hopped their way back up to the top of the altar while others lowered the Merry just enough for a group to secure thick ropes around the bow. The lines stretched from the front of the ship all the way back to the top of the altar, where a large cluster of Echo Echos braced themselves in rows.

One clone at the top shouted, "Ropes. Secured."

Another near the bow checked the knots. "Bow. Stable."

A third clone under the hull nodded. "Carriers. Ready."

One more looked around. "Slow. And. Steady."

Several clones answered at once. "Slow. And. Steady."

A beat passed until one muttered, "No. Pivoting."

A dozen clones snapped back, "Nobody. Said. Pivot."

Usopp pointed at them. "Just move!"

This time, the descent actually worked. The Echo Echos at the top held the ropes tight, easing the Merry down inch by inch, while the rest carried from beneath and guided the hull along the altar stairs with careful, synchronized steps.

"Little. Lower."

"Hold. Hold."

"Watch. The. Rudder."

"I. Hate. Moving. Ships."

"You. Suggested. This."

"I. Suggested. Helping. Not. Becoming. Ship. Movers."

At last, after several tense minutes, three separate complaints about hand placement, and one very loud warning from Usopp about the mast, the Echo Echos reached the base of the altar.

"On. Ten."

"Which. Ten?"

"Our. Usual. Ten."

"Oh."

"One. Two. Ten!"

Together, the clones lowered the Going Merry into the cloud-lake, and the ship finally settled with a soft splash.

For one breath, everyone waited as the Merry bobbed gently.

Thankfully, her mysterious repairs held.

Usopp's face softened. "She's floating."

Echo Echo looked up from the shore. "Told. You."

Later, once the Echo Echo clones had all recombined into the prime version, the Going Merry drifted closer to the shoreline so the others could board without trouble.

Echo Echo stepped off the gangplank onto the shore and tapped the Omnitrix dial. Green light flashed over him and Ben instantly stood there in his human form again.

"So, good news," Ben said, brushing his jacket off. "I didn't accidentally invent ship pancakes today."

Nami walked past him toward the Merry. "That is the lowest possible standard."

"But I met it."

"Barely."

The ship group boarded soon after. Chopper helped Gan Fall aboard with Usopp and Pierre's assistance, while Sanji carried supplies and Nami immediately took control of the plan with sharp, efficient orders.

On the shoreline, Luffy adjusted his straw hat and grinned toward the trees.

Zoro rested a hand on his swords. Robin stepped beside them with her usual calm, her eyes already searching the forest for ruins and danger in equal measure. Laki, Braham, and Aisa joined them as well, each carrying the weight of Upper Yard in a different way.

Ben looked from the Going Merry to the jungle ahead.

Two groups. One ship to protect. One self-proclaimed god to bring down.

Luffy cracked his knuckles. "All right," he turned to Ben. "Let's go beat Eneru."

Ben smiled. The weight was still there, but it felt steadier now. "Yeah."

He turned toward Upper Yard with the others, his trademark smirk settling back into place.

"It's Hero Time."

…

A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed this installment. The next several chapters will feature the climax of the Skypiea arc. You can expect some things to be altered due to the ripple effect from Ben’s actions.

Huge shout-out to Masamune X23 and Sunrac for their help with editing, beta-reading, and consulting throughout the writing process.

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