The Going Merry approached Little Garden's coastline.
Luffy stood at the bow, pointing ahead. "Look! Bones!"
Massive bones sprawled across the beach. A skeleton so enormous it dwarfed the ship completely. The ribcage alone could've housed hundreds of vessels.
"Th-th-th-that's..." Usopp's finger trembled as he pointed.
Nami staggered backward until her shoulders hit the mast. "What kind of monster..."
The ship drifted closer. The bones towered over them, casting shadows that swallowed the Merry whole.
"AWESOME!" Luffy's grin stretched ear to ear.
"NOT AWESOME!" Usopp shrieked. "VERY NOT AWESOME!"
"We're going to die." Nami's voice came out flat. "We're all going to die here."
"Quack..." Karoo's beak clicked nervously.
Luffy pointed inland where a small river cut through the beach into the jungle. "Go that way!"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Usopp grabbed Luffy's vest. "We should turn around! Right now!"
"Quack quack quack!" Karoo nodded frantically, hiding behind Vivi's legs.
Vivi knelt and wrapped her arms around the duck. "It's okay, Karoo. We'll be fine."
Her voice didn't sound convinced.
Nami gripped the wheel until her knuckles turned white. She stared at the river's entrance.
Then she gulped and turned the wheel.
The Going Merry entered the river.
Massive trees lined both shores. Their trunks stretched wider than entire ships, reaching toward the sky like natural towers.
"This place is HUGE!" Luffy bounced on the railing, eyes sparkling. "Everything's giant!"
"Quack quack quack!" Karoo's head swiveled frantically left and right.
"I know, Karoo." Vivi stroked his feathers. "Stay close to me, okay?"
Sanji lit a fresh cigarette and shifted closer to Nami and Vivi, ready to protect them.
"At least the weather's nice."
"HOW IS THAT COMFORTING?!" Nami and Usopp yelled in perfect unison.
Zoro leaned against the mast, eyes scanning the jungle. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword.
That's when the entire island shook.
The tremor hit like a physical blow. Trees swayed violently. The river itself bucked beneath them.
The ship lurched sideways.
Usopp hit the deck face-first with a meaty thud. "OW!"
Karoo's wings flapped uselessly as he toppled over, crashing into the railing. "QUAAACK!"
"EARTHQUAKE!" Usopp's scream came muffled against the wood.
Birds erupted from the canopy in massive flocks, their cries filling the air. Branches cracked and fell, splashing into the river. Waves sloshed violently against the hull, rocking the Merry like a toy.
"Hold on!" Nami gripped the wheel harder, fighting to keep the ship steady.
Vivi grabbed the mast with both arms. Zoro and Sanji braced against the railing. while Luffy just laughed.
Then, just as suddenly as it started, the shaking stopped.
Silence fell.
The ship steadied as the river calmed.
Usopp peeled his face off the deck. "Is... is it over?"
"I think so." Nami's grip loosened slightly. Sweat dripped down her temple.
Luffy's grin widened impossibly. "What was that?! That was so cool!"
"NOTHING GOOD!" Usopp scrambled to his feet, pointing accusingly at the jungle. "That was NOTHING GOOD!"
"Quack quack..." Karoo limped back to Vivi, trembling.
Nami exhaled slowly. Very slowly. "Maybe we should just... anchor here. Wait for the Log Pose to set and not go any deeper."
"AGREED!" Usopp started nodding so hard he created afterimages. "Best plan ever! We anchor right here and don't move until the log pose resets!"
Luffy opened his mouth to argue.
The world turned green.
Blinding, brilliant green light erupted from somewhere deep in the jungle. It turned everything the color of emeralds.
A sound followed. Not an explosion. Not thunder. Something between a screech and a roar that made Usopp's bones vibrate.
"WHAT IS THAT?!" Nami screamed.
The light painted the entire river green. Shadows vanished. Everything became one flat, overwhelming color.
Then it stopped.
The green light cut off like someone snuffed a candle.
The screaming sound died.
Normal sunlight returned.
Nobody moved.
Luffy's jaw hung open, eyes practically glowing. "THAT WAS SO COOL!"
"We're leaving." Nami's voice came out strangled. "We're leaving right now."
"I second that motion!" Usopp raised both hands. "All in favor of never going near wherever that came from?!"
"Quack!" Karoo's wing shot up.
Sanji took a long drag from his cigarette. "...what the hell was that?"
"How should I know?" Zoro's grip tightened on his sword hilt.
"I wasn't asking you specifically, moss-for-brains."
"Then stop looking at me when you talk!"
"I'm looking at the jungle, you idiot!"
"Same direction I'm standing!"
"THEN MOVE!"
"You move!"
"GUYS!" Nami's voice cracked. "NOT THE TIME!"
Luffy jumped onto the figurehead, pointing inland. "Let's go check it out!"
"NO!" Usopp grabbed Luffy's shoulders. "Bad Luffy! Very bad Luffy!"
Knock. Knock.
The sound came from behind them.
Everyone spun around instantly.
A pale figure stood on the deck.
He'd appeared without sound. Without warning.
His hand rested against the railing where he'd knocked twice.
Ulquiorra looked at them.
"The giants wish to meet you humans."
Zoro's hand shot to his swords, immediately drawing two swords and placing one in his mouth.
"Don't move."
Sanji's leg rose instantly as cigarette smoke curling past his narrowed eyes.
"Kyaaaa!" Nami stumbled backward, crashing into both of them. She grabbed Sanji's jacket and Zoro's sleeve simultaneously. "Where did he come from?!"
Vivi pressed herself against the mast, arms wrapped protectively around Karoo.
"Quack quack quack!" The duck's entire body trembled.
Ulquiorra's expression didn't change. He looked at each of them in turn, his green eyes tracking from person to person, pausing on the ship's corner, before returning to the Strawhats.
Recognition flashed across Usopp's face. The trembling in his hand stopped. "You're... you're that guy! From Syrup Village!"
Ulquiorra's gaze shifted to the long-nosed human.
"Huh?" Zoro glanced between them, confused. "You know this guy?"
"Yeah! " Usopp gestured wildly. "Like a month ago, he just... showed up. Asked some weird questions. Then disappeared to the Grand Line."
Luffy ran straight to Ulquiorra.
"Forget that! What do you mean by GIANTS?!"
His eyes were wide and sparkling.
Ulquiorra looked down at him.
"The giants wish to meet you."
"GIANTS!" Luffy whipped around to Nami. "Nami! Go where he says!"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Nami, Zoro, and Sanji shouted in unison.
Luffy tilted his head. "Huh? Why not?"
"Because you can't just trust random strangers who appear on our ship!" Nami grabbed her head with both hands.
Zoro kept both swords raised. "He could be leading us into a trap!"
"What kind of idiot just believes—"
"But Usopp knows him!" Luffy pointed at the sniper with complete conviction. "So it's fine!"
"I MET HIM ONCE!" Usopp's voice cracked. "ONCE! For like ten minutes! That doesn't count as knowing someone!"
Zoro's eye twitched. "For all we know, this guy's luring us straight into an ambush. Use your brain for once!"
Luffy turned back to Ulquiorra.
"Are you bringing us into a trap?"
The question came out completely casual.
"No."
Ulquiorra's answer came just as flat.
Luffy spun around with the widest grin imaginable, giving them all a thumbs up.
"See? I told you guys!"
"THAT DOESN'T PROVE ANYTHING!" Nami, Zoro, and Sanji yelled in sync.
Vivi just stared at Luffy like he'd grown a second head.
"Quack quack quack..." Karoo's beak clicked in confusion.