Of Rivals and Oniichans

CHAPTER 7: SUBMERGED

The submersion began as they feel a floating sensation that start from their feet. It was one of those paradoxical things, Nami thought, that you enjoyed as you experienced them.

The bubble was growing, and they watched in awe as it grew bigger and bigger without popping. "Uwaa..." Chopper uttered beside her, fascinated, and everyone else watched as it grew to its height and the ship began to descend. It was a feeling similar to when the ship just entered the cloud highway back in Sky Island, though soon enough it began to feel just like they were sailing above the sea..., only in a submarine completely made of glass.

The crew dissipated to look at their surroundings. It was a magnificent show of nature (which Zoro shortly interrupted saying he had seen it before, because he mistakenly got into the wrong ship). The depth of the mangrove forest was a miracle, and the massiveness of the creatures fascinating.

.

But the spell was quickly broken by screams.

"DON'T DO IT!"

"GYAA!"

"STOP IT YOU TWO!"

Naturally, it was the Monster-Idiots (a.k.a. Luffy and Zoro) and they were attempting to catch the fish outside the bubbles. And using their AOA techniques.

Damned idiots

After placing bumps on their foreheads, Nami promptly explained the various ways the bubble could pop. The idiots promptly have a competition.

"HOW CAN YOU TWO BE SO STUPID YOU IDIOTS." Usopp screamed, and Chopper squeaked, and they knocked the two idiots down the grass.

"DO THAT AGAIN AND I WILL KILL YOU!"

But then, Nami noticed the somewhat erotic position Luffy was as she sprawled on the ground, and soon with her peripheral vision she could see blood rising to Sanji's head. A second later, Sanji ended up being the one outside the bubble. Cannoned out by his own nosebleed, of course.

Luffy quickly sat up to catch the bleeding cook. Her hand went through the bubble and headed directly to Sanji, though the force quickly faltered and she barely got a hold of him. On her right, she saw that Chopper hilariously ran to the rooms to get a blood bank ready by the time Sanji's on the lawn.

Luffy had to struggle a bit at the pull, as the seawater was draining her strength. She succeeded in the end though, with assistance, and with Sanji's head ending up on her chest.

Nami's eyes twitched as she saw his body shiver and got ready for yet another nosebleed, but Zoro kicked him away just in time, though arguably with a bit too much force that it'd have put a hole in the ship if it wasn't made up of adam wood.

"Annoying cook." Zoro muttered as he trudged next to Luffy and sat there. Finally, the two Idiots finally got the message (i.e. that they should stop trying to pop the bubble). Everyone joined them in a circle when Nami announced a current will carry them for several hours.

"So..." One mumbled with a smile. A few others smiled in understanding

"...Yeah".

Everyone sighed—a breath of relaxation—as they let a moment of silence pass by, they finally breathed in the fact that they were really together now, once again, in their home—something that did not really sink in due to the simultaneous events that occurred before that.

Then Luffy's stomach growled, followed by Usopp's, and they all laughed.

"Just like old times! Yohohoho~" Brooke laughed, then Franky rubbed his hands in anticipation.