Chapter 25:Arc 2: An Ancient Island! The Shadow Hiding in Little Garden!

"The wind stopped again." Nami looked up. "And when we're in such a hurry to get to Little Garden too. We'll have to take another break."

"As we sit here idle, time is..." Vivi muttered.

"Don't worry." Nami assured. "We know you have to get to Alabasta as soon as possible."

"Nami, how's our course?" Luffy asked.

"Just a sec, I'll check." Nami consulted her Log Pose. "Turn us hard to port!" she reported. "No doubt about it." she confirmed as they sailed near to their destination. "We're directly lined up with Cactus Island. Our next destination is that island." she pointed.

"So, this is Little Garden." Luffy noted as the ship sailed in.

What the hell do they mean 'little'?" Zoro scoffed.

"It doesn't look nearly as cute as its name." Nami agreed.

"This is like, unexplored territory!" Usopp stammered. "And untamed jungle."

"We have to be careful." Vivi warned. "I'm still concerned about what Miss All-Sunday said."

"Does that mean there's gonna be monsters?" Usopp exclaimed. "Let's just go to the next island without stopping here."

"But we need time to set the Log." Nami reminded.

"That, and it's about time we picked up some provisions." Sanji added. "We didn't get to stock up at the last town."

"I see a river mouth right up ahead." Zoro pointed.

"Landing is going to be dangerous." Nami surmised. "I mean, take a look at those plants." she pointed to the vegetation on the shore. "Those aren't in any botany books Sasha and I have ever seen or read. What was that?" she winced, hearing a loud screech.

"Don't worry." Sanji assured. "It's just a little old bird. And this is just your normal old jungle. Nothing to worry about."

"Sanji, you might want to look back." Sasha warned as a huge shadow loomed overhead.

"What the hell, you shitty bird!" Sanji fumed, barely managing to duck the bird's claws.

"Is that the kind of sound you hear in a normal jungle?" Nami demanded as the ground rocked with an explosion.

"That sounded like a volcano erupting!" Usopp panicked.

And in the end...

"Sanji, lunchbox!" Luffy grinned after Zoro dropped the anchor. "A ton of meat and no vegetables. I smell an adventure!"

"You're going too, Zoro?" Sasha looked at the swordsman.

"Yeah, I've got some time to kill." Zoro cracked his neck. "I'm gonna take a walk."

"Oi, Zoro!" Sanji called. "Hold up! We're outta food. If you see something that looks edible, bring it back."

"Right, got it." Zoro replied. "I'll go hunt something you couldn't possibly handle yourself."

"Hold it!" Sanji twitched. "I heard that. Bastard, you think you can bring something bigger than I could?"

"Damn straight." Zoro retorted.

"A Hunting Contest." Sanji challenged. "The winner's the one that brings back the most kilos of meat."

"Here we go again." Sasha sighed, as the two headed off in opposite directions.

"Every single one of them." Nami mumbled. "Why do they all have to be this way?"

"Nami, follow me for a bit." Sasha requested. "I think I remember about 'Little Garden' somewhere.

"Oi, you two!" Usopp called out after the two girls.

"Not this." Sasha muttered, pulling out a book from the bookshelf and dropping it on the floor.

"Not this one either." Nami added, dropping another book.

"I know I bookmarked that section." Sasha was rummaging through the books. "Found it!" she pulled out a thick book with a metal paperclip secured to one of the pages. "Let's see..."

"This is terrible!" Nami hurried out to the deck to inform Usopp, the book in hand. "This island is..."

"This island is..." Usopp trailed and started wide-eyed as a shadow loomed over them, causing Nami to turn and look in horror at their unexpected visitor.