Little Garden
The forest of Little Garden was a mosaic of shadows and light, with sunbeams filtering through the gigantic canopies. Sanji emerged from the bushes, dragging the enormous body of a dinosaur with a triumphant expression. His clothes were torn, but his smile revealed his satisfaction.
"This giant lizard is my victory. Let's see Zoro try to top this."
As he approached the beach, the Going Merry came into view. He quickened his pace, eager to show his catch to Nami and Vivi. The metallic scent of blood filled his nostrils, and he abruptly stopped, frowning.
"What's this?"
Bloodstains were scattered across the sand and the ship's deck. Dinosaur remains were strewn everywhere, with chunks of raw meat and broken bones creating a grotesque scene. Sanji dropped the dinosaur, eyes wide.
"Nami-san? Vivi-chan?"
The silence was overwhelming, broken only by the sound of the waves. He ran up the boarding plank, heart racing. His eyes scanned every inch of the deck as he shouted.
"Nami! Vivi! Where are you?"
He rushed to the kitchen, the place where he'd usually find Nami chatting or Vivi resting. Nothing. Just the smell of blood mixed with the sea.
'Nothing here either... Where are they?'
Desperation began to grow. He climbed to the upper deck, checking every corner of the ship. Nami's cabin was empty, as was Vivi's. The kitchen, the hold... no sign of them or the others.
"Nami! Vivi! Someone, answer me!"
His breathing became heavy. He walked back to the deck, looking around as if expecting them to appear at any moment. Nothing but silence and the scene of destruction.
'This can't be happening. Not to them. Not with me here.'
He frowned, clenching his fists tightly. The sound of the sea seemed to mock his helplessness. Suddenly, he leaped high, spinning in the air and propelling himself again.
"Geppou!"
Walking through the air, he ascended until he had a clear view of the surrounding forest. His eyes scanned the terrain, searching for any clues. Then he saw it. Huge, deep footprints leading into the island's interior. Giants.
Sanji paused for a moment, eyes wide. His mind raced with terrible possibilities.
'Giants... Did they take Nami and Vivi?'
He swallowed hard, but desperation quickly gave way to determination. He ran through the air, following the trail of footprints. His shouts echoed through the forest.
"I'll save you! Nami! Vivi! Wait for me!"
The wind roared around him as he propelled himself faster, his feet pounding against the air with force. His thoughts were in turmoil, but one thing was certain.
'I won't let anything happen to you. Never.'
The horizon of Little Garden seemed even more hostile, but Sanji didn't hesitate. With each step in the air, he drew closer to his goal.
.....
The soft sunlight filtered through the gigantic canopies of Little Garden, casting flickering shadows on the ground. Riser stood on an elevated point in the forest, eyes half-closed as he used his Observation Haki to analyze the surroundings. The landscape around him was lively and chaotic: the sound of dinosaurs roaring, trees being felled, and distant echoes of human voices.
'Interesting. Luffy is with Dorry, and Brogy has encountered the group on the ship. Sanji has already noticed the movement. Everything is flowing as expected.'
Alvida approached slowly, wiping blood from her club with a piece of cloth. The colossal body of a dinosaur lay behind her, its head crushed by a precise blow. Her gaze was sharp, but a hint of curiosity marked her expression.
"What are we going to do now?"
Riser didn't respond immediately. He crossed his arms and took a deep breath, his face relaxed, but his eyes held a calculating gleam. The forest around them seemed to revolve around him, as if every movement was under his control.
"Miss Valentine. It's time to find her."
Alvida raised an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly. "Is she a problem for you?"
"Not a problem. A piece. And pieces need to be moved at the right time."
She let out a short laugh, resting the club on her shoulder as she observed him. "You always talk as if everything were a chessboard. Doesn't that tire you?"
Riser shrugged, the corner of his mouth curving into an almost imperceptible smile. "Not when I'm always a few moves ahead."
Alvida narrowed her eyes, analyzing him for a moment before shaking her head. "If you say so. Then let's go after her."
He nodded, starting to walk through the forest. His steps were firm but silent, and Alvida followed closely behind, staying alert to the environment. Despite his casual demeanor, there was something in Riser's movements that exuded unshakable confidence.
'He knows exactly where she is. It's almost irritating.'
With each step, the density of the forest decreased, and the sounds of the surrounding creatures became less intense. Alvida observed Riser's serene expression, his unperturbed posture even amidst the chaos of Little Garden. Finally, she decided to break the silence.
"Are you going to confront her?"
Riser cast a brief glance over his shoulder, his eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and certainty.
"Confront? No. I'm going to talk."
Alvida raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Talk? After everything that happened in Whiskey Peak?"
"Yes. She needs to understand her position. And I'm good at making that clear."
She let out a sigh, adjusting the club again. "Whatever. I hope this doesn't make us waste more time."
Riser suddenly stopped, turning to face her. Despite the calm on his face, his presence seemed to intensify.
"Time, Alvida, is something I always play to my advantage."
She narrowed her eyes but said nothing more. She just nodded, following him in silence. The sound of their footsteps blended with the whisper of the wind as the shadows of the trees began to diminish.
Their destination was near, and Alvida knew that when they arrived, something would change. Riser, as always, seemed to know exactly what that meant.
___
Zoro advanced through the forest, dragging the enormous dinosaur with visible effort, but his determined gaze kept him focused on the goal. Sweat dripped down his face, but he ignored any signs of fatigue.
'This will shut that cook up once and for all.'
A column of black smoke rose into the sky, catching his attention. He abruptly stopped, dropping the dinosaur's tail.
"The ship is on fire!"
Without a second thought, Zoro resumed dragging the dinosaur, now with more urgency. The idea of something happening to the Going Merry made him uneasy, even if he tried to hide his concern.
'There's no way they let this happen.'
Running through the forest, he knocked down branches and bushes in his path, ignoring any obstacles. The dinosaur's weight made his movement difficult, but Zoro didn't stop. When the smoke became more visible, he entered a clearing and encountered an unexpected scene.
Luffy was sitting next to a giant, both eating meat and laughing like old friends. Dinosaur remains and an improvised bonfire explained the source of the smoke.
"Luffy! What are you doing?! I thought the ship was on fire!"
Luffy turned to him with a huge smile on his face, pieces of meat still hanging from his hands.
"Zoro! You brought more meat! This is my friend Dorry; he's a giant from Elbaf!"
The giant laughed loudly, the sound echoing through the forest as he observed the new visitor.
"Ho Ho Ho! So you're the swordsman? You look strong! But I bet you don't fight better than this little rubber guy here."
Zoro dropped the dinosaur on the ground, crossing his arms with an incredulous expression.
"Luffy, you're playing with giants while I'm dragging this all the way here? Who's on the ship?"
Luffy shrugged, chewing another piece of meat before responding.
"They must be on the ship. Why are you so worried? And why did you come running like a madman?"
Zoro pointed to the column of smoke in the sky, frowning.
"I saw the smoke and thought the ship was on fire. Of course I was worried!"
Luffy tilted his head, biting another piece of meat.
"Smoke? But the ship is on the other side of the island. You're lost again, aren't you?"
Zoro widened his eyes for a moment but quickly disguised it, crossing his arms again.
"Me? Lost? Don't be ridiculous. You must be wrong about the ship's location."
Luffy started laughing loudly, slightly choking on the meat.
"Shishishishi! Zoro, you're the only one who gets lost because of some smoke! The ship isn't even close to here!"
Dorry interrupted, laughing as he lifted his sword.
"Ho Ho Ho! Looks like the swordsman got disoriented. Let me see what you brought!"
Without ceremony, the giant grabbed the dinosaur Zoro had dragged, lifting it easily and examining the creature with interest.
"This will make a great feast. I'll roast it right now!"
Zoro opened his mouth to protest but closed it immediately, avoiding Luffy's gaze.
'Alright. He can have it. Better than admitting I got lost.'
Dorry began preparing the dinosaur, lighting a new bonfire with surprising skill for someone his size. Luffy hopped around, excited.
"There will be more meat! This is amazing!"
Zoro sat by the bonfire, watching the giant and Luffy as the smell of roasted meat began to fill the air.
'I really need to learn to navigate alone. This should never have happened.'
Luffy looked at Zoro with a wide smile, tossing a piece of meat to him.
"Relax, Zoro! Meat solves everything!"
Zoro caught the piece in the air but couldn't help a slight smile as he bit into it.
"You're an idiot, Luffy. But sometimes, you actually make sense."
Dorry's laughter echoed through the clearing as the bonfire crackled, filling the space with an aura of unlikely camaraderie.
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