Sputters of light evaded the trees leaves and branches, the suns light from millions of miles away beamed down on the thin eyelids of a very sleepy Tani. She blinked once, twice, three times until the blur of her dreams drifted back into the depths of her mind.

Tani couldn't move. Her top half was held down by Luffy, who had managed to crawl all the way over from the other side of the camp. The captains backside was on her, so she had a full view of his bare chest rising and falling with every slow breath... Oh shit how her cheeks were warm! Curse you Luffy and your stupidly defined body!

The trapped girl did her best to wiggle at least one arm out of her prison. If only she could just... Reach her... Bag. Her fingernails dug into the dirt as she clawed towards her just out of reach bag. She was bound to have a snack in there that she could us to get him off.

"Breakfast!" Sanji called. Luffy's eyes snapped open so fast that Tani got whiplash just watching him move. He launched off her chest, her bones cracked painfully underneath. Ah right she needed to check for bruising from the impact dial... She realised she was still wearing a one piece swimsuit... And would have to remove the top half to get even a look at the wound.

The crew slowly woke up, though moved faster when they saw Luffy by the food. Sanji did his best to kick the bastard away. Tani took the distraction as an opportunity to slip away and check the damage. If it was really bad, she could just ask Chopper for some bandages.

Looking around with caution, she made sure she was absolutely alone before she pulled the straps off her shoulders and peeled the bathers down until it rolled around her waist. One arm covered her exposed chest instinctively. She tilted her head around to look at the side that was hit, a massive purplish bruise covered the bottom half of her ribs on the side. She poked it with a finger and hissed with the pain that bloomed up her side. Great...

"Tani, Luffy's gonna eat all the food if you don-"

Tani let out a shriek at the sudden noise, the voice was deeply masculine so she knew it was probably Zoro. Her face beat red she turned to glare at the man. His expression was indifferent... Until he spotted the bruise.

"When did you get that?" he asked with very very slight hints of concern. Though those hints were loud and clear for anyone that was familiar with the older teen. Tani turned her back to him. Rolling the bathing suit back over here chest with embarrassment. "Were you gonna tell Chopper? That needs to be checked out right away, you moron," Zoro said. The hypocrite.

"It's fine, I'll sleep it off like the rest of you monsters," Tani joked. Zoro didn't look impressed. He crossed his arms, standing as stiff as a tree in front of her.

"Lemme take a look," he asked, though it was more like a demand. Tani made an X shape with her arms while furiously shaking her head no. The swordsman narrowed his eyes at her with annoyance. "Would you prefer Chopper? Robin or Nami?" he asked with a levelled tone. Not allowing any annoyance he did have to bubble into his dialogue.

"It's fine, I've had an injury like this befo-"

"It took you a week to heal from that. A wound that takes any of us about a day to heal from," Zoro interrupted. Tani furrowed her brows. A hiss of disappointment escaped her lips, she really was at a disadvantage. "Don't think we haven't noticed Tani," Zoro added. The girl looked away from him.

"I'm getting Chopper. Stay here," he said calmly. Walking back through the bushes and foliage to collect the tiny doctor. Tani was left alone with her thoughts.

How wonderful to find yet another disadvantage of hers. It's like for every boon she discovers, a bane is found only moments later. She doesn't even feel human around these people. So many differences it's like she's once again an outcast. Even if her brain is telling her that she's fine and that they love her as nakama. She just...

"Where's the bruise!" Chopper's voice squeaked, his little footsteps being heard over the ringing of the bell he has looped around his healthy antler. Tani looked up at him sheepishly. Noticing Zoro standing with his side against a tree, he wasn't watching. Just guarding?

"It's just on my side, it's nothing really." Tani tried to assure (in vain). The little doctor huffed, crossing his arms and stomping his itty bitty foot. Tani sighed, slowly rolling the swim suit back down to show the damage. Chopper let out a gasp.

"THIS IS BAD!" He cried, Tani widened her eyes with horror. Chopper nodded his head. "What you have could be internal bleeding, have you felt light headed at all since you received the wound?" the deer asked frantically, opening his first aid kit to search for something that Tani wouldn't even know the name of.

"Not at all, it just hurts when touched or poked." she said, poking it as an example. Chopper slapped her hand, which caused her to yelp.

"Idiot this is serious! What if it is internal bleeding?! I don't have the equipment with me to deal with such a procedure," he whined. Tani broke eye contant, the guilt creeping up her spine was more painful than the bruise at her side.

"It's nothing, I've dealt with this before," Tani hissed. Chopper sputtered and cried at her, but she ignored him.

"Tani," Zoro called out to her, his glare was stunningly sinister. A demonic sheen glistened over his eyes. Instilling this kind of fear in her that she knew would be her demise if she ignored his warning... Scary guy... Great first mate.

"Fine. Chopper can you do anything to fix this." she asked. The little doctor pulled out the object he was fishing for a moment ago. A container full of a blue cream.

"Let me apply this. It'll numb the pain you feel for the next couple hours." he instructed. Applying the cream as best he could with his hooves. Tani helped out, though bending her arms so awkwardly wasn't pleasant.

Once the cream was applied to Chopper's standards, Tani rolled up her bathing suit again. Chopper held out his hoof for Tani to hold. The girl complied, a small smile on her face as she followed the youngest crew member back to the camp. He also grabbed Zoro's hand so he wouldn't get lost, but they didn't tell the man.

Once arriving back Tani found that Sanji and Robin were holding Luffy down while Nami and Usopp held a plate of still steaming food out of his rubbery grasp. Nami looked over at Tani with the most relief the dark girl had ever seen in her life. Taking the food out of Usopp's grasp and running it over to Tani, thrusting it into her hands with desperation.

"Eat it quick!" she demanded. Tani shoved as much of the breakfast into her mouth as she could before Sanji and Robin released the beast, his eyes dead set on Tani's meal. His grabby hands almost reaching her at a dangerous speed before Chopper shifted to heavy point and stomped on the captains elongated arms with a roar.

"Careful! Tani's got an injury that could be really bad!" he growled. Tani felt herself pale. Obviously the others would find out eventually but she still felt awkward with all the people staring at her with... Pity? Guilt? Empathy. Tani was never really good at reading people when if came to this kinda stuff.

Luffy instantly retracted his arms, his face was slightly more serious than normal. His sight lingering on her as if trying to pin point the injury.

"The impact dial," he concluded, has fist hitting the palm of his hand. Ding ding ding.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Usopp asked with concern. Tani looked away with embarrassment. Her hands balled by her side.

"It's just a bruise. Chopper's being dramatic," she answered. The little deer got flustered and tried to explain what she might actually have.

"She might have internal bleeding," Zoro said for Chopper. Luffy looked confused.

"Isn't that where the bloods meant to be?" he questioned. Nami gave a growl under her breath. How stupid is her captain?! She can deal with that later, for now she needed to scold a moronic tracker.

"Tani that's serious! What if you didn't say anything? You could have seriously hurt yourself! Or worse..." Nami said in that motherly tone. Tani hated when it was directed at her.

"It's not that bad! I haven't felt dizzy or lightheaded. I'm fine so can we drop this and just get to discussing what we all found out or something," Tani grumbled. Her arms crossed over her chest, though she wasn't tensing her muscles. In fear of hurting her side.

"Well Miss navigator, Mr swordsman and I uncovered some rather curious information," Robin started. Sitting on a tree root with elegance. All eyes turned to her, much to Tani's relief. "It appears that the island we are currently residing on was once a part of Jaya." she informed. Nami added her own two cents.

"We found the other half of Cricket's house on the edge of the island. It was completely covered in roots and vines. So it's been here a while," she stated. Tani felt her eyes widened at the absurdity. That's the Grandline for ya.

"Well on our way over to the Merry, we encountered some bozo saying he's some priest of Enel. So it's safe to say that there's at least four priests," Sanji stated.

"What makes you so sure?" Zoro questions with a hint of teasing. Sanji snarled.

"Because there were four trials we could have picked from, so that means four priests. Or is four to big of a number to count to, shitty three style," Sanji quipped. Zoro's hands shot to his swords, Sanji whipped out his legs and the two started to fight. Legs and swords flying in perfect harmony. The crew decided to ignore them and continue.

"There were four trials and we took out Satori, so we know that at least three priests will still be running around. Hopefully they just stick around for the trials though." Tani stated. Usopp nodded in agreement.

"Is that all we have for now?" Nami asked. Standing up to break not only the Zoro/Sanji fight, but their skulls too. Chopper gasped at a realisation.

"Did you say ordeals? The guy who attacked me and Merry said something like 'ordeal of strings' I think. He was really scary so I had to call Ganfall... Sorry," Chopper apologised. Robin pet him on the head.

"It's alright Mr Doctor, you were all alone." she assured sweetly. Chopper nodded but the self doubt was still there.

"Strings! That was one of the ordeals," Usopp snapped his head to look at Tani who was already looking at him. She nodded in agreement.

"Chopper you're super lucky to be alive. Satori took all four of us to take him out. It was like he could read our minds," Tani stated. Luffy finally spoke up.

"Not you though," he said, pointing at Tani. The girl blinked at him, pointing at herself.

"He took me out super easy, of course he knew what I was doing," she brushed off. Luffy shook his head.

"No I remember. He got super annoying when you flew passed him for the boat. Wouldn't stop shouting which hurt my ears. Then Sanji kicked him and he shut up," Luffy recounted. That didn't answer her question though.

"What did he say Luffy?" Tani asked. Really curious now. Luffy started picking his nose.

"Uh, 'why can't I see her?' or something like that. I dunno he was annoying so I just ignored him," Luffy stated. Flicking the snot off his finger. Tani rolled her eyes.

"You probably broke his eyes," Tani concluded. Luffy shook his head but didn't have anything to say. Sanji did though.

"He mentioned mantra and how he couldn't see Tani with it. Only Tani," Sanji added. Luffy grinned.

"What's mantra?" Zoro questioned. Everyone drew blanks, it was a phrase nobody had heard before.

"Well from what we know, it means the user can see into the future a little bit. Like mind reading but only for people," Sanji stated.

"I think the guy that attacked me had mantra as well. He dodged all my moves and knew what I was doing before I did it," the little Doctor added.

"That's so weird," Nami groaned, her hand resting on her forehead. Pigtails bobbing as she shook her head. "And Merry is totally destroyed so we can't-"

"Actually, last night I saw something strange," Usopp cut her off. All eyes turned to the sniper. "I saw someone fixing Merry," he explained "I saw some kid with a hammer. They smiled at me, whispering something I didn't understand." he was dead serious. The liar spoke only the truth of what he saw.

"Let's go check then," Nami concluded. Walking away from the crew to check on Merry. "I need to check something anyway. Merry has all my maps," the navigator explained while the crew followed her.

To everyones shock. The Merry was in perfect condition! The extras that Cricket and the monkeys added were removed though. How did the kind stranger know that Merry wasn't meant to have those?

"Usopp wasn't lying then?" Zoro commented, the sniper got pissy and smacked the swordsman on the head. Zoro didn't react at all.

"Well I'm gonna go over to grab my maps, I need to check something that's been bothering me since last night," the navigator mentioned. Tani decided to take this offer.

"I need a new shirt, this one piece makes it too hard to keep tabs on my bruise," Tani said sheepishly. Boarding the mini boat. Robin and Sanji both stepped forward to join them.

Sanji wanted to make everyone lunches, and Robin needed to compare some notes she gathered with the information she discovered in a notebook that Cricket gave her when Tani and Luffy were beating up Bellamy.

The moment the boat landed, Tani was rushing straight to the girls room. Opened the door and ripped through her side of the wardrobe to find a shirt that was easy to lift without exposing much. A peach coloured tank top caught her eye, so that's what she snagged. Quickly changing into it and throwing the swimsuit onto the ground with unneeded aggression. Maybe she could ask Sanji if he had any dishes to clean.

Tani walked into the kitchen, a savoury aroma filled the air. Sanji whistled a tune that Tani didn't recognize, lost in his little world.

"Hey Sanji?" Tani spoke, the cook jumped a little in shock but recovered flawlessly. Tani pointed at the few dirty dishes sitting in the sink. "Mind if I clean those?"

He gave her a hesitant look, that chivalry sparking in his eyes before he closed them and smiled at her with appreciation. "Of course you can, I always enjoy your wonderful company," he said with a slight strain in his voice.

Tani got to work, filling the sink with hot, soapy water and scrubbing hard at the dishes with the comically over sized sponge. Sanji continued to whistle his tune. The atmosphere was relaxing as the strong smells of something salty wafted through the air. Tani felt her brain go dumb... She really wanted a mac and cheese. Gosh when did she last have one of those? Maybe Sanji could make one for her?

"Do we have the stuff to make a mac and cheese? I really want one," Tani asked, turning her head to look at Sanji while she continued to scrub at the dishes. Sanji did the same, he continued to stir the contents of a pot while looking at her like she'd just introduced something he didn't know. Come on, mac n cheese was like the third most important poor people dish, everyone knows how to make one.

"Tani dearest, I have never heard of that dish before. Would you be so kind as to explain it so I can prepare it as soon as possible," Sanji said with a glimmer of excitement. Tani dropped the dishes she was doing and grinned.

"Cooking with the legendary Sanji. It's like a dream come true," Tani said while waltzing towards the fridge to grab out the ingredients they needed. Did they even have macaroni here? Cheese they seemed to have heaps of, but the little pasta was missing... Oh they did have the little bow tie pastas because Luffy thinks they look more appealing... Not that he looks at it when shovelling it into his mouth.

"We need flour, salt and a cheese grater," Tani spoke absently. Pulling out milk and butter, placing it onto the bench. Flour and salt being placed next to her, Sanji hovered beside her with a curious grin.

"This looks like a white sauce?" he stated, Tani thought about it and yeah probably. "This should be easy," he remarked. Tani nodded her head, remembering when the cooks at her old job would show her tips and tricks on how to cook super simple yet tasty meals... How were those guys doing?

"Did you want me to grate the cheese?" Sanji asked, pulling her out of her day dream.

"Oh! Sure sure I'll get to measuring out the other things," Tani answered. Grabbing a measuring cup from the drying rack. In goes the flour, butter, salt, milk and right on cue Sanji tipped the cheese into the mix. "I'll make the cheese, you get to making the mac." Tani commanded. Sanji gave a lazy chuckle but did as he was asked. Making the pasta on the stove jet opposite of Tani's cheese sauce.

"This is such a common dish back home, I'm surprised you of all people didn't know it," Tani snickered. Sanji bumped her with his hip as a sign of playfulness. Tani bumped back, Sanji snorted a laugh.

"Even the best of the best are still learning Tani," he said. Tani perked up at what he said, or rather what he hadn't.

"No darlings or dearests? Who are you and where is my Sanji?" she spoke with seriousness, though the sputters of laughter gave away her perfect act. Sanji froze for a second at the realisation that he forgot his honorifics for her. Though relaxed at the realisation that she was playing

"Apologies my dearest darling Tani, queen of the mac and cheese," he said with an exaggerated bow, Tani put a hand to her chest before bowing back just as dramatically.

"I shall graciously accept your apology, prince of the kitchen," she spoke in her most snooty voice... Then the smell of burning hit her nose. "Ah! The cheese!" she broke character and jumped to mixing the sauce. Sanji let out a sigh of content, focusing back on the pasta that was almost ready.

When the pair had finished their master piece of a meal, they dishes it up into the lunch boxes that Sanji always had on hand. The extra going into four small bowls for the girls plus Sanji. The chef balanced the bowls on a tray and walked with Tani towards Nami's drawing room. The smell hit the navigators nose instantly.

"That smells great!" Nami exclaimed while sniffing the new dish. Nami and Robin were comparing the maps of Jaya and Skypiea to the log in Noland's journal. Sanji handed out the dishes and turned to leave the room, but Nami had other ideas.

"Sanji sit down, share a meal with us," the redhead requested, waving him over. He did as she commanded, sitting down cross-legged with flushed cheeks and a straightened back.

"Well that's a rather unfortunate turn of events," Robin said passively. Ears perked up, their attention brought to where her finger pointed on the page. "Noland's record mentions that the city of gold was located in the right eye of the skull, and according to the updated map that miss navigator has drawn up so wonderfully. It appears that Jaya's right eye is Skypiea." the older woman informed.

"But how?" Tani questions. "How the hell did a whole chunk of island just go bwoosh into the sky?" she made the sound effect, her hand flying up as a simulation of the island going 'bwoosh'.

"That means he was telling the truth..." Nami whispered solemnly. The room went silent... Then Nami's eyes glittered with that golden glow she gets when thinking about money. "The city of gold is real! We have to go find it!"

The room went silent once again. The new discovery mellowing in their minds for a moment before-

"HOLY SMOKES SHES RIGHT!" Tani shrieked with shocked excitement, facing Sanji who turned to her with a shared expression.

"WE WILL BE RICH!" Nami cheered, pulling Sanji and Tani into a side hug. The cook looked sheepish at the close proximity. The red head pulled both crew mates up and started doing a little dance. Robin looked at them with her soft expression.

"What about The Merry? She wouldn't be able to accompany us on our journey. Surely it would be dangerous to leave her here on the alter," the older woman questioned. The dancing halted. What would they do? Merry would be destroyed if she was left alone.

"We can split up. It takes three people to sail her, so the rest can go looking for the golden city," Nami suggested.

"We better tell the others then," Robin said, standing up and gliding out the room. Leaving Tani, Sanji and Nami alone together. Nami blinked as she remembered something.

"Oh Sanji! I almost forgot," the navigator spoke, walking over to the shared closet. She opened it and removed a small, unassuming box and handed it to Sanji. "A thank you gift for carrying all my bags whenever we go shopping," she grinned. "I picked these up in Mocktown when you were away," she said with a wink.

Sanji looked at the box with curiosity. Opening the lid, inside he found a collection of fun looking hair clips, many of them were ocean or fish themed. There was also nail polish and really expensive looking hand cream. Sanji's eye widened with a look that couldn't be described. A mix of pure happiness, confusion and embarrassment.

"I saw you eyeing them when we went on our last trip together," Nami stated. "We should all have a girls day out. Sanji you're invited too," she winked. Tani was missing something. Sanji felt his breath catch in his throat, his normally prideful self closed in as he clenched his arms with a full blown red blush covering his whole face.

"For now let's get back to the others and make up the teams," Nami suggested, walking out of the room with Tani and Sanji in tow. Sanji held onto the box of gifts close.

Sanji split from the group to put his gift away, when Tani turned to Nami with a question in mind.

"Why did you do that? If you don't mind me asking," she asked curiously. It seemed out of character for Nami of all people to be the generous type in terms of gifts. The orange haired woman gave Tani a look that spoke a thousand words. Like she's wiser than she let's on.

"Call it a woman's intuition, but there's something about Sanji that he's holding back. I'm hoping that a little push in the right direction might help him find himself," she replied cryptically. Tani was even more confused now... How does giving Sanji feminine geared products... Tani wasn't quite sure. Nami playfully punched Tani's shoulder.

"You'll see someday, for now let's just be supportive of him. He seems lost," the navigator stated. She is a navigator after all. It's her job to help her crew find places. "Come on, let's get to the boat," she grinned.

Sanji sat in the drivers seat, a hair clip in his fringe, and a smile as bright as the pearls of the deepest oceans.

"Let's go,"

...

"CITY OF GOLD!?" Luffy, Usopp and Chopper shouted loudly. Zoro hummed at the recounting of Nami and Robin's discovery. Sanji was packing everyone's bags with the lunches he made, Tani shoved a water bottle in each bag as well. She was not having another Alabasta situation.

"So who's in what team?" Zoro asked. Already giving off an air that says 'I'm looking for the city to gold and you can't stop me' vibes. Nami pulled out a stick and started drawing names in the sand.

"I've already decided that I want Usopp on team Merry, since he's the best with ship related stuff. We only need three people for steering Merry." Nami concluded. Usopp saluted her, the shaking in his legs at the thought of going through the jungle, subsided.

"I wanna find the gold!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly. Bouncing on his feet.

Zoro gave a smirk, hands resting on his sheathed katana's handles. Clearly he was going with team El Dorado. Robin gave a similar smirk, though more reserved. Guess that makes three.

"I'll be on team Merry," Nami stated. "We can't skip out on a navigator, especially in the Grand line," she concluded. Sanji held his hand up.

"I'll go team Merry then." he said. "Can't have our lovely navigator at risk of any danger," Usopp huffed at the off handed insult.

"Team Merry will have the whistle Gan Fall gave us right?" Tani asked. Tightening her shoe laces, not really wanting to get up because her side hurt really bad... Why did she crouch to fix her laces!

"That seems fair, plus he defended Merry last time and flew away without any harm." Chopper stated. Nami's attention now on the pair.

"Chopper? Tani? How about you guys?" Nami asked. Chopper stood beside Tani with his little arms crossed. "Which teams will you be on?"

"Tani's current situation means I need to stick with her, just in case anything changes for the worst," he said sternly. Tani rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. Luffy took this opportunity to chime in.

"Come with us then," he said, standing behind Tani with his hands planting down on her shoulders. The girl gave a yelp in surprise. "It'll be fun," he added. As if that was reason enough for their inclusion.

"Luffy..." Chopper started. "If it really is internal bleeding, than Tani should not be moving around. I think it would be best if-"

Luffy swooped down to Tani's level, his hands sliding from her shoulders to under her knees and back. He lifted her with no effort, giving the crew his big ol' sunshine grin. Robin gave an amused huff.

"Mr Captain does have a point," Robin remarked. Everyone turned confusedly at her. "We might need a doctor on call if the situation becomes unfavorable, so having Mr Doctor would be the best option. Carrying Miss Bell would be the best solution," she winked. Luffy nodded with a "yosh".

"Maybe we should give her to Chopper, so she's always with a doctor." Usopp suggested. Though Luffy ignored him and started walking away with Tani in his arms.

"Let's go! I wanna find treasure!" Luffy chanted. Everyone in the crew sighed but jumped into action. Parting ways, the Merry team boarded the boat with determination. While the El Dorado team caught up with their cheery captain and flustered tracker.

...

"If you wanted a walking stick, you should have given Tani to someone else," Zoro sighed to the whining captain. Chopper was running around with a large stick he found, excitedly smacking and poking things with it.

"But Zoro," Luffy droned, elongating all the 'o' sounds in the first mates name. Tani just sighed and pushed herself out of Luffy's hold. Landing on the uneven ground rather ungracefully but she was still on both feet.

"Go grab your stick Luffy, I can walk just fi-" Tani started, but Chopper instantly freaked out.

"Tani! You better not be walking!" he scolded. Tani shrank back, her sides folding in on themselves causing her to hiss with pain. Luffy broke the tension when he emerged with a large stick in hand.

"Oi Tani look!" the captain laughed, using the stick to poke her cheek from a distance. Tani would have snickered, maybe even grabbed a stick to poke back. The look on Chopper's face made it very clear that she didn't want to do either of those... Stupid doctors being doctors.

"Luffy! How could you let go of Tani?! What if she got hurt? Do you want your nakama getting hurt?" Chopper scrambled with his distressed and infuriated words. Luffy looked confused.

"Why would I want Tani getting hurt? That would be mean," he said, poking the girl again. Chopper stomped his hoof on the dirt beneath them. Zoro and Robin had paused their movement to look at the commotion.

"I'm going to carry her since you're so irresponsible," Chopper declared, already shifting to heavy point so he could hold Tani securely. Luffy had other plans.

He ducked down, top half of his body slipping between Tani's legs. He lifted upwards, his arms clamping around her legs. A messy piggyback ride. Tani flailed her arms around before wrapping them tightly around Luffy's head. The captain laughed, Tani was getting real sick of this injury.

Chopper gasped and sputtered, though a sympathy pat on the shoulder from Zoro calmed his simmering rage.

"Treasure! Treasure!" Luffy chanted, waving his stick around excitedly. Tani swayed with every step the man took. His grip on her legs secure without being painful... This was too peaceful for a pirate adventure.

As if on cue, the ground shook violently. The solid bluey-green scenery that had followed them for the last 20 minutes revealed itself to actually be a big ass snake! Like bigger than a skyscraper big! The snake hissed at them.

It's large yellow eyes trained on the small group. Tani made me contact and felt her body freeze. A flash of red and yellows, a bonfire, laughter. Two men holding each other in a friendly fashion with drinks in their hands. They spoke but the words muffled and blurred... The voices the same ones from the night before... Who are these men?

Tani didn't have time to think about it, as the snake reared its head back, preparing a strike. A hiss in its throat that echoed through the forest.

Luffy and Co jumped out of the strike zone. Splitting them up, though they were still in sight of one another... That is until the snake swiped it's massive body in a semi circle shape, tossing everyone further backwards.

Tani let out a strangled gasp, grabbing onto Luffy with closed eyes. Her wild locks of hair blinding her from the impending crunch of a landing. Since Luffy was flying backwards, she was going to be the cushion.

"Gum gum balloon!" Luffy called out, flipping around and inflating himself. He landed on the ground with a bounced, air releasing from his mouth in a wheeze, the pair bounced and rolled through the forest in a ball. Finally landing with Luffy under Tani.

The girl coughed up all the dirt dust she inhaled, twigs sticking out of her mess of knotty hair. She found her arms and legs covered in small cuts from trees and rocks. Luffy looked pretty much the same, though he was laughing really hard about it. Tani found herself giving off a bit of a chuckle herself. Her head falling back onto Luffy's back, the pair just relaxing on the ground after such action.

"I will never get used to that balloon thing you do," Tani giggled. Luffy started lifting himself off the floor, Tani clung a little tighter. The boy dusted himself off before grabbing Tani's legs again and treked forward with a hop in his step.

"Hey... Where is everyone?" Tani questioned, her hands flew up to her ears. She couldn't hear any more than the bell around Luffy's neck, and the bell attached to her bag. The others were gone.

"Dunno," Luffy shrugged. "We'll find them later. They're strong," he assures. Bouncing with each step.

The paired walked in a comfortable silence, only the bugs clicking and leaves rustling to fill the empty space.

"The islands in the south are~" Luffy started to sing. His voice was off key as all hell, but it drew Tani's attention. Luffy waved his stick to an imaginary beat. "Hot~"

"Heads all a swoon-swoon~"

"Buncha idiots~"

Tani gave a small chuckle, catching into the tune now, she tapped her hands on Luffy's head and whistled along. Luffy found himself stepping with more spring, like a dance.

"The islands in the north are~" he sings louder, Tani calls out what she thinks the next verse will be.

"Cold~" they sing together, Tani sounded just as off key. Though together with Luffy they cancelled each others garbage voices out.

"Heads all a brr-brr~" Luffy solos. Though Tani joins the next line.

"Buncha idiots~" the pair sing-shout. Their voices echoing back to them in the empty forest.

Well they thought it was empty.

Luffy opened his mouth to keep singing, only to have something shot at him. The captain stopped in his tracks and looked up to find someone that looked kinda familiar. Though Tani couldn't put her finger on it.

"What are you doing here blue sea dweller?" the baritone voice barked. Luffy glared at the guy.

"You ass! You interrupted our song," he yelled with anger. The older man looked a bit perplexed before steeling his expression and rolling his eyes. He shifted the bazooka... Oh! He was the bazooka maniac from yesterday! Luffy seemed to catch that too. "You tried to blow us up yesterday!" he growled.

"You shouldn't be here. This is Shandian business, not yours," the man growled back. His eyes so narrow that the whites of his eyeballs were gone.

Luffy let go of Tani's legs and gently placed her on a tipped over tree. He stepped a couple paces away from her and took a fighting stance.

"You ruined our song, you tried to blow up Merry and my nakama! Apologise right now," Luffy bellowed. Tani's ears lifted up, a deep rumbling noise catching her attention. An all too familiar noise that gave rise to concern. She called out to Luffy, though he ignored her and threw a punch at the bazooka man. The guy dealt blows back, the pair evenly matched.

Tani could hear the noise getting closer, the ground rumbled under her feet. She whipped her bag around her back and practically threw the waver shoes on the ground, clipping them onto her feet at a speed that would probably give her the world record of fastest equipping of footwear ever.

"Luffy! We have to run!" she shouted in vain. The moronic captain ignoring her to fight. She rolled her eyes. Knowing what was coming, she clicked her heels. Using the initial jet burst, she jumped into the air and sailed towards Luffy, her arm in a hooked shape. She flew fast, snagging around Luffy's waist she pulled him with her. Aiming for the cloudy road ahead...

A wild hiss followed the crashing of trees as the giant snake reappeared and reared its head forward. Maw wide open in the middle of a snap. A gaping abyss was all that filled the girls vision as time slowed down. Tani focused herself. She wasn't going to let herself get swallows by a mammoth snake. A hardened gaze, she leaned forward. Trying her best to speed up.

She landed with a thunk on the cloudy road, her torso folded in on itself.

Tani had never felt so much pain in her life.

She choked and spat out liquid red, a silent scream escaped her lips while Luffy's cries fell on deaf ears. The world turned white around her.

Then the world shifted to black.

...

"Ring the bell, ring the bell,"

Tani woke up to the smell of rotting eggs and sweat. The sweat was probably because of Luffy, since she was draped over his back while he walked. Well hopped, there was a lot of broken bits of rock and buildings. Though this looked like a massive cave... When did they get here?

"Whe-" Tani coughed on her dry words. A spittle of red appearing on her hand. Horror filled her eyes. Luffy turned his head around to face her. An almost perfect 180 turn too... Creepy as all hell.

"Shut up, no talking for you," he commanded rudely. Tani went to speak but Luffy moved his hand and clamped his fingers around her lips. Leaving her looking like a duck. A grumpy duck.

"We got lost in a mystery cave," he answered her unasked question. Before continuing his journey through said mystery cave. Tani sulked on his back, tapping on his head to the tune of that little song they were singing not that long ago. Luffy started to whistle it without thinking. His whistling bouncing off the walls of the cave.

The ground rumbled underneath them. Though the rumbling surrounded them, shaking them violently. Luffy toppled fowards but caught himself before he could land harshly and risk jostling his nakama's wound. While she was passed out, he'd checked her wound and found a massive bruise. He also checked her mouth and found that she had just bitten her tongue on impact, the blood she spat coming from that which was a relief to Luffy.

Once the rumbling stopped. Luffy found the flattest surface he could and decided to sit down for a bit. Tani took the time to pull out her lunch. Staring at the mac and cheese that she'd made with Sanji. Luffy leaned over her shoulder with drool.

"That stuff was the best," he pointed. Tani snickered.

"Thank you, Sanji and I made it ourselves," she said proudly. Luffy's mouth dropped comically. Before exploding into excited babbles about how Tani could cook and that she should do it more often because two cooks means double the food. Tani found herself smiling wide. "Here, you can have mine. I've had this meal so many times that I might as well be made of mac and cheese," she joked. Luffy grabbed the lunch box and shoved it in his mouth. He spat it out a second later, the contents cleaned of any food.

"Nah if you were a food you'd be something made of fruit," he commented. Tani blinked at that. Oh right the mac and cheese comment.

"Why's that?" she asked aloud. Luffy looked at her like he was examining every inch of her.

"Um, you smell really nice and sweet. Your hair is fuzzy like a lot of fruits. You bruise very easy. You're colourful" he listed, holding up four fingers. Tani held her hands out for him to stop.

"That's enough of that," she huffs. Pulling out her water bottle to take a swig of it. It was refreshing on her parched throat. She staggered to get up, dusting herself off with a sheepish grin. "How about we get going. El Dorado won't find itself," Tani said. Luffy tilted his head.

"Oh! City of gold is called El dorado where I come from," Tani corrected herself. Luffy let out an "Ohhh" before jumping to his feet and scooping Tani into his arms. Tani let out a gasp while the ball of energy she called her captain started running forwards.

"Let's find Golrado!" he cheered. Tani barked a laugh.

...

It had been what felt like hours before something interesting happened... Mainly the whole cave switched from horizontal to vertical. There was also the sound of three new voices screaming in horror that echoed through the caves walls.

Luffy landed first. Inflating like a balloon to catch not only Tani but... Nami? Gan fall and his bird. There was also a little girl with red hair and a brown dress.

"Nami?!" Tani called out, seeing the red head filled her with confusion. "Aren't you meant to be on Merry? Where's Usopp and Sanji?" she questioned. Nami rubbed her head and saw Tani. Her eyes widened.

"What are you doing in a giant snake?!" she shrieked. Tani and Luffy looked at her, than each other, than her again.

"WAIT WHAT?!" Tani screamed. Gan fall got back up and checked on the little girl.

Tani and Nami spent the next couple of minutes catching up on what's been happening. From the fact that Tani and Luffy had been inside the giant snake for the last couple hours... That explains why her clothes started to tear easier, as well as the bad smell.

Nami also explained that Sanji and Usopp were on the Merry, resting from an attack. Both men having been electrocuted by none other than god himself. Tani gasped.

Apparently right now, Zoro and a bunch of dudes were fighting at the base of Enel's tower. Chopper was knocked out, Robin was missing and now Nami knew where Luffy and Tani were.

Tani recounted what happened to her and Luffy, from being split up, to the attack from bazooka guy (Nami informed her that his name was Wyper) and lastly her passing out from the pain of her injury. Nami smacked Tani upside the head for her reckless actions, but hugged her around the shoulders with relief at seeing her nakama safe.

"So how do we get out of this snake?" Tani asked. She regrets her question when Luffy decides to speak now.

"That's obvious." he said matter-of-factly. "We just gotta find the butt and have the snake p-" Tani clapped and hand over his mouth, Nami bonked him on the head. Both girls shivered with disgust at the images that popped into their minds.

"How about we just go through the mouth again? Do snakes have a uvula?" Tani questioned. Nami shook her head, not knowing the answer.

"How about we just fly out?" Gan fall suggests. Pointing at Pierre and Nami's waver. Tani looks at her shoes and nods.

"I'll take Aisa," Nami declared. The until then, quiet girl gives a grunted nod. Before hopping on the waver with Nami, holding her waist tight. Gan fall mounted Pierre. Tani was going to ask Luffy if he wanted to piggyback off her, but he was hopping onto Nami's waver. She shrugged and started to stretch her stiff legs.

"Ready?" Gan fall calls out. The girls and Luffy let out a "Ready!"

*click*

The three of them went flying forward. Tani jumped and flew over all the destroyed ruins. Nami glided swiftly around and over them. Gan fall was just flying steady. The vibrations of hissing and spitting got louder and louder, Tani felt her ears twitching. They drew closer.

Closer

Was that light she could see?

It was!

"Almost there!" Gan fall called out.

Shit!

"Gan fall no!" Tani shouted. The old man looked at her confused. Only to have the snake shake upwards violently. Tani was tossed forwards, flying out of the snakes open maw with a scream. The ground approached fast and her balance was off. She spun around and round, the world a blur of blues, greens and whites.

Tani felt arms curl around her, the clinking of metal armour pinched her skin. She clicked her heels so she wouldn't launch Gan fall off Pierre. The man and his bird landed on the ground. A massive ruined temple that wouldn't look out of place in an Indian Jones movie greeted her eyes.

Tani blinked up at Gan fall.

"Where's? Where's Nami and Luffy?" she said airily. Her voice wind whipped. Gan fall shook his head. Tani sighed. They were going to be ok... She knew they would.

Tani shot up. The crackling of electricity deafened her ears.

For the second time today. Her whole world fizzled into being completely white. Tani's eyes closed, hands covering her ears and tears filled her eyes from the painful noise.

The ground underneath her broke apart, gravity once again curling itself around her. Dragging her towards the ground below. Tani forced her eyes to open, she wasn't going to let herself pass out again. Her massive mop of hair shielded her view. So she failed to notice the swordsman that dived towards her.

Zoro managed to hook Tani under his arm, Chopper's unconscious body in the other. Tani lifted her head to face the smug looking first mate. She smiled brightly, knowing she would be safe.

They landed with a ground crushing thunk. The brick underneath them shattering under their weight. Zoro and Tani looked forward. There was another ruined temple, because you can't have enough of those now can you? Robin looked at them wide eyed, well there's Robin. Behind her though was a man, he floated cross-legged with orange baggy pants that kinda looked like McHammer. Though his face screamed Eminem.

"Hmm," he sighed. His eyes looking over everyone. "This is too many, there can only be five of us. Yet there's seven here" he said with a bored tone. His eyes lazy, only to widen slightly when landing on Tani. Though she was busy taking Chopper from Zoro so she could step back from the fight that would certainly occur.

Gan fall, Robin, Zoro and Wyper stood there with malice. Glaring daggers at the 'God' before them. Tani held Chopper close. Enel didn't take his eyes off her.

"Interesting," he smirked. Though turned his attention back to aggressive participants of his survival game.

"Let's begin the culling shall we?"