The Chronicler

by C-Hablerie

Reality is law. Logic is king. Reason is good. Throw all these out the window and all you are left with is the reality you make for yourself. Some call me The Chronicler, and this is the story of the story I lived. And how I came to chronicle the Legend of the Straw Hat. "I have no idea where I am.[Officially Cancelled. Rewrite: 'Imagine Dreamers', in the making...]

11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Disappearing Acts, Murder Needles, And Whale Mountains

"Your stance is disgraceful."

"Shut it."

"Your footwork is atrocious."

"Fuck off."

"Your form is too stiff."

"I do not need, nor have asked for your shitty opinions!" I snarl, getting tired of the running commentary.

I was currently taking full advantage of the fact that I could use my right arm again, and was doing what I deemed to be a fitting use of my time. I was now a pirate, and that came with some caviats. Namely that my life would now be in a propable assload of problems. Conflicts, fights, naturally bad circumstance...

I needed to do all in my power if I wanted to live up to the goal I'd set for myself.

'Live a long, fulfilling life? I'll be lucky to just survive to next week!' I sneer at myself. I'm not dismissive, just a realist. I still didn't have a full scope of what I was capable of versus what this world could throw at me, so I did al I could.

I trained. My mind was simple, and frankly unnecessary. I could lean on my natural intellect and the advantage being an elder brought me... No, wait! That makes me sound old. Forget about it. Mental training, fuck it!

There was my chemical acumen and crafting. Usopp and I had already started to collaborate and combining our strengths in these field. I was the superior chemist while he had a defter hand at the crafting part. Separate either of us was capable of more or less the same quality of work, but together we made the perfect combination.

Usopp wasn't as intelligent as me, though I could perhaps pin that on his young age and relative inexperience. But he had ingenuity I could admit I lacked when it came to working with his hands. He could make the most absurd garbage work, and I finetuned it for added effect.

We'd already managed to find a way to replicate my basic bullets. We could only make a few at a time and the process was time consuming, but that was better than nothing. We'd make it more efficient as we figured this stuff out.

I'd finally dismantled one of my Doomsday Rounds. Very, very carefully. Luckily, I didn't die from mishandling explosive material and Usopp and I got a peek at the components.

That's when the brick wall hit. Neither of us had any clue what the four chemical compounds the round contained were. I couldn't identify them, trust me I tried, and testing to figure it out could be... less than pleasant. So we decided to shelve the project on those until we had more data.

The Inferno Round I dissected next was even more nerve wracking. One wrong move and I could light the myself and the ship on fire. But if there was one thing I knew, it was how to keep my head cool under pressure, so I managed it.

Turns out that while the Doomsday Round is above our current capabilities, the Inferno Round was well within my area. The bullet actually contained three tiny vials of specific chemicals that, when combined upon impact and ignited caused a massive chain reaction with the surrounding air.

Best news of my life was that I had what I needed to make these chemicals! So I had my chem & crafts in the works.

But when I'd chosen to train myself physically, I'd jumped at the opportunity to start learning the weapon I'd had Zoro buy me. It was a rapier-style blade of a fair length with a round, runic-pattern engraved hand-guard. It was as stylish and elegant as it was practical. A lightweight close combat weapon.

I was great at long range, but I held no illusions that I could maintain that forever. Someday someone would get close enough. And without a close combat alternative, I was right fucked. I could only rely on my long-rifle that much.

"Loosen your grip and don't drag your feet."

And then there was THIS asshole!

"Okay, you know what, Zoro?" I said, dropping all pretense of calm and civility. "Would you kindly quit your backseat training? It isn't as if, I don't know, this style is entirely different than that... thing you use!"

"Three Swords Style."

"I don't give a shit!" I snap. "Fencing isn't even fit for your sword type, so stop complaining about every little thing you see!"

"So?" Zoro says ad if I was missing the obvious. The nerve... "All swordsmanship stands on the same bedrock. If you want to be a great swordsman, you need to know the basics you make your own work upon."

"I don't aim to be a great swordsman, dip shit! I aim to be a passable one!" I defend my point with the ferocity of a wolf. "This is for when I'm in deep and my gun isn't an option. It's a backup."

He honest to god sneered at me. "If you intend to pick up the sword, I won't allow you to half-ass it!"

"Yeah, yeah. Swordsman pride or some garbage," I deadpan tonelessly, giving him a flat look before rubbing the bridge of my nose. "Damnit, I thought I got out of this shit after junior high... Look, if I want your assistance, believe you me, I will ask for it. Heck, I might do just that a bit later!" I raise the thin blade up and point it at the horizon. "I just need time to get used to the weight and the swords momentum before I start cementing a concrete style."

Zoro's eyes got less critical as he got what I was saying. "Oh, I see. You're being terrible on purpose to figure your blade out."

"Kinda harsh," I mumble, "but that's the gist of it. Of course I can do better, I know the basics of fencing just from what I've observed from ourside sources. Just won't be much good until I get comfortable with this thing." I give the large, shiny combat needle a once-over before placing it back to it's sheath that I'd incorporated into my combat harness.

"Done for today?"

"Yeah," I answer as I stretch my arms. "Kinda had a chance to figure things out during your stupid adventure."

"I really liked Apis," Luffy exclaimed, just hanging out. Actually, most of us were hanging out on the deck. Save for Arlong who was skulking somewhere.

"Yeah, she was nice," Usopp commented. "Really amazing that we got to see a real dragon!"

"Stupid. Adventure," I spat out my ire, ignoring the nonesense the boy spoke.

"You're just jealous you didn't get to be there," Nami quipped, reading a newspaper on a lounging chair.

"No, I chose to not be there because it was a STUPID. ADVENTURE!" I loudly enunciate. "We got enough trouble because you chose to fuck with the marines, again, and I had to guard the boat."

"Arlong did most of the work," commented Sanji.

"Technicalities!" I snapped. The cook ignored it and took a puff of his cigarette. I grumbled, "Bad enough that I had record it into the log, now I get reminded of this when I specificallly try to purge it from my memory."

Fully prepared to leave that be that, I start to leave, but quickly remember something. I turn on my heels and saunter over to Nami. "Speaking of the log, I have a bone to pick with you!"

"W-what?" Nami asks, flustered at the sudden address. I continue unfettered.

"To be frank, I find the lack of detail in your log entries highly unprofessional," I said my piece, not allowing her to cut me off when she tries. "Certainly, there is a pragmatism to just logging things by day and location, maybe add snippets of what happened, but that's just lackluster! Where's the story telling and detailed reports of the adventure?" I shake my head. "I am so glad I came along when I did. At least now I can re-log most of them by using yours as a reference point."

"Could you not insult my work?" Nami asks while giving me a deadpan look. "Or do you want to complain more?"

"Nami, dear, I have plenty to complain wtihout you," I jest in good-fun. "And I am not insulting your work. I am harshy critiquing your work."

"So basically insulting my work."

"Politely!"

She raises her arms(much in the same way when I had noped out of the STUPID ADVENTURE!) and backed off. "Okay, fine! You can re-log it if you want."

"Great, because I'm going to be doing interviews," I say, gesturing at everyone present. And by that, I mean Nami, Luffy, Usopp and Zoro "I'll need to hear about where you were and what you did before I met you. I will refuse to make a fool of myself by not being the best chronicler I can be!"

Luffy, in particular, seemed eager enoug to regal me with his adventures. I thought I was plenty prepared to file the information away and write it down.

-o~O-O~o-

I was not prepared enough and all Luffy left me was a headache as I tried in vain to follow his train of thought. I quickly made it a point to never let Luffy explain anything ever again.

Luckily I managed to gleam the basics from the other three. Much more easy to follow. I quickly implanted the information to memory to later be compiled into log entries.

I'm not sue if it was obvious, but I took my position as the chronicler very seriously. I wouldn't just record this trip, I would write a fucking coherent story even if it killed me!

... I might need a bigger log book. Or a couple.

Anyway, after that was done I thought it was about time I do something to give back. These kids had done plenty for me, so it was about time I do something to help out aside from writing things down. And I had just the way to start!

Which is why I was looking for Usopp. At first I thought I could find him at our shared work space we called "Research and Development". And I did, because I am always right. He was working on something or other, but that wasn't important.

"Yo," I greet him. He goes to do the same, but I grab him by the collar and start dragging. "Zip it! We have a thing to do!"

"H-huh?" He stammers, too stunned to struggle. "What do you mean?"

"Well, just came to me that you are primarily a long-range fighter," I said airily, dragging Usopp's ass to the open air of the deck. "So I thought I'd show you something that could help you, if you can learn it." I let Usopp go and sat down out of anyone's way, crossing my legs underneath my dress.

Oh, I forgot about this bit! I was also really enjoying my expanded wardrobe. Nami had really come through! Right now I was wearing a hoop dress colored deep blue- specifically the same shade as lapis lazuli -that reached the knees with a simple, stylish black vest worn over it. The vest had yellow buttons to make it seem more fancy than it was. On my feet I wore black thigh-high heeled boots over grey stocking. My usual wig was changed from black drills to blue twin-tails that reached around my hip.

I liked the experimental hair color options amongst the wigs, and it matched my dress. All in all, I looked super cute! The first time I'd shown my new look, no one recognized me at first and Sanji got a nosebleed and started fawning all over me. Then he seemed to catch on, since he went pale with horror and passed out for a minute.

Poor boy. I'll have to remember to abuse his condition for my own amusement for all it's worth.

"Sit down, my student," I implore the curly-haired sniper, who promptly sits on his knees before me, japanese style. The really uncomfortable kind. With his back straight and rigid. "Okay, a bit more relaxed, please! You will need that comfortable position."

He complied and shifted to be crosslegged and more at ease. Still anxious though. "...What's this about?"

"Perfect question!" I say with a grin, entering 'teacher-mode'. "You see, seeing as you are a ranged fighter, like yours truly, I figured there was something I could teach you to make your role easier." I held out my hand and pointedly held up a finger. "However, this technique is not something so simple to learn. It requires mental fortitude, control of your mental faculties and the ability to let go of the world around you."

"Uhh..." Usopp mumbles uncertainly. I don't think he is catching what I am pitching. Better elaborate.

"I myself utilize this technique," I go on to explain. "I call it Faint, and it is an advanced meditation technique that distances the user's presence from the physical realm, making them harder to see with the senses of others."

He ponders on that, which is good. I can't just spoon feed him information, or else he won't learn. He needs to understand. "Well... I mean, I think I get what you mean, but at the same time..."

"Yes, it is a pretty complicated thing to just explain. Let me demonstrate." I lowered my hands onto my lap comfortably. "Just sit there, and after two minutes have passed, call Nami over from the wheel. Then you'll see what I mean. Understand?"

At his nod I smiled, then let my face fall blank as I closed my eyes and began the process. I didn't actually need the two minutes, I could fall into a sufficient Faint in just five seconds, but this was something I didn't attempt that often.

I didn't just want to showcase this technique. I wanted to amaze.

So I visualized myself and the world, two separate existences stitched to be as one with a myriad of connections. I saw the connections, and I cut them all.

-o~O-O~o-

Usopp was confused. Abel had disrupted his work and dragged him off to teach him something that could help him. But he wasn't quite sure of what this demonstration was about.

Currently Abel was just sitting still with his eyes closed. Extraoridinarily still. Like, Usopp wasn't sure if he was even breathing, or if he had it under such control that the movements simply didn't show. Despite his confusion, Usopp followed Abel's instructions and waited.

It felt like forever until two minutes passed, or he so thought. Keeping time actively was hard without a clock. Still, when he thought the time was up, he did as he was told.

"Hey, Nami!" Usopp turned and hollered to the navigator on the wheel. "Can you come here for a second?"

"Sure!" The navigator called back and used used a nifty mechanism to lock the wheel to the set course before walking down the steps to the main deck. "What is it, Usopp?"

"Well, I dunno. Abel wanted you for something," Usopp answered honestly. Nami let out a short groan.

"Of course. Just what is he planning this time," she spoke in exasperation and looked around. "... So, where is he?"

"Huh?" Usopp tilted his head. "Nami, he's right he...re...?" Usopp's words stopped lamely as he turned back to gesture at Abel. Only, the spot he previously sat on was empty. "Whuh?"

"Usopp," Nami spoke testily. "Are you messing with me?"

"N-no, I swear he was here!" Usopp spoke hastily, scampering up from his sitting position. "I just looked away to call you, ten seconds, tops!"

"Really?" Nami asked dubiously. "Well all I saw was you sitting around by your lonesome." She looked to the side as a tick mark appeared on her forehead. "Although I will admit that this would be the type of thing Abel does."

"I'm not lying!" Usopp exclaimed, now feeling a bit indignant at all the doubt. "He was here! He was going to show me something and-"

"Whatever," Nami cut him off, just a bit harshly. "He's not here now. Forget about it. We've got a day or two before we reach the entrance to Grand Line, so do what you need to prepare."

With her piece said, she walked inside, mumbling something under her breath, leaving Usopp alone again. And how alone he felt. He was embarrassed at the whole event, and a bit hurt by Nami's disbelief.

But more than that he felt a bit betrayed at being abandoned like that by the man he kind of looked up to. It brought a bitter taste to his mouth that he didn't like at all.

Eyeing the spot Abel had inhabited with a deep frown, he shook his head and decided to go search for Abel later and give him a piece of his mind. But right now he wanted to finish up with some projects.

So he returned to the R&D to work.

-o~O-O~o-

The rest of the day went fairly normally, everyone busying themselves with their own things.

Zoro spent the time training and maintaining his swords, as he did. Nami reviewed their course, checked the map to Grand Line and kept an eye on the weather. Sanji spent most of his time organizing the pantry to his liking. Usopp spent his time in his and Abel's workspace tinkering with minor projects and crafting some ammunition. Luffy spent his time wandering around and pestering everyone at random intervals, and once dragging Usopp fishing.

The only one who didn't do much was Arlong, who spent most of his time in his own company. Despite his small attempt at communication at the escape from Logue Town, he still stayed out of everyone elses way. Hell, Nami had gotten more obvious in her efforts to steer away from wherever he was. The only one to properly have dealing with him was Zoro when he'd asked the Fishman for a sparring match.

Arlong won out, but just barely due to his strength advantage. Zoro lamented that he still wasn't fully used to his new blades, espescially the Kitetsu. Arlong himself found out that he'd let his skills grow rusty over the past eight years. But aside from that, Arlong didn't do much besides reluctantly joining the others in the cabin to eat dinner(from a distance, of course).

Maybe that was why he was the first to notice.

"... Hmm?" Arlong grunted in confusion, recognizing that something was nagging in the back of his mind. That something was missing. As he eyed the room absently in an attempt to find what was bothering him enough to keep him from properly eating the(and Arlong hated to admit it) absolutely delicious human-made food.

That was when two thing happened. Arlong realized what was missing and, for the first time, actively addressed the Straw Hat's crew.

"Where is the okama?"

Everyone turned to the Fishman in surprise, as they'd quickly accepted that Arlong wasn't what you'd call a people- sorry, human person. For him to start a conversation with anyone whose name wasn't Abel was kind of special.

Zoro was the first to react as the thought seemed to sink in. "Hey, you're right! Where is that dress-bastard?"

"What?" Sanji asked, mostly himself. "I would've noticed, cause I set meals for se... wait..." He looked around at each meal, the five present crewmembers and the tag-along Fishman. He searched for dish number seven, but... "... What the hell?!" Sanji exclaimed, standing up in shock. He'd never misremembered an order, and certainly wouldn't forget to place a meal, even if that person wasn't present at the time.

Usopp frowned. "Wait, so if he isn't here..."

"Huh? Abel isn't here?" Luffy asked, miraculously able to talk with his mouth full of meat. A practiced art, no doubt. "Hadn't noticed. Weird."

"Okay, everyone," Nami called attention with a clap of her hands, "who has seen Abel today and where was it?"

"At morning," Zoro said. "During training."

Sanji shrugged. "Haven't seen him since he came around to snatch a bread I was about to eat. Was around the early morning."

"Dunno," Luffy said.

Arlong just shook his head. He hadn't had any run-ins with Abel today.

"Around morning. He was... uhh..." Usopp looked uncertain. "That's funny... I can't... remember."

"Oh, yeah, I remember that," Nami spoke up. "I was there too. When he'd ditched you." Ignoring the indignant 'Oi!' from Usopp, nami frowned. "So, wait. No one has seen Abel since morning?"

Everyone shook their heads, even Luffy, which caused Nami to look a bit distressed. "Wait, that's not possible! Abel always hangs around at least one of you at almost all times."

"He is annoying like that," Zoro commented coolly, but his frown indicated he too was a bit concerned.

"Extremely," Arlong growled, mostly to himself.

A tense silence befell everybody present, and even Luffy cued into the mood and stopped eating. They all traded some concerned and mildly confused looks.

"This isn't normal," Nami noted. "Not at all."

"The cutie-*Hack*-I mean bastard wouldn't miss a meal even if it killed him," Sanji noted, hacking violently at the minor slip of the tongue.

"Sanji's right," Luffy stated, the serious edge to his voice making him the center of attention. "We should go look for Abel."

"That's... actually a good idea," Nami uttered in slight amazement at Luffy using his brain.

"No one could miss Sanji's cooking unless they needed help!" the Captain then exclaimed, dead serious.

"And like that the moment is gone," Nami sighed. "But he's right. Let's spread out and find him!"

"AYE!" Everyone yelled(sans Arlong) and, for the moment left their food where it was and spread out all around the ship.

That is, until Luffy sprinted back in and stuffed all his meat into his mouth, swallowing all of it in a single gulp and then waddled his somewhat inflated form back out.

Arlong checked the deep recesses of the lower deck. Usopp checked out the R&D room. Sanji looked around the cargo hold. Nami took it upon herself to check the women's quarters(naturally). Zoro checked all over the place, getting lost and just wandering around. Luffy did much the same, just running all over the ship, shouting the cross-dressers name. Heck, Luffy even checked the men's toilet.

But when the crew and Fishman met up again at the main deck, the looks everyone bore were fairly indicative.

"...Nothing?" Nami asked hesitantly. Her presumptions were proven correct when everyone shook their heads rather solemnly. "But... how can that be? He couldn't have just disappeared!"

"..." Zoro looked uncomfortable and nervous for some reason. "Maybe he fell offboard?"

"No, impossible!" Nami shot his suggestion down instantly. "I've been on deck almost constantly. I would have noticed."

"Not to mention, as annoying as he is, the bastard knows better," Sanji reluctantly admitted. "He isn't stupid enough to just fall off and not call for help loud enough for someone to hear."

"... Maybe it's a prank?" Nami wondered out loud, partly to hide how panicked she felt on the inside at all this uncertainty.

"No." It was, surprisingly, Arlong who said that. He'd crossed his arms and looked to be in thought. "Not his style."

"The fish-bastard is right, as much as I don't want to admit it," Sanji agreed. "The guy's modus operandi is more focused on verbal assaults than this kind of stuff."

"How'd you know that?" Zoro asked, giving Sanji an odd look while his eyes strayed all over the place for some reason.

"Just something I noticed, shitty-swordsman!" Sanji snapped at him. "And what's up with you? You look like a guy about to go on an ervous breakdown."

"... Dunno," Zoro admitted, looking around. "Something just feels... off, here." The kind of off he'd felt when he'd touched and felt Kitetsu, only... different. Instead of something it was like... a lack.

Nami seemed to be grasping at straws to figure out what was going on and turned to Usopp. "Okay, Usopp, if the timeline fits then you are the last one who claims to have seen Abel. Where was it?"

"What do you mean 'claims'?" Usopp challenged, but was deterred by Nami's glare. "Okay, fine! It was right in front of where I was sitting right over... uh, over... huh?"

Usopp looked all around the deck in open confusion. "That's weird... I can't remember."

"Damnit, Usopp," Nami muttered through gritted teeth.

"Sorry! I just... I don't-"

"Never mind!" Nami cut him off heatedly. "Fine, I'll try. This morning when I found you by yourself you were just over... over... what?!" She exclaimed and distress started showing on her face. "I can't... I don't remember? Why can't I remember?! This should be easy!" Her face contorted as she tried her hardest to recall that moment with Usopp, but just when she reached it it just...

"Nami-san?" Sanji asked, concerned when Nami started to shiver and holding her head with both hands.

"What is this?" She asked quietly. "Every time I try to recall... it just slips away. I should remember this easily! But I can't! I don't..."

"Yeah, I got that too," Usopp said, sounding off-put. "The memory just... I can't grasp it no matter how hard I try."

Zoro's brow furrowed. "Could this be why none of us noticed he was gone sooner?" He looked pointedly at Sanji. "Didn't you forget to make his dinner?"

"Well, yeah," Sanji grumbled at having to admit such a basic mistake. "I don't know, something just... "

"Hey, I'm confused," Luffy said, looking at everyone. "What's going on?"

"Some of us can't seem to recall that bastards presence," Sanji explained, thinking back to when he was setting the table. "When I set the dishes, I vaguely... remember thinking that six was the correct number. But I've never gotten the number of customers or their orders wrong, so that doesn't make sense."

"That, and I have had this feeling for a bit," Zoro adds, glancing about the deck. "Something feels strange here. On deck. Like there's... not exactly something, but a lack of something."

"I don't get it," Luffy said, scratching his head.

"Well neither do I," Zoro admitted. "And doesn't that just beat it all."

"Damnit!" Usopp exclaimed in frustration. "All I can recall is that Abel wanted to show me something... what was it? Something about separation?"

Arlong frowned, feeling particularly useless in the moment. What was more shocking was that he was actually invested in looking for that missing annoyance.

"AAAARGH!" Luffy roared out of nowhere, taking everyone out of their respective thoughts. He then started to aimlessly running around in a wide circle. "I don't understand what Is going on! That makes me mad!"

"Luffy, calm down!" Nami tried to call out to Luffy, who just kept running and flailing his arms to vent his frustration. But before the situation could escalate, Luffy suddenly tripped on nothing.

"Huh?" The straw hat wearing boy said aloud, looking at the seemingly empty spot that he'd tripped on. At first he looked confused, squinting at the space, but then a wide smile replaced his frown. "Hey! Hey, everyone!" He called out to the others. "I found Abel!"

Every single person that wasn't the captain just tilted their head at the odd proclamation.

"Uhh, Luffy," Nami said, trying to not sound too confused. "There's nothing there."

Luffy frowned. "What? Yes there is! It's Abel! Look, look!" He pointed at the empty spot.

Everyone traded glances, all except for Zoro, who focused on his outward senses and then actually took a step back in surprise. "What the-!"

"What? What is it, Zoro?" Usopp asked what everyone wondered.

"... So that's what that feeling was," they heard Zoro murmur. "Everyone, look at that spot. Only, don't just look at it. Look into it."

"That makes absolutely not sense!" Nami shouted at the swordsmans cryptic nonesense.

"... Wait..." Sanji narrows his eyes at the empty spot, and also recoils somewhat. "What the hell?!"

"... How?" Arlong speaks up, apparently seeing what everyone else is, but much more in command of himself.

"What?" Nami and Usopp ask in unison. They share an uncertain look with each other.

"Just look really hard. Don't let your eyes fool you," Zoro said assuredly. "The four of us can see him now."

Sanji walked over to the spot and snapped his fingers in front of empty air, three times. "Guy seems to be in some kind of trance. No reaction."

"I don't understand," Nami mumbled, her tone showing confusion and a little fear. "There's nothing there!"

Zoro shook his head and kept looking at the supposedly empty spot. Only to spot Luffy raising his fist. "Wait, Luffy, don't-!"

"Gum-Gum Tap!" Luffy cried out and lightly swinged his fist at the empty air and- actually hit something, as to Nami and Usopp the limp form of Abel just materialized out of nowhere. The hit seemed to carry some force, as it knocked the blue twin-tail wig right off Abel's head.

"WHAT?!" They both screamed in shock.

At the same time the newly present Abel took a massive, hasty breath, as if he had been suffocating. He continued to heave on the deck, clutching his chest and looking quite harried.

"AAAH! Abel! I didn't mean to hit you too hard! Don't die!" Luffy panicked, shaking the poor man in some misguided effort to help, and was quickly pulled away by the combined efforts of Zoro and Arlong.

"H-hey, you okay Abel-chan?" Sanji asked out of genuine concern, ignoring the slip-up.

"W..." Abel said between gasps for air, voice sounding hoarse and dry. "Wa...water..." Sanji nodded and walked off. He soon returned with a wooden pint and a large pitcher of water, which Abel grabbed and drank ferociously.

The pitcher. He ignored the pint entirely.

"... I am so confused," Nami whimpered, the nonesense displayed this evening being a bit too much for her quasi-normal sensibilities.

"Me too," Usopp affirmed that the navigator wasn't alone in that mindset. "What the heck was that?"

"I don't really know, but I have an idea," Zoro spoke up, arms crossed across his chest. "His presence was suppressed to the point that our eyes and minds couldn't easily awknowledge him."

"More like-" Abel cut in with a few coughs. "M-more like severing your connection to the physical reality, making your presence faint and unimportant to the human brain, so it ignores you exist."

"Makes sense." Zoro nodded.

"The hell it does!" Nami yelled out. She turned her anger towards the still somewhat disoriented Abel and her expression softened. "Abel, are you... what happened?"

"Ah, yeah. Figured you'd want to know," He akwnowledged her question. Then a loud rumbling broke whatever mood was present. "But first, I kind of have missed, like, all my meals today." He turned to the resident cook and changed his voice accordingly. "Sanji could you, be a dear and make me something to eat. I am quite famished."

"Of course, my Dark Angel~!" Sanji crooned and started pirouetting to the kitchen area.

"Thank you, honey~!" Abel chimed after the cook with a sweet smile, who seemed to realize what he was doing and tripped, smacking his face on the doorframe. Abel dropped the facâde, smirking. "That never stops being funny."

Nami shook her head with a slight smile. "You're terrible."

"Not my fault he's weak to my natural beauty," he defended himself before turning serious with the flip of a switch. "Let's head inside. You all want to know, so I might as well tell."

...

"Hey, where's my wig?"

-o~O-O~o-

I am such an asshole.

Everyone stares at me expectantly, and have been doing so for around 15 to 20 minutes. All while I I ate my meal as painstakingly slowly as I could, leaving the rest to wallow in their anxious anticipation.

All because the food was amazing and I felt like it.

"Aaaaagh, I can't take it anymore!" The breaking point comes- surprise, surprise .from Luffy, who is the patron saint of impatience. He's fidgeting around and holding his head as if it was going to fly off.

Then his stretfchy appendage zips into view and nicks my half-finished plate and dumping all on it into his pot-hole of a gullet. He looks satisfied with himself as I am left staring at the spot where my slice of food heaven had been just moments prior.

"Don't steal a lady's dinner, you shit-head!" Sanji exclaims in anger and kicks Luffy in the face. It does nothing but knock him over.

"Thanks, boy-toy~!" I wink at him, which makes him realize he'd slipped yet again. Sanjo promptly start smacking his head against a wall. Seems that I've created a severe complex within the confines of his soul. I cackle on the inside in amusment at my work.

Still, I clap my hands together in Japanese-style prayer. "Farewell, the dinner of my night. You will be missed until sunrise."

"Okay, that... thing, aside," Nami speaks up first amongst the group. "I think you've messed with us enough, so why don't you explain just what the hell happened out there?"

"Don't you mean 'kept you in anticipation'?" I inquire in a passive attempt to rectify her error.

"Messed with," she reiterates, ignoring my hint. Then she shoots me this worried look you'd find on people who like dogs and see a starving puppy on the side of a road. "Please, Abel..."

... Fucking...

I take in a deep breath through my nose. "Fine," I give in. Then I grumble loud enough for it to be heard, "Why is everyone always guilt tripping me into shit?" I then straightened my back and crossed my fingers, placing them on the table to look more poised. "So... Where should I start?"

"Abel, you disappeared for almost an entire day!" Nami exclaimed. "And none of us could find you, but then you just suddenly appear out of some air Luffy punched!"

"Wow," I say, slightly impressed. "Only a day? Lucky~!"

"Abel..." Nami's warning growl is awknowledge with a smirk. She narrows her eyes at that.

"By the way," I turn to thr rubber captain, "thanks for the wake-up call! It only somewhat hurt."

"No problem!" Luffy grins back proudly. "I thought hitting you was too hard, but slapping wasn't enough." He hit his hand softly into his palm. "So I tapped!"

"Thinking? Well, good for you," I say, Luffy completely missing the condecension. But he calls that a tap? The side of my face still feels numb from it! "Anyway, enough digressing."

I start thinking on the best way to explain this. Because I will have to, or Nami will do something horrible and absolute unforgivable. Like staining all my clothes with paint that clashes horribly. The horror! THE HORROR! Won't someone please think of the designers!

Drama aside- because no, that is not melodrama,-I set my thought in order and begin.

"Well, let's start at the begining. I was re-writing the log, as is my duty, when a thought occured that I should do something else to contribute than just scribbling stuff down. So as a way to do that, I figured I could teach Usopp here a technique of mine he might find useful, as it can be compatible with his style of fighting."

"So..." Usopp spoke up, sounding hopeful, for some reason. "That wasn't just a prank?"

"What?" I ask with a raised eyebrow. "No, 'course not!"

"Oh, okay" Usopp said, starting to smile a bit, which then turned into a confused frown. "So, wait. What were you trying to teach me?"

"Yeah... About that," I drawl on, just slightly embarrassed. "I kind of wanted to show off how cool and amazing I am, so I kind of... ocerclocked the technique I was going to teach you."

"Yoú mean that absurd disappearance trick?" Sanji asked.

"You were going to teach me that?!" Usopp yells in shock, leaning over the table.

"Hold your horses, Nosey!" I say neutrally, holding a stern expression. "What I did and what I was going to teach you are two massive leaps apart in both strength and complexity." I look to the side. "Not to mention less dangerous."

"D-d-dangerous?" Usopp stammers, thankfully sitting his ass back down.

"Okay," Nami says, looking very thoughtful. "Why don't you start at what the hell that... thing you did was."

"I must admit I'm interested as well," Zoro said. "That was some pretty intense meditation."

I nod. "Now, this is going to take some explaining-"

"Story time!" Luffy interrupted me, loudly, and shot his arms in the air.

"... Anyway," I continue, "I'm sure everyone here is familiar with what a wallflower is. But in case you don't, it's an expression used on someone or something that doesn't stand out much. They just sort of blend in whatever environment or crowd they are in. There is a thing known as the Wallflower Technique, where the user becomes as inconspicuous as possible to blend in with their surroundings to avoid attention

"What I do is a variation and an improvement of this technique that I created myself. I call it the Faint Technique. The basic idea behind the technique is to become less conspicuous to others, but I went and did one better," I hold my index finger up. "I made a technique that doesn't just make me less conspicuous, but hinders the perception of others."

"You made that skill?" Zoro asked rhetorically, wearing a grin that annoyed me for a myriad of reasons. "That very impressive. I guess you are good for something after all!"

"Fuck off, meathead," I brush him off neutrally. "Anyway, the basis behind this technique is pretty complex, so bear with me. You see, people perceive the reality before them through their senses, and a load of other minor connections. These connections are what anchor every living being to reality. It's a simple fact. The Faint was made to circumvent this rule."

I intercross my fingers and brace my elbows on the table, raising my hands to rest in front of my mouth. Like some sort of scheming bastard, or something. "You see, I theorized that by severing these connections to reality, one becomes less and less notable to those perceiving reality. So I meditated until I managed to sever some of these connections, and the more I sever, the more difficult it is to actually pay attention to me The less I am connected to reality, the less I exist to those in it- and would someone dunk Luffy's nogging in water!" I gesture at the captain, whose face is red from some intense internal effort and- and I am not fucking with you -billowing vapor from his skull.

What. The actual. Fuck.

What is this, a cartoon- oh... wait. Looking at my hand and the texture of everything... I am in a fucking cartoon. I AM a cartoon! I can't believe it took me this long to figure out!

Suddenly I feel like I am about to start blowing steam out of my ears at the mental wreight train worth of What-The-Fuck, but I persevere and collect myself. I refuse to bow down to this shit.

No one does anything, so with great disappointment and blame directed at all of them, I take the reins. "Screw you guys."

"Hey, Luffy," I ask, "you okay there?"

His cheecks puffed up and he didn't answer my query in any way. He looked like he was really trying to figure what I said out, and it proved to be a foe he couldn't overcome.

"... It's a mystery skill," I tell him, visibly wilting from having to simplify my greatest creation into such simple and childish terms.

"Oh, okay!" And then he has the gall to go back to normal as if that explained everything. I've never felt more humiliated, and shame isn't even a thing I possess.

I groan very audibly and smack my face into the table and I don't get up. I don't wanna. Instead I keep speaking into it. "Anyway, Faint works by severing your ties to reality. Sense of smell, touch, sight, hearing, taste. Sense of motion, sense of time, sense of spatial awareness, sense of danger, pain. And a buttload of other minor but integral things. It's all about cutting yourself off of those aspects."

"Is that even possible?" Nami wonders, but quickly thinking better of it. "No, never mind. Continue."

I nod at her. "It is very possible, and it's my greatest survival tool. I can become harder to see, hear, smell, feel or even taste. I can hide in plain sight if I am careful enough. The more connections I cut, the more and more difficult it becomes for others to perceive me, to just gloss me over and not think about it. I essentially become like a chameleon blending in to it's environment, only I don't change my color, shape, or appearance."

"T-that," Usopp began, "that sounds incredible!"

"Yeah," Sanji agreed, looking very interested and... something else. Something more somber that was very subtle. "It sounds almost too good to be true."

"Well you're in luck, because it is," I state. "There are a few weaknesses to the Faint Technique. For one, I can still draw attention to myself if I am not careful, and it just plain won't work if someone is aware of me before I use it," I explain. "But that is not too bad, as long as I take care and remain focused. No, there is an even bigger flaw I've yet to circumvent, mainly because I don't think it's possible.

"See, the biggest flaw in cutting off your connections to reality is that you are cutting of your connections to reality," I say, clearly and enunciating it storngly for emphasis. "By severing my connection to sound, I lose my hearing. By severing my connection to sight, I go blind. Every connection I sever, I lose a part of what grounds me to my existence. I need to balance what I cut off and what I keep attached, just so I can function somewhat normally."

Everyone is quiet at that, mulling over what I've told them. Most of them have serious frowns, the deepest belonging to those smart enough to fully understand what I mean. Nami, Sanji, Zoro to an extent. Luffy isn't bothering with it, likely still content with the... simple explanation. I have no idea what Arlong is thinking, he's being quiet again.

And then there's Usopp, who looks conflicted between awe, desire and fear. Seems like he is amazed, would love to learn of my ways, but is uncertain and concerned about the possible ramifications. He's being a smart, cautious kid, and I can't fault that.

"So," Sanji begins slowly, "when we found you..."

"That was me in a deep trance, yes," I confirm what he is thinking. "But I need to make something clear. The Faint Technique that I use casually and what you found me in are incomparable in scope. I call it True Faint, for it is the perfected form of the Faint Technique." I lower my head in a show of minor shame. "In my need to impress and show just what I was capable of, I wanted to not just show Usopp what Faint was about. I wanted to show him it's full potential."

I take a deep breath. It gives of the fact that I am disappointed in myself, which I am. "Much to my shame, I'd forgotten something. You see, when you cut off literally everything that connects you to reality... you stop being." My explanation is grave. "It is very easy to lose yourself in that state. Time, place and even your sense of self just aren't there anymore.

"I was lucky your realized I was gone and found me so quickly," I comment, reminiscing to the past. "The first time I eachieved a succesfull True Faint... I got stuck, like some of you witnessed, and it took three days for someone to accidentally discover and bring me out of it." I raise my head to show just how serious my eyes can be. "I almost starved to death and it was a miracle I hadn't died from dehydration. That trip to the hospital wasn't nice, at all."

Reactions were plenty, but the general concensus was shock at just how dangerous what I had done really was. Nami and Sanji espescially looked harrowed by what I'd admitted. They could tell that this time I wasn't lying.

"My landlady found me," I went on to add. "Guess I was lucky I was late on that months rent. She even let me skip payment that month." I then lowly growl, "Swear that's the only time that old bat showed any positive qualities. Calling my clothes tacky. That bitch..."

"Abel..." I try to not let how Nami is looking at me bother me. I don't much care for her sympathy and worry at the moment. Not that I don't appreciate it, I'm just not in the mood.

"Stop that!" I tell her as much. "It was a long time ago, I'm over it. Save that for someone who needs it. Besides, that day I could scratch 'almost died, but didn't' off my bucket list. I also learned the limitations of my abilities. So all in all, I consider that day I win. " I pause, looking up. "Although I did try it a second time..."

"Abel!" Nami yells out, clearly admonishing past-me.

"Hey, young me was an idiot!" I shot back. "Besides, that time I was only stuck a day and managed to break out of it." A dramatic pause. "Somehow."

"You don't know how you did it?" Zoro asks.

"What part of losing your sense of self is obscure to you?" I mock his question. "I wasn't aware of anything around me, much less what I was doing. I just woke myself up." Pause again. "Somehow."

Nami shook her head, letting out an exasperated sigh. "I can't believe you."

"Course you can't. I'm a liar."

"Zip it!" She snaps at me. "This is serious, Abel!"

"As I am aware," I shot back levelly. "It's been a long time. I grew up and now know better." The next admission... stings a bit more, so I avert my eyes again. "I just forgot about it, is all."

"You're an idiot." I look and am sort of glad that Arlong is finally participating instead of being just a background character.

"No I'm not," I rebuke. "I'm a responsible adult, who has more life experience than anyone-" I eye Arlong "-almost anyone of you. Respect your elders!"

"But we're pirates!" Luffy whined. "Pirates don't play by the rules!"

"... Point" I grudgingly admit. "So anyway, that is everything, I think. Could I have some tea, Sanji? With some-" and here I wink at him and smile flirtily, my tone taking on a moaning quality "-extra sugar, if it pleases you."

He, disappointingly, just walks off into the kitchen area. No adverse or extreme reaction. No stumbling with words. Nothing!

"... Spoilsport," I grumble. "This is why I hate it when someone drops something heavy. Just ruins the mood."

"Abel," Nami speaks up. "Are you sure you're-"

"Ask me again and I'll bend you over the knee," I warn the navigator, as she is in shallow waters, while keeping my tone pleasant and sugary. Wisely, she drops the subject, under the impression that I am not kidding.

I was not.

"Okay, enough about me!" I exclaim. "So, Usopp. Knowing what I just got through explaining in great detail, what do you say? You still up for some Faint lessons?"

"..." He is silent, considering it. "... You really think it could help?"

"You're a sniper," I point out the obvious. "Keeping your distance is your whole thing. And that is all the more easy if you make yourself hard to track down. With Faint, you can gain many more vantage points, and since your weapon is so silent, unlike my rifle, it works perfectly with it."

He thinks on my words, but no longer than a few seconds. "Yeah, that makes sense," he says, an enthusiastic grin forming on his lips. He then stood up and bowed deeply. "Please teach me, Abel-sensei!"

"That's Abel-Banchou!" I snap, pulling a Dumbass Duo on him.

"Nah, Sensei is fine with me," the sniper says, holding one palm up, as if swatting away the idea. I just sort of stare at his gall for a moment.

"... Ke... Kehehehe!" I laugh. "Alright then! I hope you like sitting on your ass, because that is what you'll be doing for the rest of your life if I have a say in it!"

"U-umm," Usopp gulps, wind blown out of his sails.

"That's right! You'll sit like no man has ever sat before! Silent, tranguil. You'll be the best pupil, and I'll be the best sensei in the history of ever!" I got up and leaned over the table and got real close and personal with Usopp's mug. "You an me! Usopp and Abel! Student and teacher! Usopp and Abel for years to come! Abel and Usopp, the power duo! Usopp and Abel for a hundred years! Usopp and Abel! The most Abel of Abel's and his Usopp Morty! For a hundred years, Usopp!"

He was cowering closer and closer to the floor the more intense I got, while everyone else likely thought I had gone insane(with some latency) from my experience. Poor, poor Usopp. He didn't have any idea what kind of a task master I can be when I aim to. I am going to make him meditate until he gains fucking enlightenment! I will work his brain till it's so dry that it'll have shrunk into a peanut! I'll make him the most stealthy being this side of the multiverse, or he will die in the process!

Because it amuses me.

-o~O-O~o-

"We're in what?" I asked for clarification.

"The Calm Belt," Nami provided. "It's a stretch of sea on both sides of the Grand Line where no wind blows."

"... How the ever loving hell is that possible?!" I exclaim, quite done with getting swerved with bullshit that defies everything I know.

"No one knows," Nami responds, frowning. "There are theories that there's abnormal magnetic fields that prevent wind from being created in the area, but no one had ever managed to confirm anything."

"Great," I growl. I too realize the predicament we are in. "So basically, we're plain fucked, huh?"

"More or less," Nami said.

We were literally dead on the water. The moment we entered this 'Calm Belt' our sails stopped helping us move and all traces of even the slightest gust just up and vanished. It was bordeline ludicrous that this phenomenon even exists!

I feel like pulling my twin-tails, but that would just serve to potentially damage the wig, so I refrain from excessive action. I facepalm instead.

"..." Idea! I yell around my shoulder, "Hey, Arlong, wanna tow the boat?"

"I'm not getting in there," he responded. "I know what lies below."

Damnit, there goes that plan- "Wait, what?"

"Ooooh," Nami hisses through her teeth and looks really worried, "shit. I forgot about that."

"What? Speak up, girl!" I need my answers, damnit!

"This is Sea King territory," Arlong supplied instead, which only caused me to turn my outrage in his direction.

"Don't just use terms I don't understand, fuckwit! Context! I. Need. CONTEXT- hmbmmgh rrghh!"

"Shut up, Abel!" Nami hissed in a low voice and kept her hand firmly clamped over my mouth, muffling my cries of righteous fury. "Sea Kings are massive sea monsters, and your racket could get their attention!"

That made me go quiet. That did sound super bad. Glancing at her, I nodded that I got it. When she removed her hand, I asked in a whisper. "So, wait, not only are we stranded with no wind to help us, we're also possible monster chow?"

"Yes," she answers curtly.

"So double fucked then," I note dryly. "Fan-fucking-tastic."

"We could fight them," Zoro puts in his own ideas.

"Tch! You can try, and fail," Arlong scoffs. Well isn't someone talkative today!

"What was that, fish-brains?" Zoro asks testily, hand hovering close to his swords.

"I speak as a Fishman. Sea Kings are not creatures to be trifled with," Arlong retorts calmly. "Even our strongest think twice before engaging one. And the Calm Belt is where they flock to nest."

"Damn," Sanji speaks up, gaving a smoke... damnit, now I want to indulge in my bad habits! "That isn't a good situation to be in."

"I-I-I'm s-s-s-sure we'll b-b-be o-okay?" Usopp tried to be optimistic, failing miserably, his knees clattering and his words wavering. Kid wanted to have false hope. He just wasn't good at it.

Then the ship lurched ominously.

I just let out a suffering groan and grab gold of the mast. "Well, it was nice knowing all of you."

"What was that?!" Usopp shrieks in fright and joins me by the mast, though much less gracefully.

"Death," I answer curtly. He does not appreciate my sense of humor and looks about ready to start crying.

Then it happened. A force of something hitting the ship from below. The whole thing was a lot less rough as it should've been, as the Merry remained in one piece and no one was thrown off-board by the shaking and sudden upward momentum. But soon enough it stopped, but that was not good news.

Because when I crawled over to the side to take a look, I noted that not only were we on top of a massive something, we were surrounded by the most absurd looking colossal monsters imaginable to man. Some of their odd appearances did nothing to mask just how fucked we were at that very moment.

"... Welp," I whisper. "We're doomed."

Everyone was struck silent by the shock, awe and fear for what I assume are some of the mightiest creatures in this world. Except Arlong. He just looked sort of resigned in an annoyed way.

"Psst!" I hiss to Nami, who is closest and someone with generally good ideas. "What do we do?"

"Well, uhh," She stammers, nervousness obvious. She is sweating bullets. "Maybe, if we keep really quiet, they won't notice us?"

"Better than what I have in mind." Which is to just wait and get eaten. No way could any of us fight all of them, let alone one.

"Aaaaaaaa!" Usopp screamed silently, rolling on the deck. "We're gonna die!"

"Shut your mouth, Usopp!" Zoro admonished the panicking sniper. With more volume than might be recommended in the situation.

But before Nami or I could reprimand Zoro, the situation was starting to develop out of our hands. And for once, in a good way. The biggest Sea King, whose snout we were perched on, started sniffling. That means that it either is about to cry, or alternatively...

"Shit," I intone in realization of what is about to happen. I grab Nami into an entrapping embrace- she squeaks in surprise -and hold both of us to the railing as stightly as I can. "Everyone, grab something and hold for dear life!"

Everyone gets a move one immediately and grab anything they can. Zoro has to help Usopp get a hold of himself and haul his ass to something to hold besides the thick mast. Everyone got situated somewhere, and not a moment too soon.

Because then the massive monstrosity sneezed, and we were flying. Nami and Usopp were screaming their lungs out, as was Sanji, but with more dignity. Only the more stoic of us(Zoro, Arlong, and me) stayed collected about it, while Luffy, that crazy bastard was laughing his ass off.

I focused solely on keeping Nami and I from flying off by holding onto the railing and her for dear life. That was why when my wig flew off my head because of the turbulance, I couldn't catch it and saw it fly far, far away.

"Motherfucker!" I cursed into the wind, despite the situation. I know it is not appropriate, but I had really started to like that wig, damnit!

But, as the laws of science proclaim, what goes up must come down. And we came down like a fat kid doing cannonball. The splash of water that resulted in what should've realistically splintered the Merry into millions of pieces of wooden shrapnel, was almost eight meters tall and drenched EVERYONE. How we didn't just sink was a mystery.

Let's just say that us being alive right now was one realism break I was willing to ignore and wholly embrace.

It takes a few seconds, but when everyone realises they're not dead we all let out a collective sigh, some of use more than others. Because that was not fun.

"WOOOO!" Luffy whooped, proving to me that that boy was not alright in the head.

I release and look at Nami, who seems to be doing fine, if clinging to me due to the situation. I clear my throat, at which point she realizes she is hugging me too strongly to be comfortable and jumps back. "Sorry!"

I shrug. "You doing okay?"

Nami nods, composing herself. Then I see a strand of her hair move, the same time as I feel a faint breeze on my face. I grin.

"Well, seems that we got our wind back!" I exclaim.

"What?!" Nami yelps, finally noticing the presence of wind. "No way! Did that sneeze carry us out of the Calm Belt?"

"Seems so," Zoro commented, trying to pry Usopp of off himself.

"Let's do that again!" Luffy yells out.

"NO!" We all cream at him, reigning the idiot captain in. Yes, Arlong included. Out of all of us, Usopp's was the loudest.

-o~O-O~o-

'This is so dull!'

After the incident at Calm Belt, nothing had happened. I'd taken time to continue my re-write of the log book, and had powered through so hard that I was all caught up now. Even wrote about the deal with Sea Kings, so until anything noteworthy happened, I was out of material.

In short, I ain't got nothing to do!

I looked down on my designated writer's desk(which was place in the Women's Quaters and I am so mad that Nami has this place all for herself!) wondering what to do. I could go for a book, but I wasn't really feeling it. Plus, the selection is as small as it is unremarkable. Almost every book present is a romance novel of some kind, which is to say tantamount to garbage.

I could raid the bar that was placed here(another reason to be mad at Nami for all these luxuries), but I thought better of it. Nami would charge me for every damn sip if she felt like it(and she often did).

So that left me with a less self-gratifying but necessary activity I'd been working up to. So with literally no other options that spoke to me, I left my rifle propped against the wall, unlatched the ammo bag from my hip. I would't need the extra weight quite yet. I grabbed my rapier and sauntered to the outside world on the upper deck.

I was going to finally start seriously training with this murder needle. Which reminds me, I wanted to name my sword something cool, but had yet to think of something biblically significant. Fuck, do I hate that book, but it has amazing material.

The wind is nice, faint and with a the smell of salt water sailing in the air. Plenty of sunlight and a fairly clear sky. A good day so far, and I hope it stays that way.

First thing first, I needed to find Zoro. Not a difficult task, as he was always, and I mean ALWAYS on the deck either training or napping. I caught him amidst one of these naps, so I did what anyone in my situation would do.

I raised my leg and kicked his prick-ass face with the heel of my thigh-highs. That woke him up right quick.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Zoro yelled, holding his nose, which seemed fine aside from minor redness.

"Training," is all I offer as an explanation. He seems to begrudgingly accept the reason as valid. Typical meatheaded swordsman. The only reason I know he isn't all for it is him muttering 'Damn sea-weed head' as he passes me.

Picking a replacement wig for the one I had lost was not fun. Not because I lacked options, but because I had to think of something that mathed my clothes somewhat, which had remained unchanged. So curently I wore sea-foam green, flowing locks that flowed freely up to my upper back. It looked okay with my ensemble.

It also proved that Zoro had no idea how colors worked, because my locks were far from seaweed green as could be. That is numerous scales darker, you brutish oaf!

Reigning my opinions in, I drew my rapier and took a standard fencing stance. "Alright, so here is what I need you for," I tell Zoro. "I am going to attack you. I want you to deflect and guard against my assault, but nothing more."

"Huh?" He tilts his head in a way I find obnoxious. "Wouldn't sparring work better?"

"Perhaps," I admit. "But this is for me to create a proper offensive form. After that I move to a defensive one, in which our positions will reverse. When I feel I've mastered enough of both, then we may spar, if you like."

He grins ferociously. "Sounds good to me!"

Inwardly I sigh and bemoan that my only possible partner in this is a battle hungry meathead. But I take what I can.

"You may use as many swords as you want," I tell him. He grins cockily and only pulls out one of his blades, one of the new ones. I can't tell which, mainly because I haven't gotten a clue as to their names. I know they have ones, but I just haven't gotten around to asking. That reminds me, "Say, does that sword have a name?"

He grins still. "Sandai Kitetsu."

"Cool," I reply, my faintly present knowledge of Japanese telling me that the 'Sandai' part of the name isn't an actual name, but marking it as the third thing by that name.

I then give him no warning and lunge with a stab, which he moves to deflect away from his chest. Or would have, if I hadn't pulled back to avoid any contact with his blade, flowing into another stab. Zoro seemed caught by surprise at the maneuver and swiftly went to deflect the next stab, which drew back again before any contact could be made.

This was why I preferrec this murder needle to something that slices and dices. Because it's lighter weight makes it more maneuverable and I can pull shit like this. I recognize when my attack will not work, so I can swiftly pull it back and go again with amazing fluidity. Not only am I avoiding contact with a blade from a man who could swat the sword right out of my hands if he tried, I was also throwing Zoro for a loop.

The next ten stabbing attempts followed a similar pattern, a stab that pulled away before Zoro could even properly deflect it. He seemed visibly off-set and annoyed by this shit I was pulling. That was when I showed just how devious I was.

The next stab was sent and Zoro went to try and deflect it as well. But this time I did not pull back, something Zoro clearly expected me to do as his blade moved to deflect from a different position, though to hiscredit he quickly clued into my ruse, but not fast enough to crane his neck to the side fast enough.

The tip of my rapier flew through the air in a wide arch until it came back to my starting stance. Zoro stared at me, wide eyed and shocked, as a small, shallow cut on his cheek began to bleed a little. I grin imperiously at his stunned face.

"Yoy know, for a man who wants to be a master swordsman, you fall into habit a bit too easily," I comment with a certain degree of smugness.

His eyes narrow into an intense frown. "Well, didn't expect that from you of all people."

"Oh? Isn't it a rule to never underestimate your foe?" I quip with a feral grin. Though where Zoro's is like that of a shark, mine is more akin to that of a snake. "Even an incompetent can slay a master when they are not taken seriously."

"... You're right," he admits with a sigh. "It's shameful for me to gain even a scratch from a swordsman of your level."

"What level?" I grin. "I barely qualify as a trainee."

I don't give him a chance to reply as I start off another assault, this time not pulling back and letting his blade brush mine aside. As convenient as the pull-back maneuver is, I need to get used to parries and deflections.

By Zoro's intense frown I can tell that I am exceeding his meager expectations of me. By the standards of this world, I was so weak I could potentialy be beat up and robbed by some kids. But on the off-set, I showed other qualities that served me better.

I was fast, flexible, dextrous and precise. All traits that made a rapier an obvious choice for a weapon. All my attacks were calculated and controlled. Not to mention that the pace of my stabs were quickening in pace. You see, when your muscles get used to a certain type of repetetive motion, they get more efficient at it. Meaning that motion becomes faster.

My rapid barrage on Zoro proved that. Based on the look on his face, I was fairly certain that he couldn't counter-attack even if he was allowed to. I just gave no openings with my assault that would allow him to act without getting skewered. Clearly I was overcoming his meager expectations of me.

There was a reason for me bumbling about with my sword at first. To find out it's intricacies and figure out the most efficient ways to utilize it in full. Clearly my method was not madness.

Eventually the pace I stabbed at him peaked, as I hit the limit I was capable of for now. But I just kept on the assault for three more minutes until I stumbled upon my one weakness in this appraoch.

I ceased my assault, panting quite heavily. For all my speed and dexterity does me, I still find myself lacking in the endurance necessary to make it fully viable. "Time!" I call, at which point both of us drop our stances.

"Got to say, you're way past trainee level," Zoro remarks, honestly sounding impressed. The guy isn't even out of breath, what the fuck.

"I learn quick," I say and keep steadying my breath. "Had to, or got beat up a lot by an asshole who likes fighting more than is considered healthy." I had to run that sentence a few times in my head, at which point I groan. "Noooooooo!"

"What?"

"You're another Fredricksen!" I whine angrily. "Damnit, I thought I was done with this when I passed high-school! But noooo, I need a replacement now! ARGH!"

"What the heck are you talking about?" Zoro askes and gives me a weird look.

I instantly calm myself and take a deep breath, finally stabilizing my breathing for good. "I had a friend a long time ago. An asshole named Fredricksen who like to beat me up a lot. The guy was an absolute fighting nut and picked fights with anyone who looked tougher than him."

"Makes sense," Zoro replies matter-of-factly.

"To people like you it does!" I say scathingly. "He defined it as 'toughening me up' and spent all our free time dragging me to places and punching me into mulch. I had to get good at fighting just to get home less injured, and quick too. Bastard adapted almost as fast as I could learn."

"And yet you call him a friend," Zoro noted.

"Against my better judgement, yes," I reply. "I kind of owe him, since it did toughen me up and actually improved my observational abilities. Also helped me realize that I heal faster than oridinary people... or maybe it is because of him. I don't know, nor do I care."

Zoro nods approvingly. He seemed to respect the mindset of beating someone senseless as a teaching method... or fuck, this is my only training partner. Damnit!

I sigh at the realization of my torture when I'm ready for sparring. "Whatever. He's not relevant. Haven't seen him in ages."

"Why?" Zoro asks.

"What the fuck do you mean why? There is no reason! He just disappeared of some shit."

"He did?"

"Fuck if I know! I don't care and after graduating high-school I never contacted him again."

Zoro frowns at what I said. "What's high-school?"

"Fuck it. Go!"

And so I begin my assualt on him all over again, catching him by surprise. He still manages to parry the stab, but it rips his shirt. I consider that a win and a lesson in not lowering your guard. Ever.

-o~O-O~o-

It was a day later that something finally started happening, and it all began with the massive storm front in our direct course. Meaning we were sailing right for it. Internally I was cursing everything, but mostly because Nami would force me to do actual shipwork. Everyone pitching in, and all that.

See, despite claiming I knew dick about sea faring, my talent of being a quick learner was really biting me because there is only so long I can claim to be ignorant of the Merry's functions.

Side note: The Going Merry is a caravel. Basically a cruise ship meant for short trips. We are basically using the exact kind of ship we shouldn't be using fora grand voyage. But everyone else seems pretty attached to it, so I won't even bother raising complaint about it.

Although... ever since my incident with True Faint, I had started feeling... something. Something that originated from the ship. It was a bizarre feeling that I was quick to dismiss as nothing but a weird side effect of losing your sense of self for a day.

Anyway, yeah. The storm was incoming and Nami called everyone inside to explain our next move before we had ot face the turbulent waves and heavy wind. Fun!

So here we were, everyone standing by the table, except Usopp(who was steerin the ship) and Arlong(who sat in a corner, big shock). Nami was taking charge and showing us a very interesting map.

"Okay, everyone! We're almost within the entrance to the Grand Line," she said, appearing dead serious about this. "I heard a lot of rumors concerning it, but this map seems to prove it. The entrance to Grand Line is a mountain."

"A Mountain?" Luffy asked, confused.

"So, we're crashing into the mountain?" Zoro asks, seeming to seriously consider it an option.

"You've got to be joking," Sanji says.

"Afraid not," Nami tells us. "I didn't believe it myself, but the map has canals that lead to the mountain. That might mean we have to go up it!"

"Neat!" Luffy says, excited about the possiblity.

"An upwards stream? That is what you imply, yes?" I say sceptically. "That's impossible! Gravity simply won't allow it."

"Words right out of my mouth, sort of" Zoro agrees with my notion. "What are you on about?"

"That's what the map says!" Nami defends her opinions.

"Yeah! Nami-san would never say anything wrong!" Sanji yells, getting indignant.

"Biased opinion," I remark neutrally. "And statistically impossible."

"That map was stolen from Buggy, right?" Zoro asks Nami. "Can it really be trusted?"

I recall Zoro and Nami telling me of this. Of how they stole the map from a pirate called Buggy the Clown. Yes, I do think that is the stupidest thing I've heard, ever.

"H-hey, someone help me with the rudder!" Usopp exclaims in a slight panic.

"Sanji-hun! Give Usopp a hand!" Nami orders the cook. "I can't concentrate with all his shouting!" The cook is more than happy to oblidge.

"It's not budging! Someone help me!" Usopp continues fidgeting with the steering lever in futility. I quirk my eyebrow, as a bad feeling sets into my stomach. It is confirmed when Sanji goes to aid him, and the lever just won't budge.

"Doesn't this current seem a bit too strong?!" Usopp asks, face red from exertion. My gut feeling is confirmed. Shit.

"Wait! Usopp, what did you just say?" Nami asks, seeming to realize something.

"T-this current is a bit too strong?" Usopp parrots, still futilely trying to make the lever move.

"Current..." Nami says, stopping for a second to think. "That's it!"

"That's what?" Luffy asks, as he is completely out of the loop, as per usual.

"They really do go up the montain!" Nami notes with a sense of satisfaction. At the same time I run a few simulations in my head.

"Are you still on about that?" Zoro asks, faintly annoyed.

"Strong currents, narrow canals, currents intersecting and adding to one another," I mutter, the picture coming together. "I mean, technically that could cause the scenario where the current can push water upwards. The currents could generate enough force to propel it up a narrow, set path."

"Exactly!" Nami exclaims. "That's how we're going to enter Grand Line! By going up right here," Nami pointed at one of the canals drawn on the map, "we can cross the Red Line by going up Reverse Mountain."

"HEY! A little help over here!" Usopp exclaims, still clinging to the lever. He goes ignored.

"This is the tricky part," Nami says. "If we miss the canal, the currents will smash Merry to pieces against the mountain. We'd sink in an instant. We only have one shot at this!"

"Oh, I get it!" Luffy says in understanding, but I am wise to not get my hopes up. "So it's a mystery mountain!"

All of us choose to ignore his non-revelation.

"So, how do we do this?" I ask, dead serious about matters that could lead to my demise.

"The only thing we can do," Nami states just as gravely. "We have to steer the Merry so that we won't crash into the face of the Red Line."

"Then how about you HELP ME ALREADY!" Usopp yells out.

"Zoro, go help Usopp!" I order the swordman.

"Why me?!" He snaps at me.

"Because you are physically strong enough to steer in this current, unlike noodle-arms here," I point a thumb at Usopp, still failing. "Just don't use too much force! We need that stupid thing intact, or we're screwed.

"... Fine," Zoro relents, accepting my logic and getting off his ass to join Usopp.

"You know, I have heard something," Sanji speaks up.

"About the mountain?" Luffy asks. Sanji shakes his head.

"Just that half of the wannabes that try to enter the Grand Line died trying," he says with a grin. "Think we can beat the odds?"

"Kind of have to," I note gravely.

It isn't too long after until the storm really starts hitting us, rain starting to fall and the winds picking up. Nami is shouting orders and taking command, even roping me into making sure that we don't die. Not dying is a good motivator, is all I'll say.

Because of the current, we had to fold the sails as not to be set off course by the strong winds. The steering also proved to be a challenge, even for Zoro who could do it, with great effort. But the closer to our goal we got, the more he struggled to keep our rudder in order. The currents were picking up, and that wasn't a good sign to me.

But eventually it came withing sight, Luffy noticing it first from his spot on the sails. A wall of rock that seemed unpassable by how far it seemed to stretch horizontally. From it's reddish coloration, I could easily guess why it was called the Red Line.

It was what was trying to kills us, so I wasn't an instant fan.

"It's huge," Usopp croaked in fear.

"The entrance to the Grand Line," Nami spoke in awe, staring at the seemingly unpassable obstacle ahead of us.

It took no one by surprise that Luffy was excited in the face of potential damnation, and was hyped beyond belief. I was starting to really consider my choice to join him to be a mistake.

But I'd come this far. I wasn't dying yet!

"Y-you can't even see the peak past the clouds!" Usopp stammered. And I agreed, that must be a tall-ass mountain. It is an impassable obstacle for a reason.

"We don't need to," I remark, keeping my calm. "But now comes the hard part."

"...You have no idea."

"AH!" I jump at the voice speaking by me and look up at Arlong. "Holy shit, stop being so quiet! I forgot you were here for a second!"

He scoffs in my direction, never taking eyes off the mountain. "This is my first time going through this part. I don't know what to expect. It will be a trial to see if you are worthy."

As if to prove him right, a massive wave of sea turbulence hit us that very moment and rocked the ship, taking the ship off course.

"It's taking the ship!" Luffy screamed. "Take the helm!"

We all voiced our affirmations(sans Arlong), partly in reaction to Luffy actually taking charge properly and knowing the severity of the situation and took positions.

I took point at the bow because of my keen eyesight and scouted the area ahead of us. Sanji, Usopp, and Luffy helped Nami, while Zoro was busy trying to reign the rudder in control. Arlong sort of just observed us work, perhaps to gauge our worth or some shit. Still annoying.

"Hey, where's the passage!" Luffy yelled out. "We're gonna hit the mountain!"

"Abel!" Nami called to me.

"Looking!" I called back, my eyes scanning what I could see. Nothing really popped out when I examined the wall ahead of us... except for... "There!" I say, pointing ahead. "The crevice betwixt the mountain! It has to be it!"

"Are you sure!" Nami yells.

"I see good, I don't have binoculars!" I scream at her.

"I don't believe it!" Zoro says, looking through binoculars.

"We had those all this time?!" I snap at no one in particular. "Zoro, toss 'em!" I held out my hands as Zoro did as told and tossed the binoculars to me. I then took a more close look at that crevice I'd spotted.

Zoro was right, it was almost unbelievable. A torrent of water, just traveling up an angled canal, lined with gates that could only be for the sake of posterity.

"Yeah, that is it alright!" I shout to the others. "We need to get right through those fates, or we're history! Everyone, brace yourselves for anything!"

I get a chorused, "Aye!" in response. For a moment it felt like I was the captain, and it felt nice. Not that I wanted all that responsibility.

I lowered the buniculars and kept a close eye on the situation as we headed closer and closer to the gates, and the canal therein. And I was the first to spot something very worrying.

"We're getting of course!" I exclaim. "Steer to the right! NOW!"

"We're trying!" Usopp, Sanji and Zoro all shouted back, and I could see all of them trying to get the rudder under control. But instead of being glad, I was alarmed.

"No, don't-" that was as far as I got before they attempts broke the steering lever. It just snapped by the base, much to the horror of everyone, but mostly Nami and myself. I expressed it via righteous anger. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO FORCE IT, YOU IDIOTS!"

It looked bad. Really, really bad. We were about to ram straight into one of the gates, if not for Luffy having a bright idea of jumping in and inflating himself like a ballon, bouncing the ship back on an acceptable course that didn't mean instant death.

Devil Fruits. How do they work?

Of course, this led to Luffy almost falling into the stream if not for his stretching limbs being able to grab hold of Zoro. Unfortunately, his mementum caused him to crash into the deck. As in, leaving a hole in it.

Most of us were too glad to not be dead right now to voice complaints at that fron. Except for me.

"Damnit, we just got out of hot water! Don't try to sink us now!" I snapped at Luffy and Zoro, as I saw them both as responsible for the new thing Usopp needed to patch up.

I might also be mad because Nami had hogged the only raincoat, so I was drenched again and would need to change.

At least the rain stopped as the Merry was carried higher and higher up the Reverse Mountain. The way was pretty much just autopilot, so we all got a moment to relax.

Nami celebrated, Luffy finally pulled his head out of the deck and was instantly hyped to be doing this, running to the bow by me to see what was going on. And to his credit, the view was pretty incredible, for it's bizarre simplicity. Zoro had joined too for front row seats. It all got me thinking of all this.

I, a weak little man who wears women's clothing, was travelling on a pirate ship, up a mountain by a stream that goes upwards to go on an adventure on the seas.

What is my life?

I shook my head. Another time for that, perhaps. I just enjoyed the moment.

We eventually hit a height where we started passing the clouds, revealing just how tall this damn mountain was. We could clearly see the top now, but bases on the shape of it, an oncomfortable thought came to me.

What goes up must come... oh dear.

When we hit the top, the force sent the Merry airbound for a few second, but in those few seconds what I saw made me forget my worry. I saw it so clearly, the boundless azure blue all around, as far as the eye could see. It was a kind of sight that made you feel small and remember that in the face of the planet, you are but a microscopic flea. It was horrifying... but in a way so beautiful.

Then I started worrying again as I grabbed on when we started falling back down. Only Arlong had enough foresight to do the same, though miraculously no one fell off board. We landed on a descending canal that had to be the one that lead to the Grand Line, if Nami's map is to be believed.

Many thoughts must've been running in everyone's minds, thoughts I couldn't begin to hazard a guess at. Luffy's was the most clear, as he spoke his quite loudly.

"This is it," the straw hat wearing boy said with barely contained excitement. "The endless pools of ocean. And somewhere... One Piece is waiting!"

My own thoughts, I kept to myself, and was the only one paid proper mind to.

'This is it. There is no turning back now,' I thought. 'I never foresaw this as my future. I never expected to walk down such a path. But...' I grinned despite myself, feeling a small spark of something deep within myself that I couldn't recognize and couldn't recognize. 'I am not opposed to this challenge! Bring it on, my Brave New World!'

"LET'S GO!" Luffy yelled out, vocalizing what all of us must've been thinking.

From the corner of my vision I spotted even Arlong showing a rare smirk, as if he was somewhat impressed. It vanished into his usual glare when he saw me looking, him acting as if it had never happened. You can't fool me, Arly!

Such a... what was the Japanese term? Tsun-something? Whatever.

I had to keep my hand on my head to keep my wig on from the wind billowing past us as we rode the current down. I wasn't having a repeat of the Twin-Tail Incident!

But I had forgotten one thing. A thing that was very imperative to this current situation. Everything had gone smoothly. Nothing ever goes smoothly with this lot! Which is why I didn't notice right away, until we entered the clouds again that I heard the odd sound. It was low and bellowing, but I couldn't place it. But then we passed through the white veil, leading to me actually seeing something quite odd.

"... Uh," I start uncertainly, not quite sure what to think of it. "Guys! Problem!"

We were on the crash course with a towering black something. And the current was carrying us right at it.

"What the hell is that?!" Nami yelled in panic.

"It's not a mountain!" Zoro exclaimed.

"T-then that's a," Usopp stammered out of sheer terror. "A WHALE!"

"THAT MASSIVE THING IS A WHALE?!" I exclaimed.

Arlong seemed somewhat surprised. "An Island Whale? All the way here?"

"The stream is carrying us right at it!" Nami shouted.

"It's that big, but I see no eyes," Zoro noted.

"That's it! It must not know we're here!" Nami said, looking around frantically. "Wait! There, an opening! Hard to port!" She pointed at a spot left between the rocks and the whale, a lighthouse showing prominently on the rocky shore.

I gathered myself, thinking on my feet. "Usopp, get over here!"

"WHAT?!" The sniper shrieked.

"We can't steer away from it! The helm is busted!" I scream at him. "We need to divert our course, or we're done! Now come here and grab and Explosive Star!" I pulled my rifle off my back and fished for a bullet of my own. When Usopp ran over with his slingshot, I had finished loading.

"Abel, what are you doing?!" Nami yells my way, but I don't turn to look.

"Something dumb!" I snap and point a spot ahead of us to Usopp. "That spot of water, jus after we exit the canal! I need you to fire your Explosive Star on my signal! No questions!"

"R-right!" He steels himself at my commanding tone and prepares his slingshot as I brace my rifle to fire.

"ABEL!" Nami yells, beggingfor an explanation, but I can't right now.

"Wait for it!" I yell as we get closer and closer. The wall of black appeared larger and larger as we rocketed towards it. The atmosphere grew tense and I could hear Usopp's quaking knees. He better not miss this. "NOW!"

"Explosive Star!"/"Doomsday!"

He releases his slinghsot as I fire at the same time and for a split second I think I had miscalculated. But then the water by the ship bursts out due to an large underwater explosion. The ensuing wave crashes into the ship, sending us all off balance, but I smirk victoriously at the results. The wave caused by Usopp's Explosive Star and my Doomsay Round impacting underwater was just enough to change our course.

We missed the massive whale by just a hair, but there was no impact and no damages. In reaction to this I just slump onto my knees and slough noticeably as I release a massive sigh of relif.

"Thank the ancestors that worked!" I mutter at the skies as Usopp's nerves caught up to him and he tipped over like one of those stupid goats with a fucked fight-or-flight reflex.

"What were you thinking?!" Nami sauntered over, grabbed me by the collar of my vest and started shaking me around. "You could've told us of your 'master plan'!"

"No time," I say and grab her hands to stop the world from shaking. "And in my defence, I made that up on the fly, so I technically wasn't thinking."

That wasn't what she wanted to hear and smacked me upside the head. Because it was me, it hurt way more than she probably intended, but at least I didn't black out like a bitch.

As I rubbed my aching skull, everyone else got preoccupied by what we were passing by. The side of the gigantic whale, and more specificlally it's equally massive(if proprtionally tiny) eyeball. It was really freaky, honestly. This was some Kaiju level shit, right here!

Zoro was the first of us to react appropriately. "Le'ts make a run for it!"

"Agreed!" Sanji said, unnaturally agreeing with the swordsman he just couldn't get along with for some reason. "If that thing notices us, it'll be bad!"

The whale roared(or whatever it is that whales do), still seemingly oblivious to our presence. But damn did those vibrations fuck me up. All of a sudden I got Vietnam Flashbacks to the episode where I puked up al ot because of my aggravated concussion and was almost ready to hurl. But I kept it together.

It helped that I used Faint to sever my connection to sounds, but I could still fucking feel it! I cancelled it after I felt the vibrations pass, standing up.

I speak up to wanr anyone of making a ruckus. "Okay, no one-"

"HEY! BASTARD!" Luffy yells at the massive whale eye. "WE ALMOST DIED BECAUSE OF YOU! APOLOGIZE!"

I and Nami ran over to calmp his voice-hole shut. He struggled against the both of us. "Luffy, shut the hell up!" We both hiss, but he keeps struggling against us, clearly not getting the severity of the sitaution. He actaully elbowed me in the ribs, to which I winced and-

*BOOOM!*

-pulled the trigger of my rifle, firing at the whale and I could only watch as one of my Doomsday rounds exploded near the corner of it's eye, doing no visible damage whatsoever.

Everyone stared at the sight in horror, and at first it seemed like the whale hadn't noticed. And then it's massive eyeball looked straight at us, proving that we were that unlucky.

Nami turned to me in terror. "What the hell Abel?!"

"I don't know!" I yell back, looking just as terrified. "I didn't reload it! I swear!"

"Yes you did," Zoro points out. "You always reload after firing. You do it out of habit."

"I WHAT?!" I exclaim at the revlation that I seemingly reload my gun habitually and automatically without my knowledge. That is a serious problem I will need to weed out if I live through this. I turn to the massive whale eye looking at us. "I'M SORRY! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, HONEST!"

Ignoring that I was talking to an animal that couldn't possibly comprehend human speech, I still held small hope that that would do the trick. I was shown once again that idealism isn't my thing as the whale started opening it's mouth with a loud bellowing cry.

And then the ship was starting to get pulled by the offset in the water into the things mouth!

In the tubulence Luffy was knocked right off of the Merry. "LUFFY!" everyone yelled after him, but he managed to stretch his arm and reach one of the large teeth in the mouth. Now, that was good.

Thing was, I was knocked off too, and had no such ability as I dropped into the water before I could even hear them crying after me. The pull of the currents immediately pulled me under, and try as I couldn't right myself or get my bearings. I could hold my breath and had got a lungful, but that only lasted so long. I was right fucked as the currents thrashed me aroud. I couldn't even open my eyes, they were that strong.

But I noted something grabbing onto me and felt much less raggedy, now feeling a more controlled push as I was dragged along. It felt like hell and the uncertainty was killing me, as was the ever enroaching threat of the air in my lungs running out. But I soldiered on as long as I could.

My lungs felt like bursting from the effort it took for me to not inhale any seawater. I had to let my body go limp in an effort to conserve energy and air, helpless aside from whatever was dragging me along. The currents battered my body, making it hard to not suddenly inhale when a strong current hit you in the gut.

But stubborn bastard that I was, I held my ground, even as I started to feel hazy and faint. I stopped really feeling anything as I focused my all in the task of not breathing, even as my lungs burned at the need to do so. I couldn't do it for much longer.

But just as I was starting to lose control, I heard a faint splash and felt myself impacting some rocks. But more importantly, I could feel air. Releasing all my mental locks, I breathed long and deeply, opening my eyes. I saw the blue sky above as I rested on my back on what could only be land. Well, a rocky shoal, but cemantics.

"Oh. You're not dead."

I get into a sitting position and work to get my breath under control, no matter how much my lungs want that sweet oxygen. I find a familiar scowl looking down at me. Arlong's clothes are wet, just like mine. I can put two and two together.

"Whooo," I let out an exaggerated breath. "Thanks for the save, Arly!"

"Tch," he scoffs and turns his back to me so I can't see his face. "Should've left you under."

"Aww, thanks for caring," I croon pleasantly in jest.

Then I spot the whale a just a small distance away. It is slowly submerging into the blue ocean below, jaws closed and the ship nowhere to be seen. So I can only conclude that they got swalloweb...

...

...

...

"Hey," Arlong speaks up. "What are you staring for?"

-o~O-O~o-

Well, this was unusual. The okama was unusually quiet. He was just... staring at the sea where the Island Whale had submerged, taking the brats with it. In a way, Arlong had seen this coming. Grand Line was a place that ate pirate crews alive, usually not literally. Those kids had gotten arrogant in their hope to traverse it. If even a crew of Fishmen had trouble with it, what hope did these humans have?

...

So why did he bother to save this single one? Arlong wasn't sure. There was a lot that didn't make sense to him anymore. And it was because of that man. He was responsible. Responsible for changing him in the way he had.

And now he was just... quiet.

"Hey," Arlong spoke up, not fully sure why. "What are you staring at?"

"... Ke he he," Abel broke the silence and let out a monotonous laugh, looking down. "Give me a break."

'That's strange,' Arlong thought, "his laugh is different.'

"So, I guess they died then," I note. "Because of my mistake. Ain't that just the best? Ke he he... Ke he he... Ke... he... he..."

Arlong was, quite honestly, the most freaked out than he'd ever been in his entire life. Listening to Abel speak in such a toneless manner and laugh such a hollow, empty and broken laugh... Arlong had never seen anything of it's kind. It was so unlike the man.

He didn't show it, but he was worried for the human. Shocking, even to him, and he'd rather die than admit to it. But he had chosen to dive in to save him when he fell overboard and use his Fishman talents to swim to the shore. And now that worry was spiking at Abel's iregular behaviour.

He knew the man had erratic and presumably faked mood swings, but this was different. It didn't feel like he was faking a mood. It felt more like... nothing. Just nothing compressed into a tone of voice.

Hiding his worried frown under his normal one, he grabbed Abel by the shoulder and gave it a firm shake. "Hey, snap out of it- augh!" His breath hitched into his throat when Abel turned his haed to look at him. What he saw was a face no man should be capable of wearing and still be the same person he knew this to be.

Eyes darkened and shadowed, despite the man having nothing to shade his eyes with(his fake hair had been lost in the currents), both wide yet expressionless. It made the whites of his eyes to appear dark grey, while his natural ocean blue eye color had lost it's vibrancy and now just was harrowing to look at His mouth was curled into an unnatural, wide, toothless smile.

It was a face Arlong could only describe as nothing. Absolute emptiness, a hollow abyss wearing a human skin. It was so utterly inhuman that Arlong found himself backing away several steps as his entire body grew tense. He didn't like gazing into that face, because it felt like nothing was gazing back. And for reasons he could not comprehend, that brought ot his heart a kind of terror he hadn't known in all his years.

"What is it, Mr. Arlong?" It spoke in the tone of nothing, sending cold shivers up Arlong's spine. It stood up and spread It's arms wide open with an unnatural smoothness that the Fishman found quite unerving. "Aren't we having fun? Let's laugh at the casual cruelty our reality relishes in. Ke he he... Ke he he... Ke...he...he..."

That laugh... Arlong was certain that that laugh would haunt his nightmares for a while. Just what was happening with this thing?

Then the ground below their feet rumbled strongly, sending tremors all across the coastline. Then there was another, and another. Tremors kept happening at certain, short intervals. Arlong was confused by these sudden, but short earthquakes.

"Oh. How grand," It intoned tonelessly. "The ground is in pain. What a fun parallel. Ke he he... ke he he..." It wasn't making any sense.

All Arlong could do was watch as It kept laughing in its hollow manner. It went on for a while, unti the tremors stopped. When another didn't make itself know, the empty laughter cut out suddenly. It was looking at the ground, expression unchanged and unmoving aside from slight mouth movements, though even that never seemed to close.

"Hmm? It stopped hurting," it noted. "Shame. It is not relatable anymore."

The more It spoke, the less sense It made. Arlong, for the first time since Fisher Tiger died all those years ago, was at a loss as to what to do. His mind wasn't coming up with anything, and his body refused to move. Something about It just paralyzed him with unnatural wrongness. So let time pass as he could only watch It do inane things that served no point.

He only moved to look when the Island Whale surfaced again in front of the entrance they'd travelled through, barely avoiding a disaster thanks to Abel's quick thinking and downright stupid luck.

It was too occupied with kicking the rocky ground uselessly to pay mind. So It remained oblivious as Arlong gaped at the whale's side opening up like a freaky door. He knew that to call Grand Line crazy was an understatement, but that was just crossing so many lines!

What almost tipped it over the edge of believability what that the now familiar Straw Hat's ridiculous ship sailed out of it, unharmed and, Arlong supposed, with the crew intact. It was nigh inconceivale, yet Grand Line demanded flexibility in such matters.

Arlong still thought that the odds were absolute bullshit.

He averted his eyes from the almost impossible ship and it's crew and shifted back to It, which was doing... something strange. It had picked up a rock and was using it to draw white circles onto a particularly flat stone surface. Circles, meticilously made to be perfectly round, five in total.

"Delete." A line was crossed over one circle in a swift, yet vicious motion. "Delete. Delete. Delete." Three more circles were crossed over, all as detachedly as the first. The remaining one followed suite. "Delete." When crossing over the last circle, the hand and the rock held in it stayed put, and remained so for a few second, leaving Arlong to frown at this unexplained, yet seemingly methodical behaviour.

Then, with one singular motion, It's hand moved and the stone scratched a sixth circle, and when It's empty gaze snapped to him, Arlong felt his skin crawl with an inexplicable feeling that couldn't be identified as anything other than wrong. And then It began to speak a word that made Arlong's blood freeze for an instant, his entire being becoming overcome with a feeling of death.

"Dele- hm?" Only It stopped and craned It's neck to see past Arlong. At the sea. At the whale.

At the ship closing in on their location.

"OI!" An exciteable yell pierced the air and distance. "ABEL! ARLONG! YOU'RE OKAY!"

Arlong turned his head to look back at the image of the hammer standing on the sheep figurehead, wavinf at them. He looked way too cheerful for having just come from inside a whale. Truly, that boy was mad.

"YA-HOOO!"

'Neptune's beard!' Arlong had to strain his nerves and focus to not jump at the loud yell by his side. He glanced and saw Abel waving enthusiastically at the incoming ship. And it was Abel, not that... thing. There was light in his eyes again and an actual expression on his face. But Arlong still felt his gut squrim at how instantaneous the change in behaviour.

"Are you feeling normal?" Arlong found himself asking the man, not really sure why. He just felt like he should.

Abel put a stip to his waving and gave Arlong a very neutral look, tilting his head to the side, all the while wearing a cheerful smile. "... What are you talking about? Of course I'm fine, silly fish, you!"

Arlong ignored him jabbing his arm with his elbow, more concerned about the fact that he was beginning to consider. And to be frank, the thought was terrifying in its implications.

Abel didn't know.

-o~O-O~o-

"So, wait," I have to ask, rubbing away the start of a headache. "The stomach of the whale has a sky painted on it?"

"Yup!" Luffy affirms his claim. I ignore him and hoperfully stare at Nami. Much to my dismay, she nods. I can already feel my eye twitching.

"And you saw all this?" I go on, delving deeper despite knowing better. "Which means there was light to eluminate the insides of the stomach?"

"It was just like being on the outside," Nami supplied me with the answer I really didn't need. It was making my head hurt.

"So you mean to tell me that this old bastard," I gesture at the old man whose head looked like a flower if I squinted, "has painted the insides of a gigantic whale to look like the outside sky. Okay. I can buy that, as much as I hate to."

I had to take in a deep breath. "But," I feel my frustration piling into my tone as I go on. "I simply refuse to believe that the insides of a whale's stomach could be lit like that! Light can't penetrate a solid mass! It doesn't work like that!"

"If that rattles you so much, give up on trying."

"HEY!" I jab my finger at the old bastard. "I didn't ask for your stupid opinions!"

"It's not an opinion, it's a fact," the old bastard said, as if I wasn't shouting at him, "Grand Line is known for it's numerous irregularities. Unless you can cope with that, you might as well give up now."

"I can be flexible!" I snap at the old bastard, his mannerisms really ticking me off for some reason.

"Abel," Nami says, placing a hand on my shoulder and shaking her head. I shoot her a glance and close my eyes, take a deep breath, and relax.

"Okay," I say, raising my hands. "I'm good now." I deadpan at the old bastard. "You're an asshole."

"ABEL!"

"Not now, sweetie!" I wave Nami off. That girl is too sensitive, I swear. "Adults are talking."

"Oh," the old bastard grunts. "So you're not a snot-nosed brat?"

"Kehehe, I do look rather youtful, don't I?" I chuckle, striking a pose, hand on my hip while the other goes to flourish my locks- "Wait, where's my wig?!"

"IT TOOK YOU THAT LONG TO NOTICE?!" Nami, Zoro, Sanji and Usopp exclaim in unison.

I ignore them as my hands run across my natural short hair. It feels so unnatural!

"The current took it away," 'Arlong answered my question.

"DAMNIT!" I scream at the sky. "This is the second wig I've lost just today! This better not become a trend, or I will rip the world a-fucking-sunder!"

"Well, at least you have the energy of a youngin'," the old bastard commented.

I calm myself and shoot the old man a look, then gaze at the whale. Luffy and the rest had told me of the history that whale had, with this place and the old fart. How its name was Laboon, and how it had waited in this one spot for half a century for friends that would never come.

It reminded me of the tale of Hachiko, a loyal dog who kept waiting for his dead master every single day until joining him in the afterlife. It was a story that made the more sentimental teary eyed.

I was not that sentimental. But still...

Turning to self-harm was pretty heavy stuff, even with an animal. Bashing its head onto the Reverse Mountain, leaving a myraid of scars that could clearly be seen.

"Laboon had been waiting a long time," the old man says, words I can tell are aimed at me. "He refuses to awknowledge the truth of matters, and just clings onto what brings his life some semblance of meaning. "

"I wish we could do something to help," Nami mumbled, seeming quite upset with the whole story.

I frown. "Clinging onto hope is all well and good," I remark. "Clinging onto false hope is less so. Even a dumb whale should be able to figure it out."

"... Island Whales are intelligent," Arlong snarls, surprising me. Even the old man and the rest of the crew are caught by surprise by the surprising amount of heat in his voice. "Most think that all which live in the sea are mere animals. That's not true." He looked at Laboon, something approaching sentimentality on his features.

"Arlong..." I heard Nami mumble under her breath.

Arlong walked to stand by my the side of the stone shore, facing the towering creature. "Fishmen and Merfolk have a unique connection to the creatures of the sea. We possess a deeper understanding of them than any of you humans could ever hope to achieve."

"What are you going on about?" Zoro asks, rather rudely. Maybe at the slight racist remark? Nah, Zoro isn't that sensitive. Still, I slap him on the back of the head. He glares at me. I ignore him.

"... I can hear it," Arlong says quietly. "His cries. Despite his size and age, he still acts like a child crying for its parent." Arlong's back hunches. I can't see his facial expression from where I stand.

"You can understand Laboon?" Luffy asks, curious as always.

"He just said he can, dumbass," Sanji answered before regarding Arlong. "But what is your point, fish-face?"

Before any answers could be provided, Laboon released a loud roar, just as powerful as last time, so much so that almost everyone was holding their ears. All except Arlong and the old man.

I could see Arlong's back straightening and his chest expanding. And then he shouted, loudly enough to overpower the reverberating noise the whale created. I could hear it, even after heavily plugging my ears, and I bet everyone else could too.

"QUIT YOUR WHINING!"

And, pretty much shocking everyone's jaws open, stop it did. Laboon's bellowing cry stopped dead, its one eye that faced us turning to look at the resident fishman. Speaking of...

"Give it up already and face the truth instead of closing your eyes!" Arlong yelled at the creature infinitely larger than himself. But his tone was harsh, but this was the first time I'd heard such passion behind it. "You've waited long, and what do you have to show for it? Nothing but the scars on your head! Stop fooling yourself with pathetic false belief!"

"Arlong, stop! What are y-" I raise my hand to cover Nami's mouth, as does Sanji, surprisingly. We both trade looks and shake our heads. A clear signal to be quiet.

Laboon bellowed again, but this time it wasn't as powerful.

"You think you're the only one that's been left behind? Don't kid yourself!" Arlong snapped at the whale. "Stop clinging to the past, you brat, and grow up! The world you and I live in is cruel! It doens't care what we think! It takes everything away from us no matter what we think about it! You pathetic human friends are gone, and they aren't coming back!"

"H-he's going a bit too far, isn't he?" Usopp stammered.

"No," Sanji stated clearly. I nod in agreement.

"This is something the whale needs to hear." I affirm Sanji's answer... Can't believe I've now said a sentence like that. I feel unclean.

The whale bellowed again, this time sounding plain angry, as it's massive eye glaring dangerously at the Fishman.

"And what of it?" Arlong seemed to challenge something the whale had said. "Do you think they'd care for your wallowing? Those scars on your head, would those make them proud?!" Laboon's pupils seemed to grow smaller, expressing shock. "If you care about them so much, then start acting like it! Giving yourself those scars shows just how you shame the faith your so called 'friends' placed in you! Start asking yourself if what you do would make them happy! WOULD IT?"

The whale made a sound, this one much quieter and it sounded like it was wavering. It's one eye expressed hurt, but also saddened clarity.

"He's actually getting through to him..." the old man whispered in awe. "I've tried for years, but he's never reacted like that to anything I've done."

"Wow," Usopp could only say.

"I never knew that guy could get like that," Zoro commented.

"Yeah," I say. "This is new to me too."

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Nami looking at Arlong with an odd mix of conflicting emotions on her face. Luffy is oddly quiet, just looking at Arlong and Laboon.

The giant whale, seemingly reaching a conclusion with some thought, let out a low whine. A far cry from it's earlier outbursts. I could be wrong, but the corner of it's eye seemed to water up slightly.

"... Go on," Arlong spoke up, calmly but loudly. "If you mean to do something, stop holding back! Do it this once, and never again!" The Fishman crossed his arms, and his body language relaxed a bit. "Real men don't show their tears. Those friends of yours wouldn't like to see them either, so make it quick."

With that said, it only took a few seconds before Laboon's eyes were clearly leaking water. But it didn't make a single sound, even while crying.

"Heh," Zoro chuckled with a slight grin. "He's trying to act tough."

"You must speak from experience," I claim in jest, smirking his way. He flushes from anger.

"Do not."

"Whatever, Mr. Sensitivity," I say, at which point both of us ignore one another.

The old man- seriously, what was his name? -swiped a tear out of the corner of his eye. "I'm glad. Laboon is finally accepting it. I... didn't think the day would come." He smiles as he watches the whale silently cry out it's sadness. "Maybe he'll even stop harming himself now."

"Arlong's plan was better than what I had," Luffy said out of the blue, at which point we all turned to him with varying level of concern on our faces.

"You had a plan?" Nami asks.

"Yeah," Luffy affirmed.

"I already," Usopp mumbled.

I take a deep breath and prepare myself. "Luffy... what exactly was your plan?"

"Oh, I was gonna use the mast to pick a fight with Laboon!" Not a moment after he'd finished that part, a thick, white, stupid paperweight that was The Codex smacked Luffy in the face, after I threw it at him. The book actually lodged itself deep into his mug, and he tried to pull it out as I exploded on him. And I wasn't the only one.

"You were going to use the WHAT?!" I scream at the idiot who I had chosen to follow, cursing Past-Me for being a short-sighted fool.

"How the hell is picking a fight going to solve anything?!" Nami exclaimed her own grievances.

"Do you want us to die?!" Usopp shrieked, suddenly very afraid for his continued wellbeing.

"Makes sense to me," Zoro said.

"YOU SHUT UP!" All three of us snap at the resident battle maniac.

Luffy finally managed to rid his face of the book with an audible plop, taking a deep breath. "Whooo, almost died!"

"Don't tempt me!" I snap at him, taking that book from him and smacking on the top of the head with it. "You were going to rip off the mast to battle that titan! You've earned near death, idiot!"

"Hey, I thought it was a good plan!" Luffy defended himself, running his head. "... my head hurts."

"That's exactly the problem! You thought doing something so monumentally dumb was a good idea!" I exclaim.

"Will you all be quiet!" Arlong of all people speaks up to make us stop trying to go any further with murdering our captain for gross incompetence. "You're annoying."

"Bite me!" I snap back, clearly knowing when to stop. He shows off himself clearly opening up his mouth, showcasing all his instruments of dental murder. "..." I put on a cute face and the most cutesy girl voice I know as I start figeting in a demure manner, even forcing a heavy blush which was extra prominent on my extremely pale skin. "P-please be gentle. It's my first time..."

Never let it be said that I back off easily in the face of danger.

"AAARGH!" I heard a scream, from Sanji, who I find on his knees, beating the hard ground. "Damnit! Why?! He's not even wearing a damn wig!"

... Welp. If anything could defuse a situation, it's Sanji having his sexual crisis when I'm involved. Otherwise it's less funny. Short natural hair or a wig, I am always smoking hot! I just change flavors when I feel like it to make it interesting.

So naturally, I skiddle over to Sanji and pat him on the back. "It's okay, Sanji. I too like seeing my fresh hotness." As I should've expected, kicking Sanji while he was down was a dumb idea. So I was unsurprised when he shot up straight and started sending a barage of kicks rights at my face.

All of which missed, of course. I just stood there, smiling in a very cute and disarming manner as Sanji's foot just kept flying past my head. I could abuse his mental geas against hitting women for the rest of my life, and I'd never get tired of it. Eventually realizing the futility of his action, the man slumped into a depressed fetal position, mumbling incoherent sentences, shrouded in a literal cloud of depression.

"... I'm so evil," I state the obvious, still smiling innocently.

"What a wimp," Zoro commented on his rivals(?) state.

"I know, right?" I continue the bit. "You'd think he could find a workaround at this point. That's some Pavlovian shit, right there."

"Literally no idea what that is," Zoro points out.

"I know," I reply haughtily, as if it proved my mental superiority. Though with Zoro, that wasn't much of a feat.

"You kids are very special, aren't you," The old man remarks. "A bunch of teenagers, a man wearing women's clothing, and a Fishman. Quite a troupe."

"Shut it, I make this look good... Actually, this is bugging me. What's your name, old timer?" I ask instead of continuing the bit.

"My name is Crocus. I'm a Gemini and my bloodtype is-"

"Yeah, cool," I cut off his spiel. "How's it feel being named after the flower equivalent of a poison using assassin with a medical degree?"

"No patience at all. The young these days," Crocus mumbles, scratching his beard. "Well, I used to be a doctor at a pirate ship, so I suppose that fits."

"... Damnit, at least try to be offended," I grovel. "This isn't as fun."

"Abel, stop trying to piss people off!" Nami shouts at me.

"Never!" I snap on reflex.

"And stop breaking Sanji! We need him in working condition or someone else will have to take over the kitchen""

I run her words in my skull a few times. "... Shit, she's right." I must admit, I am not trusting anyone but Sanji to be able to cook a meal that won't poison at least one of us.

And yes, that includes me, because I would do that on purpose just because.

"Thank you for caring about me, Nami-san!" Sanji croons, instantly recovering from his depression and going all Mr. Noodle-Arms on Nami.

"Yeah, yeah," Nami says off-handedly. "... Hey, where's Luffy?" Nami asks, surveying the premises.

-o~O-O~o-

... I have no words. This beats everything that's come to pass today. Nothing will beat this for, like, a week. I just... wow.

"That is one shitty-ass painting," I voice my thoughts as I regal my latest bile fascination, that being the horrendous thing Luffy had painted on Laboon's head. It looked like the Straw Hat jolly roger, but if it was really shitty. And I mean, reaaaaaaally shit, like a blind amateur painter levels of shit.

My words can't do it justice. It is just that bad.

"It's a symbol of friendship!" Luffy exclaimed, proud of his infantile- no, infants would find that offensive -inhumanly bad doodle. He stood on the deck with the rest of us, drenched in paint and holding an oversized paintbrush. "Laboon is our friend now, so he can't damage that mark by hurting himself!"

I regarded the idiot captain. Well, leering would be a more appropriate term, but who cares about semantics.

"That's... actually not a bad sentiment," Sanji remarks before heading inside, mumbling something about fish and elephants. Weird.

"Yeah," Usopp agrees. "I mean, it makes sense, by Luffy standards."

"Small miracles," I grumble. "... Where did he get the pain?"

"Oh, I bought some."

"Usopp... why?" I ask him, my face conveying how little of a fuck I give for any bullshit.

"...To... make the Merry look... nicer?"

I narrow my eyes as he sweats nervously. "You're on thin ice, boy."

"Sorry, sensei..." He bowed his head in shame.

"Just be glad Nami didn't hear you wasted money."

"What about money?" Nami asked, appearing as if the devil was called by name. That or I was right to think she had a sixth sense when it came to that subject.

"Usopp was wondering what would happen if money set for a specific use was mishandled," I respons smoothly, relishing on how nervous Usopp got within a millisecond.

"Oh," Nami said with a cheerful smile, while her tone told a different story. "I'm certain I could find some use for a pair of shears I have lying around."

"H-hey, I just remembered I got a thing- bye!" Usopp stammered and ran to the ship(likely to hide). I kept my eyes on him until he disappeared to places within. Then I turned back to Nami with a proud smile plastered on my face.

"Can I adopt you?" I ask.

"Hmm," Nami holds her chin as if thinking. How cute, she's humoring me! "I don't know. I might be too old for that."

"Excuses." I smirk and ruffle her hair a bit. "But seriously, don't kill Usopp. I need him, and the paint can be used for something."

She bats my hand away with a warm smile. "I think I can let it slip. Just this once."

"Once is plenty enough, I would think," I note, thinking back to how pale Usopp got at the mention of shears and implications of hypothetical gelding.

"... Hey, anyone else feel like there's something we're forgetting?" Sanji spoke up.

Nami frowns "Did we?"

"Wouldn't know. Wasn't there," I quip, not adding to the conversation.

"No, I'm serious," Sanji went on. "I seriously think there's something we're forgetting."

"You're just paranoid," I downplay his concerns. "The human mind is a fickle thing, which relishes in tricking itself for the sake of stimulation."

"Hey, what's this thing?" Luffy asked. We turned to see him holding something that looked like a bracelet. Or something. Wasn't sure. Which was why I walked over and took a closer look. The answer, after some slight logical deduction, was fairly obvious. A needle stuck inside a glass bulb.

"That's a compass," I say. "I mean, it looks weird, but it's definitely a compass."

"Let me see that!" Nami sauntered over and snatched the likely fragile object from Luffy with the grace it demanded. "... It does look like a compass... but that's strange. It's not pointing north."

"Oh, you don't know what a Log Pose is?" The old man said from the shore. "You kids really are in over your heads if you didn't know that much."

"Log Pose?" Nami asked.

"Did something just explode out there?" I want to draw attention to the explosion a small ways out in the sea.

"It's a special type of compass that is necessary for travelling the Grand Line. The whole place has unusual magnetic fields that mess with normal compasses," Crocus explained as Nami checked her own compass, which was going insane.

"Is this for real?" Nami asked.

"Seriously, is no one seeing the smoke?" I point at the plume of smoke rising out of the sea.

Crocus nodded. "The Log Pose doensn't point north, instead leading to the island it is magneticlly locked to. By staying on that island for a set amount of time, the Log Pose will acclimate to the magnetic fields and pick the next island to point towards. It will lead you straight from one island to the next. That is how one travels the Grand Line, until the final island that Grand Line holds. Raftel, which only the Pirate King has ever reached."

"Wow," Nami gasped on awe, looking at the glass thing in her hands.

"Oh, a mystery compass! Cool!" Luffy took it as he did. "That's gonna help us reach One Piece, right?"

"Sure," Crocus grunted indifferently. "Some lofty goals you've got there."

Luffy grinned widely. "It's 'cause I'm going to be the King of the Pirates!"

As Crocus laughed at Luffy's response, I still kept looking at the dissipating smoke stack. And I mean, really looking at it, trying to discern what it was about. Frankly, I'm shocked no one else seemed to notice.

"Wait, whered did you get this thing from, Luffy?" Nami asked, curious.

"Those two weirdoes dropped it on the ship," Luffy casually explained.

"Weirdoes?" Nami repeated. "... Oh, those two! I forgot about them, honestly."

"Wait," I speak up, breaking my little search. "Sanji was right about that?"

"Seems that way," Nami said. I eyed the Log Pose in her hands. Something about it struck me as odd. I couldn't explain what though.

"Hey, could I..." I held out my hand. With a slight nod, Nami handed it over and I turned it around in my hand. I spotted something on the downside of the base the needle was stuck on. "Wait, there's something here."

"There is?" Nami asks.

I lift the thing to get some light under there and try to make out some fancy engraved text on the bottom of the compass substitute. It was really odd, I felt like I'd seen the style somewhere before. Which I soon remembered that I had.

I read it out loud.

"Status Quo. Very sorry, E.V.E. That name again..." I grunt, having almost completely forgotten those three damned letters from when this all began.

"Who's Eve?" Luffy asked.

"A dumb bitch who ruined it for everyone involved," I state off-handedly. "And also the supposed identity of whatever force brought me here, to this world." I narrowed my eyes at it. "But what the hell is this about the status quo? Makes no sense to me."

Then, before anyone could say anything, the most ludicrous thing happened. As I was leering at the Log Pose and the writing on it, I spotted something higher up. A faint shape. Before I could even say "huh?", that shape slammed me hard in the face, causing me to fall backwards and slam the deck, hard, as something clattered on the deck next to me.

My vision swam in molasses. I forced myself to sit up and shook the visual discord out of my system to see just what the fuck had just fallen smack dab at my face.

It was a block of wood. A hefty seven-foot block of wood. An honest to god fucking log, for all intents and purposes. Had fallen from the sky. To hit me. In the face.

How the fuck was I not dead?! How was my skull not pasty mulch?!

What came secondary was a silent, continuous wheeze of absolute pain and dismay, from Nami it seemed. At first I was confused, but then I recalled I'd been holding onto something fairly important, which, by following her frozen gaze, was-

"Oh," I say at the broken remains of the thing we kinda needed to not die on this sea, "Shit."

"NOOOO!" Nami shrieks, forcing me to cover my ears for a second. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"

"A log fell on my face," I state the obvious as I stand back up.

"HOW?! WHY?!"

"Fucking beats me," I reply, kicking the log. It was... wait. I go to pick it up and test it's weight. "Huh. It's lighter than its mass would suggest."

"WHO THE HELL CARES?! OUR ONLY LIFELINE ON THIS OCEAN IS BROKEN! WE'RE DOOMED!" Nami screamed, bordeline panicked and starting to hyperventilate. Damn, she's hitting her tolerance limit. That's bad.

I pull Nami's head to rest on my chest and stroke her hair, softly shushing her in a manner that is supposed to elicit a calm-response. "Shush, now. It's fine. We'll get through this. Don't worry." I continued reciting lines like that to make Nami calm her shit, which was working. She started to breath normally and noticeably relaxed.

Everyone, sans Zoro who was asleep, turned up from wherever they'd been to check up on Nami's sudden and extremely loud exclamations. Sanji in paticular seemed stuck between indignant rage that I was the one comforting Nami and not him and minor arousal at seeing two rather feminine figures essentially performing one-sided cuddling.

Sanji is a bit of a creep at times, I've noted.

I released Nami after she seemed calm enough. "You okay now?" She slowly nodded with only slight hesitation as she took a deep, calming breath. "Good. Don't overthink the situation. Leave neurotic breakdowns to me, okay?"

"You're not my dad, Abel," Nami deadpanned. Silly girl, she can't hide that faint smile from a professional.

"Yet," I jest, patting her on the shoulder and crouch to pick up the remains of the Log Pose. "But this... this is a problem."

"Don't worry. I've got another one you can use," Crocus says. "After what your lot did for Laboon, it's the least I can do."

"Oh thank god," Nami sighed and visibly relaxed out of relief that we weren't super fucked.

"... That's convenient," I remark, eyeing the broken Log Pose I held and the log I was still holding with my other hand. "How quaint." This had to be connected. I had no doubt about it in my mind.

The only plus was that I already had an idea for this stupid wood I've been so graciously given. At least it could be made use of.

Everything should've gone fine after that debacle, but fate seems to be extra busy today and keeps throwing new ways to bring needless excitement into my life.

It happened when Laboon emerged from the ocean and flung two figures, male and female, onto the shore. Figures I had never seen before, and I couldn't forget such atrocious wardrobe the man was wearing even if I died. But apparently the rest were familiar with the two.

As Sanji rushed to aid the woman, I did the logical thing, assume they are the enemy and draw and check my rifle, preparing for anything.

"Oh, it's those two," Nami remarks.

"Those weirdoes you met inside the whale, right?" I ask, which Nami and Luffy confirm with nods. "Great," I remark and cock my rifle.

Turns out the two had a request of us.

"Whiskey Peak? Weird name." Luffy say, the rest of the crew, plus Crocus and minus Zoro(still asleep, the lazy shit), standing before the duo. Only I and Arlong remain a small distance away, me being ready to use my weapon if necessary. Those kids are just too confident/trusting for their own good.

"What is it?" Usopp asks what everyone wonders, though I already inferred it was a place.

"It's the town we live in," explains the man, who'm I have mockingly nicknamed Little Prince. "Erm... sir." Don't try to act polite after you already blew it, dumbass!

"Don't you have your own ship?" Nami asks them.

"Sadly, it was destroyed," the girl, who I've nicknamed Little Princess for posterity, and to match the two.

Nami got really close to Little Prince, an intimidation tactic if I ever saw one. "Wouldn't that be a little too kind from our part, Mr. 9? Considering you tried to kill the whale."

Oh, so that's what they were doing. Also, damnit all! they are using codenames? What is this, secret society shenanigans?

"Just who are you two?" Usopp wonders out loud. To which Little Prince is all too eager to answer.

"I am a King," he says haughtily, acting tough. That mask immediately crumbles when his crown is shot off of his head by yours truly. "GAAH!" Pansy.

"No sass, Einstein!" I order, still pointing the smoking barrel his way, making sure he pays attention to it. "You aren't in a position to mouth off and be a wiseass."

The little punk looks about ready to cry, while still desperately trying to keep his cool facâde. At least Little Princess seems to get the hint.

She places her hands onto ground and bows her head. "We cannot say!"

Little Prince joins her, without lowering his head(that ridiculous crown on again), still seeming rattled and keeps giving me nervous sideline glances. "But all we want is to return to our town! We didn't really want to do this kind of underhanded work... Honest!"

"But please understand that 'Secrecy' is the motto of our organization!" Little Princess speaks up, desperately.

"We truly cannot say anything!" Little Prince affirms the yarn the two are spinning.

"We're begging you kind people to help us!"

"We will repay your kindness!"

Laying it too thick there, guys.

"Don't trust them," Crocus says, becoming the voice of reason. "No matter what they say, they're a couple of underhanded sleazebags."

"Not to mention, we broke this Log Pose and don't have another..." Nami lamented. "You sure you still want to come?"

"WHAT?! YOU BROKE IT?!" Little Prince exclaims, now on his feet, along with his fairer partner. "THAT WAS MINE, YOU KNOW!"

"You made us go to our knees at your feet when you can't even go anywhere?!" Little Princess yelled, equally indignant though less intense.

"Sorry, not sorry," I quip, idly taking note that I really did load my gun on reflex. That needs to go! "And we really didn't make you two tards do anything. That's all just you two lacking spines."

"Abel!" Nami snapped at me.

"What?" I frown. "That a statement of fact. You can't guilt me about it!"

She huffed, taking on a more scheming persona. "Oh, BUT... Crocus-san is giving us another one."

Just with those words the two were on their knees, groveling again. I shot Nami a sharp look because my point was proven true beyond a shadow of a doubt, but all I got in response was her sticking her tongue at me.

"You're all childish," Arlong grumbled beside me.

"Fuck off, you," I hiss at him.

Still, I realized what Nami did. Provoking the two to reveal information by omitting details, like that we had a spare Log Pose available. That sort of crafty behaviour made me proud.

Still, there needs to be deliberation about these two, and this situation needs to be analyzed thorougly before reaching a verdict-

"Sure, you can come." ... Or the choice is taken out of our hands by an idiot. "It's called Whiskey Peak, right? Let's go there."

"Hey, now!" I voice my grievances. "Aren't you jumping the gun a bit, Luffy?"

"What? But I'm not jumping anything?" Right. Luffy is dumb and apparently turns of phrase confuse him. Noted.

"No, he means that you're not thinking this through," Nami translated. Thank you, Namikins! "Seriously, we just met these guys and they obviously aren't up to any good. We have no reason to trust them!"

"It's fine," Luffy says casually. "Don't worry about details like that."

... Unbelievable.

"Agreed," Arlong replies- did I just think that out loud?

"But the only place you can choose your course from is here at the starting point," Crocus speaks up.

"If we don't like it, we'll just try again," comes Luffy's easy-go response.

Crocus grinned at our captains words. "I see." No, don't agree with him! Stop him!

"Okay, let's get going!" Luffy proclaims with moderate authority.

I was leering at this entire scenario. Apparently quite visually.

"What was it you said, back then," Arlong mused, and I saw him smirk smugly. "Captains order is law?"

I bristle and snarl at him, "You're in this too, fish-face!"

"Oh, I am aware," Arlong says, grinning even wider and more savagely. "The difference is, I don't have any personal stakes on any of this."

...

Son of a fishmongering whore!

-o~O-O~o-

It took until the twilight hours before the Log Pose was ready, and the Straw Hat crew gave Laboon and Crocus their farewells. As the caravel sailed towards their next destination, Whiskey Peak, along with their two passengers, Crocus was left with his own musing.

Specifically of what the okama had said in passing. It had stuck out to him.

"Another world, huh?" The old doctor mused out loud. His brow furrowed in thought. "Can it really be just a coincidence?"

The Straw Hat, the Will of D, a person from another world...

He turned his eyes to the setting sun, reminiscing of his time as a ship doctor onboard of the vessel that sailed the Grand Line. When he was personally in the presence of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger himself. But what stuck out to him was not the legend himself, but rather the crew's rambunctious and loud musician whom Roger had found adrift at sea and who Crocus considered a friend.

A fond smile crept up on his weathered mug.

"I wonder what you'd have to say about this, Heavy Metal."

-o~O-O~o-

Aaand that's a wrap!

Abel REALLY hated the Warship Island Arc. So much so that he skipped it by sheer stubbornness and erased the moment from his memory as soon as he was able.

Rick and Morty is the only modern piece of media Abel has consumed and bothered to internalize. He really identifies with the philosophy of the show. Rick is his spirit animal.

Here's also some insight into how Abel's specialty, the Faint Technique, works, and the dangers therein. It's useful, but has severe drawbacks, as was demonstrated. Also some surprising swordmanship with his Murder Needle(name is a placeholder). Abel being himself. You know. The works.

Also, a slight detail managed to escape me, and that was that the Going Merry DOESN'T HAVE A WHEEL FOR STEERING! It has a weird lever system that is just plain bizarre. As stupid as this is, I really needed to correct this fumble.

And we're finally on the Grand Line! WOOOOO! The adventure begins for realsies! Things will slowly amp up from here. Oh man, I cannot wait!

Also... damnit, these just keep getting longer! I swear I'm not doing this on purpose! But damn it if ain't satisfying to feel like you're doing something great with your time!

-Living That High, C-Hablerie

PS. Sorry for any major grammar mistakes. Apparently this document was too big for my Proofreading Software to handle and I just can't shift through all of this manually. Too tired.