I've hit a block with my more popular One Piece story, Tomorrow's Romance Dawn, so I wrote this... for giggles, mostly. It will only be about three or four chapters, and I should be updating relatively quickly.

This takes place mostly between Skypeia and Water 7, simply because I don't want to write for a big cast.

"Do I have to do this?"

"You started this mess; it only makes sense you take record of it to warn future generations."

"... Isn't that a little over-dramatic?"

"You literally have no room to talk."

Those words coupled with the scary look she gave him, he quickly turned back to the ship's log opened before him. He supposed he had no choice. He picked up the quill, dipped it into the inkwell, and began to write.

The truth. How can one simple thing be so complicated? Then again I guess I have no room to talk. In any case, the truth is sometimes hidden for a reason, as our crew came to learn recently. Luckily it didn't get too out of hand, or else I don't know what would have happened!

It all started a few days ago. We had stopped at a relatively quiet summer island, Bazaar Island, to wait for the log pose to reset...

Several Days Earlier...

Luffy stared at the shiny gold orb in front of him. It was almost as if he were having a staring contest with it, if his opponent had eyes anyway.

"So... where's your meat?" Luffy asked seriously, not breaking his gaze from the orb.

The girl before him sighed. "For the fifth time, I don't sell meat! No one around here sells meat! This is a flea market!"

Luffy looked up briefly. As far as the could see there were tables covered in objects likes clothes and snow globes and tea pots and who knew what else. Over the tables were pitched tents, most likely to keep the glaring sun off the sellers' heads. Those who didn't have tables and tents sat on rugs, their wares displayed in front of them.

Luffy nodded sagely. "I see... so you sell fleas then?"

The girl blinked, then slapped her forehead.

"Why'd you slap yourself? Didn't that hurt?"

The girl sighed and ran her hand down her face. "Okay, since you're clearly not the brightest star in the sky, let me explain. A flea market is an open swap-and-meet... that's 'meet' as in M-E-E-T... where people can get together to sell or barter useless objects that you will most likely hide in your basement when you get home. Sometimes food is sold, but it's usually farmer's produce and stuff like that. Nobody sells meat, and nobody sells fleas!... At least, I don't think so."

Luffy nodded sagely again. "So it's a mystery market."

The girl bonked her head against the table.

"Oi, Luffy!"

Luffy turned to see Usopp approaching him, carrying a large backpack stuffed to the brim with knickknacks and other items.

"Isn't this place awesome?" Usopp said excitedly when he reached his captain. "Look at all this stuff I got!"

Luffy shook his head. "This place isn't awesome. They don't sell meat."

Usopp gave a long-suffering sigh, then turned his attention to the table his captain was standing in front of. He pointed at the gold ball. "Hey, what's this?"

The young woman minding the table perked up at the sound of a potential sale. She picked up the orb by the velvet pillow it sat on. "This item is what's called a Nothing-But-The-Truth Sphere. Back in our island's old days, the courts would have witnesses who came to the stand hold the ball. Legend has it that holding it would compel them to only speak the truth."

Usopp looked at the sphere warily. "Seriously? Is that true?"

Not that he should be one to accuse someone of lying, taking into account his track record, but that's a debate for another day.

The girl snorted. "Of course not. It's just an old story adults around here tell to get their kids to be honest. You know, like that Liar Noland story they have in the North Blue."

Luffy looked ready to correct her on that, but Usopp covered his mouth. There was no need to get started on a story about that experience.

She placed the orb down. "At any rate, it makes a decent paperweight and conversation starter. And who knows, I'm sure an intelligent individual such as yourself could find some other use for it."

The girl was obviously just buttering him up, but Usopp took it hook, line, and sinker.

"Well, I have won many a prestigious award for my intellect, ever since I was four years old!" Usopp lied proudly. "I accept your challenge! I'll take that gold ball!"

"Excellent!" The girl held out her hand. "That'll be 500 berris."

Usopp frowned and grudgingly passed her the money, then stuffed the orb into his pocket. He walked off, and seeing he had nothing better to do, Luffy went with him. Satisfied, the girl counted the bills and placed it in her cash box. She was about to attend to another customer, when she heard shouting.

"MARTEL!"

The girl, Martel, whirled around to see an agitated old man approach her table.

"Grandpa?!" she gasped. "What's the matter? Is something wrong?"

Her grandfather pointed at her. "When you went through my basement to get items to sell today, by any chance did you take a gold sphere roughly the size of an apple?"

Martel nodded. "Yeah. You said I could take anything."

"When I said anything, I didn't mean...!" Her grandfather sighed. "Just... just please give it back to me. Something like that orb shouldn't be out on display where any idiot can try to buy it."

Martel blinked once, then twice. She sweatdropped and looked away from her grandfather.

"Oops..."

And thus the Grand Line was unmade.

"The Grand Line was not unmade! At worst, we had to replace a few deck planks!"

"Hey, you're making me write this, so let me do it the way I want!"

Love it? Hate it? Undecided? Let me know!

Next time: The Grand Line may not get unmade, but things do start to get weird when Usopp shows off his most recent purchase.