"A TURTLE!!??" the others exclaimed in shock.
"It seems that the island is on it's shell. How old must that thing be to grow this big?" Aden wondered as he touched the shell.
"Centuries is my guess. Maybe more." Robin, ever composed, replied calmly.
"Yeah but how did an island grow on top of it?" Nojiko asked in confusion.
"Slow movement, giant body, lives on the sea. Natural moneral buildup i think." Aden suggested, holding his chin in thought.
"That is most likely, yes." Robin agreed.
"But...don't turtles also dive?" Buggy asked as he had a scary thought "We are all Devil Fruit users, so if it dives, it's over, man. It's so over!" he began to panic a little.
"Good point, but no worries. All we have to do is stick together, and should the turtle dive, i can just fly us out of here. So relax." Aden said calmly.
"Cam you really do that?" Ring asked with a small bit of doubt.
"Oh right. You weren't with us yet. Captain slowed down our ship's fall when entering Grand Line. So carrying four people is child's play." Nojiko said with some pride in her captain.
"Well enough about that guys. We should figure out what to do next." Aden spoke up, getting their minds back on track.
"Might i suggest taking a closer look at that tree? I have never seen anything like it." Robin suggested with a hint of excitement.
"All in favor, say aye." Aden decided.
"Aye." came a single sounding reply from all of them.
"Okay. Tree study it is." he said and began to walk towards the tree.
.
As the crew got close to the tree, the realization of just how big the tree was, truly set in.
"That js kne big tree." Buggy said, impressed.
"Thank you. Any other observations? Like the sky is blue, or Devil Fruit users are hammers?" Ring joked, getting a giggle from them all, and an embarrased blush and a grumble from the clown.
As they walked the circumference of the tree, they began noticing a strange phenomenon. The tree seemed to glow brighter in places closest to them, and even brighter still the closer they got.
"Okay that is creepy. I feel like it's watching us." Nojiko shuddered at the idea.
"Who knows, maybe it is, in it's own way. The world is a strange place." Aden said thoughtfully.
He felt strange near the tree. As if it was silently judging him. Whether it was true, or simply his paranoia flaeing up, he didn't know. But still chose to be cautios.
Just when he was about to voice his worries, something strange happened. The tree bark peeled upwards like sort of a doorway near the spot they were passing. The creaking and cracking of wood easily getting their attention, making them get reqdy for a fight.
When after a few tense seconds nothing happned, they decided to go check it out. No words were spoken, this was a mystery they were all curious to solve.
Walking into the tree, the world changed. The constant sound of wind brushing against the sharp spires, and the distant crushing of waves against the shore simply disappeared. Not muffled...gone. Even though they stood near the passage, it was like an invisible barrier.
As they stepped further inside, the bark closed up again, giving them no choice than to look around.
A complex woven system of glowing roots ran up the centre of the tree, pulsing with light like a heart pumping blood. The roots formed a left-twisting upward spiral, with smaller roots connecting each turn.
The entire are was filled with a faint ringing sound, similar to sand being slowly poured on a metal pan.
The central roots formed a semi-spherical cage at the bottom of a spiral, where the blue light was brightest, with a blue hued mist flowing out of the gaps between the roots.
The overall are seemed almost identical to the clearing outside, only much more lush and vibrant. The air was filled with a smell of mushrooms and surprisingly enought, honey.
"This... I....Look at...." Nojiko was speechless.
And getting no reply, realized so were the others.
"This place...I can't describe it, but it feels like...like.." Robin tried to find the words, but failed.
"I don't think words are enough for this, love." Aden said, only to freeze at what he said.
"What did you...?" Robin turned to him.
"Buggy your biggest insecurity. Go!" Aden suddenly turned to Buggy, havin a sudden feeling as to what just happened.
"My big, round, red nose." Buggy replied without hesitation, getting upset at revealing such.
"...I think i get it. This place forces people to speak the truth. I felt something shift within me the moment we stepped foot in the tree. Until now i had no idea what that something was." Aden saidy truthfully, as he had no other choice.
"A truth inducing trees? That is ridiculous even by your rather strange standards....." Robin began to speak and caught herself at the end "...alright i see your point."
"But how is that possible?" Nojiko asked in slight bewilderment at a tree messing with her head.
"If i were to guess, i would say the central cage holds some answers. But i am fairly certain you could have guessed that, beautiful." Buggy had a good idea, but it was overshadowed by the last part.
When everyone looked at him in shock, Nojiko most of all, he just sighed.
"It would seem...that this place also forces you to be true to yourself." he adden with a blush.
"Well we are learning a lot about each other, it would seem. And while i would love to confess my growing feelings for Robin..damnit...we really should figure this place out a bit." Aden spoke in his captain voice, only stumbling once, still getting used to this place's effect.
"I agree with captain. On all parts...drat." Robin agreed, also saying a bit much.
Deciding that staying silent for now was probably the best choice, they set off towards the heart of the tree.
.
It took them almost half an hour to make their way to the centre.
Upon walking inside the root dome, they were once again left speechless.
In the moddle of the cage was a square stone pedestal with strange symbols carved tightly into the top of it.
On the stone was a beautiful blue feather, held by a small inkwell looking stand seemingly carved out of solid crystal. The feather itself looke crystaline in structure but moved in the same way as a regular one when the disturbed air caused by their presence brushed by it.
"What is this? Well all i can tell is that the feather can't be normal." Ring said in a frustrated tone.
"Obviously." Aden droned in a slow, measured tone.
"That writing...It is the same as on the poneglyphs." Robin said suddenly.
"Can you read those?" Aden asked curiously.
"Yes. That is why the world government hunts me...I give up." Robin said, and once again revealed more. Instead of getting ulset she got to translating the writing.
"In this place i leave two of my most precious treasures. A seedling, created from my power.
And a feather from my own body, to hold all of my power.
Upon this island that yet grows, the tree shall take root and calm the storm.
The feather shall be stored within, to show the truth to all that approach.
This island is my oldest friend, and shall defend this place most fiercely.
If you are reading this, you have proven yourself worthy to stand in this place. As the island judges you as you approach and tries to deive you away. But should you manage to reach the tree regardless, the tree would be your grave should it find your spirit evil.
In your hands, should you be worthy, i leave my treasures. The Tree of Tranquility, and the Feather of Truth are yours. And to make the island your ally, speak my name aloud. Ma'at Veritas." as Robin finished her longwinded translation, the moment she spoke the name, the entire island shuddered, and a wave of pressure hit them. Unlike before however, it felt welcoming, warm almost.
"Well that is one hell of a message. Whoever this was must have been a saint or a hero of some sort long ago." Aden said touching the stone gently.
"So what now?" Ring asked.
"Well apparently we are worthy of the tresures. But i really do not think we should take them. I say we leave this place undisturbed. Whoever left this message clearly died here. It would be wrong." Aden said, and the others knew he truly felt that way. Seeing only truth can be spolen here.
"But why not? Better us having it right?" Buggy said in confusion. He xould not comprehend leaving behind such a treasure.
"Well even if we ignore the morality of it, taking it would only increase the chance of it falling into wrong hands. It has been here for centuries, maybe more. So the safest choice is to leav it as it is." Aden explained his reasoning, making Buggy to reconsider.
"Well said. But let's look around, maybe we will find something we can take."
"Let's. I think i saw a carved out rock on the way here, let's see what it was about.
(Another done. Once more i apologize for any gramatical errors, but i simply lack the energy to proofread this. But i am trying to correct any mistakes as i write, so hopefully it is not that bad. But please do let me know if you spot any. Thank you and i hope you enjoy.)