Hey everyone it's time for a new chapter!

Now, on to the guessing game I put in on the last chapter. I will not say who has won until my story reaches Whiskey Peak. Also, if nobody guess right then, the person who is the losest will be the winner.

Also, I've come up with a nickname and want to know what you guys think. How does Cortez 'The Beserker' sound. Let me know in a review.

Now, on to the story!

Chapter 10 A Whale of a Problem

The storm became even worse as we did our little ritual. Zoro, Sanji, and I were running all over the deck, doing everything Nami told us to do. Usopp was at the helm and Luffy...well he was just doing what Luffy does.

"Nami! The light from the lighthouse is gone!" Luffy shouted.

"No, it's supposed to disappear." Nami calmly answered him as she strode onto the bow. "I've already memorized the heading it gave…but..."

"But...What?" I asked her.

Nami didn't answer she just wanted everyone in the cabin.

"Ok, everyone." Nami said to make sure she had our attention. "The only way to get to the Grand Line is through Reverse Moutain."

"How are we suppose to go through a mountain?" Zoro asked.

"We aren't going to go through it." I answered. All I was were now on me, so I continued explaining. "Reverse Mountain has canals that flow up and and one of them actually goes over it, we're going to ride that one to get past the mountain."

"That's impossible!" Usopp exclaimed.

"Actually, I believe he is right." Nami replied as she unfolded the map she had. "If you look here, you can see four different canals, but only one makes it to the other side." she explained.

"It's still impossible for a ship to go up a mountain." Zoro stated.

"Why do you think they call it 'Reverse Mountain'?" I asked. "The water goes up and over the mountain instead of around it, simple as that."

"There are massively strong currents that force the waters upward." Nami decided to explain in more detail. "And with the four currents from each the Blues meet at the top…it would push us down the one that flows into the Grand Line."

"Zoro! Help me with this damn helm!" Usopp cried, unable to budge the Merry's driving stick of a helm.

"It's too late." Nami told him. "We're already caught in the current. If we don't make it in that canal then the Merry well be smashed agianst the Red Line."

"So…" Luffy interjected, rubbing his chin with understanding, "It's a Mystery Mountain, right?"

Everyone had a sweatdrop and Nami was going to correct him till I interupted.

"Yes, it is." I told him, which he accepted.

"Anyway," Nami began again, "We need to be careful, if we mess up our steering, it could mean disaster."

"Nami-san! You're so beautiful when you're concerned!" Sanji twirled around, his eyes becoming hearts.

"I haven't heard anything like this before…ships climbing mountains…" Zoro grumbled.

"I've heard something about it…" Sanji said, his eyes now normal.

"Something about the Mystery Mountain?" Luffy asked as he grinned.

"Nope….Just that half of the wannabes die trying to enter the Grand Line…So I know it ain't easy getting in…"

"Thanks for those encouraging words." I replied sarcasticly.

With that out of the way we went back to work.

"OOOOIIIII!" Luffy cry pierced through the storm. "I can see the Mystery Mountain!"

We all looked at the massive stone wall that blocked us from the Grand Line.

"We're getting sucked in!" Luffy cried out. "Grab the helm!"

"Leave it to us!" Sanji and Usopp shouted.

"Nami! Where's the entrance?" Luffy asked. "If we keep going straight, we'll hit the cliff!"

"Hold our path steady!" She shouted, a large grin on her face. "The entrance is right ahead of us!"

"Is it that crack the canal?" Luffy laughed.

"Yes." She answered. "But we need to avoid those massive water gates!"

"We're drifting! Hard right!" Luffy ordered.

"Hard to starboard, Sanji!" Usopp replied as he and the cook fought with the helm.

'Don't those two break the helm?' Morgan asked.

*Crack*

'That's a "Yes".' I answered.

"THE HELM!" Everyone else shouted.

I then noticed we were heading straight for a gate. "Gate!" I yelled. No sooner than I had spoke, a red flash darted past me.

"Gomu gomu no…." Luffy had leapt to the portside of the ship and over.

"FUUSEN!" Expanding his body, the Merry bounced off of him as he collided with the gate and the ship.

I then saw Luffy wasn't going to make it back onto the Merry and ran over to grab him. "Hold on, Luffy!" I shouted.

When I got to the edge Luffy stretched at one of his arms to me, which I grabbed and yanked him back onto the ship.

Usopp and Sanji then began shouting we made it. Nami was relieved and Zoro was laughing at me and Luffy, since he slammed into me and sent us crashing into the mast.

"Now, we ride striaght up!" Nami said brightly, whipping off her raincoat.

The mountain's stone flew right past us as the white churning water rushed us forward to the peak.

"Wow..." I breathed out. As we burst through the cloud cover, the blue sky welcoming us with rays of light, the rocks turning a rusted red as we neared the top. The summit was sparkling from the colliding rivers, a pulse of rainbows and colors dancing upon the top.

Of course, my reaction quickly changed when we plunged straight into the gathering of canals, flying out as the water sprinkled around us.

Luffy was shouting in joy, but I was clinging to the side of the mast for dear life.

'What's the matter with you?' Morgan asked.

'I don't do heights!' I shouted back at him.

'What!? But you stay up in the crow's nest!'

'Yeah, but it's not that high up and your not falling at like 60 miles an hour!'

I just tuned Moragn out for the time being since, now all he was doing was laughing at me.

I let go of the mast when we then entered a massive cloud bank and no sooner than we entered though, a strange noise reverberated all around us.

"Did you guys hear something?" Zoro asked.

"I heard it too." I replied.

"Nami-san! We're headed straight towards a mountain!" Sanji yelled from atop the mast.

"That's impossible! There should only be ocean after the Twin Capes!" She yelled back.

"Guys, I don't think it's a mountain!" I shouted as the cloud dispersed, revealing a massive black, fleshy wall. "It's a whale!"

"A WHALE?" Everyone cried out simultaneously in surprise.

"W-w-w-w-w-w-w-what do we do?" Usopp stuttered.

"Fight it?" Luffy asked nonchalantly.

"IDIOT! How are we gonna fight something like that?" Nami replied punching Luffy in the head.

"We're headed straight for it!" Usopp sobbed, clinging ever tighter to the mast.

"Wait a minute!" Sanji yelled, scoping the whale's entirety, "We've gotten this close to it, but it still looks like a wall. So where's this thing's eye?"

"I don't think that is all that important!" I shouted at him.

"There's an opening to the left! Hard to port!" Zoro yelled, running back to the cabin.

"The helm's broken!" Usopp fired back.

"I have an idea!" Luffy said as he swung down below deck.

"What the hell are we going to do?" I asked, no one in particular since Sanji, Usopp, and Zoro were screwing around with the broken helm.

"We could unfurl the sails! They should act as a parachute and slow us down!" Nami shouted to me.

"Got it!" I shouted as I climbed up the rafters.

"But, that could tear the sails!" Nami shouted at me.

"Torn sails can be replaced, smashed ship not so much!" I shouted back at her.

"Good point! Sanji! Help, Cortez!" she shouted.

"Yes, Nami!" Sanji shouted as he ran out and began helping me.

In only a few seconds our main sails fought against the rushing winds, and we braked, but only slightly and we were still coming on too fast.

*BOOM*

It turns out Luffy's brilliant idea was to fire the main cannon at the whale. It did actually help since we put down the sails. But, we still hit it and the only thing to break was the Merry's head which landed near the mast.

"My Seat!" Luffy shouted from below deck.

Of course, the rest of us were more concered about the fact the whale didn't even react to being shot with a cannon at point blank range.

"I think it's time to go!" I shouted.

Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp agreed as we all grabbed one of the oars and began rowing away.

I noticed his eyes were at least three times the size of our ship. We were lucky that he didn't notice us.

"You think you can break my ship and just get away with it?" Luffy asked the whale as he threw his arm back.

"Luffy don't you..." I began to threaten.

"Gomu Gomu no...Pistol!"

*THWACK*

I knew Luffy was stupid, but I did not think he was dumb enough to actually punch a whale, like a thousand times larger than our ship...in the freaking eye!

"Luffy! I'm going to beat the shit out of you!" I shouted at him.

He either didn't hear me or didn't care beacuase, he kept on threatening the whale. "How'd you like that? I'll kick your ass, jerk!"

"Shut up!" We all shouted at him.

The whales giant eye became focused on us as it let out another loud noise.

"BBBBAAARRRRRRWWWWWRRRRROOOO!"

All of the sudden it opened up its mouth, showing off large sharp teeth which was weird for a whale to have but at this point it wasn't my top concern. Becuase, the damn thing was sucking up all the water near its mouth , including us!

All the rough movement ended up throwing Luffy and me, overboard!

"Luffy! I owe you one ass-kicking if we make it out of this alive!" I shouted.

I hope you all enjoyed the new chapter and don't forget to review!