Chapter 26: Whiskey Peak

Alright, I realize that a few people have pointed out that this story should be listed as a crossover. I'm aware of this but honestly, I'm afraid if I put this in the crossover section, it will be harder to people to find. I MIGHT move it when more Pokémon come into the fray or if enough people complain about it, whichever comes first.

Snow. We're sailing on an open sea in the middle of summer...and there's snow.

To Luffy and Usopp of course, this means playtime. Not for me thanks; just the fact that there's snow has put me on edge. And how the heck is Zoro still sleeping?! Nami got Sanji to shovel the snow off the ship, knowing that it wouldn't matter considering how hard this snow is falling. But I guess this is better than having him in here constantly flirting with Nami and Ms. Wednesday. I guess Sanji can stand a day off from my shock therapy; we haven't been making good progress, but I'll let it slide. We have the whole Grand Line to worry about it.

Nami and I are inside the galley gazing out the window. Nami's all bundled up in winter gear and is holding me against her chest like a toy, trying to squeeze out a little extra warmth from my small body. I don't mind much, mostly 'cause she's doing a great job keeping me warm.

Nami rolls her eyes as she watches Luffy and Usopp partake in a snowball fight. "How they can be so energetic in the snow is beyond me." Nami grumbles.

"Pika…" I sigh, my ears drooping. Nami and I both cringe when two whiny voices speak up.

"I'm cold!"

"Doesn't this stupid ship have a heating system? This environment is inhumane!"

"Shut up!" Nami yells, both of us glaring at Mr. 9 and Mrs. Wednesday, who are sitting at the table wrapped in blankets. "If you're cold then go shovel snow or something!"

"Pikachu!"

My fur suddenly stands on end and my ears twitch. I look back out the window catching Nami's attention. "Lightning?" she wonders. "First snow and now this; what's up with this weather?"

"Pika…" I say a bit uneasily. I have a pretty bad feeling about this… I shudder as more lightning flashes in the sky and the wind picks up, the sky turning dark almost like night.

"I've never seen anything like this before…" Nami says in awe. "It's like Crocus said, the normal rules of nature don't apply here."

"Pika." I agree.

"I've noticed you haven't steered for a while." Ms. Wednesday suddenly speaks up. "Is that wise?"

Nami looks confused. "I know our heading; I just checked it a while ago." Nami goes out on deck to check the Pose and we both freeze in horror. The needle is pointing behind us! We're going in the complete opposite direction! Oh crap! Nami lets out a shriek catching everyone's attention. "Make a hard turn 180 degrees!" she yells.

"What? Why would you want us to turn around?" Usopp asks.

"The ship's changed direction! We're going the wrong way!" Nami yells. She looks at the Log Pose. "I only took my eyes off it for a second; I thought the waves were calm…"

"You're not a very good navigator are you?" Ms. Wednesday comments. Ugh, I've had enough of them! Let me at them, Nami! "You can't trust anything here, nothing is as it seems; the Log Pose is the only way to get reliable direction on the Grand Line."

Nami and I glance at each other and my tail becomes iron. With Nami's kick and my tail, we both boot the two jerks out on deck. "Shut your condescending mouths and do something useful!"

"Pika pika!"

Nami and I run back out onto the upper deck and I jump onto the railing, my instincts on high alert. "Force the wind starboard, turn 180 degrees to the left!" Nami orders. "Usopp, man the sails, Sanji, take the helm!" She turns to me. "Pika-chan, any lightning nearby?"

I do a quick sweep, but my fur stays calm. "Pika." I shake my head firmly and the ship starts to turn.

"Hey, the wind's changed!" Usopp yells. The snow stops and the sky clears, allowing a warm breeze to rush by, melting just about all the snow on the ship.

"Pika-chan, keep any lightning or anything dangerous away from us as best you can!" Nami orders. I nod and jump onto the lower deck, staying out of everyone's way as they run about the ship.

"Hey, I think I saw a dolphin!" Luffy exclaims. "Let's follow it!"

I growl and slam my iron tail right onto his head. "Pikachu!" 'Shut up!'

Luffy and I stumble slightly as the waves start to get rough. "There's an iceberg, dead ahead!" Usopp yells. Say what?!

"A fog's rolling in!" Sanji warns. Are you kidding me?!

"This is crazy! What's going on?!" Nami yells. My sentiments exactly, this is way too much! My fur stands on end and my eyes widen; a bolt is coming straight for us, and it's a big one! Sanji and Nami take the rudder and pull as hard as they can, but with the rough waves we only turn a little; we're not gonna make it!

"We're gonna crash!" Usopp wails as the iceberg draws closer. And that lightning is still coming...wait...maybe I can use that! I doubt I'll be able to retain that much lightning for long so it's worth a shot! But I can't risk hitting the ship here, I need to be up high!

I can't believe I'm saying this, but… Luffy, you have to throw me!

I tug on Luffy's shorts and frantically point towards the sky, jumping up and down. Surprisingly, Luffy gets it. "Right!" He picks me up and flings me straight up into the air. I quickly raise my tail just as the lightning strikes and I take it all in.

Just as I thought, it's so much that I can't absorb all of it! I face the iceberg and shoot an enormous blast of white lightning towards it. A large portion of the iceberg crumbles away, allowing the ship to glide by safely. Thank Zapdos that was a big bolt! I land and keep my sense on high alert for anymore lightning as the fog dissipates only for heavy rain to start pouring on us.

For the love of Rayquaza, this weather is ridiculous! I know they said the Grand Line was dangerous but this is really pushing it! And I found two more mystery words now of all times, but no time to think on them! All our eyes widen as the wind suddenly changes once again and giant storm clouds begin to approach us.

"Pull in the sails!" Nami yells. "The wind is too strong, we're gonna overturn!"

Sanji exits the galley, carrying a big platter of rice balls. "Everyone needs to eat to keep their strength up!" he yells. I quickly grab one and wolf it down before heading back to the deck.

"The ship's taking on water down below!" Ms. Wednesday yells.

"On it!" Usopp yells, grabbing some tools and bolting down below. But in doing so, no one was bringing in the sails! I quickly run and grab one of the ropes between my teeth pulling as hard as I can.

My eyes widen as a tear appears in the sails. "Pika pi!" I yell as loud as I can, pointing at the sails while still holding the rope. Sanji and Ms. Wednesday quickly join me and help with the sails, keeping them from tearing anymore.

The ship is in absolute chaos as we tirelessly run around to keep the ship afloat while staying on course. I absorb all the lightning I can while keeping an eye out for anymore icebergs. I scamper around, helping as much as I can; I help push the rudder, I help pull the sails, I hand Usopp any tools he needs, anything my small size can let me do!

After what feels like forever, the storm stops and we're still on course. We all collapse on the deck, exhausted beyond words. I fall on my side against the mast; that is something I never ever want to go through again! My ears don't even have the energy to twitch as Zoro gets up; oh yeah...he slept through all that somehow, but I'm too tired to question it.

"C'mon, I know the weather's nice but that's no reason to be lazy." Zoro comments. "We better be on the right course."

I can feel the irritation coming off the others in giant waves. I growl and wordlessly give him a nasty shock, getting rid of a fraction of the lightning I absorbed. Next time he's sleeping during something like that, I'm releasing all the lightning I absorb on him!

Zoro's eyes fall on Mr. 9 and Ms. Wednesday and Luffy explains how we're taking them home. I forgot he slept through that whole fiasco...Arceus, he really is a Snorlax! I don't care if I don't know what that means, all I know is that he is one!

Zoro kneels in front of them, a dangerous smile on his face. "What were your names again?" he asks, thought it sounds like they didn't really have a choice. They shakily repeat their names and Zoro's smile grows. Arceus, his face rivals Patty's sometimes in terms of creepy! "You know...those names sound familiar and that's what's bugging me." he says. "In fact, the more I think about it, I'm certain I've heard them before!"

That catches my attention; don't tell me he knows these clowns! But before he can think anymore (Arceus only knows how much that could strain him), Nami gives him a hard hit on the head. I guess she figured my lightning didn't do us enough justice...and I agree.

Three punches later, Zoro's nursing three large bumps on his head and Nami steps up, authority coming off her in waves. "Listen up everyone, there's no telling what's gonna happen next!" he announces. She clenches her fists. "My navigating skills may be useless but I swear I will guide us through this!" Well, I'll give her points for determination at least. "Speaking of which, we're here! Our first island on the Grand Line!"

We all go to the front of the ship and I jump onto Sanji's shoulder to get a better look. Sure enough, an island is sitting right before us. That's Whiskey Peak huh? The place is actually pretty huge, unless those gigantic cactus' just make the rest of the island look big. They actually look like a bunch of giant Cacnea, sitting in the distance.

Again, a mystery word! These things have just been popping up all over the place since we got here! I've gotta remind myself to sit down and think these words over; there's gotta be some kind of connection between them and my memories!

My ears twitch as Mr. 9 and Ms. Wednesday jump onto the railing of the ship. They quickly bid us farewell and then jump into the ocean, swimming the rest of the way to the island. Okay…

"That was a quick exit." Nami comments.

"I guess we'll never find out what those nutjobs were up to." Usopp sighs.

"Who cares, we're landing!" Luffy exclaims. Yeah, I'm with Luffy on this one; they're out of our hands now, so let's just see what this island has in store for us! We sail up a waterway, leading to the shore line and a fog slowly surrounds us.

Usopp's a bit worried about monsters, but as Nami points out, we have to stay here since we don't have a choice. We have to wait for the Log Pose to reset before we can go anywhere else so whatever's here, we're stuck with it. If there are monsters, we'll just have to deal. We ignore Usopp's whining about having Don't-Go-To-This-Island disease (making up illnesses? That's a new low, man…) and we sail further into the island.

The fog becomes thicker and I shudder ever so slightly; I don't like this place. This is the Grand Line after all, who knows what could be lurking around here. I focus my senses and hearing, sensing quite a bit of movement up ahead; okay scratch what I said before, I really don't like this! Luckily, everyone else sees it too as the fog begins to lift ever so slightly.

"Be on your guard." Nami warns. We all tense up, at the ready for a fight and I begin charging my electricity. The shore comes into view and fog slowly lifts revealing...a giant cheering crowd.

Uh...what?

All the islanders are cheering and waving signs like we're heroes or something; I even catch people shouting that pirates are always welcome here as confetti falls all around.

Alright, what's going on? I'm sorry, but last I checked pirates aren't welcomed so easily! Don't we usually have to show that we mean no harm before being accepted into the island? Luffy and Usopp easily accept their praise, smiling and waving to the islanders.

We land and disembark before we're approached by a large man with really curly hair. He clears his throat and addresses us, "My name is Igarappoi and it is my honor as Mayor to welcome you to Whiskey Peak." Seriously? The mayor is totally fine with pirates too? I dunno, something about this is really rubbing me the wrong way…

The mayor explains that this island mainly thrives on making liquor and music, so hospitality is a big part of their culture. Okay, that makes sense I guess… He offers to throw us a celebration in honor of our arrival and Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp are all for it. I slip off Sanji and stand between Nami and Zoro.

"Excuse me, but how long until the Log Pose records this island's magnetic field?" Nami asks.

The mayor shakes his head, "Such boring details will have to keep for now." he says (why did he hesitate before saying that?). "Surely you'd like to rest after your journey." Well, we did sail through hell just to get here so I guess it would be nice to relax. Hell, if sailing the Grand Line constantly has storms like that earlier one, we'll need all the rest we can get.

Before Nami can even protest, we're swept away to a house where a giant party gets underway. I've gotta say, they weren't lying when they said they knew how to party. There's tons of food, wine, music, and everyone's just having a great time! The loudness is a bit numbing to my ears, but it's nothing compared to Laboon's screams.

All in all, everything seems pretty upbeat; Luffy's stuffing his face, Zoro's drinking, Usopp's telling his tall tales, and Sanji is flirting. I would give him shock therapy, but the girls all seem to enjoy being around him, so I'll let him have a pass. Besides, I've said before that there's a time and place for flirting and this is definitely one of those times.

Nami tried to stay the designated sober party-goer, but once she heard they were having a drinking contest with a cash prize, she was swept into the fray in an instant.

As usual, all the kids adored me and they were surprisingly gentle. They were even mature enough to take turns holding me instead of fighting over me. I'm glad for that, or else they probably would've invoked my lightning, and in a place this crowded, that would not end well.

The party goes late into the night and I munch on some food that Luffy hadn't eaten yet and even taste some of the wine over with Zoro and Nami. I'm not big on alcohol and this wasn't any different, which is weird now that I think about it. The mayor said this stuff contains no alcohol, but everyone in the drinking contest is still acting like they're drunk when they shouldn't be. This really isn't helping my suspicions about this island…

"Hey rodent." I look up to see Zoro looking down at me. "When everyone clears out of here I want you to wake me up." he says. "And I mean everyone; wait until we're alone."

I tilt my head with a frown. "Pika?" 'Why?'

Zoro finishes his mug of wine. "Call it a gut feeling; just do it, will ya?" he says irritably. "Unless a little pipsqueak like you can't handle it."

I bristle. "Pika pika!" 'What's that supposed to mean?!'

Zoro chuckles, taking my answer as a yes and goes back to drinking.

I scoff and storm away from him; I'll show that lazy idiot! Wake him up when everyone leaves? Easy! And I'm a bit glad I have a reason to stay up. I don't know what it is, but something about all this seems really...off. Maybe Zoro's on to something which is why he wants me to wake him up. I can't think of any other reason why he would pass up a drunken sleep.

I grab a bit more food, slip under a table to avoid the partygoers stomping feet, and wait patiently. Judging by how this is going, it's probably gonna be a while before anyone deems it light's out.

When the day finally ends, we've all passed out all over the place. Well, everyone except me. All I did was eat a little, that's not enough to knock me out. And besides, I have a job to do.

I trot over to Zoro and tap his arm. "Pika. Pikachu." 'Hey Zoro, wake up.' As I expected, he doesn't stir. I frown and leap up onto the table. "Pika! Pika pika pi!" 'Hey, up and at 'em Snorlax!' I tap his head a little harder and that seems to get his attention.

He opens his eyes and stretches with a loud yawn, "Night already?" I roll my eyes; this man is going to sleep his whole life away if he doesn't watch it. He stretches and stands up, "Well, better get to work."

Work? What is he talking about? I follow him outside and he stops, looking down at me. "You can come, just don't get in the way." he says simply before continuing on. "And try not to look so cute when we're there, it's bad for my image."

I scowl and follow him. Who does this guy think he is? I follow him up to the top of a building and he sits cross legged on the roof. I come up beside him as he gazes down at the ground below us. We watch as the mayor walks out, followed by Mr. 9 and Ms. Wednesday as well as a really muscular lady who I recognize as that nun who Nami drank against.

I watch in astonishment as it's revealed that these guys really are after us! That whole party was just a hoax after all! They want us for Luffy's bounty; I don't why I'm so surprised. And that mayor guy is really named Mr. 8 and that muscle lady is called Ms. Monday? Okay, what is up with these names?

Right when Mr. 8 orders his underlings to confiscate any valuables from our ship, Zoro decides to intervene. "Sorry to interrupt." Zoro holds his sword high. "You mind letting our friends sleep? They've had a rough day." I stand on all fours in an offensive stance as the moon sits behind us. My ears and tail are straight and at the ready. I'll show you Zoro, I can be intimidating when I want to be!

They all whirl around in shock, probably because we just heard their whole plan. "You and your pet should've stayed asleep with your friends!" Mr. 8 says dangerously. I let out a growl; you trick us with your fancy party and you have the nerve to call me a pet?!

"Easy." Zoro says softly to me. I look at him, seeing a cocky smirk on his face. "You'll get your shot." I smirk back; Zoro really knows how to read me when it comes to fighting. He turns back to Mr. 8 as most of the islanders have gathered below us, all of them donning weapons of all kinds.

"A good swordsman never lets his guard down." Zoro says, getting to his feet. "Plus, I had a nap earlier." I inwardly roll my eyes; I wonder if he would be this chipper if he was actually awake during that storm? Zoro's eyes run over all the bounty hunters, "I count about a hundred of you scumbags," he says. "And we'll take on all of you." I take a threatening step forward, sparks flying from my cheeks. "You hear me, Baroque Works?"

Mr. 8, 9, and Ms. Monday and Wednesday all freeze in horror. "How do you know our name?" Mr. 8 demands. I don't show any hint of confusion despite all the questions springing into my head; I have to keep my game face on.

I listen as Zoro says that Baroque Works tried to give him a job offer a long time ago that he refused. I keep forgetting that the guy was a pirate hunter back in the day. "Do the same rules still apply?" Zoro asks. "Employee identities kept secret, cheesy codenames, and an anonymous boss that no one knows?" Zoro grins, eating up their astonished looks. "Baroque Works, the criminal group that faithfully carry out their orders like herded sheep; that's some secret." Wow, so these guys do whatever their boss says to do without question? They must be a pretty lethal group; wonder why none of them have rebelled yet?

Mr. 8 lowers his head, "Since you know so much, I'm afraid we have no other option but to kill you." he says. Oh, is that all? "And two more gravestones shall be added to the Cactus Rocks tonight." That figures; I thought those 'needles' looked to big and prominent to be needles. But yikes, we're literally on a graveyard; I wonder how many pirates these guys have taken out before us?

Zoro gives me a look and I jump onto his shoulder. The moment I do, he starts moving. "Stay close." I don't know how he did it, but the next thing I know, we're on the ground in the middle of the bounty hunter crowd. It takes them a minute to realize that we're right among them. I snicker at their faces and Zoro and I grin at each other.

"Kill him!" Mr. 8 orders. The bounty hunters open fire and Zoro jumps up into the air. After a few more seconds of stealth that I don't think I could even pull off, we end up behind Mr. 8.

Zoro slips his sword through his giant hair, back to back with that taller man. "Ask yourself," Zoro says calmly. "Will two gravestones really be enough?"

"There they are! Get them!" The bounty hunters surround us, guns at the ready. Uh, guys? That's not the best decision right now…

"No, stop!" Mr. 8 yells. "You're going to shoot me!" My ears twitch and I tap Zoro's shoulder to get down. "Igarappa!" Mr. 8 holds up his saxophone and blows into it, leaning back against Zoro.

Zoro moves with him as a barrage of bullets shoot down a number of guys around us. During the confusion, Zoro slips away again, hiding us behind a house. He peeks out at the enemy. "So that thing's a weapon." he says. "Better watch it."

"Pika." I agree with a nod. Those bounty hunter guys may be easy pickings, but we'll have to be careful around those Baroque Works guys.

Who knows what they may have up their sleeves?

Badass tag team battle off the port bow!

Who else here think Pikachus can be intimidating under the right circumstances? XD