DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING, EXCEPT RAGNAR AND ALL VIKINGS AND OCs IN THIS STORY! ONE PIECE BELONGS TO EICHIRO ODA, VIZ MANGA, TOEI ANIMATION AND FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT/CRUNCHYROLL LLC
Chapter 54: A Promise Between Men! Luffy and the Whale Vow to Meet Again!
All the Straw Hats, as well as Vivi were stunned to hear what Crocus was saying. How could a sperm whale have the heart of a human? And he had a bond with a band of pirates? What was going on here? They only waited in silence as Crocus continued the story.
"All who have seen Laboon have the same questions: Why does he continually strike his body against the Red Line? Why does he keep howling at Reverse Mountain?" Crocus continued, "Listen closely, and I will reveal to you Laboon's tragic story," and with that, Crocus began the tale, "One fine sunny day, while I was fulfilling my duties as the lighthouse keeper, some good-natured pirates came down Reverse Mountain. They were followed by a whale calf, spry and chipper, who I would soon come to know as the one and only Laboon. As I said before, he is a sperm whale, one of the largest and rarest species in the world – found only in the waters of the West Blue. Laboon had developed a bond with the pirates, traveling with them for much of their journey, but knowing the dangers of the Grand Line, the pirates chose to leave Laboon behind in the West Blue, but the stubborn little whale followed them anyway. As a general rule, whales are social animals and travel together in pods. I suspect that Laboon had somehow come to feel that those pirates were his own pod. The wear and tear on the pirates' ship was quite severe, so they stayed here for several months. In that time, I too was able to forge a close relationship with them. Thus, when the day of their departure finally arrived, I promised to look after Laboon in their stead. That was fifty long years ago…" Crocus remembered that fateful evening, fifty years ago…
It was at the entrance to the Grand Line at the Twin Capes. The pirates in question were heading off for the Grand Line, with their ship repaired, and ready for sailing. However, Laboon, who was still only a calf, was reluctant to depart the pirates, especially the one who he was most fond of. This pirate was a tall, tan, skinny man who had a rather distinctive face. He had a slight goatee on his chin and some side burns. He wore sunglasses, never revealing his eyes to the intense sun. On his forehead was a scar that slightly resembles a diagonal omega sign. Yet by far the most noticeable feature of him was his afro. His style for clothing was that of a gentleman, consisting of a coat, top hat, trousers and afro, which were black, while the inner linings of his coat were yellow orange. The cravat that was tied in between his coat and around his neck was blue. He only stayed with Laboon and comforted the poor whale calf.
"I hope you can understand, but you can't follow us this time," said the man as he placed his hand atop Laboon's head, "The Grand Line is just too dangerous for you. You're too small to handle it; we don't want anything to happen to you. I would take you along, if I could, but we have no idea what threats we might encounter, and if something ever happened to you because you came with us, we wouldn't be able to live with ourselves." Hearing those words, Laboon began to understand somewhat as his favorite person continued to comfort him, "We would do anything we could to protect you. Even if it caused us to meet our own demise, we would dive head first to help you!" The man's eyes were hidden behind his sunglasses, but it was clear he was torn up about this, "You have to understand. Please! I don't wanna bid farewell either! Of course not! But, having you with us…it'd be hard for me too! But even so…even so…"
"No one said this was for good, Brook," said another voice, and the whale's caretaker, named Brook turned to see his captain standing beside him.
"Captain Yorki? What do you mean?" Brook asked, confused. What was going on now that would make this departure only temporary?
"Why don't you stay put and wait for us here for a while, Laboon?" Yorki asked, "Our plan is to sail our ship straight across this sea, and straight back to where we started, right back to you, Laboon! Once we've sailed through the Grand Line, our ship will have circumnavigated the entire world, and that means we'll be crossing the Red Line again, just as we are now. We'll come back to these twin capes as fast as we can. Just wait and see. It'll only be maybe two- or three-years tops. If you can wait that long, you'll see all of us again!" Those words were just enough to raise Laboon's spirits. If he could wait that long, he would be more than happy to stay and wait for his friends.
"Do you mean it, captain?" Brook asked happily, and it was clear that Yorki was indeed telling the truth.
"So Whaddya think, Brook?" Yorki asked his shipmate, who only rose to his feet happily.
"Yes! I don't care what happens along the way! Nothing will stop us from returning!" Brook declared, smiling as he doffed his top hat, "And by the time we make it back here, you'll be big and strong enough to travel along with us!"
Before long, all of the pirates were on their ship, sailing towards the Grand Line and towards an uncertain fate ahead. They all waved goodbye to their dear friend as their ship departed for the horizon.
"Laboon! This'll be the last time we say goodbye!" Yorki told the little calf, "I promise, we're coming back for ya! We're your friends; nothing will ever change that!" And with that, Laboon only sang a hauntingly beautiful song for his surrogate pod, while Crocus remained behind and watched. As they both watched the ship, they noticed that Brook was crying tears of joy.
"I'm so glad that you understand!" He exclaimed as he waved goodbye, "Until we meet again, you take care!"
"Hey, Laboon! Don't go swimming off now!" Yorki shouted, "Once we've circumnavigated the entire world, we're coming back here! Just wait for us!" And again, Laboon sang out to his surrogate pod, hoping that the day would come when he would once again see his family again.
As he recalled that event, Crocus knew that promise was what still kept Laboon going. Even as he finished telling his story, all the Straw Hats looked on in utter awe and shock. For a whale to form a bond with such pirates, it was like when Luffy formed his own bond with Shanks, seeing that pirate as a father figure, even though Luffy now finally met his true father only earlier that day. Still, to wait that long was just unbelievable.
"Fifty years!? You're talking decades ago!" Ragnar told the lighthouse keeper, "I wasn't even born yet!"
"So, Laboon has been waiting all this time for his friends to return?" Usopp asked.
"No wonder he's upset," Nami added, "That kind of waiting would drive anyone crazy!" She could totally see now why Laboon blocked the entrance to the Grand Line, why he kept howling at Reverse Mountain. He was just too impatient after having waited for far too long.
After telling the tale of Laboon, Crocus guided the Going Merry out of Laboon's stomach and into the canal that led towards the exit. The other Straw Hats were all impressed by the engineering that went into this, and all inside of the body of a whale too.
"This is some canal," Zoro muttered as he looked around, "It's amazing that whale is still alive with a hole like this in his body."
"Truly, this is something that only dwarves are capable of," said Ragnar, who was awestruck by the sheer scale of the complex, "No one in my homeland is capable of such feats of engineering."
"I suppose that you're responsible for this?" Sanji asked Crocus, curiously.
"Just a doctor's playful mind," said Crocus, repeating what he said about the mural in Laboon's stomach.
"I was right! You are helping Laboon, aren't you?" Ragnar surmised, relieved that his own assumption proved true, "I thought that was the case when you said that earlier."
"You're a doctor!?" Usopp asked, shocked by what he just heard his quartermaster say.
"Legally certified. I also ran a clinic on the cape, once upon a time," Crocus explained happily, "Before that, I served as a ship's doctor."
"Really?" Luffy asked as he sat on the broken neck of the Merry's figurehead, "That's great! Then join us! We need a doctor!"
"Don't be ridiculous! I no longer have that kind of energy!" Crocus protested as they stopped at a pair of doors leading out, and nearby was a ladder on the wall, which he began to climb, "Exploring the sea is a young man's burden!"
"What kind of a doctor hollows out the inside of a whale?" Sanji asked, utterly confused still as to how this whole process worked.
"Maybe it's part of the treatment?" Nami surmised, going on a wild guess.
"The girl is right," said Crocus as he finally made his way to the top, "With a creature this size, it's virtually impossible to treat it from the outside. Therefore, I devised a more drastic solution." Crocus then made his way towards a crank nearest the door and looked to the pirates as he told them, "Here's the exit!" Then he turned the crank in one direction, and the great steel doors opened up, revealing the light of the sun and the blue sky above.
"WE'RE OUT!" Luffy happily exclaimed, glad that the whole ordeal was finally over and they could begin their journey properly.
"I have never been happier to smell the stink of the sea!" Ragnar exclaimed, but then he noticed that Vivi was wigged out. Something was definitely bothering her, and Mr. 9 was still unconscious. "Hmm? Milady, is there something the matter?" He asked the princess.
"Ragnar, please cut that out!" Vivi whispered, "We're not in Alabasta, so just call me by my name. But anyway, you're right. I shouldn't be out here; I could be spotted at any minute."
"Assassination attempts, eh?" Ragnar surmised, understanding the dangers of being royalty somewhat, "Well, in that case, head below deck, Vivi. It's safer there."
"But what about Mr. 9?" She asked, as she nodded and went for the hatch below.
"I'll think of a cover story for when he wakes up," the Viking said with a wink. Placing her faith in her old friend, Vivi climbed down the ladder and entered the crew's quarters while Ragnar secured the hatch afterwards. Not long after, Mr. 9 finally began to wake up, feeling the sun's rays on his face.
"What's going on?" He groaned as he woke up after being knocked out unconscious, then looked around for his partner. "Wait! Where's Miss Wednesday!? What have you heathens done to her?" Yet all he got was Ragnar's claws against his throat as he found himself in a chokehold position.
"Shooting whales with hand cannons? Is that common whaling practice where you come from!?" Ragnar asked, feigning rage as he transformed into his hybrid lion form.
"N-No…I…!" Mr. 9 began, before Ragnar threw him towards the Merry's railing.
"Spare me! Go! Tell the friends you have back in your home what happened here!" Ragnar ordered, and with that, Mr. 9 sheepishly jumped ship and began to swim away from the Merry and Laboon. Once he was a safe distance away, Ragnar only let out a sigh of relief. Vivi was not yet out of danger, but for now, her secret was safe. Yet what was on everyone else's mind was the promise between Laboon and his pirate pod.
"Don't ya think that fifty years is a bit extreme?" Usopp asked Crocus, "Those pirates sure know how to test someone's patience."
"Idiot, don't you get it? This is the Grand Line, otherwise known as the Pirate Graveyard," said Sanji, reminding Usopp of where they were, "It's more than likely that his friends are dead. That whale can wait forever, but there's no way they're coming back."
"Sad to say, but that's probably true," added Nami, "Back in the day, when those pirates traveled the Grand Line, it was still an uncharted sea, a thousand times more treacherous than it is now."
"Why are you guys all being so pessimistic!? You don't know that they're dead, right!?" Usopp asked, refusing to believe that the worst had come to pass, "They could still come back for him! C'mon, have some sympathy, will ya!? I thought it was very touching. I mean, a whale still believing a promise his friends made despite all these years? That's a true bond, right, Pops?"
"Indeed," Crocus answered, pushing his glasses up, "But the lesson here is that reality is cruel. Laboon's cohorts are not dead. The truth is that they abandoned their quest. I learned that they turned tail and left the Grand Line."
"I don't believe it!" Usopp bemoaned, turning to the great creature that was Laboon, "I mean, why abandon him like that!?" Everyone just looked at Laboon with sympathy. How could a great whale like he be lied to all this time? At that moment, Luffy looked right into Laboon's eyes, understanding the pain and anger this poor whale was feeling. It was like when he was forced to stay behind after Shanks and his crew left. Yet he saw more. He could see Laboon as a calf, and how he got separated from his pod out in the West Blue, that fateful meeting with those pirates, and how their music cheered him up, and especially the bond he shared with the one named Brook.
"You say that they ran away from the Grand Line," said Nami, "Do you know if they made it through the Calm Belt alive?"
"I can't claim to know exactly what became of them, but I doubt they'll ever come back here again," Crocus replied, "Seasons, weather, currents, wind direction. On the Grand Line, these elements seem to defy the very laws of nature. Common sense is useless, and the terror of that fact can be quite overwhelming."
"So, if I got this straight, what you're saying is that these pirates were cowards who were more concerned with saving their own asses than keeping a promise to a friend," said Sanji, "Is that what you're telling us?" However, the chef only got silence from the lighthouse keeper – a clear indication that he spoke the truth.
"Why would anyone abandon such a loyal creature!?" Usopp asked in disbelief, enraged by the very thought of it, "Just look at it! It's cruelty on a grand scale!"
"But if you've known about all this, why haven't you told him?" Nami asked Crocus, "Laboon can obviously communicate with you; he seems to understand humans quite well for a whale as well."
"I did tell him, down to the last miserable detail," Crocus lamented, reflecting back on that fateful day he told Laboon about what happened to Yorki and Brook. "That was the day that Laboon began to howl at Reverse Mountain. Soon after, he started slamming his body against the Red Line. It's as if he believes that continent is what keeps his friends away, and by breaking it, he can clear a path for their return."
"So, that's why he blocked the entrance to the Grand Line," said Ragnar, finally surmising everything that just happened down to the last detail. "That would also explain the rumbling I felt when my father took me on that first voyage as a boy. When we passed through the entrance, I felt a sudden rumbling as we rowed our way past the twin capes, ten years ago."
"I admire his dedication," said Sanji, reflecting on how the promise to his friends was what kept Laboon here for so long.
"They never gave up on him," Usopp added, further amazed by the bond Laboon shared with these pirates.
"He refuses to believe me, because then he'd have to accept that it's over, and that terrifies him more than anything," Crocus explained, "There's no way for him to return to the West Blue. So, what we have here is a paradox of tragic proportions: Laboon is a lost soul dying to live with his friends, but won't stop killing himself to be reunited with them."
"That is tragic. Still, for all the grief those pirates put him through, they did the same to you by saddling you with their burden," said Sanji, "I mean, you've done enough for Laboon, but what about you?"
"The scars on his hide are deep, yes, but those in his heart are even deeper. He needs someone to tend to his wounds, and I'm all he's got," Crocus justified, "For years, he's battered himself, but I patched him up. A strange friendship, yes, but it works."
At that moment, a great cracking noise could be heard, catching Ragnar's attention, and all of a sudden, he saw Luffy running up Laboon with the mainmast of the Merry torn clean off the base.
"Uh…guys? I think Luffy may have completely lost it," said the Viking pointing up to the very sight. All the Straw Hats were just dumbfounded by the very spectacle.
"What the hell is that idiot up to this time?" Sanji asked.
"Ya gotta watch him every second," Zoro grumbled.
"We've been watching him; look what happens," Sanji added, and they all just watched as Luffy roared while charging up to the nearest open wound on Laboon's scarred hide, mast in hand.
"GUM-GUM…FLOWER ARRANGEMENT!" He yelled as he slammed the torn end of the great piece of timber down on the wound, causing blood to splatter everywhere.
"Ya think he's aware that's our mast?" Zoro asked, concerned.
"I'm sure he does," said Ragnar, "But something tells me that he just doesn't care at the present moment. Either that, or he's still mad about the figurehead being decapitated."
"And now, it's on top of a whale," said Sanji, who wasn't even surprised at this stunt.
"Why'd he do that?" Usopp asked as he knew that Kaya would probably kill him for this if they got back, "Hey, Luffy! Stop tearing up the ship!" The archer yelled, but for Laboon, the pain of this blow was just too excruciating to endure any longer. He banged his head downwards, causing the waves around to surge all around the Merry, then unleashed a great roar of pain.
"YOU ASS! LUFFY, STOP!" All the Straw Hats yelled out in abject terror. Crocus too was horrified, watching as Laboon shook his head back and forth, causing Luffy to be swung like a ragdoll in the process. Laboon then breached out of the water, and slammed down right on the Red Line, near one of the lighthouses.
"THE BOY! HE'S DEAD!" Crocus cried out as he looked on from his boat.
"Oh, don't worry!" Nami reassured the lighthouse keeper, "It'll take a lot more than that to kill Luffy!" She knew that there was no way Luffy would die from this, given that he was made of rubber. She'd seen him take on Captain Kuro, Don Krieg, and even Arlong himself. If he could stand up to all them, he could definitely take a beating from Laboon.
True to Nami's word, Luffy was still very much alive, albeit battered from the impact. Though Laboon was still very much in pain, bleeding from his new wound on his melon.
"Ha! Gotcha!" Luffy muttered, only to watch as Laboon came charging right at him. He tried to get out of the way, but Laboon used his tail fin to slap the boy down to the ground. As he evaded the oncoming blow, Luffy once again punched Laboon in the eye, causing the whale to send him flying right into the tower of the lighthouse. The clashes went back and forth, with Luffy and Laboon really going at it, until Laboon knocked him against the lighthouse again.
"What does he think he's doing!?" Usopp muttered, unsure as to why Luffy would challenge this whale now. Vivi only looked on from an opening in the hatch as she felt the ship shaking as she hid below deck in the women's quarters. She couldn't believe what was happening before her very eyes!
"You mind letting us in on your plan before you kill yourself!?" Zoro asked, but Luffy only remained silent. As he sat slumped against the base of the lighthouse, Laboon charged at him, ready to deliver the finishing blow. Yet what happened next only shocked everyone entirely.
"It's a draw!" Luffy declared, which caused Laboon to stop dead in his tracks. All sign of aggression in his eyes faded as Luffy stood up and donned his straw hat again, which fell off during the scuffle, smiling at the whale, "I'm stronger than I look, but I have a feeling you knew that. I can always tell when someone's itching for a fight. Well, if you want a battle, I'll gladly give you one. Your shipmates used to spar with you, didn't they? And you miss that. Well, I can rival anything they threw at ya! Tell ya what, after my friends and I travel the Grand Line, we'll come back here and find you, and then you'd better be ready for a rematch!" That promise alone to return for him was enough to make Laboon cry tears of joy, which was rare even for whales to do. Crocus couldn't help but smile as he saw how Laboon sang a hauntingly beautiful song, and this time, it was one of pure happiness. Luffy had just saved Laboon from killing himself! That whale now had new purpose to wait at the twin capes, because that boy had finally given him hope!
After the fight, Ragnar only sat with Vivi below deck. The Viking couldn't help but smile at the princess' reaction as she recollected the entire ordeal that unfolded.
"That boy…he…he fought a sperm whale…and survived!?" She uttered out, completely shook to her core, "Just who is this kid!?"
"He's the boy I'm proud to call my captain," said Ragnar, chuckling in admiration, "And he's the boy who has sworn to become King of the Pirates."
"Are you serious?!" Vivi asked, unable to believe that declaration for herself, but then a thought struck her. 'If he's really that strong…perhaps I can…no! Not yet! It's too risky, even for him! If I tell him, I'll only be putting everyone here at risk!' Yet her train of thought was soon derailed when she peered up from the hatch, and saw the poorly painted jolly roger of the Straw Hat Pirates that Luffy hurriedly painted on Laboon's melon.
"Hey, not bad!" The captain remarked, "Consider this a symbol as my promise to come do battle with you! Of course, it's a rush paint job, so you'll have to avoid hitting your head, or else you'll rub it off, got it?" Laboon only gave a huff in acknowledgement. He would no longer smash his head against the Red Line now, not that he had a new promise to keep. Crocus couldn't help but smile at the very sight, "Good whale!" Luffy exclaimed, proud that he was able to save Laboon's life.
Elsewhere on the Merry, Usopp got to work repairing the damage that Luffy and Laboon caused, when he noticed that Mr. 9 was missing, and Vivi was seemingly nowhere to be found, as was Ragnar.
"Hey, where are they?" He asked Nami and Sanji.
"Where are who?" Nami asked, before finally realizing who Usopp was talking about, "Oh, you mean Mr. 9 and that princess? Well, Ragnar's down below deck with the princess, but I guess that other guy escaped. It must've happened while we were distracted by Laboon. I wonder who he was."
Meanwhile, not too far away, Mr. 9 was still floating in the water, bemoaning the loss of both the whale meat and his partner. He could not believe that he came all this way out here only to return to his home town empty handed.
"Oh, this is great! What am I going to do now!?" He muttered to himself, "I guess I have no choice. I'll have to rescue Miss Wednesday later, or else that Viking will probably kill me. No choice, I have to put some distance between those pirates, and return to the boss. The time limit for this mission's long since run out." He only sighed in lamentable frustration as he treaded water. "I can already hear the others now. They're probably already calling us traitors. I guess I'll have to just explain the whole situation. Without my weapons, I'll have no choice but to start over. Don't worry, Miss Wednesday, I'll be back, and next time no one will stop us!" As he reached into his coat pocket, however, he noticed that something was missing, and began to panic. "Oh no! I couldn't have! It's…gone!"
Back aboard the Merry, Luffy noticed a small leather strap tied to a glass sphere, with a needle affixed to it just lying around on the deck.
"What the heck is this thing?" He muttered, investigating it.
Back in the water, Mr. 9 was frantic about missing his vital belongings, and began scanning the Red Line for any sign of it.
"I can't believe I lost that damned log pose!" He bemoaned, "I must've dropped it somewhere! I'm not going anywhere without it!" Just then, a sudden clacking noise caught his attention. Mr. 9's face immediately drained of all color, his blood running cold as he looked up at the sky, "No! This can't be happening!" He shrieked as he saw them approach, "It's…THE UNLUCKIES! MR. 13! MS. FRIDAY!" From high above the sky, Mr. 9 saw a vulture wearing an aviator's hood and goggles carrying some sort of red package with a fuse in its beak, and riding on its back, clacking two scallops together was some sort of sea otter in a purple polka-dotted onesie. "Don't be hasty! Please, I can explain!" Mr. 9 pleaded, but to no avail. The fuse between the two scallops that the sea otter banged lit, and as soon as the vulture flew over him, the package fell out of its beak…right towards him! Mr. 9 dashed under the water's surface, as the package exploded, sending the water to plume up beneath him, while the smoke cloud that followed indicated that nobody could have survived that blast.
Back at the Twin Capes, Nami finally stretched as she and Luffy finally were able to enjoy some time together. Though, Luffy did have a noticeable bump on his head as he did at the celebrations in Cocoyashi Village.
"Nami, I said I was sorry, didn't I?" Luffy asked, "Cut me some slack, will ya?"
"It's your own idiocy that got us into this mess!" She grumbled, but only smiled, as she gave him a soft kiss on the lips, then wrapped her arm around his waist. "But, you ultimately did save Laboon's life. Just…don't do anything impulsive like that again around such big creatures. Got it?"
"I'll try not to, but no promises," Luffy replied, only smiling at his girlfriend. Nami only smiled and shrugged as she shook her head. She loved Luffy, but sometimes he could indeed drive her nuts. "So, what now?"
"Well, now that we finally have some peace and quiet, we can work out a plan for the Grand Line expedition," she replied, unfurling the nautical chart that they nabbed from Buggy all the way back at Orange Town, along with a compass, when she noticed something off was happening…
Meanwhile, down in the hold, Sanji and Ragnar opened the icebox to reveal the very elephant bluefin tuna that they won back at the cooking competition back in Loguetown. The sight of the great fish only caused the two young men to widen their eyes in excitement.
"Ah! Don't think I forgot about you, elephant bluefin tuna!" Sanji muttered as he gazed upon the fish.
"Oh, that certainly does look amazing!" Ragnar exclaimed, holding a long axe, "Thanks again for letting me help clean this fish, Sanji."
"No problem, it really is more of a two-person job anyway," Sanji replied, as he and Ragnar both took the fish out and onto a makeshift table on deck. As they set the fish down, Ragnar then opened the hatch to the women's quarters below and smiled at Vivi.
"You can come out now, princess!" He called out, "It doesn't look like there'll be any assassins this close to the Red Line."
"I hope so," Vivi answered as she climbed up the ladder out and onto the deck of the Merry. The first thing she saw, however, was Viðarr, wandering about. The moment she saw him, her eyes lit up. "Oh wow! Ragnar, that's a beautiful horse! Where did you get him?" She asked as she petted the great stallion.
"Viðarr? Well, he was actually a gift from a jarl in the East Blue, after we helped him win a war against some troublesome pirates," Ragnar explained, then turned back to Sanji, long axe still gripped in his hands, "Okay Sanji, so how do we clean this whopper?"
"Well, thankfully, the fishmongers back in Loguetown already dressed it, so all that's left for us to do is scale it and clean it," the chef explained, "I'll need you and that axe of yours to cut the head off so that I can work on filleting the body."
"You got it! Though, you'd better stand back!" Ragnar answered, and everyone on deck did indeed step back, while Ragnar swung his axe and began to sever the tuna's head from the rest of its body, the blade of the polearm cutting through muscles, tendons and bones, until finally, the great head of the fish came clean off with only five strikes.
"Hey, take it easy guys, will ya?" Usopp asked as he hammered the mast tight with several steel plates that would also act as armor, "Merry's already taken a beating between both Luffy and Laboon. The last thing we need is any holes in the deck."
"Don't worry, Usopp, I wasn't planning on destroying our precious vessel," said Ragnar, smiling at the archer as he moved towards the tail fin, "Though, I suppose we could also use a shipwright aboard if we incur any further damage." At that moment, a sudden scream caught everyone off guard. "That sounded like Nami!" Ragnar remarked.
"Go on ahead, I got the rest from here," Sanji told the quartermaster as he proceeded to begin scaling and filleting the fish. Everyone else rushed off the gang-plank single file and one at a time, only to see Luffy frantic.
"Guys! Something's wrong, come quick!" Luffy shouted, and Ragnar, Vivi and Usopp all climbed the ladder leading upwards to a round table made from petrified wood.
"What happened?" Usopp asked, concerned.
"Nami, what's wrong? What did you find?" Ragnar added as he helped Vivi up.
"Bad news, guys! The compass is broken!" Nami explained, allowing everyone to look as the compass began spinning around in circles, "The needle's just spinning, and it won't stop!"
"I dunno about you, but I'm getting dizzy," said Usopp as he noticed what was going on.
"It's not broken," said Ragnar, "It's just not working in these waters."
"It is sadly apparent that the Viking here is one of the few people among you who has any knowledge of how things work here! Did you all come here to die!?" Crocus asked, shocked by Nami's reaction. "But the Norseman is right. There is nothing wrong with your compass. The Grand Line has little regard for the laws of nature; common sense is useless in this place."
"Then why is the needle just spinning?" Nami asked, relieved that the compass wasn't broken.
"That's because we're surrounded by a powerful magnetic field," said Vivi as she managed to get a look at the compass, "The islands of the Grand Line are all veined with minerals that cause all sorts of phenomena."
"She's right," Crocus confirmed, "In addition, the winds and the currents also lack constancy in their patterns. As a navigator, I'm sure you can appreciate this dilemma."
"So then…if we don't have a way to navigate here, then this trip is hopeless!" Nami surmised, sheepishly smiling at the lighthouse keeper, "I dunno what to say, we're screwed!"
"Hey! You're the navigator! So navigate us outta here!" Usopp yelled.
"Not entirely we aren't," said Ragnar, reaching for an item in his pouch, one which had a flat conical shape, with a telescope and lens. "The magnetism here is pretty similar to how it is in my homeland. So, we Vikings have found that celestial navigation proves effective in these waters. We use tools like this sextant, or astrolabes, and sunstones, using the stars and the sun to guide us, as well as the direction of where seabirds fly."
"That's certainly one method of navigating these waters," said Crocus, "The Vikings are skilled at traversing the waters of the Grand Line using traditional means, but if you truly have any hope of navigating the Grand Line with a compass, then you'll need a Log Pose to guide you."
"A Log Pose? I've never even heard of it," said Nami, confused by what Crocus meant.
"It's kind of a special compass that can indicate levels of magnetism," said Vivi, who was indeed familiar with such objects.
"Is it strange looking? Like a sphere on a strap of leather?" Luffy asked as he took the same leather strap with the glass sphere out of his pocket, "I found this thing laying around on deck. It must've belonged to that guy with the crown."
"That's Mr. 9's Log Pose! I can't believe he dropped it in such a hurry!" Vivi remarked, stunned that Luffy had it.
"Well, either way, we're incredibly lucky," said Nami as she strapped it to her wrist as she examined it, "Huh, there doesn't seem to be a dial phase on this thing."
"You don't need one," Crocus explained, "It's a special brand of magnetism that runs through the Grand Line Islands, complete with its own set of rules that makes it possible to get around! By recording the level of magnetism between two islands, you can chart a route from one island to the next. The Log Pose method is really the only choice, since the magnetism here presents huge problems for conventional navigation. As it so happens, Reverse Mountain is a great starting point. It produces seven levels of magnetism, but it doesn't matter which one you choose to start with. Eventually, all of them will pull against each other and form one route, and the island at the end of that route… is Laugh Tale: the last and most mysterious in the Grand Line, its very existence was confirmed by the King of the Pirates, the only known man to have explored the Grand Line in its entirety."
"That's it! That must be where the One Piece is hidden!" Usopp surmised, his face giddy with excitement.
"That's the most prominent theory," said Crocus, "But nobody's been able to set foot on Laugh Tale Island ever since."
"Don't worry! We'll know soon enough!" Luffy remarked with a confident grin.
"A Log Pose! We have to take special care of this, in that case!" Nami added, "It's the key to finding the greatest treasure of all time!" At this, Crocus couldn't help but smile. These pirates were certainly an interesting lot.
At that moment, Zoro made his way up from the Merry, having finished his brief nap, and close behind him was Sanji who was now holding several dishes of the elephant bluefin tuna: from steaks and pasta dishes, to seared sashimi, sushi rolls, pizza, and even the whole roasted head and trunk.
"Okay, guys! Food's ready!" Sanji called out as he lay the dishes on the table, causing everyone's eyes to widen with excitement. "We can finish getting prepared for our voyage later. For now, though, I think it's time we put this elephant bluefin tuna to good use." At the sight of the fish, everyone's eyes just lit up, looking forward to the delicacy that was Sanji's cooking.
"Well, now that everyone's here, I believe it's time that proper introductions be in order," said Ragnar as he, like everyone else, began to serve himself a huge slab of tuna steak. He then extended his hand out to Vivi while looking to the rest of the crew, "Everyone, I'd like you all to meet her royal highness, Vivi Nefertari: Princess of the Kingdom of Alabasta."
"So, how is it that you two know each other?" Nami asked, "It's kinda odd that a princess of a foreign nation would associate herself with the son of a Viking jarl."
"Well, it all started ten years ago, back when my father took me on this first trip to the Grand Line," Ragnar explained, then turning to Luffy, "Remember when my father talked about the expedition that he and I went on back in Fuschia Village?" He asked, to which Luffy only nodded, his mouth filled with elephant tuna meat. "One of those islands we stopped at was in Alabasta – a desert kingdom, but one which is welcoming for us Vikings in terms of wealth to be made."
"Ragnar and his clan came in order to trade their wares, and also to form an alliance with my father," Vivi explained, recalling fondly those months spent in the company of the Lion Clan, "I was only six at the time, but I was somewhat familiar with the Norse who came to and from our island, because the goods they bring with them from the North Blue are in such high demand."
"So, why did you team up with that weirdo to try and hurt Laboon?" Usopp asked Vivi.
"I had no other choice. It was all part of an act," Vivi replied, "Look, I'd like to tell you all more, really, but what I should tell you really is for private. Though, in the meantime, I do know about a place where we might get some help, but be warned: the place we'll be heading to will try and fleece any and all pirates who dock there."
"You trust her Ragnar?" Luffy asked his quartermaster, still somewhat unsure of the princess' behavior.
"With my life, Captain," Ragnar happily replied, "Vivi wouldn't deliberately lead us into danger without there being a good reason behind it." Then he looked back to Vivi, who smiled at him in gratitude. Clearly, they trusted her, and Ragnar managed to vouch for her. "So, Vivi, how did you and Mr. 9 get here?"
"Well, we had a ship, but it was sadly destroyed," Vivi explained, "But, I can let you know where to go. The place is called Whiskey Peak."
"Wait a minute! Wasn't that the town that Ragnar warned us was low on supplies?" Sanji asked, "The one that was a trade port for Vikings ten years back?"
"It was, back when I was a boy," said Ragnar, "But if Vivi knows the place well, we can rely on her to help keep us on our toes, and to ensure we don't end up getting suckered in while we enjoy ourselves."
"Good, then once we're done here, we'll head towards Whiskey Peak," said Luffy, who was now at ease given that Ragnar could vouch for Vivi, and that his beef with Laboon was now settled.
"Choose your route carefully," said Crocus, "Once you depart from here, you'll be committed to that course."
"That's okay," Luffy replied, "If we don't like it, then we'll take a different route next time!" At the sound of those words, Crocus couldn't help but smile.
"I see!" He only uttered, "Well, if your Log Pose should break, I will give you my own as a spare, as a thank you for helping Laboon."
Once everyone was finished with dinner, Usopp only finished up repairs to the Merry, and they were all ready to depart.
"Well, I'd say that covers just about everything, Luffy!" Ragnar told his captain, "Ready to depart?"
"You bet! It's time we get going!" Luffy said as he rose from his seat, noticing that Laboon had surfaced up to see them off. "Now that Laboon and I have an understanding, I can leave with a clear conscience."
"Hold up! Just who do you think you are anyway?" Vivi asked, shocked by Luffy's simple logic.
"Who? Me?" Luffy asked, then declared, "I'm the man who's gonna be King of the Pirates!" And with that, Crocus couldn't help but smile. Clearly, Luffy had the charisma, ambition and drive to back up those words, as well as the strength, given that clash with Laboon.
By sunset, the Straw Hats were all ready to depart. The ship was stocked with necessary supplies, and ready to set sail.
"Should be good to go! The Log Pose has had plenty of time to store the route," Crocus told Nami, who'd changed into a black shirt with the word "MODE" printed in the center in pink with the base in a pink mesh-like design, along with her regular yellow skirt, "The needle should be pointing in the same direction as the map."
"It's pointing directly to Whiskey Peak!" Nami replied, double checking the Log Pose, and looking dead ahead before setting foot back aboard the Merry, whose figurehead now had the same steel plating around the base of the neck.
"See ya, Pops!" Luffy called out to Crocus, "Thanks again for the spare Log Pose! Take care!"
"Have a safe trip, my boy!" Crocus called back, watching as Luffy made his way towards Laboon.
"I'm off, Laboon! Be ready to fight when I return!" Luffy told him, and the whale only sang happily in response. He didn't care about the fight, he was just happy that someone was going to see him again. "Next stop: Whiskey Peak! Ready gang, let's set sail!"
"Unfurl mains! Let's move!" Ragnar shouted, and Usopp and Sanji weighed anchor and unfurled all sails, sailing off into the sunset, with Laboon giving them a farewell song for their departure. As the Straw Hats left, Laboon could hear both Luffy and Ragnar singing Binks' Brew far off in the distance. Zoro only still rested against the ship's railing, while Usopp and Sanji looked out toward the horizon. Nami was all too excited to see the entire world, while Vivi too shared a sense of excitement. She no longer had to hide who she was! Here, she was safely among people who could trust her.
As Crocus looked out at the Going Merry, which got smaller as she sailed further into the sunset, he felt a sudden reminiscence wash over him. He hadn't felt this way for twenty-two years now.
"I wonder…Luffy and his exuberant crew could be the very pirates we've been waiting for," he muttered, "That young captain sure has a way about him. It's uncanny, really…wouldn't you agree…Roger?" And with that, the Straw Hat Pirates finally entered the Grand Line, with a new friend aboard, and their ultimate goal in mind: to discover the greatest treasure of all time!
A/N: And so here we have another chapter down, and with tons of Easter Eggs to share! And we finally have the first debut of Brook, Yorki and the Rumbar Pirates! I figured that since Yorki was already mentioned at this point, it would be a good idea to show Brook in this chapter as well. Don't worry, we'll be seeing him later on, albeit in a much different form than in the flashback.
And now the Straw Hats have also been introduced to Vivi too! Again, rest assured about Mr. 9, he'll be seen again in the next few chapters. Though, if the Unluckies have made their appearance, then we all know who we can expect to see as well, won't we?
So, what Nami was saying about how the compass was spinning in circles, and Ragnar backing it up with how the navigation in Norðvegr is pretty similar, that is actually a true phenomenon that happened with magnetic compasses, especially in the Age of Discovery, when Europeans were attempting to navigate the Arctic in an attempt to find the Northwest Passage. If you've seen the TV series, The Terror, you'll know what I'm talking about. Navigating through the Arctic Ocean meant that it was a place where your compass would be of no use, as the magnetic North Pole is always shifting. During the Franklin Expedition in the 1830s and 1840s, the navigators of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror were always trying to correct their compass readings to true north in order to stay on course. Today, navigating through the Arctic is far less dangerous comparatively, thanks to modern technology.
Now, you also may be wondering what the beakhead is, as I mentioned it in the last chapter. The beakhead is the section of the ship's prow where both the chaser cannons and the ship's latrines were located in the Age of Exploration. Lastly, we need to mention ambergris. Now, Ambergris is a solid, waxy, flammable substance of a dull grey or blackish color produced in the digestive system of the sperm whale. It was highly prized by perfume makers throughout history, and it was historically used in culinary applications, especially in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. A serving of eggs and ambergris was said to be a favorite dish of King Charles II of England, and at the dinner parties she hosted on the eve of the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette often served hot chocolate laced with ambergris, as an aphrodisiac.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and stay tuned for the next one as always!