Sunlight danced across the Thousand Sunny's swaying deck as the mermaid Camie righted herself against the gentle breeze, water cascading from her mint-green hair. With a shy smile, she flicked her tail and said, her voice as light as sea foam, "Thank you for saving me from being digested—again. I lose count how many times I've been eaten by sharks. This makes twenty."
Luffy's eyes widened with concern. "Twenty times?!" He leaned forward, earnest. "You must be really tasty!"
Camie giggled, brushing a strand from her face. "Just to thank you, I'd love to make you some takoyaki. By the way—do you like takoyaki?"
Luffy's stomach rumbled. "Takoyaki? That's my favorite!" His excitement was so infectious that Sanji, drifting in from below, perked up.
Camie's grin faltered, and she frowned, tucking a finger to her lips. "Well then… one—two—" She hesitated, then blurted, "Five hundred beri for one!"
The instant her price tag floated over the table, her starfish companion Pappagg smacked her cheek with a soft slap. "This is no store, you silly mermaid!" he squeaked.
Camie shrieked, cheeks aflame. "Huh?! I got it wrong?!" All at once, the crew gasped in unison, eyes as wide as saucers.
Moments later, Camie flopped onto a bench by the mainmast, shoulders heaving with laughter at her own embarrassment. Sanji drifted over, heart nearly bursting. He bowed deeply, voice thick with admiration. "Oh, Camie-san—you are the loveliest mermaid I've ever laid eyes on. Such grace, such beauty—"
Brook cleared his throat, tipping his skull cane forward. "Yohoho—actually, it's my first time meeting a mermaid, too. Say—could you spare a bit of cash?"
Sanji's eyes bulged. He drew back a foot and delivered a gentle kick to Brook's shin. "What for?!"
Camie squealed, tail flicking. "A skeleton! He wants money!"
Sanji waved thankfully. "See? Leave her alone, you bony bandit!"
But Brook ignored him, twisting his skull lid open with a theatrical flourish. "Look! I can even open my head!"
Camie clapped her hands, delighted. "That's so funny!" she laughed. Usopp and Chopper, standing by the railing, exchanged amazed glances. "Wow… she got over that quickly," Usopp whispered.
Suddenly, Luffy bounded over, eyes alight. "Hey—drawn her attention—do mermaids poop?"
Sanji's fork flew from his hand as he leapt up, nose turning pink. "What kind of question is that?!"
Camie blinked. In a voice as sweet as clinking shells, she crooned, "Poop? Sure, I—"
Sanji clamped a hand over her mouth. "Nope—no explanations necessary!"
Near the prow, Lucas lounged in the shade, eyes narrowing as he stroked his chin. "Wait—if that's so, it makes logical sense… if you eat, you must excrete. But does that mean your lower half is… unclothed?"
Nami, seated beside him, snapped: "That's enough, Lucas!" She punched his shoulder so hard he nearly tumbled off the rail. Lucas winced, rubbing the spot, while Sanji backed away with a sniff. "I… I wasn't imagining things?"
Pappagg the starfish, perched on Camie's shoulder, muttered in a high-pitched grumble. "Humans and their weird questions…"
Camie brightened. "Oh! I almost forgot—this is my master and pet, Pappagg!" The starfish turned to the crew. "Yes, Pappagg is a starfish," she said.
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "How does that work?"
Usopp hopped forward. "Wait—starfish talk?!"
In the sudden spotlight, Pappagg straightened his tiny arms, cleared his throat, and launched into a jaunty tune—his voice surprisingly rich and melodic. But the Straw Hats crowded around Camie again, peppering her with questions until Pappagg finished his chorus. He blinked, crestfallen at being ignored.
Luffy knelt beside him, grinning. "Oh, right—why can you talk?"
Pappagg's eyes lit up. He puffed his chest. "Ah—such a good question! When I was just a wee polyp—"
At that moment, Lucas's Omnitrix flickered with its signature chime. He glanced at the dial, then up at the horizon. A ripple ran through the water—and the ship shuddered under an unseen current.
"Captain—something's up," Robin said, tilting her head, violet eyes sharp as ever.
Lucas closed the Omnitrix. "All good," he lied, voice tight. But inside, he wondered.
Moments later, Nami had the crew trimmed and tacking, following a shimmering school of fish zipping beneath the hull. "Where are we heading?" Lucas murmured, joining her by the wheel.
Nami glanced at Pappagg, who was mid-explanation of the Fish-Man kidnappers on the approaching archipelago. "Sabaody," she said. "The Makuro Gang—three fishmen—kidnapped Hatchan before. We might run into them."
Lucas nodded. "Shabondy Archipelago… place I doubt I could control myself if I ever go there."
Sanji's brow furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Before Lucas could answer, the lead fish scattered like startled birds. Luffy's voice echoed from the deck above. "Uh—what's going on?"
Camie pointed skyward, voice trembling. "They can't go any farther—they said this is as far as they can take us."
Pappagg yelled, voice crackling. "Uwah! The Flying Fish Riders!"
The Straw Hats looked up, squinting. Sanji's wind-whipped hair bristled. "Where? I don't—"
Pappagg flailed. "Not in the sea—they're above!"
Suddenly, slews of winged fish, each ridden by small, agile figures in colorful garb, streaked over the Sunny in perfect V-formation. They jettisoned small explosive orbs like mortar shells. The bombs exploded in bright orange blossoms as they fell—but wind gusts from the fish wings diverted the blasts harmlessly outward. Shrapnel rained harmlessly around the deck.
Franky's goggles flashed. "That was close!"
Pappagg cried, "They can stay airborne for five minutes!"
The fish riders banked and sailed away, looping back toward the bow—but they flew past without firing again.
Sanji scratched his temple. "If they wanted to report us, they could've just used a transponder snail."
Usopp threw his hands up. "Yeah! They could've just snail-mailed!"
Luffy simply waved after the winged cavalry. "Those flying fish—I want a ride!"
Robin folded her arms, expression calm. "They must've been ordered to withdraw."
Sanji stirred a spoon in his empty bowl. "Whatever. They probably returned to… wherever we're heading."
Then Usopp snapped his fingers. "We should ready the cannons—just in case!"
Franky's mechanical arms hummed. "Good thinking, Usopp!"
As the Sunny carved a fresh wake, the ragged archipelago hove into view: rocky isles crowned with twisted mangroves. Camie gasped. "We're here! That's the place."
Sanji wiped his hands on his apron. "Don't worry, Camie-chan—we'll free Hatchan in seconds."
Camie's face fell. "Be careful. The Makuro Gang's got me thirty times—they'll be ready."
The Straw Hats all replied: thirty times. That's way too many times!.