I don't own Naruto nor I own One Piece. This next chapter won't be anything special but next chapter will because it's Whiskey peak. I might have a NaruSaku scene singing a duet. Bet you're excited for that if you ship NaruSaku. But until then, enjoy.
"He's a a unique and magnificent creature. Inside Laboon's body beats the heart of a human." Crocus explains. "Everyone who's seen Laboon asked the same thing. "Why does he keep ramming his head into the Red Line? Why does he keep howling at Reverse Mountain? Listen closely and I'll tell you Laboon's tragic story." The crew stopped and listened. He explains that Laboon has been waiting for a group of pirates for over fifty years. Laboon arrived fifty years ago with the Rumbar Pirates, a band of pirates. The pirates did not want to bring the young whale on their dangerous journey and instead intended to leave it in West Blue, where it had originally lived, but it had followed them. Laboon treated the pirates as if they were family. The Rumbar Pirates stayed on Reverse Mountain for a few months to repair their ship, and Crocus became friends with them. When they were ready to leave on their journey, they asked Crocus to look after Laboon and promised to return after three years. The captain of the ship asked Laboon to wait for them and promised him that no matter what happened during their journey, they would find him and he would remain their friend. Once he finished the story, Naruto was in awe.
"50 years?" He exclaimed.
"And he's been waiting all this time for his friends to return?" questioned Usopp.
"No wonder he's upset," Nami realized, "That kind of wait would drive anyone crazy."
"I agree, Nami." Sakura frowned. She and the othes hear Laboon's wail.
The crew found their way to a waterway's burial hatch thanks to Crocus who opened the gateway in appreciation for what they've done.. The Straw hats gathered the ship and looks at Crocus.
"This is some canal." Zoro commented. . "It's amazing the whale's still alive with a hole this big in his body."
"I suppose you're responsible for this?" Sanji inquired.
"Just a doctor's playful mind." Crocus shrugged while reading his newspaper.
"Doctor?" Usopp asked.
"That's right, legally certified." Crocus confirmed. "I also ran a clinic on the Cape once upon a time. Before that I served as a ship's doctor."
"Really? That's great!" Naruto grinned. "You can be our doctor. My girlfriend Sakura here is a doctor but it wouldn't hurt to have too" Sakura rubbed her neck in embarrassment.
"Oh, Naruto."
"Sorry." Crocus declined. "I no longer have that kind of energy. Exploring the seas is a young man's burden."
"What kind of doctor hollows out the inside of a whale?" Sanji asked while watching Crcus climb up a ladder.
"Maybe it's part of the treatment." Nami said.
"The girl is right." Crocus said as he reached uptop. "With a whale this size, it's virtually impossible to treat it from the outside. So I devised a more drastic solution." He said as he walked along the catwalk until he reached the door's control wheel.
"Here's the exit." He turned the wheel and the Going Merry makes their way. Luffy laughed in excitement.
"The sky!" He cheered. Sakura and Naruto hold hands with excitement as they anticipate their upcoming adventures. They do not know what is on the Grand Line, but they are in it together. They were so focused on the real skies that they missed Miss Wednesday waking up. She notices the Straw Hats watching the seas she turns to her partner Mr. 0 and shakes him till he awakens.
"What is it?" He asked. She shushed him and they made their escape without the straw hats noticing.
"What do you think 50 years is a bit extreme?" Usopp asked.
"Those pirates sure know how to test someone's patience."
"Idiot. Don't you get it?" Sanji scoffed. He brings out his cigarette and lights it. "This is the Grand Line. His friends are dead." He puffs out and continues to say his point. "hat whale can wait forever. They won't come back.
"I hate to agree with Sanji but it's probably true." Sakura said. "Back in the day when those guys traveled the Grand Line, it was an uncharted sea. A thousand times more treacherous than it is now."
"Hey..." Naruto cuts in. "Why are you guys so pessimistic? For all we know, his friends might be alive. They just got lost."
"I agree with Naruto." Usopp nodded. "I mean come on, have some sympathy, would 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?"
Crocus pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Indeed. But the lesson here is that reality is cruel. Laboon's cohorts aren't dead. The truth is they abandoned their quest. I learned that they turned tail and left the Grand Line."
"You say they ran away from the Grand Line." Nami replied. Do you know if they made it through the Calm Belt alive?"
"I can't claim to know of what exactly became of them. But I doubt they'll ever come back here again." Crocus explained to them. "Seasons, weather, Currents, wind direction. On the Grand Line, these elements seem to defy the very laws of nature. Common is useless here. And the terror of that fact can be overwhelming and scares many off part way into their journey."
"So if I've got this straight, what you're saying is that these pirates were a bunch of cowards who cared more about saving their own asses than keeping a promise to a friend." Sanji scoffed. Luffy and Naruto looked up at the whale with sympathy.
"Why would anyone abandon such a loyal creature?" Usopp asked. "Just look at him. it's cruelty on a grande scale."
"But if you've know all this, why haven't you told him?" Laboon can obviously can communicate with you. He seems to understand humans quite well for a whale." Nami pointed out.
"I did tell him. Crocus said. "Down to the last miserable detail. That was the day Laboon began to first howl at Reverse Mountain. Soon after, he started slamming his body against the Red Line. It's as if he believes that wall is what keeps his friends away. And by breaking it, he can clear the path for their return." Naruto was in awe of what he told him. He looks up at the whale.
"So in away it's like me. His way is never giving up." He said. "I would never give up on my friends." He said thought he looks at Sakura. He remembers his promise to her but now he is thinking... is this promise worth it?
"Because then he'll have to admit that it's over. And that terrifies him more than anything. There's no way for him to go back to the West Blue. So what we have is a paradox of tragic proportions. Laboon is a lost soul dying to be with his friends but won't stop killing himself to reach them."
"Tragedy." Sanji said. "Still, for all the grief those pirates put him through, they did the same to you saddling you with their burden." Sanji eyes the elder lighthouse keeper. "I mean. . .You've done enough for Laboon. What about you?"
"The scars on his hide are deep." Crocus answered. "But those in his heart are even deeper. He needs someone to tend his wounds and I'm all he's got. For years, he's battered himself while I patched him up. A strange friendship, but it works."
"UGHH!" They heard a grunt. They looked up to see Luffy charging towards the whale carrying the central mast. Sakura can see that this won't go well.
"What is our idiot captain doing?"
"We got to watch him every second." Zoro said.
"He reminds me of Naruto when he started, only I think Naruto is slighty smarter." Sakura stated.
"That's right. I... Hey!" He glared with offense.
"Gum-Gum..." He shouted. Naruto's eyes widen. He has a feeling Luffy is doing something irrational... again. "Flower Arrangement!" Naruto hits his head.
"What the hell is he doing?" Naruto asked.
"You think he's aware that that's our mast?" Zoro turned to Naruto.
"And now it's on top of a whale," Sanji asked.
"Why'd he do that?" Usopp asked. "Hey, Luffy. Stop tearing up the ship!" Laboon's eyes teared up then roars very loudly and splashes the Going Merry angrily.
"YOU ASS, LUFFY STOP!" The crew shouted.
Laboon jumped into the air and hit the rocky cape with his head first after jumping out of the water with Luffy hanging on. Crocus looks up.
"The boy! He's dead!" He shouted.
"No, he's not!" Confirmed Naruto.
"Naruto's right. It'll take way more than that to kill Luffy!" Nami said. Laboon leaned back, his eyes going red, and Luffy smirked at him.
"Gotcha." Laboon rushes himself towards Luffy who dodged out of the way and gives the whale punch in the eye.
The whale strikes back with his head, sending Luffy crashing against the lighthouse.
"What does he think he's doing?" Usopp asked. Naruto narrowed his eyes for a brief moment.
"Usually, I follow what Luffy is doing... and even I have no freaking idea." he said.
"HEY, LUFFY! CAN YOU TELL US YOUR PLAN BEFORE YOU HAVE MONSTRO KILL US?" Zoro asks while Laboon was getting ready to ram Luffy who glared at him.
"It's a draw." The whale's expression went from anger to confusion. Luffy stands up and puts his straw hat on his head and smirks. "I'm stronger than I look. But I had a feeling you knew that. "I can always tell when someone's itchin' to 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 it. Well, I can rival anything they threw at ya." Naruto's eyes widen and he and his friends smile that Laboon doesn't have to give up hope.
"Tell you what. After me and my friends travel the Grand Line, we'll come back here and find you." Luffy grins. Laboon starts crying after hearing the rubber boy's promise.
"And then you better be ready for a rematch." Naruto felt touched. He walks up close to Laboon and pointed at him.
"I would like a match too. What do you say we have one as well." Crocus smiles after hearing that. Maybe Luffy is right. Maybe Laboon's crew can come back.
To show their promise, Luffy and Naruto both painted the Jolly Roger Symbol on Laboon's face.
"Consider this a symbol of my promise to come do battle with you." Luffy said.
"Of course, this is a rushed paint job. So, you'll have to be careful and avoid hitting your head or you'll rub it off, understand?" The whale responded with a bellow voice.
"Heh, good whale." Luffy laughed. Meanwhile on deck, Usopp was carrying some boards to fix the ship. He then noticed something.
"Hey, where are they?"
"Where are who?" Nami inquired, and Sakura looked over to the empty space where the two whalers had once lied.
"You mean the whalers? I think they got up and left." She said while looking back at the spot then turns her head around in worry. "I hope it's the last time we've seen them." Not too far from the Going Merry, Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 were in the the waters staring at the ship.
"Miss Wednesday, whatever shall we do?"
"First, put some distance between us and these morons, then we report to the boss. Our time for completing this mission has long since run out." Miss Wednesday answered.
"I can hear the others now. They're probably already calling us traitors." Mr. 9 grumbled.
"I know, but without our weapons, we have no choice but to back to the office and start over." stated Ms. Wednesday.
"And this time, no one will stop us!" Mr. Nine smiled and took something out of his coat only to feel nothing. With a gasp, he takes it out and discovers it is empty.
"What is it?" His cohort asked.
"What?" Back at the Going Merry, Luffy and Naruto both heard something drop. Naruto picks it up and examines it.
"What is this, a compass?"
"How could you have lost the log pose?" Asked Miss Wednesday.
"I don't know, I must've dropped it somewhere! But we're not going anywhere without it!" Mr. 9 answered while looking through his binoculars.
"How awful." She said. Mr. 9 spots Naruto holding it then he gasped.
"Oh, no. This can't be happening!" Miss Wednesday looks at him in confusion. She then looks up and copied the same exact horrified face Mr. 9 had. They both hear seashells banging. It was an otter in suit wearing sunglasses and purple spotted outfit. He was sitting on a vulture holding a red box.
"The unluckies!" Miss Wednesday cried.
"We're out of time!" Ms. Wednesday exclaimed.
"Mr. 13!" Mr. 9 said.
"Ms. Friday!" Miss Wednesday dreaded.
"Don't be hasty! Please, we can explain!"
"We'll check in with the boss immediately." Miss Wednesday promised. The otter lights up and fuses up the red box and drops it at the two whalers but it was too late. The box detonated, resulting in an explosion and causing smoke.
Nami stretched after helping pack up the Going Merry. Sakura was packing medical supplies in her purse. Nami reaches inside her pocket.
"Okay, Sakura. We have piece and quiet so we can work out plan for the Grand Line journey." She puts her compass on the table. Meanwhile, Sanji opened the icebox and gets ready to cook the fish he won back at Longuetown.
"Ah, don't think I forgot about you, elephant tuna." He gave a grin. Usopp used nails to reattach the mast to the ship with angered white eyes.
"Damn, that's my life. Luffy breaks it then I fix it back together. He glances over at Zoro, who is sleeping. "Hey, Zoro! Get off your lazy butt and give us a hand! This ship isn't gonna fix itself, ya know!" Suddenly they, heard Nami screaming. Luffy looks over in worry.
"Nami, are you okay?" Sanj shows up carrying 4 plates of the cooked tuna. "If it's food you're worried about, say no more!" Naruto and Luffy's mouth went watery.
"Food!" They both exclaimed.
"You idiots! The compass is broken. "The needle just spins. It won't stop!"
"Yeah, you're right." Naruto said.
"I don't know about you, but I am getting dizzy." Sakura exhaled and rubbed her temples.
"This is serious. Without a compass, how will we be able to cross the grand line?" Hearing the disturbance, Crocus intervenes.
"It is sadly apparent that none of you possess the slightest knowledge about how things work here. Did you all come here to die?" They all looked at him with puzzled faces. "There is nothing wrong with your compass. "The Grand Line has little regard for the rules of the sea. Common sense is useless at this place."
"The needle, why does it spin?" Asked Nami.
"Because we are surrounded by a powerful magnetic field. All the islands in the Grand Line are riddled with magnetic minerals which cause all sorts of abnormalities Also the winds and currents lack constancy in their patterns. As a navigator, I'm sure you can appreciate this dilema." Crocus said to the ship's Navigator. The Strawhats didn't notice Luffy eating one of the Tuna. Naruto is eating too but he is paying attention to the situation at the same time.
"C'mon, Nami. You're as smart as Sakura." Naruto said."You can think of something."
"Hey! You're the navigator, so navigate us outta here!" Usopp panicked.
"This is delicious! You gotta try some!" Luffy said.
"Would all of you morons shut up for 5 seconds? Nami is trying to think!" Sakura seethed. Naruto backed away. He knows when not to piss off Sakura while Luffy was still munching over his food.
"If you have any hope of navigating the Grand Line, you're going to need a log pose to guide you." Crocus informed
"Log Pose? I've never heard of it." Nami said.
"It's a specially designed compass that can record levels of magnetism." Crocus explained. Naruto's eyes widened.
"Is it strange looking?" He asked. Crocus nodded. He takes out his pocket. "Like this?" His friends all looked in shock.
"Naruto... where did you find that?" Sakura questioned.
"I think those weirdos dropped it." He answered his girlfriend. He gives the log pose to Nami.
"Huh, but there isn't a dial face on it." She said.
"You don't need one." Crocus said. "It's a special kind of magnetism that runs through the Grand line, complete with its own rules that make it possible to get around. By recording the level of magnetism between two islands, you can chart and route from one island to the next. The log post method is really the only choice, since the magnetism here presents huge problems for conventional navigation. As it turns out, Reverse Mountain is a great starting point. From here there are seven levels of magnetism with their own routes, but it doesn't matter which one you choose, at the end they all pull together to one destination. And the island at the end of that destination...is Laugh Tale. Its very existence was confirmed by the King of the Pirates nearly 20 years ago."
"Raftel..." Nami whispered.
"That's it, that's where the One Piece is hidden." Usopp conjectured.
"That's the most prominent theory. But no one's been able to set foot on Laugh Tale island since." Crocus said. Luffy laughed after he chewed the bones.
"Don't worry, we'll know soon enough." He proclaimed. After eating, Luffy exhaled.
"Well, I'm satisfied. You ready to go? Usopp and Sanji both looked with widen eyes that there nothing but scraps.
"I told you that was for all of us!" Sanji yelled.
"He... he even ate the bones." Usopp whispered.
"Whoa," exclaimed Sakura. "He makes your appetite look tame in comparison." Naruto nodded in agreement then turned to his girlfriend with a smile.
"Yeah... we should have eating contests!" Sakura laughed nervously at that.
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"A log pose, we have to take special care of this. It's the key to find the greatest treasure of all time!" Nami said.
"You greedy bottomless pig! You ate the meal I made for the Nami and Sakura!" Sanji yelled at Luffy "Well, I hope you left room… For your dessert!" He swings kicks Luffy a, knocking him down and breaking the log pose. Sakura and Naruto gasped while Nami stood there with with a sarcastic smile.
"Sanji, Luffy..."
"Yes, Nami... my dear?" He asked in a lovey dovey voice.
"BOTH OF YOU GET OUTTA MY SIGHT BEFORE I WRING YOUR NECKS!" Nami shouted as she kicked Luffy and a love struck Sanji into the water. Sakura and Naruto both laughed nervously then turns to a distraught Nami.
"Nami, what are we gonna do?" Sakura asked.
"I don't know. Our log pose is ruined." Nami sighed.
"Calm yourselves, I will give you my own. As a thank you for helping Laboon."Crocus offered. Naruto was surprised to hear that they he grinned. and give him a thumbs up.
"Thanks, old guy." Sakura sighed and pulled his ear.
"Mind your manners, got it?" She said as she pulled it tighter.
"Yes ma'am." He said in a squeaky voice. They then see Laboon surface and landed Luffy, Sanji, Miss Wednesday, and Mr.9.
"Oh, good. I'm not dead." Luffy exclaimed with relief. He and Miss Wednesday noticed each other. He lets go of Luffy and walks to the female.
"Hello, dear lady. Allow me to help you to your feet." She took his hand and giggled.
"Oh, thank you." Mr. 9 growled that nobody offered him help.
"Hey!" He called and Sanji and Miss Wednesday turned to him. "We need a favor."
The favor Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday asked them to take them to a city called...
"Whiskey Peak?" Luffy asked. "that's a funny name."
"Is there Whiskey there?" Naruto asked.
"No, That's where we live, um... sir." Mr. 9 answered.
"How are you stranded? Where's your ship?" Nami
"Well, it was destroyed." Ms. Wednesday answered.
"You guys are asking us for a ride makes you suspicious, especially after that stunt you pulled trying to kill the whale." Sakura crossed her arms. "Why should we trust you?"
"I am a king." Mr. 9 added. Sakura pinched his cheeks.
"You're lying!"
"We can't say." Miss Wednesday said.
"She's right." You have to believe us! Our only motive here is getting home! We'd tell you everything if we could, it's just that..." Mr. 9 stated.
"Mystery is our company's motto!" Miss Wednesday completed.
"We have confidence in your character, can't you give us the same courtesy?" Ms. Wednesday requested.
"Please, we're begging you!" Sakura and Nami both looked at each other and smirked, Nami turns back and shows her wrist.
"Listen, I should mention that our Log Pose was broken." She told them. "So, still want to ride with us?" The two whalers get enraged at that.
"WHAT, YOU BROKE IT?"
"You're stuck here too?! How long are you going to make us beg before you bother to tell us?!" Miss Wednesday asked.
"Oh, sorry," Nami apologized, "I forgot to mention that Crocus gave us his logpose." She turned to Sakura and winked. Sakura smirked at her. Both Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 gasped and bowed to them.
"Please have pity on us." The male whaler begged. He then glared at Nami. "That lousy bitch tricked us."
"It's fine, you can ride with us." Shrugged Luffy. That surprised both Whalers and his crewmates. "You said your home is called Whiskey Peak? Let's go there."
"What?" Naruto said. "Luffy, these guys are shady. Why should we take them anywhere."
"It's fine, Naruto. Don't sweat the small stuff, we'll be all right." Luffy told them.
"Choose your route carefully. Once you head out from here, you'll be committed to that course." Crocus said. Luffy turns around with a grin.
"That's okay. If we don't like it, we'll try a different route next time." Hearing that made Crocus grin.
"I see."
"Okay..." Luffy began. "It's time we get going! Now that me and Laboon have an understanding, I can leave with a clear conscience."
"Just who on earth do you think you are anyway?" Ms. Wednesday asked.
"What's that? Me? Oh, I'm the man, who'll be king of the pirates!" Luffy declared. Naruto walks over to him and hugs his shoulders.
"And I am gonna be Hokage!" He announced. Both Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday blinked in confusion.
"Hokage, what's that?" They both said. Naruto and Sakura held hands and smiled.
"It should be okay. "Crocus said as he sees his new friends get read to leave. "The log poses have had plenty of time to store the route. The needle should be pointing in the same direction as the map." He tells Nami who nodded.
"It's pointing directly to Whiskey Peak." She informed her crew.
"Great!" Sakura said. "Bye, Crocus, Laboon."
"Take care, Laboon." Naruto said. I'll make my promise of a lifetime to let your friends know that you're okay." He declared with raised fists. Now it was Luffy's turn to say goodbye.
"I'm off, Laboon! Be ready to fight when I get back!" Laboon thanks both of them with a howl. "Next stop, Whiskey Peak. Ready gang? Let's set sail!" The crew cheered as they make their way towards their destination. Zoro still sleeps while Naruto and Sakura watch with their hands clasped together. Sanji and Usopp grinned while looking at the sunset and Nami and Luffy both laughed. Crocus looks at his friend's ship sailing with great wonder.
"I wonder, Luffy and his exuberant crew could be the very pirates we've been waiting for. That young captain sure has a way about him, it's uncanny really. Wouldn't you agree... Roger?
Luffy: Ha-ha. What a feast!
Naruto: Do you have Ramen?
Usopp: Getting this kind of treatment as soon as we arrive? I love being a pirate!
Sakura: Don't you idiots think it's odd that as weird
Sanji: So many cute girls!
Sakura: Sanji! YOU MAKE JIRYIYA LOOK TAME!
Zoro: What do you think, Nami?
Nami: When it comes to drinking game, I don't lose! So Bring it On!
Luffy: On the next Shiniboi X Strawhats, A town that welcomes pirates? Setting foot on Whiskey Peak! I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!
Naruto: And I'm gonna be Hokage!
Whoo. That didn't take long but still. I hope you liked the chapter. During Whiskey Peak I will make some changes. What are they? It's a secret for now. And yes, every time Naruto will say "I will be Hokage, other characters will say "What's that?" It's a running gag. Like Luffy Dragging Naruto against his will is one. Anyway, take care. And to the guest reviewer that wants me to put NaruHina in this rather than NaruSaku, the answer is no. I will never put NaruHina in any of my fics.