"Alright, the Grand Line is almost in sight!" Luffy grinned as she sat on the figurehead of the Merry as the destination of the Straw Hats was closer than ever.
"Hey, guys? You might wanna see this."
Hearing Sanji's voice, everyone stopped what they were doing on the ship to see Sanji carrying a bunch of bananas, but they looked like hooked sickle blades and were silver blue in color with the traditional spirals marking it and the stem resembling the handles of sickles.
"Is that what I think it is?" Hilda asked.
"It is. A Devil Fruit."
"It must be Eric'sSickle-Sickle Fruit," Draco realized, "When he died, his Devil Fruit was reborn from the nearest equivalent fruit, which just so happened to be on our ship."
"Whoa, what are the chances?!" Sonson gawked.
"This is great though!" Usopp said. "We can have one of us eat it and make use of those powers for ourselves! Just think how strong Luffy would be with two powers!"
"No dice on that front. Any Devil Fruit user who's tried eating a second Devil Fruit has died. We just can't handle more than one power." Ben said. "Something about the two devils feuding against each other and destroying the vessel in the process."
"…But…" Ussopp started.
"Ben and I are exceptions," Draco explained. "For me, I assume the souls of my dead siblings are protecting me. For Ben….we…we honestly don't know how."
"So that leaves out Luffy, Sonson, Draco, Ben, Kuina, Penny, Kaya, Noire, Gin, Nojiko, Hilda, Gottfried, Melony, and myself." Heart counted off.
"Then who else would be willing to take this Devil Fruit?" Gin asked.
"Me and Ruby are right out. Those who eat a Devil Fruit can no longer swim in the ocean, which would be a death sentence to Fishmen." Axol said.
"We could still breathe underwater, but we'd be sitting ducks for any undersea predators," Ruby added.
"I'm not eating it. I won't take shortcuts to my goal." Zoro declared. "Kuina doesn't like to rely on her Devil Fruit too much for that reason either."
Kuina nodded. "I only use it when absolutely necessary."
Usopp sighed. "Yeah, I'm better off not eating it too. My specialty is long-range, and this power feels more like a mid-range thing."
"I already decided not to risk eating any Devil Fruits," Sanji said.
"Oh?" Noire smirked. "Not even the…?"
"WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT!" Sanji snapped.
"What about Kirby?" Kaya suggested, holding up her surrogate son, who stared at theSickle-Sickle Fruitin awe.
"I don't know what would happen. Besides, doesn't he have that transformation thing?" Penny pointed out.
"So, the little fella is out as well." Heart decided.
"Yeah, I don't think it's right for me either. Once you eat a Devil Fruit you can't take it back. So you have to weigh the risk versus reward, and for me, there's too much risk." Nami said. "But Devil Fruits can be very valuable. Maybe we can sell it somewhere."
"I wouldn't recommend it. Depending on who we sell it to, the next time we see it the user could be an enemy who's more capable of using it than Eric was." Nojiko pointed out.
"In that case, let's keep it on hand for now and see if we can offer it to someone trustworthy. My father always said Devil Fruits are meant to be eaten, and only need the right user to unleash their full potential." Draco said.
With that decided, the crew started sailing for Reverse Mountain and it wasn't long before things started happening.
"I'm seeing storm clouds on the horizon!" Usopp reported.
"We're nearing the entrance to the Grand Line. Before long we'll be seeing the Red Line to mark the start of our real journey." Draco said.
"It took a long time, but we're finally making it. And with one hell of a crew." Luffy smiled.
"I remember you saying you hoped for ten crew members before hitting the Grand Line. And here we are with twenty!" Sonson noted with a laugh. "We're seriously gonna need to get more ships to hold everyone!"
Nami looked at the chart. "There seems to be something odd about how the chart is drawn. It almost looks like the falls are traveling up."
"They are, it's called Reverse Mountain for a reason." Axol clarified. "This is where me and Ruby start guiding the ship. Once we hit the canals they're going to hit back. Only Fishmen are strong enough to swim those currents."
"And even then we'll need special tethers," Ruby admitted.
"Are we sure we can trust the map, though?" Zoro asked. "It was stolen from Buggy."
"Buggy's traveled the Grand Line too. He mentioned it during our first encounter." Bamia pointed out.
Draco nodded. "This is the time to leave all common sense about the world behind. Once we hit the Grand Line, any natural laws are going to be thrown out the window."
"Sounds like a challenge! I love it!" Heart smirked.
"We need to tie the rudder down and raise the sails. Once we reach Reverse Mountain, the current is all we'll need to move forward." Ben said.
The crew got to work as the Red Line started to come into view through the storm clouds.
"Red Line dead ahead!" Usopp called out. "Sweet Oda, it's larger than I realized!"
"It's the world's only real continent, but it's so tall that it's practically impassable, so there's no evidence of anyone living on it," Draco said.
"This is it, people! We're nearing the entrance to the Grand Line!" Sonson cheered.
"Everyone get to your stations!" Gin called out. "We've only got one shot at this, so let's make it count!"
Axol and Ruby dove in front of the Going Merry wearing the special tethers Draco had bought from Loguetown among the other essentials. The rudder was tied off and the sails as well.
"Get ready to haul them in once we reach the current!" Draco called out, "At that point, we can rely on the water to carry us through the mountain!"
The ship rocked as the current hit, starting to suck in the Merry as everyone quickly braced themselves.
"Aim for that crack in the mountain!" Nami called out. "That's the entrance we're looking for!"
"The damn ocean is really flowing up the mountain!" Kuina realized.
"The Grand Line doesn't work the same way as the rest of the world. Once we pass the gates we need to pull in Axol and Ruby." Draco said. "At that point, we've essentially made it."
Swimming with expert precision, the two young Fishmen successfully guided the Merry through the gates. Once past, they were hauled back onto the deck before the current could become too much for them.
"This is it!" Nojiko said. "We have a straight shot to the summit!"
Before long, the Merry wound up above the clouds at the highest point of the Red Line.
"Amazing!" Heart said. "I knew joining you was a good idea!"
"We're up so high!" Luffy called out excitedly.
Draco chuckled. "Everyone brace yourselves! After all, what goes up must come down!"
Sure enough, once they reached the summit the Merry was pushed along the current flowing back down. Images of their dreams filled the Straw Hats' heads. Of discovery, strength, peace, and glory. As for Draco, he smiled as he laid eyes on the Grand Line once more.
"Papa...I'm home."
The rush of racing down the current of Reverse Mountain into the Grand Line caused many of the Straw Hat Pirates to whoop in excitement, even Usopp. Zoro then heard what sounded like a fog horn.
"What is that?!"
"Sounds like an Island Whale!" Ben suggested.
"A whale?!" Noire beamed excitedly. "Where?! Where?!"
Seeing the rest of the crew surprised by this, Sanji lightly chuckled.
"She really likes whales. They're her favorite animal"
"Hey! I see a mountain at the base of the falls!" Hilda called out.
"There are no mountains at the base of the current!" Ruby pointed out. "The Twin Capes open up to pure ocean!"
Usopp quickly used his goggles to peer through the mists created by the current and gasped in shock.
"It's a giant whale!"
"An Island Whale, to be specific!" Draco explained. "Though I have no idea what one is doing in the Grand Line!"
"And we're about to hit it!" Kaya realized.
"It's blocking our path!" Noire realized. "Right in the middle of the cape!"
"I don't think it's noticed us!" Nami noted. "I can't see its eyes from here!"
"I think we can get through on the left!" Zoro said. "There's an opening!"
"We're going too fast!" Axol said. "And the rudder's still tied off!"
Draco quickly ran onto and across the figurehead and then jumped off before harnessing the power of the Kaiju-Kaiju Fruit.
"RODAN!"
Transforming into a pterodactyl-like creature with magma-esque wings, Draco used himself as a cushion to keep the ship from slamming into the whale too hard and brought the ship to a slow stop.
"My life flashed before my eyes..." Nami breathed out in relief. "For a second I could see Bellemere in heaven."
"Same here..." Nojiko sighed.
"Oooooh!" Kirby cooed in wonder as he stared at the whale's eye, which looked ten times as big as the Merry.
Judging from its position, the crew was right in front of its mouth. Luffy and Ben noticed the whale's forehead was covered in heavy scarring.
"It still hasn't noticed us," Heart said.
"Then we should get out of here before it does," Gin suggested.
The whale let out a giant cry, which Gottfried quickly dampened to keep the crew from going deaf.
"Easy with the death metal act, Willie!"
Suddenly, the cry turned into something else. Something that sounded very familiar, and very foreboding.
"Uh-Oh..." Sonson realized in horror. "Everyone brace yourself! He's gonna sneeze!"
The whale suddenly opened its mouth, and a massive sneeze blew the ship back before creating a counter current that wound up washing them right into the whale's mouth.
"YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME! SWALLOWED BY A WHALE?!"The entire crew all shouted at once.
The water from the current spiraled down the whale's gullet as it closed its mouth, trapping the Straw Hats inside along with their ship. The whale then dove under the water.
-OP-
Inside the whale, there was a bright blue sky and a small island housing a small house with a laundry line drying off clothes.
And sitting outside were three boys; a large and muscular boy with a shaved head and green jacket, reading a Germa 66 comic. Beside him was a taller and gangly boy in a red shirt with a black toque reading a history book and finally, there was a short boy in a yellow striped shirt smirking as he read both a Playpirate magazine and a 'Scammer's Weekly magazine.
"ED-BOYS!"
The gangly boy dropped his book and stood at attention.
"Rolf! We weren't slacking! Just taking a break!"
"Hold your tongue, Double-D Edd-Boy!" The speaker, a tall young man with blue hair and tanned skin shouted as he took off his shoes and then placed another in his mouth as he turned to the biggest boy. "Your laziness encures the wrath of the almighty Three-Shoe Beating, Nincompoop Ed-Boy!"
He then slammed all three shoes onto the comic reader, who just chuckled and waved.
"Hi, Rolf!"
SMACK!
"Hi, Rolf!"
SMACK!
"Hi, Rolf!"
SMACK!
"Hi, Rolf!"
SMACK!
"Hi, Rolf!"
"The Ed-Boy's fortitude is to be admired..."
"Geez Rolf, knock it off will ya?" The last boy grumbled.
"If you do not wish for Elder Crocus to be feeding you, Greedy Ed-Boy, then by all means!" Rolf snapped, smacking Eddy over the head with a fish that he pulled out of nowhere.
"What do we have to worry about? Not like anything happen…"
Rolf suddenly clamped a hand over Eddy's mouth.
"Hark, Ed-Boys! Rolf sees something approaching!"
The Eds followed Rolf's gaze to see a caravel ship coming into view, wondering just what it was doing here.
"How odd, Laboon wouldn't just up and eat a ship without a good reason..." Double-D noted.
-OP-
The crew was surprised when they saw that the inside of the whale's stomach looked like an open sky. The Merry was currently floating on an ash cloud created by Draco'sDisaster-Disaster Fruitto keep it above the stomach acid.
"Please tell me none of us are dead. Because I cannot for the life of me comprehend what I'm seeing." Hilda said. "I mean... We just got swallowed, right? So why are we still outside?"
"Is this a dream of some kind?" Heart wondered. "Then again we're all seeing it. And we're all clearly breathing so we're not dead."
Suddenly, a Great King Squid erupted from the acid to attack the Merry.
"Stand back, mates!" Ben said as he formed a spine sword with theBone-Bone Fruit. "This beastie is all mine!"
Suddenly, several harpoons shot out from the house and impaled the creature, killing it instantly.
"Huh, guess someone must be living here," Sanji noted.
"But who would live inside a whale?" Noire pointed out.
"Ahoy there!" Came a young man's voice as the crew looked to see four boys waving to them.
Also with the four boys was an elderly man who started reeling in the squid with his bare hands. On his head was a decoration that looked like a flower.
"Other people! At long last!" One of the boys, a lad with yellow hair and a sock hat said in utmost relief. "We've been stuck here so long!"
"Ketchup!" A dim-witted-looking boy with orange hair and a unibrow waved over.
The old man seemed to observe the ship with a critical eye before sitting down in a lounge chair and taking out a newspaper.
"Excuse me! Can you tell us where we are and who you are?" Penny called out.
The old man looked over. "It's polite to offer your own name first when asking that question."
"Oh, I'm very sorry!" The Android apologized. "My name is Penny and these are friends and fellow pirates!"
The Straw Hats all took turns introducing themselves as well as their ship. After they were done, the old man nodded in acknowledgment.
"My name's Crocus. I'm the lighthouse keeper of the Twin Capes. Have been for the last fifty years. Which is a good chunk of my life since I'm 71 now. As for where we are, this is my private resort. Which, as you may have surmised, is inside a whale's stomach."
He then gestured to the four boys under his care.
"And these brats are Ed, Edd, Eddy, and Rolf. Call the second one Double-D to make things easier."
"Huh, guess that explains the sky. It's actually painted!" Hilda noted.
"But that whale must be larger than we thought if all this is inside its stomach." Heart added.
"We're not going to get digested, are we?" Ruby nervously asked.
"No fear of that, the exit's right over there," Crocus said, gesturing to a large door in the side of the stomach, which shocked the group.
"How did you get all of this inside an Island Whale?" Ben asked.
Suddenly the area was hit by a large quake, freaking everyone out except for Crocus, who sighed, and The Eds and Rolf, who became worried.
"Aww come on, Laboon! Not now!" Eddy complained.
As the Merry and the island started rocking, it was revealed that the island was artificial, with an iron underside.
"Hey, old man!" Luffy called out. "What's going on with the whale?"
"Laboon has started hitting his head against the Red Line," Crocus explained. "You likely saw the scarring on his forehead, yes? Well, that's the reason."
"The whale's cry earlier. Gottfried mentioned that he's crying about something." Hilda realized.
"The beast's pain runs very deep. Rolf cannot give words." Rolf sighed sadly with a shake of his head.
"Well, we're not getting anywhere while the whale's bucking like this. We'll just have to wait it out." Luffy said.
-OP-
Meanwhile, two people, a man and a woman, had entered Laboon through the metal implants in his body, both of them carrying large handheld cannons.
"Well, we infiltrated this far in," The man said before turning to his partner. "Listen, Miss Wednesday, behind this door is the stomach. That old geezer is likely to be there. We must eliminate him. This whale is vital for us."
"Of course, Mr. 9," the woman, Miss Wednesday, said. "This whale is precious honey to our town."
-OP-
Back in the stomach, Crocus had dove into the acid but came up near the doors completely unharmed.
"Wow, that guy is tough! There's gotta be tons of ships and skeletons at the bottom of this acid pool!" Noire commented, impressed.
"Hold on, I'm hearing something, fellas!" Gottfried exclaimed, then listened in. "Two people are behind the door Old Crocus is reaching!"
"They might be trying to attack him!" Hilda gasped.
Luffy didn't like that, so she stretched over to the doors, much to Crocus's shock, and threw the doors open. This surprised the duo, who had been planning on opening the doors on a three-count.
"Wait, is that...?" Draco whispered, recognizing the female of the two.
Luffy grabbed the duo and bounced right back over to the Merry. Crocus just shrugged and kept climbing to the doors, soon reaching a large room with a massive injection needle inside.
"Okay, Laboon, that's enough hurting yourself. Double-D and I will have to make some more sedative soon, there's only a little left in this needle."
He pushed the needle into Laboon's flesh, causing the whale to stop.
"This wall separates the world's oceans, it won't break no matter how long you try hitting it. You could slam on it until you die, but it still wouldn't break. It's time to give it up, Laboon." Crocus said sadly.
Laboon only replied with a sorrowful bellow, making Crocus shake his head as he climbed back down.
-OP-
"Looks like the whale's calmed down," Nami said after a tense couple of minutes.
"His name is Laboon." Double-D corrected.
"Well, regardless, we need to address these two." Heart said, referring to the two 'assassins'.
Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday had been brought to the deck and shackled. Draco was kneeling down to look over Miss Wednesday, eyeing her over. Mr. 9 struggled to shield his partner from what he and the other thought were lustful gazes.
"Gin, Sonson," Draco commanded. "Take Mr. 9 here down to the brig. We'll speak with Miss Wednesday more directly."
"Wait, we have a brig?" Sonson asked.
"Merry built this ship with everything we might need. I just never thought we'd actually use the brig." Kaya explained.
"Did he really have to name the ship after himself though?" Kuina asked.
"Hey, he built it!" Ussop snapped.
"Well, his full name is Merry Haddalam." Kaya clarified.
"Was he raised on nursery rhymes or something?" Ruby asked. "What, is his Grandma Bo Peep?"
Axol chuckled at that, with Kirby looking on in confusion.
"Can we focus on our prisoners here?" Nojiko said. "Let's get Mr. 9 to the brig already."
Mr. 9 gulped as the much stronger Gin and Sonson hauled him off. Once they were gone, Noire lifted Miss Wednesday up by her coat, glaring at her.
"So, you thought you could kill Laboon, eh? Sell his blubber and meat and make a fortune, eh?!"
"Um…W-well, we were more hungry than…" Miss Wednesday began, only to feel something at her throat.
"You got a lot of nerve…" Noire growled. "Too much nerve."
Everyone else, understandably taken aback by this extreme anger from their sommelier, turned to Sanji who shrugged.
"Like I said before, Noire really likes whales."
"They're the elephants of the sea!" Noire snapped
"Aren't those Manatees?" Ben asked.
"No, I believe they're the angels," Penny replied.
"DON'T GET ANALYTICAL WITH ME!" Noire snapped, then returned her attention to Miss Wednesday. "Well, I hope you lived a fun and fulfilling life lil' missy, because next port we reach I'm selling you to the first broth…!"
"Okay, that's enough of that," Nojiko said, dragging Noire away kicking and screaming as Draco knelt to come to eye level with the blue-haired woman.
A hush fell over the room, as everyone waited on baited breath for Draco's reaction.
"I thought it was you." He smiled suddenly. "Been almost…what? Ten years since we last saw each other, Vivi."
The woman's eyes widened. "D-Draco?! Is that you?! Oh crap, there goes my two-year infiltration plan..."
She shifted personalities so quickly that everyone was stunned, especially with the waterworks the now reidentified Vivi was leaking.
"Well, this is a new twist I didn't expect," Crocus said as he came on deck.
"This is more confusing to Rolf than the time Mama dragged Papa to their sacred site where Rolf hoists his eggplants!" Rolf noted.
"Uh...what did he say?" Nami asked Eddy, who shrugged.
"Rolf comes from some weird far-off island. We were joining him to go see it when we first got swallowed by Laboon."
"Regardless, this woman clearly isn't the hoodlum we were expecting," Double-D noted about Vivi, who sighed.
"Yeah, that was all an act. If I didn't pretend to be as criminal as the others they never would have accepted me."
"So these two have infiltrated Laboon before?" Luffy asked.
Crocus nodded. "They came here numerous times trying to hunt Laboon for his meat."
"Honestly, we couldn't really blame people for trying either." Eddy shrugged. "A big boy like him would feed an entire island for at least two or three years."
"But Laboon is our friend and he is not anyone else's BBQ buffet!" Ed declared.
"The stories I could tell though." Draco chuckled. "The last time Dad and his fleet successfully hunted an Island Whale, we had enough meat to share with three whole archipelagos for two years. And Laboon here is clearly a baby."
Usopp's jaw dropped. "You mean they can get BIGGER?!"
"They're called Island Whales for a reason. Whole pods of them swimming together have been mistaken for moving archipelagos. They're normally native to the West Blue." Crocus said.
"But Island Whales are heavy breeders. So hunting them isn't exactly illegal." Heart noted, Sanji and Noire nodding in agreement.
"That is true, but there is more to this than letting the swindlers come after Laboon!" Rolf said.
Crocus nodded. "The same reason he keeps hitting himself on the Red Line and howling towards Reverse Mountain. Laboon may be a whale, but he has a human heart. And that heart has been devotedly waiting for a certain pirate group to return, even after fifty years..."
He sat down and began to tell the story of Laboon.
"On that day, when I was still in my youthful prime, I was doing my usual duty as keeper of the Twin Capes Lighthouse. A group of good-natured pirates called the Rumbar Pirates had just entered the Grand Line through Reverse Mountain. With them was a little whale that had been following them."
"And that was Laboon, wasn't it?" Hilda asked.
"That it is. He had been traveling with the Rumbar Pirates all the time, almost like their pet. But they were well aware of how dangerous the Grand Line was and didn't want to risk him coming along since he was just an infant. But his instinct to follow a pod was too strong, and I believe he may have even thought of himself as part of the crew."
"Awwwww..." Ruby, Sonson, and Penny cooed.
"Regardless, the crew's ship was broken and so they had to stay for a few months to get it repaired. I got to know them as friends during that time. Especially their captain Calico Yorki and first mate Humming Brook." Crocus' face then became saddened. "We grew so close that Yorki asked me a favor before they left. He wanted me to take care of Laboon. He expected it to only be for two or three years. The Rumbar Pirates wanted to be the first crew ever to circumnavigate the world. Yorki and Brook both tried to convince Laboon to stay behind, but the child had a hard time understanding the dangers."
"Eventually, they managed to find a way to leave him behind, heartbreaking though it was. You see the Rumbar Pirates loved music, and Laboon was always following the sound of it. So for this one time, they stopped playing hoping it would convince Laboon to ignore them." Double-D said.
"Yeah, we've heard the story from Crocus ever since he took us in." Eddy pointed out. "But this is your story, Pops. Might as well let you continue."
Crocus nodded. "Yorki was convinced they'd be back in three years. But three turned into ten, and ten turned into fifty. By now I can only assume that the entire crew has passed. I've seen many ships enter the Twin Capes over the decades. Only half of them I get to see a second time."
The crew suddenly heard a loud wailing and realized it was coming from Vivi.
"I can't believe we were doing something so cruel! He was just waiting for his friends to come home! I feel like such an awful girl!"
"There, there..." Penny said, patting Vivi on the back as Kirby offered her a hug.
"Yeah, that was Lumpy's first response when Pops told us the story for the first time," Eddy said as Ed was sobbing his eyes out himself. "Even now, the story still chokes him up."
"EDDY IS SO HEARTLESS!" Ed sobbed, getting shoulder pats from Double D.
"So, how on earth did you lot get here?" Kaya asked as she picked up Kirby.
"Long story short?" Double D began. " Well, we…:"
"THE ED BOYS WERE RUTHLESS RELENTESS SHIZTERS THE LIKES OF WHICH MADE NANA AND NANO FLEE THE HOMELAND!" Rolf cut in suddenly. "AND EDDY'S BROTHER….!"
The tall boy began to suck his thumb and roll back and forth in terror, traumatic memories filling his head.
"…Yeah, and well, my dumb ass thought he was cool when he left to join a pirate crew." Eddy continued. "So, after one real, real, real bad scam…"
He, Ed, and Double-D shuddered at the memories.
"We made a raft and tried to find my bro."
Double-D nodded. "It honestly wasn't too bad, but Rolf followed us for revenge, we lost our maps and me sextant..."
Ed, Eddy, Luffy. Ussop, Axol, Kuina, Crocus, and Nojiko chuckled.
"I'm sorry, you lost your what?" Nojiko asked.
"My sextant." Double D began to explain, only for all but Kirby, Nami, Ruby, Heart, and Kaya to burst into laughter.
"What?" Double D asked. "What's so funny about sexta…..OH MY HEAVENS!"
The poor boy blushed profusely as the laughs continued.
-OP-
With the doors open, Crocus helped the crew navigate the Merry out of Laboon's stomach through a metal-lined canal.
"I gotta say this is some amazing stuff. It's surprising that Laboon's still alive with this hole in his body." Zoro said.
"Well I'm not just a lighthouse keeper, I also happen to be a doctor with a minor PhD in veterinary medicine," Crocus explained. "I even used to run a clinic on the cape. And before that, I was a ship's doctor."
"I as well also have quite a good bit of knowledge in medicine of various kinds. I've even got books on virology, botany, chemistry, biology, and more!" Double-D added.
"Our crew needs a doctor! How about joining us?" Luffy excitedly asked.
"I'll have to pass. I don't have the energy of my youth." Crocus said, shaking his head. "Thirty years ago I definitely would have taken you up on that offer, but not anymore."
"Besides, Pops needs to stay here and make sure Laboon doesn't kill himself ramming against the Red Line," Eddy added.
"Eddy! Don't you see!" Ed gasped. "This is our chance!"
"The Ed-Boy speaks the truth!" Rolf concurred. "Perhaps the Hats of Straw can be the ones to help us find Rolf's homeland!"
"I don't know..." Double-D worriedly said.
"It's probably for the best you boys go with them," Crocus said. "You're not going to get anywhere just staying here with an old man like me."
The Eds and Rolf stayed back.
"Well?" Crocus waved. "Go on. Scram! Be free!"
Eddy and Ed hugged the older man, crying profusely. Crocus, despite it all, smiled and then literally kicked the two sobbing boys onto the Merry, leaving Rolf and Double-D.
"Mister Crocus?"
"Keep those idiots alive and in line, Eddward. But? Never forget your own happiness and dreams." Crocus smiled before turning to Rolf "I hope you find your homeland and that it's as amazing as you know."
Rolf, tears in his eyes, suddenly lifted and rubbed one of Crocus' armpits before hugging him.
"FAREWELL, VENERABLE LIGHTHOUSEKEEPER AND WHALE GUARDIAN! ROLF SHALL TELL HIS CHILDREN AND CHILDREN'S CHILDREN LEGENDS OF YOUR KINDNESS!"
The old man then did to the two boys what he had done to his friends before heading to the outer doors and opening them to let the Merry sail out. With the acid giving way to water, Draco finally dispelled his ash cloud to let the Merry float naturally.
"Still though, Fifty years waiting. That's well before Gold Roger's time." Heart noted. "The Grand Line would have been completely uncharted."
"It is possible that at least one of them survived. Brook had eaten a Devil Fruit but didn't seem to get any powers from it. It wasn't a dud either, we confirmed he lost his ability to swim. After he described it, I realized it was a Devil Fruit that would resurrect him from death once." Crocus noted. "But after fifty years, he's either died a second time or been trapped somewhere and can't get back easily. That's why, no matter how much pain Laboon is in, I've never once tried to convince him that his friends aren't coming back. Because for all I know, they will."
"Is the Grand Line really that chaotic?" Nami asked.
"Common sense is useless here in the Grand Line," Crocus replied. "Seasons, weather, currents, wind direction, they're all random. Weaker minds get taken over in an instant, to the point that they risk sailing through the Calm Belt just to escape it."
"Do you think that could have happened with the Rumbar Pirates?" Sanji asked.
"Unlikely. Every time I tell this story, the crew I tell it to mention how they've never heard of where the Rumbar Pirates are." Crocus said. "I eventually began to realize that they hadn't been scared off. Which left only one other possibility.
"Besides, they all loved Laboon. Even if they did flee to the Calm Belt, at the very least they would have circled back around and returned to this place to retrieve him." Double-D added.
Crocus wiped a tear from his eye. "Laboon... When he heard that his friends were not returning he couldn't believe it and started ramming the Red Line with everything he had. Even when I tried to tell him they would come back, he still kept at it. He wanted so badly to be reunited with them. And it's not like he can return to the West Blue from here. So the idea that his friends might return is his only hope. But if he keeps ramming the Red Line like this... It's only going to lead to his death."
Luffy suddenly stood up, getting everyone's attention.
"Ben, I need a battering ram!"
Ben smirked, realizing what Luffy was getting at before forming a giant bone club resembling a hip bone. Luffy picked it up and then slammed it right into a fresh wound on Laboon's head.
"What was that for?!" Ruby called out.
Laboon bellowed out in pain and started thrashing around. He wound up crashing into the cape, sending Luffy, Sonson, Draco, and Ben flying into the Red Line.
"What are they thinking?!" Crocus demanded.
"They're going to get themselves killed!" Double-D cried.
"Don't worry!" Nami called out. "Crushing them can't kill them!"
Everyone watched as the four captains were actively fighting Laboon. After a few exchanges, they stopped.
"It's a draw!" Luffy called out, confusing Laboon. "You wanna defeat us now, right? But right now we're not at a level where one of us can win. So we'll need to have a rematch. Now you have a new reason to wait, the chance to fight a rival. Once we circle around the Grand Line, I'll fight you once more."
"Savvy, mate?" Ben smiled.
Laboon's eyes started to tear up as he realized what the four were doing. Crocus, The Eds, and Rolf couldn't help but smile as Laboon let out a more joyful bellow. Sonson beamed, then proceeded to paint the Straw Hats' Jolly Roger on Laboon's forehead.
"There we have it, Laboon. A symbol of the promise you made! But that means you can't go removing it by hitting your head against the mountain, okay?"
Crocus chuckled. "Thanks for this. Now Laboon won't wind up killing himself."
"If you guys can do that, we're definitely joining!" Eddy grinning.
"Straw Hat good for Ed!" Ed cheered. "Let's make a pizza!"
"Okay, a few things we need to discuss now that we're officially in the Grand Line," Draco said. "First off, Usopp, Kaya. I know you're kinda attached to Merry, but we need to face facts. A caravel just can't get us through the entire Grand Line. At the very least we need to get her overhauled into something stronger."
"Indeed. I'm honestly surprised this caravel survived the trip." Double-D noted as he inspected the ship. "Most days we see the wreckage of ships that wound up crashing on either side of Reverse Mountain's strong currents."
Kaya and Usopp sadly looked at each other but then reluctantly nodded as they realized the point that was being made.
"Okay. But only so long as we don't lose what makes Merry special."
Suddenly, Rolf jumped down with an otter and a vulture unconscious in his hands.
"Rolf was spying these pests preying on the ship like ticks clinging to a pig's tucus!"
Sonson nodded. "We noticed as well. And I think they were specifically keeping an eye on Vivi and Mr. 9."
"Yeah, these two are called the Unluckies. The otter is Mr. 13 and the vulture is Miss Friday." Vivi explained. "Come to think of it, me and Mr. 9 were supposed to report back by now. Everyone's afraid of them because they drop bombs on whoever doesn't report in on time. The boss is a real stickler for schedule."
"Let's have them thrown in the brig as well," Heart suggested. "Maybe they might make a good dish in the future."
The two animals were tied up by Axol and dragged below deck.
"Next item for discussion; How we're navigating the Grand Line," Draco said.
"Oh that's easy," Nami said. "I made sure to bring... Our... WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH THE COMPASS?!"
Indeed, the compass needle was spinning out of control.
"Whoa, that is freaky," Hilda noted.
"Compasses are useless here in the Grand Line. Every island has its own unique magnetic field that prevents a normal compass from recognizing true north." Crocus explained.
"Well then, good thing I've been keeping this on me," Ben smirked as he revealed his special compass, opening up the inner workings to show compass arrows and an actual clock. "Me old man gave this to me; called it an Eternal Pose. Don't exactly know when, but he told me it'd help me find my way. It's also specially made, so we can use it for a few islands in the Grand Line before we need to think about replacing it."
"That's pretty impressive, Ben." Draco whistled. "As for me, since I'm a native of the Grand Line, I know all about how to navigate it."
Draco proved his point by bringing out his own Log Poses that he got in Lougetown.
"Listen up; The Log Pose is a special compass that can record magnetism. You'll notice it has no dial face. Instead, it works by recording the magnetism of two islands pulling against each other. As we get to each island in turn, we can use the Log Pose to find the route to the next island. The set I bought also has several Eternal Poses for the various ports throughout the Grand Line, in case we need to stop for supplies."
Crocus nodded. "Smart thinking, a single Log Pose, and multiple Eternal Poses are needed to safely navigate the Grand Line. It's the only thing you can depend on. You start the journey at one of seven islands connected magnetically to Reverse Mountain. Then as you move from island to island, the paths will start to converge. Eventually, you'll reach the end route and the island of-"
"Laugh Tale, the resting place of the One Piece." Draco finished.
"That's odd, I could have sworn it was Raftel," Double-D said.
"It's a common misconception. Dad confirmed the island is named Laugh Tale." Draco clarified.
"Regardless, Laugh Tale is the last point on the Grand Line. Only one man has ever been confirmed to reach the island. And that is Gol D. Roger, the King of the Pirates."
"Actually, Dad reached the island as well, but Roger got the treasure first," Thomas said.
"Dad...let me guess, you're one of Newgate's boys, aren't ya?" Crocus smirked.
Draco grinned. "So you knew him? Was this before or after he founded the Whitebeard Pirates?"
"So he's a captain himself now, is he? I remember when he was the quartermaster to one of the most notorious pirates of the time before the Great Pirate Era." Crocus said. "Well, if he's your father, then I might as well confirm that the One Piece is found on Laugh Tale. I won't tell you all its secrets, but I will give you this piece of advice. Find an archeologist skilled enough to translate ancient text. With someone like that on your crew, you'll have a chance at reaching Laugh Tale."
"Oh, I almost forgot something!" Double-D perked up as he reached into his sock hat and pulled out a second Log Pose. "It's always best to keep a spare or two on hand. A Log Pose can be very fragile, and keeping it from breaking can be difficult while sailing the Grand Line."
Crocus nodded. "The Eternal Poses are much more durable, so you can use them to buy another Log Pose at a port if one of yours breaks."
"I have one as well. Though it's actually in Mr. 9's possession." Vivi said.
"Not anymore," Gin said, pulling out the Log Pose. "I confiscated it when we threw him in the brig. Along with those weapons you have."
Luffy nodded. "Now we just have to choose a starting point!"
"Actually, it might be best to start at Whiskey Peak. That's where we were supposed to report." Vivi suggested.
"We do have an Eternal Pose for that island. It would certainly help to start at a port city and go from there." Heart noted.
"Just one question; Who are you supposed to be infiltrating?" Nojiko asked.
"That's meant to be a secret. If I told you guys, it would paint a huge target on your back." Vivi said.
Luffy grinned. "You don't have to worry about us. I'm the one who will be King of the Pirates! And my crew here is among the best!"
"OUR crew, mate." Ben chuckled. "You're not the only captain here."
Vivi was surprised. "Wait, you're also the captain?"
"As are me and Draco!" Sonson chimed in. "Yeah...we kinda need to find more ships soon."
"The Merry is starting to get a little cramped..." Draco admitted. "Especially since Ed, Double-D, Eddy, and Rolf are joining us now."
With the Log Pose now recorded in Whiskey Peak's direction, Nami carefully placed it and the Eternal Pose together to watch them both.
This just left the Eds and Rolf with what could be the last time they'd ever see Crocus.
"Brats," Crocus grumbled.
"Old man," Eddy mumbled.
"It was an honor to aid you, venerable Roger Pirate." Rolf said with a hand extended as a silence held over between the five before the boys all broke into tears.
"WE'RE GONNA MISS YOU AND LABOON SO MUCH!" Ed sobbed.
Crocus finally let tears escape his eyes, and Laboon let out a sorrowful roar.
"Not as much as we're going to miss you…" Crocus managed. Yeah, they were loud pains in the ass, but they'd given him and Laboon company!
Double-D then took a deep breath and called out to Laboon.
"WE'LL FIND BROOK AND BRING HIM BACK! JUST WAIT A LITTLE LONGER!"
Laboon let out another roar and then, despite it all, gently nudged the boys, the old man and the Merry, letting them sail away.
"Ah, chin up, fellas! You may not be seeing Crocus and Laboon for a while, but they'll still be hearing from us!" Gottfried smiled. "Hey, kid! Activate that little dial on the side of my shell, will ya?"
"Poyo!" Kirby chirped as he did just that.
Crocus then heard his own Transponder Snail going off with a peculiar ring. Gottfried grinned and he began to speak.
"I'm Gottfried and this here is the Straw Hats' We Are broadcasting network! Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you can hear the sound of my voice! This Livestream Transponder is covered by the THICK layer of PUBIC HAIRS that shot from between the Celestial Dragons' collective teeth!"
All across the East Blue people were shocked by the sudden announcement. Although quite a few people got a good laugh at the dig toward the World Nobles.
"Yeah, I think we should cover Kirby's ears for Gottfried's routines..." Kaya said to Usopp.
"Well, let's get this first broadcast a big send-off!" Sonson grinned as Luffy stepped forward and took a deep breath.
"LET'S SAIL FOR WHISKEY PEAK!"
Crocus smiled as he saw the Going Merry sail into the sunset. He'd miss The Eds and Rolf in particular but he knew as well as anyone that every bird needed to leave the nest eventually.
"They may just be the pirates we've been waiting for all this time. That girl Luffy... I couldn't help but see a bit of Roger in her eyes." He chuckled. "Are you watching the girl's journey now, Roger? I get the feeling she'll be the one to replicate your feat. The one to find the One Piece once again."
Knightmare Lord A/N:
Put together both parts of Reverse Mountain for this refurbishment.