Disclaimer: Do I really need to say it. Well, I don't own One Piece. Oda owns it... Toei too kinda..
Read.
"What do you make of this?"
Sanji, Usopp, Nami with Moshi, and Zoro were all standing on the Merry as they approached some type of island. But they were still inside a giant, blue whale weren't they?
"What do I make of this?" Zoro repeated Sanji's question, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Yeah. What's your explanation for this." Sanji stated, lighting up his signature cigarette. "I could've sworn we were all swallowed by a giant whale but..are we just dreaming or something?"
"Yeah." Usopp nodded. "It's got to be a dream."
"What's with that house on that island then?" Zoro tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Must be an illusion."
And then all of a sudden a giant, purple, squid popped up out of the ocean.
"It's a squid!" Nami and Usopp cried, running away with their hands in the air.
But just as soon as it popped up it fell back down into the ocean. A bunch of long hooks were lodged into it, and the hooks were slowly dragging said giant squid towards the tiny island.
"Seems like there's a person here.." Zoro stated.
"Let's hope it's a person." Sanji added, taking his cigarette out of his mouth and sighing.
"B-By the way.." Usopp whimpered. "Where did Luffy go?!"
"I've had enough.." Nami sobbed. "I wanna go home.."
"Maybe we should just open fire!" Usopp stood up and clenched his fists together. "We'll just shoot our way out of this mess!"
"Hang on." Sanji held up his hand. "There's someone coming out."
An old man stood on the island, with a long rope in his hands. He was pulling the giant squid towards his little island. He had on glasses and feathers(?) on top of his head.
"That old man took out that squid in one blow.." Nami muttered.
"Was he just fishing, or was he doing it to save us?" Zoro scratched his head in thought.
Suddenly the old man caught Sanji's eye and the two were locked into a staring contest. Moshi looked back and forth between the two and deadpanned.
"Say something!" Sanji suddenly shouted, his teeth becoming fanged out comically.
The old man sat in a chair and held up a newspaper, crossing his leg over his other leg as he did so.
"I-I-If it's a fight you want, then you've got one!" Usopp stuttered, shaking his fist in a way that only he thought was threatening. "We have a canon on our side!"
"Don't." The old man finally spoke. "Or else someone will end up dead..."
"Oh?" Sanji spoke with another cigarette between his lips. "And just who would end up dead?"
"Me." The old man stated with a serious expression.
"You?!" Sanji deadpanned, already exasperated.
"Now now, don't get so worked up." Zoro stated, waving his hand in front of Sanji's face. "Hey old man...would you mind telling us just who you are, and just where this place exactly is?"
"That gramps thinks he can make a fool out of me." Sanji huffed, steam shooting out of his nose.
"..." The old man tsked. "It's common courtesy to introduce yourself before asking others questions, ya know?"
"Oh right." Zoro nodded. "Sorry about that."
"My name is Crocus." The old man began. "The lighthouse keeper of the Twin Capes. I'm 71 years old, a Gemini, and type AB blood."
"That's not what we wanted to know!" Zoro shouted, his teeth becoming fanged out.
"You're wondering where this place is? You first trespass in my private resort and then start mouthing off with that attitude?!" Crocus shook his head and flipped a page in his newspaper. "Does this place look like the stomach of a mouse?"
"So...so then we really were swallowed by a whale.." Usopp muttered.
"What do we do?!" Nami asked, putting her hands on her cheeks in fright. "I don't want to be digested!"
"If there's an exit you want, it's over there." Crocus pointed towards a pair of large, steel doors which were for some reason floating in the sky.
"There's an exit?!" The pirates shouted, staring at the doors with wide eyes.
"And how is it that a door is floating in the sky?" Nami questioned, crossing her arms under her small bust.
"No wait." Usopp peered at the doors. "If you look closely, the skies and the clouds and those doors...all of them are just a painting! The inside of the whale's stomach has been painted over!"
"That's just my way of having a good time." Crocus added, still peering at his newspaper.
"Just what the heck are you doing here anyways?" Usopp asked with a deadpanned tone.
"Just leave him be." Zoro put his hand onto Usopp's shoulder. "We've found an exit, so let's just get out of here."
As soon as those words came out of Zoro's mouth, the seas turned violent and their boat began to harshly sway.
"W-What's going on?!" Usopp cried.
"So he's started again, has he.." Crocus muttered, shaking his head.
"Look!" Nami pointed towards the "island" Crocus was sitting on. "That's not an island either! It's a ship! An iron one at that too! So that means that this ocean is actually stomach acid, and if we stay here any longer our shop will be dissolved!"
"Hey!" Usopp yelled. "What's going on here? Give us an explanation!"
"This whale.." Crocus calmly began, crossing his arms over his chest. "Has begun bashing his head against the Red Line."
"What?!" Sanji and Zoro yelled in unison.
"Now that he mentions it.." Nami put her finger onto her chin in thought. "I remember that that whale's forehead was covered in scars! And he was bellowing up at the sky!"
"What does it all mean then, Nami?" Usopp asked.
"It means he's suffering!" Nami concluded. "He must be trying to kill this well from the inside!" Nami glared over at Crocus.
"What a nasty way to kill something!" Usopp stated, giving Crocus a glare of his own.
"Hey now." The old man deadpanned.
"Well, if the mystery has been solved let's just leave already." Zoro put his hands onto his hips. "We'll be dissolved if we hang around any longer."
"That's right." Sanji nodded in agreement. "I don't have anything against whaling and it's not like we're obliged to save this whale either. So let's just get out of here!"
"Well, if the whale keeps on rampaging like this it'll be hard to even reach the exit!" Usopp stated.
"Well if we don't hurry, our lives and Luffy's will be in much more danger!" Zoro bluntly replied.
"But Luffy isn't in here with us!" Nami said. "I saw him escape outside the whale's mouth!"
"Hey." Usopp blinked. "The old man just dived into the water..."
"Eh?!" Sanji, Nami, and Zoro's jaws all dropped. "Why would he do something like that?!"
"He's swimming towards the exit. We should hurry up and make our way to the exit before the whale gets anymore violent." Usopp suggested.
"Argh... We have no choice but to row." Zoro stated, grabbing on to the railing as the whale's acidic sea of a stomach roughly shook the Merry.
Gucha.
"Get the oars! Come on, we have to hurry!" Sanji called. "The exit is right-"
"WOHOOOO! Guys! You're alright!"
The group of pirates looked up and each one of them sweatdropped when they saw none other than their captain falling towards the boat from the "sky".
"Luffy?" Zoro scratched his head. "Well in any case, he can help out."
Luffy, along with two other strange people, crashed into the acidic ocean.
"The old man's running away!" Usopp yelled, pointing his finger in the old man's direction. Crocus had opened the exit door and was seemingly making a getaway.
"Forget about him." Zoro stated. "Saving Luffy comes first."
Gucha.
"The whale seems to have calmed down..." Nami breathed a sigh in relief, leaning against the railing next to Moshi. Sitting on the ground next to her feet were individuals who were not apart of their crew- a woman with long, blue hair and a man with orange hair and a golden crown atop his head. "Well? Who are you guys, exactly...?" The navigator stood in front of them, crossing her arms under her bust.
Luffy was seated on the railing, swinging his feet above them, Sanji was kneeling beside the blue haired woman looking lovesick, and Zoro and Usopp were just leaning against the railing of The Merry.
"I won't let you Kay not a single finger on Laboon!" Crocus suddenly called, pointing a finger at the pirates. He was still standing on the exit, though he looked to be a bit worn out. "For as long as I live!"
"Oh he's back." Usopp sighed.
"Who's that old guy?" Luffy bluntly asked.
"Fufufu..." The blue haired woman smirked, bending her head down.
"Oh, but we're inside the whale now.." The male with orange hair and a crown on his head stated. "It'll be only too easy.." He and the blue haired woman suddenly held up long guns and fired two shots. "To blast a hole in its stomach! We won't let you interfere with our whaling business any longer!"
Crocus jumped off the exit platform and took the two bullets, instead of letting the whale take the hit.
"That old man took the blast with his own body!" Usopp gaped, staring in awe.
"What?!" Nami put her hands on her cheeks. "So then...he's been protecting the whale this entire time?!"
"Cease your futile resistance!" The blue haired lady stood to her feet, still holding up her gun.
"Just try to protect the whale if you still can! But it won't stop our twin from using this whale as food!" Her partner chimed in. he too standing to his feet and putting his gun over his shoulder.
Usopp and Nami shared glances of confusion. "Why is that old man...what's going on?"
Luffy stood up then. He took one look at Crocus's face and nodded. "I'm not sure what's going on, but I'll knock these guys out for you!" The rubber male declared. He swung his fists and hit both intruders in the head, effectively knocking them off their feet in an instant, and sending them crashing face first into the deck of the Merry.
Gucha.
"This whale is an island whale, found normally in the West Blue." Crocus began, plopping down in his chair next to a large tree on the "island". Moshi was calmly sitting in Crocus's lap, happy that they had made another friend. Luffy was busy trying to climb the tree, while everyone else was on the ground listening to Crocus's story. The blue haired woman and her orange haired partner were both knocked out and were tied up. "Its the largest species of whale in the world. This one is named Laboon."
Crocus glanced down at the two tied up "villains". "And these two are rogues from a nearby town. Their goal is to hunt Laboon, because the meat from Laboon can feed their twin for two to three years. But I won't allow that." Crocus rested his hand on Moshi's little head. "As for why Laboon keeps bashing his head against the Red Line...there's a reason for all of that too."
"Are you gonna tell us the story?" Zoro asked as Luffy slid down the tree and fell onto the swordsman's head.
"Ah." Crocus sighed. "Long ago, while unwashed minding my business as the lighthouse keeper a certain group of friendly pirates came down Reverse Mountain. And following their ship was a baby whale- that baby whale was Laboon. It seems that Laboon had accompanied their journey from the West Blue, but fearing that the Grand Line was too dangerous they left him behind...or so they thought. Normally island whales are known to swim together in pods, but to Laboon those pirates were his pod. Their ship was damaged when they arrived, so they stayed here for several months to fix it. I became quite good friends with them during their stay..."
Nami sat down in the grass between Sanji and Usopp, already knowing that this little story wasn't going to have a happy ending.
"And so, on the day of their departure.." Crocus continued. "Their captain asked me to take care of Laboon for 2 to 3 years. He said.."
"Once we've sailed around the world, we'll come back for him no matter what."
"And understanding their intent, Laboon has been waiting here patiently..."
"Ah." Nami nodded solemnly. "So thats why he keeps on bellowing even today...and bashing his head against the Red Line..."
"That's right." Crocus nodded.."It's been over 50 years since then..And he still believes his friends will come back."
Gucha.
"This is some waterway.." Sanji muttered. They were back on the Merry and were traveling through a large waterway. Beside their ship, Crocus was traveling with them on his small boat island. "I'm amazed you've managed to dig out such a big hole and live inside of here. Is this another one of our ways of having a good time?"
"Its a hobby of mine." Crocus replied. "Anyhow...what's with that snail?" He pointed at Moshi, who was sitting on the railing beside Luffy.
"Oh, this is Moshi!" Luffy grinned. "He's our friend! He's been recording everything that's happened up until now, so that all our friends back home can see for themselves the fun adventures we'll go on!"
"Moshi?" Crocus stared at the snail for a second, seemingly seeing some familiarity in him, before shaking his head and looking away. "Don't you kids know that the government can easily hack into his camcorder?"
"Yeah, but we'll worry about that if all of us get bounties." Nami replied, shrugging her shoulders. "Besides, the only person with a current bounty is Luffy...and he's still considered to be unimportant to the world."
"Yeah, but I'm still gonna become Pirate King!" Luffy stated, sticking out his tongue.
"Anyhow, don't get the wrong idea. I may not look like much but I am a real doctor. I even used to run a clinic at the cape a long time ago." Crocus stated.
"A doctor?! Really?!" Luffy smiled widely, putting his arms on the railing and resting his head on the arms. "Join my crew as my doctor!"
"Stop talking nonsense." Crocus replied, stopping his ship beside a metal ladder. He then slowly made his way up the ladder. "I'm too old to be doing reckless things with you kids."
"So you're a doctor huh? And you live inside a whale?" Nami asked tiredly.
"That's right." The old man began turning a large wheel. "With a whale this big, it's impossible to treat it from the outside. Anyhow, I'm opening the gate now."
"ALRIGHT!" Luffy yelled, throwing his hands up in glee as soon as the Straw Hat group was out of the whale and back into the ocean. "We are out! I can see the real sky at last!"
Moshi looked up at the sky of the Grand Line. He had lived in the East Blue all his life, so he was also new to the wonders of the Grand the sky and the ocean water around him still looked the same.
"Hey, what are we gonna do about them?" Usopp asked, pointing towards a tied up duo.
"Eh, just throw them over somewhere around here." Crocus replied.
Zoro and Luffy happily kicked the two off the ship, after they untied them of course. The two then fell into the water.
"So who are you guys again?" Luffy curiously asked, glancing down at the two.
"It's none of your business!" The blue haired woman replied angrily.
"No wait, Ms Wednesday." Her partner suddenly stated. "Perhaps it is their business. As long as they are pirates, that is..."
"True indeed, Mr 9." Ms Wednesday said, before pointing her finger at the pirates. "Our organization may have some use of you. Prepare yourselves!"
The two then swam away, shouting threats at Crocus as they did so.
"So her name is Ms Wednesday huh?" Sanji asked, leaning against the railing and smiling dreamily. "What a beautiful enigma you are..."
"Are you sure about just letting them go?" Nami asked Crocus. "They'll be sure to come back for the whale again, you know."
"Even if I didn't let them go, there will be other rogues who'll come and take their place." Crocus replied.
Gucha.
"To think that it's been waiting for them to come back for him for 50 years...does it still believe it's friends will come for it?" Usopp asked.
They were currently sitting beside the lighthouse, on the bottom of the mountain. Sanji, Zoro, and Usopp sat around the table while Luffy was leaning against one of the rocks. Moshi was sitting in top of the table, while Nami and Crocus chose to remain standing.
"Those pirates sure are taking a long time.." Luffy stated, crossing his arms behind his head.
"You idiot. This is the Grand Line." Sanji said, lighting up another cigarette. "Those pirates are dead. They won't come back no matter how long that whale waits."
"Why do you have to go and say such a cold thing?!" Usopp glared at Sanji. "You can't say that for sure! They might still come back! Can't you even appreciate such a moving story about a whale who still believes in his friend's promise?!"
"The truth if far more cruel." Crocus stated. "Those fellows left already...left from the Grand Line that is. I heard it from a reliable source."
"W-Wha..?" Usopp stared at him in shock. Even Moshi was a bit shocked at this bit of information. The snail's teal eyes were wide with shock.
"So they just left the whale behind?!" Nami shook her head. "But that would mean that they left the Grand Line through the calm belt!"
"Yes. That is why I don't know whether they survived or not." Crocus continued. "But even if they did survive, they would never dare to return here ever again. A place where the seasons, 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 the faint hearted."
"So basically, those cowards were more concerned about their lives than keeping a promise and thus left the Grand Line to never return again." Sanji let out a puff of smoke from his mouth and shook his head at this piece of information.
"So they just abandoned this whale, even though this whale never doubted them and has been waiting here for 50 years?!" Usopp slammed his hands onto the table. "How could they be so cruel?!"
"If that's the case, then why haven't you tried telling the whale the truth?!" Nami asked. "This whale can understand human words, right?"
"I have." Crocus replied, closing his eyes. "I've told him the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. But he won't listen. 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 behind the wall. I've tried telling the truth many times since then, but Laboon still refuses to accept the truth."
"What a whale.." Sanji looked up at Laboon, who was currently gazing up at the water flowing down from Reverse Mountain. "He still keeps on waiting, even after being betrayed.."
"Even though there's no point in waiting anymore." Usopp added, he too staring up at the large whale.
"But as much as I feel sorry for this whale and all, you've also been betrayed by them if you think about it. Why don't you just leave the whale behind already?" Sanji asked, putting his cigarette back into his mouth.
"Look at the scars on his head." Crocus said, gazing up at Laboon. "If he continues recklessly bashing his head against the wall, he will certainly die. We have 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 let him die."
"AHHHHHHH!" Luffy yelled.
Nami sweatdropped as she and the rest of the crew watched Luffy run by with the mast of the ship and their jolly roger in his hands. He quickly began racing up the side of the whale.
"What's that idiot up to now?" Sanji deadpanned.
"You take your eyes off of him for one second..." Zoro shook his head.
"Gomu Gomu..." Luffy yelled once he had reached the top. "Flower Arranging!"
Now since Laboon is so big and Luffy is all the way at the top of him, they couldn't exactly see what was going on. But the pirates and Crocus knew that Luffy had implanted the mast of the ship into one of Laboon's wounds.
"Is that a ship mast?" Zoro asked.
"Yeah, I think it's our ship mast." Usopp stated.
"Yup...it's our main mast alright.." Sanji added, shaking his head.
Laboon cried out in pain, shaking his head back and forth as blood spurted from the new wound Luffy had given him.
"What the hell is he doing?!" Nami, Zoro, Crocus, and Sanji screeched in unison, holding up their hands in shock.
"He destroyed our ship!" Usopp gasped, looking as if he were about to have a heart attack.
"Uh oh! He's coming this way!" Zoro shouted, and indeed Laboon was making his way towards them in the hopes of getting Luffy off of his head. Nami grabbed Moshi, and she and everyone ran as Laboon bashed his head against the wall.
"Hey! Hey kid!" Crocus shouted in shock, trying to go after him in the hopes that Luffy wasn't dead but Nami grabbed him by his arm.
"Don't worry about him, he won't die!" The navigator shouted. Moshi nodded his head in agreement. There was no way he would die this early on!
Luffy was indeed alive. "Take this!" He shouted, shooting his arm into Laboon's eye much like he did earlier. Laboon cried out in pain once more and threw the rubber male into the lighthouse.
The two glared at each other for a moment before Luffy smirked. "I'm tough, aren't I?" Luffy asked the whale, to which he replied by staring at him curiously. "Our fight has yet to be settled, so we must fight each other again someday! Your old friends may be dead, but I'm your new rival! And once my crew sails around the Grand Line, we'll be sure to come back and see you again."
Laboon's eyes welled with tears. He threw his head back and let out a loud cry, though this one wasn't from pain. He was happy now- the whale had something to look forward to in the near future.
"And then..." Luffy grinned. "We'll duke it out once more! What do you say?!"
Gucha.
I think I should make something clear: Sanji's face cannot be seen whenever he is on camera. At least for now. Why? Because of his wanted poster. I think Oda has kept his face hidden for a good reason...or he could just be trolling us. Whatever the case, I feel like I should stick with whatever Oda has planned.
Poor Laboon...I had a hard time writing about his pain. This is the one chapter I had to go back into the manga to write about. Because I skipped over certain parts of this mini arc during my first read through One Piece, so yeah.
Please review~!