Knock Up Stream

After the incident with Bellamy at Pub and Pies bar, Kai and the crew went back to the Victoria Punk.

Gin, Heat and Wire greeted them "We heard there was some commotion in one of the town's bars, was it you guys?" Gin asked Kai while he was sitting on the ship's railing.

"Oh, it was nothing" Kai responded.

Kid walked past them, he looked around the ship before he asked about Kureha and Krieg's whereabouts "Where is the witch and the blockhead?"

Heat who was sitting on top of the main mast's crow's nest and observing the city with a spyglass jumped down "Kureha said she was going shopping for medical stuff and the last time I saw Krieg he was going around fighting random people in the city"

"That fool might be the one who got us in trouble with those pirates" Bonney said in rage "I swear I'm gonna beat him up when he comes back!"

"H-Haha you got quit the temper, Bonney-chan"

A few seconds later Kureha and Krieg showed up.

"You're back!" Kureha said.

Krieg was more excited than usual, and he proceeded to challenge his captain into a fight "Hoi Kai! I just became the new champion of this city, I'm ready to fight you again…time for pay back--THUD!--BAAM!" Before Krieg could finish his sentence, a feet connected with his face and sent him flying out of the ship.

It was Bonney who did it "Stop causing trouble for the crew moron!"

"You little shit, don't think you'll get away with this just because you're a kid" Krieg glared at her before he cracked his knuckles "I'll teach you some respect brat" he said, and the two proceeded to clash. The rest of the crew didn't pay any attention to them.

Kureha approached Kai before she addressed him "You have said that we're going to Sky Island next, right? I searched for some clues while I was shopping around the city" 

Kai did explain to the crew that the reason why they came to Jaya is to visit the Sky Island. It came to a shock to everyone at first since something like that seemed unbelievable. 

"Oh, you found something?" Kai questioned, but he already knew the person who will help them reach it.

Kureha proceeded to take out a map of Jaya she bought earlier and gave it to Kai "The city on the left is where we are, Mock Town. On the other side…do you see the mark that I made on the east coast? I heard a very special person lives there, his name is Cricket. He was exiled because he kept talking about his dream of finding a large amount of gold hidden here in Jaya, maybe he knows something"

Kai smiled when he heard Cricket's name, the descendant of Mont Blanc Noland or Noland the liar. Kai always found Noland and his story to be a very interesting "Good job…Let's go there and take a look"

…

[Jaya, Eastern Shore]

The crew sailed to the other side of the island, following the mark on the map. 

"This is the place on the map" Killer informed everyone while steering the ship towards the shore.

"Wow! Is that his house?! He must be rich!" Bonney said while looking at the castle-like house in awe.

"Look carefully, that's clearly fake" Saga calmly pointed out.

"This guy just wants some attention" Kid added. After the crew landed and approached Cricket's house, they confirmed that it's fake.

"It's just a giant painted cardboard" Saga said "The house is half a side, and the rest is plywood"

"Let's meet the man first before you jump to conclusion" Kai walked to the house door and knocked on it several times, but no one answered. 

"Maybe he's not around" Killer said while scanning the area around the house.

Kai proceeded to open the door and enter since it wasn't locked. 

"This guy is clearly broke" Kid remarked after seeing the furniture of the house.

Kai did a quick tour around the place to see if there was anything interesting before his eyes fell upon a book that was placed on the corner of a table, its title said, 'King of Liars, Noland'.

"Noland?" Kureha looked intrigued after reading the book's title. 

"You know about him?" Kai asked her.

"I lived for 139 years. I know a lot kid…That story is pretty famous in North Blue" She stated.

Kai obviously knows a lot of the details about it. He opened the book and started reading "This is a very old story, a story that happened over 400 years ago. In a country somewhere in the North Sea, there was a man named Noland…"

"…He was an explorer who always spoke of past adventures, but the people of the village didn't know if these tales were true or not…"

"…One day Noland came back from one expedition and went to report to the king, 'I discovered an island across the mighty seas that has a mountain of gold' he said, the king wanting to see this himself, commanded 2000 soldiers to come with him…"

"…the king and soldiers then set sail to cross the mighty seas, they braved huge waves and many giant sea monsters. After going through many hardships, the king and 100 soldiers arrived on the island. But the only thing they saw on the island was an ordinary jungle…" 

"…Noland was blamed for this and sentenced to death for all his lies. Noland last words were 'I know! The mountain of gold sunk into the sea!' The king and the villagers couldn't believe it. No one believed Noland anymore, but he continued to lie till his death…The end" Kai said as he closed the book and placed it back on the table.

"Looks like a children story book…Why would this Cricket guy have it?" Kid questioned as he picked it up and examined it closely. 

"Well, the mountain of gold that the book was referring to is the lost city of gold, Shandora" Kai stated.

"The city of gold!" Everyone's eyes beamed in excitement after mentioning the gold.

"Yeah, that book is based on a real story. Mont Blanc Nolanl--"

"Boss!!!" the conversation was cut short with Heat's shouting. Everyone went outside to take a look "This guy just came out of the water!" he said pointing at the shirtless man.

"Who the hell are you people?" The man questioned while taking a fighting stance. He had a cigarette in his mouth, and he was soaked in water.

He is a muscular, middle aged man with blond hair. He has a large chestnut on his head and on his left arm he has a tattoo of a chestnut with the word 'Maroon' written across it.

Kai managed to recognize him at first sight "Mont Blanc Cricket…"

"You punks got a lot of guts to enter a man's house without permission. This area is my territory!" Cricket declared, he then added "You're all after the gold, right? Then prepare to die!" 

Cricket dashed towards the crew, targeting Heat first and kicking him back before he turned towards Kai, pulled his pistole and shot him multiple times.

Clang! Saga who was standing near Kai pulled his katana quickly and deflected the bullets before Killer ran towards Cricket and kicked his arm, disarming him before swinging his blade at his neck aiming to decapitate him.

"Don't kill him!" Kai ordered. Killer stopped his weapon right before it made contact with Cricket's. 

"…"

Cricket looked calm and composed even with a blade pointed at his neck "I won't give you any gold if that's what you're after"

Kai approached him a friendly smile "It seems that we have misunderstanding here friend, we're not here after the gold…We came here for your help to get to Sky Island"

"Sky Island?..." Cricket looked serious for a moment when Kai mentioned it before he started laughing afterwards "Gyahahaha! You guys actually believe in that?"

Kid was irritated by that, and he was about to take actions against him before his brother stopped him.

"I don't need to believe it. I know it exist…I just need a little help to reach it" Kai responded with confidence, his voice and facial expression implied that he was totally serious about what he said which surprised Cricket. After all, anyone who ever mention Sky Island here will get ridiculed and laughed at.

After seeing how serious Kai was, Cricket couldn't help but let out a loud sigh "Sigh…let's go inside" 

Cricket invited everyone into his house, and they proceeded to have chat. He explained to them how Noland was his ancestor and told them about the story and his family's shame past. 

"How surprising, you're the descendant of Noland" Kureha said, "So the story took place here in Jaya?"

Cricket nodded "He was my great great great grandfather, it's an annoying legacy that goes so far back. The whole Mont Blanc family was exiled to life of shame, even now we are still badmouthed…but no one hates him for it"

"Why not?"

"Because Noland out of all things was a very honest man. When Noland was defending his claims he said, 'I know! The mountain of gold sunk into the sea' the story books showed him with a grinning face, but he was actually shedding tears of hate and injustice when he died" Cricket explained "The island that people went to, was really the place where Noland found the golden city…" 

"…during the past 400 years, countless members of the family came here trying to correct the family name, but none of them returned. I felt ashamed being in a family like that, so I ran away from home and became a pirate…"

"…But 10 years ago, after series of events my ship reached this island accidentally. It's ironic that I the one who hated Noland the most ended up here…when I was standing in front of the cliff where the gold was supposed to be in the story, I thought this was my fate there is no escape…"

"…I didn't really care about finding the gold or prove his innocence. This is between me and the man who ruined my life, this is duel! Before I die, I will settle this and tell the truth to everyone!"

"I'm sure you will" Kai said.

"Don't be a smartass" Cricket took a puff from his cigarette, and then he continued speaking "Anyway, the one who claimed that Sky Island exist was Noland" he stated before he got up, retrieved a book and opened it in a certain section before handing it to Kai.

"Oh…Is this Noland's Log?" Kai proceeded to read it. That section of the log talked about Sky Island.

"Do you really wanna go to Sky Island?"

"Of course, we're not playing around"

"Well, there is one way I know off to do that. You might die trying it" Cricket warned them.

"Death is the last thing that will stop us from doing what we want" Kid said.

Kai glanced at the rest of the crew to see their reaction, but they all seem to agree with Kid "I don't think anyone here has any complaint about that"

Everyone went outside after that, and Cricket started explaining everything he knows about Sky Island.

"Alright listen carefully, I'll tell you all I know about Sky Island. In some parts of the sea during the day it would suddenly become dark as if its nighttime, it is caused by shadows cast by a very dense cloud" Cricket explained "Imperial Cumulus, is the name for that piece of cloud. It does not ascend nor rain, but when it appears in sky the sun light gets blocked completely…" 

"…The daytime on the ground becomes nighttime, the Imperial Cumulus won't change form and it continues to float around in the sky…"

"Listen! If sky island does exist, it must be inside that cloud!" Cricked jabbed a finger at the young pirates while declaring, he then added "The currents that shoots upwards, if you can get on one of them, you can get to the sky, understand?"

Kai nodded in understanding. He already knew some of the information, but he needed to refresh his memories since it has been two decades after his arrival to this world, and he might have forgotten small details like that. He also needs Cricket to make some adjustments to the Victoria Punk so it can survive the journey "Pretty simple, but there must be more to it"

"Yes…" Cricket continued his explanation, he told them the scientific explanation behind the knock up stream and that it happens five times a month and only last for about one minute.

After that, Cricket turned towards the Victoria Punk and examined it "That ship of yours can't withstand the current! Speed, weight, force, judging from those points, the ship will be blown into pieces by the current. However, I can help solve those problems"

"Good, I have a shipwright in my crew that can help" Kai pointed to Donovan.

"When should we start?" Donovan asked.

"After Masira and Shoujou come back" Cricket answered, he was referring to his sworn brothers and members of the Saruyama Alliance, a pirate alliance that was formed between their crews and Cricket's.

Immediately after Masira and Shoujou's return, the three along with Donovan started working on the Victoria Punk. According to Cricket the next knock up stream will happen in two days, so they need to finish before that.

In the mean while the crew went to catch a South Bird in the forest south of Cricket's house. Cricket explained that they needed it to tell them which way is south so they could find the location where they could use the knock up stream to get to Sky Island.

While in the Grand Line, there is no way to know where to go south since normal compasses would not work. Also, since the place that they are heading to is a location in the sea and not an island, the Log Pose would not help either. The only way they could go there is if they follow the South Bird's direction.

…

Two days has passed since then. Cricket and the rest managed to finish the ship on time. Among the various changes that happened to the Victoria Punk the most noticeable one is the two wings added on each side of it.

"Looks great, thank you for the hard work. I appreciate it" Kai sincerely thanked Cricket.

"Hurry and get on the ship, there's no time…" Cricket said, taking a puff from his cigarette "You'll lose your chance to sky island if you stay here"

"Alright…" Before he leaves Kai walked up to him and handed him a large bag of coins "Here, take this"

"I don't need your money"

"Take it as thank you for your trouble, I insist" Kai kept insisting even do Cricket refused. The latter eventually gave up and took the money.

Cricket cracked a smile "There is one thing that is absolutely certain, it is that for the city of gold and the sky island, there has never been anyone who could prove that they do not exist!!" 

"This is…Romantic!!!"

"*Smile*…indeed it is…We'll meet again, Mont Blanc Cricket!" Kai said, waving his hand as he walked away. Everyone boarded the ship and left the island afterwards.

2 hours later, 

"What a strange bird…he really only faces south" Bonney remarked before she turned the south bird's head the other way around, but the bird immediately turned his head back facing the south.

"Heat, do you see anything?!" Kai inquired. As the navigator, Heat was the one paying attention to the weather change the most.

Heat picked up a spyglass and looked at the sky "Not ye--Wait!...night! Approaching from southeast!...it's the Imperial Cumulus!!"

"It's finally here!"

"That Cricket guy was right!" Kid said.

"Killer, we're counting on you behind the wheel…everyone, get ready to ride the knock up stream" Kai ordered. Suddenly the waves started getting way bigger and more aggressive and a giant whirlpool appeared at the location of the ship. 

"Good, the Imperial Cumulus is heading towards us!" Heat stated, "This whirlpool…it must be the knock up stream!" 

"Shit! The ship is gonna sink at this rate!" Kid was grabbing into the ship mast as to not get tossed out.

"Killer, follow the currents!! Head to the center of the whirlpool!!" Kai ordered. Killer didn't question his captain and immediately carried out the orders. 

The moment the ship made it to the center of the whirlpool, the water below them was shot upwards in a powerful pressurized stream that sent them flying to the sky. 

"WAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"

"Wow!! The ship is sailing vertically on the surface of the stream!!!" Gin commented on the strange phenomenon.

"To the Sky Island!!!" Bonney shouted in excitement while pointing at the sky. 

"Hahahaha!! This is way better than I thought!!" Kid shared Bonney's excitement.

"Kahahaha! You better hold on to the ship tightly if you don't want to die" Kai laughed in thrill, seeing this in the anime and experience it real life were two different things, it was certainly an experience he won't be forgetting for the rest of his life. Although the rest of the crew don't seem to be enjoying that experience as much as they are literally trying to hold onto their lives.

After a few more seconds of struggling in the knock up stream, they were finally tossed up one last time before the ship landed on a soft ground. 

"?!!!"

"Is everyone alright?...Huff…" Killer asked while panting heavily.

"COUGH! COUGH!...Hah…looks like we landed somewhere" Saga said while slowly getting up before he took a glance outside the ship "Hey guys, look outside!"

Kid's eyes widened in surprise "It's soo white!!...Clouds?!" he remarked.

Kai smile at that sight "We finally made it…Sky Island!!"