AN: Hello everyone! This chapter didn't take me as long to write as what they normally do, which is funny because it's at least two to three thousand more words than what I normally write. Oh well, more for you guys to enjoy. Leave a comment if you've got a moment! I'd love to hear what you're thinking!
Sabo woke three days later, the letter and pictures by his bed on the table. He was disorientated for a moment when everything suddenly came flooding back.
He remembered. Luffy. Ace. His brothers, his precious brothers. He couldn't believe he had forgotten them, or the man that had (coerced) the mountain bandits to take them all in. By no means were they related by blood, but he'd prefer to say that Monkey D. Garp was his Gramps over any sort of relation to the nobles that had tried and failed to take his life and those of his brothers away.
"You're awake."
Dragon's voice came from the door.
"It seems so."
Sabo couldn't help it but he laughed, an almost hysterical tone to it.
"I've got brothers and they've believed that I've been dead for the last ten years!"
"Brothers?"
"You didn't read the letter?"
"Whilst I do read a lot of correspondence, this one is for you and you alone."
Sabo clutched at the letter and held it close to his chest, he wanted to finish reading it but not whilst Dragon was in the room. It felt to personal for that.
Sensing the mood, Dragon bid him farewell and left the room.
'I've included some pictures of your brothers. I don't know if they'll help in any way, but maybe they might trigger some sort of memory?'
They were right about that, even if they were only going off of a hunch.
'Regardless, I believe that it would be beneficial if you were to visit Alabasta sometime soon. It may offer you some answers to your past and help you reunite with your brothers. Regardless of the fact that to them you have been dead for ten years, it may be best to clear up some misunderstandings and bring both hope for the future.
It would certainly bring myself a lot of hope.
Also the aforementioned tragedy, I am unsure as to how to prevent the events leading up towards it. I have an idea as to how to prevent the tragedy itself from occurring, but if I say something or change something then even those plans could be thrown into disarray.'
Sabo had more of an analytical mind than most, and could read between the lines. The Crow Queen probably needed another set of eyes and ears to help out with whatever plot they were going to come up with. And if he could help them then he would do whatever it took.
"So this is the Grand Line, the greatest sea in the world!"
Luffy was still sitting on his seat upon merry's head, whilst Sanji and Usopp were hanging onto the mast. Nami was standing slightly behind Luffy to the left with Zoro to the right, an ever present presence. The right hand of the future Pirate King. I stood next to Zoro, not entirely sure where I would fit in this situation.
"Full speed ahead!" Came the captains order.
"BUOOOOOOOOH!"
And there was Laboon, sounding very similar to Dory if I was to be honest. I might break out the quotes, but no-one would get my jokes or references.
"Did any of you hear that?" Zoro had walked up to be almost leaning over the railing.
"I heard something."
"Who cares?"
"It might just be the wind, the terrain is different here."
"BUOOOOOOOOOOOH!"
"Nami, I don't think that was just the wind."
"What was that?" Now it was Usopp's turn to be confused.
"NAMI! THERE'S A MOUNTAIN UP AHEAD!" Sanji pointed out from his view point on the mast.
"That can't be right!" Nami shook her head, "Once we pass the Twin Capes we should be out in the open sea."
"BUOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"
At that last noise, Luffy was finally taking notice; his forehead was creased in thought and a frown on his normally grinning face.
"Sanji, I don't think that's a mountain." I shouted up at him.
"That's definitely not a mountain!" He replied down at me.
"IT'S A WHALE!"
"BUOOOOOOOOH!" Laboon seemed to agree with Usopp's abrupt, but succient statement.
"What do we do? Should we fight it?"
"Captain, fighting is not always the answer."
"Fighting is always the answer!" Luffy crossed his arms with a pout and I wondered if Sabo felt like this with Ace and Luffy when they were kids. Then again, he was probably just as bad but had more use of diplomacy than most.
"Besides, how the heck are we supposed to fight something that big?" Usopp was shaking that badly that I could see his knees shaking and clonking together.
"We're too close to see anything clear, where are it's eyes?" Sanji had found his way to be hanging onto the mast, rather than sitting on top of it.
"Perhaps the whale hasn't noticed us yet?" Nami sounded hopeful, but i knew it to be in vain.
"Stop the discussing! If we don't do anything soon, we'll crash!" Zoro finally fed up with the whale discussion growled at the crew. "There's space up left, turn portside!"
"The rudder's broken!" Usopp snapped back at Zoro.
"We've got to do something!" Zoro leapt over the railing and joined Usopp at the broken rudder. Thinking after a moment, I joined him.
"I'VE GOT A PLAN!" Luffy shouted suddenly.
A feeling of dread washed over us.
"Why do I feel like something bad is going to happen?" I muttered.
"It's Luffy." Came the dry response.
"Point." Turning to Luffy and gripping the broken rudder at the same time, "What's the plan captain?"
"LEFT! LEFT! LEFT!"
Somehow the other three trying to pull the rudder with me had started to chant.
"THE RUDDER WON'T BUDGE!" Usopp let out a wail of despair.
The firing of the cannon was the next thing that we all heard, almost knocking us down in the process of Luffy actually firing it. Despite his reputation for being an absolute idiot, he actually had a very good (albeit dangerous) plan.
"I wonder if the ship has stopped now?" Luffy dusted his hands off, pressing his palms together.
"Nami watch out!" I couldn't help but shout, as Merry's head hit the rocks, snapping clean in two and heading directly for the navigator. She ducked just in time, the ram head missing her by centimetres.
You could hear her start to hyperventilate, whispering to herself. "I almost died."
The ram head continued to bounce forward, further onto the ship. Luffy was outraged, his expression would have been comical if the situation hadn't been so dire.
"Have you guys got this?" I wanted to go over and ask Nami if she was okay, but I didn't want to let go of the rudder if my added strength could help.
"Go to Nami, we'll be fine." Usopp, unsurprisingly knew where I wanted to go and I thanked them, going to sit beside the almost rocking Nami.
"Stupid question," I must have surprised her because she reacted almost violently. Her hand whipped around and I caught her wrist before it made target; that target being my face, "Are you going to be okay?"
"I'm so sorry!" She started to cry a little and I gave her a hug. "I'll be fine in a bit; it just took me by surprise is all."
"If you're sure?" She gave me a nod, "Just give me a shout if you want to talk, okay?"
"BUOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"
Laboon sounded confused, as if he were not sure if there were people around him. A pirate ship beneath him.
"Nows our chance!" Zoro shouted as he strained his arms trying to pull the rudder to the side.
"Did the whale not feel that cannonball?"
"Maybe it's slow?"
"He already looks to be in pain!" I interjected, and it was true. Besides the scars that I knew were on the whale's head, there were numerous scares covering the rest of his body. They, for the most part, looked deep and several years old; others looked only days old, a dark bloody red and some still weeping.
"BUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"
This loud cry reverberated through the ship, causing us all to wince in pain and discomfort.
"Row as fast as you can! We have to get away from this thing!"
A presence from behind Nami and myself startled us, cold and almost oppressive. Turning as one, we found the captain standing behind us. A fury etched on his face, making sweat break out on the backs of our necks. He didn't have the use of his Haoshoku Haki as of yet, but seeing him in the moment was like seeing a wild animal protecting it's own.
"How. Dare. You. Destroy. My. Special. Seat!" Each word was punctuated individually as he sent his fist into the air with a sold crack, rubber breaking through the air and causing it to shudder.
"IDIOT!" The crew said in unison. I just shook my head, he'd just given us away. With the captain not paying any attention and him threatening the whale, Usopp and Zoro came from behind him, catapulting Luffy forward with a combined kick.
The Going Merry shuddered once more, as the whale opened his mouth. Water started to rush in, faster and faster as we found ourselves spinning towards the back of the whale's throat. We continued to spin in circles, with the ship and subsequently all of us being flipped upside as we continued following the flow of water.
"I AIN'T GOING TO DIE HERE!"
We landed with a splash in the whale's stomach. Picking ourselves up off of the deck, we all stared around us in amazement. There was a literal island sitting comfortably in the middle of a whales stomach, on an ocean in the middle of a whales stomach. The Going Merry was on an ocean in the middle of a damn whale's stomach.
"What's your explanation for this? Weren't we just swallowed whole by a whale?" Sanji was just generalising, but somehow this line felt a little pointed. At Nami or myself I wasn't too sure.
"It's the Grand Line, this could probably be considered as normal." I shrugged.
"True, but this just has to be a dream."
"Not necessarily, there's a house on that island."
"Could be an illusion?" The hopefulness in that voice was something that I couldn't help but find hilarious, but outwardly didn't show my amusement.
A giant squid rose up in front of us; I couldn't help but face palm with my shoulders starting to shake with laughter. This day couldn't get any more ridiculous than it already was, but I knew that wasn't true. This was the world of One Piece, I was on the crew of Monkey D. Luffy and this was the (almost) Grand Line. Of course it could and would get increasingly more ridiculous.
"IT'S A GIANT SQUID!" Nami and Usopp fled, slamming themselves onto the deck behind Zoro, Sanji and myself. The other two were readying themselves for a fight, and I was trying to calm my laughter.
As it turns out, Zoro and Sanji had no need to defend us and the ship as three or four harpoons came out of nowhere, forcing the giant squid down and onto the surface of the ocean lined stomach. I walked over, in between Zoro and Sanji.
"Seems like there's someone else here."
"Let's hope that it's a person."
"Does it really matter? We may have to fight them." I knew that this generally (shouldn't) be the case, but I couldn't help but rile them up a little. Sure enough Zoro's grin turned a little bit feral and a glint in Sanji's eyes appeared. I must admit myself that I would like to see how I could go in a fight, probably not as well as these seasoned warriors, but perhaps better than what I could accept of myself.
Whimpering behind us were Nami and Usopp, having both heard our commentary.
"Where did Luffy go?"
"I want to go home…"
We watched as the squid began to move, being dragged towards the house by strong ropes in a steady, even rhythm.
"What if we just open fire?" Usopp shakily stood up and raised his arm, pointing towards the house and the bloody carcass being hauled towards it.
A figure moved in the distance, the flowery shape of their head was the most prominent feature.
"Someone's coming out of the house!" How Sanji's cigarette hadn't gone out, or fallen out of his mouth from the rough and tumble of being swallowed whole by a whale I had no idea. (Or how he talked through it, either.) "That's a flower!"
He must have blurted out the first thing that came into his head because afterwards he went very still, wide eyed. He honestly looked a little scared; what the hell had those done to him that Eiichiro Oda hadn't shown in the manga? No one had that kind of reaction without some sort of background. He started to breath normally again after a few moments.
"What's up with him?" Usopp muttered and then shouted, wide eyed, "The old man took out the squid!"
"Was he just fishing? Or did he purposely save us?" Sanji took a long drag of the cigarette. It must have helped to calm his nerves, as he looked better than he had earlier.
The figure and Sanji caught each others eyes, resulting in a tense stare off as the older man continued to pull in his catch.
"SAY SOMETHING!" Sanji shouted, fed up with the tense moment. A momentary giggle passed through my lips, making the others turn and stare at me.
The old man calmly finished dragging the giant squid in, sat himself down on his deck chair, picked up a news paper and started to read. The giggles were threatening my calm, serene facade.
He continued to ignore our crew.
Usopp suddenly shouted, "IF YOU WANT A FIGHT, THEN Y-YOU'VE GOT ONE! WE'VE GOT CANNONS!"
Crocus called back. "Don't, or someone might end up dead!"
Thinking that he was threatening the safety and lives of everyone on the crew, Sanji smirked. "Who would that be?"
"Me."
"YOU!" Sanji was outraged at the answer, as seemingly mocking it was in nature. I snorted. Unlikely that, whilst a doctor, Crocus was a former member of the Roger Pirates and sailed with the former Pirate King. He bloody well knew how to fight and could probably take us all on and not have any worries about it.
The snorting had resulted in me laughing, almost silently, my whole body shaking trying to keep it quiet.
"Don't get so worked up. Old man, would you tell us who yo are and where we are exactly?"
It was odd that Zoro would be the voice of reason, but then again, as Luffy was currently AWOL he was the next one in charge being the unspoken First Mate.
"That grandpa thinks he can make a fool out of me?" I patted Sanji on the shoulder.
"There, there. You'll be fine." His mutinous expression softened a little and he nodded, taking a deep breath.
Crocus was silent for a long moment, "Common courtesy says to introduce yourself before questioning another, doesn't it?"
Zoro sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, "Right. Sorry about that."
Crocus continued on as though Zoro hadn't spoken. "My name is Crocus, the keeper of the Lighthouse of Twin Capes. I'm seventy-one years old. A gemini. And an AB blood type."
At this I lost any and all composure I had. It sounded as though he was reciting his advertisement on a dating app, or newspaper looking for love.
"DOES ANYONE MIND IF I KILL HIM? EBONY STOP LAUGHING!" Zoro's shark teeth only made me laugh harder. I must have lost my mind, completely and utterly at this point.
"I'm so sorry! It sounds like he's advertising himself in the 'looking for love' section of the newspaper!" I voiced this to Zoro, trying to calm myself down. Usopp and Sanji snorted and Nami giggled a little, while Zoro rolled his eyes and calmed down a bit.
"You lot are wondering where this place is? Well first you've trespassed in my private resort and started to mouth off. Does this place look like the stomach of a mouse?" Crocus snapped at us, breaking us out of the laughter that was still continuing.
"So, this isn't a dream at all?"
"What do we do?" Nami rang her hands out in front of her, worrying. "I don't want to be digested?"
"There's an exit right over there." Crocus pointed towards a barred gate.
"Y-You can get out of here?"
"Why is there an exit inside of a whales stomach?"
More questions kept coming.
"Guys, it's a painting." I had to stop all the questions, they were giving me a headache with all the running around in circles.
"WHAT?!"
"I'm assuming there's not a whole lot to do down here and Crocus was probably bored."
"They're right. It's just my way of having a good time." Crocus stared at me. I had no idea that a suspicion, an idea was brewing in his head about me at the time; I probably wouldn't have stopped it however, even if I could have persuaded the stubborn old man.
"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING HERE ANYWAYS?" Usopp had finally had enough and lost it. Crocus had gone back to ignoring us and back to reading his newspaper.
Zoro grabbed Usopp by the shoulder and led him away. "Leave him, we've found an exit so let's leave."
The water underneath the ship started to move violently, making the Going Merry rock from side to side.
Crocus folded his newspaper and placed it down. "He's started again, has he?"
The rocking of the water had revealed that the island was actually a ship, a fact that Nami had quickly pointed out. "It's an iron ship, also!" She added on.
"Wait, so the ocean must be stomach acid! If we stay longer the Going Merry will be dissolved!" Usopp replied, a note of panic building with every word he spoke. "What's going on! Please explain it to us!"
"This whale has started to bash his head against the Red Line again."
"What?" Zoro and Sanji had never seemed so synchronised. The only difference between the too was the smoke circling upwards from the cigarette in Sanji's mouth.
"I remember seeing the whale's forward. It was covered in scars." Nami turned to me. "Ebony, you were right. He must be in incredible pain, bellowing at the sky."
"He's definitely suffering." I replied.
"BUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" The echoes of his wails reverberated through his stomach, shaking us all even further.
"I've got it!" Nami placed her left fist on her outstretched right hand. "He must be trying to kill the whale from inside."
"I doubt that."
"Why? It's the most logical solution."
"Just call it a gut feeling." I couldn't very well say how I knew that wasn't the case, now could I?
"Regardless, let's get out of here. If we hand around any longer than we already have, we'll dissolve."
"I haven't got anything against whaling,"
Interrupting I muttered "I do."
Sanji continued, having not heard me. "It's not like we are obligated to save the whale, either. Let's just go."
Meanwhile with Luffy, he had followed the chamber downwards. Continuing to bounce around.
"What's going on?"
He had no idea where he was, no idea where his crew was. He'd only just gotten his Chronicler and he didn't know anything about her; he wanted to be back with his crew, to have everyone share in the adventure. Besides, the best way to see how a person was, what they were like and their morals and beliefs were how they would react to a dangerous and deadly situation. That was something he had learnt from Sabo.
There was a painful tug in his chest when he thought about his deceased brother. He wondered if Sabo would be proud of him and Ace, if he would despise them for gaining the freedom in life that he had been denied but gained in death? He hoped that he wouldn't; Sabo was always the nicer brother anyway.
"Alright, we've managed to infiltrate this far inside successfully. Listen up, Miss Wednesday." Luffy heard voices echoing from further down. "Beyond this door is the whales stomach. The old man is most likely inside was well."
Old man? Luffy thought. That's where everyone else has to be!
"Our mission is to eliminate the old geezer!"
Not if I can help it! Luffy may have dreamed of being a pirate since he was a kid, but some of his Grandpa's beliefs of protecting the innocent had rubbed off on him and his siblings during their many 'training' sessions.
"We're doing this all for the whale!" That was a mans voice!
"Yes, Mister Nine. This whale is our town's sweet honey, after all." The voice that answered the male voice was female, soft. He could detect a note of eloquence that he knew Sabo had as well. It screamed of a noble upbringing. (Come to think of it, his newest crew member had notes of this every now and then, especially on certain words. It spoke of a definite formal education, something that a lot of people didn't get or couldn't afford.)
"Argh! My head is spinning!" Luffy spotted the dead end and before he could anything about it he went crashing nose first, his chin hitting second. Landing on his back, his hat floated downwards. He could have sworn that it was silently laughing at him; there was always something about his hat. He wanted to make it proud, not only the man who had given it to him.
"What is it this time?" He groaned aloud. "Is this an ocean? A river? Looks definitely like a waterway."
He felt himself slipping downwards, sliding downwards. He managed to get himself upright, a gate coming into view, as well as the two he heard earlier. He didn't have much time to take notice of them, only seeing a shock of pastel blue hair and a crown on the mans head.
"Miss Wednesday, on the count of three, two, one. Baby! i'm opening this door!" The man, Mister Nine, shook his fist at the woman, Miss Wednesday. "So don't lose your focus!"
"Roger that, Mister Nine!" She readied herself. "Ready when you are!"
"I CAN'T STOP! I CAN'T STOP! PLEASE! STOP ME!" Luffy has found out rather quickly, as everything was tilting, his running was gaining speed and he couldn't stop himself from going even faster.
"Who is that Mister Nine?"
"No idea, Miss Wednesday."
Luffy was yelling, screaming as he gained more speed and less traction. Faster and faster he went. As the two others noticed he wasn't stopping, they, too, started to scream in terror.
We readied the ship to continue going along, but with Laboon continuing to bash his head against the Red Line it was getting increasingly harder and harder.
"If this keeps up, it's going to be difficult to even reach the exit."
"If we don't hurry, our lives and Luffy's will be in danger. He isn't inside with us! I saw him escape the whale's mouth!" Sanji countered Zoro's statement, both were true however.
"Knowing Luffy he probably tired as hard as he could to follow behind us though."
The others nodded in agreement at my apt descriptor of our captain , loyal to a fault and never caring about the risk to his own life.
There was a shout from behind us, as we watched Crocus dive into the ocean, swimming towards the exit.
"That old man jumped straight in!"
"What's he trying to do?"
"He's going to get himself killed!"
"I don't think he will. He seems pretty strong to me, definitely stronger than what he lets on." I added. Zoro nodded, that was something that he had noticed as well.
"He's swimming towards the exit." Usopp crossed his arms, "We should hurry and get to the exit before the whale gets any harsher on itself."
The boat lurched dangerously.
"EVERYONE GET AN OAR! WE'VE GOT TO ROW!" Zoro's order was interrupted by three screams and a door being slammed open.
"OH NO! MISS WEDNESDAY, IT'S AN OCEAN OF STOMACH ACID!"
"NOOOOOOO!
The last was someone very familiar. The captain was finally here.
"GUYS! YOU'RE OKAY!"
"LUffy?" "Captain?"
"Well in any case, help me out!" The three flying humans went crashing into the sea of stomach acid below.
"Who are those other two weirdos?" Usopp didn't look to concerned about them at all. I couldn't help be worried, Vivi would be nakama one day. Not yet, but soon.
Crocus had made it the the ladder.
"The old man is running away!"
"No time to worry about him, Luffy comes first." Zoro scolded Usopp.
"I'll get him." Shrugging off my hooded jacket and diving into the acid ocean below. It tingled, but I was quick in fishing Luffy out enough the he could slingshot the two of us back aboard the Going Merry where Nami handed the two of a us a towel each.
"Shishishishi! Thanks Ebony!"
"Mah mah, it's not problem Captain." I waved off his concern as I wrung out my shirt. All I could say is thank the gods above for the lycra-like material that these pants were made of. Perfect for swimming in and not having to worry about them getting wet; they looked like a pair of skinny jeans also. Gold stars all around. Laboon had stilled after I had dived in to get the captain; it was calmer.
"Who are you exactly?"
The two non-Straw Hat's seemed to have a silent conversation, not saying a word as we surrounded them from all sides. This was done unconsciously I'd noticed; we protected our own that was for sure.
"I won't let you lay a single finger on Laboon for as long as I live!" Crocus shouted, capturing the attention of everyone on board.
"Whho is the old man?" Luffy questioned tilting his head.
"His name is Crocus." I answered and he nodded.
Usopp looked at Crocus and groaned. "He's back."
An evil aura surrounded the two intruders.
"FUFUFUFUFU!" Miss Wednesday, she wasn't Vivi Nefertiri at this moment, cackled. "We're inside the whale's stomach now! IT'LL BE EASY TO BLAST A HOLE IN IT'S STOMACH!"
The two fired their weaponry, which had somehow been concealed somewhere. (They weren't wearing a whole lot, so it must be one of those anime and manga things. Or a extension charm of a sort.) Crocus leapt in front of the blast, taking the full force of it.
"You were right Ebony, he has been protecting the whale." Nami conceded to me.
"CEASE YOUR FUTILE RESISTANCE!"
"JUST TRY AND PROTECT THE WHALE IF YOU STILL CAN! IT'S NOT GOING TO STOP OUR TOWN FROM EATING THIS WHALE!"
The two at that moment reminded me of Team Rocket, only more interested in murder than kidnapping.
Crocus glared at the two, heated.
"He's tougher than he looks!"
"What's going on?"
Luffy cocked his head, thinking for a moment before he was suddenly in action. He knocked Miss Wednesday and Mister Nine out with a single blow to the back of the head.
"I'm not too sure what's actually going on, but I'll leave these guys knocked out for now!"
"Usopp, got any rope?" I asked and he nodded, going to fetch it. I helped him tie them up, adding a few knots that I knew (from personal experience) were nigh unbreakable. And these two didn't have knives on them, either.
We boarded the island that was Crocus' ship, half carrying half dragging (Sanji's doing) the two (now) prisoners. He had wanted to explain to us why he was so intent on keeping the whale alive, of course I knew but it was important information, vital. We may not get Brook, otherwise and that would be a tragedy, for both us and for him. Fifty years alone; I was alone for almost two and it had almost driven me mad. I don't know how he could survive it.
"This whale is an island whale," Crocus began as we all made ourselves comfortable. "Normally found in the West Blue. It's one of, no, it is the largest species of whale in the world. His name is Laboon."
"These two rogues are from a town nearby, with the goal of hunting Laboon. Laboon could feed their town for two or three years. Give or take." He shook his head. "I cannot allow that!"
"The reason behind him bashing his head against the Red Line and bellowing at the sky, facing Reverse Mountain. Well, I was minding my business as the keeper of the lighthouse when a particular group of friendly pirates came down the Reverse Mountain."
At this Luffy began to pay rapt attention to Crocus and his storytelling.
"Laboon had followed behind their ship; he was a baby at the time." He was clearly lost in his memories, but continued to tell us the story. "Laboon had accompanied their adventures in the West Blue, but the pirates feared the Grand Line too dangerous for him. Normally island whales swim in pods together, Laboon had found his pod. Those pirates were his pod."
"Their ship was damaged when they arrived here and they stayed for a few months to fix the ship." Crocus smiled, "I became rather good friends with them during that time. On the last day they stayed here they asked me to 'please take care of Laboon for two to three years?'"
"They said that once they sailed around the world that they would be back and Laboon understood this and waited patiently for them." He started to frown, "That's why he keeps bellowing and hitting himself against the Red Line. It has been fifty years since then. He still thinks that they will come back…"
I wanted to shout that Brook was alive! Well, a skeleton, but alive! That he hadn't abandoned Laboon, that the Rumbar Pirates would never have left him behind if they had had a choice. Was there a way that i could put it, word it so that it wouldn't be too much of a spoiler. I didn't wish to give too much false hope, in case I changed something too much (something that I was steadfastly trying to avoid; the only thing that I wanted to change, would change, would be what happened to Ace.)
I made a decision.
AN: Once again, thank you for reading this and supporting me by leaving comments and following and favouriting! It's so appreciated! The next chapter, depending on how many shifts I have at work and how much university work I need to get done before I go back to classes, may be two to three weeks away.