Toddler Troubles

Disclaimer: I don’t own One Piece

Chapter 1: The Treasure

After falling into a mystical lake, Sanji Zoro and Luffy are changed back into 3 year olds - with half the crew as toddlers how will the straw hats cope?

Damn, just had to go and start another fic didn’t I? Oh well – hope you enjoy! Special thanks to wishing-for-a-zolo-plushie for all your help with this fic! This chapter is dedicated to you!

It had all started off as a normal day on the Going Merry. Luffy had been at his usual post on the rams head, Zoro had been napping by mast, Nam had been plotting their destination, Robin had been reading in a deckchair, Sanji had been preparing lunch in the galley and Chopper had been gasping over Usopp as the sharpshooter carried out one of his experiments.

A perfectly normal day … that was until Nami’s cry of delight interrupted them all.

Luffy was by her side peeing over the map she had been investigation in less than two seconds flat. He may not have been the brightest bulb in the bunch, but he knew that when Nami made that noise, there was treasure involved.

“What is it?” he cried excitedly, a huge grin crossing his face

Nami smirked as the rest of the crew gathered round grinning like maniacs. It got like this whenever there were sign of a new adventure.

“Listen to this guys” Nami grinned as she started to read aloud from the parchment in front of her

For those seeking the greatest treasure

Pirates and people alike

Journey to the crossbones islands

And bathe in its gift

The crew remained deathly silent before finally Zoro spoke up.

“What the hell was that?”

Before Nami had a chance to reply, Sanji already had Zoro by the throat.

“Don’t you dare talk to Nami-san like that you bastard!”

“I’ll talk to Nami-san however I damn please you stupid love-cook!” Zoro replied heatedly

Nami sighed exasperatedly as yet another fight broke out between the cook and swordsman. Usopp, who could see that th readhead was about to blow quickly attempted a distraction.

“H-Hey Nami!” he called “Where did you get that anyway?”

“Huh?” Nami replied “Oh the map … I got it on the last island we visited”

“But that was weeks ago Nami!” Luffy cried suddenly “Why didn’t you tell us about the treasure sooner!”

“If you must know I had to get Robin to help me translate the inscription – it was in some ancient language”

“So where are these crossbones islands?” the captain asked curiously

Nami kneeled down on the deck followed shortly by her captain as she laid out the large map across the deck.

“See Luffy?” she asked directing the captains gaze to the right spot “It’s about a days journey away to the first island”

“WOW!” Luffy suddenly exclaimed “These islands look just like the jolly roger!”

Nami sighed as she rubbed her head in frustration. Yes, he captain certainly was a perceptive one.

“Did you ever stop to consider that maybe, just maybe, that might be hwy they’re called the crossbones islands?” the navigator asked irritably

Luffy blinked back at her, obviously not getting what she was implying. With a frustrated cry Nami stood up and whacked Zoro and Sanji over the heads ordering the crew to set sail for the crossbones islands. Luffy grinned up at her as she looked down at him to show his approval, after all, he was still captain and it was still is decision where they went.

After everything was ready and the ship was sailing towards their latest destination, Nami turned back to the map that was still laid out across the deck. Luffy was crouched over it gently tracing his finder along the crossbones islands.

If the ma was correct then they would reach the centre island first, which was by far the biggest. It was inscribed that the treasure could be found here. From the centre island, there were 8 other islands leading off in the east, north south and west, with two islands in each direction, effectively giving the shape of the scull and crossbones.

“So where’s the treasure on the island?” Luffy asked curiously as Nami pulled the ma from under his finders and wrapped it up

“I don’t know” Nami admitted “We’ll just have to look and ask around – that’s what e do any right?”

“Right!” Luffy grinned

A day later found the straw hat crew docking at the centre island ironically named ‘scull island’. After they had secured the Going Merry and decided that Robin would stay back to watch the ship, the rest of the crew made their way towards the village that they had seen on their way to the docks.

“So what kind of treasure do you think it is?” Luffy asked excitedly as he bounced along beside his first mate

“Don’t know” Zoro replied grumpily as a wide yawn broke free from his lips “Go ask Nami”

Luffy turned expectantly to Nami but before he had a chance to voice his question they had arrived in the village. It was small consisting of barely 20 huts with a stream running through it. The people didn’t seem at all effected by the pirates presence either.

“I’ll go and ask someone if they know where this treasure is” Nami smirked

The navigator walked over to the nearest person and the rest of the crew watched as the woman replied to Nami’s question before she returned to the group.

“What did they say?” Luffy beamed “Do they know where the treasure is?”

“I don’t know” Nami replied “I couldn’t understand her”

“Why not?”

“Because she didn’t speak our language idiot!” Nami snapped

“Oh” the rubber boy replied before he snatched the map Nami was holding from her hands “I’ll go talk to them!”

“I can’t understand him half the time and he does speak our language so what chance does he have of making them understand” Sanji muttered as he lit a cigarette

Zoro snorted at the comment and Chopper and Usopp laughed but quickly covered it up as Luffy returned.

“So what did they say?” Nami mocked

“Well I showed them the map and pointed to the funny words and they pointed over there” Luffy replied with a grin, leaving the rest of the crew shocked … had Luffy actually used his brain?

Nami was the first to recover smiling widely and moving close to the rubber boy to pat him on the head.

“Good boy Luffy!” she smiled

Luffy, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the praise, grinned widely and laughed. The rest of the crew rolled their eyes at their captain’s antics and started to make their way into the jungle where the person had directed them to go.

After wandering around aimlessly for several hours, tensions were starting to get high and patience low.

“Sanjiiiiiiiiii!” Luffy whined “I’m hungryyyyyyy!”

Well that was the last straw for Sanji.

The rest of the crew casually walked by as their cook throttled theie captian. After all it wasn’t as if it were an unusual sight.

“Wow” Usopp stated in a bored tone “Sanji must really be mad – he’s using his hands to throttle Luffy”

Several nods was his only reply. Nami sighed loudly which immediately caught the attention of the raging cook who in a fluffy of love hearts was at the navigators side.

“Oh my sweetest Nami-san!” he cried “Please tell me whatever may be bothering you so that I may aid you with it!”

Nami smiled at Sanji causing the cook to go into his noodle dance and flail around the navigator.

“It’s juts so hot out here” Nami admitted “Nowhere near as bad as Arabasta, but still…”

Before another words could be spoken, Nami found herself shaded from the beating sun and smirked. Sometimes it really was too easy. The giant leaf that Sanji held ove her head really was a good sun block.

“Thank you Sanji!” she crooned sweetly

Zoro growled agitatedly as Sanji spewed force praises for Nami and danced around like some lunatic. He was about o give the cook a good punch for being so annoying when he spotted a native ahead of them.

“Oi” he muttered loudly, gaining everybody’s attention “Look”

The rest of the crew looked up to see a boy, around 15 standing before them accompanied by an old man.

“Yosh!” Luffy cried suddenly, jumping up and startling the other “Maybe they have some meat!”

Before another word could be spoken, he charged off towards the two natives and the crew reluctantly followed.

“Hey – shitty cook!” Zoro called as he an forward

“What do you want Marimo!” Sanji replied angrily before his tone turned sweet “Can’t you see I’m busy shading my Nami-san”

Zoro rolled his eyes before continuing

“You feel anything weird?” he asked plainly “Something doesn’t feel right”

“You’re just imagining things seaweed-head –now get a move on before I kick your ass for disturbing me”

“Like you could” Zoro mumbled before speeding up with the rest of the crew.

Within a matter of seconds they had reached their captain, who was trying and falling to ask the man in front of them where he could find some meat. Nami stepped forward and unrolled the map, pointing at the inscription. The two naives in front of them exchanged confused glances before the older one stepped forward.

“You not what we expect” he stated in a strange accent “People old before come here”

Nami looked back at the crew giving them a confused loo before Luffy stepped forward.

“Well that ok” he grinned “We made it early because we have the best navigator in the world!”

Nami blushed slightly and the rest of the crew grinned. Sometimes Luffy really could simplify things. The two in front of them exchanged looks again before the older one spoke up.

“What you come for?”

“The treasure of course” Nami stated with a sly smile

“We guards of sacred treasure” the younger one stated, obviously having more trouble speaking the language than his elder “We let you pass only if pass test!”

“Test?” Usopp asked as his knees began to shake “W-What kind of test?”

The younger native looked at his elder who throughout the entire conversation had not broken eye contact with Luffy. A gin crossed his face and he stepped aside.

“They mean no harm” he stated as he looked at Luffy “This one too kind”

Luffy grinned as he stepped through the last of the trees and the crew hurried to follow after they heard his shout of excitement.

“WOW!” he cried running around followed by Chopper and Usopp “So cool!”

The other three crew members stared in awe at what lay before them.

“This ‘Chia Lalaki’” the elder explained “This treasure”

Nami’s smile fell as she heard those words. The lake was the treasure? With a groan of frustration she reread the inscription before sighing.

“I should have known something was up when I read ‘and bathe in its gift’”

“Whatever’s the matter my sweet?” Sanji asked

“There’s no treasure here Sanji” Nami frowned “The lake is their treasure”

Sanji face fell now too and Zoro snorted. The green haired man turned around to leave when he heard a sentence that he really hated hearing come from Usopp.

“Oi Luffy!” the sharpshooter cried anxiously “Get down fro there – you might fall in the water!”

“Don’t be silly Usopp – I’m fi-WHOA!”

SPLASH!

“Here we go again” Zoro muttered as he removed his swords. Sanji spotted what the swordsman was doing and quickly removed his boots and jacket.

“Oi marimo!” he called “I bet I can beat you to Luffy!”

“You’re on love cook!” Zoro cried before both broke into a run and dived into the lake after their air-headed captain.

When they emerged however, thing weren’t quite right.

Okay, I know that’s an evil place to leave it, but I still have other fanfictions to write and have t get moving with them! Don’t forget to review because the sooner you do, the sooner the next chapter comes filled with chibi cuteness!