" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

Usopp: Really... That stupid orangutan !! The boat is in even worse shape now.

Zoro: This boat turned to crap in one day... Do we need a new one ?

Usopp: Would you just shut up ?!

Luffy: Hey, don't worry, Usopp. The Going Merry is our friend ! We just have to work hard and repair it !

Usopp: Luffy... ! You're such a good friend !

*CRACK*

Luffy: Oops.

Usopp: YOU IDIOT !

Jaya, eastern shore:

"I... Suppose this is the place on the map... What was the guy's name again ?"

Robin: Montblanc Cricket...

Nami: The man who talks of dreams...

Usopp: Gah... !

Luffy: THAT'S SO COOL !!

Chopper: Is that his house ?!

Usopp: He's filthy rich, isn't he ?!

Zoro: Stupid, look more carefully.

Sanji: Hmmm, a man who dreams... More like a man who want's attention.

"If he was doing the same while living in town, I can understand why they wanted him out..."

Chopper: What are you talking about ?

Luffy: Ah ! It's just a board ?!

Usopp: WHAT ?!

"That's just one half of a house, the rest's just plywood."

Sanji: Seems like a small and cheap house.

Nami: What dreams sis he speak about when he was exiled ?

Robin: I don't know all details. But he talked about, a large amount of gold hidden here on Jaya.

Usopp: GOLD ?!

Nami: You mean like pirate's treasure ?!

Robin: Well, I don't know about that.

Nami: Dig fast, Chopper ! Dig out the gold !

Chopper: Just dig and we'll find it ?

"Just living by himself out here..."

Luffy: Hello ! I'm coming in !

Usopp: HEY ! DON'T JUST WALK IN THERE !

Luffy: Hmm ? No one seems to be home. Hello ?

Usopp: Luffy, stop that ! What if he's a bad guy ?!

"Well, anyways, he's not here."

Nami: Hm ? ... A picture book... It's a really old one, too. "King of liars, Norland" Hehe...

Usopp: Ohhh ! That sounds like a very interesting book !

Sanji: "King of liars, Norland"... That brings back old memories, I used to read it a lot.

Nami: You know about this book Sanji ? But it says it's published in North Blue.

Sanji: yeah, I was born in North Blue. Didn't I tell you ?

"You never said anything about that kind of stuff. We all though you were from East Blue."

Nami: Chopper: What are you doing, be quiet !

Chopper: *Ze Gasp*

Sanji: I grew up in East Blue. But this story is pretty popular in North Blue. People say it's just kid's story, but I've heard that this Norland guy really did exist !

"*This is a very old story, a story that happened over 400 years ago... In a country somewhere in the North sea, there was a man named Montblanc Norland. He was an explorer who always spoke of past adventurers, but the people of the kingdom didn't know, if these tales were true or not. Norland came back from one expedition, and went to report to the king. "I discovered an island across the mighty seas that has a mountain of gold !". the king, wanting to see this himself, commanded 2000 to come with him. The king and the soldiers than set sail to cross the mighty seas. They braved huge waves and many giant sea monsters. After going through many hardships, the king, Norland, and only 100 soldiers arrived on the Island. But the only thing they saw on the island was an ordinary jungle. Norland was blamed for this and sentenced to death for all his lies. Norland's last words were: "I know ! The mountain of gold sunk into the sea !". The king and villagers couldn't believe it ! No one believed Norland anymore, but he continued to lie 'till his death. North Blue fairy tale, "King of liars, Norland".*."

Bellamy: GYAHAHAHA ! Montblanc cricket is the descendant of Montblanc Norland ?! I remember that story, everyone in North Blue knows it.

Sarquiss: We're all from North Blue, so yeah, we know it. People always told that if you tell lies you would end up like Norland !

Bellamy: Gyahaha ! Things just keep getting better and better ! I never thought Jaya would be the place that story happened at.

Crew: The descendant of Norland... Has come to search for the gold 400 years later, to clear his ancestor's name !

Bellamy: Ha... Haha ! Haha ! AHAHAHAHAHA ! GYAHAHAHAHA ! What a funny family, Gyahahaha ! He thinks that with one piece of gold he could wash away 400 years of embarrassment ! What a simple mind this guy has ! Gyahaha !

Nami: "And the pathetic liar died, without becoming a true warrior of the seas."

"Pretty sure that wasn't in the book. Like, at all."

Usopp Don't look at me ! And stop making up all that stuff !

Luffy: WAAAHHHHHHHH !

*SPLASH*

Nami: Wha ?! Luffy fell into the water !

Usopp: What the hell are you doing !!

???: Who the hell are you people ?

*Saruyama Alliance's high boss: Montblanc Cricket*

Cricket: You punks got a lot of guts to enter a man's house without permission. This area is my territory ! You're all after the gold, right ? Then prepare to die !

"LUFFY !!"

Sanji: Hng !

*BANG*

Chopper: SANJI ! AHH !!

Sanji: Don't worry... He missed ! But HEY ! WAIT A DAMN MINUTE !

Zoro: That idiot, that's what you get for taking him on. Uh ?

"For fuck's sake, Luffy, what were you thinking ?!

Luffy: Bwah ! There were bubbles coming up from the water... *Cough* When I looked in the water there was some kind of chestnut... But it was really that old guy and he pulled me in !

Cricket: ARGH !! Gh-...

"Huh... ? I think I just missed something..."

Chopper: Bring some more cold towels. Open all the windows too.

"Dysbarism ?"

Luffy: Oh, you mean he's sick ?

Chopper: yes, it's various symptoms divers experience sometimes. But it's not a long-term illness and should pass. It happens on a diver's decent, when excessive Nitrogen enters the body's blood and tissue. Then on ascent the chemicals diffuse out in the form of bubbles causing various symptoms.

Luffy: Yeah, weird sick stuff.

"Y- Yes, Luffy... That's exactly it."

Chopper: he must have been diving everyday, not letting the bubbles dissolve properly.

Nami: Why would he ?

Chopper: I don't know why, but it is very dangerous. In some cases it can be lethal.

Shoujou: Ah ! Masira, you're still alive ?!

Masira: Am I still alive ? What kinda question is that ?

Shoujou: Ah, nevermind. What do you think that gunshot we heard just now was about ?

Masira: I don't know, but you don't think something happened to our boss, do you ?

Shoujou: Oh no ! The thought of that's making me nervous !

Both: BOOOOOOOOOOOSSSS ! ARE YOU ALRIGHT ?!

"I think we've met before..."

Usopp: AGHHH ! THEY'VE COME TO KILL US !

Chopper: GYAAA !!

Shoujou: JUST WHAT'RE YOU DOING HERE ?!

Masira: WHAT DID YOU DO TO OUR BOSS ?!

Luffy: What, you guys again ? We're treating the sick old man so scram.

Usopp: Luffy, you idiot ! You can't reason with them, they're wild beasts ! Everyone, evacuate through the windows asap !!

Both: They're... they're good people... !

Usopp: IT WORKED ?!

Luffy: So you guys live here too ?

Masira: Well, the boss' house is also the main base for the Saruyama alliance, but... We usually sleep on our own ships.

Shoujou: This house is too small for us, after all. Uohohoho !

Luffy: Nah, it's you guys who're too big. Then again, compared to these giants, even you guys are only as big as their boogers.

Usopp: Why're they getting along so well ?

"Got a lot in common, I guess."

Shoujou: But I'm surprised you managed to send Masira flying with such short legs.

Luffy: Really ? I'm sure you could do it too.

Shoujou: Oh, really ?

Luffy: Yup, sure.

Masira: Hmm ?

Chopper: Luffy, he's awake !

Masira: WAAAAAAAAAaaaaa...

Shoujou: Ah, it's true. He does fly pretty well.

Luffy: He's up ? Chestnut-head mister ! I got stuff I wanted to ask.

Cricket: Sorry about the attack earlier. I mistook you for the usual idiots who come sniffin' for gold.

Nami: Gold ?! So you do have some ?!

"Don't provoke him, Nami."

Cricket: So, what is it you want to ask me ?

Luffy: We want to go to Sky island ! Teach us how !

Cricket: Sky island ? AHAHAHAHAHA ! You folks seriously believe in that ?!

"Nami, no ! He's a sick patient !"

Luffy: What, so there's no such thing ?!

Cricket: Ha... Who knows for sure... I do know of one man who said it existed... But the entire world labeled him as a liar, and his entire family line's been a laughing stock ever since.

Luffy: ... ...

Usopp: IT'S NOT ME !!

Cricket: "Norland the liar", is how his story goes...

Luffy: ... ...

Usopp: I TOLD YOU ALREADY, IT'S NOT ME ! EVEN THE NAME'S DIFFERENT !

"So you're his descendant ? And this island is the very island in the story ?"

Cricket: He's the grandfather of my grandfather... Of my grandfather, and so on up the line... Suffice to say, he's a distant ancestor of mine, which is troubling to say the least... I probably share as much blood with him as a mosquito can carry in its belly. The Montblanc family's been run out of that kingdom, but their abuse and humiliation by the people's hands still continues... But not a single Montblanc member resents him. Why's that ?

Cricket: Because Norland, was a man of upstanding honesty. In the final scene of the picture book, Norland says, "I know ! The mountain of gold sunk into the sea !". There, he's drawn with a stupid smile on his face, but the real man supposedly died with big blobs of tears streaming down his face. He was absolutely sure that the island that they'd landed at, was the same jaya where he'd discovered the ruins of a golden city. The thought that maybe he had seen an illusion never even crossed his mind. Norland claimed that an earthquake must have caused the city of gold to sink to the ocean floor, but the people could only see it as a desperate excuse made to save his own skin, and the crowd mocked him to no end as he was executed.

Usopp: So then ! Have you come here in search of the golden city at the ocean floor, so that you could wipe away your family's dishonor ?!

Cricket: DON'T BE STUPID !!

*BANG*

Cricket: Whether my distant ancestor really was an honest man, or a great explorer... What the hell does that have to do with me ?! WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE FEELINGS OF A CHILD, WHO'S HAD TO GROW UP BEING INSULTED AND LAUGHED AT BY EVERY STRANGER, JUST BECAUSE HE HAPPENED TO SHARE THE SAME BLOOD AS THAT IDIOT !

Cricket: But in the past 400 years, there have been countless members of my family, who set out for the seas to reclaim our family's honor or whatever... Don't know what happened to any of them, but I felt embarrassed by them. And so I ran away from home and became a pirate.

"Oh, so you were a pirate too ?"

Cricket: It's not that I wanted to become one, I just wanted to escape from Norland's curse, that's all. But 10 years ago, at the end of my adventures, my ship ended up arriving at this island. Oddly enough, me, the one who despised Norland the most in my family, was the only one that was able to arrive to this island. As I stood on the cape of this island that didn't even bear the slightest trace of a golden city, I figured it must be fate... And that I couldn't run away any longer.

Cricket: Let's settle this, Norland.

Crew: What kind of joke is this ?! Captain... We've got no desire to get involved with your family's problems ! If you're still set on searching for gold, then you'll have to do it alone ! This means goodbye !

Cricket: I didn't care if there really was gold or not... I didn't come here to find gold, and clear up my ancestor's name... It was a personal fight between me, and the man who had ruined my life. Before I kicked the bucket, I wanted to settle the issue once and for all... !

Usopp: ... A true man's...

"And... What about the two monkeys then ?"

Usopp: I'm sure there's a hot-blooded backstory for that, involving a heart-to-heart talk done with fists below the sea...

Cricket: They're just fans of the story.

Usopp: THEY'RE JUST FANS ?!

Nami: Well, that's a pretty simple relationship...

Cricket: About 5-6 years ago, they came here after hearing rumors about me. And enthusiastically claimed that Norland's gold existed for sure.

Masira: SHOU... JOU !! KICKING ME LIKE THAT WITHOUT WARNING... YOU GOT A DEATH WISH OR SOMETHIN' ?!

Shoujou: That's some big talk coming from you, but you better watch it if you don't want to make me really mad.

Cricket: The sea here is deep, and in the cold, dark ocean depths, loneliness gets to you even more. For a guy diving alone day after day, having these two idiots barge into my life, and making a big uproar about calling me boss, and becoming my followers is... Honestly, it really lifts a man... You understand ?

Usopp: Yes, I understand ! True friends son't need anything more to-

Luffy: Right, well, leaving the monkey talk-

Usopp: YOU JUST STAY QUIET !

Luffy: ... Like I was saying...

Usopp: Gahh-

Luffy: I JUST WANT TO KNOW, HOW TO GO TO SKY ISLAND !

Cricket: ... Haha... You're one impatient bastard. But I told you my story for a reason. The man who once talked about a "Sky Island" was Norland the liar. Getting involved with him will just turn you into the world's laughingstock like me.

"There's that one thing that's called 'Not giving a fuck'. But that Norland, did he also go to Sky Island ?"

Cricket: Unfortunately, he never wrote that he did...

Nami: A logbook ? I- Is that written by the man himself ?!

Cricket: That's right. Read the section there.

Nami: Amazing... A 400-year-old diary... "Year 1120 of the marine Calendar, June 21. Clear weather. Setting off from the merry town of Villa, we sailed Northeast from the port, following our Log pose. During the day, we obtained a most interesting item from a passing merchant ship. It's a single-person-use boat called a 'Waver', much resembling skis. Even on a day without wind, it propels it's own wind somehow to sail forwards. A very mysterious ship, though requiring a certain level of skill from the rider. I could not successfully ride it. It has since become a favorite plaything among the crew members". Whoa ! What is this ?! I want one too !

Luffy/Usopp/Chopper: ENOUGH ABOUT THAT, KEEP READING !

Nami: It seems the mysterious engine of this device exists only on "Sky island", along with many other rare and interesting items, or so I've heard. Also concerning "Sky island", an explorer friend of mine once showed me a living "Sky fish", it's appearance truly shocked me. Although this rumored Sky island is located in uncharted waters for us, speaking as a sailor, I wish to visit this sky ocean some day. Montblanc Norland."

"A sky ocean..."

Luffy: It's just as you said !

Usopp: And the people back then talked about it as if there were no doubts about its existence !

Chopper: ... SO IT DOES EXIST ! WOOHOO !!

Masira: Boss ! How's your body feeling ?

Cricket: Never felt better. Now keep quiet and answer me. Do you like these guys ?

Shoujou: Why're you asking us that ?

Cricket: It seems like that bunch is completely set on going to Sky island. No matter what...

Shoujou: Sky Island... ? Well there's only one way to get up there...

Masira: yeah, but they'll die for sure if they tried that... !

Cricket: That's why I'm thinking... We lend them a hand...