A/N: I don't know if this happens, but I don't want this to happen, but it might happen. I might go on HIATUS so that I could fix my story… There's going to be Q&A about me so if you want to ask something about me, including in my story, you can pm me and I'll answer it when I create another chapter. At the same time I'll do some fun facts or maybe one fact or so?
Disclaimer: Eiichiro Oda owns One Piece
Last time in Chapter 32...
"Could you please take care of Laboon for 2-3 years? Once we've sailed around the world, we'll come back for him no matter what."
Crocus repeats the word that he once heard a long time ago " Understanding their intent, Laboon waited patiently for them here." Crocus ends the story.
"So that's why he keeps on bellowing even today… And bashing himself against Red Line…" Nami quietly says as she looks at Laboon.
"That's right… It's been over 50 years since then…" Crocus says as everyone makes surprised gasps. "He still believes his friends will come back…" The whale bellows loudly in the end.
"This is some waterway. I'm amazed you've managed to dig out such a big hole and live inside here. Is this another one of your ways of having a good time?" Usopp asks as Luffy looks at Miss Wednesday like he was telepathically talking with her and was currently scolding her since Miss Wednesday looked like she was being punished.
"It's a hobby of mine as a doctor. Don't get the wrong idea. I may not look like much but I'm a real doctor. I even used to run a clinic at the cape a long time ago." Crocus pauses, "Not only that, I've got a few years under my belt working as a ship doctor too."
"Then join my crew as a doctor!" Luffy says gleefully as Miss Wednesday, who was behind him, have a sulked and sad expression that everyone including Mr. 9 ignored.
"I've told you before. I'm too old to be doing reckless things, unlike you youths." Crocus says as Luffy raises his eyebrow in amusement being included as one of the youths but shrugs it off. Crocus goes up on a ladder.
"So you're a doctor, huh…" Nami says as she leans in the railing and watches Crocus work on the lock. "And you're living inside a whale?"
"That's right. With a whale this big, it's impossible to properly treat it from the outside." Crocus pauses, "I'll open the gate now." When the gate opened up, Merry finally got out.
"ALRIGHT! WE'RE OUT! I CAN SEE THE REAL SKY AT LAST!" Luffy shouts as he was on top of the railing standing dangerously.
"You know, I just noticed that Luffy's sometimes mature and sometimes childish." Nami says as Usopp, Zoro, and Sanji nods in agreement.
"What should we do with these two?" Zoro asks as he points at Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9. Luffy looks at the two with mischievous eyes and grin.
"Let's lock the two in the mast once you've taken out the meats- " Luffy pauses as he looks at the meats and drools, "– and cleaned the mast." he wipes off the drools while all of them sweatdrops.
"Wait, it's not like we have a responsibility to take care of them, right? Let's just throw them in the water." Zoro says as Luffy stares at him with an unimpressed look. The two just looks at each other for a very, very, very long time until Zoro finally gives up. "Fine!" In the end, Luffy wore a smug look.
"So your name is Miss Wednesday~? What a beautiful enigma, you are." Sanji says as he fawns over Miss Wednesday, who ignored him and still looks at the floor.
"But to think it's been waiting here for 50 years… Does it still believe its friends will really return?" Usopp says as he pauses, "They might still be alive…" The five is currently in a table that's close in the Lighthouse.
"You idiot, this is the Grand Line." Sanji says as he puffs out smoke, "They promised they'd be back in 2-3 years, yet they're still not back after 50 years… The answer's obvious. They're long dead by now. They won't come back no matter how long that whale waits…!" Sanji shouts the cruel reality as Usopp angrily places his hands on the table.
"Why do you have to go and say such cold things! You can't say that for sure! They might still come back!" Usopp pauses as he punches the table in anger. " Can't you even appreciate such a moving story about a whale who still believes in his friends' promise… "
"The truth is far more cruel, however. Those fellows left already. Left from Grand Line, that is. I heard from a reliable source." Crocus says as Usopp widens his eyes.
"W-WHAT!?" Usopp shouts, not believing what he just heard.
" … So they just left the whale behind!? But that would mean they left Grand Line through Calm Belt…!" Nami shouts as Crocus crosses his arms.
"Yes… That is why I do not know whether they survived or not. But even if they did survive, they would never dare to return here again… A place where the season, climate, currents, and winds could not be anymore chaotic… A place where common sense fails to uphold… That place is this sea, the Grand Line, and it rules with fear over faint-hearted." Crocus says seriously as the place seems to darken by the tension.
"So basically, those cowards were more concerned about their lives than keeping a promise, and thus left Grand Line to never return again…" Sanji says as there was a mix of anger.
'It's not like that…' Luffy says in his thoughts as he grits his teeth in anger 'It's not like that…!'
"So they just abandoned the whale behind!? Even though this whale never doubted them, and has been waiting for over 50 years…! How could they be so cruel!?" Usopp shouts in anger as Luffy tightens his hold in his hat.
"If that's the case, then why haven't you tried telling the whale the truth? This whale can understand human words, right!?" Nami shouts as Crocus closes his eyes.
"I have. I've told him the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. But he refuses to listen." Crocus says as Nami widens her eyes.
"He won't listen?" Nami asks as she has sweats visible on her skin.
( FLASHBACK )
"Laboon, I have something to say." Crocus says as he stares at Laboon, who looks at him back. "It's about those pirates who entrusted you to me... It seems they've already left Grand Line…" Laboon only stays quiet. "I know they were your good friends, and that they would've kept their promise no matter what… But they're not going to come back here ever again."
"BUOOOOHHHHHH!" The whale bellows loudly as Crocus was shocked.
"… Laboon…" Crocus quietly says he can feel the intense pain of what Laboon's feeling right now.
"BUOOHHH!"
"LABOON! LISTEN TO WHAT I'M SAYING! THOSE PIRATES HAVE ALREADY-" Crocus was cut off by a loud bellowing. "LABOON! I UNDERSTAND YOUR FEELINGS OF DENIAL! BUT YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT THE TRUTH…!" Crocus yells as he was being splashed by Laboon. "PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT I'M SAYING!"
"BUOOOHHH! BUOOHHH!"
"LABOON!" Crocus shouts as he tries to at least make Laboon listen to him.
"BUOOOHHH! BUOOOHHHH!"
( PRESENT )
"Ever since then… Laboon has been bellowing at Reverse Mountain, and bashing his head against the Red Line, as if trying to stubbornly assert that his friends are beyond the wall, and they'll return someday…!" Crocus pauses, "This whale's home is back in West Blue, which is located on the other side of Red Line, it's too late for him to go back. That's why his only hope, is the very friends he came along with here in the first place."
"… But you know, as much as I feel sorry for this whale and all, you've also been betrayed by them if you think about it. So why don't you leave the whale be already?" Sanji asks as he puffs out smoke.
"Look at the scars in his head…" Crocus pauses as he looks at the scarred head of Laboon's. " If he continues to recklessly bash his head against the wall, he'll definitely die. We've had an odd relationship but he's still my companion that I've lived with for over 50 years. I can't just stand by and watch him die… "
"UOOOHHHHH!" Luffy yells as he was holding Merry's mast.
"Huh?" Nami says as she looks Luffy walk on Laboon's skin towards the top.
"What's he up to now?" Sanji says as he and Zoro have a sweatdrop on their head." Maybe he just likes climbing things?"
"Alright, I've reached the top!" Luffy shouts as he sees a fresh wound " Ah, there's a fresh wound! " Luffy goes near the wound, at the same time he uses his Devil fruit and spins the mast around in his hand "GOMU GOMU…" Luffy slams the mast right into the fresh wound "FLOWER ARRANGING!"
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.
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"Hey, is that a mast?" Zoro asks as Sanji and Usopp looks at the mast.
"Yeah, I think it's our ship's…" Usopp casually says as Sanji stares at the mast.
"Yup, it's our main mast alright." Sanji says as he puffs out smoke.
Laboon stays quiet as he processes what happened until he was sweating and had tears in his eyes "BUOOOOHHHHH!" Poor Laboon thrashes around in pain "BUOOOHHHHH!"
.
.
.
"WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING!?" Zoro, Sanji, and Nami yelled while they had funny angry faces.
"He destroyed our ship!" Usopp shakily shouts as he was ready to faint. Crocus couldn't say anything as he watched the whole thing in shock.
Luffy stays quiet and hangs on the mast while Laboon thrashes around in pain. "IT'S COMING THIS WAY! HE'S GOING TO CRASH DOWN HERE!" Nami yells as all of them goes away.
Laboon slams down "HEY! HEY KID!" Crocus yells as Nami holds him down.
"IT'S TOO DANGEROUS! DON'T WORRY ABOUT HIM, HE WON'T DIE!" Nami yells as Laboon straightens up and Luffy was seen on the ground, not scratched or injured, but he was grinning.
"BUOOOHHHH!" Laboon bellows in pain as the mast dug deeper into his skin.
"Stupid!" Luffy shouts as he stands up.
"BUOOOHHHH!" Laboon keeps bellowing as more blood comes out.
"TAKE THIS!" Luffy yells as he runs and punches Laboon in the eye without using his devil fruit and no Haki. This time though, it hurt Laboon and he pushes Luffy directly in the lighthouse.
"What's he trying to do…?" Usopp slowly asks as Luffy was still unscathed and was still grinning.
"Luffy! Just what the hell are you doing!?" Zoro shouts as Luffy stands up and Crocus looks at Luffy in amazement.
"BUOOOHHHH!" Laboon bellows with determination to fight in his eyes.
"IT'S A TIE! I'm pretty tough, eh?" Luffy suddenly shouts as Laboon gets surprised and looks at Luffy questioningly. "Our fight has yet to be settled, so we must fight each other again!" Luffy pauses as he gets up "Your old friends may be dead, but I'm your new rival! And once my crew sails around 'Grand Line', We'll be sure to come back here to see you again." Laboon gets teary-eyed, "AND THEN WE'LL DUKE IT OUT AGAIN!"
Everyone smiles at the touching scene, despite the mast on top of Laboon. "BUOOOHHHHH!"
A/N: Sup dudes! Laboon's really cute I just want to hug him ( sorry for the random stuff )! You know those eyes? IT LOOKS SO CUTE I MIGHT DIE!
Thanks for those who review, followed and stuff to my story!