A/N: Yahoo! Double celebration! Over 500 reviews and 90,000 hits! Most out any fanfic! Yay! All right!
Also a word of warning: There is a major spoiler to the current arc in the form of a seemingly crack pot theory...you have been warned... there's a special after note for those that know what the spoiler is about...
Chapter 43: A Whale of a Tale
The two that tried to kill Laboon were tied up on the fake island while the Straw Hats were talking to Crocus about Laboon… the whale they were currently in… well sort of… Ino was busy staring at the woman…
"Ino…" said Sanji, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing…" said Ino she then turned to the person how has been like an older brother to her, "Nothing at all…"
"So why did these guys go after this whale?" asked Naruto poking the two with a stick.
"Give me that!" said Ino grabbing the stick.
"Laboon is an island whale, it's a species that only exists in the West Blue. It's the largest whale in the world." Sad Crocus, "Those creeps are after Laboon's whale meat, with it, they could feed their village for two or three years."
"Oh wow…" said Naruto.
"No way! That meat won't last that long." Said Luffy.
Everyone decided to ignore Luffy and the horrific implications of it.
"But I won't let them do that, there's a reason why Laboon keeps banging his head against the red line and crying out…." Said Crocus.
Crocus began to tell them about Laboon, it befriended a friendly pirate crew, who stayed in the cape for months due to problems with their ship, when they left they left Laboon, promising after they'd return they left… however…
"That was years ago… he still thinks his friends are coming back…" said Crocus.
Not too long later they were in the waterway exit...
"This is so cool!" yelled Luffy.
"I can't believe you were able to do this." Said Sakura, "Would have to know a lot about autonomy to do this with killing Laboon or yourself."
"That's right." Said Crocus, "I may not look like it but I'm a Physician… I ran a clinic at the cape years ago and I even spent time as a ship's doctor."
"Do you have any spare supplies?" asked Sakura, "I'm unsure if my grandfather gave me enough."
"Sure of course…" said Crocus figuring out that Sakura was the ship's doctor.
"So why do you live inside Laboon?" asked Nami.
"It's probably due to his size." Said Sakura.
"She's right." Said Crocus as they reached the door way and began to open the doors, "When they get this big it's impossible to treat them outside."
He opened the doors and they all exited the whale.
"All right! The real sky!" cheered Luffy.
"All we right! We're out of that whale!" cheered Naruto.
"So what are we going to with those two?" asked Sasuke pointing to the two that tried to kill Laboon.
"Let's just throw them over board…" said Zoro.
And they did so… after the two woke up, they threatened Laboon and the Straw Hats before swimming away.
"So here name is Ms. Wednesday… a woman of mystery!" said Sanji with love filling his voice.
"She is…" said Ino who was next to Sanji.
"What is it you?" asked Sanji.
"I don't know why… but that woman… but I have the strangest feeling I know her…" said Ino.
"You think you knew her?" asked Sanji.
"I don't know…" said Ino.
Luffy picked something up from the deck… both Naruto and Hinata saw it.
"I think they dropped this." said Luffy.
"Tell your brother to keep it with him…" said Kyubi, "You will need it for your adventure…"
"Luffy… Kyubi told me that we should keep it…" said Naruto.
"Okay…" said Luffy.
Sometime later, they were sitting by the lighthouse at a wooden table… still talking about Laboon.
"So it's been 50 years." Said Naruto.
"Those pirate kept him waiting for a long time…" said Luffy.
"What do you expect… it's the Grand Line" said Sanji, "Those guys said they'd be back in a couple years but it's been year. There's your answer… their dead!"
"Isn't that a little harsh!" yelled Kiba.
"They might be still alive!" yelled Usopp
"I'm afraid truth is harsher than fiction." Said Crocus.
"What do you mean?" asked Hinata.
"Those pirates fled the Grand Line." Said Crocus, "I have a reliable source"
"Is that even possible? I mean they would have to go through the clam belt!" said Nami.
"That's why their fate in unknown…" said Crocus, "Even if they are alive they can't come back here… the season, the climate, the ocean current, even the air is unpredictable."
"He's right…" said Kyubi.
"Everything in this sea is unpredictable, weak hearts soon succumb to fear on the Grand Line." said Crocus.
"And the weak of heart cared more about their own lives than about the promises they made…" said Sanji.
"That's so sad…" said Hinata, "I feel sorry for him."
"But can't you tell Laboon the truth? He can understand human language… can't he?" said Nami.
"I tired telling him many time." Said Crocus who told them the story of when he first told Laboon and how it he began to cry to call out for his friends.
"I wish that Laboon's friend didn't abandon him…" said Hinata looking like she was trying not to cry.
"But what if they did die…" said Naruto, "And one of them "survived""
"What do you mean "survived"?" asked Sasuke.
"I mean one of them ate a devil fruit in his life that allowed him to come back to life… but it took too long and now he's just a living skeleton…"
Everyone stared at Naruto with a sweat drops...
"The day find out it's true, I'll walk around naked for 24 hours…" said Sasuke, "That's a promise…"
"Fine then…" said Naruto with a smirk.
"For once I think I'm pulling for Naruto…" said Ino blushing.
"Me too…" said Sakura also blushing.
And of course none of them forgot that promise…
"It doesn't matter what happened." Said Crocus staring at Naruto, "Look at those scars on his forehead."
They all looked at the scars… they were indeed terrible… they also stopped paying attention to Luffy… bad idea…
"If he continues to ram his head into the red line like that he will die." Said Crocus, "We've been together for years and we have a n odd relationship… but I can't sit back and watch him die."
That's when they saw Luffy run up Laboon.
"What is he doing now?" asked Sasuke.
"You take your eyes off him for a second and…" sighed Sakura.
"Wait…" said Hinata, "Is he holding the mast?"
It was indeed true… Luffy was holding the mast… and when he got to the top… he plunged the mast into Laboon's newest wound… casing everyone to sweat drop.
"You know… Luffy had just reached an all-new low…" said Kyubi.
Laboon began to thrash about… in pain.
"You idiot!" yelled most of the crew.
"Don't destroy the ship…" cried Usopp feebly.
Laboon smashed Luffy to the cliff but due to the fact that Luffy u made of rubber he was unhurt... however the mast still in his forehead caused Laboon a great deal of pain… that's when Luffy decided to pull a strange plan of making it seemed like he was losing or it was draw.
"What are you doing?" asked Kiba.
"It's a draw!" said Luffy.
Both Hinata and Naruto smiled.
"Sometimes… your brother is smart… I'll give him that." Said Kyubi.
"Our match isn't over, I'll we still have to settle it." Said Luffy, "Your friend maybe gone but you got a rival now, me! After we circle the Grand Line I'm coming back here! And we're going to fight!"
Everyone smiled at Luffy while Laboon began to cry happily.
"Hey Kit…" said Kyubi, "It's time… but what I am about to teach you is very compacted so we're going to have to meet face to face."
Naruto walked away…
"Naruto where are you going?" asked Sakura.
"There's someone I need to talk to…" said Naruto, "Unfortunately it has to be face to face…"
They knew what he meant… so Naruto went to a place to take a nap.
Inside his mind he was face to face with Kyubi.
"So what do you want to teach me?" asked Naruto.
"It's a move that involves using Chi, to deliver a powerful blow… it's called Rasengan." Said Kyubi.
"Rasengan… that sounds pretty cool…" said Naruto, "So how does it work?"
"You gather chi into your hand using many small streams that spiral, compress it and form into a softball sized ball that will cause a great deal of damage…" said Kyubi, "I need to imagine what I just told as to get the picture… if you picture it here then I'm sure you'll be able to use it in your half demon form outside"
"Okay… a softball sized ball of spiraling chi…" thought Naruto.
In his hand a ball of spinning chi appeared… it was blue and appeared to go faster and faster.
"That's it!" said Kyubi, "I didn't think you would be able to mentally picture it right away."
Naruto look at his hand and smirked… the ball disappeared.
"Now for now you'll only be able to form it in your…" said Kyubi.
However he discover Naruto was gone.
"That idiot..." growled Kyubi.
In the waking world Naruto got up and stretched…
"All right time to practice it!" he said.
With Luffy he was just finished painting the symbol on Laboon's forehead… a poorly drawn on symbol… remember that flag… just imagine a giant version…
"Okay that's the mark of our contract…" said Luffy, "don't go ramming your head and reassign it…"
That's when he heard an explosion…
"What was that?" asked Luffy.
"I don't know…" said Hinata who was sitting at the table with Sasuke, Sakura and Nami, "But I'll go see… I think it has to with Naruto…"
Hinata got up to find Naruto in a crater covered in soot.
"Naruto was happened?" asked Hinata.
"Well I was practicing this new move that Kyubi is teaching me called the Rasengan… and it sort of exploded in my face…" said Naruto.
"You idiot! I was done saying stuff…" yelled Kyubi, "You need practice before you use it in your human form."
"What do you mean?" asked Naruto.
"You should try it in your half demon form before you should try in your human… I tried to tell you earlier but no… you had to leave…" said Kyubi.
"Well sorry…" thought Naruto.
Naruto shifted into his Half Demon form.
"Now you have to use one of your tails to form it." Said Kyubi.
Naruto nodded and began to use one of his 9 tails to help form the Rasengan, which was fully formed. Naruto stared at the ball in his hand… there was one different between the one in his hand and the one from his mind…
"Wait!" yelled Naruto.
"Don't worry… I expect it to be different… demonic chi is red, human chi is blue and half demon chi is purple…" explained the Kyubi, "Thusly in your half demon form expect it to be purple…"
"So what am I supposed to with it?" asked Naruto.
"Ram into a rock." Said Kyubi, "So see if it's fully formed…"
"All right…" thought Naruto.
Hinata watched at Naruto rammed the spinning ball of purple Chi into a rock which began to grind the rock as an extremely fast pace, as Naruto put more and more force into it, the rock was no more but dust.
"Awesome!" yelled Naruto.
"That was amazing Naruto." Said Hinata.
"It sure was…" said Naruto, "But I can do it in my half demon form…"
"Don't worry I'm sure you will be able to get it." Said Hinata.
"Kit… I think you should ask Hinata to help you form it in your human form." Said Kyubi, "She does know how to use the gentle fist, so she might be of some help."
Naruto blushed… he knew it might be a good idea, "Hinata… I was wondering if you would…"
"Yes…" said Hinata.
"Help me train in the Rasengan so I could use in my human form." Said Naruto.
Hinata sweat dropped and hung her head before saying, "Sure... I will…"
That's when both of them heard Nami scream.
"That was Nami…" said Naruto as he returned to human form.
Both Naruto and Hinata went over to the table to see Nami staring at the compass which was spinning wildly, at the same time Ino and Sanji had lunch ready… guess which one Luffy and Naruto was more concerned about.
"Yay! It's lunch time!" said Naruto and Luffy.
"What's wrong with the compass?" asked Sakura.
"I don't know… I think it's broken." Said Nami.
"You came to the Grand Line unprepared…" said Crocus, "Were you planning to throw your lives away?"
"What do you mean?" asked Sakura.
"The grand line is dangerous… there's a strange magnetic field that don't allow normal compasses to work…" said Ino.
"When were you going to tell us Ino-Pig?" asked Sakura.
Ino laughed nervously, "I just remembered this now…"
"That girl is right… the Grand Line's islands have special minerals that effects the magnetic waves of the entire region." Said Crocus, "And to make matters worse, the wind and sea current follow no clear pattern. As a mariner you should know how dangerous."
"Hey wait a second!" yelled Naruto out loud.
"Kyubi!" he thought.
"What?" asked Kyubi innocently.
"Did you know about that!" mentally yelled Naruto.
"Well yes I did…" said Kyubi, "But I figured your or your brother's dumb luck would kick in so I didn't worry…"
"Stupid fox demon!" yelled Naruto.
"Let me guess Kyubi knew about it and didn't tell you…" said Sasuke.
"What do you expect?" asked Naruto.
"I live to annoy everyone!" said Kyubi.
"how the mighty have fallen…" sighed Naruto.
"Ask Luffy for that compass thing he picked up earlier." Said Kyubi.
"Luffy do you still have that thing you picked up?" asked Naruto.
"Yeah…" said Luffy with his mouth full of fish, he took it out of his pocked and gave it to Naruto.
"Kyubi did say that this was needed…" said Naruto.
"Did you have that whole time?" asked Nami with a sweat drop.
"No Luffy found it… those two weirdoes who tried to kill the whale dropped it." Said Naruto.
"He's right, that's a log pose, it's the only way you can navigate on the Grand Line." Said Crocus.
"Thank you…" said Kyubi sarcastically.
"Hey… it's partially your fault anyways…" thought Naruto.
Crocus began to explain how the Log Pose works, that a log pose must record the island's magnetic fueled before moving on the next… staring from Reverse mountain they would pick one of 7 paths, it didn't matter which path they pick as the all paths eventually meet… and all meet to one island…
"Raftel, it's the last island on the Grand Line, and one crew has been known to land on it… the crew of the Legendary Pirate King himself…" said Crocus.
"Is that where One Piece is buried?" asked Kiba.
"Perhaps… no other legend is as temping yet no else has ever reached the island." Said Crocus.
"You mean until we get there!" said Luffy.
Luffy sighed, "All right I'm done eating!" he said.
"You ate all of the food!" yelled Sanji.
"Even the bit I saved for Sasuke!" said Ino.
Sasuke scoffed at that last bit…
"He hate all the bones too!" yelled Kiba.
"Luffy why didn't you save me some!" yelled Naruto.
"You stretchy little shitty jerk… I was saving the best part for Nami!" yelled Sanji who kicked Luffy away.
"Now Nami you better be careful with it." Said Sakura.
"I know…" said Nami looking at the log pose.
That's when Luffy crashed into the log pose caused by Sanji kick… while Nami was not injured… the Log pose was broken… all could feel the doom approaching… that's when Nami kicked both Sanji and Luffy into the ocean.
"That's what he gets for eating all of the fish…" pouted Naruto.
"Idiot…" muttered Kyubi.
"What are we going to do?" said Nami.
"Don't worry you should have mine… as thanks for helping Laboon." Said Crocus.
"So Naruto…" said Hinata, "What was that move you did?"
"Move?" asked Kiba.
"Kyubi taught me this fighting move called the Rasengan… I can only use it my Half Demon form…" said Naruto, "I was really hopping to show Luffy before I show everyone else…"
That's when Sanji and Luffy showed up with the two mysterious people… the woman which Sanji caught was named Ms. Wednesday… and the man who was apparently named Mr. 9…. They has a request…
"So you want us to take you back to your town?" asked Sasuke glaring at them.
"Yes that's right, Whiskey Peak" Said Ms. Wednesday.
"We lost our ship and are unable to get back…" said Mr. 9.
"Wait did you say Whiskey Peak?" asked Hinata looking at the two.
"Why should we help you after you tried to kill that whale?" asked Nami.
"Who are you anyways?" asked Usopp.
"A king." Said Mr. 9.
"Liar…" said Sakura flicking his forehead light… which knocked him over.
"Hey!" he yelled.
"Sorry… I have problems control my strength sometimes…" said Sakura laughing.
"Sorry It's not our fault…" said Ms. Wednesday, "It's the company we work for, it's motto is "mystery". That's all we can reveal. Please we appeal to your kindness and compassion."
"I don't trust them…" said Crocus.
"By the way we broke you log pose… do you still want to come with us?" asked Nami.
"Why you! That was mine!" yelled Mr. 9.
"We begged on our hands and knees! And you're stuck here too…" said Ms. Wednesday.
"But we do have the one that Crocus gave us…" said Nami with a laugh.
"We appeal to your kindness and compassion…" both said while thinking "she tricked us!"
"Kit…" said Kyubi, "I'm unsure if you can't not trust them…"
"What?" asked Naruto.
"The girl… there's something very off about her…" said Kyubi.
"What do you mean?" asked Naruto.
"There's seems to be an aura of sadness around her… like she doesn't want to be the bad guy… but instead is a spy doing it for a noble cause." Said Kyubi.
"You're not saying this because she's hot… do you?" asked Naruto.
"No! That's not the reason!" yelled Kyubi, "I would love to do things… but not in that way!"
"It okay, you can come with us…" said Luffy.
Not too long alter they began to set sail.
"It's all set…" said Nami, "It's pointing to Whiskey Peak."
"Are you sure you want to take them boy?" asked Crocus, "Once you've chosen your course you can't change it."
"I'm sure we'll be fine…" said Luffy, "Don't worry if we don't like we can always sail back!"
"Good bye flower man!" yelled Naruto.
"Thanks for the Log Pose." Said Nami.
And with that they set sailed, with Luffy bidding good bye to Laboon knowing that would see each other again… and with Crocus smiling to himself… thinking of a certain man... that Luffy might hold the same destiny as.
Next Time: The crew heads to Whisky Peak... Hinata seems to know about something and tell Naruto... who decides to tell no one else... Sasuke and Zoro know something's up as well... and decides not to tell anyone... and Ino keeps getting the feeling that she knows Ms Wednesday... what will happen when they reach Whisky Peak? Find out next time!
A/N: All right! The Grand line portion is in full swing, I have planned out most of the story 'till midway though the Alabasta Arc... I plan for plenty of appearances, many new Kages, surprise, another character replacement and a special "filler" arc set in-between Drum and Alabasta... Oh and of course expect the Sand Siblings appear in Alabasta... everyone has to agree with me that they have to appear in that arc... what their role is secert. I hope you can't wait for the future...
Oh and if you know what spoiler I'm referring to, I will promise, that unless something happens plot wise or I can't continue this story, Sasuke will keep his promise... he will...