One Piece: All Scope Adventure

by JayH120

A dream can become real if a person follows it. Kusari Jou has got a dream. A dream to go to the Grand Line and find the All Scope. As he travels with the Straw Hat Pirates, he will face many dangers, going against those threats will make him become stronger and honor a promise he made with his mother. A promise is a promise after all.

26. Cruising up a Mountain & into a whale

I do not own One Piece

It is owned by Oda

I just own the OC's

Enjoy!

Reverse Mountain/Whiskey Peak opening: Gamushara - Miyuna(Black Clover OP 5)

(The music starts with a few guitar riffs as various visages of the Straw hats are shown in their specific colors. Luffy: Red, Zoro: Green, Jou: Dark-Blue, Nami: Orange, Usopp: Yellow, and Sanji: Blue. It cuts to them traveling up the Reverse Mountain, the crew grinning in excitement.)

Jirijiri to unaru asufaruto ni

Tokeru yume, takaru ari no mure ga

(Next shows Crocus sitting at his lighthouse on a lean chair, reading a newspaper with Laboon beside him.)

Tadashiku ikiru honnou naraba

Naze atashi wa koko ni iru no?

Kitai doori nado gomen na no

Jibun de yareru kara sa

(It cuts to an unfamiliar woman wearing a purple cowboy hat and indian-style clothing riding a giant turtle across the sea, then shifts over to Mr. 8, Miss Monday, Mr. 9, and Miss Wednesday along with numerous bounty hunters surrounding Kusari Jou & Roronoa Zoro, both pirates with their weapons out.)

Dou datte ii rikutsu bakka

Haritsuita haribote no sekai wo ikiteku

(The music becomes more intense as the next scene shows Jou & Zoro in the midst of a battle against the bounty hunters.)

Dareka no tame janai ima wa mada

Jibun ni oitsuku made

(It cuts over to Miss Wednesday facing down a man wearing a red coat a woman carrying an umbrella, a defiant yet frightened look on her face.)

Gamushara de jimen ketobashita karadajuu no

Koe ga tsubasa hirogeta

Donna mirai mo mau yo kaze ukete

Jibun wo oikosu made

(The final scene shows the Straw hats and blue-haired agent on the Going Merry glaring up at the same unfamiliar woman in the cowboy hat, on their ship smiling at the pirates and agent with an amused smile on her face.)

[Nami's POV]

Not but an hour ago, they left Warship Island. Nami examined the charts they got from Buggy and kept an eye on their current heading. It was the same map that was retrieved when Jou defeated Buggy's Juggler. Hard to believe that was only weeks ago and the crew has been through a lot since then which brought a smile to Nami's face.

"It looks like we're almost to the Grand Line," Nami stated. "It's almost exciting, isn't it?"

Nami wasn't speaking to herself. She was talking to Jou, who just happened to be sitting against the side of the ship. He did say one word while he wrote in his journal. Nami felt slightly annoyed that he pretty much ignored her. Jou didn't look from his writing to notice her approaching him. Nami knelt in front of him, pulling down the journal as Jou blinked at her. Nami noted a look of annoyance from him, Jou faintly jerking back his journal.

"Could you not do that?" Jou asked with a bit of irritation and continued his writing.

"Well, geez," Nami scoffed. "Excuse me, Mister Grumpy." Nami placed her hands on her hips as she rose to her feet. Jou shook his head as his lips curled in a smirk.

"Sorry about that," Jou said. "I'm almost finished writing about our adventure to Lost Island."

"Really?" Nami wondered with a curious smile. "How much have you written down?"

"Almost done writing the part where we actually saw the Lost Island-" Jou mentioned.

"Not what I meant," Nami shook her head.

"Hmm?" Jou hummed as his eyebrows rose in confusion.

"I actually meant how much of our journey you've written so far," Nami said. "Have you been keeping track of everything that's happened?"

"Well, yeah," Jou nodded. "All the way back when I first met Luffy and when we started the crew. When I was a kid, my mom told me to write about the adventures I had while at sea and she did the same when she was a pirate. She even told me to tell them to her one day..." Nami noticed the sad expression cross Jou's face. He may have lost her 10 years ago but that didn't mean he wouldn't still miss her.

"Sorry..." Nami murmured.

"Don't be," Jou said with a shake of his head. "I brought her up. So, yeah. That's why I write in this journal. To keep track of our adventures." Jou added with a smirk. "Might make for one hell of a story."

"Show me someday," Nami mentioned. Jou only blinked at her but she gave him an affirming smile. Nami wasn't kidding, she did want to read what he'd written about even if it was about a past adventure they experienced.

"You want to see what I wrote?" Jou wondered.

"Sure," Nami shrugged. "If you want. Although, if it's too embarrassing, I get it."

"No, it's fine," Jou assured. "Maybe. I'll think about it."

"Even if you didn't want me to..." Nami gave a teasing smirk. "I'd probably sneak a peek anyway."

"You can try," Jou replied with a smile of his own. Nami gave Jou a final glance as she made her way to the foredeck to see if they were on the right track, her attention on the map. Jou appeared at the foredeck, too, perching his arms on the rail and staring at the ocean.

"Nami, my love~!" Sanji called from the crow's nest. "I have a report! Major cloud cover ahead! Big rain clouds! There's a storm coming!" Nami peered ahead, spotting those rain clouds Sanji mentioned.

"A storm?" Jou wondered looking at her. "There's no way to avoid that, huh?"

"No, there isn't," Nami answered. "Oh well, at least we're back on our original course."

"But we are almost at the Red Line, right?" Jou asked.

"Yeah, according to the map, we should be spotting it anytime now," Nami stated. Luffy himself seemed to be more excited than any of them shooting himself to the crow's nest with Sanji and Zoro, who was up there with the cook.

"Isn't this exciting!" Luffy exclaimed. "We're finally going! We did it!" Luffy seemed to have been smacking both Sanji and Zoro's backs, causing both to become angered by Luffy's eagerness. Despite the background noise, Nami's focus was on the chart in her hands.

Could this be right? Nami wondered. Is the path to the Grand Line really as perilous as it's drawn here?

In any other normal circumstance, rain clouds like the ones ahead would be insane. However, they were nearing the entrance of the Grand Line so it shouldn't be that bizarre. Nami knew now was the time to tell the guys about the Grand Line and what it involved to get into it.

"Jou...?" Nami called the lookout.

"What's up?" Jou questioned.

"I got something important I need to discuss with you guys," Nami mentioned. "Tell the others we need to talk. I'll be waiting in the kitchen."

---

[No POV]

In the kitchen, Nami slammed a map on the table for the others to see. All except Usopp, who seemed to be struggling to move the steering rudder.

"Take a look!" Nami exclaimed as the other 4 peered at the map. "I'm familiar with the rumors and these drawings confirm it." Nami's finger traced the map until it landed in its center. "As unimaginable as it may seem, the entrance to the Grand Line is a mountain."

"A mountain?" Luffy questioned nibbling on a cup.

"So, what..?" Zoro didn't believe it himself. "Do we crash into it?"

"You gotta be kidding...?" Sanji wondered.

"I didn't believe it but the maps clear," Nami stated. "The mountain appears to be riddled with small canals. So we might have to go up and over it."

"Going up a mountain?" Jou pondered while holding his chin. "That would be a first for me. Hell, for any of us. It does sound pretty impossible when you think about it."

"Of course, it is," Zoro chimed in. "Even if there are canals or whatever, a ship can't climb up a mountain."

"Well, the map says otherwise," Nami noted.

"That's right!" Sanji agreed. "If Nami thinks something can be done, then it can! Got that?!"

"Yeah, but remember that map was stolen from Buggy the Clown," Zoro stated. "So can we even trust it?"

"If Buggy had it guarded, then a map to the Grand Line would be valuable," Jou mentioned. "Besides, it's a bit too late to question whether the map is bogus or not." While the others were busy talking, their sniper continued to try and move the steering rudder, but to no avail.

"A little help over here would be nice!" Usopp shouted for their attention.

"Sanji, would you please give Usopp a hand!" Nami insisted. "I can't think with all his shouting!"

"Right away, Nami~!" Sanji exclaimed and rushed to help the sniper. "Okay!" The cook appeared to have the same problem as neither he nor Usopp could move the rudder.

"Uh, does this current seem unusually strong to anyone else?" Usopp questioned.

"Usopp, what did you say?" Nami asked looking at the sniper.

"I asked if any of you notice the insane strength of this current?" Usopp remarked.

"The current...?" Nami repeated until the realization came to her. "That must be...!"

"What is it?" Luffy wondered.

"Hold on a minute...?" Jou voiced. "So those canals you mentioned do lead up to the mountain?"

"Yeah, that's it!" Nami claimed. "Look right here!" she pointed to an exact spot on the map. "You see? The guiding light was directing us towards this spot on the Red Line! Notice how it's labeled here. 'Reverse Mountain'."

"Hello?!" Usopp called angrily as Sanji had left him on his lonesome to control the wedged rudder. "Little help over here, thank you!" The sniper's shouts for assistance went ignored by the others.

"These green lines represent canals or artificial waterways," Nami explained. "If major currents from all four oceans flow toward this mountain; what do you think is gonna happen? The currents would force water up these canals and collide at the top and then flow straight down into the Grand Line. Now, Reverse Mountain is a winter mountain so it's cold, right? That means any surface currents that don't flow up the canal will be pulled down as well. If we screw up and miss the entrance to the canal, the Going Merry will be carried straight into the Red Line's rock face and likely be destroyed."

"Wow..." Jou remarked with a nervous gulp. "You make it sound so... dire."

"That's because it is," Nami replied. "Ship and crew will be sucked to the bottom of the sea. Understand?"

"Yeah," Luffy smiled. "Basically it's a mystery mountain," he commented with a boisterous laugh.

"No, that's not my point at all," Nami sighed. "Anyway, since we're positioned on this current we shouldn't run into any problems getting to the summit of Reverse Mountain. The only thing that would hurt us now is if something went wrong with the rudder."

"Nami, you're a genius~!" Sanji commented lovingly.

"Call me a skeptic but ships do not climb mountains," Zoro stated. He seemed rather in denial about this piece of information.

"Well, I've heard a few stories..." Sanji mentioned with a smile.

"Stories about the mystery mountain...?" Luffy wondered

"No," Sanji replied. "What I have heard is that more than half the people who try to make it to the Grand Line die before they even get there. Whatever we find, it isn't going to be easy." The ship continued its course while thick rain cascaded on the crew the closer they got to Reverse Mountain. Nami ordered Sanji to get the sails, the cook immediately obliging to her demand. Sanji called Luffy to assist with the sails, each of them on the yard which gave Luffy a clear view of the mountain.

"Hey!" Luffy announced. "I can see the mystery mountain!" Everyone on deck was alerted by the straw hat's exclamation. Nami sporting a pink raincoat, the hood shielding her from the rainfall. The teens' mouth's gaped seeing the monumentally massive mountain with streams of water that stretched upward into the mountain's summit, the very top of the mountain caused it to reach into the clouds.

"Amazing..." Jou murmured eyes wide in wonder. "So, this is Reverse Mountain?"

"It sure is," Nami added. "The entrance to the Grand Line."

"Oh, wow!" Luffy exclaimed in apparent awe. "Awesome! It's bigger than I thought!"

"I-I can't see the top?!" Usopp noted. "It's taller than the clouds!" The Merry was swiftly carried into the mountain's current while the crew took hold of anything alongside them to avoid dropping into the water that started to boost them toward the top.

"Woah! We're getting sucked in!" Luffy announced whilst bouncing about like a yo-yo from Going Merry's yard. "Hold the rudder steady!"

"We're on it!" Each of Usopp and Sanji went to the rudder.

"Nami!" Luffy shouted. "If we keep this heading we're gonna crash into the rocks!" Jou viewed into his telescope. When peering through, he was able to spot a crevice in between the mountain's cliff.

"Nami...?" Jou got the Navigator's attention.

"What is it?" she wondered

"Look right there!" Jou pointed. "You see that split in the mountain? What do you think that's our ticket through? It could be a long shot, I know, but that's gotta be our way in." Nami inspected the mountain and gave a nod of agreement.

"You're right," Nami voiced. "That's gotta be it!"

"Nami!" Usopp called keeping the rudder steady with Sanji. "Give us a direction!"

"What's the plan, navigator?" Jou asked with a smirk. Nami gave him a side-eyed glance with her own smile and stared directly at the approaching gap in the mountain.

"Keep barreling straight ahead!" Nami directed, the smile across her face displaying a sense of confidence.

"You can't be serious...?!" Usopp shouted.

"Trust me!" Nami assured. Luffy touched down on the deck beside Jou and Nami, his hand clasped onto his straw hat. Zoro was over by the side of the ship, a pair of binoculars over his eyes.

"I've gotta be dreaming...?" Zoro questioned. "That's impossible?!" his own voice indicating a feeling of disbelief. "The ocean really is flowing up the mountain?"

"We have to make our way through those water gates just right...!" Nami stated. "Or we'll crash into the Red Line and be smashed to pieces!" On the way up, the ship started to veer off in the other direction.

"We're drifting off course!" Luffy announced. "Gotta go more to the right! Right!"

"The right?!" Usopp wondered. "Going Starboard!" He and Sanji moved the rudder toward the right side, unfortunately, the steering gear wasn't moving an inch as both teens were met with extreme resistance. "C'mon now! Put your back into it!" With the amount of force and strain they put on the rudder, the ship's tiller split in half. The ram top flew across the room and crashed into the dining table. The rest of the crew out on the deck saw the rudder break causing general panic among them.

"The rudder!" Everyone screamed. There was no way to change the course of the ship due to the strength of Reverse Mountain's current and were on their way into an oncoming cliffside.

"That's not good!" Jou shouted. "We're about to crash! Try to move whatever's left of the rudder!"

"We can't!" Usopp and Sanji exclaimed.

"I got this!" Luffy declared as he dove off the ship. "Gum-Gum Balloon!" Luffy's body inflated and squeezed in-between the Merry and the canal gate. Thanks to Luffy's swelled form, it drove the ship to carry on the undercurrent up the mountain.

"Luffy!" Zoro called reaching out with his hand. "Grab ahold!"

Luffy reverted to his slim physique and stretched an arm to Zoro, grabbing his hand. Zoro jerked Luffy back onboard the ship, but the force from the pull caused the captain to crash into the deck causing his head to become stuck in it. Sighs of relief were heard from each of Jou and Nami while Usopp and Sanji paraded and danced. This meant it was now going to be a smooth ascent up the Reverse Mountain.

"Now, it's just a straight to the summit!" Nami smiled whilst removing her raincoat.

"I wanna see!" Luffy muffled struggling to get his head unstuck. "Hold on! I'm coming!" With one final tug, he released his head from the deck. "I'm free! What I miss? Wait for me!" He ran to join his crew at the foredeck, his eyes widening by what he saw. "Wow!" he grinned. "Great view!"

Collective happiness was heard among the others, Zoro and Jou grinned, and Nami, Usopp, and Sanji each let out excited chuckles. The elation from everyone quickly vanished when they saw who was aboard their ship other than them. Standing on the foredeck rail was Eric, the very man who was only a constant annoyance while trying to find the Dragon's Nest.

---

[Jou POV]

For Jou, actually getting through and reaching the top of the Reverse Mountain was supposed to be a relieving, yet thrilling experience for the crew. It ultimately was but he had no idea that none other than this annoying sicko to appear out of nothing to ruin their achievement.

"Curse you, damn pirates!" Eric snarled as he looked at each and every one of them.

"This jackass again!" Jou growled.

"He's back?!" Nami exclaimed.

"Of all times he's gotta show up here!" Jou added.

"It's the sicko guy!" Luffy shouted.

"Dammit..." Sanji muttered.

"I thought swirly-head was dead?" Zoro questioned.

"Yeah, I did too," Luffy replied.

"What the hell do you want?" Jou remarked. "You come back for round three?"

"Shut up!" Eric spat. "I despise the entire lot of you! Thanks to your meddling I have no chance of obtaining Dragonite! That alone seals your doom!" He pointed a finger at Jou before shifting it over to Luffy. "At least I'll have the satisfaction of collecting the price on your miserable little heads! Make it easy on yourselves and surrender at once!"

Jou's eyes narrowed at the annoying man in front of him and the others. He hated them so much he was going to use his and Luffy's bounties as compensation for ruining his plans to obtain his precious Dragonite.

"Now, what...?" Sanji wondered. "I hope somebody has a plan because if he starts using those wind slashes then there's no telling what he'll rip apart!" Jou was in agreement with Sanji. Jou was on the receiving end of those wind slashes and they weren't something to take lightly.

"We'll only get one shot at this!" Zoro figured.

"We'll take him out together this time!" Jou added.

"Hahahaha!" Eric guffawed. "You should see the look on your faces! You can't lay one finger on me!" He laughed as he had already won. There was no way in hell Jou and the others would give up without a fight, not when they've gotten this far.

"Uh, is that Dragonite?" Nami asked out of the blue. Jou was close to flicking his chains from his wrists and instead rose a brow at Nami. Nami's question seemed to stun Eric, she used his daze which allowed her to run forward and swiftly kicked one of Eric's legs, causing him to lose his balance and fall off their ship with a scream. Jou's mouth gaped, making his way to the side of the ship.

"Woah, did you just-" Jou said looking at Nami. The navigator only smirked at him, she turned back to Eric who was skipping across the water like a stone until he finally splashed into it.

"Buh-bye!" Nami smiled with a wave.

"You just- I mean, how's he gonna-" Jou continued to stammer out his words. "There's no way he could-" Jou couldn't help but be surprised that Nami would do something so... brazen. Sure she's told him about what tricks she used back when she stole treasure from pirates, using methods like seduction or just plain getting them drunk. But was she aware she just sent a guy to his death?

"I can't believe you-" Jou said while Nami kept giving him a smile, seeming proud of herself. Jou was soon brought to thinking about what he did against Arlong.

Dude, you fought the man that kept her prisoner for 8 years and jammed a knife through his eye and you're questioning what she's done?

Jou saw Nami was standing by her decision, retaining her smile. Jou took a deep breath composed himself and started to remember how much an annoyance Eric was. If he was that bent on revenge, who was telling how far he'd follow them into the Grand Line?

"You know what...?" Jou said pounding his fist in his palm, the other guys doing the same.

"Nice one! Good thinking!" They said in unison.

"That guy was a jackass anyway," Jou commented.

"I'd be worried he might show up again..." Nami stated proudly. "If I didn't know for a fact he can't swim!"

"With the strength of this current, being able to swim wouldn't matter anyway," Usopp pointed out.

"That was so brave of you~!" Sanji commented.

Jou notices a white fog encircling them. But soon realized that this wasn't fog, they were in the clouds. The Reverse Mountain had such a tremendous height that the top reached the skies and was encompassed by clouds.

"Wow!" Luffy voiced. "Look how high we are? We're in the clouds!" Luffy had gone to sit on Merry's figurehead, letting out an excited laugh. "This is insane! We're in the clouds! We're above them!"

The Going Merry did indeed sail through the clouds, and just ahead of the crew was the Summit of Reverse Mountain. Jou let a giddy smile cross his face when he laid eyes on the entryway into the Grand Line.

---

[No POV]

"It's amazing!" Nami commented. "We've done it! We've reached the Summit!"

The ship cruised through the Summit and was propelled into the air. The teens screamed while they were thrown off the Going Merry and landed on the deck, with the Merry splashing in the water and was soon carried by another waterway that rather lead them down the Reverse Mountain. With this moment and the Grand Line just ahead of them, The young pirates each thought of their reason for going to the Grand Line.

"To be the World's Best Swordsman!"

"To find the All Blue!"

To find the All Scope!"

"To draw a map of the entire world!"

"To become a Brave Warrior of the Sea!"

"I can see it!" Luffy declared holding his hat. "This is the greatest sea in the world! The Grand Line! Somewhere out there the One Piece is waiting! And we're gonna find it! Let's go!"

The ship gained more speed the further it went down the canal, speeding through the clouds. By how much momentum they gained, the wind started to pick up, caused by the amount of velocity built from the descent.

"Woah!" Sanji grinned. "This is great!" Usopp snickered with a smile as Nami cheered and laughed. From the distance, there was an unusual bellow of some sort. The noise caused an anxious stare to come across Zoro's face.

"Did you guy's just hear something?!" Zoro questioned.

"Huh?" Nami wondered with an excited grin on her face, wind rushing through her hair. "What's that...?!"

"That groaning sound...!" Zoro exclaimed. "Didn't you hear it?!"

"It was probably just the wind!" Nami assured.

"What do you think?!" Zoro asked Jou. "You heard it, didn't you?"

"Well, it certainly didn't sound like any wind I've ever heard!" Jou replied clutching onto his hat. "You sure it was just the wind?!" He asked Nami.

"It was the wind!" Nami affirmed. "At this speed, everything sounds distorted!"

From ahead, there seemed to be a large visage. It was hard to tell what it was thanks to the cloud coverage. Jou taking notice of the sizable entity before them, pulled out his telescope attempting to get a better view but was not able to tell from the amount of cloud in the way.

"Just what is it...?" Jou wondered.

"Can you see it, Jou?" Usopp asked.

"Think you can tell us what it is...?" Sanji questioned.

"There are too many clouds covering it..." Jou answered. "If I had to guess... maybe it's a mountain?"

"What...?" Nami wondered herself. "That's impossible?!"

"You've studied the map and know every detail of it..." Jou said to Nami. "Are you certain there's not another mountain after passing Reverse Moutain?"

"I'm positive there isn't!" Nami shook her head. "Although, it can't have been a mistake. There's no other mountain on the map other than the one we just passed."

"Who cares!" Luffy shouted while pumping a fist. "GO!"

"After we pass the Twin Capes up ahead there should be nothing but ocean!" Nami mentioned.

The aforementioned 'mountain' that was in front of the teens was getting closer. The Merry came out of the clouds and caught more speed the further it went down the canal. This also allowed the immensely large object to come into everyone's field of vision. Its color was an inky shade and was so enormous in scale that it completely dwarfed the Going Merry. Panic started to spread among the young pirates when they saw the monstrous obstruction blocking their path.

"It's a black wall!" Luffy screamed.

"No, it's not!" Nami shouted.

"What is it?!" Zoro wondered.

"It's a whale!" Usopp exclaimed.

It was indeed a whale. The whale was gargantuan and easily loomed over the pirates' caravel and wide to the point where it was impossible to see around it. The whale in question had obviously seen better days, numerous bruises and cuts covered the front of its head. The whale gave out a roar as the Going Merry sped toward it, and was probably going to crash the moment it collided with the whale's massive frame.

"Great!" Jou remarked. "Now I'm starting to wish it was a second mountain, rather than a whale in our way!"

"What're we gonna do...?!" Usopp asked in a panic.

"Should we fight...?" Luffy wondered.

"Idiot!" Nami rebuked. "How are we supposed to fight a 100-tone whale!"

"D-D-Do something?!" Usopp beseeched. "Our path is blocked! How do we escape?!"

"Calm down!" Sanji voiced. "If this creature looks like a giant to us! We must be a spec!"

"That's right!" Nami agreed. "It's highly possible that this thing isn't even aware that we're here!"

"We'll run into it unless we change course!" Zoro stated. "Look!" We can get by on the left!" There happened to be enough space for the Merry to get around the gigantic whale.

"If that's the case..." Jou said. "We gotta go in that direction! Hard to port!"

"The rudder's broken!" Usopp reminded.

"I literally forgot about that!" Jou remarked. "Of all times for the steering rudder to break!"

"Do something!" Zoro exclaimed dashing to the broken rudder with Sanji and Usopp. "Anything!"

"Wait!" Luffy chimed in. "I know!" The captain leaped from his special seat. "This'll work! It has to!" Luffy ran off which left Jou and Nami at the bow of the Going Merry.

"Hey!" Nami called at the straw hat. "Luffy! What're you doing?!"

"You heard him!" Jou claimed. "Luffy's probably got an idea! Who knows?!" Jou sweat-dropped looking at the whale. "It might be what saves our skins right now!"

"I seriously doubt that!" Nami commented. Sanji, Usopp, and Zoro tugged the rudder but even with all three of them it never moved an inch no matter how much of their might they put into it.

"This is pointless!" Usopp strained. "The ship's not gonna turn!"

"Dammit!" Zoro cursed. "Don't give up!"

"Is this the end...?!" Nami shouted, her eyes wide with panic.

"This really how it ends for us...?" Jou questioned gritting his teeth. From below the front of Going Merry was a detonation that resounded from a cannon. The cannon was operated by none other than Luffy, the round he fired was a direct hit on the mammoth-sized creature but it appeared to not have done anything, the whale abiding in its exact spot.

"The cannon...?!" the other 4 members of the crew exclaimed, eyes white in alarm.

"So, that was his plan all along...?" Jou wondered with nervous sweat.

"Heh, heh!" Luffy chuckled sounding absolutely proud of himself. "Done!" The cannon blast caused the Going Merry to slow its cruise into the whale. But it wasn't safe once it struck the large beast and the only damage done was Going Merry's figurehead breaking off its placement on the bow. When the figurehead was snapped off, it soared toward the only two people on the front deck, Jou and Nami.

---

[Nami POV]

The cannonball that was shot by Luffy may have slowed them down but that didn't completely stop them or even faze the whale. For Nami, time seemed to slow down, the Merry's figurehead broke off once the ship barely touched the ginormous sea creature. The figurehead was soaring toward her, all Nami could do was stand there whilst frozen in fear.

"Nami! Look out!" Jou's voice called out, it broke her from her stupor. She saw him run at her and swiftly tackled her to the deck. Nami gave out a startled cry the moment Jou brought her down. Nami's eyes were wide as the figurehead soared overhead, casting a shadow over them. Luffy's scream just now likely came from seeing his favorite spot landing on the main deck.

"HEY, THAT WAS MY SPECIAL SEAT!" Luffy shouted. Nami was completely still lying flat on her back with Jou above her. He leaned up and looked to where Merry's figurehead hit the deck.

"That was too close," Jou sighed with relief. "You alright, Nami? I mean, you nearly..." Jou's eyes broadened the moment his eyes locked with hers. The position they were in was... interesting to say the least. Jou's hands were pressed to the deck on either side of Nami's head. Nami was lying on her back caught in-between Jou. He was pretty much straddling her which caused a tinge of red to cover Nami's cheeks. Nami noticed Jou's own face come to realize the position they were in. Jou's cheeks went a light pink quickly scrambling off her and turning away. If he didn't get off any sooner Nami would've demanded he did, but he seemed ashamed.

"Sorry about that..." Jou said clearing his throat. "I just didn't want you to get hurt, you know?"

"Yeah..." Nami replied looking at the deck. "Thanks."

"Not a problem," Jou mentioned whilst rubbing the back of his neck. Nami accepted the hand Jou gave her, lifting her from the deck. However, they were far from safe with the giant whale in their way. Nami was still shaken up from this whole thing. Why was there a huge whale at the end of the Reverse Mountain? Jou's back was to her, facing the whale. Nami went behind Jou's back, her fingers curling into his shirt. Jou made no movement at all, Nami guessed that meant he didn't mind at all.

"Y-You okay...?" Jou wondered.

"Do I seem okay...?" Nami asked, her body trembling. "I'm honestly scared to death right now."

"Would you think I'd be lying if I said I was, too?" Jou asked with an uneasy chuckle. It wouldn't surprise Nami at all if Jou was terrified, the whole crew had to be anxious right now. Was this how it ends? How are they going to get away from a gigantic whale?

---

[No POV]

Panic started to spread among the pirates. Zoro sweated, swallowing a lump in his throat.

"Damn!" the swordsman exclaimed. "Let's get outta here before it's too late!" Each Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji grabbed an oar and rowed the ship in an attempt to escape the whale.

"Someone mind telling me what the heck is going on?!" Usopp questioned.

"It's so big that the cannonball didn't even make it flinch!" Sanji guessed. "That or its reaction times really slow!"

"Who cares!" Zoro remarked. "At least we're alive!" The whale gave out a roar that echoed across the sea, causing the ocean to tremble. The whale's raucous howl wasn't exactly pleasant to the ears of the teens.

"My ears!" Sanji screamed.

"Paddle!" Usopp insisted. "Just paddle!"

"Let's get away from here!" Zoro added.

The Merry rowed passed the whale's huge, bulbous eye. Jou and Nami lingered in the same spot, the navigator clutching onto the lookout, both of them completely still. The two turned to find their captain, his hat obscuring his eyes with a shadow with his hand closed tight in a fist.

"Luffy...?" Nami murmured.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN BREAK MY SPECIAL SEAT AND GET AWAY WITH IT?!" Luffy declared hurling a rubbery fist toward the whale.

"Wait, Luffy-" Jou called, his plea went unheard as it was too late. Luffy already delivered a punch in the center of the whale's eyeball. The males of the crew, save for Jou, were not in favor of the stunt done by their captain.

"YOU MORON!" They cried. Nami bawled into Jou's back, tears streaming down her face.

"We're gonna need a bigger boat," Jou gulped. The whale's pupil lowered its attention on the crew. They yelped in panic as the whale was now focused on them, thanks to their captain's attack.

"I'm not through with you!" Luffy claimed to the whale. "There's a lot where that came from-" He was interrupted by Zoro and Usopp each kicking him in the head.

"Please, no..." Nami pleaded tearfully, no longer holding onto Jou, and sitting on the deck. The whale opened its wide mouth and started to inhale the water. The Going Merry was now being drawn into the whale's maw, each passenger aboard the small vessel screamed in alarm, not knowing what they could do in this situation. The boat lurched which caused the crew's captain to fall over the side.

"Luffy!" the crew shouted for their captain. Luffy screamed, obviously panicked since he was about to fall into the ocean until he reached for one of the whale's teeth. With quick thinking, he stretched his arm to the side of the whale, attached to it like a spider.

"I am not gonna die!" Luffy commented clambering up the whale's broad form. The other members of the crew weren't so lucky, their shouts of fear echoed as they were sucked into a whirlpool formed in the whale's mouth until it finally closed. Once the whale's mouth was shut everything came to complete silence. Luffy reached the top of the whale, his breathing heavy from exertion. A took just a few moments for him to realize what happened.

"Oh, man..." Luffy mouthed. "Everyone's been swallowed whole." he started to pound his fists into the whale. "Hey, you! Can you hear me?! Spit 'em out! I want my friends, damn you!" the whale began to lower itself under the ocean, Luffy's shouts going unheard. "Wait?! Where do you think you're going, you jerk!" Luffy stamped on the whale. "You give them back right now! I'm not gonna ask again! Stop sinking, I mean it! My friends and me are on an important adventure! I can't lose 'em! GIVE THEM BACK!" Strangely, Luffy found a single hatch atop the whale and hurried to open it up before the whale completely submerged into the ocean.

---

[Jou POV]

Jou thought being swallowed by a whale and getting pulled down by a whirlpool would have been the end. Surprisingly, neither he or the crew were dead, or so they thought. Jou took note of the surroundings while they were still aboard the Going Merry. Around him and the others was a clear blue sky which was not something you'd find in a whale. Jou kinda pictured being swallowed and then a lot of darkness before he and others met their demise, but Jou wasn't complaining since he still felt alive.

"So, what do you think?" Nami asked.

"I don't know what to think," Zoro said.

"Is this even real?" Sanji wondered.

"Not sure," Jou answered. "We're either all having the same nightmare or we're all dead?"

"Because I know exactly what I saw and what I felt," Sanji added. "We were swallowed by a whale."

"Is this a dream...?" Usopp questioned. Jou looked at the sniper. Usopp blinked at him, probably wondering why he was staring at him. Jou reached to Usopp's arm and pinched it between two fingers.

"Ow!" Usopp yelped in pain. "Why'd you do that?!" Jou crossed his arms and looked out to the amount of 'blue sky' surrounding them, ignoring Usopp's irritated glare toward him.

"Mystery solved," Jou smirked. "This proves we're very much alive and this isn't a dream." Jou might've figured that out but that still left him to wonder about the random small house sitting on an island across from the Going Merry.

"Then how do you explain this island...?" Nami wondered. "And the house?"

"Illusions," Zoro answered.

"So we all just went insane instead?" Jou remarked. "Great!" Emerging from the water and in front of the ship emerged a giant squid, staring at them.

"A Great King Squid!" Usopp and Nami exclaimed. Unlike them, Jou, Zoro, and Sanji all got into fighting stances, each ready to take on the sea creature together. Jou didn't know what happened but a trio of harpoons shot from the house and impaled the squid through its head. The beast's body went lifeless and collapsed in the ocean.

"Looks like someone's home," Zoro figured.

"Let's hope a person," Sanji stated.

"Maybe hope they're friend or foe," Jou mentioned. "But that might be asking for too much."

"I've had it!" Nami shouted from where she was lying on the deck, tears falling from her eyes. "Let's go!"

"Giant squids, guys with harpoons!" Usopp listed off. "And where's Luffy?"

"Yeah, where is he?" Nami wondered. From the distance, the house's front door opened as someone seemed to be walking out.

"Woah! Woah! Woah!" Usopp yelled. "We should fire our cannon there! Now!"

"No," Sanji told him. "Hold on a sec. Someone's coming out."

Jou squinted his eyes and saw an old man appear from the house. The old man wore a floral, patterned shirt, a pair of round glasses, and sported a grey beard on his chin. But what struck Jou as odd was the flower that billowed from behind the man's balding head.

"Flower," Zoro spoke.

"No," Sanji chimed in. "It's a person."

"Maybe the flower's an accessory? Or it's sprouting from his head?" Jou wondered with crossed arms. "But yeah, he's clearly just a person."

"Are you sure...?" Usopp questioned.

"That old man just killed a Great King Squid with one shot..." Nami claimed.

"The question is why?" Sanji wondered. "Was he trying to save us or was he just fishing?"

The crew watched the old man, who didn't regard them, and instead walked to a lone lawn chair on the island. Jou noticed the old man's harsh glare directed at them while he flumped into his chair and started reading a newspaper, completely ignoring them.

"You gonna say something?!" Sanji shouted at the man. The old man turned his head slowly to the group.

"Hey!" Usopp exclaimed. "You wanna fight?! We'll fight! We got cannons back here, you bastard!"

The next thing that happened was so weird to Jou, he didn't even know what was going on anymore. The old man's gaze was so intense that for a few short moments no one uttered even a single word. Jou couldn't find the right word for this whole thing. The man continued to outstare the crew, his eyes causing them to become anxious from this whole scenario.

The old man stared...

The crew stared back...

The old man stared...

The crew stared back...

"You try that and someone's going to die," the old man finally spoke. Everyone was cautious of this man now. Zoro narrowed his eyes, Usopp and Nami have taken to holding each other in distress. Jou only folded his arms, still trying to figure out what this old guy's deal was.

"And who's that?" Sanji asked the man.

"Yeah, who's going to die?" Jou questioned. "Are you talking about us or you?"

"Me, of course," the old man stated.

"EXCUSE ME?!" Sanji shouted with shark teeth. Zoro decided to step up this time, placing a hand on the cook's shoulder.

"Ease up there, bud," Zoro remarked with a smile.

"Old bastard's mocking us," Sanji muttered.

"There's a couple things we need to know..." Zoro said to the old man. "Where are we? And who are you?"

As Jou put it together once again, the old stared at him and the crew and did not even reply right away as if this was a normal conversation. If you could even call this a normal conversation.

The old man stared...

The crew stared back...

And the old man stared...

"You've got some nerve, stranger," he said. "It's only polite to introduce yourself before asking a question to someone you've just met." Zoro frowned until he smiled again, probably feeling like they getting somewhere with the strange old man.

"Alright, fair enough," Zoro stated. "I'll go first. My name is Roro-"

"My name is Crocus," The old man interrupted Zoro's introduction. "And I'm the lighthouse keeper of the twin capes, I'm 71 and a half years old, Gemini." Now it was Zoro's turn to become furious with the old lighthouse keeper, attempting to pull a sword from its sheathe.

"I'll kill him, I swear!" Zoro growled.

"Calm down!" Sanji told the swordsman, holding him by his shoulders.

"You'd like to know where we are?" Crocus inquired. "But your rude behavior leaves me disinclined to accommodate your curiosity except that you are trespassing on my private resort. Besides, I think it's pretty obvious seeing as how you were eaten."

"Eaten...?" Jou repeated and took a look around. He couldn't figure out how the inside of a whale could look like this. It was simply a wide blue sky with clouds and seagulls. Although, the clouds weren't moving, neither were the seagulls, who weren't making their usual calls.

"So, you're saying we were swallowed by the whale?!" Usopp questioned. "But since when does a whale's stomach have clouds in it?!"

"Wait a minute!" Nami cried with hands on either side of her head. "What's gonna happen to us?! I don't wanna be digested!"

Crocus stared at the crew...

The crew stared back...

Crocus stared - okay, you get the picture...

"Stop doing that!" Each of the crew but Jou yelled in exasperation. Jou finally pieced together why the old man did that whole intense staring bit. Jou felt the lightbulb switch on in his head the moment he realized Crocus' reason for doing it.

"Ohhhh! I get it now!" Jou pounded a fist in his palm. "It's a running gag!"

"That was a gag?!" The crew exclaimed.

"See?" Crocus said. "Your friend over there with the blue hat gets it!" Jou wondered now that he'd figured out Crocus' game, he might take them seriously and tell them how to get out of here. While looking around, Jou noticed a giant door on the other side. With any luck, that can be their way out since Crocus must know how to get out of this place.

"Excuse me...?" Jou asked Crocus, pointing toward the door. "Would that door happen to be the exit?"

Crocus stared at the crew...

"WE ALREADY KNOW IT'S A RUNNING GAG, YOU JACKASS!" Jou shouted with shark teeth. His arms were restrained by Sanji and Zoro, while Usopp held him back by his shoulders.

"Relax!" Usopp told him. "You're letting him get to you."

"Yes," Crocus answered. "The exit is over there!" Jou growled in irritation. He only asked an important question and Crocus probably only pulled his staring bit just for the fun of it.

"We can get out?!" Everyone but Jou exclaimed. Jou breathed out to calm himself down, placing his hands on his hips.

"Just as I thought..." Jou stated. "That's the exit.

"Even if I believed a whale could have an exit door...?" Nami questioned. "Nothing's there but sky?!"

"Something's not right here...?" Usopp wondered.

"Oh, you guys finally noticed?" Jou asked as the two looked at him. "The sky's not real."

"Seriously?" Usopp blinked.

"Take a look for yourself," Jou gestured at the 'sky'. "It's one of the first things I've noticed. If this was the actual outside, the clouds would be drifting along even the birds would be moving."

"Yeah, those seagulls!" Usopp realized. "Nothing's moving! They're painted on! It's a giant mural inside a whale's stomach!"

"Definitely a giant mural," Jou remarked. "Someone must have a lot of free time to make something like this."

"Call it doctor's playful mind," Crocus commented. It was obvious Crocus was the one who decorated the inside of this whale.

"YOU'RE NOT MAKING ANY SENSE, YOU CRAZY OLD FOOL!" Usopp exclaimed.

"Easy, don't let him get to you," Zoro said attempting to calm the sniper.

"Yeah, just shut up," Sanji added.

"Nami..." Zoro called. "If that is an exit then we need to get to it."

"Agreed," Nami nodded. The inside of the whale started to quake, the Going Merry swayed in the midst of it all. Jou couldn't tell if something had upset the whale.

"Ah, great!" Sanji sighed. "What now?"

"Right?" Jou questioned. "What's happening?"

"It's begun," Crocus said.

"Look!" Nami's attention was caught by something. Jou found she was pointed to something under the water. Looking closely, Jou found that Crocus' island had iron coating the bottom of the underside. "That's no island, it's some kind of ship! It's made of iron!"

"Yeah, of course!" Usopp figured. "Because we're floating on a sea of gastric acid!"

"That means a wood ship wouldn't fare well if it stayed here too long!" Sanji commented.

"Hey!" Usopp hollared at Crocus. "What's with this freaky whale? Answer me, old man!"

"He's very angry!" Crocus mentioned. "These aftershocks are a result of him hitting his head against the Red Line!"

"What?!" Sanji and Zoro exclaimed together.

"That explains it!" Nami noted. "Why he had such deep scars on his forehead! Not to mention all the strange howling!"

When seeing the whale for the first time other than being terrified, Jou also took note of the countless scars on his head. The whale was trying to break through the Red Line. What for? Jou didn't know. But whatever the reason it caused the poor creature to cry in pain.

"Why does he do it?" Usopp questioned.

"He's suffering," Jou declared. The torment this whale is feeling had to be taking its toll on it, emotionally and physically. Jou was starting to feel sorry for the hurt sea critter the more the inside of the whale violently trembled.

"Exactly," Nami nodded in agreement.

"It's all starting to make sense!" Usopp stated. "So, what's the old geezer up to?"

"More than likely he's trying to kill the whale from the inside," Nami claimed.

"What a despicable way to kill something!" Usopp expressed.

"Okay, we solved the mystery of the whale," Zoro insisted. "Now how about we find a way out of its belly before it digests us?"

"We have no right to judge the old man nor do we need to save the whale," Sanji added. "What we need to do is focus on how to get the hell out of here?" The Going Merry wobbled unsteadily from the waves formed due to the constant quaking caused by the whale.

"Getting out is easier said than done!" Jou exclaimed. "We can't sail if the boat isn't steady!"

"Our only choice is to paddle!" Zoro voiced. "Take the oars!"

"Whatever it takes!" Nami announced. "We have to find Luffy right away!"

"I know he's outside!" Zoro mentioned. "I caught a glimpse of him flying out the whale's mouth!" While Jou and the guys paddled, he turned his head to find Crocus dive into the water which had to be filled with acid. Jou's only blinked in surprise why the old man would do such a thing. Jou will admit for an old guy, he had guts, but was the old man crazy?

"That old guy just jumped in!" Nami noticed.

"Is he insane...?!" Zoro wondered.

"He must be!" Jou remarked. "That acid will burn him alive!" Three silhouettes soon crashed through a door on the far side. Jou and the others saw the people who had fallen from the drawn 'sky'. Jou reached for his telescope to get a look at who appeared suddenly. Jou was relieved to see Luffy but had no clue who the others were. The first was a woman with light-blue hair in a ponytail, wearing a green jacket, a blue-striped top, a pair of white shorts, and white boots and with her was a man in a green suit, and a crown atop his ginger hair, both of them and their captain screaming the closer they got to the water.

"Not good!" the man wearing the crown shouted. "We're gonna fall into the gastric acid!"

"Luffy...?" Zoro said once he saw the captain.

"Zoro!" Luffy called. "Is everyone okay? So, um... I can use a hand." Luffy and the two strangers splashed into the acid.

"Looks like Luffy's not alone," Usopp noted. "Who do you suppose those weirdos are with him?"

"I... I don't know," Jou replied. He didn't know who they were. Once they fished Luffy out of the acid, they could probably question those two about what they're doing here.

"Where'd that old geezer disappear to?" Nami questioned.

"Forget him!" Zoro affirmed. "We need to save Luffy!"

It was at this time, the water relaxed, the Going Merry going still allowing the pirates to steady themselves on the deck. Jou figured the whale he and the others were currently inside of finally ceased ramming its head into the mountain.

"I don't speak whale but it seems to have calmed down a bit," Nami noticed.

"It seems that way," Zoro said.

"Maybe it had something to do with the old man," Jou voiced. He wondered wherever that old man dove in, he may have had something to do with calming down the whale. Jou thought it was admirable of Crocus to plunge into acid to cease the whale's supposed rampage, making it come to a serene state. Jou sensed that Crocus and the whale must have a close bond which caused Jou to decide that Crocus wasn't that bad of a guy at all.

---

[No POV]

They got Luffy out of the water and even hauled the two 'weirdos' aboard the Going Merry. Obviously, Sanji was smitten with the blue-haired woman, a heart hovering above his head. The woman seemed uncomfortable with the attention from the cook, scooting closer to her partner.

"Now, we saved your lives for the time being but you better talk and make it quick!" Zoro demanded.

"Mr. 9...?" the woman addressed her partner, her voice hushed in a whisper. "These heathens are pirates."

"Yes, that's painfully obvious, Miss Wednesday," Mr. 9 replied. "But if we speak to their humanity and compassion they should understand our plight. Maybe...?"

"You parasites are still here...?!" Crocus shouted at Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday. Everyone turned and saw him on a platform. "I grow weary of this and for the last time! As long as I draw breath, you will not lay a single harmful finger on Laboon!"

"He's back again," Usopp said. Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday started chuckling to themselves causing the pirates to look at them in puzzlement.

"Mind telling us what's funny...?" Jou questioned.

"You can't bully us into abandoning our mission," Miss Wednesday claimed. "We were sent here to hunt this whale and that's exactly what we're going to do." The odd duo pulled out a pair of guns akin to cannons. "And this time we won't let you interfere!"

"We're about to give the whale a whole new blowhole!" Mr. 9 announced. "FIRE BABY!"

Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday launched a couple of cannonball's in-sync, their projectiles flying toward the fake sky that decorated the whale's inside. Crocus sprinted to prevent the shots from making their mark and threw himself in front of the cannonballs that hit him directly. After the old man was struck, he splashed into the water.

"He jumped straight into the line of fire?!" Usopp exclaimed.

"Was he protecting the whale?" Sanji wondered.

"I believe he was," Jou said. "He went so far as to take a hit for it."

"Your defiance is pointless!" Miss Wednesday remarked with a haughty laugh.

"Go ahead! Waste your time!" Mr. 9 commented. "But make no mistake that hulking beast will provide food for our town!" Crocus glared from the water, he was alive even after taking a twain of cannon strikes from the odd-looking pair.

"What's going on...?" Nami questioned.

Luffy took action and pummeled both Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday, one punch to each of their heads. The attack from the straw hat caused them to slam their heads together which rendered them cold on Merry's deck.

"What was that for...?" Usopp only blinked at the captain.

"I just..." Luffy paused. "Wanted to hit them." Sometime after, the pirates along with the unconscious Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday were on Crocus' island.

"I thank you for saving my life though I must ask...?" Crocus asked Luffy. "Why did you do it?"

"I wasn't trying to save you," Luffy voiced. "There was just something about those two I didn't like."

"Oh," Crocus mumbled.

"Okay, I think it's about time we got some answers," Nami interjected. "Who are these guys?" she gestured over to Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday. "And how did you end up inside this whale?"

"These two are thugs from a nearby town looking for whale meat," Crocus explained. "If they caught him, Laboon could feed the townspeople at 2 or 3 years easy. All their concerned with is feeding their fat, greedy bellies."

"Laboon?" Jou repeated. "Is that what the whale's called?"

"Yes, it is," Crocus answered. "He's a unique and magnificent creature. One of the largest species in the world that can only be found in the West Blue."

"The West Blue...?" Jou questioned as his eyes seemed to comprehend a certain detail that only he knew about. "I see!" Jou's lips spread into a grin. "Laboon's an Island Whale, isn't he?"

"Yes, that's right," Crocus nodded. "He is."

"Wait a minute, Jou...?" Nami wondered. "Are you saying you've heard of Island Whales?"

"Yeah, how do you know?" Usopp questioned.

"From my mom," Jou stated. "Now, I was born and raised in East Blue but my mom came from West Blue. So naturally, she told me a bit about her home sea, which includes Island Whales like Laboon here." The lookout recalled with a fond smile. "She wasn't kidding when she mentioned how huge they were. 'As big as mountains' and 'as wide as battleships' was just how she described them. Man, I can't believe I didn't realize I was looking at one since all of us were too busy being scared out of our minds to even think."

Jou noticed Crocus eyeing him with a thoughtful yet curious look. Jou noticed Crocus' gaze drift to his red chain wrapped around his left wrist.

What's he looking at my chain for...? Jou thought with a raised brow. Crocus sighed and averted his eyes forward.

"I won't allow them to slaughter him for food," Crocus mentioned. "It's a shame that he's stuck so far away from his domain. You see, there's a reason he keeps hitting himself on the Red Line and howling at Reverse Mountain."

"There is...?" Nami asked.

"Yes," Crocus replied. "To put it one way, inside Laboon's body beats the heart of a human. He has most impatiently awaited and internally devoted to a certain band of pirates."

"I see," Jou said folding his arms. "How long has Laboon been waiting for them?"

"Going on 50 years now," Crocus remarked. "All who have seen Laboon ask the same questions. 'Why does he continuously strike his body against the Red Line?', 'Why does he keep howling at Reverse Mountain?' Listen closely, and I will reveal to you Laboon's tragic story." The pirates stared at the old man, each of them staying silent for Crocus to begin 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 baby whale, spry and chipper whom I would soon come to know as the one and only "Laboon". 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 Island whales are social animals and travel together in family groups. I suspect that Laboon had somehow come to feel that those pirates were his family. 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."

Crocus told the young pirates that the captain of that crew promised Laboon that they'll be back in 3 years but it ended up being much longer, spanning 50 years which is the cause for Laboon's never-ending strikes into the Reverse Mountain.

"50 years...?" Sanji repeated.

"So Laboon has been waiting all this time for his friends to return...?" Usopp asked.

"That's a long time," Jou declared solemnly. "A very long time."

"No wonder he's so upset," Nami figured. "That kind of wait would drive anyone crazy." The ship drifted through a canal along a steel corridor allowing them to make their way to the exit that will take them back outside with Crocus being their guide, sailing aside on his island.

"This is some canal," Zoro commented. "Amazing the whale is still alive with a hole like this in his body."

"I suppose you're responsible for this?" Sanji questioned Crocus.

"Just call it a doctor's playful mind," Crocus stated.

"Doctor?!" Usopp exclaimed in astonishment.

"That's right," Crocus affirmed. "Legally certified. I also ran a clinic on the cape once upon a time. Before that, I served as a ship's doctor."

"Really?" Luffy asked taking a newfound interest in the man. "That's great! Then join us! We need a doctor!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Crocus replied whilst climbing a ladder on the corridor's side. "I no longer have that kind of energy. Exploring the seas is a young man's burden."

"I take it you must have had some exciting adventures in the past," Jou brought up with a smile. "I bet you must've seen a lot, haven't you?"

"I might've," Crocus stated.

"What kind of doctor hallows out the inside of a whale?" Sanji wondered.

"Maybe it's part of the treatment?" Nami guessed.

"The girl is right," Crocus said. "With a creature of this size, it's virtually impossible to treat it from the outside. Therefore, I devised a more drastic solution." Crocus approached a wheel and spun it around, causing an opening to appear. Once it unlocked, the gleam of the sunlight shone as the Going Merry sailed through the exit, the actual blue sky was a welcome sight to the pirates' eyes.

"The sky!" Luffy exclaimed with an excited chuckle.

Miss Wednesday's eyes slowly opened, as her partner was still unconscious beside her. She noticed the pirates' attention wasn't on them which let her reach toward Mr. 9 and shake him awake. The swaying did the trick which caused him to lean up and glare at her.

"What is it...?" Mr. 9 questioned. Miss Wednesday motioned him to be quiet with a finger on her lips.

"Don't you think 50 years is a bit extreme?" Usopp asked. "Those pirates sure know how to test someone's patience."

"Idiot! Don't ya get it?!" Sanji voiced. "This is the Grand Line! His friends are dead." The cook mentioned blowing smoke from his cigarette. "That whale can wait forever. They won't be back."

"Yeah, as harsh as that sounds..." Jou stated. "It is 50 whole years, so that seems right. Who's telling what happened to them. The Grand Line must've been much more perilous around that time."

"Indeed it was," Nami mentioned. "Back in the day when those guys traveled, the Grand Line was an uncharted sea. It was a thousand times more treacherous than it was now."

"Why are you guys so pessimistic!" Usopp remarked. "We don't know if they're dead! They could still come back for him! Come on! 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!" the sniper looked over to Crocus. "Right, pops?"

"Indeed," the old man answered, pushing up his glasses. "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."

"I don't believe it," Usopp denied. "I mean, why abandon him like that?!"

"You say they ran away from the Grand Line...?" Nami asked Crocus. "Do you know if they made it through the Calm Belt alive?"

"I can't claim to know exactly what became of them," Crocus confessed. "But I doubt they'll ever come back here again. Seasons, weather, currents, wind direction. On the Grand Line, these elements 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 these were a bunch of cowards who were more concerned about their own asses than keeping a promise to a friend?" Sanji questioned.

"Why would anyone abandon such a loyal creature?" Usopp asked. "Just look at him!" He gestured toward Laboon's wide frame. "It's cruelty on a grand scale!"

"But if you've known all this why haven't you told him?" Nami questioned. "Laboon can obviously communicate with you? He seems to understand humans quite well for a whale."

"Right," Jou agreed. "Crocus, have you ever tried explaining to Laboon what happened to his friends?"

"I did tell him," Crocus declared. "Down to the last miserable detail," Crocus spoke about when he had to explain to the upset Laboon that the crew will not return, but the Island Whale didn't want to believe that. "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 wall is what keeps his friends away and by breaking it, he can clear a path for their return."

"I admire his dedication," Sanji commented.

"Never gave up on 'em," Usopp added.

"He's willing to go as far as to hurt himself," Jou noted. "Just so he can see his long-lost friends again."

"He refuses to believe me because then he'd have to admit that it's over," Crocus affirmed looking at the teens. "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 live with his friends but won't stop killing himself to reach them."

"Tragedy," Sanji mentioned. "Still, for the grief those pirates put him through, they did the same to you by saddling you with their burden." the cook expelled smoke from his mouth. "I mean, you've done enough for Laboon, what about you?"

"The scars on his hide are deep," Crocus avowed. "Those in his heart are even deeper. He needs someone to tend to his wounds and I'm all he's got. For years, he's battered himself while I've patched him up. A strange friendship but it works."

"AAAAAAAH!"

---

[Jou POV]

Jou felt melancholy after hearing Laboon's story. The poor whale trying to break through the mountain that's blocking his only chance of seeing his friends again. No matter how many times Crocus tried to tell Laboon, he didn't want to listen. Laboon was suffering and Crocus didn't know what else to do other than tend his wounds. Crocus can fix the injuries on Laboon's body but can't fix the pain he feels on the inside. Jou wished there was something that can be done for Laboon, but felt anything beyond simple words can help mend the mental aches Island Whale held.

"AAAAAAAH!"

Then came the shrill cry of his captain. Jou watched Luffy race passed him and the others. Jou also couldn't help but draw attention to what Luffy had hoisted over his shoulder. Jou saw it and knew what it was, he just couldn't fathom how his captain could even think of grabbing something that is needed for their ship. He peered behind his back only to find the torn hunk of wood where the mast once stood.

"Oh, look," Jou mouthed casually. "The mast is gone."

"You just now noticed," Nami remarked.

"What the hell is that idiot up to?" Sanji muttered.

"We gotta watch him every single second," Zoro said.

"We've been watching him," Sanji replied. "Look what happens?"

"Gum-Gum... Flower Arrangement!" Luffy leaped at Laboon and forced the mast into the top section of the whale's body, the hole made from the penetration caused blood to spray from the puncture.

"He needed our mast to do something like this?" Jou questioned.

"You think he's aware that we need that?" Zoro wondered.

"And now it's on top of a whale," Sanji added.

"Why'd he do that?!" Usopp growled in irritation. "HEY, LUFFY! STOP TEARING UP THE SHIP!" The ambush from Luffy caused Laboon to roar and flounder on the ocean, water splashing about from the whale's violent movements.

"YOU ASS!" all of the crew, save for Jou, shouted at the captain. "LUFFY, STOP!"

Crocus screamed in panic, probably concerned for Luffy's well-being. Jou kept silent and watched the fight between Luffy and the whale. Jou knew Luffy wouldn't do this for no reason, sure, he ripped off Merry's mainmast and planted it into Laboon with it jutting out of the whale similar to a flower as pronounced by the attack. But Luffy seemed to have this all figured out if he decided to go through with this and Jou, being the crewmate that he is, decided to only fold his arms and smile watching the battle unfold. Luffy gripped onto the mast stuck in Laboon, the Island Whale in retaliation sprung from the water and started to plummet onto a body of land with Luffy underneath it.

"THE BOY?!" Crocus exclaimed. "HE'S DEAD!"

"Not a chance!" Jou disagreed shaking his head. "Our captain is tough to kill!"

"Yeah, don't even worry!" Nami agreed. "It'll take way more than that to kill Luffy!" The top of Laboon's head spritzed blood from the newly acquired wound as it stared down Luffy, the captain only wiped his chin and flashed a smirk.

"Heh," Luffy chuckled. "Gotcha."

Luffy and Laboon continued their battle, each of them exchanging blows. Laboon swatted his tail into Luffy, causing him to collide with the lighthouse. Of course, that didn't keep Luffy down while he stood unmoving as Laboon bellowed, darting at him for another attack.

"It's a draw!" Luffy said making Laboon completely pause his advance. Luffy grinned, putting his straw hat back on his head. "I'm stronger than I look! But I have a feeling you knew that. I could always tell when someone's itching to fight. Well, if you wanna battle, then 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! Tell ya what...? After me and my friends travel the Grand Line, we'll come back here and find you and then you better be ready for a rematch!"

Jou and the others smiled at the scene between Luffy and Laboon. Jou was impressed with Luffy's intuition in finding out what was wrong with Laboon. Leave it to the captain to solve a problem by fighting and have it all work out in the end. Even Crocus had a proud grin while Laboon let out a happy call with Luffy smirking at the whale. Luffy painted their crew's jolly roger on Laboon's front, of course, it wasn't perfect. It resembled his first attempt at drawing their mark but it was the thought that counted.

"Hey, not bad!" Luffy commented admiring his handy work. "Consider this a symbol of my promise to come do battle with you! Of course, it's a rushed paint job so be careful and avoid hitting your head or you'll rub it off, understand?" Laboon roared again in reply. "Good whale!"

"Jou...?" Usopp called. "Mind giving me a hand with repairs on the ship?"

"Sure thing," Jou nodded reaching for a few wood planks and noticing the sniper looking around in confusion.

"Where are they?" he wondered.

"Where are who...?" Nami questioned. "Oh, you mean those two weirdos? I guess they escaped. Must've happened when we were distracted by Laboon. I wonder who they were?"

"Eh, who cares," Jou shrugged. "To me, they seem like the kind of people who get on your nerves. Shouldn't really matter who they were."

Jou had a feeling those two would turn up eventually assuming they're still around. They didn't seem to have a boat. Maybe Laboon destroyed it? Either way, they might ask them for a ride back to where they live. Call Jou callous, but he'd be just okay if he didn't have to see those two weirdos again.

---

[No POV]

The crew went off to do different activities. Usopp and Jou were fixing the mast, Zoro was taking a nap, Sanji was cooking in the kitchen, and Luffy whilst walking on the deck spotted an odd device with a glass sphere around a compass needle. Finally, Nami took a seat at a table with her maps in front of her, stretching her arms above her head.

"Okay, then," Nami said. "I finally have some peace and quiet so I can work on a plan for the Grand Line journey." She set her compass on the table, but the compass arrow wasn't pointing in a specific direction and instead spun about at a breakneck speed. Usopp hammered on a metal sheet that he and Jou wrapped around the mast in an attempt to keep it from falling which appeared to have worked.

"Dammit!" Usopp cursed. "That's my life! Luffy breaks it and then I have to put it back together!"

"C'mon, Usopp," Jou spoke. "Yes, Luffy broke the mast, but we fixed it." Jou continued striking a nail into the metal sheet. "But don't worry. If something breaks on Merry, I'll help you fix it."

"You're so dependable, Jou!" Usopp smiled in appreciation. "Unlike one lazy swordsman that we know!" Usopp glared at the snoozing Zoro. "Still though, I appreciate someone wants to help with repairs around here."

"Hey, Going Merry is our home, she's one of us," Jou smirked. "It's the least we can do since she what's going to get us through the Grand Line. Of course, I'm no shipwright, but I kinda know how to fix things that have broken."

"What do you mean?" Usopp wondered.

"Back at my hometown, my mom's friend Vic runs a bar," Jou mentioned. "I used to work there. People got so drunk to the point they try to start a fight. And during fights, things break and I'm the one that had to fix them. Especially, if I was the one that broke it."

"Did fights happen all the time?" Usopp asked.

"Not all the time," Jou shrugged. "But someone has to step in to show unruly customers out the door. After it was over, I had to repair the table or chair that was broken in the scuffle with my minimal repair skill. Or we could just pay for a new table, but of course, that costs money."

"Geez, your hometown sounds far too rowdy for my tastes," Usopp commented. "But that's nothing!" Usopp grinned at the lookout. "Back in my day, I got into countless bar fights..." Usopp was about to go into one of his tales until a shrill scream was heard close by.

"Hey, you mind?" Luffy called. "Keep it down!" His full attention was on the object he found on the deck.

"That sounded like Nami?" Jou wondered looking out where the scream came from.

"What's up with her?" Usopp voiced.

"I guess we go find out," Jou suggested. Everyone but Zoro came down from the Going Merry to check out the compass. The boys were confused yet entranced by the compass' current state, the needle was indeed only spinning and showed no sign of stopping its rotation.

"I don't know about you but I'm getting dizzy," Usopp stated.

"Woah!" Luffy mouthed. "This is cool!"

"Well, great," Jou sighed with hands on his hips. "We finally make it to the Grand Line and our compass is busted."

"It's sadly apparent that none of you possess the slightest knowledge about how things work here," Crocus mentioned standing beside the crew. "Did you all come here to die?" Sanji came down from the Merry with a cooked Elephant Blue Fin Tuna on a plate, the fish cut into slices holding multiple plates along his arms and balancing one on his head, and setting it all on the table.

"Aww!" Luffy's mouth watered at the sight of the fish. "Great spread!"

"I know!" Jou was captivated by the meal himself. "It looks delicious."

"It's for everyone," Sanji growled at them.

"There's nothing wrong with your compass," Crocus stated. "The Grand Line has little regard for rules of the sea. Common Sense is useless in this place."

"The needle...?" Nami questioned. "Why does it spin?"

"Because we are surrounded by a powerful magnetic field," Crocus explained. "The islands here are riddled with magnetic minerals that cause all sorts of abnormalities. All the winds and currents lack consistency in their patterns. As a navigator, I'm sure you can appreciate this dilemma."

"So, then..." Nami paused. "If we don't have a way to tell direction, this whole trip is hopeless." She ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know what to say? We're screwed!"

"Hey!" Usopp shouted with shark teeth. "You're the Navigator! So navigate us outta here!"

"Would all of you just shut up for 5 seconds so I can figure this out!" Nami yelled back.

"If you have any hope of navigating the Grand Line, you're going to need a Log Pose to guide you," Crocus informed.

"What's a Log Pose...?" Jou asked after swallowing a piece of fish. During the conversation, he helped himself to the Elephant Tuna. Luffy is next to Jou, scarfing down a large mouthful of tuna.

"Yeah, I've never heard of it," Nami shook her head.

"It's a specially designed compass that can record levels of magnetism," Crocus brought up.

"If we saw one, what does it look like?" Jou wondered.

"Well, it has quite an odd shape," Crocus added.

"Something like this...?" Luffy muffled through the food he ate and held up the strange, wrist compass in his hand.

"Where did you find that thing...?" Jou asked.

"I found it on deck just laying there," Luffy told him. "Those two weirdos must've dropped it when they got away."

"Oh, I see," Jou said. "Hey, old man?" he looked at Crocus. "Is that a Log Pose?"

"Yes," Crocus nodded. "Exactly. Only a fool courting disaster would attempt to travel the Grand Line without one."

"Noted," Jou agreed and took the Log Pose from Luffy. "Nami, here." He passed the Log Pose to her. "You're the navigator. Makes sense for you to be the one to make use of it."

"Well, obviously," Nami replied taking the device and inspecting it. "Huh? But there isn't a dial face on this thing?"

"You don't need one," Crocus stated. "It's a special brand of magnetism that run's 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 turns out Reverse Mountain is a great starting point. It produces 7 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 "Raftel", the last and most mysterious in the Grand Line. Its very existence was confirmed by the King of the Pirates, the only known person to travel the Grand Line in its entirety."

"Raftel..." Nami repeated.

"That's it!" Usopp exclaimed. "That must be where the One Piece is hidden!"

"That's the most prominent theory but no one's been able to set foot on Raftel since," Crocus commented.

"Don't worry," Luffy spoke. "We'll know soon enough."

"We're gonna be the ones who'll reach Raftel," Jou smirked confidently. "Of that, I'm certain of." Crocus seemed astonished by Luffy and Jou's words, seeing the determination flare in their eyes.

"Phew!" Luffy exhaled, patting his bloated stomach having finished the majority of the Elephant Blue Fin Tuna. "Well, I'm satisfied! You guy's ready to go?"

"Mmhm!" Jou hummed chewing some leftover tuna on his plate. "Now that we got a Log Pose we can continue our journey."

"I told you guys that was for all of us?!" Sanji shouted at Luffy and Jou.

"Luffy ate the bones, too?!" Usopp exclaimed in disbelief.

"He didn't eat everything," Jou mentioned while he carried on eating. "You really won this in a cooking battle, Sanji? What did you call it? Elephant Tuna? Because this is delicious!"

"You morons ate everything!" Sanji glared. "Nami didn't even get any!"

"Don't get your underpants in a knot, blondie," Jou smirked. "I was gonna share, even though I didn't get much of it. Luffy's the one who ate the rest of it." Jou pointed his fork at Luffy. "He even finished the bones."

"Man, that was good!" Luffy huffed in satisfaction.

"A Log Pose!" Nami grinned at the device now strapped on her left wrist. "We have to take special care of this! It's the key to finding the greatest treasure of all time!"

"You greedy, bottomless pit!" Sanji growled at Luffy. "You ate the meal I made for Nami, I hope you left room..." Sanji spun in a circle on his heel. "For dessert!"

Sanji kicked Luffy in the stomach, the captain shouted in alarm as he was sent backward. As Luffy flew, he went passed Nami which unfortunately led to the Log Pose on her wrist shattering. For Nami, everything seemed to slow down once the tool broke until Luffy fell to the ground.

"What's your deal?" Luffy asked Sanji, rubbing his head. "Why did you hit me?"

"You never think of anyone but yourself!" Sanji rebuked.

"Hey, uh Sanji, Luffy...?" Jou cleared his throat. "You guys might wanna start running or something."

"Sanji...?" Nami called.

"Yes~!" Sanji replied kindly.

"Too late to start running," Jou remarked and had another bite of tuna. Nami kicked both the cook and captain off the island, each of them screaming as they plummeted toward the ocean.

"BOTH OF YOU GET OUT OF MY SIGHT BEFORE I WRING YOUR NECKS!" Nami screamed once the two were booted from the island. She calmed down and sadly looked at whatever was left of the Log Pose and sighed sorrowfully as Jou approached.

"Well, that's a bummer," Jou commented. "It may be broken, but if anything it could make a nice wristband." Jou let out a nervous chuckle at his attempt at a joke. Nami didn't seem amused in the slightest, giving Jou a slight scowl. "Sorry. You know me, I tend to make bad jokes to ease tension." Nami sighed turning her attention back to the ruined Log Pose. Jou noticing her distress stuck his fork into a piece of tuna and held it in front of her face. "Here. Eat something."

"No," Nami pouted pushing the fork. "I'm not hungry."

"I don't care if you say you're not," Jou stated. "Now, eat it."

"I don't want to eat it!" Nami argued. "If you're not trying to help, then leave me alone!"

"Just eat the damn fish already!" Jou retorted. "I wouldn't lie to you about it being good!"

"Would you just back off!" Nami shouted at Jou, grabbing him by the shirt. "I told you I don't want any fish! So would you just leave-mmpf!" Jou stuffed the tuna in Nami's mouth. The anger in her face faded, her eyes wide and blinking. Jou smirked at her as she started to chew the food, she released his shirt and swallowed. "Delicious!" Nami squealed in delight, a smile on her face.

"See?" Jou chuckled. "I told you so." Nami's smile faded, turning to the destroyed Log Pose. Jou looked at Crocus with a hopeful look. "I don't suppose you can help us out? Is there a way to fix a Log Pose?"

"Unfortunately not," Crocus shook his head. "But as a thank you for helping Laboon, I will give you my own."

"Really?" Jou smiled. "Thanks. That's very generous of you. Hear that, Nami?" Nami's smile returned as she turned to Crocus.

"That is nice of you," Nami told him. "Thank you, Crocus."

Once Sanji and Luffy hit the water, Laboon lifted them to the surface. Not only the cook and captain but also Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday. With the use of his blowhole, Laboon shot them back onto dry land.

"Oh good, I'm not dead," Luffy huffed out and saw the two weirdos, Sanji scrambled to his feet and approached Miss Wednesday.

"Hello, dear lady!" Sanji greeted her, gesturing a hand toward her. "Allow me to help you to your feet."

"Oh, thank you!" Miss Wednesday took his hand, walking with the cook while he made small talk with her.

"Hey!" Mr. 9 called getting Sanji and Luffy's attention. "We need a favor."

---

[Jou's POV]

The rest of the crew excluding Zoro were speaking to the odd pair. Jou stood alone at the edge of the Crocus's island, looking out at the horizon. His arms folded over his chest enjoying the quiet and watching the ocean sway. Jou heard a set of footsteps as the person stopped beside him. He turned to find Crocus, his own gaze on the sea. Jou knew the older man must've had all sorts of adventures during his time as a ship's doctor and knew he must have fond memories from the smile he had until he glanced at Jou.

"I must thank you all again for helping Laboon," Crocus spoke, breaking the silence.

"Not a problem," Jou nodded. "But that was all Luffy. In that case, thanks again for the Log Pose."

"Your captain...? Luffy...?" Crocus wondered. "There's... there's something special about him." Jou blinked at the man and pondered that himself. The day Jou figured there was something about Luffy was back when he fought Kuro. It was right then and there, Jou saw Luffy was serious about becoming King of the Pirates and knows that he'll be it someday and had Jou's respect, even if Luffy acts aloof most of the time.

"Luffy does give off that sort of air, doesn't he?" Jou smiled fondly.

"Yes," Crocus agreed with a smile. "Reminds me of another captain I knew a long time ago." Jou wondered if this pirate Crocus spoke of brought back memories. With that in mind, Jou thought back to when Crocus stared at his red chain and wanted to ask him a question. It could just be a mere coincidence or maybe he knew something Jou didn't. Either way, Jou needed to know.

"Mind if I ask you something?" Jou wondered.

"What's on your mind?" Crocus asked.

"This may sound strange, but have you seen this chain before?" Jou asked holding up his left wrist. "I caught you had your eye on it earlier. Why was that?" Crocus turned to the open sea, his arms folded but with a fond expression on his face.

"Long ago, I met a young girl aboard my old pirate crew that carried a similar chain," Crocus mentioned. Jou's eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat once he heard that. There was no way he could have been speaking about his mom. But it may be true since Jou's mom did say this red chain was one of a kind.

"I had no idea you were a pirate," Jou said. "By the way, this girl you knew? Her name wouldn't happen to be... Becky, would it?"

"It was!" Crocus grinned at Jou. "Her name was Becky. She was the ship's cabin girl from the West Blue. Then I remember a few years later she began her own pirate crew. How do you know her?"

"Becky is my mom," Jou said.

"Really?" Crocus questioned. "So, she must've given that chain to you. I imagine she must've taught you to fight a similar way she did with those chains you have."

"I do," Jou replied. "She trained me when I was a kid. I never thought I'd meet someone that knew my mom back then. Tell me, what do you remember of my mom?"

"Well, she wasn't your typical sweet girl, I'll you that much," Crocus chuckled. "No. Becky was tough. As tough as any of the men on board and quite the sassy young lady."

"Yeah, that sounds like her," Jou gave a short chuckle with an amused shake of his head.

"So, how is she these days?"

"Hmm?" Jou wondered raising his brows.

"Becky," Crocus said. "She must still be around, is she? If you're a pirate, then you must be following her footsteps." Jou's smile faded and stared down at the water. Of course, Crocus wouldn't know about what happened 10 years ago. He knew his mom, so Jou felt Crocus has the right to know what happened to her.

"My mom, Becky is dead," Jou mentioned solemnly. "She passed away 10 years ago." Jou's right hand went to his red chain. "I won't go into details, but she gave me this chain before she died."

"I see," Crocus murmured. Jou turned to Crocus, the old man seemed upset by the news of Becky. "That must've been tough. You couldn't have been no more than a child." Crocus stared Jou in the eyes. "My condolences."

"But still, it's nice to hear about her from someone that knew her," Jou gave a grateful smile. Now came another question Jou had that he always wondered about. "By the way, if you were on that pirate crew with my mom then you had to have known the person that trained her?"

"Indeed I did," Crocus smiled. "To my understanding, he passed that chain of yours to her when he started training her."

"Yeah, she mentioned that," Jou claimed. "Do you know if the person who trained my mom is still around somewhere?" Crocus folded his arms, thinking for a moment until he smiled again.

"Well, I haven't spoken to the members of the crew in nearly 20 years," Crocus stated. "So I wouldn't know. Sorry."

"I see," Jou said looking at the ocean. He should've known Crocus wouldn't have any whereabouts of his former crew. Jou never asked his mom much about her old teacher, only that he trained and gave her the red chain Jou had now. Not like Jou would ever come across him since he could probably be dead.

"But it's possible," Crocus added. "He might still be alive. The man that trained your mother was one of the strongest on the crew."

"Yeah, mom may have said something like that," Jou recalled. "I'll keep in mind what you said. Thank you, Crocus. I appreciate it."

"There's no need to thank me, lad," Crocus gave a kind smile. Jou extended his hand, giving a Crocus a handshake, grateful for the info he'd given him. With that, Jou turned and walked to the others chatting with the two weirdos, Crocus following him and joining the conversation the crew was having.

---

[No POV]

"Whiskey Peak...?" Luffy wondered. "Huh? That's a funny name."

"That's where we live!" Mr. 9 mentioned. "I'm certain."

"How were you stranded?" Nami questioned. "Where's your ship?"

"Well, it was destroyed," Miss Wednesday mentioned.

"Let me guess..." Jou chimed. "The whale did it." He guessed correctly as Mr.9 and Miss Wednesday nodded their heads together. "I figured that. So, all you two want is a ride back home?"

"Yes, that's all," Mr. 9 insisted.

"Asking us for a ride is pushing, Mr. 9," Nami remarked with a sly smile. "Especially after you tried to kill the whale."

"What's with the wardrobe?" Usopp asked. "What're you supposed to be?"

"I am a king!" Mr. 9 affirmed.

"You're lying!" Nami claimed whilst yanking Mr. 9's cheek.

"No, please!" He cried.

"We can't say!" Miss Wednesday added with her head down.

"She's right!" Mr. 9 declared kneeling beside his partner. "You have to believe us! Our only motive here is getting home. We'd tell you everything if we could. It's just that-"

"Mystery is our company's motto!" Miss Wednesday remarked.

"We have to be mysterious, it's sort of a rule!" Mr. 9 commented.

"We have confidence in your character!" Miss Wednesday said. "Can't you give us the same courtesy?"

"Please!" Mr. 9 pleaded. "We're begging you! Show some mercy!"

"Don't do it," Crocus warned the young pirates. "These two fools are dishonest to the core. They can't be trusted." The old man's harsh words caused Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday to look down shamefully.

"True," Jou spoke up. "We don't know them, but on our ship, there are 6 of us and only 2 of them. But it's up to Luffy whether or not it's okay to help them."

"Listen, I should mention that our Log Pose was broken and we don't have another one," Nami stated showing the broken Log Pose. "So, still wanna ride with us?"

"What?!" Mr. 9 exclaimed. "You broke it! That was mine! Those aren't cheap, ya know?!"

"You're stuck here, too!" Miss Wednesday announced. "How long were you gonna make us beg before you wanted to tell us?!"

"Oh sorry," Nami smirked victoriously. "I forgot Crocus gave us his Log Pose, so..." The two bowed their heads again, each of them knowing they were completely at the navigator's mercy.

"Please have pity on us!" Mr. 9 begged.

That lousy bitch! he thought. She tricked us!

"It's fine," Luffy declared. "You can ride with us." The two picked up their heads, staring at the straw hat captain. "You said your home is called 'Whiskey Peak'? Let's go there."

"Why?!" Usopp questioned. "These two are obviously some pretty shady characters! Why would we take them anywhere?!"

"It's fine," Luffy assured calmly. "Don't sweat the small stuff. We'll be alright."

"Choose your route carefully," Crocus insisted. "Once you head out from here, you'll be committed to that course."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Jou said and stared at Luffy. "Right, captain?"

"Yeah," Luffy nodded. "If we don't like it, we'll try a different route next time."

"I see," Crocus replied with a smile.

"Okay, it's time we get going," Luffy decided. "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?" Miss Wednesday asked Luffy.

"What's that? Me?" Luffy looked at her. "Oh, I am the man who'll be King of the Pirates!" Luffy's claim caused a proud chuckle to escape from Crocus. Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday glanced at each other in confusion and snickered.

Not too bright, this one, Miss Wednesday thought. The crew settled aboard the Going Merry, getting the ship ready to depart from Crocus' lighthouse.

"Should be good to go," Crocus mentioned. "The Log Pose has had plenty of time to restore the route." He explained as Nami looked down at the device strapped to her wrist.

"It's pointing directly to Whiskey Peak," Nami noted proudly.

"See ya, pops!" Luffy called waving. "Thanks again for a Log Pose! Take care!"

"Have a safe trip, my boy!" Crocus waved.

"I'm off, Laboon!" Luffy called. "Be ready to fight when I get back! Next stop, Whiskey Peak! Ready, gang? Let's set sail!"

The Merry cruised away while Laboon let out a howl like he was saying farewell to the small crew. The members of the crew looked out at the horizon with big smiles on their faces, except for a certain swordsman who continued to sleep. Crocus watched their ship leave, the vessel becoming smaller the further it sailed. While watching the ship continue on, the old doctor couldn't help but have a knowing smile on his face.

"I wonder?" Crocus spoke. "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?"

---

Long chapter! Sometimes I'd rather have a long chapter than a short one where nothing noteworthy happened(Or it probably wasn't my best :P). This isn't a long arc so I just fit it into one chapter. I'll answer the reviews for the final chapter of the Whiskey Peak arc which I believe will only be two chapters. I got the next chapter finished, just gotta edit it first, and it's quite action-packed.

And now that we've finally reached the Alabasta Saga, new cover art for the story!

I'll see you guys next time!

Later!