The vast expanse of the ocean churned as the Super Tortoise powered her way through the waves. On its back, the rest of the crew stood by the railing. They could see the shimmering heat haze of the sandy island approaching in the distance.
Vivi stood at the front. The wind whipped her blue hair as she stared at the island. The sight of the endless sand brought a flicker of nostalgia to her eyes. "Does the desert trigger any memories, Ashivra?" she asked softly as she thought of her own home in Alabasta.
Ashivra looked at the island. "No," she responded with a sigh. "It does not. Everything is still a blur," she added.
"We can keep trying," Zala remarked as she placed a supportive hand on Ashivra's shoulder.
"It's going to be incredibly hot there," Conis commented as she shielded her eyes from the intensifying sun. The tropical breeze was already being replaced by a dry, scorching wind.
"It definitely will be," Honey agreed. "It'll feel like an oven," she added.
"Everyone needs to stay hydrated," Kaya warned.
Vivi nodded."Heatstroke is a silent enemy," Vivi remarked. The girls all nodded.
As they watched the waves crash against the Super Tortoise's shell, Honey looked at Conis. "Conis," Honey said. "Your beast form looked beautiful. Have you used it again?" she asked.
"Yes, just once," Conis replied as her wings fluttered nervously. "It was intense," she added.
"Can you control it now?" Vivi asked.
"I can," Conis said as she nodded slowly. "But it's incredibly tiring. I have to be careful when I choose to use it," Conis added.
Kaya looked at Zala. "Zala, can you use your hybrid form?" Kaya questioned.
"I can," Zala said. "I just haven't needed to use it so far," she added.
"Do you think you could use your Hybrid Form and your other fruit at the same time?" Honey wondered aloud.
Zala smirked. "I do not see why," Zala replied. "I have been focusing on the Six Power Techniques so I have not really thought about it," she added.
The Rose General stood silent at the edge of the shell.
The Super Tortoise finally hit the shoreline. Its massive weight grinded against the golden sands.
"We've arrived," Conis said as she looked at the endless dunes. "What shall we do now?" she questioned.
Vivi looked around. "If the treasure is on this part of the island, it'll be in a cave or something like that," Vivi remarked. She thought back to all the caves she had been in.
"You already know it," Zala remarked. "It's always a cave or a ruin," she added.
Kaya let out a long, weary sigh. "Why can't it ever be somewhere easy?" she muttered.
Suddenly, a strange tapping echoed across the dunes.
"What is that?" Honey asked.
"It sounds like music," Zala replied.
"Like Brook sang?" Ashivra asked.
"Yes but this is bad," Zala responded.
"It is very bad," Conis agreed.
Super Tortoise moved forward towards the noise. They got closer and saw a man standing on top of a nearby rock. He had long arms and a jagged grin. "Check it out. I'm Apoo, and I'm the DJ," Apoo said.
"Go for it Captain," a pirate said.
"You are the best," another shouted.
"Who are you?" Honey asked as she looked at him.
"I am Scratchman Apoo, the man here to take the treasure," Apoo replied with a sinister smile. "And you are members of the Love Pirates," he added. He then looked at Ashivra. He thought it cannot be no it must be a fake.
"We will not let you take the treasure," Honey replied.
Apoo smiled. "The treasure is huge, we can split it between us," Apoo offered.
"He is offering us a deal," Conis remarked.
"Robin said pirate alliances are often marked with betrayal," Honey added.
Vivi looked at him. "He is not trustworthy," Vivi responded.
"Looks like we have that answer," Zala replied.
"Should we not ask Ben or Alvida?" Ashivra asked as her wings fluttered.
They all smiled. "Princess has a special soft spot with our Captain," Zala said.
Kaya nodded. "Ben will never say no to her," she said.
"Hey," Vivi said.
"So what is your decision?" Apoo asked once again. He thought a crew like that would be useful to him. He smiled.
"No," Vivi stated as she shouted at Apoo.
Apoo smile turned upside down. "You have made a grave mistake," he remarked. "Bop," Apoo said as he turned his forearm into glowing strings and plucked them with a sharp snap. The air itself rippled. A sound wave invisible to the eye shrieked through the air. The shockwave slammed into the girls simultaneously. They were sent staggering backwards.
Vivi and Kaya both clutched their stomachs. There were visible bruises already forming on their skin.
Zala felt a pain in her leg. She tried to get up.
Conis was holding the guardrail. She felt a sharp pain in her arm. She panted.
"What was that?" Honey coughed as she struggled to find her footing.
Ashivra slid backwards. She felt something. "I don't know," Ashivra replied. The flame on her back flickered.
Rose General moved. "Burn Bazooka," the General said as she spawned a heavy cannon from her forearm. She then fired a massive incendiary shell at Apoo.
Apoo leapt high into the air. The shell hit the rock and exploded. There was a large smoke cloud behind Apoo as he landed on his feet.
"Slash," Apoo said as he turned his jaw into a massive cymbal. He slammed his hand down on the top of his head. A high-pitched sound wave sliced through the air toward Rose General. However, Rose General just stood there.
"Rose General?" Honey asked.
Vivi struggled to her feet. She looked at Apoo. Her eyes had changed.
"Slash," Apoo said again as he clashed his cymbal-jaw with a deafening clang.
The sound wave struck Vivi before she could move. Suddenly, a deep, bleeding gash opened across her shoulder.
"Vivi," Kaya said. She looked to see her sister bleeding.
Vivi grabbed her sword. She looked at Apoo. "Neo Beam," Vivi said as her blade began to glow with a dark, swirling purple energy. She swung the sword in a vertical arc and fired a purple projection at high speed. The beam tore through the air.
Apoo looked at the beam coming towards him. It was moving too fast and he did not have enough time to dodge. The beam slammed into his chest and exploded on contact. Apoo was sent tumbling backward down the dunes. His headphones flew off as he spat a mouthful of blood into the sand.
"Captain," a pirate shouted.
"Lets get out of here," Zala said.
The Super Tortoise turned and retreated back toward.
"What kind of Devil Fruit was that?" Honey asked as she clutched her side. "He didn't even touch us," she added.
"You are a logia as well," Zala added.
"Here, take the Heal Drink," Kaya said.
The girls all nodded and drank the Heal Drink. Their wounds were instantly healed and all bruises had disappeared.
"He was turning his body into instruments," Vivi said as she touched her chin.
"There is something there," Zala said.
"Rose General was fine," Honey said as she smiled at her.
"Yes, that is right," Ashivra responded.
"Should we head back?" Honey asked.
"We are fully healed so we should be fine," Zala responded.
"Yes, we don't need to head back," Conis said. She knew what Ben said, however she wanted to make him proud.
The Super Tortoise cruised along the jagged coastline of the sandy island until the girls spotted a massive opening in the cliffside.
"There is something there," Vivi spotted.
"It is a cave," Kaya confirmed.
In front of the cave , the girls saw a group of local pirates huddled on the ground, battered and defeated. Standing over them was a man with a round face with massive goggles, and an oversized chef's uniform. He was surrounded by a squad of Marines.
"That is Wanze," Honey said.
"We fought him at Enies Lobby?" Zala questioned.
"Yes, he has a poison weapon," Honey responded.
"We will have to take him out first," Zala replied.
"Wanze Sir there is something coming," a Marine shouted.
Super Tortoise approached them.
Wanze spun around. "You all," he said in anger as he looked at Kaya, Honey, Vivi, Zala, Conis, Ashivra. His eyes went to Honey.