Let's Eat

Mont Blanc Cricket stands shirtless, smoking a cigarette, and addresses the Straw Hats. He says, "Alright, I'll tell you everything I know about sky island, But it's all uncertain, So it's up to you whether you believe it or not." Luffy, Usopp, Nami, and Chopper are gathered around a large tree stump serving as a table. Zoro is sleeping in the background against a wall with a "Zzz..." sound effect. Nami replies, "Ok, I believe you." Luffy nods rapidly with a "kokun" sound effect. Usopp, looking exasperated at Luffy's quick acceptance, yells, "Too fast, Luffy!"

Cricket points out toward the ocean, explaining, "There's a phenomenon that occurs in the seas around this region, When day suddenly turns into night." Usopp, Luffy, and Nami react with sudden realization. Usopp shouts, "YEAH! NOT ONLY DID IT SUDDENLY BECOME NIGHT, BUT MONSTERS APPEARED TOO!" Luffy agrees, "RIGHT!?" Nami adds, "AHH! THERE IS! THAT'S TRUE FOR SURE!" Cricket continues his explanation, "Ah yes, the giants. There's a theory on where they come from, But let's leave that aside for now. In any case, the suddenly occurring 'night,' Is actually the shadow of an extremely dense, towering cloud." A panel shows a massive, dark cloud formation casting a shadow over a small ship on the sea.

Cricket yells angrily at Usopp and Luffy, who are making dismissive faces. "JUST SHUT UP AND LISTEN!" he shouts. Usopp retorts, "Yeah, don't be stupid, mister. If there's lots of clouds out, it's only 'cloudy.'" Luffy and Chopper echo, "Yeah, just cloudy." and "Just cloudy." Nami thinks about it and asks, "But that darkness wasn't something that could have been formed by thick clouds... You mean a cumulonimbus?" Cricket clarifies, "'Emperonimbus.' There's a type of cloud by that name. They stack up high into the sky but don't give rise to any currents nor rain. And when those appear in the sky, They block even the sunlight out, Changing day on land to night." Luffy looks confused as Cricket continues, "One theory states that the emperornimbus clouds have been drifting in the sky for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, All the while never changing, causing some to nickname it a 'cloud fossil.'"

Nami looks skeptical, saying, "A cloud that doesn't let out any currents no matter how high it piles up!? That's impossible..." Cricket replies, "You're free to believe it or not. I'm not telling you all this in order to convince you or anything." Luffy smiles, "So it's a 'mystery cloud,' huh." Chopper looks at Luffy in awe, "Luffy, you're amazing!" Cricket adds, "In a way, I suppose, since nobody knows for sure yet." Taking a drag from his cigarette, Cricket gets serious. "Now listen up. If sky island really does exist, Then it could only possibly exist on that cloud." Luffy immediately jumps up, cheering, "Got it! Let's go on top of that cloud! Zoro, wake up! Morning, already? Everyone get ready! Set the rudder up for the clouds! Thanks for telling us, mister!" Usopp yells at him in frustration, "HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT!?"

Cricket warns them, "Now this is the crucial part. Let me warn you beforehand, That you'll have to risk your lives." Usopp and Luffy, looking battered and exhausted, reply, "WE'RE ALREADY HALF-DEAD..." Cricket reveals the method: "'Knock-up Stream.' If you can ride that, it'll take you to the sky, understand?" Nami is shocked, "What...!? You mean the stream that knocks ships up into the air!?" Luffy imagines their ship riding a massive geyser into the clouds and laughs, "Oh, so all we have to do is get ourselves blasted up into the clouds! Hahaha! By a sea current? YAHOO!" Nami looks concerned, remembering something. "But I heard that's how ships come crashing down from the sky... At Mocktown..."

Cricket confirms Nami's fear, "Normally, yes. The key point here is timing. Of course, it sounds simple when I say you'll be 'riding the stream,' But it sure as hell ain't gonna be a picnic, that's for sure." A dramatic panel shows a massive, violent upward stream of water destroying a ship. Cricket describes it: "After all, the knock-up stream is... A NATURAL CALAMITY. An event one normally wishes to desperately avoid." Nami asks, "Just how does a stream even travel up into the air anyways? I've never even heard of such a thing until recently..." Cricket explains, "Even the workings behind that monster of a stream, Aren't beyond the realms of logic. Though of course, there isn't anyone dumb enough to go and confirm the facts..."

Cricket explains the mechanics of the Knock-up Stream with diagrams. "But the main theory goes like this. Deep below the ocean floor, there's a large cave, To which low-temperature water flows inside. The steam pressure caused by the intense geothermal heat builds and builds up, Until a limit is reached and it comes exploding out." He continues, "An explosion of such scale that it knocks up a volume of water so large as to make it look like an ocean current heading straight up into the sky. For about a minute, the ocean water continues to jet up into the sky." Nami is stunned, "The water shoots for a full minute...? Just how big is this explosion!?" Cricket adds, "The explosion locations change everytime, But it happens around 5 times a month." Usopp panics, "So we're gonna get blasted to bits...?"

Cricket crosses his arms, "Despite saying all that... Trying to accurately describe one of nature's greatest phenomenon with logic and reason alone is pure folly. I... Then if... Sky island isn't there at the top of the knock-up stream, Which only happens 5 times a month, each at different locations..." He lays out the grim reality: "Yes, it'd be all for naught. Your ship would fail to catch anything up in the sky, And come crashing down to a watery grave for all your crew. Also, even with the emperornimbus located at the right spot, If it turns out sky island doesn't exist, then again, the end result are your deaths." Usopp is terrified, sweating profusely. "A... ALRIGHT! WE'LL JUST GIVE UP ON SKY ISLAND THEN! HAHAHA... AH, WHAT A SHAME, LUFFY. BUT THIS IS JUST IMPOSSIBLE. BASICALLY, IT BOILS DOWN TO ONLY THE LUCKIEST OF THE LUCKIEST OF THE LUCKIEST OF THE LUCKIEST PERSON, ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO GO UP THERE." Luffy just laughs, "It'll be fine. Let's go."

Usopp cries, pointing at their ship. "It'll be fine? There you go again, making light of danger without even a shred of proof... Just take a look at the poor Going Merry for god's sake... Look how beaten and battered she is...! There's no way she could stand up to one of nature's greatest calamity in her current state." Cricket agrees, "Yes... It would be impossible for your ship, even if she were brand-new." Usopp yells, "WHAT!? Considering the speed... weight... and strength... That ship of yours would be blasted into bits and pieces at the same time as the exploding stream. But... Well, there! See, it's impossible!" Cricket reassures them, "But don't you worry about that point at least. Masira and Shoujou can guarantee your ship will stay intact on the ride up... By giving it the needed repairs and strengthening reinforcements, that is." Luffy cheers with his arms raised, "HELL YEAH, WE CAN! JUST LEAVE IT TO US! THANKS A BUNCH!" Usopp sweats, muttering, "We never asked for this..."

Nami yells at Luffy, "Do you even realize!? That... That... That we can only spend one more day, On this island! If we stay any longer, the log pose will finish recording this island and point to the next one!" Usopp agrees, "That's right, that's right! There's no way we can make it in time!" Cricket responds, "Well, mister! You're probably no prophet so there's no way you could know for sure, The next time a knock-up stream and an emperonimbus cloud will be located at the same place, right? Who knows how many days - No, I mean how many months or even years it'll take for that to happen! Should happen tomorrow around noon. Get ready if you're set on going." Usopp and Nami are shocked. Usopp yells, "WHAT, SO WE CAN MAKE IT!?" Cricket simply says, "If you don't wanna go, then don't go."

Usopp points an accusing finger at Cricket, yelling, "Y... YOU'RE LYING, AREN'T YOU!? THIS IS WAY TOO SUSPICIOUS! WE'VE ONLY MET FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY! AREN'T YOU BEING A LITTLE TOO NICE!?" Cricket looks down at him, "Hm?" Usopp continues his rant, "Will happen TOMORROW!? AND YOU'RE ONLY TOO HAPPY TO GET OUR SHIP FIXED UP AND READY TO GO BY THEN!? THIS IS WAY TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE! JUST WHAT'RE YOU PLOTTING!? YOU'RE THE DESCENDANT OF NOLAND THE LIAR, AREN'T YOU!? SO HOW CAN WE EVEN TRUST YOU!?" Luffy quickly grabs Usopp's mouth to shut him up, "Usopp- YOU JUST STAY QUIET!" Cricket ignores the outburst and adds, "NOT ONLY THAT! It just so happens that the only way to get into the legendary sky island..."

Zoro calls out from the background, "BOSS! THE FOOD'S ALL READY! WE GOT SOME REAL SPECIAL DISHES TODAY!" Usopp is still struggling against Luffy's hand over his mouth, yelling, "THIS GUY'S COOKING SKILLS HAVE LEFT ME ALL IN JITTERS!" Sanji's voice comes from off-panel, "Well, I told you I was a first-rate chef, didn't I? NAMI, THE MEAL IS-" Cricket looks toward the house, saying "Hm?" Usopp gets into a fighting stance, sweating and nervous, "W-WHAT? YOU WANNA GO OR SOMETHIN'!?" Cricket looks back at him and says, "When..."

Cricket continues his thought, "'Night' is spotted at daytime in Masira's turf, The emperornimbus cloud can be seen in the skies south from there... And if going by the estimate of a knock-up stream happening 5 times a month, there should be another one tomorrow. And that too, will probably happen South from here. I can't say any of this with 100% certainty, but there's a good chance of those two events happening together in the same place tomorrow." Cricket smiles warmly at them. "BUT ABOVE ALL, I'M JUST HAPPY MEETING FOOLS LIKE YOU. YOU CAN STAY THE NIGHT AT MY PLACE TODAY. NOW LET'S EAT."

Cricket finishes his sentence: "FRIEND." Usopp looks completely shocked, his eyes wide. Luffy grins broadly, "Hee hee..." Usopp suddenly turns and runs toward the house, shouting, "TIME FOR FOOD! HURRY UP, USOPP!" Luffy calls after him, "Yeah, come quickly! Chopper, go call Robin." Chopper replies, "Ok." Nami sighs, watching them go, "Looks like... We've got no choice but to give this our best shot. Of course in the end, it'll mainly come down to luck." In a small panel, Usopp is shown bowing profusely to Cricket, crying, "I'M SOOOO SOOOORRYYY, MISTER!" Cricket yells back, "AGHH! Don't get your snot on me!" Usopp asks Nami, "Nami... Am I a pathetic coward?" Nami replies, "Yes, and a bit of an idiot too... But I can understand how you feel. Just make sure to apologize properly."

A large, boisterous feast is underway outside Cricket's house. Masira and Shoujou are there, laughing loudly. Masira holds up a bottle, "THE RUM TASTES GREAT TONIGHT!" Sanji is carrying plates of food, "Eat, eat! We've got a full-course saury special coming up!" Usopp and Chopper are eating enthusiastically. Usopp shoves food into Masira's mouth, "Gotcha! How d'ya like the taste of my tabasco bomber!" Masira reacts violently, "GAHHH!" Shoujou laughs at him, "UKEEE! LONG-NOOOSSEEE! Gyahahaha!"

Robin is sitting quietly away from the chaos, reading a book. Sanji yells at someone off-panel, "Why don'cha take a seat here by me, sister! It's still a 100 years too early for you to make Nami serve you drinks!" Zoro is drinking from a large mug, "So you know how to hold yer drink, eh?" Nami is holding a small barrel, "Heh, I'm still well within my limit." Robin takes a sip from her cup and looks at the book. She reads aloud, "'I SAW GOLD IN THE RIGHT EYE OF THE SKULL.'" Nami overhears this and looks shocked, "Gold!?"

Robin continues reading, "That tear-stained entry was the last thing Noland wrote in his journal... He was executed later that day." Luffy is chewing on food, "Right eye of the skull!?" Robin explains, "Even after coming to Jaya, I still have no idea what he meant by that line. Was that the name of the fabled city? Or was it just a cryptic message about his impending death...? The blank pages afterwards don't help at all in unravelling the mystery behind that line." The bottom panel shows the whole group partying around a large bonfire in front of Cricket's house. Voices shout out in celebration: "AND THAT'S WHY WE DIVE! TO SEE THE DREAMS LYING ON THE OCEAN FLOOR! THAT'S RIGHT, UKIKI! UOHO! WE'RE GONNA FLY! UP INTO THE SKY! WOO HOO!"

A ship is approaching the island in the dark. Bellamy and Sarquiss are on the deck. Sarquiss says, "Bellamy." Bellamy replies, "The night's fallen by now, but I see it now. Prepare to land." The Bellamy Pirates' ship is shown sailing through the water. Bellamy says, "MATERIAL GOLD, IS WASTED ON FOOLS WHO CHASE IMMATERIAL DREAMS..."

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