"Luffy!!!! Nami's voice calls from down above deck." We are approaching the entrance to the Grand Line!!!"
I give Nao a small kiss on the lips before grabbing her hand and slowly guiding her up to the top deck. Just in time to hear Sanji complaining to Silk, "why Silk-chan? Couldn't you have at least woken me up before our taming?"
"Sorry master Sanji!" She replies in a tone that seems rather innocent, nothing like the hateful threatening tone she had displayed earlier when she knocked him out. "I promise next time I will wake you up!"
Zoro makes a crack at Sanji, " serves you right you shitty chef. It's hilarious that you finally became a man and you don't even remember it."
"Shut up moss head! "
Zoro and Sanji stare at each other as literal sparks fly between the two of them connecting their gaze. While their fight continues, I look up at the sky and at the storm of raging above us. I look down and around the ship looking for the whereabouts of my crew.
Nami stares at the map of the Grand Line, that of course was really just a map of the reverse mountain. Kaya and Usopp sit on the steps leading up to the upper deck, as he spins her a wild tale of his adventures before the crew. Shimo and silk watch as their masters try to kill each other. Nojiko sits on the steps opposite of Kaya and Usopp as she eats some of her sister's Mikan. Uta is quietly singing to herself as if she is trying to write a new song. Alvida sits on the deck near the figurehead just quietly watching the storm.
"Nami!" I say as I look over to her." Help me grab one of those barrels."
She looks up from her map as she asks" yeah sure but what do you need them for?"
"Just set them up next to each other in the middle of the deck." She nods and grabs one of the barrels as follows me to the center of the deck. We both place the barrels down, and I put my foot up onto it."To be King of the Pirates!"
Zoro and Sanji stop fighting, as everyone catches on to what I'm doing and walks over to the barrels. Zoro is the next to put his foot on the opposite side of my barrel." To be the world's greatest Swordsman!"
Following her master's example Shimo is next, " to protect Master Zoro, and help him achieve his goals."
"To a brave warrior of the sea!" Ussop says putting his foot on as well.
Kaya is next to follow, " To become a great doctor and help my friends."
"To find the All Blue" Sanji says, putting his foot up.
Silk comes up and stands directly next to her master as she copies him." To help master Sanji cook the world's most tasty meal. "
"To put an end to all of the senseless violence in the world." Uta says as she puts up her foot.
"To draw a map of the entire world!" Nami says smiling as she puts her foot up.
Nojiko puts her foot up. " To brew the world's most delicious alcohol for master Zoro."
Nao hesitates for a few moments, before finally putting her foot on the barrel. "To bring an end to the celestial dragons and their slavery. "
Everyone looks at her with a curious look, it was definitely a noble goal but not one most people would have. It probably had something to do with her past which she hadn't shared yet.
Alvida was still sitting near the figurehead, "you gonna join us Alvida?"Nami asks.
"No! I made it clear that I'm only here till we dock at the next port. I have no interest in your dreams and not sharing mine!"
"Fine suit yourself Alvida!" I say as I turn back to everyone and yell "to the Grand Line!"
After about ten minutes of sailing and Nami barking orders we finally see the reach the large red 10,000 meter high continent Known as the Red Line. It was always depicted as tall in the anime and manga, but that couldn't really do it justice. Seeing it in person was a sight to behold. Giant brick red cliffs so high that they disappear above the clouds.
"Okay," Nami says," the entrance to the Grand Line is just ahead. There is a small gap in between the rocks. That is the entrance to the Grand Line, a mountain known as Reverse Mountain. The water flows uphill then shoots back down at the top, and into the Grand Line. "
As she says this she has a look of uncertainty almost like she can hardly believe it herself. Sanji and Usopp, are inside the cabin of the ship trying to control the rudder with the steering stick but to no avail. No matter how hard they try, the steering stick won't budge.
"Sanji! Usopp! Hurry and get the ship to the left or we're going to crash straight into the Red Line. At the speed we're going it will mean certain death."
We get about less than an inch from crashing into the side of the red line when Nami screams out. The right side of the ship turns intangible allowing it to pass straight through the Red Line, before aligning itself with the current going up the mountain. Luckily nobody was on the right side of the ship, otherwise they probably would have fallen through and been shredded by the high-powered rushing water. The only people that might have stood a chance against that would have been Shimo or Nami herself but I wasn't willing to test that theory.
The ship skims the walls of the canal, and nearly crashes into the large archways on the side, but mostly stays intact due to a combined effort of Nami's ghostly abilities and my devil fruit. No doubt this was one of the places in Canon where the Merry sustained some of the damage that ultimately led to her demise.
The current carries the ship up at an alarming speed, faster and faster, until we reach the top of the mountain just above a thin layer of clouds. The ship briefly leaves the water for a second, before landing back and swiftly turning to fly down the mountain. I couldn't believe it, I was about to experience one of the pivotal moments of the story, when the straw hats meet Laboon and even more important Princess Vivi, whom many people myself included count as the unofficial 11th Straw Hat. As we glide down the mountain, a large mountainous shape comes into view, a shape I instantly knew as Laboon.
" Nami-san!" Sanji yells from the position that he and Silk had taken on the cross beams of the sails." There's a mountain blocking our way!"
Nami looks up at him, "that's impossible! There should only be open sea down there." She turns back to look in the direction of the supposed Mountain.
Suddenly an almost deafening sound rings out around us. The sound causes everyone to look up and realize that it's not a mountain but a giant whale. Laboon opens his giant gaping maw, and swallows the Merry whole. Once inside his stomach, the walls of it are painted just like the sky outside. A lone house sits in the center on a small island.
The girls on the crew and Usopp are a little bit shaken up by the fact that we've just been eaten by a giant whale, but we don't have time to catch our breath when a giant squid pops out of the water. I turn my head to look at the giant squid, "how about some calamari, Sanji? "
"Sounds great Captain!" He replies just as the giant squid is struck in the back by a couple of harpoons.
An old man steps out of the house. A man who was instantly recognizable to anyone who was a one piece fan. The man's head resembled a flower, and his lower lip hung out just slightly. A thin white beard hangs from his lower lip. He has on a Hawaiian shirt and shorts. The old man was the infamous doctor of the Roger Pirates, Crocus.
Crocus doesn't say anything as he just stares off at our ship. He pulls the giant squid ashore on the island, and then proceeds to sit down in a chair and read a newspaper.
"What the hell?" Sanji yells. " Well are you going to say anything old man?"
Usopp points at the old man trying to act all big and brave but his legs were visibly shaking. "You want to fight? We aren't scared of you! We have a cannon!"
"Don't even think about using that or someone will die!" Crocus replies.
"Oh yeah, who's going to die old man?" Sanji asks back.
"Me!"
"Okay this old man is really starting to piss me off!!!"
I quickly turn and do an observe on Crocus.
Crocus
Former Roger pirate doctor
Level 267
Str: 827
Con: 835
Dex:833
Int:801
Wis: 857
Cha:40
Mood: indifferent( you)
Species: Human
Health: healthy
While I am reading his stats I'm listening to the conversation going on. "Calm down, cook!" Zoro Says." Who are you and what is this place? Can you tell us?"
In a tone that says he was more annoyed than anything, crocus replies. Shouldn't you introduce yourselves before asking questions?"
"You're right, sorry!" Zorro opens up his mouth to gives Crocus his name, when the old man starts speaking again.
" My name is Crocus, I'm 71 years old, I'm a Pisces, blood type AB. I'm the caretaker of the Twin Capes lighthouse."
"Can I kill him?" Zoro yells as he starts to pull the Wodo Ichimonji from its sheath.
As if not even paying attention to Zoro's threats Crocus continues speaking. " You asked me what this place is, well shouldn't it be obvious? You were swallowed by a giant whale, and brought to my one man resort. Did you think you were in a rat's stomach or something?"
Usopp and the girls start complaining about not wanting to be digested as Crocus continues. "The exit is right over there!"
He points to a large metal door off to the left, but just then a violent shaking begins."it begins!" The water around us begins to turn as the waves become rough. Nami and Usopp question Crocus and he responds, "Laboon, the whale! He is ramming his head against the Red Line!"
The old man dives into water, and resurfaces a moment later at the ladder next to the giant doors. The ship drifts towards the doors as two figures fall from the sky, landing on the deck of the ship. The land face first on the deck, and lay there for at least a minute before getting up. The figures stand proud as I observe them.
Nefertari Vivi
Crown Princess of Alabasta
Level 21
Str: 105
Con: 101
Dex:133
Int:103
Wis: 137
Cha: 145
Mood: relieved(you saving her), annoyed(Crocus), annoyed(Laboon)
Species: Human
Health: healthy
Vivi's beauty is entrancing, her long sky blue hair is tied into a ponytail that reaches her shapely ass. Her bangs are cut shorter and parted on either side to frame her beautiful face. Her eyes are a beautiful earthy brown tone, but have a hypnotizing allure to them. Her body is also to die for, her figure is everything you could ask for from a princess and more. She wears white booty shorts and a blue striped top with a green jacket over top.
Mr 9
Baroque Works Frontier agent
Level 22
Str: 132
Con: 120
Dex:129
Int:107
Wis: 103
Cha: 109
Mood: relieved(you saving him), annoyed(Crocus), annoyed(Laboon)
Species: Human
Health: healthy
He looked relatively the same as he did in the anime and manga with green suit and white frilled shirt. Around his neck is a red ascot that matches his similarly colored hair. Atop his head is a large golden crown, and in his hands are two metal baseball bats. On his cheeks, nine tattoos are clearly visible on either side.
Vivi takes one glance up at our flag," they're pirates Mr Nine!"
Mr Nine looks over to Vivi as he breathes heavily. " I'm not blind Miss Wednesday, I can see what they are!"
Just then Crocus's voice comes the doorway in which he disappeared into "As long as I am alive, no one will lay a finger on this whale.
Vivi and Mr Nine immediately spring to their feet. They quietly Mumble to themselves, "but we're inside of the whale!" They point their cannons in the direction of the old doctor. "That means we can blast our way through its stomach and get out of here!"
They fire the cannons, straight at the walls of his stomach, but old man crocus jumps in the way, getting hit point blank with the cannonball.
"It's worthless old man, no matter what happens we must bring back this whale for our town!"
Just then Crocus pops out of the water a little bit of soot covering his face but otherwise unharmed. He quickly swims ashore and sits back down in his chair. This would be the point in Canon where Luffy would knock out Vivi and Mr Nine, but I decide to take a different approach.
I walk up to Vivi and whisper in her ear. "I know your secret, princess. You better calm down, unless you want me to expose it to Mr Zero and tell the phony king over there to do the same."
Vivi's face goes pale, as she silently nods, "Umm Mr Nine… don't attack them. "
Mr Nine gives Vivi a questioning look, but she just stares back at him and he shuts up. Once everyone is on the artificial island Usopp asks a question. "So old man, what is the deal with this whale?"
"This is a rare species of whale from the West Blue, an island whale. It's the largest species of whale in the world, this particular one's name is a Laboon. These two hooligans came from a town nearby, and they intend to kill the whale to use it as food for their town."
Crocus takes a deep breath before continuing, "but I won't let them do that. You see there's a reason why he rams his head against the red line. It all started long ago when I was just a young man, a group of pirates came into the grand line followed by a little whale. The whale had somehow taken a liking to them, and followed them around while they sailed in the West Blue. But when they entered the Grand Line they figured it would be too dangerous for a baby whale to keep following them."
"So then they just left the whale?" Uta asks.
"Not exactly! Island whales usually travel in very large pods, but to Laboon those pirates were his pod. Those pirates stayed at my lighthouse for a few weeks while they fixed the damage their ship had sustained while coming up Reverse Mountain. When left they asked me to take care of Laboon saying they would be back in a few years. He hits his head on the Red Line because he's trying to get through it to see his friends. However I highly doubt they're still alive. It's been 50 years since that day."
After telling us this story he eventually leads us out the metal door, through a tunnel and out to the open ocean. Mr Nine and Vivi walk to the edge of the ship and jump off the side. They yell something about returning but nobody really pays them any mind. I look down to the deck to see their Log pose laying on the ground. I quickly pick it up and shove it in my pocket.
" Is it a good idea to let them leave?" Asks Nami.
Crocus nods," if we hold them here they'll just be back with more people to kill the whale."
He then begins to explain his past a little bit and goes into a little bit greater detail about how the whale came to be in his care, and how he spent the last few decades calming the whale and treating its injuries.
Sanji comes running out of nowhere near the end of the story. "Laaadies!!! I made you all food!!!"
Just as he comes in with a plate of food Nami screams." I can't plot our course! The compass it's broken. It won't stop spinning!"
"It seems you know nothing of this place," Crocus says." Common logic makes no sense in the Grand Line! Your compass is not broken."
" But, then why isn't it working?"
"Because the grand line is home to all sorts of rare resources, and as such the entire stretch of ocean is one giant magnetic field. A lot of things are uncertain here, including random wind and sea currents, as well as many other things that can make you easily lose your course. If you truly wish to navigate this place then you will need a very special type of compass known as a log pose. "
I pull the log pose that Vivi dropped from my pocket and hold it out. " You mean one like this?"
Nami fires a stream of water directly at my face, as she yells. " How in the hell do you have this thing?"
Once I recover from the shock of the water stream hitting my face, I walk over to Nami. I give her a light kiss on the lips, causing her to blush a little bit. "You're embarrassing me Luffy."
"Can't a man kiss his pokegirl? Anyway here you go, Nami." I hand her the log pose, as I give her another light kiss. "As for where I got it, those two weird people dropped it."
Nami puts it up close to her face, "this is a log pose. How can this tell us the way when there are no letters?"
Navigation works a bit differently here in the Grand Line." Crocus says, answering her question." Islands here each have their own unique magnetic field. The log pose will lock on to that magnetic field and then store it allowing it to then guide you to the next Island. The only way to navigate through the Grand Line is to trust in the direction the log pose points. From this island you can follow the path of seven different magnetic fields. Those magnetic fields will eventually convene at the last Island."
While crocus talks I much on the food Sanji bought, only to be kicked in the head by him. "You didn't leave any food for Nami-san!"
Sanji continues to kick at me for a couple of minutes, until he is knocked out by Silk. "Stop fawning over that Saltee! You have me!"
Her face then immediately turns to a much calmer one as she smiles. "Sorry about Master! I will be sure to keep him in line, captain!"
As she drags him off, Vivi and Mr Nine reappear. Everyone stares at them for a good 5 minutes before Mr Nine finally speaks. "This… is not something easy to say, but we would like to ask for your help. We need to get back to Whiskey Peak."
"Whiskey Peak?" Asks Shimo.
Mr Nine looks at her and replies." Yes, that is our home."
"So you want us to take you there, because you don't have a ship?" Asks Kaya.
Nami puts her face right down in front of him, "don't you think that's a little suspicious? You were trying to kill the whale earlier, why should we trust you?"
"Who are you really?" Usopp asks.
"I am the king!" Mr Nine replies Nami grabs his cheek and pulls on it.
"Don't lie to me!"
Vivi and Mr Nine immediately drop to their knees. " I'm sorry, but we can't tell you that! But if you help us get home, I promise we will repay you somehow!"
"I don't know," says Zorro. "Something about them is suspicious!"
"No they can come!" I say finally putting my two cents in. Everyone looks like they disagree but ultimately they accept my choice as their captain.
By the way, I stretch my hand out grabbing the top of Laboon. I hang so I am just in front of his left eye. I then talk to him in a whispered tone." Laboon blink twice if you can hear me."
The whale takes a moment but then he complies." Good listen to me very carefully. The Rumbar pirates are not dead, well not all of them. 50 years ago Yorki and about half of the crew died of a plague. Brook took the remaining members and continued on, but they too ultimately fell. However Brook survived and has been trapped in the Grand Line for the last 50 years. I'm gonna sail that way and free him.
I'll be back here in around 5 or 6
years and I will bring Brook with me. But until then I need you to stop ramming your head against the Red Line. You don't want something to happen to you before Brook returns do you? Blink twice if you understand so far!"
Once again the whale blinks before I continue. "Good! So if you want to remain in good health for whe Brook arrives then you gotta promise you won't ram your head anymore, then I promise to bring Brook here. If I fail to keep my promise and I'm not back after more then 6 years, you can resume banging your head. Blink again if we have a deal."
Laboon blinks as I do a backflip and land on the shores. I smile then turn to Crocus," old man! Laboon and I have come to an understanding. I will go and find out the fate of his friends and he will stop hurting himself until my return. "
Crocus looks at me and says "I don't know what you said to him kid, but thank you! On a different note, are you sure that you want to help these people? Because once you pick a path there is no turning back."
"I'm sure and you are welcome!" I turn to Vivi and Mr Nine. "Welcome Aboard my ship!"
The two of thank me before boarding the Going Merry. As we continue sailing it starts snowing. Usopp and I play in the snow. Usopp makes an actual sculpture out of snow that looks suspiciously like Kaya. Then eventually we finally reach our destination, the cactus mountains of Whiskey Peak. Vivi and Mr nine take their leave, as we approach closer to the island.
Nami suddenly has a look of dread on her face, as she turns to me she says. "Luffy, something is wrong here! We need to be on our guard. My senses are tingling, there is a very strong aura of death on this island."
