Angel's True Face (One Piece)

Warship Island!

The ship left the Calm Belt far behind them, but for some reason they had been completely surrounded by a large amount of thick fog. "Caaan't see a darn thing." Usopp was whining.
"You can see the fog~!" Although, what Luffy said was true,
"That isn't what Usopp meant, Lu." Iris had explained to him.
"Apis, are you sure it's around here?" Sanji had asked having slight doubts about what Apis had told them.
"Dunno." She didn't even sound all the confident in that fact.
"How can you say 'dunno'?" Usopp asked in a slight fit.
"It should be somewhere nearby..." Nami, she was confident about that, to where it was to be exact she wasn't.
"You're so great, Nami!" Sanji was once again in his own little world.
"I don't really get you..." Luffy had started, turning his head around to Nami or Apis as he was laying on the Merry's head.
"Oh... over there!" Apis had suddenly shouted, causing the crew to look ahead of the Merry. That's when they saw it, the silhouette of a ship coming towards them.
"Ooh, a ship! It's HUGE!" Luffy excitedly shouted however, that was an understatement. It was an understatement because it wasn't just huge but enormous.
"Come one now..." Sanji looked at the ship as well, but talking to Luffy.
"Is there anything you won't call huge?" Zoro had asked him.
"So, should I say that it's super-duper huge?" Luffy asked back.
"NO!" As Nami had snapped, Iris was giggling.
"I don't think that's a ship." She had stop giggling to say.
"Yeah! That's Warship Island!" Apis happily told everyone. "It looks like a warship so we call it Warship Island!"
"Heeey, Cool!" There really wasn't anything Luffy didn't find cool. The Merry had existed the fog and it was clearer to see that it really was just an island with a small village they were approaching. However, when the Merry dock there wasn't a warm welcome waiting for them.
"Yo! I'm back!" Until Apis had shouted down to the villagers with weapons.
"Apis!" Of course they were shocked to see the little girl on a ship belonging to pirates.
"Why did you... on a pirate ship...?" As the villagers were asking and trying to progress what was going on, the crew climbed down the rope ladder following Apis.
"What's going on here?" But still, none of the villager lowered their weapons, looking all nervous at Luffy and the others.
"Hey, you there." Luffy sounded all intimidating.
"W-what do you want?" The villager that Luffy was talking to asked, frightened as he held up his weapon higher.
"Is there a yakiniku store on this island?" (yakiniku - smoked meat) Luffy wasn't even trying to be intimidating, he was just hungry.
"Huh?" The villagers looked confused at him.
"W-who are these guys...?"
"Well you see... even though they're pirates, they're good pirates!" Although there is no such then, to Apis there was.
"Is there even such a thing as a good pirate?" One of them asked Apis, and she was like yep.
"But weren't you take. Away by the Marines?"mine of the other men had asked.
"That's right. But I ran away! Then... Luffy and his crew saved me, right?" Apis explained turning to Luffy.
"Yep!" Luffy looked back at her,
"Apis, What have you done?" The tension from the villagers only seemed to rise after hearing that.
"I don't know why, but the Marines were looking for you." That seemed to be the main reason for their tension.
"You shouldn't go back to you house. They're still around here."
"Oh no..."
"We'd like to help you out, but... these guys are pirates!" One of the men, he had shouted.
"Ah, What a fix..." was all Apis seemed to say.
"But she said we're GOOD pirates." Usopp tried to tell them, and it wasn't untrue, they were people that did what they want if it doesn't hurt innocent people.
"Apis!" an old man with gray hair and a beard was the one that had called out to Apis. The man was leaning on a cane, and had on a brown tunic over a blue shirt and tan pants. He was also wearing the same pointy hat that everyone on the island was wearing. "Come here this instant."
"Who's that?" Nami asked everyone, as if were supposed to know.
"Dunno." Luffy had answered anyway.
"Grandpa Bokuden!" Apis was running towards the old man to hug him.
"I'm glad you're safe." The old man, Bokuden told Apis. The villagers watch broke out in smiles seeing the heart warming scene. "I thank you for saving Apis. How about it! I'd like to give you a warm welcome at my house."
"Is your house... a yakiniku store?" That was what Luffy asked.
"It's not a yakiniku store, but... Grandpa Bokuden makes the best Pork Filled Buns on the island!" Apis had told him.
"Yes! Let's do it!" Luffy didn't care as long as it was food or meat.
"Sure, let's go." Zoro said, and they all started following Apis and Bokuden. All the way to their house where they were standing in his kitchen behind the house.
"All set." Bokuden, Apis's grandfather had placed the pork filled buns on the stove to simmer. "Everything is prepared, now we just have to wait."
"Wow!" Luffy shouted, only because it was food, but that was what made him so cute. In Iris' opinion.
"Smells good!" Usopp was the same.
"Oh, this sure is old-fashioned." Sanji was stated looking down at the stone stove. "Gramps, how long's this gonna take?" He had then turned around to ask.
"Hmm? Oh, yes... about 4 or 5 hours I'd guess." When he said that, both Luffy and Usopp were shocked. Since it was going to take so long, Bokuden started heading back into the house with the others not having a chose but to follow.
"I'm so hungry~!" Luffy was leaning up against the window looking out it.
"Bokuden, why was Apis kidnapped by the Marines? Any idea?" Nami asked the old man as the others gathered around the low table.
"Apis, do you have any idea?" But the old man had asked his granddaughter.
"None!" But she lied.
"Didn't you say before that you couldn't say anything, not that you didn't know anything?" Iris had asked her right back, since she did say something like that.
"Oh, That was a lie." She responded causing Usopp to sigh in disbelief.
"Well... there is something." Bokuden had then said
"But she just said there wasn't!!" Which caused the teen boy to snap at the old man.
"There really isn't much on this island, but if there's something it does have, it's our... ancient legend." The old man had become serious saying this.
"Legend?"
"The people of this island are known as the descendants of the Lost Island that sank thousands of years ago... at the peak of its prosperity." He was saying, and Apis seemed that she heard of this all before. "Lost Island was home to dragons called Millennium Dragons. The bones of those dragons are called Dragons bones..." Bokuden had then stopped with with the help of his walking stick. "And are believed to be an elixir that grants eternal youth."
"Interesting... But that legend is no reason for the marines to get involved." Sanji had a point while saying that.
"Yeah. Where do the marines fit in?" Usopp had asked the old man, that was lighting a light.
"That's something I don't get either." Nami was on the same boat as Usopp when it comes to that.
"Shouldn't there be some sort of hint in the legend?" Zoro asked Bokuden that, as he came back to sitting down.
"To begin, Lost Island's first kind was Iskandaq... now, Pokepo soon had three sons." It seemed that this had set Bokuden on ramping about the history of their island and their ancestors. Apis seemed to have escaped at the very beginning why the others were stuck listening to him. Which was for literally hours, as the sun was already going down. "And then, in the 317th generation, Ingrimori III's son Yugrimori became a great ruler."
"Hey, how long is he gonna go on?" Nami was whispering to Usopp and Iris.
"Do not know." Iris looked over to Zoro that was already a sleep by the second generation.
"He went on to have 18 children. Those 18 children..." Of course, Luffy was also asleep around the very beginning. But even so, Bokuden was stilling going on about how many kids the Yugrimori had. Even when Usopp stomach began to growl.
"We can't leave until he finished his story..." Nami was getting tired of listening as it was already night outside.
"When are we gonna eat those butaman?" Usopp was in tears from the hunger.
"Lu...?" Iris noticed the captain getting up and heading to the back half asleep.
"Gonna take a piss." He responded, leaving the others to continue listening. But a lot of time had passed and yet Luffy didn't come back after an hour. It seemed that Nami had enough as she began crawling on all fours, dragging Iris along with her.
"Oi. Where do you two think you're going?" Usopp asked them both half asleep.
"I'm just worried why Luffy's taking so long, we're just gonna check on him." Nami looked over her shoulders telling him in a low voice, and then they left,
"No fair...."
"Nami and Iris are so wonderful when they're stealthy!" Sanji was missing the point in that. Both of them had made it outside, in the cold air of the night.
"Wow... what a relief." Nami was patting her back that had become swore after sitting around for so long.
"I don't wish to be rude, but I fail to see what he was saying." Iris spoke, stretching up her arms.
"It's not rude. I was completely lost after the tenth generation." The Orange hair girl informed her, which she told her it was around the 59th generation she lost track. The both made it to the kitchen at where they found Luffy asleep on the floor, with a butaman on his face.
"Lu?" Iris shook him away, causing the butaman to fall in his mouth when he did so.
"THEY'RE ALL GONE!!" Nami shouted upon seeing the man the butaman were bing cooked in were completely empty.
"This is tasty!" Luffy seemed to have completely woken up.
"How can you say it's tasty!?" Nami lost it and punched him across the head. "You didn't leave any for us! What do you have to say for yourself!?" She was asking him all angry.
"What're you talk about?" He was confused, rubbing the place Nami punched him.
"Geez!"
"Guys, look at this." Iris had pulled their attention to the dirt floor that had a dent in it.
"Huh? What's this?" Nami bent down to it asking, but they both saw it lead outside. "Where's it go?" It was there when they three of them followed the trail that lead to the bushes before the large mountain where it just disappeared. "What's going on?" More question were popping up. It was then when Iris noticed that the marks didn't disappear. She got down on her knees and stuck her head into the bushes. "Hey, Iris, What are you doing?" She had been asked
"A cave." By saying that, both Luffy and Nami stuck their heads in the bushes to see that marks were leading of a cave up ahead where they all then headed to. Going through the cave they ended up finding themselves in the forest located on the mountain. Not to mention a nature path that the drag marks were going up the mountain. Following it up the mountain, the come to a large crack in the earth that stretched across between two cliffs. "Looks like it crossed over to the other side." Iris pointed out to them that drag marks on the other side. "Grab on." She held her arms out to the pair and when they took it she flew to the other side with them, where they continued to follow the marks until they found themselves behind the mountain. But they still didn't know where it was leading them until they come across a huge cave in the mountain side.
"Yep, j was okay. Some weird pirates saved me. Nah, they're not that bad. I bet you're hungry. I have some of Grandpa Bokuden's butaman!" Upon entering the cave and going deeper they could hear the voice of a small child talking to some one, but there was never a response back. "Here. No, don't swallow them all at once! I'm sorry, I still don't know. I'm trying hard to find out, but I still don't have any clues." They follows the voice only to find Apis.
"Apis...Who is she talking to?" Nami was asking since they couldn't tell where they were standing.
"Yo, Apis! Who ya talkin' to?" But Luffy had just gone out and asked and she found not just him both also Nami and Iris.
"Don't shout out suddenly like that!" Nami snapped at him. He had begin to move towards the three and Apis was up and defending someone.
"No, stay back!" She had shouted, but Luffy was still walking towards them, that's when he had came to a stop and was gapping.
"Luffy, what's so- EH!?" Nami had also spotted it and she went pale.
"Oh my." Then Iris soon followed as they were all looking at an old gray dragon with green feathers on his back and wings before them.
"Cool! This is so cool!" Luffy was freaking out like a kid.
"Stop! Please stop!" Apis was shouting at him.
"You should listen Luffy." Iris stood up was beside Nami saying.
"Wait, Luffy!"
"It's real! It's alive!" Luffy was now hugging the dragon's face as Apis was trying to get him off.
"Stop it! Leave him alone!" Apis was shouting.
"Stop that." Iris chopped Luffy on the head, causing him to let go, but he still was right in the dragon's face.
"Awesome! Where's you come from?" Luffy asked and when he did. "I see... you want to go back to your home." He had understood him, Apis had stood back.
"Grandpa Ryu says it's okay to be friends with you Luffy." Apis had told him, "He knows you're a good person." This caused the boy to grin at the small girl. "Luffy, how do you understand Grandpa Ryu?"
"Just somehow!" Luffy honestly didn't know,
"Somehow?" Apis didnt seem all that convinced.
"You can understand him too, right?" He pointed out to her.
"No, actually... I..."
"Could it be the Devil's Fruit?" Nami had finally snapped out of her state. "You have the ability of the Devil's Fruit don't you?"
"Yes, I ate the Whisper Whisper Fruit. After that I could understand the hearts of any animal." Apis had explained to her.
"So that's why back then you knew that strong wind was coming." Nami had finally realised.
"Yep! The seagulls told me. Meeting Grandpa Ryu was also thanks to the Whisper Whisper Fruit." Apis had told them how she had meet Ryu. "Grandpa Ryu has lost all his strength and had gotten separated from his friends. He was searching all alone for the location of the Dragon's nest, Lost Island."
"Isn't that the island that sank thousands of years ago?" Iris had asked her.
"Grandpa Ryu says the island is going the rise again. 'It should be about time,' he says, but he doesn't remember the location anymore." Apis explained it to her. "He's lost all his strength and the ability to fly, but he keeps saying 'I was to go him'!" She was saying this to them all. "I want to do something to help, but I have no idea where the island is. That old legend didn't have any clues... so I accidentally asked some Marines passing by the island. But that was a mistake, they were looking for Dragon Night." Apis had finally explained how and why the Marines had taken her. Marines these day just make Iris sick. All they care about is themselves.
"Dragon Night? The ones that grant eternal youth? They kidnaped you because there were after those, Apis?" Nami had asked Apis' another question.
"Yes, they told me that I had to tell them everything, and kidnapped me. Probably because I was wearing the claw pendent Grandpa Ryu gave me." That was most likely it.
"That explained why you had been out in that storm." Iris said, it all was starting to fit but... "You are pushing yourself to much."
"I know, that's why I'm keeping it a secret from Grandpa Bokuden and the villagers. I can't burden them with this." This was to much for a child to bare, Iris should know since she've bared things far more then she has. "But, I want to bet Grandpa Ryu back to his birthplace no matter what! Grandpa Ryu, you always say that right? If you return to the Dragon's Nest, you'll surely regain you strength. No matter how long it takes, I'll fine it for you. Absolutely, no matter what happens. I'll find it for you."
"Yosh! Then I'll take you there!" Luffy had shouted, without thinking it thought.
"Luffy?! We're you listening? She said Lost Island suck into the sea!" Nami was trying to stop him, but she would have better luck with something else.
"But the legendary Millennial Dragon said so! This Lost Island has to be somewhere!" He had told her back.
"Luffy does have a point. A living Millennial Dragon is proof of all this." Iris had to agree with Luffy, also, this would make an amazing story to write for her.
"An island that isn't on any map?" Nami questioned them both,
"Yeah! That's why we're going!" Luffy was determined.
"To an island that isn't on any map... well if you say so. Let's do it!" She was now all for it.
"Yosh!"
"Really? You really mean it?" Apis was asking to make sure.
"Of course." Iris had reassured her, which she had thanked them.
"Now that that's decided, have some more!" Luffy held up a bun for Ryu, but that probably wasn't the best idea since...
"I forgot to tell you before but..." Ryu had opened his mouth on the trap Luffy inside, "Grandpa Ryu's a little bit senile." It was something pretty fun and Iris couldn't help but laugh. It was then when they traveled back down the mountain and when they arrived back at the house it was alright night.
"Hey! Guys! You gotta see this!" Luffy shouted upon entering but
"Why are they sleeping?" Iris had asked looking around to only to find them sleeping.
"And then... the 1201st generation..." Bokuden was muttering in his sleep about something that she didn't really understand what.
"Incredible. He's still talking." Nami was both impressed and annoyed looking at the old man.
"Oi, you gotta hear this." Luffy had popped the snort bubble from Usopp's sleep.
"Ok, I'm up!" Which had instantly woke up.
"What? Morning already?" Zoro had now woken up.
"That geezer's story was so long that we just fell asleep here." Sanji sat up awake and had stretched.
"B-Big trouble!" A villager had ran into the house shouting out of breath. "Chief Bokuden! Where's Apis!?"
"What's wrong?" Nami had asked him.
"You're a pirate, right? There's a Marine fleet anchoring in the bay right now!" He had informed them.
"No way, are they... after Apis still?" Iris asked myself more then anyone else.
"What is with this kid?" Usopp was asking, since he didn't know about the truth yet.
"This isn't the time to explain, you need to follow us." Iris had told them.
"Yes, Iris, my angel!" Sanji was up instantly after me saying that.
"Why?" Luffy had asked not getting what was happening.
"Just come on!" Nami ended up saying to him.
"What about gramps over there?" Zoro pointed out.
"He should be fine here so, let's just leave him." Iris had answered him.
"Hey, if Bokuden wakes up, tell him this: 'We're going to protect Apis.'" Nami had told the villagers which he okayed and they were back up the mountain with everyone. When the crew arrived, one could say that the guys were shocked at see Ryu, and who wouldn't be - besides Iris - after all he is a Millennial Dragon.
"Hey, Everyone!" Apis had appeared from the top.
"Just like Grandpa Bokuden said, the legendary Millennial Dragon." Nami stated to the three of them.
"Yeah! Isn't it cool!?? Luffy had asked all excited.
"It's not like he's yours!" Nami shouted at him.
"And he's a he, Luffy, not an It." Iris told him as she went over to stroke Ryu.
"So when you get closer to the Grand Line, you see things like this?" Zoro asked not knowing what else to say about Ryu.
"Well we saw those Sea Kings before but this isn't one of those..." Sanji also didn't know what to say.
"Are... are you sure it's tame?" Usopp was asking with his mouth wide open from shock, when Ryu went over and licked him.
"Right, Usopp. We forgot to mention, Ryu is a bit senile. If he starts acting like you are food get away from him." As Iris told him that, Ryu Chopped on his Head.
"Too late...!" And he was crying.
"It doesn't hurt at all, right?" Luffy and asked before laughing. "You look like a trout!"
"A-A-Are you just going to stand there? Get me out!"
"Let's just let him eat him." Zoro was sick and tried of Usopp's shouting and crying,
"Zoroooo..." But That only made me cry even more.
"You better not, he'll give you food poisoning." Sanji had then stated.
"Shut up, Love Cook!"
"Time to let go." Iris patted Ryu and he had released Usopp who ran behind a rock.
"What the Marines want is... this Millennial Dragon. The truth, after thinking it over... is that we've decided to take the Millennial Dragon back to Lost Island." Nami was the one to break it to them and there was only one person that obstructed right off the bat.
"Y-You can't be serious! The Marines are closing in!" Of course it was Usopp, "It was hard enough getting away just by ourselves, but with something that big..."
"Grandpa Ryu... really wants to go home!" Apis had shouted up at Usopp, "So..."
"And I bet Luffy said 'Sure! I'll take you back home?' Or mode some other stupid promise..." He was right on the money.
"Yeah, I promised we'd take him there." Luffy had agreed with what Usopp stated and he screamed hearing that.
"But we don't have any idea where that island is! How're we supposed to get there!?" Although there was a lot of truth in Usopp's shouting, but knowing Luffy.
"Things'll work out." Is what he would and had said.
"No, they won't!" Usopp had shouted back to him
"I think if Grandpa Ryu returns to his birthplace, he'll get better." Apis was stating as she rubbed Ryu.
"Animals have instincts. This Millennial Dragon may be able to tell us something." Nami had said.
"Yeah, let's find this Lost Island!" And Luffy was determined.
"But how..."
"Well, it'll work out somehow." Zoro didn't seem to have a problem with it.
"Zoorooo..."
"It always does." Iris never had a problem with it from the beginning.
"Irrisss..."
"But what should we do with him?" Sanji didn't either, only about how to get Ray around. "Just taking him down the mountain alone will attract attention."
"First we'll need a cart. One big enough for Grandpa Ryu to ride on." Nami had already planned for this.
"Let's do it!"