Crocus' question wanted to make you laugh and cry
Of course you've heard of it-- you were the only one who didn't know what the fuck it was!
"I'm not familiar with it. I mean, I've heard that I'm cursed nonstop," you went on as your arms crossed. "But I have no idea what the actual curse is. Every single time I've asked, I've been brushed off."
Crocus looked conflicted as his eyes remained locked with yours. "I'll tell you all that I know of it. If there's anyone who deserves to know, it's the one who's cursed in the first place. How come you were never told?"
You tore your gaze away from the older man as you favored watching Luffy shimmy up the one palm tree that was on Crocus' house-ship. "Beats me. I got annoyed after a while before I decided to just stop asking. I figured that the answer would come to me one way or another."
That was true. You asked Buggy, like, once, and he said he didn't care about the curse –or if you were cursed– and banned you from talking about it. Was that supposed to be motivational or something? You didn't know.
You recalled asking Sai about it on the first day you got here. He never told you. You didn't ask Smoker –you guessed that he didn't care– and you seriously doubted that Tashigi knew anything about it.
Who knows, though? Maybe she knew a lot about it.
"Really?"
"Really," you nodded. "And you're... You're sure you can tell me the gist of it? You actually know about the curse?"
Crocus also nodded. "I suppose it's time for you to learn. But first, it'd be best if you got your ship out of here. Any longer and it'll start to dissolve."
~ . . . ~
"This is some waterway..." You muttered; eye twitching when you felt Luffy's grip tighten around you. He had once again turned you into a chair, since his favorite seat on the ship had been snapped off. He wouldn't let go. Was he hell bent on strangling you or something? Just when you were about to learn about your whole "curse thing" too.
Nami's eyes widened in wonder as she was met with the sight of a metal tunnel. One that was built inside of a whale, no less. "Is this another way of you having fun? I can't believe you built this stuff in here..."
Crocus walked alongside the ship on a raised metal platform. It was actually a miracle that this kind of structure was built this well in a living creature. "It's a hobby of mine as a doctor."
Not only was he a professional, but he also had a few years of experience on a ship as a doctor. And he ran a clinic, but he was now the man who worked in the lighthouse that served as the guiding light of Grand Line.
A concerning hobby to have. You were mildly disturbed at the thought. Building things inside of whales. What's weirder is that he's a licensed professional.
"Truly. At least he's going to tell you about the curse."
Kosai was right. You weren't about to waste your chances of learning about yourself. Yeah, I can't complain about his hobbies when he knows about my family more than I do.
"Get Luffy off of you before I throw him overboard." Kosai added. Your nose crinkled.
Hell no. He'd sink and drown. That'd be problematic.
"You had no qualms about throwing Zoro overboard into stomach acid."
Eh, he had it coming. It gave him a reason to shower. It was the only other thing I could think of. True. The last time you tried to get him to shower, you threatened him that he'd be taking his next ones with you if he didn't shower more.
Safe to say that Zoro would be keeping one eye open when he was sleeping from now on, since it was clear that the person who was going to kill him would be Sanji.
You shook your head at the memory. Then you rubbed the side of your face as you fought back a smile. You felt Luffy rest his chin on your shoulder as he grinned at Crocus.
"Hey! Join my crew as a doctor!"
You reached back and grabbed his face. "Luffy, no! Don't say that!"
He strained to talk normally. If it weren't for you stretching his face (you were trying to annoy him, which would never work) and he was trying to pull away from you, which only made his cheeks stretch more.
"AHGASHHAH–"
Crocus scoffed at the idea. "Me? Work on your crew? I'm far too old to go galloping around like you youths. Stop talking nonsense, boy."
Nami ignored you torturing Luffy. "So you're a doctor that lives in a whale?"
Crocus nodded and started to turn a large crank. "That's right. Laboon's too big of a whale to be treated on the outside. It's only possible to treat him from the inside. Here, I'll open the gate now."
The gates opened swiftly, and the richly blue sky came back into view. This time, you were all met with the sight of the blue ocean– not a green one that could kill you. Luffy's arms wrapped around your neck as he shouted.
"YEAH! I CAN SEE THE SKY AGAIN!!"
"LUFFY I CAN'T BREATHE–" You tried to pry his arms from your neck. Damn, you weren't even allowed to have fresh air. Can't have shit in Grand Line.
As the gates built into the side of Laboon shut closed, Zoro pointed at Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday. "What do we do with these guys?"
Crocus waved him off. "Throw them overboard somewhere."
Huh?? They're getting thrown overboard?
"What, do you think the Straw Hats kept them on board so they could play patty cake? No."
I-I didn't think that they'd just get thrown overboard. You didn't even get a word out as Zoro grabbed the two Baroque Workers by the neck and tossed them into the ocean. They both screamed once they resurfaced. Then they immediately started to panic.
"UBAGH!! WHERE ARE WE?! IS THIS STOMACH ACID?!" Mr. 9 yelled before he started coughing out seawater. Ms Wednesday started panicking even more at the suggestion.
"IS IT?!!" She started flinging her limbs around and splashing water everywhere, like it would save her life if she was actually in stomach acid.
"No... It appears that we're in regular water... Miss Wednesday." Her partner murmured as he slowly started to tread.
She was instantly calmed. "We must've been knocked out by those rotten pirates, Mr. 9."
Wow, they're being secretive, you thought, unamused. They could at least try a little harder to be mysterious.
"Their names sound familiar..."
You turned to the side (not missing how Kosai took the opportunity to fling Luffy off of you) and your eyes fell on Zoro. It looked like he was trying to remember something. It must be hard for him to think— the poor guy. "What'd you say?"
"Their names. I feel like I've heard them somewhere."
Your brow raised. "You can hear that well? I'm impressed."
"Fuck off. And never mind about the names. I'm probably imagining things."
"Imagining implies that you're thinking. Now that's something to be impressed about."
He sighed as loudly as he could, and you smiled. But seriously– if Zoro was implying that he remembered something, meaning that he had actually stored up enough memory for it like a run-down computer, then it was important. But why? Why did he remember those names? Your brows knit together as you turned away.
Hm. Let's see...
Code Names = Baroque Works
Zoro + remembering Code Names = Baroque Works
He remembers = Important
Implies that he's heard of it before, but when?
Zoro + Baroque Works = ??
Oh, right. You snapped a few times. They reached out to him a while ago when he was still a bounty hunter. I almost forgot about that detail. I also forgot that Zoro could remember things.
"I forgot that he could even think."
Didn't you say he couldn't?
"He just wasn't thinking when I was healing him."
You chuckled to yourself. Makes me think about how close we are to Alabasta. Hgnn!! You abruptly covered your mouth. We get to see the hot man. Crocodile. Isn't it sexy that his full name is Sir Crocodile?
Kosai groaned. "Stop moaning about Crocodile when you're talking to me."
He's so hot it's unfair. I want to steal his clothes.
"Again, respectfully shut up."
The demon begged (though it was more of a demand) as he was slowly traumatized by your thoughts spiraling rapidly down the rabbit hole. It was only when those thoughts started to (immediately) trespass the boundary of PG13 as your mind entered a headlong sprint to getting your own thoughts rated R.
"(NAME). HE IS OVER FORTY YEARS OLD."
THAT'S NOT GOING TO STOP ME FROM CALLING HIM HOT!
He was going to make sure you never encountered Crocodile, even if it cost him his life. The world would not be able to handle you. You were going to end up getting everyone killed if that was how you were going to view all of your enemies.
Luffy called out to the duo as he leaned on Merry's railings. "So who're you guys?"
"SHUT UP!! IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!"
Mr. 9 backtracked. "Wait a moment. Because they are pirates, perhaps it is their business!"
"True indeed. Our organization may have some use for you. Prepare yourselves!"
They're telling us?
They turned around and started swimming as fast as they could so they could get the hell out of there. "Until next time, you hillbilly pirates!!"
A short laugh left you. "Ah, figures." Silly me. I thought they were going to tell us. I'll play along for now, Vivi.
"Remember this Crocus! The next time we meet, that whale is ours!"
Over your dead body
Sanji's smooth voice rang out from next to you. He rested his cheek on his palm as smoke left his mouth in short and small puffs, all shaped like hearts. "So her name is Ms Wednesday? What a beautiful enigma, you are..."
Nami was the most concerned out of everyone. "Are you sure it's alright just letting them leave? Won't they just come back to try and hurt the whale?"
Crocus grunted. "I'd rather it be them. If you did anything else, they'd just send a few more agents and rogues in their place. Other than that, I don't bother with it." He turned back to you.
The Going Merry was docked next to the lighthouse. The crew had taken to looking at Laboon, who had stopped crying and was now quietly staring at the mountain. You couldn't really tell, though. It was either he was looking at the sky or the mountain.
"I want to see how strong you are," Crocus began, sitting down at the table outside of his lighthouse. "Tell me. How much do you know about Laboon's story?"
"That depends. How much do you want to know?"
"As much as you do."
"You sure?" You sat down on the table itself– deciding that you'd let someone else take the other seat. "It's not my story to tell."
"That's a trivial matter."
What's his plan?
"Easy. He's just testing you."
Testing...?
Oh, maybe to check if you were on par with Crooner. That was a bit of a stretch in the first place. He was giving you way more credit than you deserved, in your opinion. You probably wouldn't be able to hold a candle to what Crooner could do. (Not only that, but he could also see the future? Wacky shit)
You sighed softly before you straightened your posture. You might as well go along with it. You hoped that you wouldn't embarrass yourself if you performed poorly. If you did? Crocus' fault. He's the one who asked you in the first place.
"Okay, here we go. Fifty years ago, there was a group of pirates that arrived through the reverse mountain. Their ship was damaged, so they stayed for a few months so you could help repair their ship before they actually started their journey. Along with them, a baby whale had followed. That whale was Laboon."
You took a short pause to regain your breath.
"He had followed along unintentionally. Apparently, he had been following the pirates after being separated. It was too dangerous for Laboon to go back, so when it was time for the pirates to leave, they asked you," you gestured to Crocus, "--to watch after him. But only for a few years. After those years were up, they'd come back to get him."
Luffy swung his legs back and forth as he rested his chin on his crossed arms. He stared at you as you told the story but did interrupt. "Weird. What's taking them so long?"
Sanji –who sat next to you on the table– gripped his cigarette between his fingers as he glanced at Luffy. "Idiot. This is Grand Line. If it's been over a few years, then it's obvious. They're dead. No matter how long Laboon waits, they will never come back."
"You're observant," you said, though it was no secret that they were, in fact, dead as fuck.
"What?! How could you say something like that, Sanji!" Usopp punched the chef lightly in the shoulder, "They could come back! Can't you just appreciate a moving story about a whale waiting for his friends to come back?" Usopp made the mistake of turning to you for your input. "Tell him, (Name)!"
"Uh, hate to burst your bubble, but they're dead. Not only that... but.... Man, I feel kinda fucked up for saying all of this."
You really did
This wasn't your story to tell
You cradled your head in your many hands as you groaned softly. You were telling them what Crocus knew, not what actually happened. Oh my god– if you were wrong?? You'd never be able to live it down. You were telling them everything with such confidence.
"They died– Sanji's right. But that's not the reason they never returned."
"What?"
"Then what's the reason?" Zoro gruffly asked.
"Grand Line is a place where fear rules over all of the faint-hearted. If you have a weak will– you won't last a day here. Those pirates that Laboon followed... Usopp, they ran away." But I won't say that they abandoned Laboon.
"Wh-What?!"
"They– They just left Laboon behind?!" Nami gasped out, "But that would mean that they left through a calm belt! Did they die that way?"
You shrugged. "I don't know– and hey, a few of them could still be alive. Even if they did survive, they probably wouldn't be returning anytime soon. There's a reason that they left in the first place."
"So basically, those cowards cared more about their own lives than a promise they made to a friend," Sanji summarized. Rather ruthlessly, too.
Usopp was still gaping– and his expression quickly contorted to that of anger. "They just left behind Laboon?! Even though this whale never doubted them– and he's been waiting for over fifty years...! How could they be so cruel?!"
Murder, probably. You thought idly. Pretty sure that they were actually murdered. In one of the worst ways possible, too.
"Yes, poison tipped weapons. A horrible way to go."
"H-Haven't you tried telling him?" Your navigator asked, feeling immense pity for Laboon.
"Oh, he's tried," you cut in. "Laboon's just that stubborn. He never listened to Crocus. Ever since then, he's been bellowing at the reverse mountain, bashing his head against the Red Line, as if he's trying to reassure himself that they'll come back one day. He refuses to accept the truth."
Sanji blew out smoke. "What determination. He's still waiting, after fifty long years..."
"There's no point in waiting anymore..."
"If he stops waiting, he'll lose all purpose of even being here," you added. "It's way too late for Laboon to go back home. He's from East Blue. That's on the other side of the Red Line. It's why his only hope is the friends that brought him here in the first place."
You turned your focus to Crocus, who looked a little too disturbed for your liking. He wasn't traumatized (to your knowledge) which was good.
You asked, "How's that explanation for you, Crocus?"
"You're... You're too strong. You're too strong."
There were multiple questions firing off in your mind. But all you said was an extremely intelligent "Heh?"
Crocus straightened in his seat. "You're far stronger than Crooner."
You laughed. "What? That guy could turn me into mulch if he wanted to."
"No– No, not that. Your power... Crooner could never recall something in such detail."
You leaned back on your hands and smirked. "Well, shit."
Crocus wasn't saying anything, and it was making you uncomfortable.
"I think you should immediately tell me why you're looking at me like I'm the reason god is dead."
Crocus gestured to your arms, complying. He didn't want to stay on the topic for too long either. "If you can't already tell, not everyone has four arms."
"Yeah, that's a given."
"They're my other favorite seat!" Luffy declared proudly.
Damn. I really am an object. You internally sobbed. "The arms aren't the only thing, I know that. What's the other stuff aside from seeing the future and the past?"
"Crooner can't see the past," Crocus casually said, "And bad luck's the last thing. Wherever Crooner goes, misfortune seems to follow."
"Bad luck..."
"That's just superstitious," Said Usopp, who was the most superstitious out of everyone on the crew. "You don't believe in stuff like that, right?"
"..."
Everyone turned to you
"Right?"
"...Uhuh..."
"LIAR!!"
You screamed. "IT MAKES SENSE, OKAY??! I'VE BROUGHT NOTHING BUT BAD LUCK THE MOMENT I JOINED!"
You were brutally punched in the back of the head by Nami. "What are you talking about?! You're rich!"
"Yes! That's what I mean! My wallet is crying because I know you, Nami!" You started listing off everything that you literally ruined. "I got kidnapped when I was supposed to be helping Zoro, Smoker showed up at Loguetown– Crooner came out of nowhere, even though I didn't even think he'd be there– that whole storm thing happened– I– It just makes sense that there's so much bad luck."
There was a moment of silence. Until...
Zoro spoke up
"Wow. You're dumb."
"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HER YOU SHITHEAD?!"
Sanji launched himself from his spot and onto Zoro. They were brawling on the ground in second and you crossed your arms as you ignored them. You were going to talk with the other sane people. It was a good thing that Sanji could flip at the drop of a hat. If he didn't take Zoro to the ground, then you would've. It was for the best that you held back your bloodlust and desire to pummel him into the ground.
"(Name), you're not unlucky. You're nothing but good."
"That's sweet of you, Nami, but seriously... What've you got to back that up?"
"You're rich. Your father's a king."
Usopp suddenly snapped his fingers and pointed at you. "Hey! Weren't you trained under that Marine Captain? You know how they fight!"
Shit, he found a reason. You started sweating. "Uh, yeah–"
Nami gasped, "He's right! (Name), that's super lucky! You can fend off against the Marines. Not to mention, your alias is "Marine Hunter"!"
You cringed
"And you got my treasure back to me!"
"You somehow survived Mihawk, after throwing a sword at him!"
"You've got two really strong... uh, things on your side!"
"I'M NOT A 'THING'!!"
"Hurtful," you heard Annan mutter.
Hey, they don't really know, but they've got the spirit down!
"(Name), quit telling us that you're unlucky. Crocus could be wrong!" They jabbed a finger at the man, who only shrugged in response. Their display of affection and kindness to you was revolting, and you wanted more.
"I'm just telling her what I've heard."
"SO IT MIGHT NOT EVEN BE ACCURATE?!!" Nami and Usopp shouted, gritting their teeth.
"Well... I'll take it with a grain of salt, how about that?" You offered. That seemed to be a sufficient answer. Through Zoro and Sanji's screams of dominance, you bit your lip in thought. It sounds reasonable enough. With the rotten luck I have, and my love-hate relationship with cannon, it makes sense. But I have a feeling that this isn't the real curse.
"How so?"
Surely... It can't be this easy to find out. You had your doubts. There was no possible way that this was the curse. Extra limbs, foresight, and bad luck. If that was even the case– then why were people so scared? Was it that you could see the future– or the misfortune you could bring?
"If it brings you any comfort, Crooner is the type to make up whatever he wants. I could see him spreading his own rumors."
"If I may..." The old man wanted to speak again. He paid no mind to the two men who were scrapping right next to him. "I'd like to let you know that I met your father. It was... a little over a decade and a half ago. Before the world knows him as the man he is today."
Before Crooner's name became infamous?
"His misfortune– it's the worst I've seen. He was dying the first time we met."
You blanched. "Dying? Dying??"
Crocus nodded, "I can remember it clearly– it left an impression. He had a bad run-in with a Shichibukai. He was covered head to toe in deep wounds and lacerations. If he came to me any later, he would've died of blood loss."
"Lacerations? Deep cuts??" Nami paled, and turned to Usopp, who was clearly shivering in his spot. "So... Do you think it was...!"
"That Hawk-Eyed guy?!"
You threw that possibility out of the window. "I doubt Mihawk would try that. To go so far as trying to kill my dad... and leaving him on death's door... it had to be someone else. I didn't sense anything malicious when he asked about Crooner." You pointed at yourself, "--And he didn't do anything about me being related to him."
"Then who could it have been?"
"I don't know everything, kid." Crocus sighed, "I'm just telling you what I know. If misfortune was a man, it'd be Crooner. A storm follows that man wherever he goes."
Metaphorically, or literally? You were starting to get concerned. Who could've been the one to almost kill Crooner? A man known for having that of a Yonko's strength? And lacerations... deep wounds... bleeding out...
Who possessed the strength to inflict that?
"I have a feeling... That I know who it is." Kosai said.
Don't tell me, You thought. I don't want to know.
"I wasn't going to tell you in the first place."
"The only thing that your father had going for him was his crew being relatively unaffected. It was like he was a bad luck magnet."
Nami and Usopp shot you concerned glances. To them, you appeared to be deep in thought.
I wonder... Will that end up happening to me one day? Will I become an omen of death– or just a magnet for misfortune?
"The devil's in the details. Don't worry too much about your curse, (Name)." Kosai warned, also sounding concerned. You frowned.
The devil isn't in the details– the devil's in me.
"...Are you referring to me?"
Perhaps.
"Suffer about your curse in silence, then."
You're just mad because I'm right.
You were only joking because you were scared. Really scared. It wasn't a secret that everything and everyone in this world could kill you. One wrong step and you were dead. You weren't as strong as Luffy, who had the luck of the gods– which is why you weren't prepared to fight everyone he ended up facing.
Those were his battles– they weren't yours. But you couldn't cherry pick who you wanted to fight. It seemed that there was something already fighting you. And that was the unknown. Sure, you knew the future. But that was the future of a timeline that only you were used to. Things could change.
And they did. Shizumori showed up– he kept you from fighting. It was only a single instance, but it was only now that you realized that you had the odds stacked against you. There were others who you knew nothing about. Crooner was an example. He really wasn't supposed to be there.
Then again– Shizumori. But they had wormed their way in and were now intertwined with plot. Not only plot, but your life. They were living proof that you should count your days and try to survive. Things weren't as they seemed– the world you thought you knew was different.
You might've known why Laboon was waiting for fifty years, how the whole Loguetown Arc would go down– what happened at Arlong Park and the Baratie– you might know what happens next. But that doesn't change the fact that it couldn't happen. Cannon was irrelevant, now that you thought about it. Everything you were doing was cannon.
You shouldn't worry about cannon anymore. You should worry about the things that pose an actual threat. Like the enemies that you'd be facing. The Shichibukai that were some of the strongest pirates on the seas– and who had free reign...
Mihawk was an example of that power. He was the world's strongest swordsman. Jinbei was one of the strongest fishman that you've ever seen, Boa was just as powerful– and Moria Gecko was so strong that it was annoying.
Maybe Kosai was right– the devil's in the details. The more you looked into the Shichibukai, the more that death appeared to be a bigger threat. One thing was clear– you didn't know about the others.
You mentioned four– but there were seven
If that unknown Shichibuaki almost killed Crooner...
Then what could they do to you?
After enough blood had been spilt, Sanji brushed the dirt and dust off of his clothes as he faced Crocus. "Look, I feel bad for that whale and all... haven't you also been betrayed? Why don't you just leave him alone already?"
Crocus stared at Laboon, clearly saddened. "Those scars... If he continues to recklessly bash his head against the wall, he'll die. That is a given."
You took a good look yourself, and by god, those wounds weren't pretty at all. You were sure that he was still bleeding, and he was, after his most recent tantrum. You understood why Crocus still felt the need to watch after him. He cared dearly about Laboon, and you could tell that it tore him up just seeing his friend in so much pain.
Laboon's skin, which was supposed to be unblemished and scar free, was ridden in wounds long healed over. And the fact that he continued to bash his head against a bunch of rocks while he was still healing sounded too painful for you to bear. Your back pain was nothing compared to Laboon's injuries. It also hurts you to see him like this.
"We've had a strange relationship, but we've lived together for over fifty years. I can't just sit by idly and watch him die."
It was a somber moment.
Keyword; Was
Because Luffy was screeching at the top of his lungs as he ran up the side of Laboon, defying gravity, while carrying the broken off mast of the Going Merry over his head. The entire crew sweatdropped as they watched their braindead captain rush off to do something stupid yet again.
"UOOOOOOHH!!!"
"What's that dumbass up to now?" Sanji huffed out. "You take your eyes off of him for a second and he..."
"Ah, that man's our captain," you said fondly. "He's going to be Pirate King one day."
"What are you talking about? Why are you bringing that up–"
"GOMU GOMU NO FLOWER ARRANGEMENT!!"
You started cackling as the others started screaming.
"ISN'T THAT OUR MAST?!"
"LUFFY WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"
"HE'S GONNA GET HIMSELF KILLED!"
"OH MY GOD OUR SHIP!!"
Laboon wasn't a fan of having a mast jammed into his freshest wound
The whale went through three emotions simultaneously. Confusion, fear, and finally– anger. He reared his head back side to side as he was viciously attacked by Luffy. Tears sprang to his eyes and the whale cried out in pain as he threw Luffy into the lighthouse. "BUOOOHHH!!"
"WHAT THE FUCK IS HE DOING?!"
You were watching this all play out as you almost let out a few tears of your own. Witnessing Luffy being smashed into the ground, the lighthouse –again—, and smacked around was always fun to see. And your crew's commentary only made it better.
"HOLY SHIT HE'S COMING DOWN HERE!!"
"HE'S GONNA CRASH DOWN HERE!"
CRUNCH
"HEY– HEY KID– THAT'S TOO DANGEROUS!!"
"DON'T WORRY– HE'S NOT GONNA DIE!"
"BUOOUUOOHHHHH!!"
"Hah! Idiot!" Luffy taunted, winding up for another hit. Before that, he was smacked into the lighthouse a third time. Before Laboon could flatten him like a pancake, Luffy punched the whale.
In the fucking eye
Again
In the course of five seconds, Luffy was thrown against the lighthouse three more times. He had made a dent in the wall. Zoro showed a shred of concern, which was usually only reserved for Luffy, and called out to his captain.
"Luffy! What the hell are you trying to do?!"
Luffy shouted into the air. "IT'S A TIE!"
Laboon stopped his thrashing. He almost looked... surprised?
"Heh, I'm pretty tough, aren't I?" Luffy grinned. "Our battle's not over so we've gotta fight each other again. Your old friends might be gone, so I'm your new rival! And once my crew sails around Grand Line, we'll be sure to come back and see you again."
Laboon began to cry
Yet Luffy's golden smile remained
"And then we'll duke it out again!"
"BUOOOOOHHH!!!"