Crocus then began to tell the tale of Laboon and every single one of them listened intently.

"All that have seen Laboon, asks the same questions," Crocus began. "Why does he so coolly strikes his body against the Red Line? Why does he keep howling at Reverse Mountain? Listen closely and I will reveal to you Laboon's tragic story."

50 years ago, alone pirate ship had made its way from out of the West Blue and into the Grand Line from Reverse Mountain. That of course predated the Great Pirate Era, back in those days while the Marines did try to stomp out pirates they weren't considered much of a threat, especially within the Grand Line.

Following these pirates was a young whale, lost from its pod, and soon they came across the lighthouse tower manned by Crocus at the Twin Capes.

'It was a sunny day, while I was fulfilling my duties as the lighthouse keeper some good-natured pirates came down from Reverse Mountain. They were followed by a baby whale, spry and chipper, who I would soon come to know as the one and only Laboon.

'He's an Island Whale, one of the largest in the world, they are a rare species found only in the West Blue. Laboon had developed a bond with the pirates, travelling with them from much of their journey, but knowing the dangers of the Grand Line the pirates chose to leave Laboon behind in the West Blue.

'But the stubborn little whale followed them anyway as a general rule Island Whales are social animals and travel together in family groups. I suspect that Laboon somehow came to feel that the pirates were his family. The wear and tear on the pirate's ship was quite severe so they stayed here for several months, in that time I too was able to board a close relationship with them. That's when the day of their departure finally arrived…'

The ship's captain, knowing the dangers of the Grand Line ahead of them came to a decision regarding Laboon.

"I have a favour to ask of you my dear friend," he said to Crocus. "Could you look after Laboon for a few years? When my men and I have completed our voyage around the world we will be back." He then turned and looked at the young whale and placed his hand on his forehead. "Listen to me Laboon, we're taking our ship to the end of the Grand Line, until we return I need you to wait here for us with Crocus. You can't come with us, it's too dangerous, even for mighty whale like you. Don't worry, three years will pass by like a flash and don't forget, no matter the distance, our friendship will last forever."

It was late in the evening and once everything had been checked out the captain turned to Crocus.

"Well, I suppose it's time," he said.

Crocus nodded and then the captain turned to his men. "All right, men! We're setting sail, hoist the anchor!"

The pirates cheered and soon they began to sail off into the Grand Line leaving Crocus and Laboon behind. Laboon, naturally try to follow them, but the Captain called down to him from the ship.

"Laboon! You have to wait for us here and mind Crocus, Laboon! Don't worry, we'll be back! I promise!"

Laboon stopped, taking that promise to heart and watch as they sailed to the distance.

Crocus looked at Hiccup and the others with a heavy heart. "That was 50 long years ago."

"50 years?" said Ragnar in disbelief.

"So Laboon has been waiting all this time from his friends to return?" said Tuffnut.

"No wonder he's upset, that kind of wait would drive anyone crazy," said Astrid.

Soon they began making their way down the canal through Laboon's body, that in itself raise a very big question.

"This is some canal," said Toothless. "I'm amazed this whale is still alive with a hole like this in his body."

"I suppose you're responsible for this," said Ragnar looking down at Crocus.

"Just a doctor's playful mind," Crocus shrugged as he continued to read his newspaper.

"Doctor?" Snotlout blinked.

"That's right, legally certified. I also ran a clinic on the Cape once upon a time, before that I once served as the ship's doctor."

Hiccup looked up. "Really? I don't suppose you would consider joining us, we could do with a good doctor."

"Don't be ridiculous, I no longer have that kind of energy," said Crocus as his island home came to a stop and began to climb a ladder. "Exploring the seas is a young man's perk."

"So what kind of doctor would hollow out the inside of a whale?" Ragnar asked under his breath.

"Maybe it's part of the treatment," Fishlegs assumed.

Despite his old age, Crocus had very excellent hearing and looked down at them. "The young man is right, with a creature this size it's virtually impossible to treat it from the outside. Therefore I devised an even more drastic solution."

He then approached a large set of doors. "He's the exit."

He began to turn the wheel and the doors opened and they saw real sunlight ahead of them.

"I never thought I'd be so glad to see the sky," said Hiccup as they exited out of Laboon.

They were so busy marvelling at the open sky that they failed to notice Miss Wednesday regaining consciousness. She then quickly began to revive Mr 9, quietly.

"What is it?" he asked.

Miss Wednesday put a finger towards her mouth and then gestured to Hiccup and the others.

"Don't you think 50 years is a bit extreme?" Snotlout asked the others. "Those pirates sure know how to test someone's patience."

Astrid rolled his eyes. "Idiot, don't you get it. This is the Grand Line, his friends are dead. That whale could wait forever, they won't be back."

Fishlegs nodded. "Sad to say, but that's probably true. Back in the day when those guys travel the Grand Line it was an uncharted sea, a 1000 times more treacherous than it is now."

"Why you guys been so pessimistic? You don't know that the dead," said Ruffnut.

"They could still come back for him," Tuffnut nodded.

"I find it very touching, I mean a whale still believing a promise that his friends may despite all these years, that's true bond."

"Indeed," Crocus agreed. "But the lesson here is that reality is cruel. Laboon's cohort aren't dead, the truth is they abandoned their quest. I learned that they turned tail and left the Grand Line."

"I don't believe it," said Ruffnut as she turned and looked at Laboon. "I mean why abandon him like that?"

Fishlegs looks down at Crocus. "You say that they ran away from the Grand Line, you know they made it through the Calm Belt alive?"

"I can't claim to know exactly what became of them, but I doubt though ever come back here again. Seasons, whether, currents, wind direction, on the Grand Line in these elements seem to defy the very laws of nature. Common sense is useless and the terror of that fact can be quite overwhelming."

"So what you're basically saying is that these pirates were nothing more than a bunch of cowards, who cared more about saving their own butts than keeping a promise to a friend," said Snotlout simply.

"Hard to believe someone would abandon such a loyal creature," said Ragnar folding his arms.

"Yeah, it's cruelty to a whole new scale," said Ruffnut nodded.

"If I ever run into those guys I'll give them a piece of my mind," said Tuffnut.

Fishlegs looked at Crocus. "But if you know all of this why haven't you told him? Laboon can obviously communicate with you, he seems understand humans quite well for whale."

"I did tell him, down the last miserable detail," said Crocus.

Roughly 20 years ago, Crocus was forced to tell the fully grown Laboon the ugly truth.

"I know that this isn't what you want to hear, but it's the truth," he said to Laboon. "Your friends left the Grand Line, the bond you share with each other was a real. Just as realise the promise that they made to return to you one day. But still faced the facts, those men are never coming back."

Laboon then began to wail loudly against the mountain.

"Laboon, please, I say this for your own good their not coming back!" Crocus yelled.

However, either Laboon could understand them or didn't want to as he began to continue to wail against the mountain.

"I understand that you don't want to accept it, but you need to realise this is how things are! Listen!"

Laboon, didn't want to listen, instead he slammed his tail against the water creating a large wave which slammed into Crocus.

"Laboon!"

"That was the day that Laboon began to howl at Reverse Mountain soon after he started to slam his body against the Red Line. It's as if he believes that wall is what keeps his friends away by breaking it, he can clear a path for their return."

"I admire his dedication," said Ragnar as he looked the mountain.

"He never gave up on them," said Fishlegs softly.

"He refuses to believe me, because then he would have to admit that it's over and that televising more than anything," said Crocus. "There's no way for him to go back to the West Blue so what we have is a paradox of epic proportions. Laboon is a lost soul dying to live with his friends, but won't stop killing himself to reach them."

"Tragedy, even after all the grief that those pirates put him through they did the same to you by saddling you with their burden," said Ragnar. "I mean you've done enough for Laboon what about you?"

Crocus looked at Laboon. "The scars on his hide our deep, those in his heart even deeper. He needs someone to attend to his wounds and I'm all he's got. For years he's batted himself while I patched him up, a strange friendship, but it works."

Hiccup then transformed into his dragon hybrid form and then flew over towards Laboon.

Crocus didn't look entirely surprised to find that Hiccup was a Devil Fruit user, but he was puzzled why he was flying towards Laboon.

"What's your friend doing?" he asked.

"Knowing Hiccup, he's probably trying to help," said Astrid.

Hiccup was soon flying directly in front of Laboon.

"I can understand your pain," said Hiccup looking at the poor whale. "I too have been longing to see someone and it feels like a lifetime. I would do whatever it took to see them again so I can understand why you're hurting yourself. However, I know deep down in their hearts that they wouldn't want you to wound yourself over this. If they're still out there, I'll find them and tell them that you're still waiting. If not, then I promise that I will come back for you like any true friend."

Hiccup then placed his hand against the whale's head and then tears began to form in the whales eyes. Everyone smiled, because they realise that somehow Hiccup had managed to touch his heart and healed his deep wound.

Laboon then wailed loudly, no doubt saying that he was willing to wait just a little while longer.

"Now until we come back try not to hurt yourself," said Hiccup gently. "I don't want to see those scars on your head even deeper than they are already."

Hiccup then flew back down towards the Going Tiger so that he could repair the damage to the figurehead. However, once he landed on the deck he found that Mr 9 and Miss Wednesday had vanished.

"Where are they?" Hiccup asked.

"Where are who?" Astrid frowned. She then realised what he was asking. "Oh, you mean those to weirdos? I guess they escaped, must have happened when we were distracted by Laboon."

Fishlegs scratched his chin. "I wonder who they were."

Both Mr 9 and Miss Wednesday were floating in the sea not too far way.

"Miss Wednesday, what are we going to do now?" Mr 9 asked.

"First let's put some distance between us and those morons then we report to the boss," she said. "Our time for completing this mission has long since run out."

Mr 9 groaned. "I can hear the others now, they're probably already calling us traitors."

"I know, but without our weapons we have no choice but to go back to the Office and start over."

"And this time no one will stop us," Mr 9 smiled as he reached into his jacket pocket. That smile suddenly vanished when the item he was searching for wasn't there. "Oh no, it couldn't have."

Miss Wednesday frowned. "What is it?"

"It's… gone."

"What?"

Hiccup saw something rolling on the floor, it was some kind of bracelet with some sort of glass bow attached with a needle inside.

"Where did this come from?" he frowned.

"How could you have lost the Log Pose?" Miss Wednesday yelled.

"I don't know! I must have dropped it somewhere, but were not going anywhere without it," Mr 9 panicked as he began looking around with his binoculars.

"How awful," she groaned.

Mr 9 shrieked when he saw something approaching them. "No, this can't be happening!"

Miss Wednesday looked up and fear appeared all over her face. "Oh no."

Flying towards them was a vulture with an otter riding on its back.

"The unluckies!" Mr 9 panicked.

"We're out of time!" Miss Wednesday cried.

"Mr 13!"

"Miss Friday!"

Mr 13, who was in fact the otter began slamming a seashell on top of another which held a fuse connected to a parcel in the vulture, who was Miss Friday, beak.

"Don't be hasty! Please, we can explain!" said Mr 9 pleaded.

"We'll check in with boss immediately!" Miss Wednesday assured.

The fuse was then lit and Miss Friday dropped the parcel right down on top of them, which was a bomb. Quickly the two of them swam away as quickly as they could and suddenly there was a huge explosion.

Fishlegs had made it a lighthouse and was sitting at the table in order to plot their next course.

"Okay, I finally have some peace and quiet so I can work on a plan for the Grand Line journey," he said. However, he then noticed the needle and the compass was spinning around.

Ragnar meanwhile was beginning to cook some lunch and he was going to use the face that he had won in that contest back in Lougetown.

"Don't think I forgot about you my little beauty," Ragnar smiled.

Hiccup had ordered the help of Snotlout and the twins so that they can begin fixing the ship. Fortunately the only two things that need fixing with the figurehead and the rudder. Replacing the rudder was easy enough, but the figurehead was only a patch job. There managed to hold the figurehead together with a sheet of metal, though there was no telling how long it would remain that way.

"How come we are the ones to fix it?" Snotlout asked as he hammered away.

Hiccup looked at him. "Because I'm the only one who has any knowledge of engineering and I need some extra muscle in order to fix this ship. Plus considering that it was your friend that gave us the ship I would have imagined that you would jump at the chance to repair it."

"I mean why are we the only ones working?" Snotlout growled as his eyes turned to Toothless, who was fast asleep. "I mean he's fast asleep."

They then heard screams coming from the lighthouse and they sounded an awful lot like they belonged to Fishlegs.

"Now what?" Hiccup groaned.

"Something the matter Fishlegs?" Astrid asked as she, Ragnar and Snotlout made their way to the lighthouse.

"The compass is broken," Fishlegs groaned. "The needle is just spinning, it won't stop."

"Yeah, you're right," said Ragnar as the three of them looked the compass.

"I'm getting quite dizzy looking at it," said Snotlout.

"But it's brand-new we could have broken it already," said Astrid.

Crocus looked at them and shook his head. "It is sadly apparent that none of you possess the slightest knowledge on how things work here. Did you all come here to die?"

"Can you be a bit more clear?" Ragnar asked.

"Yeah, spit it out already," said Snotlout.

"There's nothing wrong with your compass," said Crocus. "The Grand Line has little regard for the rules of the sea. Common sense is useless in this place."

"The needle why does it spin?" Fishlegs asked curiously.

"Because were surrounded by a powerful magnetic field. The islands here are filled with magnetic minerals that cause all sorts of abnormalities. Also the winds and currents lack constantly in their patterns, as a navigator I'm sure you can appreciate this dilemma."

"So then if we don't have a way to tell direction this whole trip is hopeless."

"If you have any hope of navigating the Grand Line you're going to need a Log Pose to guide you."

"Long Pose? I've never heard of it."

"It's a specially designed compass that can record levels of magnetism."

Hiccup then approached them. "By the way, I found this Log Pose on the deck."

Everyone immediately turned to him and he was holding the strange bracelet.

"You know what a Log Pose is?" Fishlegs blinked.

"You forget that I grew up on the Grand Line," Hiccup reminded. "I was going to explain everything in more detail, but with everything that happened at Lougetown and now with Laboon, I never got the chance."

"How in the world you get that?" Ragnar asked.

"I found it on the deck, in must belong to those two weirdos when the escaped," Hiccup concluded.

Fishlegs took the Log Pose and examined it. "But there isn't a dial face on this thing."

"You won't need one," said Crocus. "It's a special brand of magnetism that runs through the Grand Line Islands, complete with its own set of rules that makes it possible to get around. By recording the level of magnetism between two islands, you can shot a rout from one island to the next. The Log Pose method is really the only choice since the magnetism here presents a huge problem for conventional navigation.

"As it turns out Reverse Mountain is a great starting point, it produces seven levels of magnetism. But it doesn't matter which one you choose to start with, eventually all of them will pull against each other and form one rout at the island at the end of that rout is Berk. The last and the most mysterious in the Grand Line, its very existence was confirmed by the King of the Pirates, the only known person to have travelled the Grand Line in its entirety."

"Berk," said Hiccup quietly.

"Then that must be where the One Piece is hidden," said Snotlout.

"That's the most likely theory, but no one has been able to set foot on Berk since."

Hiccup smiled. "We'll know soon enough."

Crocus looked at him curiously.

"Well now that's out of the way, let's eat," said Snotlout.

Ragnar immediately stopped him. "Hang on, wait until the others get here."

Snotlout turned on him. "Why do we have to wait for them?"

"Because it's polite."

"I'm the one that's been working his ass off all day!"

"What about the twins?"

"They mostly messed around and I'm hungry!"

Snotlout then immediately swung his fist at Ragnar, who quickly ducked. Snotlout's face then collided into Fishlegs knocking him to the ground and he landed directly on top of the Log Pose. Everyone froze when they heard the sound of broken glass and when Fishlegs rolled over they discovered that the Log Pose had been completely crushed.

Astrid looked at Snotlout furiously. "You would trust broken our only way of navigating the Grand Line!"

She then punched Astrid so hard in the face that he was knocked to the ground.

"Now what do we do?" Ragnar asked.

Hiccup smiled and then pulled out another Log Pose. "Good thing I have an extra one."

"When did you get that?" Fishlegs stared.

"Lougetown," said Hiccup. "I did say that we needed to get supplies, I meant to give it to you earlier, but like I said with everything going on a never had a chance."

"Way to think ahead Captain," Astrid smiled.

"I told you before I was raised in these waters so I know the basics of navigating here," Hiccup shrugged and then he turned to Fishlegs. "However were going to need an expert to navigate these waters."

"I'll do my best," Fishlegs assured.

"I know you will."

Laboon then resurfaced and then shooting out of the water was none other than Mr 9 and Miss Wednesday and they looked a bit blown up.

"Well, look what the whale dragged in," said Ragnar as he approached them.

Mr 9 looked up at them. "We need a favour."

Ragnar then immediately took the two of them towards Hiccup and the others to listen to this favour.

"Whiskey Peak? Quite the unusual name," said Hiccup.

"So what is it?" Snotlout asked.

"That's where we live," said Mr 9.

"Hang on, you must have gotten here somehow surely you have a ship or something," said Astrid.

"Well…" said Miss Wednesday looking a bit uneasy. "It was destroyed."

"You know asking us for a ride is pushing it, Mr 9," said Astrid folding her arms. "Especially after you try to kill the whale."

"And what without wardrobe?" Snotlout asked noting the crown on his head. "What are you supposed to be?"

"I'm a king."

"Yeah, right," said Astrid rolling her eyes.

"I'm afraid we can't tell you anything," said Miss Wednesday.

"She's right, you have to believe us, our only motive here is getting home. We'd tell you everything if we could, it's just that—"

"Mystery is our company's motto."

"You see we have to be mysterious, it's sort of a rule."

"We have confidence in your character, can't you give us the same courtesy?"

"Please, we're begging you to show some mercy."

"Don't do it," said Crocus. "These two fools are dishonourable to the core they can't be trusted."

"I'm afraid that our Log Pose is broken," said Fishlegs as he held out the shutter bracelet.

Immediately the two of them looked furiously.

"What? You broke it! That was mine, those things aren't cheap you know!"

"You're stuck here too? How long were you going to make us back before you were going to tell us?"

"But our Captain had the foresight of buying one earlier," Fishlegs finished.

Immediately the two of them went down on their hands and knees and begged once again.

"Please have pity on us," said Mr 9.

Hiccup sighed. "All right, enough with the begging. You can ride with us." Everyone immediately stared at him. "You said that your home was Whiskey Peak? Then let's go there."

"Why would we do such a thing?" Snotlout demanded. "These two are obviously some pretty shady characters. Why would we take them anywhere?"

"The further they are from Laboon the better and it's not as if we have decided the course anyway," said Hiccup folding his arms.

"Choose your rout carefully, once you head out you had out here you'll be committed to that course," Crocus warned.

Hiccup smiled at him. "We'll be fine."

Crocus can help but smile. "I see."

Hiccup then turned and looked at the others. "Okay, time for us to head out."

"Just who do you think you are anyway?" Miss Wednesday asked.

"Just the manner will become the King of the Pirates."

Crocus smiled at him, but Mr 9 and Miss Wednesday merely sniggered.

They had to wait for the Log Pose to set a course which took several hours by which time the sun was beginning to set.

"Should be good to go," said Crocus. "The Log Pose should have plenty of time to store the rout. The needle should be pointing the same direction as the map."

Fishlegs was looking directly at the map and followed the needle and it was definitely pointing the direction they wanted to go.

"It's pointing directly at Whiskey Peak," he said.

"Thank you for everything, take care," said Hiccup waving at Crocus.

"Have a safe trip, my boy!" Crocus called.

Hiccup then looked at Laboon. "I'm off Laboon, I'll be back before you know it." He then turned and looked at his crew. "Next stop Whiskey Peak. Let's set sail!"

Everyone cheered as they began setting sail towards the Grand Line and Laboon wailed as they set off to possibly the greatest adventure ever.

Crocus watched as they sailed off into the distance. "I wonder, Hiccup and his exuberant crew could be the very pirates we've been waiting for. That young Captain sure has a way about him, uncanny really, wouldn't you agree Roger?"