AN : Well, I hoped to finish this one, but... This is it for me probably! I'll post what I wrote, and then the plotline if I'm positive that I will.. Go out of this world!
Disclaimer : I couldn't even afford a check-up!
The whale and the two idiots
Reverse Mountain
Three eye blinks from all the present straw hats were all the sound there is before..
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!" All of the Straw hats said in a perfect synchronization, making the titanic sized whale boom, roaring louder than an explosion f any lightning, deafening booming rumbling thunderous burst of laugher, that made everyone on the ship plug their ears, then, what could only be described as a grin, Laboon belowed again.
"HUH? YOU WILL BE OF USE? OF COURSE YOU ARE, IT'S JUST THAT YOU'RE TOO BIG TO COME!" Luffy replied. Laboon made a sad noise, even if much, thankfully, volume than usually. "OH COME ON! IF YOU JOIN MY CREW, THEN I MUST PROTECT YOU FROM THE SEA KINGS, AND I CAN'T SWIM!"
And Laboon bellowed again, much to the dismay of the crew, only for Gin and Zoro to give them some ear plugs, leaving only Luffy.
"I have no idea how he can understand the whale!" Jinbe said as he shook his head.
"He can hear the voice of all things!" Zoro and Yamato replied in unison, Zoro gave her a shocked look, "How do you kno.. Oh right! I remember.." Zoro snorted. Of course Yamato of all people would know.
"I KNOW THAT YOU'RE STRONG! IT'S JUST THAT... SEA KINGS DOES REQUIRE HAKI AT THE VERY LEAST!" Another bellow, "YEAH WELL, I AM A BAD TEACHER!" Luffy admitted, "BUT WE BETTER TRY!" He said as his eyes widened, "LABOON? MOVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!" Luffy said as he jumped on the thrashing whale. "Wait for me! Anchor the ship, I'll catch two schmucks!" Luffy said as Zoro palmed his face. Of course...
"The Oars!" Zoro said and soon, he, Yamato, Jinbe, Sanji, Gin, and Yusaku had to row the ship to safety. And then, after anchoring Merry, Zoro looked at Ussop.
"Ussop, can you be kind enough to repair the ship as best as you can?" Zoro said grimly.
"I am neither a carpenter nor a shipwreight!" Ussop started to object and Jinbe sighed in defeat.
"Fine Ussop-kun, I'll help you kid!" Jinbe replied as Ussop gave him a dirty look, Gin was looking amused by that.
"Zoro, what are you thinking? We should have never let our captain.." Nami started to object as Zoro sighed.
"He's fine! Luffy is terrifyingly strong, and unless we fight an admiral right now? Nothing can be dangerous here, can it?" Zoro asked Nami who nodded.
Meanwhile, at the end of Paradise, two old men and an old woman sneezed, as well as three middle aged men.
"You forgot the three admiral, and two powerful elderly Vice Admirals, and the Fleet Admiral Himself?" Jinbe asked Zoro who palmed his face.
"What are we supposed to do? I must get stronger than them, and soonish!" Zoro panicked as Jinbe reminded him.
"Isn't Garp stronger than them?" Yamato asked and Zoro sighed in relief. "Well, if Luffy can beat his Grandpa..?" She asked and Zoro snorted.
"Yeah right, and I'm the king of hell!" Zoro replied only to meet the other two's eyes of being totally deadpanning, "What?"
"You are!" Jinbe said calmly while Yamato a bit louder and Zoro sighed. He still remembers Oniga..
"Oi! I don't have either Enma nor Shusui!" He reminded them only to meet two shrugs.
"You have two swords to upgrade, and one of them can rival Mihawk's, remember?" Yamato reminded as Jinbe nodded.
"Thanks, Nee-chan." Zoro smirked as she blushed.
"Oi! I am not Luffy's girlfriend!" Yamato barked at him before she added mentally, 'Yet!'
"Oh? So you admitted that you like him?" He smirked as she gaped at him, and Nami felt a bit.. Dissapointed.
"Sh-sh-shut up! Come here so I can..!" Yamato yelled as she chased Zoro around, and the swordsman was grinning like a total idiot, and her smiling face was the only indication of no animosity.
"Sanji, don't even think about it!" Jinbe warned. The chef slumped down in dissapointment. "But I think that this is the perfect opportunity to tell you about.."
Inside Laboon's stomach
Incapacitating Vivi and Mr. Nine was easy for Luffy. All he had to do was to bash their skulls together, crush the Bazookas after unloadind its shell, and go to Hana-Jiji... And so, Luffy dragged the two knocked out cold schmuck, which is a huge indication coming from him, all the way to the end of the corridor, where he got inside the stomach of Laboon. He saw an elderly man who was relaxing on a longchair...in a beach? Luffy pinched himself with Haki to make sure that.. Yes! He wasn't dreaming.
"Oi! Ossan? I think that you should take a look!" Luffy yelled at the old man who glared at him.
Luffy Glared back.
The old man continued to glare.
Luffy's glare intensified.
"Who are you?" The old man asked and Luffy grinned.
"Luffy. You?" The young pirate asked and the old man glared.
Luffy glared back with twice the intensity.
The old man glared back.
Luffy glared with sharper look.
"I'm Crocus!" The old man replied and Luffy smirked.
"What do you want to do with these two?" Luffy asked and the old man glared, like an old warrior..
"Oi! Cut that out, Hana-Jiji!" Luffy yelled at the old man who shrugged.
"The author wants this to happen! Anyways, about these two? I think that I have a lot of plans to do..." Crocus started as he took a deep breath, 'This kid's eyes are not normal.. He reminds me of Roger and Rayleigh!' Crocus added mentally, "These two idiots were trying to kill Laboon!"
"I cannot let That happen to my newest crew member, can I?" Luffy asked as Crocus hands released the newspaper he was holding.
"Huh? Laboon accepted to join you?" Crocus asked, "What did you offer him?"
"I offered him a chance to find his friends, which I think I know one of them?" Luffy replied and Crocus laughed his ass off.
"Hahahaha! Kid, are you a time swimmer?" Crocus asked and Luffy's eyes widened as he sweated, and looked at the two, "Worry not! I know about that phenomena." Crocus replied as Luffy sighed in relief.
"Look, do not tell this to any soul, please?" Luffy asked Crocus grimly and the old doctor's eyes warmed up.
"How can I?" Crocus asked as he steered the ship to Luffy's location on the gate that's marked, 'Exit' above it. "Hop here kid, I'll give you a ride outside." Crocus said as he felt that Laboon was surfacing this time. Luffy blinked twice as he saw that the entire place was painted with a skyline...
"Laboon is a cybrog?" Luffy asked Crocus before he palmed his mouth. The elderly man smiled however kindly as he nodded and made a, 'Fifty-fifty' hand motion by opening his palm, spreading his fingers apart and twisting it twice to the left, to the right, then again the same motion.
"Well, fifty fifty.. You can say that he's a Cyborg, and that I made some modifications on him so I can administer the sedative shots.." Crocus said as Luffy felt that Vivi and Mr. Nine started to stir, only to use a burst of his Haki, focused at the two of them.. Vivi however was unaffected.
"Oh? Do we have a strong willed person?" Luffy asked as he licked his lip, making the still Groggy secret princess tremble with fear, "Don't worry, oh fair maiden, I Will take care of you!" Luffy said, his grin was anything but friendly..
Meanwhile
Yamato stopped chasing Zoro before she gripped her Kanabo, making the swordsman stop at his track and give her a questioning look.
"Why do I feel the urge to kill someone and bash Luffy into submission?" Yamato asked Zoro who snorted before he laughed his ass off.
"Jealousy sense?" Zoro teased and she glared at him, making him flinch. She was dead serious, "My bad! Oni-Hime!" Zoro replied and she glared at him, "I mean Oni-Ohi!" She smirked at him, her teeth became fangs which meant...
"LUFFY! YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD DAMNED REASON!" Yamato yelled as she used a strong burst of her Haki as she swung her Kanabo at speeds that produces a bloody hurricane before she took aim at the Red Line and shot, with her Haki...
"HOLY! Yamato, what the fuck are you thinking?" Zoro asked as he saw how she made a good dent in the mountainous continent, "It is NOT time yet!"
"Oups?" She said sheepishly as Nami, Nojiko, Ussop, Gin, Sanji, Johnny and Yusaku stared at her in utter shock.
"Remind me to never ever make her angry!" Nami whispered at her sister, cold sweat pouring profousely.
"Angry? Screw angry! If she's as much as upset, we're all doomed!" Ussop yelled, whith Gin and Sanji nodding in unison.
"We agree!" The chef and the ship's guard nodded in unison.
"Sanji?" Gin asked the Chef who lit his cigarette, but hummed at him, telling him to speak, "Why did you give me a second plate?"
"Because the first was paid by Luffy!" Sanji replied truthfully, "Starving at the sea.. No one should experience that." Sanji said grimly as Zoro sighed.
"I don't see eye to eye with you, but this... I totally agree with you!" Zoro said as he remembered how he and his two friends almost died when they packed a little less than they should have.
"I never thought that you of all people have a heart." Sanji teased only for Zoro to glare at him.
"Don't push it pal!" Zoro warned as he then smirked, "Ever tried to meditate?"
"Huh?" All the non-Haki users asked in confusion.
"Jinbe, can you help me out here?" Zoro asked his fellow time traveler who nodded. Jinbe at least trained his Haki the right way. He was forced to learn in order to be allowed to drink... In less than ten days! But to him? Those ten days where he was without a single drop of booze were like ten lifetimes!
"I think that I can help out with this. So it goes like this : You close your eyes, and you sit down, and you try to focus on your own power within. Within each and everyone there's a power that lays dormant.." Jinbe started only for Johnny to rise his hand.
"What kind of power.." Johnny started.
"..Are we talking about?" Yusaku ended the question.
"The power to defy your own fate! To see what shouldn't be seen, to touch what couldn't be touched, to overwhelm the very odds. That power is called Haki!" Zoro replied, "Luffy calls it, the mystery power that's the worst nightmare for any Devil Fruit user.. But he's the one the more advanced in it."
"And how are we supposed to know that?" Sanji asked and Zoro snorted.
"There's three types of Haki. The first allows you to see what can't be seen, the second allows you to hurt what can't be hurt. The third? It's rare, as one in a million rare, so far? Only I, Luffy and Yamato do have it!" Zoro explained and Yamato palmed her face.
"Look, the first is called Kenbunshoku no Haki, the second is the Busoshoku no Haki, and the third is the Haoshoku no Haki!" Yamato explained and Nami's eyes widened as Nojiko listed.
"Observation, armament and conquering King's?" Nojiko asked and Yamato grinned. It seems that the two sisters are smarter than they should be...
"Okay, for the first, it can be awakened on two ways : Extreme focus or the need to avoid hits. The second is a heat of the moment thing, and the last is... Depanding if you have it or not!" Yamato explained. "I know a few people who had it!"
"Luffy, Ace, Zoro, Yamato, Whitebeard, Shanks, the other two Yonko, and a few of the rookies, and some Shichibukais, royals, and those who are high up the ladder..." Jinbe replied as their eyes widened, "Those who have the desposition of a King or Queen, or are chosen by the heaven have it.." The fishman continued to explain. Yamato stroke her chin as Zoro shrugged.
"Why do we have it again?" Zoro asked Yamato who chuckled at his words.
"Maybe because I'm the Oni-Hime? And you're the Ma-Oh?" Yamato replied sarcastically and Zoro nodded in acceptance.
"The Ogre Princess and the Demon King, huh? Seems like I just don't care too much for these titles.." Zoro replied before his eyes widened. "Usually the First Mates of extremely strong Pirate crews have it so..."
"Yeah. Luffy is a very strong leader, so it was bound to happen." Yamato added as the others gave them some odd looks. "What?"
"You say it like Zoro and Luffy knew each other for years!" Ussop told her as she sighed.
"They did!" Yamato replied.
"Well, you see... Zoro-Aniki and Luffy-Aniki..." Yusaku started.
".. Spent two years and a few months training together!" Johnny finished and Zoro smirked at them.
"Do you two have a dream?" The swordsman asked and they nodded.
"To be the strongest tag team of swordsmen!" The duo replied in unison and Zoro nodded. They already said that on their entrance ceremony. Gin's was to see then end of the grand Line, Nojiko's was to see Nami's map of the world...
"Well, it seems like we do have a long journey!" Zoro said as he turned to Nami, "There, you got two mooks hired! Happy now?"
"Much, and I'm still pissed off at you and Luffy for evading your debt!" Nami replied as she felt conned, deceived, ripped off, and even lied to.
"You said that you will pick my bill and that Luffy can't spend more than twenty thousands!" Zoro reminded her before he grinned, "What am I supposed to do when I got both of these for free? And what can i do when Luffy learned how to bargain?" And Nami unleashed a torrent of curses, earning a smug grin from Zoro, "You're welcome! We did learn how to manage our.. Meager resources!"
"You.. You.. You..." Nami didn't find a word vile enough to insult or curse Zoro with, making him smirked even further, with Yamato chuckling at her.
"Well, worry not, Yamato-Ohi to the rescue!" Yamato said too enthusiastically, making Jinbe explode with laugher.
"You think that Luffy is stuck inside the whale or something?" Ussop asked Gin who shook his head.
"The captain is strong. Like overwhelmingly strong! I doubt that." Gin replied as Sanji shrugged.
"Nah, he's definitely fine. Call it guts feeling." Sanji replied as Zoro smirked when he heard that.
"I'm really glad to see that, but for now? Training time!" Zoro barked as he gave Jinbe and Yamato a good look, "You two know better than me how to do that."
"Instructing? Please, I always wished to be an instructor or a sensei." Jinbe revealed as Yamato smiled warmly.
"I think that them getting stronger is my responsibility. Go and execute your own duty, Zoro!" Yamato told the first mate who gave her a thumbs up and gripped Wado as he decided to train in one particular area he always wished to reach.
'I almost made you into a Kokuto. Wado, I will never allow you to be hurt, never again!' Zoro thought grimly as he gripped his sword tighter than ever... He focused more and more, and started infusing both Bosushoku and Haoshoku into it. For five minutes after he stopped, the sword had became a black blade. The swordsman smirked. "That's a start! Kuina, our dream will be fullfilled, but forgive me, it won't end up.. I don't know how to say this, but I will make sure we do it this time!"
He was glad that none of his friends had heard him whispering to his sword, even if Jinbe and Yamato winked at him.. Then he remembered something crucial.. Merry. Zoro glanced at the ship with what could be said as sorrow, but he remembered that it almost sunk with them on it. The swordsman gave it an appologetic look before he sighed. "Merry, I apologize if you..." He stopped. He didn't need any more words. None of them did to know but Jinbe, Yamato and Luffy, and that's all that mattered for now...
Speaking of Luffy...
Laboon surfaced, splitting the sea in two litteraly as the titanic sized whale bellowed as Luffy and Crocus got outside, with the knocked out Mr. Nine and Vivi who was trembling in fear. As soon as she saw Zoro, she swam to him. And she clinged at him.
"Kenchi-san, please, keep that fiend away from me!" She cried in terror as Luffy grinned before he appeared right behind her. Zoro smirked as she gave him two orbs that showed despair, "Please don't tell me that he's behind me now?" She asked as the hair on her neck stood out.
"Yep. Right. Behind. You!" He replied and as soon as she turned and saw Luffy, she jumped away in fright..
"KYAAAAA! Someone help me!" She squealed slash screamed at the top of her lungs only for a pair of feminine arms to wrap around her. And she felt an immense frame hug her from behind.
"What did he do this time?" The horned woman asked the blue haired one. Her tone was too sweet compared to her hold, which was iron like.
"He's.. He's scary! There's no other words that come to my mind!" Vivi, still under the persona of Miss Wednesday, replied as Luffy gave her a raised eyebrow.
"What did I say? I just called you, 'Fair maiden'.. Was it wrong?" He asked only for Yamato to squeeze her, knocking the girl out, "And you knocked Vivi out!" Luffy commented only for Yamato to reply by a soft voice, a sweet smile, and her eyes were anything but friendly.
"Oh Luffy~why don't you come over here~?" Yamato chirped at Luffy, who's Haki screamed at him of the danger.
"Nope! I'd rather swim!" Luffy said as she chased him, and true to his words, took a dive, prompting Jinbe to save him from drowning.
Yamato stared as Zoro gave her a blank look, "What?" She asked with a bit of an edge to her voice."
"Poor Luffy!" He commented sadly. She snorted.
"More like poor me! I give him my back and he starts flirting with her..." She commented angrily, "I mean, what am I to him? Chopped Sashimi?" She asked while grumbling, making the swordsman chuckled at the Oni-Hime.
"Heh, I dunno..." Zoro replied as he looked at Jinbe who was scolding Luffy. "I guess that he's afraid of you!" Zoro said and Yamato smirked as she saw the group's training despite being left alone, with Sanji kicking as hard as he can.
"Say, you think that the idiot would have trained them well?" She asked and Zoro's eyes widened.
"Please, please, do not remind me of our time in his home island!" Zoro shuddered. Garp was.. Effective in his training, but also too brutal. "I mean, his own Grandpa once told me that he's becoming worried about his health! Garp worried about Luffy!"
"I know.. He told me everything.." Yamato said before she slapped her hands on her mouth. Zoro gave her a look before he shrugged. It wasn't his own story to tell...
"You seem to have.. Some feelings towards him." Zoro stated as Yamato blushed and he smirked, "Well, Ero-cook will eventually find a woman that'll accept him, with all of his qualities and flaws. But.. What if we fail? And why did you decide to come back?"
"Let's just say that Luffy have.. Liberated me." Yamato admitted, "To be stuck, and then someone helps you by freeing you, and even.." She stopped as she remembered what Luffy had told her...
"I don't care if you're Oden or not, if you're Kaido's daughter or not, we're all the children of the sea, and you're Yamato! Our log keeper, Nakama, and the one who saved our asses way too many times!" Luffy told his last Nakama to join.
"Why did you accept me in your ship after you refused at first?" Yamato asked indignant at Luffy's indecision.
"You wanted to get in my ship as Oden. I wanted you to get aboard as Yamato!" Luffy replied and she was almost unable to reply, "So? Are you in or not?" Luffy's question made her smile as she nodded.
"Thank you, Captain!" She said while grinning, from ear to ear.
"We're Nakama! You joining us is more than enough!" Luffy grinned at her, from ear to ear.
"Oh? So you do have a crush on him?" Zoro teased as she put her hand on her Kanabo. "Better act before the other three or the crazy one would!" Zoro warned her as he went to Jinbe's and Luffy's location, leaving Yamato to think on her own..
Zoro was thinking meanwhile. Should he instill some terror on Baroque Works, or should he just unleash a burst of Haoshoku? That was a very important question! Then, he saw Yamato rushing in breakneck speed, Vivi under her arm, to Luffy before she stopped there. Zoro sighed, and after glancing at his captain, he decided that he was good enough. Now, what to do?
"Laboon would probably need to go back all the way here after meeting Brook... If he stays out of trouble that's it!" Zoro said seldomnly, "Problem is.. How? How do we make sure...?" He asked himself before he drew a few plans, before he sighed, 'Where is Robin when we do need her?' Zoro thought sadly. Oh right, she's working with Crocodile, and there's that...
Luffy meanwhile decided to talk to Crocus, as he felt Zoro's turmoil, 'Zoro, I'll talk him out of this. As much as I want to, I think that Laboon's place is either here, either with a Pod of his own!' Zoro nodded at his captain who smiled at Crocus before he made his decision.
"I really, absolutely, utterly so want Laboon to join us, after all, there's no one better than him as our friend and underwater explorer, or battleship sinker, but.. You see, our journey will not be over for two more years something at the very least, and I'm always afraid about his well being.." Luffy said sadly as Laboon bellowed at him with anger, but Luffy didn't budge. "No Laboon! I cannot risk your life! You're our friend, and it's the very least I can do!" Laboon belliwed at him sadly and Luffy sighed, "Say, how about we let you meet him, under one condition? Once you two meet eachother, you dive down to Fishman Island, and wait for a pod of your own?" Laboon bellowed lividly upon hearing this, "Oi! It's for your own good! Besides, I don't wanna hold you down! I know how you feel... You know at your heart that at least one of them is alive, and I feel the very same! I'd say they must be stuck in Paradise, but there's a lot of sea kings!" Luffy smirked at the reply of the titanic whale, "It's a deal then! If we find your lost friend, whome, if they had escaped, at least one or two of them would have returned, and I do agree. I'll teach you the ultimate equalizer that's called Haki, and then you'll be the world's strongest whale!" Luffy said as Laboon practically smiled from eye to eye.
"Kid, how did you understand him?" Crocus was in utter shock as Luffy smirked at him.
"Voice of all things! Besides, what we told each other, Hana-Ossan." Luffy smirked as Crocus just.. Laughed his ass out.
"Kid, if I didn't knew, I'd say you're a lot like Gol D. Roger of all people!" Crocus words caught everyone but three by surprise, "Anyways, I'm pretty sure you guys know about the Log Pose and Eternal Pose, don't you?" Luffy nodded as he pointed at a now grinning Yamato, "Heh, never thought I'd find someone who's this prepared."
"Let's just say that being the king while losing your greatest treasure is not a good thing.." Luffy replied cryptically, "But now I can have it back!"
"What do you plan to do once you conquer this titanic ocean?" Crocus asked Luffy who smiled at him.
"Don't want to conquer nor rule anything. Being the Pirate King is being the one with the most freedom on the entire world." Luffy replied, "I always wanted to be the pirate king, and then I'll be..." Luffy told Crocus who had tears in his eyes, just like Yamato.
"These words..." Crocus said as he added mentally, 'They're the same as Roger..' He added mentally while Yamato remembered, what seems like a lifetime ago, her encounter withh Ace where he told her the exact same words that leaft Luffy's mouth.
"Any of you who dares to laugh at him, I will personally smash your skull!" Yamato said angrily, her Haki waving, however, only Zoro smiled enthusiastically.
"It seems like I was NEVER mistaken to follow that rubber brained..." Zoro said as he was grinning, "Never thought that he's this deep... Anyone who'll laugh at him, now is the only moment you have to get the hell out of this crew!"
"Why? Because these are the words of a child?" Sanji asked Zoro before he shrugged, "We know that he's both a childish person, and also a terrifying force of nature. All of us have a crazy dream at the very least for now."
"Sanji, I never thought that you of all people would snatch the words from my mouth.." Zoro replied seldomnly, "Well, let's get ready, our training would not be easy, and our journey will be hard, and we are not some kids playing pirates! If you're not ready to forsake your life, leave! Just leave here, get a Log Pose or something, and sail away!"
"Bring it on!" Surprisingly, it was Ussop who spoke first, "If we must train to death's door if we have to in order to live? Then we're all ready!" Zoro smirked at the conviction that Ussop had.
"This is no longer a game. We may lose even our beloved ship!" Jinbe warned again, and Ussop felt like he was stabbed in his heart. Losing Merry? That was...
"No! Lies! Lies! I don't wanna believe it!" Ussop replied as Yamato gave him a sad look.
"Merry-chan is made to sail in East Blue. The sea will get much rougher, and this is called paradise because a ship that's not designed to withstand any crazy storm, will be destroyed." Yamato said and Jinbe sighed.
"I'm sure she's talking about a literal mountain of water!" Jinbe said grimly and she nodded.
After their long conversation, Luffy decided to let Laboon join, begrudginly and barely, even as a temporary member, he would always be a Straw Hat at heart. And even if he asked Crocus to join a second time, the old man passed the offer, saying that someone have to stay in the twin cap. Luffy told him that Laboon will come back for him, as he's been his only friend for fifty years, thus, the whale considers him his family. Crocus promised to live until then, or go to find an old friend of his eventually. Luffy smirked as he realised who's said friend was. "Rayleigh-Sensei!" In Luffy's mind.
Now however, he needed to contact Ace, to let him know that he finally reached the Grand Line, that he'll be on Paradise for a while. And while the Den Den Mushi Yamato picked was strong enough, he doubted that Ace would pick up immediately.
"Hello yoi?" Luffy heard the voice of..
"Pineapple-san!" Luffy said only for Marco to get a tickmark, and the urge to throttle Ace.
"Who's this yoi?" Marco asked a bit irritated.
"Oh, I'm Luffy, the man who'll be the future Pirate King! Nice to meet you!" Luffy replied as Marco sighed.
"Are you Ace's brother?" Marco asked from the New world and Luffy grinned.
"Isn't this his number?" Luffy asked and marco sighed.
"Yes it is, but... Let's just say that Ace left a week or so ago!" Marco said sadly. Luffy felt his heart clench.
"Oi, why did he leave?" Luffy asked as his features became grim, and Marco smiled warmly.
"Let's just say that.. He wanted to personally thank you for warning him. He said that he'll wait for you on Drum Island then ten days at least in Alabasta yoi." Marco said and Luffy grinned, from ear to ear.
"About damn time. How's Kyojin-ossan?" Luffy asked and Marco sighed.
"Oyaji is fine, and what's this about Jinbe joining you?" Marco asked Luffy who grinned mischiviously.
"Heh, can't be the king without having the very best. Also, does Shirohige-ossan wants to be the Pirate King?" Luffy asked marco seriously.
"No, he wants to make Ace the pirate King!" Marco replied as Luffy smirked evilly.
"Then, he's the only Yonko I will NOT fight against, but if I win against Ace?" Luffy asked and then he heard the booming laugher of Whitebeard.
"Gurarararara! So you're Shanks bet? Say, how about you become my son?" Whitebeard asked Luffy who smirked at him.
"I don't know? I mean, I can't have any captain." Luffy replied as Whitebeard smiled like a child. "But as an ally? i will tell Ace one day! However, keep in mind, I'm the one who'll be the Pirate King!"
"Gurarararara! You're just like Ace and Jinbe described. Cheeky, fearless, reckless.. Exactly like Ace said.." Whitebeard added, "When you come to the New World, make sure to call again!" And Luffy grinned at him.
"Shishishi, Okay!" Luffy said as both hanged similtanously, "What an interesting old man.." Luffy said as Zoro yalled at him.
"You were planning on throwing your own ambition away?" Zoro asked dangerously and Luffy shook his head.
"Zoro, if I throw it away, then kill me!" Luffy said seriously and Zoro grimaced at the words. Yeah right.. That's exactly what he needed...
"Nah! Also, what's the plan this time, captain?" Zoro asked Luffy after he replied to him.
"Get our crewmates, then... Either return here with Laboon, either he leaves us and waits for us around here?" Luffy said as he nodded to himself. Pretty simple plan.
"Let me get this straight, you want to go all the way to the New World, then sail back to Paradise, all the way, then get another route, and then again to the New World, and then to Paradise, over and over and over again?" Zoro asked Luffy who smirked at him.
"And twice as much!" Luffy replied making Zoro looking at him utterly dumbfounded. "What? Nami wants to draw a map of the world, no?"
"You don't even know how long the Log needs to establish itself!" Zoro barked at Luffy who shrugged. "Then again.. The sooner she finishes her dream, the better!"
"Yeah.." Luffy said seldomnly. Zoro caught the guilt trapped in his captain's eyes.
"Stop sulking around!" Zoro barked at Luffy who shrugged. "What's done, is done!" Zoro said as Luffy thought.
"Say Zoro, do you think that Sanji still remembers the known Logias?" Luffy asked Zoro who gave him.. A shrug.
"If you want to know such a thing, then ask him yourself." Zoro said as he chugged a bottle of sake, "I have no idea what are you thinking, and I don't want to know!"
"You think that Nami would be able to protect herself with a Logia?" Luffy asked Zoro who snorted.
"Knowing her? She'd want Enel's power, at the very least!" Zoro replied and Luffy smirked evilly, "Oh no! Hell no!"
"What did I say?" Luffy asked and Zoro snorted.
"You will ALWAYS keep a fruit on you? Like, you're ready to murder?" It was a statement, not a question. Luffy however shrugged.
"No. It depands entirely on them. If they have a good power, and accidentally die or do something really dumb? I will NOT hold back! I will protect them, even if I have to lose myself!" Luffy declared and Zoro was moved by his captain's words, "You would do the same, no?" Luffy asked Zoro who smirked.
"So, now their lives is more important than you becoming the Pirate King?" Zoro asked Luffy who grinned at him.
"Exactly. I was the pirate king, and I.. I felt empty. No sense of accomplishment, no joy, nothing! Just the sorrow and guilt! Their dreams shattered, and our dreams happened, but was it worth it?" Luffy asked Zoro who sighed dejectedly, "Pass me some sake!"
"Here!" Zoro said as he gave Luffy something strong enough to knock anyone out, "Nah, not worth the loss!" Zoro said grimly as Luffy nodded.
"Hey Luffy, you have a few seconds?" Yamato asked and Zoro went to Jinbe's location in order to help train their friends. By train, he meant beating ten tons of dirt out of each and every one of them.
"Yamato, do you, feel that we did a mistake in our refusal to accept our loss?" Luffy asked the Oni who shrugged.
"What are you talking about, Luffy? Our friends needed us. Do you suppose that being in the wrong time an excuse? It is not. Besides, when you become the King of Pirates this time; you won't have any regrets, no?" Luffy grinned at the now smiling Oni before he realized something, now that hope had returned... "Er, Luffy, do I have something on my face?" Yamato asked worried at Luffy's blank stare as he approached her, grabbed her horns and...
"Huh?" Yamato asked herself as she had nothing to think about it properly after.. What Luffy just did. Then, her mind came back, she glanced at him, fiercely as always before she bearhugged him and...
Luffy practically melted in Yamato's strong arms, he had never expected that it would happen just like that. What he did earlier, he felt his body move on its own, but kissing Yamato? He never thought himself capable of doing so. Now however, that he got his crew back, and he have a solid chance to save each and every one of them? He felt himself brave enough to do anything he wanted. And he now realized something after the Oni released him and grinned at him, from ear to ear, just like he did.
"You have the most beautiful smile I had ever seen!" Luffy said to the now smiling Yamato.
"Thanks? I guess that I took it from my captain?" Yamato replied as Luffy grinned at her before he turned to Crocus, a now shellshocked Nami and Nojiko, a crying Sanji, a dumbfounded Ussop, a stoic, if smiling encouragently Gin, a smirking Zoro, a stunned Johnny and Yusaku, and a grinning Jinbe.
"Let's not leave them like that!" Luffy said calmly, even if he felt something.. Alien to him.
"Yeah. They never seen any couple kissing?" Yamato asked herself only for Luffy to give her a questioning look and ask her the one thing that made everyone, even Laboon, sweatdrop.
"What's a couple?" And then, most of them safe Jinbe, Zoro, Gin and himself, fell to their right side. Really?
"Oi, Shitty-Captain, you know how to kiss a girl but you don't know what a couple is?" Sanji asked as he grabbed Luffy's collar. Luffy swatted his hand by slapping his arm.
"How am I supposed to know? Jii-chan never explained... Oh, I think that I need to call Shanks!" Luffy replied as he nodded to himself. Now what was Shank's number again?
"You need a help with your now girlfriend? OOOOOOHHHHHHH! This is a mission for your friend and brother Sanji!" Sanji yelled at the top of his lungs as he apointed to himself the mission to help his captain. Sure, Yamato was ho.. No, gorgeous, but he doubted he would live her being even the slightest upset..
"You're the best, Sanji!" Luffy grinned at his Chef who shrugged. It was the least.. "I will help you by teaching you the three powers that focus on your leg strength, seeing as you specialize in kicks!"
"It's.. Good to know? Just please, please, whenever you are hungry, wait for me to finish cooking, and do not leave.. On second thoughts, did you ever leave any food without eating it?" Sanji asked his captain in curiosity, and surprisingly, even Jinbe, even Yamato, even Zoro, were looking at him carefully.
"Yeah, once! In Ja.. In somewhere, they serve the most disgusting pies, that I would only eat IF my life LITTERALY depends on it!" Luffy replied as he stuck his tongue out, "Believe me, even the dishes taste better, even the worms, even the dirt!"
"HUUUUUH?" They asked in unison. Their jaws reached their thighs. What was wrong with...
"Wait for us! We're going to.." Luffy didn't move as Yamato used her Haoshoku to knock out Mr. Nine, and Zoro smirked at Vivi who was about to flee before he gripped Wado..
"Sanju Roku Pound Ho!" He said as he unleashed a wave of compressed air at their small dinghy, obliterating it, and Luffy smirked as he saw how each and every planl flew to a different direction.
"Only thirty six?" Luffy asked Zoro in dissapointment and Zoro shrugged.
"Had to hold back, lest I kill them accidentally!" Zoro replied and Luffy gave him a cold look, his eyes were sharper than any steel.
"If your or any of our friends lives depends on it, do NOT hold back! Same for you, Yama-Ohi, Jinbe!" Luffy said seriously, "We can't afford that!"
"Luffy, what's with.." Nami started only for Sanji to put a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Nami-san, let's..On Not get involved." Sanji said as Johnny and Yusaku nodded. Gin however gave his captain a thumbs up.
"Okay, let's get this show going on!" Gin said as Crocus smiled at them.
Before they could say anything, Mr. Nine and Miss Wednesday were at their side, Luffy saw a vulture and an otter and he smirked. That would be a good opportunity for Ussop later...
"Say, can you please give us a ride to Whiskey Peak?" Miss Wednesday said only for Yamato to nod. Luffy nodded. However, before that..
"Hana-Ossan, wait for us and for Laboon, will you?" Luffy said as Crocus sighed. "Laboon, it's up to you, but whenever we'll be training, be listening?" Luffy told the whale who grinned at him and bellowed much softer than usual, "Thanks! Now then, onward to Sake Mountain!"
"It's Whiskey.. Nevermind!" Gin finally said as he gave up..
On the high sea
Luffy sighed as he had another vision when he used his Kenbunshoku no Haki to see the future, and before than even Nami says a single word, he went to Zoro and shook him a bit to awake him from his nap. When there were no response, Luffy flickered him in his forehead... With Haki.
"What's wrong with.." Zoro started only for Luffy's dead serious glance to warn him.
"There's a storm arriving!" Luffy said calmly and then Nami screamed at the top of her lungs..
"THERE IS A STORM THAT WILL APPEAR!" Nami's yell made Luffy nod before he and Yamato furled the sails, Jinbe grabbed the steering stick, beign the helmsman, and the others, were ready to listen to everything their Navigator would say, and say she did. Soon enough she was barking orders after orders, while Luffy and Zoro were the only two who kept their heads apart from the other two Grand Line veterans, if Yamato was a bit.. On edge, seeing as she didn't have the experience of Jinbe.
And in the end? The entire crew was spent. Zoro approached their two guests as he took a good glance at them and he was smilling evilly. "Who are you two again?" He asked purposefully.
"I'm Mr. Nine!" He replied as he started to sweat under the presence of the swordsman.
"I'm Miss Wednesday." She replied if a tiny bit calmer.
"Strange, these code names seems familiar to me." Zoro couldn't help it. This was funny. "No real names?" He asked as if he really wanted to know, even if he knew the answer already.
"No, our organization is.." Mr. Nine replied only to be covered with cold sweat.
"Well, our organization is a bit hush-hush?" Miss Wednesday offered as Zoro's grin widened.
"An organization that uses codenames? Where did I hear about this?" Zoro asked as he was practically grinning like Luffy, or Yamato. Unlike them, it was a predatory smile.
"We don't think that you heard about it?" Mr. Nine replied as Miss Wednesday nodded.
"Are you sure of that?" Zoro asked as he tapped his chin, his smile never leaving his face. Luffy and Yamato glanced at his face, turned to each other, and smirked. They are not cruel enough to steal the fun from Zoro..
Without saying a single word, they opened their arms as the others were about to go to Zoro.
"Nami, listen!" Yamato whispered only loud enough for the Navigator to listen.
"Huh?" She asked and Yamato grinned. This.. Was too good for them to miss.
"I think that the organization was called... Bricks fork?" Zoro intentionally mispronounced, and noticed their flinch, "Well, if the name does come to my mind, I will tell you." He said as he left, making an Oni and a captain too dissapointed. "Maybe I don't know the name?" He said, and then he asked them, "So, do you know who's the boss?" And they shook their heads nervousely, "What does that makes you two?" He snarked as he went to the crew, only for Yamato to notice that Vivi, A.K.A. Miss Wednesday, flinching nervousely.
"That was lame!" Luffy frowned at Zoro, and gave him a thumbs down.
"Time is money. And they aren't even worth our time!" Zoro replied and Luffy smikred at him. "What?"
"Zoro, can you help me train a bit? I have a big knife to master?" Luffy's question made Zoro snort.
"You're a schmuck!" Zoro said only for Luffy to give him a serious look, "Fine! That makes us even bigger schmucks!"
"Thanks Zoro! I'll start my warm ups and then we'll talk. Do the same!" Luffy said as he went and then, he came back to the center of Merry, and started lifting weights. Only said weights were the two side canons of Merry. Zoro gave him a raised eyebrow before he shrugged and started his own workout. Yamato grumbled something about the lack of weights necessary for her to start even warming up...
"Yamato-neechan, how much weight are you talking about?" Nojiko asked the Oni who shrugged.
"Just twenty tons each arm." Yamato replied and Nami and Nojiko's eyes widened, "What? It's barely able to be a decent weight!"
"Fifty tons?" Gin asked as the blood drained from his face.
"That's an endurance work out, but to train properly? I would need to lift a hundred tons or more." Yamato replied as now everyone safe Jinbe, Luffy and Zoro were too stunned to reply.
"Is.. is this normal here?" Usopp was the first to recover, ironically.
"Nah, here they'll be barely lifting a ship or a galleon, but even so, Luffy isn't even warming up, he's just stretching. Look!" She said and they saw how Luffy was lifting the two canons, in a jackhammer pace, and wasn't even breaking a sweat, "I've seen him lift boulders that dwarves Merry, what would that be to him?"
"Is that's all?" Jinbe asked Yamato as Luffy smirked and put the two canons in their places.
"It's just like I thought... I'm still too weak!" Luffy said sadly, "They won't be of use even if I trained with them for days!"
"Huh?" Nami said smartly and Sanji was looking at him as if he sprouted a second head.
"Zoro, how much more weight do we need?" Luffy asked his first mate who sighed dejectedly.
"A lot more than merry can handle, I'm afraid!" Zoro's statement sealed the fate of Vivi.
'To think we were driving them into an ambush.. I will NOT fight them!' Vivi said mentally as Zoro and Luffy exchanged look and said something mentally before nodded.
"That will damage Merry!" Luffy announced and Usopp gave him a strange look. "Something about looking a little into the future!"
"Luffy, you can see the future?" Sanji asked his captain who nodded, "What kind of power would allow you to...?" He didn't finish when Luffy's head was at his ear.
"Kenbunshoku no Haki!" Luffy replied as he didn't want one of his stowaways to listen to his conversation, "Depanding on your affinity and training? You can reach that stage."
"That's neat. So, how exactly.." Sanji started only for Luffy to add.
"Meditate, have better sense of danger, dodge while blindfolded, every attack have an intention." Luffy replied and Sanji smirked at him.
"Whenever I am not cooking, can you help me out a bit?" Sanji asked Luffy who nodded as he was smilling.
"That's the spirit!" Luffy said with a huge grin, "Zoro, can you help Sanji out a bit?"
"Heh, better already?" Zoro asked Luffy who flinched, "I was talking about your preparation. Now then, let's start by.."
The two were madmen. Nami concluded. There's no other way to describe their sparring session, as Zoro and Luffy kept going at it for hours. Yamato really wanted to join, but she figured out that Luffy's and her strength would definitely leave them stranded in the sea. Zoro at least.. Have some subtility while training. So far she felt bad for not training like the two monsters known as Luffy and Zoro. She owed them, especially the first, that and more.
"Thanks for showing me the most basic of what I needed!" Luffy grinned at Zoro who smirked at him. Yamato was training by attacking with her Kanabo (Slowly and with as little force as possible!), Sanji was trying to kick the very air, Nojiko was meditating, then Nami was taking turns. Jinbe was the only one who was not training in his own, and so was Johnny and Yusaku, and Gin was spinning his Tonfas at breakneck speed.
"How far is Sake Summit?" Luffy asked Miss Wednesday, secretly known as Vivi.
"It's Whiskey Peak!" She yelled as her teeth became squaline-like, "And we're not very far now." She said as she put an air of dignity, Luffy however smiled as he saw her new royal like aura.
"You.. Are not a commoner, are you?" Luffy whispered only loudly enough for her to hear, "I think that there's a list of lost princesses and queens. So, who's the lucky guy you fled with to elope together?"
"EEEEEHHHHH?" She yelled at the top of her lungs, and Yamato, who's hearing was the sharpest, heard each and every word.
"Luffy~... I have something to tell you~!" The Onihime chirped at him and he was covered with cold sweat.
"Erh.. Let's keep it for later?" Luffy offered only for her to literally snatch him and walk away to the back of the Merry.. Soon enough, they heard some cry of pain, leaving one Zoro laughing his lungs out and Jinbe shaking his head, even if he was smilling.
"Looks like our captain have some girl's problems!" Zoro said as Sanji snorted.
"At least he's lucky enough to have a girlfrined!" Sanji said as his lighter didn't work until a while later.
"Well, to each their problems?" Gin offered a Usopp now remembered something very, very, very important...
"Er, excuse me, I have to go now.." Usopp said a bit too shyly as Nami grinned at him.
"Make sure to say 'Hi' to Kaya for me~!" The Navigator teased the sniper who was now red as a tomato.
AN : I really wished to finish this very story, and see the end of One Piece, but I don't think that I can! If not, I will post the plotline of this story! If I will live, I will post the next chapter by Friday night. Also, by Alabasta chapter, I will probably bump the rating to M.