The townspeople watched in uneasy silence as Zambai and the Franky Family sprinted away, disappearing into the winding streets of Water 7.
Whispers stirred among the onlookers—some still doubtful, others beginning to feel sympathy. The confusion surrounding the day's chaos only deepened.
Just then, Sanji stepped forward, brow furrowed. "Hey, old man—did you see a woman with them?"
"A woman?" Iceburg raised an eyebrow, brushing soot off his jacket as he slowly sat up straighter.
Sanji pulled out a worn photo from inside his coat and held it out. "Her name is—"
"Nico Robin," Iceburg cut in before Sanji could finish. His expression hardened the moment he saw the picture. "Why are you looking for her?"
"She's our crewmate," Nami said firmly. "Please, tell us if you've seen her."
A shadow passed over Iceburg's face. "She's dangerous. You have no idea what that woman is capable of. Why go so far to save someone like her?"
Sanji's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Watch what you say, ossan. We don't care what she's done before. She's one of us. That's all that matters."
For a long second, Iceburg simply stared at them—measuring their conviction. Then, he exhaled quietly, his voice dropping. "...She was taken. Along with Franky."
"WHAT?!" Nami, Sanji, Kaya, and the others reeled in disbelief.
"You should've mentioned that sooner!" Sanji snapped.
"We need to go—we can still catch them!" Nami shouted, already turning toward the street, but Iceburg's voice called her back.
"It's too late." His tone was firm. "The Sea Train... by now, it should already have left the station."
Everything froze.
Kaya's hands trembled. "T-then... that means... we can't catch up?"
"Let's head back to the ship," Nojiko suggested, looking determined. "If we set sail right away, we might still intercept the train from the sea."
But Iceburg shook his head. "That won't work. No ordinary ship can keep up with the Sea Train. It's the fastest thing on the water."
He paused for a moment, as he turned his eyes to the horizon.
"And worse... Aqua Laguna is coming."
"Aqua... Laguna?" Kruz asked, confused.
"You tourists probably don't know this," Iceburg said, voice grim. "Aqua Laguna is a massive high tide and storm that hits Water 7 every year—like clockwork. The lower parts of the city flood, and the seas become impossible to navigate. Unfortunately for you guys... that storm is due tonight."
Nami's eyes widened in alarm. "High tides? Wait, are you saying the storm is already coming?!"
Iceburg nodded. "You'll start seeing the signs soon. Strong winds... crashing waves... and then the water level rises rapidly. Any ship other than the Sea Train will be swallowed up."
"And it doesn't just come once." His voice grew more serious. "It comes in waves—each stronger than the last. No ship can survive that."
Kaya's face turned ghostly pale. "No way... how can that be?"
Nojiko clenched her fists beside her, eyes wide with disbelief. "Then... then that means we can't catch up? We can't save Robin...?"
A heavy silence fell over the group. The fire was out, but now a different kind of storm loomed—one born not of flames, but despair.
"Robin..." Nami murmured under her breath, her voice barely audible as she stared at the distant sea. Her mind raced. "There has to be something... something we can do..."
No one answered her. The tension in the air tightened like a noose. The Sea Train was gone. Robin was gone. And the Aqua Laguna crept closer by the minute.
Suddenly, Iceburg stirred, breaking the silence with a quiet sigh. "...There's actually a way."
All heads snapped toward him at once.
"A way?" Sanji turned to him, asking, "You mean to catch up to the Sea Train?"
Iceburg nodded slowly. "Yes. There's... another train."
Hope sparked in everyone's eyes.
"A train?" Nami repeated, eyes narrowing with cautious optimism.
"A prototype," Iceburg clarified. "It's not built for passengers. It was never officially used. No schedules, no safety tests, nothing. It was too wild, too dangerous. But... it's fast. It's your only shot."
Sanji's eyes blazed. "Where is it?"
"You'll need to ask Kokoro-san about that," Iceburg said. "She knows more about it than anyone."
"Kokoro-san?" Sanji echoed. "Where do we find her?"
"I'll take you," said a voice nearby.
It was Paulie, limping slightly but standing tall. "Come on. No time to waste. Follow me."
Without another word, Paulie turned and started moving, leading the Orcas down a narrow side street. The crew fell in step behind him.
Iceburg watched them go from his place on the ground. He didn't call after them. He simply stared, as if memorizing the backs of people who were willing to charge into hell for one of their own.
"Those kids..." he muttered under his breath, a small sigh came out of his mouth.
After a few more seconds, he pushed himself to his feet with a grunt. The surrounding townspeople started to disperse under his orders, murmuring in small clusters, still trying to understand what had happened.
Iceburg dusted himself off, adjusted his collar, and took one last look at the charred remains of his office.
Then, he turned in the direction Paulie and the others had gone.
"Guess I'd better see this through."
With a quiet resolve, he stepped forward and followed the trail of the Orcas.
...
Back at the Silent Orca.
The harbor was quiet now, the sky beginning to darken with the incoming storm. Alone on the dock, Baral sat near the ship, watching gentle ripples lap against its hull.
"If only I could move around like the others..." he muttered. "I'd be out there searching too."
He let out a long sigh. "Where's the boss, anyway? Why hasn't he come back yet?"
Maybe he got delayed... by that Admiral.
Baral nodded slowly. "Could be... But it's been days now. He's made of lightning, isn't he? Should've been able to escape and catch up easily."
He doesn't have a Log Pose to guide him.
Baral blinked. "That's true... That must be it!"
Then, a pause. He frowned and slowly turned his head. "Wait. Who... am I talking to?"
It is I, the voice replied calmly.
"...Who??"
Ahem. I am the Silent Orca.
Baral's eyes widened in disbelief. He glanced at the ship—its elegant frame resting quietly in the water as always.
"You can talk?" he asked.
Apparently.
Baral stared, unblinking. "A talking ship? That's not exactly normal, you know."
You're one to talk, the ship replied dryly.
"I mean... I'm a Cloud Yeti that ate the Mimic Mimic no Mi," Baral defended. "It makes me a mimic chest. That's kind of different."
Still a living box. Can I not be a living ship?
Baral narrowed his eyes. "So what, you ate a Devil Fruit too?"
Not exactly. But maybe I don't need one to exist like this.
Before Baral could respond, heavy footsteps pounded from behind. Usopp, Hibari, and Stev came rushing toward the ship.
"Hey—bad news!" Usopp shouted, out of breath. "The tides are rising—we need to relocate the ship, fast!"
But as he looked around, he stopped short. "Wait, where is everyone?"
Hibari looked to Baral, who calmly replied, "They all headed to the train station. Robin's being taken away."
"They found her?" Stev asked.
Baral nodded. "You three should join them. They may need backup."
The trio exchanged quick glances. Usopp clenched his fists. "Alright. But what about the ship?"
"I'll take care of it," Baral said confidently.
"Just be careful—the Aqua Laguna's not a joke," Hibari warned.
"I know. Go."
With one last nod, the three turned and dashed off again, disappearing into the winding alleys of Water Seven.
Once the footsteps faded, silence returned. Baral turned back toward the ship.
"You heard them, right?" he asked.
Loud and clear, the Silent Orca replied.
Baral exhaled, then climbed aboard. "Alright then. Let's move."
With no crew, no sails, and no oars, the ship began to drift—slowly at first, then steadily, gliding through the canal with eerie grace. The water curled around her hull like it was guiding her, lifting her upward toward the safer upper channels of the city.
...
Near the Island Entrance
The salty breeze blew in from the ocean, bringing with it a tension that crackled in the air. Most of the Orcas had gathered near the outskirts of Water 7, on a wide, open platform that overlooked the branching rails. Among them were Gin, Chloris, and Binko, the trio who had failed to catch up to the sea train, Puffing Tom.
"So," Gin asked, "why did you call us all the way out here?"
Sanji replied, "According to Mayor Iceburg, there's another train we can use. A prototype. If we're lucky, it might just be fast enough to catch the Sea Train that took Robin."
That name—Robin—sent a ripple through the group. Everyone's face grew a shade more serious.
A short distance away, an older woman with wild green hair and a bottle in one hand let out a deep sigh. Kokoro, a former station manager and longtime inhabitant of Water 7, had been listening to Nami's earnest plea.
"Alright," Kokoro finally said, glancing at the group. "But I'm not gonna lie to you kids. I won't guarantee your safety with that thing." Her expression was stern but not unkind. "It was never meant for passengers. It's unstable and wild."
"Even so... thank you, Kokoro-san," Nami replied, bowing deeply. A flicker of hope shone in her eyes—fragile but alive.
Kokoro waved off the gratitude with a grumble. "Don't thank me yet. That hunk of metal still needs repairs. And we're not talking about a coat of paint—it'll take time before it can even move."
"How long?" Nami asked quickly.
"If Franky or Iceburg were here, they could get it running in under an hour, maybe less. They know that machine better than anyone."
"Then we need to find Iceburg right away," Nojiko said urgently, already scanning the nearby streets.
"Looking for me?" a familiar voice chimed in.
The group turned, eyes widening in surprise. Iceburg, dressed in work overalls and carrying a worn but well-stocked tool kit, walked toward them with calm confidence.
"You're here?" Kokoro blinked. "Didn't expect you to show up so soon."
"I figured they might need my help," Iceburg said simply. Without wasting a second, he walked past the group and motioned for them to follow.
He led them down a narrow path, partly hidden by shrubbery and thick canal walls. As they turned the corner, a massive form came into view, resting on an old track that hadn't seen use in years.
Gasps filled the air.
Before them stood a train unlike anything they'd ever seen. It had a fierce, cone-shaped smokebox painted with jagged shark teeth, giving the locomotive a savage, grinning expression. The metal hull was worn, slightly rusted, and clearly aged—but it exuded raw power. Behind the engine sat a compact coal tender and a single passenger car, modest but sturdy.
"Whoa! This thing looks badass!" Binko shouted, her eyes gleaming.
The others could only stare.
"It's called Rocket Man," Kokoro said, stepping up beside them. There was a nostalgic gleam in her eye. "She was built before the Puffing Tom. Never meant to carry civilians. Too fast. Too wild. But if there's any train that can catch up to that Sea Train... it's her."
Gin nodded slowly, eyes locked on the beast of a machine. "This design... it's perfect for a rescue. Fierce, reckless, just like us."
"Hey," Mikita piped up, looking around, "what about the others? We should let them know. They might still be wandering around the city."
"I'll go find them," Sanji said without hesitation. He turned on his heel and walked off briskly, smoke trailing behind him.