I couldn't ponder that out to its full extent, partly because I knew if I did I'd fall into one of what Shanks called my "Over thinking it to much/needs a beer" mode, though it was mostly in part of the fact that we'd some how sailed into the Calm Belt. There was no wind.

I was freaking out, Usopp was freaking out, Nami was freaking out, Luffy was just laughing. I realized that Zoro seemed to be the level headed one when Nami wasn't.

Giant monster nose hair. That's really all that needs to be said about to the Calm Belt. I really want to forget about the Calm Belt.

Then came Reverse Mountain.

We were all in the dinning area, Usopp tending to the steering, Sanji washing what was left from dinner, Nami organizing her maps, Luffy complaining he didn't get enough to eat, Zoro staring at me and me, just sort of, trying not to spontaneously catch on fire under Zoro's stare.

I was still a little miffed at myself for having lied to him about knowing Kuina, that was obviously something that meant a lot to him... and I had taken it and twisted it to cover myself.

All the attention in the room was drawn when Nami pulled out a map. "And now you all know... why we can't just sail in to the Grand Line."

Everyone was quiet, it was another loud silence.

"Well... Now we're heading towards Reverse Mountain whi-"

I tilted my head, Shanks had told me about Reverse Mountain, "That's the mountain where the canals flow up it right?"

A tick mark appeared on Nami's forehead. "I was about to explain that."

"Can someone help me over here?"

"That's impossible." Zoro said curtly, "Water doesn't flow upward, it's against the laws of gravity."

"The map says that's the only way into the Grand line."

"Shut up moss head! If Nami and Leanah say it's possible then it's possible!" Sanji got dangerously close to hitting Zoro.

Zoro seemed unmoved in his stance, "Yeah but in case you don't remember, that map was stolen from Buggy, can we really trust it?"

"Um, guys?"

"My old captain told me some stories about Reverse Mountain, and I imagine Zeff told some stories too." I looked expectantly at the blond haired chef.

He thoughtfully lit another cigarette. "Yeah. He mentioned that most ships sailing for the Grand Line don't even make it past the mountain."

"Guys, a little help please?"

"I wonder why..." The navigator was deep in thought.

"CAN I GET SOME HELP OVER HERE!?" I glanced over to see Usopp struggling to keep the steering in one place.

"Sanij," Nami said, still staring at the map, "Could you help Usopp, please? It's getting hard to think over his shouting."

"Right away, Nami!" Once again, hearts occupied the air around the chef. I watched with interest as he joined Usopp in pushing on the steer, and his large smile vanished.

"Does this current seem unusually strong to anyone else?" Usopp asked, the effort of keeping the steer in place making his face go red.

I pointed at the mountain on the map, "This is a Winter mountain... So..."

It dawned on Nami, "So any ships not on direct course with the canal get slammed into the Red Line and dragged under!" She seemed nervous now, "But... it seems as long as were on this course, as long as nothing happens to the ruttier, we should be fine."

Zoro raised an eyebrow, "Explanation please?"

Nami sighed, "The water does flow up the mountain," she circled Reverse mountain with her finger on the map, then traced the canals. "You see these Canals? Their all from major currents from the four oceans, so their pushing water up the canals, but also, because Reverse Mountain is a winter mountain so the water cools as it reaches it. Anything not directly on the canal current gets sucked under."

More hearts filled the air, "Oh Nami and Leanah! You're both such geniuses!"

Zoro scoffed, "Call me a skeptic but I just don't believe it."

"You're a skeptic." I said, standing up from the table, "We should probably prepare for some bad weather too. A large storm or something right?" I looked to Nami.

"Yeah. It's not going to be easy, but if we try, we should make it safely. We have to go-"

"It's a mystery mountain." Luffy interrupted.

I gently whacked him on the head, "Nami just gave a perfectly logical explanation for why Reverse Mountain does what it does."

Luffy put his hands up protectively over his head, "Hey!"

I rolled my eyes. "We should get ready..."

Nami nodded, "Sanji, go ready the sail, Zoro you stay here and help Usopp until Sanji is done."

"Right away Nami dear!" He swirled on his heel then barked at our captain, "Luffy you help too!"

Luffy rocketed out of the dinning area, followed by Sanji. I sighed, "That leaves me on the crow's nest doesn't it?"

Nami nodded, "Yep. So get to it!"

"Oh boy." I slowly got up from the table. Crow's Nest=height, height=A terrified me. So, by law of Transitive Properties, Crow's Nest=A terrified me. I stared up at the Crow's Nest, Now or never, I told myself.

I set my focus on the wooden siding of the Crow's nest and never looked anywhere else. It helped, a little.

You're going to fall. That nasty voice was back. You're going to fall, then they'll have to see your scars. You don't want them to see your weakness do you? "Shut up..." I told it. No one wants you around, it'll all be just like before. They'll just play along as your friends then drop you as soon as they can. "That's not true!" I gritted my teeth and hoisted myself into the wooden structure at the top of the ship. The voice went quiet.

I watched the horizon, I saw a black cloud of some kind, but I wasn't sure if it was the storm I was watching for.

It wasn't long before Sanji joined me in the Crow's Nest. He squinted.

"Do you think that's storm clouds?" I asked.

He nodded then turned back to the main part of the ship. "Nami! You and Leanah were right! Major storm clouds ahead!"

Zoro joined us up there, I eyed him, "Shouldn't you be with Usopp?"

"The current has loosened up for a bit. He'll be fine." I nodded as Luffy rocketed up to the Crow's Nest. It was getting a little crowded.

"Wow!" He shouted, one hand holding his hat in place. "The Grand Line! Can you believe it!? We're almost there!" He began hitting Sanji on the back, repeating what he just said almost word for word. I laughed and ever so slowly worked my way out of the Crow's Nest.

Slow and steady, that's how I got down. Zoro eventually got down before I did. He seem didn't care I was going at the speed of a snail. There was just enough time for me to get back to my suitcase, remove my bandana and get on a rain coat before the storm started.

And that's when everything went to hell.

We were prepared, Nami had made sure of that. But just the severity of the storm was a whole lot for poor Merry.

Usopp and Sanji were manning the steer rather well, until it broke. Then it was all up to dumb luck and Luffy.

The boat was on a collision course with the wall of the canal. Luffy launched himself off the railing of Merry. "GUM GUM... BALLOON!" The captain expanded to the size of... well... a human balloon, and pushed Merry back on course.

I held out my hand to him, but Zoro beat me to it. "Luffy!" He shouted, "Grab on!" The rubber man deflated and stretched to grabbed the 'first mate''s hand. I ducked out of the way as he shot towards the deck and found his head stuck in it.

"Wow," I marveled, "The water is actually flowing up! That's sooooo cool!" I was now standing at the railing of the Going Merry, horrors of the Calm Belt and anything before gone from my mind. I watched the water as it splashed up into the air when hitting the mountain pass and boat. We got quite a ways up the mountain before my brain finally kicked in.

I looked at how high we were. "Oh god. Oh god. We're so high up!" My legs were locked and I was gripping onto the railing for dear life. "Oh god oh god oh god ohgodohgodohgod!"

"What's got you all tensed up?" Zoro asked.

"Don't you see how high we are!?" My voice was shrill, "And the water flowing up like this? It's not flippin' natural!"

He raised an eyebrow, "That's what I said."

"COOL!" Luffy shouted, "WE'RE IN THE CLOUDS!" Another few moments went by, "NOW WE'RE ABOVE THEM!"

As we neared the top of the demon mountain when the water splashed up off the walls of the pass it froze. It freakin' froze! My heart was going a million a second, it was... it was... This is just like those roller-coasters back home! Why the hell did I ever-! Wait... What the bloody devil is a roller-coaster? I pondered this as the Going Merry launched itself over the edge of the mountain.

I was snapped out of my thoughts as my feet left the solid wood deck, "HOLY SHIIII-" I was holding on to the rail even tighter than before. I must have blocked some of the drop out of my memory 'cause all I can remember was the initial drop then being at the bottom of the stream.

Luffy went nuts. "THE GRAND LINE!" I was a tad more preoccupied with the giant looming dark vertical... shape thing that came into view.

"Nami! I think I see a mountain a head!" Sanji shouted from the net between the deck and the Crow's Nest.

"Impossible!" Nami shouted back, "After Reverse Mountain there should be nothing but Ocean!"

That is the second biggest whale I've ever seen. I stared at it in awe.

I think that might've been the fatal mistake of our group. While we a marveled at the large animal we neglected to stop the ship. So much so that we actually made impact with the beast. It broke off poor Mary's head. That made Luffy go even more crazy then usual. "MY SPECIAL SEAT!" He cried.

Though after that... That's when Luffy did something that I didn't even think he was idiotic enough to do. He punched the whale. IN THE EYE! The whale didn't appreciate it to much. The next few moments... Well...

The whale groaned loudly and...

It... He... ate us. The entire ship. With all of us on it. Except Luffy... He fell off the side while we were being swallowed. I bit my lip, hoping our captain- even if he was and still is and idiot- was OK. I felt a little gross, having been eaten by the whale, but who wouldn't feel icky after having been swallowed whole.

I couldn't believe it, in one day I'd questioned my sanity, gotten carried over 1000 miles up a mountain, and to top off the list, I got eaten by a whale. Not my best day ever.