"What do you mean?" Luffy tilted his head. He was sitting on top of the figure head with Niko standing behind him. Water dripped against his skin as he stayed out in the rain.
"We already visited Loguetown."
"No we didn't," he shook his head and water flew all over.
His shoulders slumped. He was moments away from punching Luffy, but instead he stood there with a disapproval frown. "We already stopped there when you were asleep. It's too late to turn around now."
His head rolled back. He wanted to see the execution post one more time; since the last time he saw it, it ended up in flames. "Was I really asleep for that long? It felt like an hour."
"It was a whole day..." He wanted to mention the part about Buggy chasing them as well as capturing Luffy and moments away from slicing his neck, but he felt those details were best left untold; the others felt the same. How could they explain to their captain that they left them unguarded and in the enemy's hands? They have only been his crew for one month, yet they already showed how well of a crew they were.
A failure.
If it wasn't for Zora, the others would have already told Luffy of the chase. Especially Savi who wanted to show off her skills by being the one who saved the young man; she was only halted when Niko sent a cutthroat gesture to her. This imminently caused all thoughts of her boasting out the window; the way Zora wanted it.
Luffy nodded his head and laid the palm of his hands on his crossed knees. It felt so grand to have his favorite seat back in place; not that he didn't like the Thousand Sunny.
Urika appeared from behind the two with a clip over her nose. The hatch to the girl's room was opened, allowing the stench out, which meant the whole ship smelled like rotten eggs. But, because it was raining, they had it cushioned within the ship with towels. "Oi, Luffy, you shouldn't be sitting out here."
"Yeah?"
She reached over to his shoulders. Her fingers probed into his shoulder blades. "Come on! Let's go inside!"
"Nah," he slides forward on the sheep's head.
"Really?" Niko muttered. He shook his head and left the two kids to do their stuff. As soon as he did, he was faced with a certain blonde who held out a tray with two smoothies. Over her head was a hood that covered her bowler hat, to block the rain.
"For you, Niko-san~" she smiled as she leaned down onto one knee.
"Uh," he picked up a glass, "Thanks, Savi-chan." He stepped to the side and walked inside of the ship, away from the rain.
"Anything for you~!" she swooned over him. Then her next target was Luffy, "Luffy-sama~ your drink~!"
"Eh?" he turned around, causing Urika to hang over the figurehead by holding onto his shoulders. "Thanks Sa-"
"LUFFY!" Urika shouted. Her eyes widened as she looked at the deep blue sea underneath.
He turned back around to see what was the problem, which he slammed Urika into the ship instead. "Oh, sorry!" he snickered as he pulled her up onto the figurehead.
"Luffy-sama~ You're so kind~!" Savi grinned as she did a small pose for his generous actions.
"Kind..." the longnose rolled her eyes. She climbed over the railing, away from certain death. Why Luffy was sitting out in the rain was beyond her, all she knew was that her hair was getting frizzy from the water and puffed up.
"Is it good?" She asked the captain, who nodded in response as he sucked down the liquid.
"Mine?"
Her eyes narrowed at the dark skinned girl. Without any hesitation, she uttered, "Shitty nag," and turned around to leave. For a moment, Urika's neck gave out as her head dropped down at the flat-out rejection. Over a smoothie. Savi halted her path as she stood there in the middle of the deck. Her hand was raised over her forehead as she looked out into the ocean. "Pi...pirates?"
"What was that?" Urika hopped over the railing to see. She lifted her goggles over her eyes and looked out into the ocean. Through the rain she saw a big pink ship was coming their way, with a pirate flag blowing in the wind. "P-PIRATES!"
"Cool," Luffy smiled. After a good rest, he wanted some good old action.
"A pink ship?" Savi wondered out loud and then she deflated. "...it's totally a shitty woman captain..."
"What's wrong with that?! It could have been Smoker! Or that Big Nose guy!"
"You're the one talking…"
Zora stood up from the deck and walked over to the railing. She placed a hand on her swords. That Jolly Roger reminded her of something, but she couldn't exactly pinpoint it. The water splashed onto her new blouse.
Cannon flew through the air; aimed right at their ship.
"ENEMY HAS FIRE! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" Urika paced from one end of the ship to the other as she panicked; just like she had done during Fullbody's attack. She even slipped on a puddle of water and crashed into the staircase, which didn't stop her from going at it once again.
Savi placed her hand on the sniper's shoulder, "Calm it, idiot." Moments later, the chef jumped into the air to send the cannonball flying elsewhere.
Zora unsheathe her sword, ready to cut the cannon even if she knew it wouldn't work.
And lastly, Luffy chuckled as he pushed the two back onto the ship and the cannonball flew into his own body. It stretched from impact and darted back where it came from. His feet slipped on the slipping railing and he was moments away from falling into the water until two hands pulled him back over board.
The cannonball crashed into the enemy's ship. The pink wood boards fell into the sea.
"Impressive, Luffy-sama~!" Savi commented.
"Shut it, Eyebrow."
"What was that, Mosshead?!"
Luffy grinned as he heard screams from the other ship. The ship breezed right through the water as if they were trying to crush into the ship. Urika, finally over her panic attack, loaded her slingshot and aimed for the other ship.
"NIKO!" a husky voice shouted at the top of their lungs.
Zora raised her eyebrow, "Niko? What does this have to do with him?"
"You will never get your hands on Neko-san!" Savi shouted back.
And this was the moment Niko opened the door and glazed at the action playing outside of the ship. As soon as his eyes lay on the pink ship, his color drained from his face. It was a ship he never wanted to see again; not even for the life of him. All of the memories raced through his mind as he remembered that day.
"Eh? Niko, something wrong?" Luffy tilted his head to his navigator. Savi's eyes darted from the incoming ship to Niko; concern was written all over her face. She didn't know what would cause Niko to make that face, but it must be something horrible; and she thought the captain of the enemy ship being a woman was already bad enough.
"We have to run away! Quickly!" he shouted with his arm raised into the air.
Urika was more than glad to run over and hurl the ropes as the sail raised; but she could barely hold onto the ropes all by herself.
"What for?" Luffy questioned. Which was strange since he never questioned 'Nami', but this ship didn't seem to be any different from any other pirate.
The pink ship did a big turn as it got to the side of the Rubberbones Ship. Savi and Zora guarded the side as underlings hopped on board. The pink ship was bigger than the Merry by a grand fold. The black haired captain stretched his limbs as he stood on the deck of the ship.
Alvida stepped out from the shadows and grinned at him. Some may call her a cougar, but she enjoyed those smooth bastards. "You may not be Niko, but you are something else."
"Eh? The fat cow again," he muttered under his breath. He was really hoping for a challenge, but instead he was faced with this landwhale.
Fat cow.
Those two words froze all of the underlings with their jaws dropping onto the ground. Savi and Zora paused in their attack as the sweating underlings stood there defenseless. Evil aura rolled off the female captain as she picked up her iron mace. Veins popped throughout her face.
A small boy hides behind the post. He couldn't even watch what his captain was about to do to Luffy. Instead, he stood there and shook with fright as water drenched his hair.
"BRAT!" she raised her mace and stroked downwards. Luffy hopped out of the way and she destroyed her own ship instead of landing her hit.
By now, all of the underlings regained their senses and started attacking. But instead of attacking those on the Rubberbones Ship, they piled back on board of their own ship to attack Rubberbones Luffy. Niko stood there and gulped when Alvida stood on the edge of her own ship. He remembered that day clearly, even though he wanted to forget all of the details as quickly as possible. It wasn't one of his better days either.
And Alvida sighted him as well. "Why isn't it Niko? I've been searching through the sea for your ass."
Savi's head turned to look at the orange haired with wonderment. "Neko-san?"
"Hey," Luffy started. He stood behind the female captain, "Are you going to fight or what?"
She didn't even pay attention to the rubber boy. "I heard you joined a pirate crew, even after our promise. So of course I had to come to see why you joined another crew. Who wouldn't want to be on the crew of the most beautiful girl in the world?"
Niko's head dropped against his chest.
"Beautiful girl?" Savi questioned out loud. The pink haired boy's eyes widened. He knew whatever was going to follow from the blonde's mouth wasn't going to be something pleasant. Yet Savi was already snapped before the pink haired boy could halt it. "More like a fifth sea cow."
"What was that?!" Alvida's eyes darted from Niko's drained form onto Savi's. "What did you just say to me? Haven't you heard about me? The most beautiful girl in the world, Iron Mace Alvida."
"Did you come from a loony bin?"
She growled and jumped down onto the deck of Merry. All thoughts related to Luffy and Niko were lost as her blood boiled in anger.
"Leave it to Dartboard," Zora rolled her eyes. The blonde may be a friend to men, but she was the arch enemy to females.
"What was that?!" she snapped to the green haired. And those two began their own fight with each other; leaving Alvida standing there with a deadly glare on the blonde haired.
"Hey! We were fighting Sea Cow," Luffy puckered his lips as he jumped back down onto the deck.
Alvida's eyes narrowed as she took hold of her mace and smashed anything in her path; like the outside of her ship and a nearby underling. "You fools! You are going to pay!" she cried out.
Zora and Savi halted their fight to glare at the woman, "Don't interrupt!"
She growled at them, but Luffy pounced onto her. Her foot slipped back and she fell onto the deck while Luffy jumped backwards as if he was playing with her.
The sniper took a step forward. All of the underlings were either taken care of or being scared to death by their own captain. Then she paused as she saw something move on her side. She stood there and shook as she slowly turned to stare at the remaining underling. As soon as their eyes made contact, the both of them jumped into the air and screamed their heads off, "AHHHHHHHH!"
"Urika?!" Niko faced away from the fight going on between Alvida and Luffy onto the dark skinned girl. "What's wrong?" he looked into the shadows, and hiding behind the corner was a boy.
Urika raised her slingshot and aimed at the boy, who held up a small blade. Neither looked like they would actually use their weapons on each other, rather the boy dropped his onto the ground. Urika proudly grinned as she raised her arms into the air. "Cower before me, Great Sniper!"
And the boy obeyed. He bent over on the ground and shook. "I-I-I-I-I don't want to fight! I-I was just o-o-ordered to com-e all-along!" he bailed as his face faced the ground under him.
"Eh?" Urika looked back at Niko for any information. She really didn't think that would actually work, yet alone had the boy crying before her. "Was I too scary?" she questioned out loud as she held up her finger on her lip.
Luffy's arm stretched backwards. Moments later Alvida was knocked off the ship, as well as the other underlings joining her in the water. Luffy's lips pinched together as he looked over the railing. His shoulders gave a small shrug as he turned around to look at his crew. Savi and Zora managed to finally stop fighting, when Luffy's arm broke them apart, while the other two members were crowded around a boy. Who took this chance to dive over the railings with the others.
"That was weird," Luffy stated as he looked down into the water. He could have sworn he saw Coby.
"The Loch Ness Monster already gone?" Savi questioned as she lay her foot back onto the ground.
"Um," Zora sheathed her swords and looked at the orange hair. "What was that about?"
"Don't speak that way to Niko-san!"
Niko sighed as her shoulders slumped. "Well...you see...sometimes I had to...lure women to bed. You know," he scratched his head, "To steal some treasures from them."
"Niko-swan can lure me anywhere~!"
Urika sweat dropped, "Not surprising..."
Niko glared at her while Zora agreed with her statement with a nod. "Couldn't you at least pick some other girl? Instead of that?"
"It's not like I meet a lot of girl captains..." He lifted his hand up and waved it, "Plus, I just drugged her drink and ran out." He swiftly turned his head as his bangs started getting into his eyes. Her eyes narrowed as he looked at the light through the fog. "A lighthouse? Already?"
"We're here!" Luffy grinned in delight.
"The entrance to the Grand Line," Zora gave a smug smile as she took a step forward to the figurehead, as the others started joining her there.
"Won't it be dangerous to cross in the middle of a storm?!" Urika bellowed. She couldn't believe it. She was finally here. This was the start of their journey as pirates.
Savi rolled out a barrel onto the deck and the sniper raised her eyebrow at the blonde's actions. "What? Shouldn't we have a ceremony for entering the Grand Line?" She turned the barrel where it laid on its bottom. Everyone else surrounded her as she was the first to start. She placed her foot on the lid, "I want to find All Blue!"
"I saved you because both of us share the same dream."
"So you're going to die for it? Are you stupid? It's not about death! Dying isn't paying him back! That's not what he saved you for! Yet you want to He saved you so that you could live, yet you want to die!? Only a weak person would act like that!"
Luffy followed, "I want to become the Pirate King!"
"Someday, I'll gather nakama who won't lose to this crew, find the greatest treasure in the world, and definitely become the greatest pirate in the world, the Pirate King!"
Niko looked at the other two and finally joined in. He couldn't help but grin in their childish actions. He placed his foot next to Luffy's. "I want to draw a map of the entire world!"
"Wow, a map of the island! After sea maps, you even learned how to do land maps?! Amazing."
"I wish to travel around the world with my navigation technique and I will make a map of the world!"
"YOU ARE MY FRIEND, NIKO!"
"I want to become the greatest Swordsman in the world." Zora slammed her foot down next.
"Someday, either you or I will become the greatest swordsman in the world!"
"If I take a single step back, I...would be backing down on my promise, and I will not be able to stand here again."
"Luffy! I am sorry I disgraced your name! If I can't become an invincible swordsman, how can I be on the Pirate King's crew? I WON'T LOSE TO ANYONE EVER AGAIN! UNTIL I DEFEAT THAT MAN AND BECOME THE GREATEST SWORDSMAN, I WON'T LOSE AGAIN! FOREVER!"
She was the only one left to tell her dream, but instead she sweated as she looked at the others. Finally, she settled her foot in between Zora's and Savi's. "I want to become a Brave Warrior of the Sea!"
"Your father is the bravest man on this whole island."
"They will soon! I'll come back and tell you and everyone of my real greatest adventures!"
"When I left Syrup village, I left everything behind! Tranquility.. Safety.. They face hardships everyday and they laugh like they're really having fun! That's why I decided to go out to sea! I want to laugh 'til I cry too! But if I don't fight with everything I got, there's no way I deserve to be on the same boat as them! There's no way I can laugh with them!"
All five feet were on top of the lid. "LET'S GO TO THE GRAND LINE!"
As the lighthouse came into view, as did a thick giant wall with fog surrounding it. In front of the boat was a stream that led up the mountain.
"Wait, we are going up the mountain?" Zora questioned as she looked at the incoming mountain.
"It's the entrance of the canal!" Niko exclaimed. "Hold the rubber tight!"
Quickly, Urika and Zora raced inside of the ship to hold tight on the steering post. As soon as the ship got into the fast-paced water, the rubber wouldn't stay in one place.
And eventually broke under the pressure.
Their eyes widened.
Luffy chuckled.
"This isn't a laughing matter!" Niko punched the dumbbell.
"Don't worry! It's all fine," he grinned.
"LUFFY! YOU MORON!" Urika shouted. "WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THE SHIP!"
Luffy shooed their concerns off as his body enlarged. He used his body as a pillow as the ship was heading into the giant wall, the Red Line. The ship crashed into his body and bounced back on course. "See!" Luffy smiled as the ship started sailing upstream.
"Take my hand, Luffy-sama!" Savi stated as her hand reached out to grab Luffy before he would be left behind and sink into the sea. He happily grabbed the blonde's hand and pulled himself into the ship. Her eyes were filled with love as soon as their hands touched. Her body warmed up as she replayed the moment over and over again in her mind.
"WHOA!" Urika cheered with Luffy. "We did it!"
The ship continued the course to the top of the mountain. They were finally there, to the Grand Line.
Luffy gave them his toothy grin. He finally made it back and soon he was going to reunite with the rest of his crew. "I'm coming to get you, Brook, Robin, Franky, and Chopper! You can count on that!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. His fingers clenched into his palm as he raised his fist into the air.
Niko glanced at Zora with a lifted eyebrow, who only shrugged her shoulders. She already heard a few of those names once, but none of them still rang a bell. But seeing as how the others made it on the ship, Zora could only guess these were the future crew members. Whoever they might be; but the name Robin did ring an unfriendly bell in her mind.
"ONWARD! TO THE GRAND LINE!" Savi, Urika and Luffy chanted together. Savi laid her arm over Luffy's shoulders, who did the same to the two girls. Niko leaned over the railing as the sea water splashed onto his face; the rain from earlier seemed too disappeared. Zora crossed her arms as she looked past the figure head and onto the incoming sea.
A black wall appeared before them as a wail screeched into their ears.
"A mountain?" Savi started her jig as she gazed at the object in front of their path.
"There's no way there can be a mountain! We just crossed it," Niko stated firmly. But whatever was in front of them was the size of a mountain. The ship, going along with the downstream, was aiming right for the giant beast.
"Laboon!" Luffy cheered.
"He knows the giant whale as well?!" Urika gulped. Why did he know everyone?! Next he will be saying the whale was going to be their next crew member.
"We're going to hit it!" Zora shouted. She jumped over the railings that lead to the lower deck. She ran inside of the lounge room, as well as the other two. All of their hands gripped onto the broken rubber as they tried to stop the impact from happening.
Luffy's head cocked to the side as his hands reached out onto the stone wall to pull them out of the wall of hitting the giant whale. Which proved to be useless since the whale was so giant; he was still in the way. "Oh! I got an idea!" he ran into the anchor room.
"Oh no..." Niko stammered. He could only imagine what was going to happen next.
BANG!
The cannon shot at the whale. A childish giggle was heard as the ship slowed down before hitting the beast. Luffy hopped out of the ship and looked at the whale.
"He didn't feel the cannon?!"
"Must be a stupid whale..."
The ship sailed into the side of the whale, right under his eye. Luffy sat on his favorite seat and waved his hand. "Long time, no see! Laboon!"
At the sound of his name, the whale's eye turned and looked at the pirates. Luffy chuckled like an idiot, while others were calling him an idiot for getting the whale to notice them as soon as they were about to leave undetected.
Instead of responding to the captain's greeting, the whale only opened his mouth and cried once more. Water flooded into his water and carried the Rubberbones ship inside as well. Luffy jumped to the top of the whale as soon as Laboon closed his mouth once again. "Where's the hatch?" he repeated over and over as he stood on the whale's skin.
Laboon took another dive into the water just as soon as Luffy found the hatch and slipped within the whale. "Man...I'm not food, dumb whale...and my friends aren't either." His feet slammed onto the pathway.
Inside of the whale were metal pathways going from one side to the other. All of them were connected together within the whale. Luffy looked around with curiously written all over his face. He always wanted to explore these routes.
Laboon took a sharp turn.
Luffy fell on his bottom. "Ouch..." he uttered as his bottom slid down the pathway as Laboon was diving into the ocean.
"Alright, Ms. Wednesday." A voice came from behind him.
"Eh?" Luffy uttered under his breath. He twisted himself forward and his eyes widened in delight. In front of him was a blue haired girl. He couldn't help but grin as he was reunited with his old nakama. "Vi-"
He crashed into the duo. The three shot through the door at lightning speeds. On the other side of the door was the whale's stomach; redesigned to become a one man's resort. "Oi! Zora! Catch me!" Luffy ordered as he flew through the air.
"What?! Luffy!" Zora grumbled as Luffy tried to brace himself for the water.
Savi hopped out and grabbed the rubber boy before he even touched the water, and the two fell into the ocean. This wasn't stomach gasses, but the ocean water Laboon just sucked up. Savi's arms prattled as she took Luffy onto the land. "Where's Vivi?" Luffy questioned out loud.
"Who?" the blonde questioned.
"Oh, I see her now!" He grinned as he pointed to the blue haired girl swimming in the ocean. Behind her was a guy with a crown and nines all over his body.
"I-Is she your girlfriend?" Savi stuttered as she glared at her rival.
"She's my nakama! Just like you!"
"Luffy-sama~ You're so sweet~!"
Vivi, or Ms. Wednesday, hunched over the shore of the island stationed within the whale's stomach. She panted as she coughed up water. And the man did the same. Water from his drenched hair dripped onto the sandy shores.
"You two hooligans..." Crocus uttered in a foul tone. He was an old man who stood up from a chair and walked over to the two strange people. His arms were crossed as he glared at the newcomers. Even the run-in with the crew didn't stir up this much hate.
Talking about the crew, the other three docked the ship on the island and hopped onto the ground. "What happened to you, Luffy?" Urika asked her best friend.
"Did your friend eat you up as well?" Zora questioned. By friend, she meant the giant whale.
"Who are these two?" Niko was the last one to question.
"Oh, you haven't meet V-"
Her eyes widened as he was seconds away from revealing her identity. The blue haired girl jumped on top of Luffy before he could finish her name. And the two lay on the ground with Vivi on top of the rubber captain.
"You!" Savi growled.
"Ms. Wednesday!"
Luffy chuckled and waved it off. "It's alright!"
Ms. Wednesday blushed as she saw the position she was in, and quickly got back onto her feet. Mr. Nine raced over to her side. Ropes were thrown into the air and wrapped the two agents. "What?!" Vivi squealed as the ropes tightened around her body.
Crocus stood over them. His arms were crossed as shadows covered his body. Deadly aura rolled off the old man as he glared at the newcomers. "I'm not letting you two hooligans touch this whale." Savi couldn't help herself as she enjoyed this display. She didn't know the relationship between Luffy and this new girl, but Savi didn't like it at all.
"Can someone please tell us what's going on?" Niko questioned the old man.
"These hooligans came from a town close to here." He sat down in his beach chair. "They are thinking of killing Laboon because his meat can feed them for 2-3 years. But I won't let them do that. There's a reason why I'm here. This whale was cared for by a group of pirates and left here in my protection. They told me that they would travel the world and return to Laboon. That's why he crashes his head into the wall. So he can get to the other side." Crocus shook his head, "It's been 50 years now...he still thinks his friends are still ali-"
"They are," Luffy folded his arms.
"But...they say they will return in three years, it's already 50." Savi took out her cigar from her lips, "Laboon should understand now...that they are already dead...that they won't be coming back..."
Luffy stood up from the ground and looked at her with a disapproving gaze. Why Savi was talking bad about Brook was a mystery to Luffy. He knew about Brook, but the others didn't. To them, they only heard about this story once, and from Crocus' side. "They will keep their promise! I know they will!"
Savi raised her eyebrow at her captain, but she felt a pain in her stomach.
Crocus turned his head to look at the young boy. He tilted his glasses down. "It's been 50 years. No sign, nothing. This is the Grand Line. Pirates come and never return."
"Brook will come."
His glasses dropped onto the ground. "Did...you just say Brook?"
"Yeah? Why?"
Crocus shook his head and lifted his glasses back over his eyes. He hasn't heard of that name in quite some time, but if he was alive, then it wouldn't have taken 50 years to come back to their friend. "Then they have abandoned him. That's why I don't think they are still alive. Even if they were, they will never come back, brat."
"This whale has been abandoned even though he believed in them for 50 years?! This is too cruel!" Urika shouted.
Luffy stood up. He couldn't listen to this anymore. Why didn't they understand? Brook's alive! He's coming back to Laboon! "Where's the exit?"
"Huh?" Crocus lifted up from his seat and looked at the angry captain.
"Where's the exit?" he repeated without glancing back. Zora, who stayed quiet throughout most of it, followed behind Luffy.
"Luffy?" Niko called out, but the boy didn't turn around.
...
Their ship sailed through a stream until the real sky shone down on them. Crocus stood on the ship with the others, as well as the two poachers. The two of them were tied up on the lower deck, being watched by Niko.
Crocus stood on the upper deck with Luffy sitting on the figure head. The old man's arms were crossed as he looked at Laboon's scars. "If he continues hitting his head, he will die."
"That's why you still treat him?" Savi questioned. She stood a distance away from Luffy and Zora. That disproving stare from Luffy still weighed down on her.
"Yeah...he's become a part of my life. I can't let myself die yet."
"What do you want done with those two?" Zora pointed behind her at the two hostages.
"Just throw them out if you want. Getting rid of them now will only cause others to replace them."
Luffy stood up on the figure head and pulled the mast off the ship. All of their eyes widened at his actions, yet he barely noticed them.
"What are you doing?!"
"Luffy!"
"You idiot!"
Savi took a step back, "Huh?"
Luffy took a hold of the mast and jumped into the air, landing right on Laboon's head. He searched for Laboon's newest scar to his collection. "LABOON!" he shouted, "LISTEN TO ME!" He plunged the mast into the whale's wound.
Laboon cried in pain.
"YOU IDIOT!"
"LUFFY-SAMA!"
"OUR MAST!"
Laboon charged forward and slammed Luffy into the giant wall. Luffy's arm stretched and punched the whale in his eye. He roared in pain and knocked Luffy backwards. The boy stretched his arm and stood on top of the lighthouse. By now everyone was watching his every move.
"WE ARE EVEN NOW!" Luffy declared before Laboon could slam the rubber boy again. He slammed his fist into his other hand, "I'm very good, right?"
The whale's eyes widened. Surprise how suddenly Luffy went from fighting to this.
"But it's a pity we don't know the result of this fight. So we will have to settle this again in the future!" He stared into Laboon's eyes, "Your friends haven't returned, but I will with my crew! We will travel around the Grand Line, and we will come back to see you again. With a special friend! Okay?" He stood up and stretched his arms, "Let's fight again next time!"
"BO!" the Laboon exclaimed as well.
"...Should I be surprised?" Urika uttered. Not only did Luffy know how to solve any problem, but he also seemed to know how to beat up a whale and get away with it.
"It's Luffy for you," Zora smiled at her captain and his odd behaviors.
"He's so kind~!" Savi fluttered. She swirled until her eyes laid on the orange haired navigator, "As well as Niko-swan~"
Ms. Wednesday looked up at the rubber captain and shook her head. She didn't know who this male was, well she knew he was Rubberbones Luffy, but he shouldn't have known about her in the first place. She was supposed to be under disguise. As for her knowledge, even as a princess, she never met this lad. And he knew her secret she's been hiding for years.
How was she supposed to keep his mouth shut? Did she have to spill some blood onto her hands to make sure everything went according to plan?
She shook her head violently; which caused those around her to glance her way. Mr. Nine raised his eyebrow, "Is something wrong, Ms. Wednesday?"
"We need to escape and inform the others, Mr. Nine."
She sighed. How could she handle a well known pirate? And spilling blood went against the morals. Every fight she has been in when she's been with Baroque Agents was always for show. She always allowed Mr. Nine to take the lead, while she would never harm any living creature. Yet this one boy could ruin everything. Maybe she could inform Igaram and he would have a plan. That was the only thing she could think of in this short time span.
"Exactly, Ms. Wednesday. But how can we escape with that angry lollipop glaring at us?"
"I'm not a lollipop!" Niko shouted as he slammed his foot down. He leaned against the wooden wall and blew a piece of hair out of his face. Out of all of the names he's been called, why lollipop? Did the strange dude want to suck him...nevermind.
"Oh no! We've been overheard!" Mr. Nine started out loud even though he meant it as a whisper.
"We were being as quiet as possible though!" Vivi went along with it.
"Huh..." Niko leaned over and observed the device on Mr. Nine's wrist. "Is that a Log Post by any chance?"
"Yes," he replied snotty with his nose held up into the air, "Your business?"
"Well, you two do want to escape, and a tool like that would be pretty handy for me." He twirled a piece of his hand as he turned away from them, "But, I don't think you two would want that deal."
"What are you planning, knave?" Zora narrowed her eyes as she looked down from the upper deck.
"Nothing," he stated as innocently as he could. "I'm just making some conversation with our...hostages."
"Ms. Wednesday! They are planning on keeping us!" His eyes widened as he stared back at his partner.
Her mouth opened, "Then that deal is our only chance to escape!"
The two suddenly calmed down and looked peacefully at Niko. Their entire earlier dilemma seemed to vanish in a blink of an eye. "We will accept the deal," they stated nonchalantly.
Niko's eyebrow twitched at their emotionless response compared to their earlier over-reactions. He leaned down and undid the buckles of the Log Post. "It was good dealing with you two." He wrapped it around his own wrist, "Hopefully we can strike up another deal in the future!"
"YOU'RE NOT A STORE OWNER!" Urika shouted at the orange haired.
"What?" He gasped and raised his hand to his chest, "What could you possibly mean?" Urika's eyes narrowed as her eyebrows came together. Niko's act was probably the less convincing thing she ever saw.
Yet, Mr. Nine was totally fooled as he nodded to his words. Next phase, Niko slashed the ropes holding them together and both of them took out their guns. Where they were hidden was a mystery. They clicked the top piece on and their backs were against each other. Mr. Nine pointed his gun at the whale. They were seconds away from blowing the whale, if it wasn't for a certain old man unleashing a web of ropes on them.
They were all tangled up.
"You were supposed to leave, brats," he uttered in distaste as he turned his back on them.
Mr. Nine growled as he lifted himself off the ground.
Niko and Urika looked at each other and then to the duo on the ground. Their feet were raised high, and moments later the duo were flying through the ocean. "BYE BYE BABY!" Mr. Nine shouted as the two disappeared into the sky.
"They already left?" Luffy jumped down onto the deck. His shoulders slumped until he remembered he would see Vivi soon. "Oh, Urika!"
"Yeah?" She turned around to face her captain.
"Where's the paint?"
Her eyebrow twitched. Luffy and paint did not mix. "W...Why...?"
"I'm gonna make something," he grinned.
Her shoulders slumped and led Luffy to her stash of paint; which was in the girl's room. "Wow...it doesn't smell so bad now."
He took a big whiff and puckered out his lips. "Can't tell the difference."
Urika's neck went out at that moment as her head fell forward. She moved a curtain over to the side, and behind it were a few tubs of paint. "Don't mix them, use the same paintbar-"
Luffy was already out the door with four tubs.
She sighed and hurried after him. Her body froze as soon as she got on the upper deck. In front of her was a giant whale with a giant tattoo across his face, covering his numerous scars he collected through the past. Luffy stood on the deck, covered in paint, as he looked at his masterpiece.
"This is the sigh of promise between you and me! You must not hit your head and make this sign disappear until we come back to see you again!"
"Bo." It seemed like the whale understood.
Luffy grinned, "Very good!"
Niko stared at his new Log post. Now he could venture anywhere within the Grand Line. He sat down at his table and looked at the maps all over it.
Crocus hopped down onto the ground. "With a new compass, you guys will be able to navigate through the islands."
Luffy leaned over the railing, as well as getting paint on it. "Bye, Mr. Flower!"
"See ya," Savi stated as she turned around.
"I'M GOING NOW, WHALE! AND I'LL BE BACK!"
"BO!"
Niko lifted up his map. His eyes darted at all of the points where they could take now that they had such a device. "So, which path should we take?" he wondered out loud. He wasn't really expecting an answer.
"We're going to Whiskey Peak!" Luffy declared as he hopped over the table. A few other members gasped or raised their eyebrows at Luffy's declaration. He usually allowed others to decide for him or have Niko set their course.
For some odd feeling, Niko felt he shouldn't have asked in the first place. If Luffy wanted to go somewhere, it usually meant there was going to be trouble and lots of it.
Behind the Going Merry was a small ship that followed the giant boat. Two strangers sat inside of the ship with their heads bowed down. Both of them shared the same expression: defeat. "We've given away our Log Post..." Mr. Nine uttered in dismay.
"No way to return home, Mr. Nine..." Her head tilted down as she looked at the inside of the ship.
His ears peaked up as his eyes widened at the pirate ship. "But from what I've heard, they are heading there. A charm at its finest!" It was a true blessing from the fates!
Origin of Mr. 9: He's a performer with nines all over his body. (man...these pieces are getting as basic as a piece of wood).
Guest1: One chapter again, you were sobbing and now you are dying laughing. I told you I had a few funny scenes for the Fem!crew (so...period jokes as well as others are really a must right now). It's Luffy. In Water Seven he would have stayed sleeping if it wasn't for Garp...plus...there was something else behind him sleeping for a whole day (same thing happened in Syrup Village chappie).
