Thanks for the reviews everyone! :D And now chapter 3…which I hope isn't that boring. Xo
(EDIT: 8/12/15)
The speed right now was making Luffy lose his balance. He tried to regain his footing, even hold on to something, but it proved futile, as he was forced thrown out of the ship.
"LUFFY!" his crew yelled.
"WHOOOOOAAAAAHHH!" Luffy hollered out.
Luffy was about to hit water, when he quickly stretched his arm to one of the whale's giant tooth and flung himself on the side of Laboon, climbing on top of the humongous whale.
"I'M NOT GONNA DIE!" Luffy said with such determinate force.
Laboon slowly closed his mouth. Luffy sat there panting, avoiding a close call. But soon, with horror realization, he remembered that his friends were inside the whale.
"Oh no! My nakama!" Luffy said, the reality sinking in. "What do I do?! They all got swallowed up!"
He was in panic for his friends and crew, and began beating down the top of the whale's head.
"HEY! LET THEM OUT! LET THEM OUT, YOU STUPID WHALE! CAN YOU HEAR ME!? GET THEM OUT OF THERE!"
Luffy's pounding proved pointless for the giant whale. He soon started to panic more once the whale was sinking into the water.
"OH NO! HEY WHALE! STOP! DON'T DIVE IN! GIVE ME BACK MY NAKAMA!"
The whale didn't listen as he still kept sinking. Luffy was downright getting upset. "STOP NOW! MY FRIEND AND I ARE GOING ON AN ADVENTURE! I CAN'T GO ON WITHOUT THEM! I NEED THEM! STOP IT NOW!"
But it proved futile to the whale, as the whale's top was quickly being submerged in the water. Luffy was beginning to lose hope, thinking he'll never see his friends again, while the waters were closing in on him.
But that was until Luffy spotted something on Laboon's head over to his right.
"Huh?" questioned Luffy.
On the whale's head…was a trap door.
Darkness.
She thought she was dead. She thought it was all over.
Being inside a giant whale would lead you to believe that. But she truly, honestly thought that the darkness inside the whale would be her final resting place. The only thing that made it more grimly optimistic about all of this was the fact that she wasn't going to die alone. These people on this ship that she landed on made it all the more comforting, even though she doesn't know them at all, and she surely did not want to die alone. Call her being selfish, but…what else can she think? She was going to die. Eaten by whale…which was Laboon, no doubt.
Darkness…is what she saw.
…Until light came into her vision again.
Katara eyes widened.
'Am...am I dead?'
What she saw, with all the other passengers on the ship…...
…was a bright blue sky with clouds.
"Wha…what?" said a confused Katara.
Was she in the Spirit World? Or was she now a wandering spirit out in the world?
She heard a voice behind her. "What in the…?"
Katara turned around to see the orange haired girl, who was carrying a perplexed look on her face.
Wait…then…does that mean she's still alive!?
Katara stood up, taking in everything around her. She expected to be in a stomach, but it looks like she's back outside again.
"Hey! Guys, look at this!" said the long nosed guy who was at the front deck of the ship.
The rest of the crew went over there to witness what he saw. Katara was in a little stupor at all that was around her now. She reviewed on what has happened so far.
She was on a ship with four people. Right now, one of them was off the ship, and is supposedly into the water, or could be with them…here? This was the last that really baffled her. She doesn't know were in the world she was, but she pretty much thought that she, along with these people, got swallowed by Laboon.
'Even though that jerk hurt Laboon...I do hope he's okay. He did save my life.' Katara thought, thinking about the Straw Hat guy. She heard them called out his name she thought, but…she couldn't remember right now.
She slowly made her way to the front part of the ship, studying the structure of it as she walked past. It was a uniquely designed ship to say at least, along with three sets of trees that has tangerines hanging from the branches, placed on top of the quarters in the middle of the ship.
She saw the four of them standing in front of the front rails of the ship and walked cautiously towards them.
The orange haired girl was the first one to speak. "Sooo…what do you guys make of this?"
Katara went over to the green haired guy and timidly tapped on his shoulder. The green haired man looked over his left shoulder and gave the girl a scowl in question. Katara took a step back in uncertainty, as she was hesitant to actually say anything because of the man's look.
Then the man spoke. "Yeah? Is there something you want to say?"
The three looked behind were they were standing, wondering who the man was talking too.
The eye that belonged to the man who was named Sanji turned into a heart again, along with a wide grin. "Katara! Are you alright!?"
Katara took a step back again and blinked. What was this guy's deal? He's acting like a weirdo.
"Sanji, don't try to scare her!" The orange haired girl said irritably, knocking him upside the head. Katara blinked at this.
"Yes, Nami-swan!" He said with a bump on his head, now swooning over the orange haired girl named…Namiswan, was it? And either this guy had ADD or he constantly likes to flirts with girls. She blushed at the thought of this Sanji person flirting with her. She shook that thought away.
The girl sighed, and said "Ignore him. He's just being a love-struck idiot."
"O-okay…" Katara felt uneasy with all the stares on her. She said in a shy tone, "W-Where are we?"
"That's what we like to know." The green haired man said, looking at her suspiciously. She didn't like the way he looked at her, and was feeling more uneasy.
"Hey, um, Katara, right?" said the long nosed guy. "Do you know where we might possibly be?"
"Idiot, you just basically said the same thing she said." said Sanji.
"Hey! I'm just curious to see if she might know anything else!" the long nose guy yelled.
"Well, say it differently next time! You're insulting her intelligence."
"What!? I was not! Your intelligence needed to be checked!
"What did you say!?"
"Ugh! Guys, just let me tell her, okay?" said the orange haired girl.
"Hey! I was the one asking!"
"Well, I'm asking her now!" the girl said.
"What!? That's not fair! I asked her first!"
"Shut up and let Nami ask her, jerk!" Sanji yelled.
"OH, YOU SHUT YOURSELF UP, SANJI!"
"SAY THAT TO MY FACE-"
BONK!
BONK!
"Now…I'll do the talking…clear?"
Sanji, and the long nose guy, whose name was Usopp, were all on the ground with bumps on their heads.
"Yeeess, Nami-swaaaan…" Sanji said in a somewhat love stricken and painful daze.
"Owww…but I asked first…" Usopp said, in pain mostly.
The girl ignored him, and walked towards Katara, who felt very anxious at this point after seeing this woman's display of power.
"Okay, let's just skip to the pleasantries." The girl pointed to herself. "I'm Nami," she pointed at the green haired man, "he's Zoro," and then at the two men on the ground in pain. "and those two are Sanji and Ussop."
Katara nodded slowly.
"And you're name is Katara, right?"
Katara nodded again.
"Okay then. Now, could you tell where we might possibly be, and mind telling us what that could be?" She pointed at what was in front of them all.
Katara looked to see what Nami was pointing at. Her eyes widen a bit at what she is seeing.
There, in front of the ship, was a small cottage house settled on an island, with another island that has a palm tree and a lounging lawn chair on it.
Katara blinked. 'Where...are we?'
She looked at the people in front of them and said. "I…I'm sorry. I don't really know where we could be. I thought we were swallowed by Laboon."
"Is that the whale's name?" Nami said.
"Yes, it is."
While they were talking, Zoro looked over the greenish water to see that a shadowy form was emerging from the water.
'Hm. That can't be good.'
SPLOOSH!
What came out was a giant squid.
Katara gasped, while Nami turned around with a horrified expression on her face. Usopp screamed rather comically and ducked for cover, while Sanji and Zoro took a ready stance to fight it.
But then…
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
Three harpoons pierced the squid from the back, killing it instantly.
The squid tilted backwards and fell on its back with the harpoons still sticking out on the front.
Katara and Nami's eyes widened at this sudden occurrence. Usopp was on the ground with his hands on top of his head, humorously bawling. Zoro and Sanji were standing their guard.
The harpoons looked like it came from the house. The doors were opened and three harpoon lines were sticking out of it.
Zoro smirked. "Well, looks like someone's home."
"Let's hope it's a person." Sanji said, tapping his shoes on the floor, ready for action.
"Giant squids, harpoons, swallowed by a WHALE!? Going back home sounds good to me right now! And where's Luffy!?" Usopp said, sniffling.
Huh?" questioned Luffy.
When Luffy was on top of the whale's head, he saw a trap door that lead to somewhere. Having no other options, he opened it and closed it to reveal that he was now in a lighted metal cased hallway.
"Um…I don't know much about whales but…since when do they have doors and lighted hallways?"
They waited on the ship. Waiting for whoever might come out of the house.
Katara was getting more and more nervous by the second. She warily prepared to stance herself just incase she had to waterbend the water at her will. Nami noticed this from the corner of her eye and wondered what she was doing.
A person's dark silhouette came into view in the house.
"AH! LOOK! SOMEONE'S OVER THERE! SHOOT THE CANNON AT IT!" shouted Usopp, completely forgetting the fact they are all on the upper deck.
"No, wait. Let's see who it is." Sanji says.
The silhouette was getting clearer and clearer by each step, and Katara was starting to recognize the person.
'Wait...is that...?'
The figure was in light now.
Katara gasped and eased her stance.
"Crocus!"
The crew now all turned to Katara with confused looks.
Crocus's eyes widen in surprise. "Katara? Is that you?"
"Crocus! What are you doing…um, here, wherever we are!?"
Crocus blinked.
"Wait, you know this person?" said Nami.
"Huh…he looks like a flower." Usopp said to himself.
"Yes, I know him! He-" Katara paused. 'Wait a minute...' She remembered the note that Crocus laid on the table. She remembered the first sentence.
'I'm inside Laboon right now.'
'Then...where we are...'
"Uh…are you okay?" said Nami.
"We're in Laboon!" Katara said suddenly. The crew was shocked.
"Huh!? You mean the whale!? Wait, we ARE inside the whale!?" Usopp said in bewilderment.
Zoro and Sanji narrowed their eyes at this sudden realization, while Nami stood in shock.
Katara rushed to the front rails and leaned over them to shout at Crocus. "Are we in Laboon, Crocus!?"
Crocus then sighed and walked to the island, with the paper in hand, and sat at the lounging chair and opened it the newspaper, reading it.
Silence…
Katara blinked. Why wasn't he saying anything?
"What's with the dramatic pause?" Zoro said to himself.
"Hey! This lady here said were we in the whale!?" shouted Sanji.
Crocus then finally spoke, rather nonchalantly. "Yes."
Katara and the rest sweat-dropped.
Katara stood there nonplussed. "Um...Crocus?"
Crocus glanced up to see her. "Yes, Katara?"
"Is everything okay?"
A pause…
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Again with the silence."
Crocus sat there. Then he groaned. "Ah, forget it. I was going to make this a running gag, but not with Katara here."
"A RUNNING GAG!?" The crew shouted incredulously. Katara just looked at Crocus oddly.
Crocus then said to the ship's crew. "So…are you all pirates?"
Katara jerked in surprise and turned around to face the four.
'These people are...pirates!?' she thought.
Zoro frowned at Crocus and answered. "Yeah, we pretty much are."
Crocus just gazed at them. "Just what business do you have with Laboon? And why do you have Katara with you?"
Nami spoke "We have no business with the whale. And the girl is on our ship because our captain saved her from falling off the cliff."
Katara then said her part. "Laboon made a big groan, and I lost balance because of the vibration of it."
Crocus sat there, taking all the information in. "Hm. Are you alright then, Katara?"
Katara nodded.
"Hey, wait a minute! What are you doing inside the whale!?" Usopp said, pointing at Crocus.
"Treating him, of course." Crocus said nonchalantly. Usopp and the rest the pirates blinked.
Katara gasped. 'So then...' "Wait…this is where you treat him?"
Crocus chuckled. "Well, yes and no. Right now we're in the stomach, so what you're floating in is stomach acid."
"Stomach acid!?" The crew and Katara said alarmed as they looked around the lightly green watery liquid.
"Does that mean we're being digested!?" Nami said terrified, with her hands on her face.
"Oh, don't worry. The exit is right there." Crocus said pointing at the huge doors to the far left of the ship.
"The exit!?" The crew said in bafflement. Katara looked at the giant doors in amazement. Then a thought occurred to her.
"Wait a second." The crew looked back at her. "This 'sky'," she looked up and pointed, "is not the sky at all? It's…a mural painting?"
Crocus smiled. "It's a hobby of mine. I like to paint. I wanted to make it nice around here. It gives a good feel when I want to relax."
Katara was astonished. He did all of this? Even the giant doors? Wait…the doors! "How…those doors…" She was speechless.
Crocus shrugged. "I had a lot of time on my hands while constructing everything inside of him."
'Constructing!?' Katara was dumbfounded. "But…how…?"
Crocus smiled once more. "Like I said, had a lot of free time during those years. And don't worry about Laboon. He's fine with it. I'm not a physician for nothing."
Katara stood there with wide eyes. 'Wow, that's...mind-blowing.'
"Wait, what's going on!? What are you treating the whale from having!?" Usopp said.
Crocus turned serious. "From being a stubborn fool."
"Eh?" Usopp blinked.
"What do you mean?" Sanji said.
Katara decided to try to explain the situation to them, until they heard a loud crash, and the entire place – a.k.a. the stomach - started shaking with all the stomach acid sloshing around.
Everyone started to grab on to anything that will help support themselves. From all the sloshing, Nami noticed that the island underneath had metal padding under it. Nami's eyes widened 'That must be some sort of ship.'
"Hey, what's going on now!?" Zoro yelled.
Crocus looked up with a solemn look on his face. "It's begun."
"AAAAAH!" Luffy yelled, ricocheting through the hallway from the sudden violent movements. He didn't know what was going. He was just walking through the hall, wondering what this hallway was doing inside a whale, until he started flying through the corridor and harshly bouncing off the ceiling and walls.
He kept bouncing around the corridor until he reached a dead end…..or so Luffy thought when he slammed his face on the wall and fell through a hole to another level. He landed in an entire different area where a river canal was flowing to who knows where.
"Huh? What's all this?" Luffy said.
But as soon Luffy was about to get up, the whole area started tilting.
"AH! Oh no! It's tilting! Don't tilt, don't tilt, don't tilt!" Luffy said while he was trying to run up the side platform, but was unsuccessful, and started sliding downwards.
"WHOOAAAAAAaaaaaaaooooo…" Luffy's voice faded as he slid into the darkness below.
'I have to act now to stop Laboon!' Crocus thought. He got up from his chair and dived into the stomach acid.
The crew and Katara gasped in horror. "CROCUS!" Katara screamed.
"What the heck is he doing!?" Sanji said.
"He's going to get digested alive!" Usopp yelled.
Katara looked on in horror, but then remembered the note Crocus wrote down.
'I've done this a hundred times.'
And that may be true. Katara felt a little more relieved, but was still worried for Crocus. She turned around and told the crew. "Don't worry, he'll be fine! He's just treating Laboon! He's done this a lot of times. And I think the reason for the movement is because Laboon, the whale, is ramming his head onto the Red Line!"
"What!? The whale is ramming his head onto the Red Line!? Why's that!?" Nami yelled from all the sloshing.
CRASH!
BWAAAAAAHHH!
"Nevermind that now! We gotta try and paddle our way to the doors!" Zoro also yelled.
"Alright, we made it this far undetected, Miss Wednesday. Behind this door is the stomach. The old man will probably be there on the other side. We can't let him interfere with our mission. If he gets in the way, we have to eliminate him. Our top priority is the whale. Understood?" said a man with a green suit, black shoes, orange scarf and hair, and most uniquely, a crown on his head. His appearance apparently looked more like a prince. He also has two number '9''s on each side of his face.
"Yes, Mr. 9. We need this animal's life for our village desperately." said the young woman, who was apparently named Miss Wednesday. She has aqua blue hair and is sporting a long ponytail that reaches to her waist, a light green jacket, a light purple and dark blue striped spaghetti tank top, a belt accessory, white shorts, complete with white ankle high boots.
They were leaning behind a door that was attached to more giant doors, holding what looked like to be fancy bazookas.
'Almost there...' Crocus swam to the latter that leads to a platform with a smaller door on the bigger doors. He reached his destination and climbed the latter.
"Alright, on the count of 3, 2, 1 baby, we kicked the door open and finish the old geezer. Be ready!" Mr. 9 said.
"Ready." said Miss Wednesday, hoisting her bazooka.
"Okay. 3. 2-"
"…aaaaaaAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
Caught by surprised, the two looked ahead at what was the source of the screaming, and saw straw-hat wearing person running down the tilted path.
"Wha-W-Who is that Mr. 9!?" said Miss Wednesday, nervous.
"I-I don't know, Miss Wednesday!" said Mr. 9, also nervous.
"WATCH OUT! I CAN'T STOP!"
Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday screamed.
KA-FLOOM!
The door burst opened, sending the three of them flying out of the door and screaming.
Crocus looked up to see what the commotion was and narrowed his eyes. "They're back."
Everyone on the ship turned their attention to look at the spectacle.
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Hey, is that…Luffy?"
"It is Luffy!" said Ussop.
"He's okay!" said a relieved Nami.
"But who are those two with him?" said a curious Sanji.
Katara spotted the one who saved her from falling harshly into the ocean. 'His name is…Luffy? Whoa, of all the strange names...' She shook her head and announced, "They're going to land in the gastric acid!"
"Hey! You're all okay! …Um…can you guys help me out!?" said an uneasy Luffy as he and the two mystery people splash-landed into the acid.
Crocus was soon was up on the platform and was dashing through the opened door.
'I've got to hurry!'
CRAAAASSSHHH!
BWAAAAAAAAAAHHH!
Laboon desperately rammed the underwater rock wall again and again. He didn't care what it takes; he has to see them again! He doesn't care! He has to reunite with them again! They promised him that they will come back! They promised!
CRAAAAASSSHHH!
Laboon kept ramming the wall, not showing signs to stop anytime soon. He was about to ram it again, when…
'Please don't be sad!'
…Laboon's whale eyes widened. In his whale mind, he remembered Katara's words.
'I don't know much about your friends, but...' Laboon could image the sadden look on her face. '…but, it's not worth getting yourself killed!
'You saw me! I wanted to go home so badly to see my friends! I almost caused harm to myself!
'I don't want you to harm yourself either like I almost did!
'You have Crocus to look after you! And if…if you die, Crocus will be sad.
'I'LL be sad too if you died!'
Laboon heard those words. He has never seen a human girl before. And she was a pretty human girl. She has a sweet face and a sweet voice. And Laboon later knew that she has a big, sweet heart. It made him happy to see the human girl smile. Her smile glowed like the ocean at night. It made him…forget about things. Not a lot though, he still wants to reunite with his friends…but…
'Just…please don't be sad…and don't die…'
He was going to ram the wall. He was. But…he stopped.
He only just knew the girl yesterday. But for some reason, her beauty, her words…her smile…made him forget the pain.
He also didn't want Crocus to be sad as well. He'd known him for so long. And he knew he was trying to help. He was trying the best he can to make him stop. It showed him that he really has a true friend.
Bwwwwwaaaaahhhhh…
If tears existed underwater, he would be letting them out right now.
Crocus reached the room where there's a giant shot contraption filled with tranquilizer sanative. He was going to use the machine to give Laboon a shot from the inside, but something strange happened.
Laboon stopped.
Crocus just took notice of this.
"Huh? What's this?" Crocus said, puzzled.
Laboon just straight out stopped. Crocus didn't even use the shot on him. How could this be? Laboon has been doing this for the longest time, and he just suddenly stops? What happened?
Bwwwwwaaaaahhhhh…
Crocus eyes widened. Could it be? It was the sound Laboon would make when he would cry. Crocus was awestruck. Why was Laboon crying?
"Wait…" Could it really be? Was it possible?
Last night, while he was turning the lighthouse on, he could have sworn Laboon eyes were watery. This occurred after Katara's sincere words. Could Laboon last night have been crying over her words? And could right now, would he be crying…just by remembering them?
Bwwwaaaaaaaaahhhhh…
Crocus's face was solemn. He went over to a wall and put his hand on it.
He yelled out, "Laboon! I don't know if you can hear me…" He was silent, and spoke in a reassuring tone. "…but…it's going to be okay." He smiled.
…Bwaaaaaahhhh…
Crocus was also forming tears of his own.
Bwaaaaaaaahhhhh…
Katara and Nami gasped, and glanced around.
It stopped. The acid stopped sloshing and there were no more loud crashing noises.
'Did Crocus did it? Did he help Laboon?'
"Um, I don't speak whale, but I think that's a sure sign that he stopped."
After saving Luffy and the other two from the gastric acid, the rest of the crew were now interrogating Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday, who were sitting on the floor exhausted from swimming in the acid.
Katara examined them; even though they dress weirdly, she couldn't help but feel some bad vibes coming from these two, which mainly is because they were carrying big weapon-looking things with them.
They all gathered around the two, with Nami Usopp, Zoro, and Katara standing in front of them, Sanji crouching beside Miss Wednesday and apparently taking in her beauty with a heart above his head, and Luffy sitting on the front rail behind them.
"Alright, talk. What sort of business do you have with the whale?" said Zoro.
The two were nervous, but kept their cool. Miss Wednesday whispered to Mr. 9. "Mr. 9, these people are pirates!"
"Yes, that's painfully obvious, Miss Wednesday. But, if we speak to their humanity and compassion, then they'll understand our situation…maybe…" whispered Mr. 9.
Katara looked at them oddly. "Um…we can hear you, you know that? And what situation?"
The mystery people jerked in surprise. Miss Wednesday stuttered, "W-w-well, y-y-you see…"
"DON'T LISTEN TO THEM KATARA!"
Katara and the rest turned her attention to Crocus, who's standing on the platform.
"They are nothing more than just thieving parasites! I'm surprised they're still here! I grow very weary of this! And for the last time, AS LONG AS I DRAW BREATH, YOU WILL NOT LAY A SINGLE FINGER ON LABOON!"
The crew and Katara, minus Luffy, were all astonished at Crocus's determination. Katara looked back at the two and wondered what their motives are.
"Hey, who's the old guy?" Luffy said in confusion.
Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday chuckled. They were grabbing the handles on their bazookas.
"You can't bully us in abandoning our mission." said Miss Wednesday.
"That's right. We were sent on this mission to hunt and retrieve this whale to our village, and we will not let you interfere! And since we're inside its stomach, that leaves us to make a new blowhole for him!" Mr. 9 said with an evil smile.
They stood up, standing side by side with their bazookas heaved on their shoulders.
Katara gasped. Once again, she doesn't know much about the modern stuff, but if she's correct, these type of weapons they were carrying are the very destructive kind. Like the cannon that one of these pirates shot Laboon at.
And they were going to shoot their weapons while inside Laboon! If they shoot now, then the inside of his stomach will….!
"NO!" screamed Katara.
"FIRE, BABY!" shouted Mr. 9.
BOOM!
BOOM!
Katara watched in horror as the speeding cannonballs made its way to Laboon's inner stomach near the doors. The pirates also looked on in horror as the explosives were about to hit it. Luffy just looked confused right now at what was happening.
She has to destroy those projectiles!
But then, the unthinkable happened.
Crocus jumped at the line of fire.
BA-BOOOOOM!
The pirates gasped.
Luffy looked surprised.
And Katara…just watched in horror and screamed.
"NOOOOOOO!"
(End chapter)
Yes, a cliffhanger. Man, I'm evil. :P
Oh no! Crocus jumped in the line of fire! DID HE SURVIVE!? …Well, it's obvious if you haven't read the manga. But I'm sure as heck not going to tell you! XD
Well, I got nothing to say except I hope this is a decent chapter for you all! Please review and tell me what you think! :D
Also, if anyone can beta this story for me, I would appreciate it! :)
