This is the 1st chapter and the second volume of 'Straw Hats Dragoon'. Alright everyone, let's get this story rolling and it'll be in Alabasta Arc which I'm really glad that you guys like the first volume of the story. 20K views on the first volume, that's something.
Anyway, I'm trying to figure out what the position will be for Ventus Starwind, I've already got the ideas for the others.
Like:
1) Luffy: Captain
2) Zoro: Combatant
3) Usopp: Sniper
4) Nami: Navigator
5) Sanji: Cook
6) Anna: Sniper/Scout
7) Ventus: ?
To any of you One Piece fans who got the idea, let know and I appreciate the support.
So, I don't own the series of One Piece.
Destiny
Fate
Dreams
These unstoppable ideals are held deep in the heart of man.
As long as there are people who seek freedom in this life, these things shall not vanish from the earth.
Enter the Grand Line! Giant Whale, Laboon!
Reverse Mountain
After the Straw Hat pirates made it up to the top of the Reverse Mountain, they ride down to the Grand Line where new adventure and danger awaits. They were all excited to see what lies ahead and they're getting close to achieve their own goals. They then dove down to the clouds and their getting closer to the Grand Line.
"Whoa! This is great!" Sanji shouts with a smile.
Usopp chuckled with an agreement as Nami shouts with excitement along with Ventus. However, the excitement didn't last long when Zoro and Anna heard the strange noise.
"Did you guys just hear something?" Zoro shouts with a question.
"Huh, what's that?" Nami asked.
"That groaning sound, didn't you hear it?" Zoro questions again.
"It was probably just the wind." Nami guessed. "At this speed, everything sounds distorted."
When Nami put it that way, it might be possible. However, the sound was too deep to be the wind and it was proven by Ventus' dragon hearing since the sound was heard again. Anna can hear that something was off about that noise.
"I don't think that's the wind." Anna told her. "That noise sounded too deep."
"What was that?" Usopp questions, looking through the goggles.
"Nami! I see a mountain up ahead!" Sanji informing her.
"What?! That's impossible!" Nami protests.
"But it's right there, I can see it!" Sanji points out.
"Who cares?! Go!" Luffy shouts with excitement, hearing the deep sound again.
"After we pass the Twin Capes up ahead, there should be nothing but ocean!" Nami told them.
After Nami said that, we saw a big shadow ahead of us. When the pirate ship got out of the clouds, the big shadow happens to be a giant-sized black whale, causing them to panic.
"IT'S A BLACK WALL!?" Luffy yelled.
"NO IT'S NOT!" Nami protests with panic.
"THEN WHAT IS IT?!" Zoro yelled with a question.
"I-I-I-IT'S A WHALE!?" Usopp yelled with panic.
"No, that's an Island Whale! My mother told be about them! Those whales are the only ones that can get that big and only existed in the West Blue! What is it doing here?!" Ventus shouts as the Island Whale then makes a loud noise again.
"Does that matter right now?!" Nami yelled at the young Dragoon with a question.
"W-W-W-W-What are we gonna do?!" Usopp asked with panic.
"Should we fight?" Luffy suggests without thinking straight.
"IDIOT! How are we suppose to fight a 100 ton whale?!" Nami and Anna scolds the rubber captain in unison.
"D-D-D-D-D-Do something! Our path is blocked! How do we escape?!" Usopp shouts while informing his crew.
"Calm down!" Sanji spoke up. "If this creature looks like a giant wall to us, we must be a speck."
"That's right. It's highly possible that this thing isn't even aware that we're here!" Nami said.
"We'll run right into it unless we change course." Zoro stated, turned his head to his crew while pointing at the lighthouse. "Look, we can get by on the left! Port! Port the port!"
"The rudder is broken!" Usopp points out.
"Do something! Anything!" Zoro shouts as he rush towards the helm along with Sanji to help out Usopp which it's still broken because of the current.
"Wait, I know! This'll work, it has too!" Luffy said as he rushed inside of the room where there's a cannon at the front of the ship. Sanji, Usopp, and Zoro are still trying to turn the rudder left, but it's still broken. Ventus gave them support by using his 'Tornado' ability, but no matter how they tried, the current is still too strong for them.
"This is pointless! The ship's not gonna turn!" Usopp points out.
"Damn it!" Zoro cursed.
"Don't give up!" Sanji shouts.
"I'm almost out of my magic!" Ventus told them.
Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp are trying to turn the rudder with everything they've got and Ventus is starting to grew tired because the magic is taking it's toll on him. They won't be able to turn the ship in time and they're about to crash next to the Island Whale. Until, they heard a loud sound that was coming from a cannon, fired by Luffy and the ship is slowing down.
"A CANNON?!" The Straw Hat pirates yelled in unison.
As soon as the ship slows down a little, it hit the whale as the figure head, also known as Luffy's special seat, broke off and was about to crash Nami. Anna saw that the navigator was in the most dangerous position, she pushed her out of the way. Luckily, Nami isn't in any danger when it landed a several feet away from the spot.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!? HEY, THAT WAS SPECIAL SEAT!?" Luffy screamed which it's loud enough for them to hear.
"You saved me, Anna. Thanks a lot." Nami thanked the ranger, earned a nod from her.
A few seconds later, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Ventus were really, really scared of the reaction of the whale which the cannon didn't even make a dent on it. Zoro swallowed a lump on his throat.
"Damn! LET'S GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE IT'S TO LATE!" Zoro ordered as he, Sanji, Usopp, and Ventus grab hold of the big oars, rowing as fast they as can.
"Someone tell me what the heck is going on?!" Usopp yelled with a question.
"It's so big that the cannonball didn't even make if flinch! That or his reaction time is really slow!" Sanji exclaims.
"Who cares?! At least we're alive!" Ventus shouts.
Until, the Island Whale wailed again which the Straw Hat pirates are close enough for them to hear and it's loud enough for hurting their ears.
"Aaaaahhh! My Ears!" Sanji complained.
"It's Hurting My Ears!" Ventus added.
"Peddle! Just Peddle!" Usopp ordered.
"We Have To Get Away From Here!" Zoro shouts.
When the Island Whale stopped wailing for a few seconds, they're trying to pass the whale without being noticed, but it didn't end well when Luffy went to the deck with an angry look on his face.
"YOU THINK YOU CAN BREAK MY SPECIAL SEAT AND GET AWAY WITH IT! TAKE THIS!?" Luffy yelled as he punched it in the eye, causing the Straw Hat pirates to panic.
"YOU MOROOOOOOONNNNN!?" They yelled in unison, crying. Luffy's arm was pulled back at him until the Island Whale look at them, causing them to panic. "I'M NOT THROUGH WITH YOU! THERE'S A LOT MORE WH-"
"SHUT UP BEFORE YOU KILL US!?" Ventus, Zoro, and Usopp yelled in unison, kicked him in the head with a tick mark on their heads, bulging eyes, and a shark-like teeth.
"Just what the hell were you thinking, Luffy?! Are you tried to kill us?! You just made it really mad!?" Anna yelled with white eyes and shark-like teeth, strangling the life out of Luffy.
A second later as Anna continue to strangle Luffy, the Island Whale opened its mouth and it's really mad.
"Please, no." Nami pleads with teary eyes.
But it's too late, the Straw Hat pirates are getting sucked in, causing Anna to let go of Luffy when the whale sucked them inside. Luffy somehow fell off the ship, but he was lucky that his Devil Fruit power saved him when he stretched his arm to get out of its mouth while climbing up on the top of the whale. As for the rest of his crew, they've got eaten no thanks to a certain idiot.
The Island Whale closed its mouth and Luffy is at the top, panting heavily with exhaustion as he spoke.
"Aw man, everyone's been swallowed up whole." Luffy said with his face paled, but getting angry as he punched the whale in the head. "HEY YOU! CAN YOU HEAR ME?! SPIT'EM OUT, I WANT MY FRIENDS! DAMN YOU!?"
Suddenly, the Island Whale then merge down to the sea when Luffy stopped punching.
"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING, YOU JERK?!" Luffy yelled with a question, stomping it. "GIVE. THEM. BACK. RIGHT. NOW. YOU. WHALE!? LISTEN YOU BIG BOAT, I'M NOT GONNA ASK AGAIN! STOP SINKING, I MEAN IT! MY FRIENDS AND ME ARE ON AN IMPORTANT ADVENTURE! I CAN'T LOSE'EM! GIVE THEM BACK!"
Unfortunately, the Island Whale continues to merge in the sea, but Luffy found a hatch on the top of its head, it's really strange to him but doesn't have time to figure it out as he opens the hatch, getting inside of the whale when it finally submerge on the sea.
Inside of the Island Whales stomach
When the rest of the Straw Hat pirates are inside of the stomach, they're a bit confused of where they are which it was more likely they were outside, noticing a sky and a small island. Either if they're in Heaven or they got eaten, there's no telling.
"So, what do you think?" Nami asks.
"I don't know what to think." Zoro told her.
"Is this even real?" Sanji questions, leaving Usopp stammered. "Because I know exactly what I saw and what I felt we were swallowed by the whale."
"You say that, but can you explain to us what we're really seeing?" Ventus asked with his serious expression on his face.
"Is this a dream?" Usopp guessed.
"Yeah, I'd say that's a fair guess." Zoro agreed.
"I don't think this is a dream." Anna shook her head.
Ventus then took a whiff of the air, cringed with disgust when he smell some horrible.
'Ugh! What is that smell?' Ventus mentally questions, pinching the bridge of his nose. 'Whatever I'm smelling, it's terrible. I was able to get a scent, and someone lives here.'
The Straw Hat pirates are looking at the island, trying to figure out if its real or not.
"Then what's with this island and a house?" Nami asks.
"Illusion?" Zoro guessed.
"No, someone is living in that house." Ventus told them. "I can't make of it."
"Why is this that?" Sanji questions.
"Because I'm smelling something horrible down there." Ventus answered.
Before they could say anything, something came out of the water and it happens to be the squid.
"Um that looks like...A GREAT KING SQUID!?" Nami and Usopp yelled in unison with fright and teary eyes as Ventus, Anna, Sanji, and Zoro readied their weapons.
Before the four could do anything to the squid, three harpoons pierced through it, therefore killing the squid in the process as someone inside of the house pulls it down.
"Looks like the kid is right, someone's home." Zoro said.
"Let's hope it's a person." Sanji added.
"There's no doubt it's a person." Ventus nods seriously.
"I've had it. Let's go." Nami told them, crying.
"Giant squids, guys with our foods." Usopp added, also crying. "And where's Luffy?"
"Yeah, where is he?" Nami asks.
"He's inside of the whale you two." Ventus told them without looking. "Far as I know, he must've manage to get inside somehow."
The figure walked out of the house, notice a pirate ship as he spoke.
"A ship?" The man said.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! We should fire our cannon there! Now!" Usopp ordered, pointing at the old man.
"No, hold on a sec." Sanji protests calmly. "Someone's coming out."
He then pulled the ropes, dragging the squid right next to the island as he walked out of the house, revealed to be an old man.
He has an appearance of an old man with petals around his head. He has a rather stocky and muscular body, is bald on the top of his head, but with white hair with yellow flower petal-like things, that have purple near the bottom of them, and a white beard that splits into two parts. His lower lip is noticeably larger than his upper. He wears pink shirt with a yellow and green stripe with purple circles in the yellow along with blueish-grey shorts with sandals. He also wear glasses, a seaweed necklace, three gold bracelets, and a green-gem bracelet on his left wrist. He also got a scar on his left arm.
Sanji widen his eyes with shock as he spoke.
"It's a..."
"Flower." Zoro guessed.
"No it's...a person." Sanji told him.
"Are you sure?" Usopp asks.
"There's no doubt." Ventus nods.
"That old man just killed a Great King Squid with one shot." Nami said.
"Yes, but the question is, why?" Anna wondered. "Was he either tried to save us or is he just fishing?"
"It could be both." Ventus guessed.
When the young Dragoon guessed her question, the old man was casually walking to somewhere, giving us an intense stare. The young Dragoon is feeling uncomfortable with the look he's giving them. It wasn't long until he stopped that look as he just sat in a lounge chair with a newspaper in his hand, reading it.
"YOU GONNA SAY ANYTHING?!" Sanji demanded with white eyes and shark-like teeth. The second he demanded that question, he just stared back at them.
"Hey! You wanna fight, we'll fight!? We've got cannons back there, you bastard!" Usopp shouts from the galley, causing Anna and Nami to sweat drop. When he said that, the old man's eyes widen and the atmosphere around them got very tense.
"You try it and someone's going to die." The old man warned them as Ventus had to deal with Nami and Usopp clinging onto him, much to his annoyance.
"Yeah? And who's that?" Sanji provoked with a smirk.
"Me, of course." He told them, which it's unexpected.
"EXCUSE ME?!" Sanji yelled with white eyes and shark-like teeth, feel insulted. "You-!?"
"Ease up there bud." Zoro assures him, placing his hand on his shoulder.
"That old bastard is mocking us." Sanji growled as Ventus bonked their heads, had enough of those two while Zoro walk past the cook.
"There's a couple things we need to know. Where are we and who are you?" Zoro questioned. The atmosphere got intense again when the old man widen his eyes again.
"You've got some nerve, stranger." The old said, leaving the swordsman confused. "It's only polite to introduce yourself before asking a question of someone you just met."
Zoro was about to protest, but knew that he's got a point as he spoke.
"Alright, fair enough." Zoro said with a smirk as he was about to introduce himself, but the old man beat him to it.
"If you must know, my name is Crocus. And I'm the lighthouse keeper of the Twin Capes. I'm 71 and a half years old, Gemini." Crocus introduced himself.
"I'LL KILL HIM! I SWEAR IT!" Zoro shouts with white eyes and shark-like teeth, grab hold of his katana.
"Calm down." Sanji assures him.
"You'd like to know where we are?" Crocus asked seriously. "But your rude behavior leaves disincline to accommodate your curiosity, except that you are trespassing on my private resort. Besides, I think it's pretty obvious seeing as how you weren't eaten."
And for that reason, both Ventus and Anna are right that this isn't a dream, they're really being eaten by the Island Whale.
"So you're saying that we were swallowed by the whale?!" Usopp exclaimed with realization, scanning the area. "But since when does a whale stomach have clouds in it?"
"Wait a minute! If we've been eaten, what's gonna happen to us?! I don't want to be digested!" Nami shouts with panic. As soon as she said that, Crocus then widen his eyes again and the atmosphere is getting intense, which it's getting annoying.
"STOP DOING THAT!?" The Straw Hat pirates yelled in unison with annoyance.
"What's wrong? Haven't you ever heard of a running gag?" Crocus asked.
"THAT WAS A GAG?!" The Straw Hat pirates yelled with a tick marks on their heads.
"A-Anyway, could you please tell us how can we get out of here?" Ventus asked with a sweat drop.
"Well aren't you a polite young lad." Crocus stated, smiled a bit as he points at the large steel doors. "The exit is over there."
"WE CAN GET OUT?!" The Straw Hat pirates questioned in unison with shock.
"Okay, even if I believed a whales belly could have an exit door, nothing's there but sky." Nami points out as Usopp look at the stomach carefully.
"Somethings not right here." Usopp said, earned her attention as he look closely at the stomach. "Wait, look at the sky. Those seagulls, nothing's moving, they're painted on! It's a giant mural inside the whales stomach."
"Call it a doctor's playful mind." Crocus told them.
"YOU'RE NOT MAKING ANY SENSE, YOU CRAZY OLD FOOL!?" Usopp yelled with shark-like teeth and bulging eyes, held back by Zoro.
"Are you trying to get that whale sick?! Paintings is bad for the stomach, you know!" Ventus added with his white eyes and shark-like teeth, held back by Anna. Crocus then widen his eyes again...Well, they get the ideas.
"That would be true, if I did paint the inside of his stomach." Crocus said, leaving Ventus face faulted down to the deck.
"Why you-!?"
"Kid, calm down. Don't let him get to you." Zoro assures him.
"Yeah, just ease up." Sanji added.
"Nami, if that is an exit, then we need to get to it." Zoro suggested to the navigator.
"Agreed." Nami agrees.
Until, the pirate ship is starting to rock and the Straw Hat pirates stumbled when the whales stomach is lurching.
"Ah great, what now?" Sanji asks with annoyance.
"Sounds like the Island Whale is getting angry!" Ventus points out.
"It's begun." Crocus muttered seriously.
"Look!" Nami yelled, pointing at the island Crocus is on. "That's no island, it's some kind of ship! It's made of iron!"
"Yeah, of course! Cuz' floating on sea gastric acid!" Usopp realized.
"That means a wooden ship wouldn't fare well if we stayed here too long." Anna points out.
"Hey! What's with this freaky whale?!" Usopp questions seriously, earned his attention. "Answer me, old man!"
"He's very angry." Crocus answered. "These aftershocks are the result of him hitting his head against the Red Line."
As soon as Crocus answered the question, the Island Whale charges with pure rage, hitting its head against the Red Line, causing its head to bleed.
"What?!" Sanji and Zoro exclaims in unison with shock.
"That explains it, why he had such deep scars on his forehead. Not to mention all the strange howling." Nami said, realized why the Island Whale is angry.
"Why is he do it?" Usopp questions.
"Because he's suffering." Ventus answered. "I know this too well."
Usopp then realize what the young Dragoon and Nami means when Crocus told them the Island Whale is angry and why he's hitting the Red Line with his head.
It's all starting to make sense, so what's the geezer up to?" Usopp asks.
"More than likely, he's trying to kill the whale from the inside." Nami answered with disgust.
"It's time." Crocus muttered.
"What a despicable way to kill something." Usopp stated with disgust.
"Okay, we solve the mystery of a whale. Now, how about we find a way out of its belly before it digests us." Zoro suggests.
"We have no right to judge the old man nor do we need to save the whale. What we need to do is focus on how to get the hell out of here." Sanji added when the Island While hits his head against the Red Line again, causing the stomach acid to rock the pirate ship.
"We're never gonna get anywhere if the waves keep surging like this!?" Usopp exclaims. "How can we escape if we can't even move?!"
"Our only choice is to paddle." Zoro suggests. "Take the oars!"
"Whatever it takes, we have to find Luffy right away." Nami told them.
"I know he's outside, I got a glimpse of him flying out of the whales mouth." Zoro guessed.
Once he said it, Ventus sprouts his dragon wings as he takes flight towards the steel doors. It got their attention when they saw the young Dragoon heading towards the steel doors.
"Kid, what are you doing?!" Zoro yelled with a question.
"I have to find Luffy! He might even get lost inside of the whale!" Ventus told the swordsman. "You guys try and head to the steel gates!"
"Ventus, we need you here on the ship! We don't have wings!?" Usopp protests.
"Usopp, Luffy is inside of the whale, I still got his scent, but I'm smelling two more and they're close by." Ventus stated. "Look, there's no time to argue! Just head towards the gates, Crocus knows about it the whale more than I do so he'll be able to find a way to get you guys out!"
With that, Ventus then fly towards the steel doors. He heard his crew calling him to come back, but he ignored their pleas. As soon as he got to the top, he saw Crocus diving into the stomach acid which to him, it's very foolish. It got Nami's attention as she spoke.
"That old guy just jumped in!" Nami told him, points at where Crocus dives.
"Is he insane? The acid will eat him alive." Zoro points out.
Apparently, Crocus didn't care if the stomach acid burns him alive as he swam towards the ladder while the Island Whale continues to bash his head against the Red Line out of anger. Just before Ventus could do anything else, he heard two voices.
"Things are looking up, my dear, we've been successful so far." The male voice told his partner. "Listen carefully, Ms. Wednesday, behind these doors lie the beasts stomach and that troublesome geezer as well, he must be eliminate before he can interfere again. Remember, it's all for the whale."
"Indeed, Mr. 9." A woman named Ms. Wednesday agrees. "This whale is a precious creature, and one that holds a sweet promise of life for our town."
It got Ventus widen his eyes, realize of what those two are and the organization they're worked with. Though, one of those agents tried to recruit the young Dragoon a while back.
Flashback
Ventus is about to leave the island since his bounty hunting and doing some odd jobs is finished, but what got his attention is that he caught a scent as he turned his head, notice a woman approaching the young Dragoon.
She is a tall and slender woman with shoulder-length black hair, tanned skin, and blue wide eyes. She also has a long, thin and defined nose. Her limbs are very long, especially her legs, contributing greatly to both her fighting capabilities and overall height. She wore a revealing cowgirl outfit consisting of a purple cleavage-exposing corset and matching miniskirt, both with white ornaments hanging from them, and white fur-lined coat pared with a white cowboy hat and white high-heeled boots. She also wore a gold armband with fringes attached to it with the letter BW on it.
"Are you the bounty hunter?" She asked with a smile.
"Who's asking?" Ventus replied with a question.
"Just call me, Ms. All-Sunday." Ms. All-Sunday introduced herself, leaving Ventus raise his eyebrow.
"No offense, but that's a bit cheesy." Ventus told her, changing the subject. "Anyway, why are you here?"
"What I'm about to tell you is that the main organization that I worked for are to be addressed on the codenames they were given like me." Ms. All-Sunday explains. "The codenames are based on numbers, days, and holidays. As for your question, I'm here to offer you-"
"If its about joining the connection of joining the Marines, I'm not interested." Ventus told her.
"The organization I work for has no connection to the Marines nor the World Government." Ms. All-Sunday told him. "Now, I'll ask again, are you interested in joining the Baroque Works?"
"Depends on what I get from it." Ventus replies.
"Our organization is planning on making the ideal nation." Ms. All-Sunday said.
"Ideal Nation?" Ventus repeats suspiciously.
"Yes." Ms. All-Sunday nods. "My boss and partner, Mr. 0, will give you a full explanation. I can't say much about our objectives in public. So, will join us?"
Ventus knew that something is off about the Baroque Works which to him, it's a bit shady and has too many secrets. He then sighed and spoke.
"I'm not interested." Ventus refused. "As far as can tell, I figured that your organization is a bit shady and I don't have any interests of your so-called 'Ideal Nation'. I work alone as a Dragoon and I'm not joining anyone else."
"Oh? But you need someone who be of help." Ms. All-Sunday points out with a smirk. "You know you'll die if you go alone."
"I'll take that chance." Ventus shrugs simply. "Done this for a year and I'm not dead."
"Oh? Then I suppose that I have to use force, don't I?" Ms. All-Sunday asked.
"Try it, and it'll be your last." Ventus threatened her with growl, change his pupils into a dragon eyes. "I won't let you lay one finger on those innocent lives."
Ms. All-Sunday widen her eyes with shock, seeing the young Dragoon is getting angry while showing his murderous intent aura. She failed to realize that Ventus is a half-breed between a human and a dragon, which she's gonna have a rough fight.
Flashback Ended
Ventus then snapped out of his thoughts when he sound a loud noise that was coming from the other side.
'That voice, don't tell me.' Ventus mentally thought with fear, recognize that voice.
"What is that voice, Mr. 9?" Ms. Wednesday questions confusingly.
"I don't know, Ms. Wednesday." Mr. 9 answered, also confused.
The scream got louder and his instincts kicks in as he fly out of the steel doors to move out of the way as the three pushed the doors open, seeing that Luffy, Ms. Wednesday, and Mr. 9 head towards the gastric acid. Ventus then fly towards Luffy since the rubber captain can't swim because of the Devil Fruit powers.
"Not good! We're gonna fall into gastric acid!" Mr. 9 informed his partner.
"Hey, Ventus! You're alright!" Luffy exclaimed happily.
"We won't be for long, idiot!" Ventus yelled at him with white eyes and shark-like teeth.
"Zoro, is everyone okay?" Luffy asks the swordsman, ignoring the young Dragoon.
"Are you even listening?!" Ventus yelled again.
"By the way, I could use a hand!" Luffy told them.
With that, Ventus was able to catch Luffy just in time, leaving both Ms. Wednesday and Mr. 9 landed on the stomach acid as he dropped the rubber captain on the deck while landed on the ship.
"Looks like Luffy is not alone." Usopp informed them. "Who do you suppose those two weirdos are with him?"
"Where that old geezer disappear too?" Nami questions.
"Forget him. We need to get the hell out of here before we get killed by the stomach acid." Zoro suggests, but Nami walk towards the young Dragoon as she punched him in the head.
"And what were you thinking?! Flying towards the steel doors like that!?" Nami scolds with white eyes and shark-like teeth when Ventus retaliates, punching her in the head.
"Like you have the right to lecture me!?" Ventus retorts. "Look, I've been traveling alone for a year. And do you honestly think I would sit there and wait for you guys to think of a way to escape?"
"Even so, you're 14 and that means you stay on the ship where's its safe and you don't wondering off on your own." Nami scolds.
"I've been handling it just fine, until a certain idiot decided to barges in and making this situation worse as it already is!?" Ventus argues with a glare. "And another thing, you-"
"That's enough, both of you!" Anna cuts in, breaking them up. "Listen, we don't have time for this, we need to save those two before they're getting digested! Ventus, fly over there and get those two on the ship!"
Ventus was about to argue the ranger, but reluctantly complies as he fly towards the stomach acid, grabbing hold of the two agents while dropping them on the deck as he then lands. Until, they heard a wailing sound that was coming from the Island Whale, which he's starting to calm down.
"I don't claimed to speak whale, but it seems to have calm down a bit." Nami told them.
"Seems that way." Zoro agreed seriously, turned his head to the two Baroque Works agents. "Now, we saved your lives for the time being, but you better talk and make it quick."
Ms. Wednesday is starting to get creeped out, seeing that Sanji is looking at her with a goofy grin and goo-goo eyes as she spoke to her partner.
"Mr. 9, these heathens are pirates." Ms. Wednesday whispered.
She is a young woman with long wavy light blue hair tied into a ponytail and brown eyes. She has a slender body and she wore a light blue and dark blue striped shirt, white shorts, jeweled belt, light green coat with white fur-lines, and white high-heeled boots.
"Yes, that's painfully obvious, Ms. Wednesday." Mr. 9 agrees. "But if we speak to their humanity and compassion, they should understand out plight, maybe."
Mr. 9 is a young man who wears a golden crown on the top of his red hair and has his agent number written on his cheeks. He wore a green shirt with white lace along with ruffled red scarf.
"You parasites are still here?" Crocus shouts with a scowl, earned their attention. "I grow weary of this and for the last time, as long as I draw a breath, you will not lay a single harmful finger on Laboon!"
"Laboon? This whale?" Anna asks with wonder.
"He's back again." Usopp said with annoyance.
"Who's the old guy?" Luffy asks, heard a laugh that's coming from the two agents.
"You can't bully us until we abandoned out mission." Ms. Wednesday told him with a smirk on her face, holding the bazooka.
"We were sent here to hunt this whale and that's exactly what we're going to do." Mr. 9 added, holding the bazooka.
Ventus quickly reacts as he slammed their heads with his dragon talons, causing them to collapse down to the deck while the young Dragoon toss the bazookas to the stomach acid.
"Kid, what did you do?" Zoro asked.
"Exactly as I did, I knocked them out." Ventus answered.
"But why?" Nami asked.
"Didn't you listen to what they told you?" Anna counters with a question, felt annoyed from her crew. "They said it themselves, they're sent here to hunt down the Island Whale and kill him, but they won't let Crocus interfere with their mission. It's more than enough that he's trying to protect Laboon from them."
"Laboon?" Sanji repeats, causing to Ventus sigh with annoyance.
"Use your head, that's the name of the Island Whale." Ventus told them.
With everything settled down, Crocus and the Straw Hat pirates landed on the ship after they tied the two agents with the rope, which they needed answers as he spoke.
"I thank you for saving Laboon. Though I must ask, why did you do it?" Crocus ask the young Dragoon.
"I figured that something was off about those two." Ventus answered. "And I get the feeling that someone hired them to kill Laboon. Though, I have a pretty good idea of what those two are working for."
"Okay, I think it's time we get some answers." Nami suggests seriously. "Who are these guys? And how did you end up inside this whale?"
"These two are thugs from a nearby town, looking for whale meat." Crocus explains. "If they caught him, Laboon could feed the townspeople for at least two or three years easy. All they're concerned with is feeding their fat greedy bellys."
"So, Laboon is the Island Whale's name?" Anna asks curiously.
"That's right." Crocus answered. "He's a unique and magnificent creature, an Island Whale, one of the largest species in the world that can only be found in the West Blue. I won't allow them to slaughter him for food. It's a shame that he stuck here so far away from his domain. You see, there's a reason he keeps hitting himself on the Red Line and howling at Reverse Mountain."
"There is?" Nami inquires.
"Yes, to put it one way, inside Laboon's body beats the heart of a human." Crocus told them. "He had most impatiently awaited and as eternally devoted to certain band of pirates. Going on 50 long years now."
50 years and Laboon is still waiting for a band of pirates to come back which it's a very long time. However, they were able to get answers as to why Laboon hits himself on the Red Line, all because he's waiting for a band of pirates.
That's it for the 1st chapter of the second volume of 'Straw Hats Dragoon.'
