Chapter XII: Tale of a Whale
A/N: Last update for a while. College is going to be back in session. I'm going to try and write the Whiskey Peak chapter in the next month, but no guarantees. Thank you Stolyint and Keelan1210 for your reviews. I hope this meets your expectations.
As always, please read, vote/follow, and review.
One last call for whether I add more crewmates or not. I will switch to the crewmate poll one last time. If I have a tie (and I do) for canon and character(s), I will go with adding more crewmates due to no one choosing 0 for the number of additional crewmates. As it stands:
Kaku, OMC, and canon: tied
Trafalgar Lami, Mr. 2, and then OFC in declining order of votes
Last, OFC
Number of crewmates to include: 1 and 3 tied, then 2.
Vote on a poll, or tell me your opinion in a review or PM. Without further ado,
"Speech"
'Telepathy'
Thoughts, emphasis, proper names of non-persons, or significant temporal/spatial scene changes
/Flashbacks or summaries/
*sounds and actions*
Oratory or newspaper stories/information
East Blue
- Nami –
"…and so in order to enter the Grand Line, we need to enter the waterway climbing Reverse Mountain."
"A WATERWAY? Are you freaking kidding me? No way can a waterway climbs up a mountain!" squawked Usopp.
*Bonk*
The sniper shot the first mate a dirty look. Kit looked utterly unrepentant. Nami frowned at the two's antics.
"Maybe the map is wrong? I mean, we stole it off Buggy of all people," remarked the swordsman.
"Nami couldn't be wrong. If she says that what the maps says, then it's what the map says."
"Shishishishi, Reverse Mountain is a magic mountain, right Kit?"
Nami shook her head. "Okay…what can you tell us Kit? You said you used to journey around the four Blues and the Grand Line."
"True. Usually, I took the Calm Belt, but I know of Reverse Mountain. Ships can sail up the mountain due to the water currents."
"Water currents?" said Usopp in askance.
Kit nodded. "The currents from the other Blues are forced up the mountain. They meet at the top and converge straight into the Grand Line."
"Why can't we go across the Calm Belt?"
Nami slammed a hand on the table. "WE CAN'T GO SOUTH! People use the entrance for a reason. It's because of-"
The room began to shake.
"-the ravenous and gigantic sea kings populating the Belt. They don't take kindly to intruders in their feeding grounds. Which, is why we should probably get out of here soon," interrupted Kit as he peered out the window.
Nami ran over. The storm had completely cleared. Her face paled.
"GRAB THE OARS AND START ROWING US OUT OF HERE!"
"As you wish, my dear Nami~"
"…Kit, did you say ravenous and gigantic sea kings?"
"Yes! Hurry up and get the oars." Shit, spoke too late! The entire ship shuddered again. A mass of sea kings rose from the depths. Their tiny ship perched on the snout of one. Nami took one look and clung to the main mast.
"Shhhhhh, guys! Don't try to grab any of their attention. The two Calm Belts surrounding the Grand Line are their breeding grounds."
Luffy and Kit exchanged glances. They got up and strode off the ship.
"You idiots," seethed Nami in fear.
Then she felt it. A wave of power, just like back in Cocoyashi. The sea kings scattered, except for the one they were on top of. Was it… was it intimidated?
Calm Belt
- KASL -
"Lesson three," announced Kitsune. "Conqueror's haki. Born in one out of several million people, this is the manifestation of one's will - the determination and voice of their spirit. The proof of one's right to rule, as some might say. Those of weak will bow and even succumb entirely to the undisciplined power of such a user. You witnessed what happened to Arlong's lower ranks. They fell unconscious. An unconquerable will can devastate an army. Only those of either strong wills, or those deliberately spared, can stand up to this. Think killing intent but multiplied a hundredfold. A strong will can even create enough pressure to affect one's surroundings. Wild beasts run in fear, and the larger ones will acknowledge the dominance of an experienced user. That is the power Luffy and I will employ here. This sea king will drop us off back in seas of the East Blue because we asked it to."
"Incredible," remarked Zoro.
"Scary," whined Usopp, still clutching the ship's railings. Nami secretly agreed. She still had a death grip on the main mast.
Sanji was taking another whiff of his cigarette. "Say, first mate Kit."
Kitsune tilted his head. "Yes?"
"I take it you used Conqueror's haki to cross the Calm Belt?"
"Sometimes. Depends on whether it's just me, or if I'm on someone's ship. Curious to know why Luffy and I don't just travel through the Calm Belt?"
Sanji nodded. Kit looked off into the distance then laughed. "Shahehehehe, good point, master chef! Honestly, we could. But we won't. How many times can you say sailed up a mountain? It's part of the experience. Not many people from the Blues can just waltz through the Calm Belt without a care. Sure, several marine ships can because they have sea prism stone layering their bottoms, but it would be a shame not to ride up Reverse Mountain just once as a crew."
"I-I agree w-with Kit," stuttered Usopp.
'Hah, you're just scared of the sea kings. They won't come back, not while Luffy and I keep them away,' giggled Kit from within Nami and Usopp's minds
Quit mocking me! the two responded with a 'yell'. Kit smirked but relented. The sea king began to move. Usopp still refused to let go of the mast until the beast safely dumped the ship back into stormy waters.
- Kitsune –
After nearly smacking into the mountain (thank Rogers for telekinesis), the crew hung around in awe.
"Amazing, isn't it?" reflected Kit. "I've been through this waterway a few times, granted as a lurking stowaway, but actually seeing the climb is exhilarating. Truly a magnificent sight. Four Blues, four currents, rushing through this mountain. The range itself is a winter island. Had we missed, well, we would be joining the sea kings in their nap."
Everyone had their eyes glued to the front as the currents dragged the Going Merry to the top. Then they tilted down, the Grand Line's wild seas dead ahead.
*BUOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH*!
Kitsune frowned. Smoke briefly surrounded his head. A pair of golden fox ears swiveled. What is that?
"Did you hear something?"
"Who cares? Let's go faster!"
'See anything, esteemed sniper?'
Usopp gave a slight nod as he adjusted his eye scope.
"Is that… Nami, mountain dead ahead!"
"Mountain?" Nami asked.
Vision enhancing, Kitsune could make out a black wall. No, not a wall, an…
"Island whale!"
"A freaking whale?" muttered Sanji. "Do we fight it?"
"Considering it could treat us like so much gnats…" flippantly replied Kitsune.
"Rhetorical question!"
"Quit arguing, love cook, crazy fox. I can see a small passage around it."
"But the rudder's out!" cried a panicked Usopp.
Kitsune pulled himself on top of the upper story rails. He focused his powers. He felt for the currents and the ship with his Observation haki. Then he pulled. The ship lurched to the left and back.
"Go, Kit, go!" cheered Luffy. The rubber-brained idiot then got the bright idea to fire the cannon.
"LUFFY! You are not the marksman! And shooting at the goliath is not the smartest of ideas!"
Between Luffy's cannon, and Kitsune's power, the ship stopped just before they hit the whale.
'What are you just standing there for? Row!' commanded Kit through his telepathy, voice strangled from using sustained telekinesis. He flopped down on his front.
*BOOM*!
Kitsune looked down. Luffy smiled widely, his right hand scratching his face. A tell.
"Luffy…"
"Sorry!" The giant eye they passed in front of stared directly at them.
The whale's mammoth mouth opened.
*BUOOOOOOHHHHHHHH*!
And Luffy fell right off the ship.
Red Line
Belly of a whale
*Blink, blink. Scrub eyes. Blink some more*
Nothing changed. The ship calmly drifted through what looked like a sea with an island at the center. Kitsune's nose wrinkled. He could faintly scent gastric acid in the water. So…not dreaming. He looked closer.
"Neither the clouds or those birds are moving."
"Hmm, you're right. Is this someone's idea of a joke?" mused Sanji.
A few moments later, a giant squid tried to take Usopp and Nami, only to be speared through. The island house doors opened to reveal...
"Old man Crocus!"
Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Nami stared pointedly at the first mate. Kit smiled without a care.
"Guys that would be Crocus. My uncle Ray told me about him. He even had a few pictures of him from back in the day. Crocus was a ship doctor back on the same crew as my uncle. I haven't met with him myself, though." Mostly because I was hopping ships when they crossed the over the Red Line.
"He looks like a flower."
"Is he the one who painted the interior of a whale's stomach?"
One stare off and conversation later…
Kitsune sighed as he restrained the gentleman chef and short-tempered swordsman.
"Old man Crocus, as enlightening as your personal information is, you wouldn't mind helping us out? I heard about you from Uncle Ray."
"Ahh, that old lecher still alive then?" inquired the flower headed doctor.
"Yep!"
"Ah, then you must be Kitsune. That old scoundrel sent me letters on some of you brats' adventures. I heard you have three brothers in addition to the rest of your monstrous family."
"I would introduce you to Luffy, but I'm sure he'll be here shortly. Now, about that exit…"
"Hmmph!" grunted the old man. "If you want an exit, sail that way."
A huge metal door stood against the stomach wall.
"Wow! It really is just paint."
Crocus didn't look back up from his newspaper. "What? I'm an old man entitled to my own forms of amusement."
"Why in the world are you in here, anyways?!" questioned an irate Usopp.
*BUOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH*!
Kitsune clutched at his head. Ears sat flat against his skull. The constant bellowing at this range grated against his sensitive hearing. The sea of saltwater and gastric acid pitched. Crocus's island shifted to reveal iron lining.
"So he started this again," grumbled the old man.
"Err, exactly what again? You should give us an explanation. Preferably before we dissolve into goo," sniveled Usopp as the next tremor nearly dislodged him from the boat. Kitsune extended a yellow tail in response. And winced. Owww, it's not that bad, Usopp! Usopp was pulling on his fur.
Crocus regarded his guests with the same stern gaze. "This whale has an awful habit of ramming the Red Line with his head. You probably saw those scars outside? This is how he gets them."
Kitsune didn't hear the following discussion. His mind was locked onto the whale's emotions. He could sense a great well of grief, sorrow, denial, and steely determination. The whale was suffering. More than that, it was suffering from denial and grief.
"He jumped in!"
"Is he mad? He'll dissolve for sure!"
Kitsune shook his head. He looked down to see the disappearing figure of Crocus.
"Doubtful. The whale's stomach acid is really diluted from his saltwater intake. It would take most of the day before the squid begins to dissolve, for example. Crocus will be fine. We probably should head out. Get the oars out (again), and I'll steer the ship.
Then three people dashed out from the smaller door.
"Luffy?!"
Earlier
- Luffy –
With his Gum-Gum abilities, the straw-hat captain easily catapulted away from the gaping maw. Unfortunately, he couldn't say the same of his crew or ship.
"Guys? You- You damn whale! You ate my friends! GIVE THEM BACK. Come on, hurry up, and spit them back out, you stupid oversized fis- whoa!"
The black surface began to tilt. What do I do? He's going to dive! Luffy rapidly scanned the area. There a little ways away was a steel door.
In the whale's interior
Metal walls and floors created passages throughout the inside of the whale.
"Hmmm," hummed Luffy. "Why does a whale need hallways for? Oh well. I need to find everyone!"
One…two…three, four, five! His crewmates were only a bit away. Luffy could also sense two unfamiliar auras ahead. Not that they mattered. Probably.
After barreling through several halls and nearly tumbling into the waterway, Luffy was on a collision course with the two strange people he sensed earlier.
"Get out of the way! I can't stop!"
*THUMP*!
Arms flailed as the straw-hatted D flung through the air.
"Luffy?"
"Zoro, Kit, Guys!"
*Splash*
- KASL -
"So, who have you barreled into this time, little brother?"
Zoro and Usopp had towed Luffy and the two strangers aboard the Going Merry. They were dressed oddly, one in prim green formal wear with a crown of all things, and the other in a fur-lined off-white coat. She looked oddly familiar to the first mate.
"Don't know. Kind of just rammed them when I slid on that slippery floor," answered Luffy as he picked his nose. This prompted Kitsune to smack his brother's head.
"I told you to quit that!
"You no good brats will not harm Laboon. Not while I still live!" affirmed Crocus.
The crew started. When had he return? And how did he get on the platform?
The two strangers' response was very much not appreciated. They fired their bazooka at the stomach lining, but the old man physically blocked it.
*POUND! THUMP!*
Luffy and Kit downed them with a single strike each.
The crew gathered on old man Crocus' island.
"Whales of this size are called island whales. Normally, you only find them in West Blue. This one is named Laboon. Those two rogues are from a town from a nearby island… They're after Laboon for his meat. An island whale could feed their village for a few years.
But, I will not let them do that. Laboon is part of a promise I made years ago – promise which drives him to bash his head against the Red Line and bellow at the sky.
I have served as a lighthouse keeper for many years. I was minding my own business when a group of amicable pirates crashed down from Reverse Mountain along with a baby whale, Laboon.
Laboon had followed the pirate crew on their journey in West Blue, but the crew decided to leave him behind because of the danger posed by the Grand Line. Or, at least they thought they did. Island whales swim together in pods, but this one considered the crew his pod.
Their ship had accrued severe damage since their arrival, so they had to spend several months here for repairs. We became rather good friends during that time. When they prepared to leave, the captain asked me a question:
"Will you please watch over Laboon for 2-3 years in our place? The Grand Line is too rough for such a little guy. Once we sailed around the world, we'll return for him."
Laboon understood their reasoning. He patiently awaited their return. Weeks turned to months. Months into years. Years into decades. 50 years has passed since they left the Red Line…
"He's still waiting for his friends," realized Nami. "He believes they will return, so he's bashing his head against the Red Line and bellowing in defiance of the truth."
"I think you have the measure of it, young lady. Here, I'll lead you guys out of here."
Grand Line waters
The Straw Hats dumped the two rogues into the sea.
Kitsune paid half an ear on the Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday's ranting as he contemplated the island whale.
Luffy's gaze drifted down to where a strange bauble had rolled along the wooden deck. He picked up a familiar-looking round glass compass set on a watch-styled wristband.
"Where have I seen this before? Nope. Can't remember. Maybe those two dropped it…?"
The crew watched huge black whale bellow once again. The chef took a long drag from his cigarette.
"To think he has waited for them for 50 years. Do you really think he believes they'll come back for him?"
"They're taking a while, aren't they Sanji?"
"Idiot."
Kitsune nodded in agreement. "He's right, rubber-brained doofus. This is the Grand Line. Most pirates never make it past Paradise. And 50 years have passed. When 2-3 years become five decades, the chances any member would return dropped to…well, I think even you can understand what I mean."
"Probably long dead, by now. They won't be returning for him…" reasoned Sanji.
"Sanji! How cold can you be? Maybe one or two did survive. Maybe they'll really come back here! Don't you have a heart? Doesn't the tale of a whale who so strongly believes in his friends' promise mean something to you?"
Crocus shook his head sadly. He responded, "No, the truth is far more cruel. A reliable source reported to me they long ago left the Grand Line."
"W-what?!"
"Left the Grand Line? Then they had to have gone through the Calm Belt…!"
Crocus turned a solemn eye to the young pirate crew. "Yes…yes it would. I do not know if they survive the journey or not, but they would not dare to ever return to this place. This is the Grand Line. This is where the seasons, climates, currents, the very essence of nature rages and frenzies without a care to reason. Common sense falters and fails in these waters. Here, the faint-hearted quail before theses seas' might."
"They were coward, in other words. Their concern for their own lives outweighed their desire to keep their promise. So, they left the Grand Line to never return again…"
Laboon refused to listen to the truth. No matter how many times the old lighthouse keeper had explained, the island whale still waited for them. And Crocus could not simply leave Laboon be, not with his injuries.
The crew fell silent. To think, this was the sea to drive countless crews to cowardice, to withdrawing their honor for their own lives.
Even Luffy was silent. Too silent. Kitsune's head suddenly came up at the same time Luffy disappeared from sight. The first mate just slapped a hand halfway over his eyes, as his captain reappeared right over Laboon's latest scrape. A rubber arm reared back and…
*SMACK!*
Luffy's blackened fist slammed directly against the bloody gash, splattering old and fresh blood. Laboon writhed and shook in pain.
"WHAT THE HELL?! ARE YOU TRYING TO GET KILLED?"
Luffy pummeled a fist against Laboon's huge eye. The whale's thrashes hit Luffy dead on, smashing him into the Red Line.
"Kid, what the hell do you think you're doing to Laboon?!"
Kitsune held the old man back. "Don't. They'll both be fine."
"Shishishishi, IT'S A TIE!"
Laboon blinked.
"I'm tough, don't you think? This fight isn't over yet, so we must fight again someday. Your old friends are all gone, but you have a new rival today, me. My crew will travel to the end of the Grand Line. We're sure to meet again when we return here. I promise. Then we'll duke it out again."
One messy and badly drawn painting later…
"There!" announced Luffy proudly. "This will be a sign of our promise to meet again. You can't go ramming into the wall, or else the mark will disappear. Okay? Good!"
Kitsune regarded his brother's latest masterpiece with a smile. 'Seems like someone decided to channel a bit of Sabo today. Nice work, Luffy.'
Everyone (except for Zoro) busied about, getting ready for their journey to the first island of the Grand Line. Kitsune had taken a tall stack of fish over by Laboon.
"What's wrong with this thing? The compass's needle is spinning all over the place!"
Kitsune had wended his way over to their distraught navigator sometime after Crocus began to explain the Grand Line's convoluted navigation system.
"He's right. An ordinary compass will never make it here. All navigators of the Grand Line use the log pose, a special free spinning needle that locks onto individual islands' polarity."
"It looks like a round glass ball, right Kit?"
Kitsune hummed, "Yes, a log pose looks just like the object…you're…holding… Luffy where did you find that?"
Nami smacked both D's. Kitsune for failing to explain earlier. And Luffy partly because Nami was mad that idiot found one out of the blue, but mostly on principle.
Kitsune rubbed his aching head. "Nice. I think you're making some progress at haki training. You haven't really produced true haki, but you did gather some of your life force into your fist just for a moment. Now if only you could do it consciously…"
Zoro looked affronted. "How can she be so far ahead of us? The money grubber isn't even much of a fighter."
Kitsune chuckled. "It is how it is. Although, I doubt she'll reach true awakening of her haki before either Sanji or you. Doesn't quite match up to her style of fighting, at least right now."
"Where did I find the log pose thing? Ooooh, those weirdoes left it on our ship. I guess they must have accidently dropped it. Why did you hit us, though?" whined Luffy.
"It was instinct. Any sort of idiocy from the two of you warrants a good thumping after all the trouble you guys raise. So, how does this thing work?"
"Those two brats – or at least the one in the ridiculous beret – probably know this already, but I'll explain," grumbled Crocus. "Islands dot the entirety of the Grand Line. As I mentioned earlier, the rich minerals of each island produces a magnetic field. In order to navigate between islands, you need to record the electromagnetic interactions between them. Once the log pose stabilizes, you can proceed to the next island in the chain. This is the only safe way to travel on the Grand Line. Here on Reverse Mountain, you have the freedom to choose one of seven islands. Each magnetic field will lead to a different chain of islands, however all paths converge to a single island: Raftel, a legendary island only once confirmed by none other than the late pirate king and his crew."
"Is One Piece there then?!" asked Usopp excitedly.
"No way of knowing since no one else has ever reached it."
"Enough talk," interrupted Luffy. "We'll just see it for ourselves then, shishishishi!"
Another piece of delicious fish was shoved into Luffy mouth. He stretched a rubbery arm for more, but felt nothing.
"…Luffy, you idiot! You ate all my wonderful fish! You shitty captain, I cooked it for Nami's pleasure, not yours!"
*Crack! Crash.*
A moment of utter silence. *Splash*. Two bodies were kicked into the sea.
"The log pose... Don't we kind of need it!" voiced Usopp with a tremble.
"What do we do now?!" shouted Nami.
Kit patted Nami's shoulders in reassurance. "Don't worry, Nami. Don't you remember? I came to the East Blue from the Grand Line. Even though I tended to ship hop, I did sail on my own. I came here on my own ship, remember? I have a log pose back on the Merry. You can use that one."
"Uh, did it happen to be in a little wooden box?"
"Yes, Usopp, why?"
"Because I think I saw Luffy trying to pry it open the other day. He might have, sort of, kind ofaccidentlysmashedit," mumbled Usopp.
'You did what?! Monkey D. Luffy! You better be listening to me. I told you not to go rifling through my stuff!'
Sorry Kit…
"Too bad. Don't worry. I will give you one as a sign of thanks for what your captain did for Laboon," offered old man Crocus.
- Kitsune –
Kitsune still had his yellow fox ears out. So he heard it when something exploded offshore. Furthermore, he heard four people finally gasp out for air.
The man, Mr. 9, and his partner Miss Wednesday were in bit of trouble. Turned out, they didn't have a second log pose… or a ship. The first mate eyed the two with open suspicion.
"You want us to take you to Whiskey Peak?"
"Y-yes…"
"Hah," interjected Nami. "Why should we? Like Crocus mentioned earlier, this is the only point where we can decide where to go from here on out."
"Technically, that statement applies to just this side of Paradise. The New World poses other issues, but I'll explain when we get there," recollected Kitsune.
Nami huffed but didn't press the issue. "Plus, the two of you have been trying to kill Laboon here. You haven't even apologized to Crocus for blasting him or for all the trouble you two have caused for him."
"Who exactly are you two, anyways?" added Usopp, "Mr.9 and Miss Wednesday don't sound like proper names to me."
Both rouges kowtowed. "We humbly apologize for our actions against you. But, we cannot say! Please, take pity on us and return us to our town. We promise to repay you for this favor!"
Miss Wednesday offered, "We would rather inform you, but our organization is very tight-lipped. "Secrecy and mystery" is our motto. But can any of you find it in your hearts to extend a hand toward us?"
"Ttch, you should ignore them. I swear they'll bring nothing but trouble on your crew. As the kid said earlier, you won't be able to pick your path again until you reach the other end of the Red Line," disparaged Crocus.
Kitsune snickered as Nami played with the two suspicious people. He inclined his head when Luffy said they'll take them along, but whispered, 'Don't let your guard down, captain.'
I won't. I remember what happened last time I did…
Unconsciously, Kitsune fingered the scar running underneath the scarf tucked into his coat collar.
"You sure Luffy? Kit and Crocus said we won't be able to choose our path after Reverse Mountain," insisted Usopp.
"Shishishi, yeah, I'm sure! We could always turned back, too, if we want to go somewhere else."
"Hmmph!"
"Bye flower gramps!"
"Thanks for the log pose!"
"Thanks for putting up with my crazy crew!"
- Crocus –
The old sea salt watched the rookie crew take off. Behind them, Laboon bellowed farewell.
So, maybe those brats will be the one. Their captain has a curious air to him. And the fox-eared brat certainly has his uncle's intelligence and strength. Are they the ones you're waiting for, eh Roger?
