A/N: Thanks for your support as always – this chapter is a bit longer then the previous one and hopefully you will enjoy it. ^_^
I have planned out the next few chapters – after this new chapter and then in the next chapter, there will be a huge time skip to the time where Harry encountering the Straw Hat Pirates.
There will also be a few interludes in between chapters describing happened with the other main characters (e.g. Nico Robin, which I've started writing on) during the time skip.
Oh, by the way, I'm starting to hate the couple of Zoan Devil Fruit users myself…can't believe I created such irritating OCs…maybe I should just make them have an 'accident' or something…
CHAPTER 7: To the Grand Line! (Part Two)
Harry Potter, newly appointed captain of the third ship he owns that was named "The Lightning Bolt" by his crew, was regretting his decision to invite Tom and Jerri Mayer as his companions. He tried really hard to shut out the pair's flirting, but sometimes they were simply unavoidable…especially during meal times…
"Love-Love-Beam! Aaaaah, open up, Tom-tom!" The only female crew onboard happily fed her husband breakfast by hand.
"Oh Honey, you are as sweet as this piece of honey-glazed toast I'm eating, how fortunate I am to have you!" The muscular man smiled lovingly with hearts in his eyes, and the two were totally absorbed in their own little world.
"I think I'm going to puke…no offense Harry, but what the hell were you thinking when you got these two weirdos as part of your crew? If you needed someone to navigate the ship I'm good enough you know?" Bryon, Harry's friend from the town Toroa that he met while wandering around, grumbled in annoyance, his long blond eyebrows drawn together in a scowl.
"Well…they kind of invited themselves...anyway, I'm glad we met in Loguetown. It sure was a surprise to see you performing there, and what's more, you were with Dr. Black, Dr. Rin's husband." The green-eyed wizard turned towards the silent and stern looking man who had finished his breakfast and sipping a cup of tea, seemingly unaffected by the mushy display by the Mayers.
"Yeah, it was such a coincidence…I was half starving to death and Dr. Black just fed me without even knowing who I was…of course he asked for payment right after that but I was happy to go on the streets to do some performing to earn money to repay his kindness ya know?" The teenage musician blushed as he scratched his blond hair bashfully.
"Dr. Black is a really kind man, a little money-crazy sure, but nice. I'm glad both of you agreed to join me on this voyage to the Grand Line."
"Of course I did! You are my friend and I wanted to go to the Grand Line anyway! All the rare musical scores I've heard about are waiting for me! And I was the only person you know who could navigate the ship, so it would be horrible of me not to help ya!"
"Thanks Bryon, I'm sure with the five of us, we will manage to make a successful voyage…so what are the sea route to the Grand Line?"
The navigator spread out a map on the table, and then pointed his bony finger at it.
"This is where we are, the Grand Line is there…from what I've gathered, we will have to head for the Reverse Mountain, and…"
"Reverse Mountain?" Jerri questioned with a clueless look.
"The Reverse mountain is a place where the waves from the 4 seas gather to create a stream, the stream that would push the mountain's canal. When the water reached the mountain's peak, it will push back to the Grand Line – this is the route into the Grand Line we will be taking."
The rest of the crew was impressed with Bryon's knowledge.
"I see…so it should be easy then?" The Nezumi Zoan Devil Fruit user asked.
"No, it's the opposite. Many pirates that have attempted entering the Grand Line through the Reverse Mountain have died before they could even get up to the top." Bryon took a sip from the glass of water before he continued.
"See here – the route up will be surrounded by the mountain walls on both side, and the ship will have to deal with the hostile water currents and storms around the mountain that forces them to crash into those walls. Not only that, controlling the rudder to avoid the ship sinking is also critical." The blond-haired navigator looked at Jerri, then Tom with a serious look on his face.
"So it's definitely not as easy as you think…especially for you two Devil Fruit users, if you fall into the sea, you will sink like a rock. We are all betting our lives on the line to sail to the Grand Line."
"Actually about that…I have been working on some protective gear to keep us afloat is we fall into the sea…but they are bulky and not for everyday wear…also I think the effects of the seawater on Devil Fruit users will not be negated even if they are wearing the jackets…so please be careful..." Harry warned.
The pair nodded, as the mood turned solemn.
"Well…how about some music everyone? I just finished writing a new piece last night before leaving Loguetown – you're gonna love it! The name of this master piece is…Bon Voyage!"
(Lyrics are English translation of the 4th Opening Song in One Piece – Bon Voyage)
Bon Voyage! Aiming for the radiant light,
The beacon we're heading for, that everlasting Sun.
Let's go! Show the world the courage within our hearts!
I can see our ship forging into the future.
Back when we set sail, everyone has drawn his own goal, the horizon he had imagined. But now we can all see through the same telescope.
Fate is a ruthless compass forcing your heart into frenzy.
I'll make sure I take it from your hands.
Bon Voyage! Leave behind the remains of our past;
I'm sure we can still laugh no matter what comes.
If it were to make our dreams come true,
I'll never regret those priceless tears I shed.
Bon Voyage! The bottled letter riding on the roaring waves,
That's our promise that will never fade.
Let's go! We can do it with that courage in our very souls.
This exact moment is just so precious to me.
I can see our ship heading to a bright tomorrow!
(End of song)
HP/OP/HP/OP/HP/OP/HP/OP
Indeed, the next day was bright - the weather was perfect, strong sun shining, deep bright yellow with clouds floating so low that one could almost catch them.
"This is great," Harry said to Bryon as they spent the second day out on the open seas. The sun steadily warmed the morning air. The young wizard baited up, hoping to catch some fish to add to their food supplies. His reels cranked repeatedly and fishing was so good that in just a couple of hours, their buckets were full.
Even the usually stoic Dr. Black seemed pleased with the catch, showing a rare smile.
"This type of fish – sardines…will be really good for our health, combined with this powered seaweed I have, you can look forward to a special concoction tonight…" A manic gleam shone from the depths of the doctor's eyes.
The rest shuddered as their faces turned green…they still remember the first time they tried one of his 'special concoction' – every single one of them vomited or flat out fainted from the horror of its taste…it definitely wasn't something anyone wanted to try again, no matter how healthy the doctor claims it is.
"It's fine, Dr. Black…ah…I think I'll just stick to regular plain old water…" Bryon answered, as he noticed that the couple had fled the scene. Harry nodded frantically in agreement.
"Too bad…" The black-eyed doctor murmured, looking disappointed.
Suddenly, the blond-haired navigator noticed the dark clouds that were rapidly forming from the southwest.
A breeze began to blow and the sky looked like a storm was approaching. Bryon shouted out for the crew to get ready for a big one.
"Everyone, looks like a storm is coming, and it's gonna be big! I'll need your cooperation…" The navigator began to fire out instructions to the rest rapidly.
As winds continued to increase and the sky turned dark blue, almost black, Harry passed around some of the protective runic jackets that would help to keep the wearers afloat. The fashion conscious Jerri was reluctant to wear it despite it being especially useful for the devil-fruit user. By the time Tom convinced her to do so, the storm hit.
In a matter of minutes, the wind was roaring and rain fell so hard it felt like ice picks stabbing the crew of the Lightning Bolt. Waves were splashing over the bow of the ship and the blond haired navigator was having difficulty controlling it. Darkness and the heavy rainfall had reduced visibility to virtually zero.
Just then, a huge wave overtook the entire ship, filling it with water and tossing it dangerously from to one side, nearly capsizing the Lightning Bolt.
"Pull in those sails! Another big one is coming!" Bryon shouted, barely making his voice heard over the howling wind in the storm.
With much cooperation from the crew and instructions from Bryon, they managed to navigate the ship safely without it being overturned. As the Lightning Bolt stabilized, everyone heaved a huge sigh of relief, it seemed that they have somehow got through the worst of the storm.
Suddenly the weather calmed down. There was no wind and everything was an eerie quiet.
"What's going on Bryon? It's strange that the storm just stopped like that…" Harry looked out apprehensively to the surrounding sea. Before his navigator could answer him, a loud hiss came from below the ship.
"More foodssss coming in…mother will be pleasssssed…" A splash from the left side of the ship caught the crew's attention as a huge sea serpent emerged from the sea and lunged towards the deck.
"Ssssstop! We are not foodsss…" The gifted wizard who could speak the tongue of snake-like creatures shouted, halting the attack.
"You ssspeak….however, we are hungrysss…" Sensing that the sea serpent was hostile and wasn't appearing to be persuaded, Harry got sent out a blast of haki and the creature soon became as docile as a pet snake.
"Wow…what was that…? Were you talking to that sea serpent? How did you subdue it?" Questions were fired rapidly one after another at the captain of Lightning Bolt.
"Wait guys, it's not the time for this…the ship is shaking! What the?!" Harry shouted in surprise.
"Shit! EVERYONE ROW THE SHIP NOW! WE ARE IN THE CALM BELT!" The usually laid-back navigator cried out nervously.
"CALM DOWN! THIS IS NOT A ROW BOAT BYRON!" Harry shouted back.
"Harry…you don't understand…the Grand Line is surrounded by 2 seas…and this is one of them – the Calm Belt sea, a sea without any wind or ocean currents…but the more important thing is – this is nesting grounds for Sea Kings! We have to get out of hear and head towards the storm, to the entrance of the Reverse Mountain!"
"SEA KINGS!"
Contrary to the rest of the crew, Harry was calm…it was obvious he had something up his sleeve when his emerald eyes started twinkling and his grin grew wider.
"Hey guys, I have an idea…"
The Lightning Bolt was moving at a decent speed out of the calm belt, assisted by two of the sea serpents that Harry had 'convinced' to pull the ship out of the dangerous waters.
The subdued creatures left as soon as the ship was back in the storm and the crew took over navigating the ship.
Bryon shouted from his position at the steering wheel of the ship, "Heads up! From here on it's gonna be rough!"
After sailing for a while in the stormy weather, they see a large shadow ahead.
"Look! That's the Red Line!" Harry cried out with excitement – it's the first time he's seen it, and it also mean they are that much closer to the Grand Line.
With instructions from the blond navigator, Tom took hold of the rudder. While turning the heavy rudder to avoid getting off route amidst the large waves tossing the ship all over the place, it accidentally breaks.
"DAMN! The rudder broke! What should we do now?"
"Leave it to me!" The raven-haired wizard turned his attention from the sails of the ship to its rudder, and started casting Reparo rapidly. It took much of his concentration, and as a particular huge wave crash against the Lightning Bolt, he lost his footing and fell off the ship…
"HARRY!"
Just before the green-eyed teenager fell into the water, Dr. Black caught him and pulled him safely onboard.
Harry coughed out the seawater he had accidentally swallowed, "Blegh! This taste nasty…Thanks, Dr. Black, you saved me!" Dr. Black nodded, silently accepting his gratitude.
After this brief moment of suspense, the crew is finally back on track and that much closer to getting into the Grand Line.
"YOSH!" "Hell Yeah, we made it" "Great job everyone!"
Everyone cheered loudly for their accomplishment, as they took in the sight before them with amazement. The fog had cleared and they could see that the Lightning Bolt had reached the top of the canal stream on the mountain; if they head down they should be in the Grand Line very soon.
It's going to be a grand adventure – that is, if they survive in the Grand Line…
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A/N: And that's the last part of "To the Grand Line". Next chapter: "Meetings of New and Old".