154. Zou
154. Zou
Zou is the home for Mink Tribe, that live on Zou's back. Mink tribe is a tribe of humanoid animals creature. Kanjuro also say that mink tribe hate humans, altough Jon is not sure about that because he know a friendly mink, Lindbergh.
Jon is very surprised seeing this massive Elephant. He had heard it from Lindbergh, but this is a lot bigger than what he imagined. This is the biggest creature that he ever seen so far, and he start to think that maybe there is something bigger than this.
"Just what is this elephant eat to get this big and live this long?"-Jon
"Maybe it eat normally but never poop."-Usopp
"If he poop, just how big will that be?"-Luffy
"The size doesn't matter, but the smell is. The sea must be very smelly after this guy pooping."-Jon
"DON'T KEEP TALKING ABOUT POOP!"-Law
"SUPERRR disgusting."-Franky
The trio stop and they talk about the Zou's ear wax instead. The others give up and just let them talk what they want. It is useless to say anything when they got very happy in their conversation. They keep sailing toward Zou's hind leg so they can get off and climb the leg.
They arrive near the hind leg and see Sunny has been tied to the leg. The Barto Club got very excited seeing Thousand Sunny and take pictures. These guys are hardcore fanboys that even idolize the ship.
They think of how they'll climb the big & tall leg. Kanjuro then draw something and he make it alive. It looks like a snake or eel, but it's actually a dragon, a very pitiful dragon that can't even talk properly.
'Hmm, it's like Sai's Choju Giga (Super Beast Imitating Drawing). I've tried it, but my drawing ability is very bad, so i stop. Then there is this guy that still use his bad drawing.'-Jon sweatdrop
"By the way Kin'emon, why do you want to go to Zou?"-Luffy
"We are searching our friend, a ninja named Raizo."-Kin'emon
""NINJA?!""-All, even Jon
"WAIT, WHY'RE YOU ALSO INTERESTED, YOU'RE A NINJA YOURSELF."-Usopp
"I just want to see another ninja, and what he can do. Beside, you guys shouldn't be too interested, you have a ninja friend since 2 years ago, ME."-Jon
"But you never say nin-nin."-Luffy
"Or wear ninja clothes."-Usopp
"Huh? But i use ninjutsu."-Jon raise an eyebrow
"That's why we tolerate you as a ninja."-Zoro
"HUH?!"-Jon have a tickmark and have a brawl with Zoro
Jon & Zoro stop, and the Straw Hats, Law, Kin'emon & Kanjuro ride on the dragon which they call Ryunosuke. Jon decide to climb the leg himself, he don't have the heart to ride this pitiful guy. He's not even sure that this guy can climb to the top with them on it's back.
"Luffy, i will go first and check the place."-Jon
"Alright."-Luffy
They part with Barto Club and climb the massive Elephant. Jon climb first, because it's very easy for him, he can run on the leg easily. Jon arrive on the top shortly after he run and he move stealthily.
Jon spread his remaining 5 Zetsus to investigate. Jon also move stealthily to gather information and find Sanji, Nami, Brook, Chopper, & Momo, he didn't care about Caesar. He run on the trees and arrive on a town, or he should say, ruins.
"Hmm, these ruins are new, probably destroyed some days or weeks ago. Shit, i hope they don't get in trouble."-Jon
Jon keep running while searching for any life sign. Then Jon see a big tree shaped like a Whale, so he decide to go there. Near the big tree, Jon find many life signs, so he check it.
He see many Minks there, and they live in some tree houses. He also see some humans and he know them, they're Law's crewmates. He just want to greet them and tell them the situation, when he suddenly hear a loud sound.
'A fighting sound?'-Jon
Jon go to check it, and he know that it's Luffy from his presence. Jon also see a Gorilla and a Bull mink that fight with Luffy. But that's not his concern, because he see many minks hiding on the trees, looking at the fight.
'You're still too green in the art of hiding and stealth compared to me.'-Jon smirk
The fight get heated up, and the minks use electric power. Jon can see that their electric power come from the friction of their furs. They've found a way to change the static electric to dinamic electric and control it.
(a.n: i've just made up this theory)
However, the electric didn't work on Luffy's rubber body at all. Even so, their attacks are troubling Luffy. Sometime later, 2 female minks, dog & rabbit come riding a tall Crocodile. They stop the Gorilla & Bull minks by using red flag and banana.
"Stop it, he is not an enemy, this is an order from the Duke. Guardians, you can leave, he is not a threat."-Dog mink
"Yeah, you better do what she say."-Jon
Jon & his wood clones suddenly appear behind the hiding Minks. He & his clones hide behind every Guardians. The Guardians and other minks got very surprised and jump away.
They all look at Jon & his clones that smirk proudly. Jon crouch on a branch where the strongest Guardian, a jaguar mink was hiding. The minks widen their eyes and take out their weapons.
"Who are you?"-Jaguar mink
"Me? A crew member of that guy with Straw Hat, he is my captain. I am just helping my captain from some hidden enemies."-Jon
The dog mink explain that the Sraw Hats are guest and their duke have given order to not attack them. The Guardians put their weapons and leave. Jon cancel all his wood clones and they merge with the trees, before he flicker to Luffy's side.
"Where are the others?"-Jon
"I'm alone, we've separated because i want to search Nami & co."-Luffy
"We've met them just now, they must've arrived in the city."-Dog mink
"Oh, uuh?"-Jon tilt his head
"Ah, sorry for my manner, i'm Wanda, and this is Carrot."-Wanda
"I'm Jon, and this is-"-Jon
"I'm Luffy, the man who will be the Pirate King."-Luffy cross his arms
"Hahaha, you're so funny."-Carrot
"Wait, isn't that Nami's clothes?"-Jon
"Yes, Nami lent this to me. Let's go to meet your friends, i've told them the location of your crewmate's corpse."-Wanda
"Corpse?"-Jon have a cold expression
"Yes, the walking skeleton body, i'm amazed that there is such a delicious race out there."-Wanda say while drooling
"!? Sigh, so that's Brook. Your words are very misleading."-Jon massage his temple
Then they go to the city ruins to meet the others. They ride the Crocodile, and Carrot start to chew Luffy's ear. Jon look around and see many battle marks on the trees.
"Are you in a war? These battle marks look fresh."-Jon
Wanda & Carrot look down & seem sad, so Jon feel guilty.
"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. It must be a sensitive matter for you, sorry."-Jon
"It's okay, we can tell you about it. This is the result of Jack the Drought's attacks over a couple of weeks ago. We can fight them well at first, but then he start to use poisonous gas to weaken us."-Wanda
"Jack the Drought? Is he from Beasts Pirate?"-Jon
"Yeah, he is that Jack."-Carrot
"Where's he now?"-Luffy
"He go to chase the Marine that captured Doflamingo. Doflamingo's defeat make him leave us, so it can be said that you've helped us. However, the Marines didn't found Jack's body, so i believe that he's still alive."-Wanda
"Enough about that, let's meet the others."-Jon didn't want to make them remember something they don't want to
They continue their way to the city, and suddenly a rain appear. It's not an actual rain, but the Elephant, which has a name, Zunesha. It raised it's trunk and sprouted water on it's back. In another word, it have a shower, but it's also a source of food & water for the mink tribe, because fishes also being sprouted.
The Crocodile, Wany swim on the water stream that created from that sprout. They go to the city faster by swimming in the stream. They see some cross that must've been used to torture some people. Wanda tell them that Jack use it to find someone there.
They arrive in the city, and see the others are there. Law teleport them in front of the Crocodile. Usopp suddenly demand the minks to release Jon & Luffy. Jon & Luffy are confused, but then Jon realize what Usopp think when he remember Wanda's misleading words and Nami's clothes.
"GYAAH, GOD USOPP, HELP ME! YOU'RE THE HIGHEST BEING, ONLY YOU CAN HELP ME."-Jon act pitifully and placed Wanda's hands on his neck
"Y-YOU, RELEASE THEM OR I WILL SHOW YOU MY TRUE POWER, ONIGIRYA."-Usopp hide behind Zoro and move Zoro's hands
"N-no, we meant no harm to you."-Wanda
"PFFT, HAHAHAHA."-Jon
Jon laugh while Wanda explain the situation. Luffy & Carrot are confused and didn't understand what happen. Jon keep laughing while the others sigh in relief because it's just a misunderstanding.
Jon then tell Law that his crewmates are waiting in Whale Forest. The Straw Hats separate with Law and go to meet Nami & co. They go to Right Belly Forest where their friends are staying.
In the forest, the mink guards are surprised after knowing that they are Straw Hats. They start to give warm welcome, and surprising the Straw Hats. The minks are very different from the rumour that they hate humans.
The minks welcome them and greet them with their unique skinship. The minks greet each other by rubbing their cheeks to each other while saying Garchuu. Jon think that this greeting come from their animalistic traits.
Suddenly Nami & Chopper come out and run toward them. Chopper go to Usopp, & Nami embrace Luffy. Nami though, has tears and say she has a message about Sanji.
The minks & Straw Hats had a feast, and Brook also come back. Brook is in a very bad shape with tattered clothes, and being chased by dog minks. They really like his bone body, and want to chew it all the time.
While partying, Nami tell them about Sanji's message. Then she start to tell them what happen since she & the others left Dressrosa. They hear Nami's story and have serious expression.
After Sanji & co (Curly Hats) departed from Dressrosa, they encountered one of Big Mom's ship. The ship was led by Tamago, Pekoms, and Capone 'Gang' Bege. They demanded the Curly Hats to gave Caesar to them.
The Curly Hats thought that they want to save Caesar, but the guy himself was afraid. He took Big Mom's money but didn't do the research for her and they came to took that debt. They succeed to run away from there and went toward Zou.
They arrived at Zou a day later and found Zou in a very bad situation. All minks were in a bad situation because of Jack's invasion. The poisonous gas made their situation worse when they're gravely injured too.
The Curly Hats decided to help, and use Caesar to absorb the remaining gas. Then Chopper & Caesar create an antidote for the poison. It didn't took long for the antidote to finish and they distributed it.
The minks start to get healthier and cured from the poison. Sometime later, their duke also woke up, and they became ecstatic. The Duke, Inuarashi is one of the ruler of Mokomo Dukedom together with Nekomamushi. They rule the day & night, and have their own subordinates.
The minks are very grateful toward Straw Hats. They've saved them from annihilation because of the poison. And they have saved them from Jack by defeating Doflamingo, that caused Jack to leave.
"So, why'd Sanji leave?"-Jon
"Sanji-kun probably will never go back."-Nami