The sun hung low over the horizon, casting golden hues across the shimmering sea as the Going Merry sliced steadily through the calm waves. A salty breeze wafted through the air, mixing with the savory aroma drifting from the kitchen.
Sanji was in his element, a cigarette tucked behind his ear, apron fluttering as he danced between boiling pots and sizzling pans. "Dinner'll be ready in ten!" he called out, flipping something delicious-looking into a plate with a flourish.
Luffy was already at the table, fork and knife in hand, grinning like a madman. "I'm starving!"
"You're always starving," Nami snapped from the steps, crossing her arms. "And that's exactly why our food supplies are running out!"
From the corner, Usopp chimed in, "Yeah! Luffy ate five days' worth in one afternoon!"
"I was hungry !" Luffy reasoned,
Sanji turned, seething. "You're banned from eating until further notice!"
"What?!" Luffy's jaw dropped.
"Same goes for you two!" Sanji pointed a fiery ladle at Karoo and Chopper, who were huddled beside Luffy with guilty looks and puffed-out cheeks.
Karoo let out a worried kwack, and Chopper panicked. "B-but I thought it was a contest!"
"You thought everything was a contest," Sanji growled.
Nami didn't waste time—her fist rocketed into the trio like a meteor. "We need to make it to Arabasta before we starve, you morons!"
Luffy, Chopper, and Karoo all tumbled backward in a pile of bruises and regret.
Zoro, meanwhile, slept against the railing, snoring softly with one eye half-cracked open. "Mmm… meat fight…"
On the other end of the ship, Blizz sat cross-legged near the edge, a fishing rod extended into the ocean, his expression calm but focused. A few empty buckets sat beside him, the last haul having gone straight to Sanji. His eyes drifted to the horizon, calculating.
"Still nothing?" Usopp asked, wandering over with a half-eaten carrot.
"Just bait thieves," Blizz replied. "But I'll snag something soon. We need it. We're nearly out."
"Fishing jutsu?" Usopp teased.
Blizz smirked. "Tempting. But where's the fun in that?"
They shared a quiet laugh before a loud clang echoed from the galley. Dinner was ready.
Soon, everyone had gathered around the table—minus Luffy, Chopper, and Karoo, who were sitting in "timeout" behind a barrel under Nami's strict orders.
"Please… a crumb…" Luffy pleaded.
"Silence," Sanji said, ladling stew into bowls. "Think about what you've done."
After the chaos settled and food filled the table, conversation began to shift. The mood grew more serious as the glow of the setting sun deepened into orange.
"In Arabasta," Vivi said, "Crocodile is seen as a hero. He's known for 'protecting' our kingdom from outside threats… but it's all a lie."
"A lie?" Chopper asked quietly, peeking over the table.
"He's the one causing the chaos," Vivi said, her voice heavy. "He's been manipulating events in secret—fueling a rebellion, destabilizing the kingdom, and using a criminal syndicate to control everything from the shadows."
"Baroque Works," Usopp said, remembering. "You mentioned that back on Whiskey Peak."
"Yes. Baroque Works is his underground organization. Each member operates under a code name. Mr. 0 is Crocodile himself. His agents go in pairs—male agents have numbers, and the female agents are named after holidays."
"From Mr. 1 all the way down to Mr. 9 and Miss Monday. They operate in layers. The lower agents don't even know who Mr. 0 is."
Usopp leaned in, fascinated. "So what's their goal?"
"To overthrow Arabasta," Vivi said. "Crocodile plans to take over the entire country—turn it into his own kingdom. And the people will thank him for it, because they think he saved them from the civil war he created."
Everyone was quiet for a moment.
Then Luffy stood up, fists clenched. "So all we gotta do is stop the civil war, beat up this Crocodile guy, and chase out the Baroque Works freaks, right?"
Vivi blinked. "You make it sound… simple."
"It is simple," Luffy grinned. "If someone's hurting people, we stop them."
Blizz looked away from his bowl, thoughtful. "Crocodile's a Warlord. That's not an easy fight."
Zoro cracked his knuckles. "Doesn't matter. We've fought worse odds."
"Arabasta isn't just another island," Vivi said. "It's my home. My people are suffering. They think they're fighting for freedom, but they're being tricked."
Luffy nodded. "Then let's show them the truth."
Nami raised her cup. "To stopping Crocodile."
Sanji poured a drink, offering it to Vivi. "To saving Arabasta."
Blizz leaned back against the railing of the Going Merry, eyes on the horizon where the sun dipped low, painting the ocean in shades of gold and crimson. A breeze rolled across the deck as if ushering in a moment of calm before the storm.
"Hey," Blizz called, his tone casual but sharp enough to catch attention. "You guys ever really think about Devil Fruits? I mean… really think about what they are?"
Luffy blinked and grinned. "Yeah! They give you powers—and you can't swim! Classic."
Usopp raised his hand dramatically. "And you get cursed forever! Legendary pirate stuff!"
Blizz smirked but didn't laugh. "That's what the stories say. But there's more to it. Let me break it down for you."
Everyone slowly gathered around. Sanji leaned against the mast, Nami set her map aside, Vivi sat next to Karoo, and Chopper nervously twiddled his hooves. Even Zoro cracked one eye open from his nap.
"There are three main categories of Devil Fruits," Blizz began, holding up one finger. "Paramecia. This type gives you all kinds of abilities—from manipulating your body to altering the world around you. Luffy, technically, your Gomu Gomu no Mi… is a Paramecia."
"Technically?" Nami raised an eyebrow.
Blizz hesitated for a second, then said, "Yeah… see, I've read every known record of Devil Fruits. There are books about them—The Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. But here's the thing… I've never come across a listing for the Gomu Gomu no Mi. Not once. It's not in the books. It's like… it's being hidden."
Luffy tilted his head. "Maybe they just forgot it?"
Blizz didn't answer directly. "Maybe."
He moved on, raising a second finger. "Zoan. These are animal-based fruits. They let you transform into a specific beast and a hybrid form. Chopper's a Zoan."
Chopper blinked. "Oh… so I'm one of those?"
Blizz nodded. "Yeah. Yours is the Hito Hito no Mi. The Human-Human Fruit. But every Zoan has a model. For example—Dalton? His Zoan is a model of the Bison. Yours… I've never heard of another model like it. Human model? That's… unique."
"Wait—there's a model of every animal?" Usopp asked.
"Yeah," Blizz said. "There's the Ancient zoan, like dinosaurs, and Mythical zoan—like dragons or phoenixes. And all does been eaten."
He raised a third finger. "Logia. These are the scariest of them all. Users become the element itself. Fire, smoke, light, ice, magma, sand—you name it. You can't hit them with normal attacks because their entire body turns into that element."
"Like Smoker," Sanji said with a frown.
Blizz nodded. "And Crocodile."
The crew tensed.
"Crocodile's a Logia too?" Vivi asked, eyes wide.
"Yeah," Blizz said. "The Suna Suna no Mi. Sand-Sand Fruit. He can turn into sand, control it, become part of it. If you can't touch him, you can't hurt him."
"Wait a second," Usopp said. "If Logias are so strong… how do you beat one?"
Blizz crossed his arms. "You don't—unless you know their weakness or use Haki. But Haki's… a whole other conversation."
Sanji's cigarette twitched. "Tch. That's great. Another superpowered freak."
The wind stirred again, more forceful this time, as if nature agreed.
Luffy slowly stood, stretching. "So I just have to learn how to hit sand."
Blizz smiled faintly. "That's one way to put it."
The ship gently rocked under the starlit sky, the waves lapping rhythmically against the hull. Dinner had quieted down, bellies were full (except Luffy's, who was already begging Sanji for a second round), and the mood was calm, with a trace of something unspoken in the air—anticipation, maybe.
Blizz stood quietly at the bow, staring up at the stars. After a beat, he exhaled and said, "You know… nothing brings a crew together better than a song."
Luffy blinked. "A song?"
Usopp perked up. "Wait, like a pirate song? I know a few!"
But Blizz shook his head, smirking. "No, i made it myself ."
Usopp's jaw dropped. "Wait, wait, you wrote a song? Since when do you write songs?!"
Blizz shrugged. "Sometimes when you travel long enough and think too much, stuff just comes out."
The crew exchanged curious glances.
He didn't wait for more questions. He just raised his hand, closed his eyes, and began to sing:
And now it's time to raise your hands up! Sing about your dreams now!
Always stand up... to raise your flag in declaration!
Never back down, from walls that stand before you!
Tomorrow we'll go and raise our...hands up!
The melody flowed over the deck, clear and strong, his voice filled with emotion. It wasn't flashy—it was real. Something in the way he sang felt like it came from another time, another place.
Chopper whispered, "I've never heard this song before…"
Nami glanced at him, then toward Blizz. "It's… beautiful."
Luffy tilted his head, listening more intently now, eyebrows slowly raising.
If I just keep moving a little more, then maybe I'll answer my question's core.
I've pressed through the ends of the earth retaining my belief that I'll find what I seek.
Yes! Our dreams that have been scattered all over will come join together in One Piece!
"WHA?!" Luffy suddenly gasped, springing to his feet. "He said One Piece!! That's OUR dream!!"
"Did you write that line just for me?!" he shouted, grinning.
Blizz chuckled. "Maybe. Maybe not. Depends on how much you believe in fate."
Usopp shouted, "Okay but seriously—are you secretly a bard or something?!"
Zoro peeked one eye open. "Tch. Great. A ninja, a psychic, and a songwriter."
As Blizz kept singing, Chopper and Luffy started humming along, waving their arms offbeat. Karoo danced in little circles. Vivi couldn't stop smiling.
Blizz just smiled, continuing to sing without explaining a thing.
By drifting unto the sea, and riding up and down the waves,
those we meet and greet with; bid farewell with
will join under this flag we fly!
I'll remember the pain kept buried deep inside,
but on that one day, I firmly made it loud and clear,
"My freedom is precious, and I'll never let it go!"
With hands of great power I'll move on!
Karoo flapped his wings excitedly. Chopper stood up, trying to hum along even if he didn't know the words. Vivi held her hands together, visibly touched. Something about the song stirred old hopes in her.
Luffy was grinning from ear to ear. "It's like the song's talking about us! About our dream!"
Blizz ended with a flourish, his voice steady and bold:
Always stand up... to raise your flag in declaration!
Never back down, from walls that stand before you!
Let's go straight ahead for tomorrow!
Further, look up! Soar your spirits higher!
Always step up... to clear the crashing waves below.
Let's take what we've wished for and link each piece together!
Tomorrow we'll go and raise our...HANDS UP
A few beats of silence passed as the sound faded into the sea breeze.
Then—Luffy let out a yell. "That was AMAZING! Teach me that song!"
Usopp, already holding a ladle like a mic, nodded. "No way that's just some random tune. You got some explaining to do, Blizz."
Sanji smirked. "Not bad, ninja. Never figured you for the dramatic type."
Zoro snorted. "Guess he's not just all stealth and fireballs."
Blizz gave them a small grin and a shrug. "A good song can do what no jutsu ever could."
Luffy stretched and looked to the stars. "When we find the One Piece… I wanna sing that again. Right on top of the world."
The waves carried them forward, their dream burning brighter, the song still lingering in the night air like a promise.