Hey guys. So it looks like we're back to longer chapters with the last few being over 3000 words long. Hopefully i can keep up with the longer chapters as well as mix things up abit to keep it original. Oda owns One Piece not me.
Also want to give a shout out to all the new readers for when they get to this chapter. Without all you guys i wouldn't have 2.33 k reads for this story. Thanks. Please remember to vote and comment. It helps so much in giving me the drive to write more. Also spread the word to all your friends. Not that word. The word about Devil's Grin. Thanks again.
Also the next chapter will have a follower dedication come with it. Im thinking I'm going to edit the previous one and shift it to be after the next chapter instead of rewriting it. If you want your name listed vote and comment. See you guys then!
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"Woohoo!" Luffy cheered from on top of the figure head of the Going Mary. "We're finally on our way to the Grande Line!" Everyone grinned as his excitement spread through them.
"This is a time for celebration." Sanji went and grabbed a barrel and brought it to the center of the deck.
"Yes, booze!" Zoro grinned excitedly.
"Wrong Moss Head!" Sanji yelled angrily. "This is an empty barrel."
"Why are you grabbing an empty barrel for a celebration?!" Zoro shoved his face into Sanji's. "Its not much of a celebration."
"Its so we can celebrate our entrance into the Grande Line with a statement of purpose!" Sanji yelled back.
"That's a good idea." Nami smiled. She too was excited.
"Thank you Nami!" Sanji instantly turned away from Zoro and gave his attention to her.
"Gather up guys!" Luffy, Ussop, Sanji, and Zoro joined her to surround the barrel. "I'm going to find the All Blue." Sanji grinned as he went first, placing the heel of his right foot on the barrel.
"I'm going to be King of the Pirates!"
"The greatest swordsman in the world."
"To be a brave warrior of the sea!"
"I'm going to draw a map of the world's oceans."
Luffy, Zoro, Ussop, and Nami each stated their dreams as they added their own foot to the top of the barrel.
D watched this all as it happened from the crow's nest. The innocence of it made him smile as he thought of another crew. He prayed silently as he looked to the sky to each deity that he knew that they could keep at least some of their innocence. The Grande Line was no joking matter for a mortal.
"You too D!" Luffy's voice cut through the silence of his thoughts. He looked down at the group who was all looking up at him expectantly. "Come join us and declare your dream!" Luffy cheered as he nearly fell over.
"Yah come on!" Nami and Ussop joined in as Zoro grinned.
"Your as much a part of this crew as any of us." Sanji smiled as he lit a cigarette. "Despite what you claim."
"You guys really feel that way?" D asked as he jumped down from the nest. They all nodded. "Well." A strange mix of emotions went through him. A sense of pride and joy, as well as a little happiness. "Its been a while since I've been seen as anything other than a nuisance." D grinned. "That doesn't exactly count." He added despite everyone's confused looks.
"My dream." He approached the barrel as he thought of what he wanted. "What I want to accomplish is the release of the truth and the continuance of innocence. Also going home would be nice." He grinned as his foot joined the others. They all raised their feet into the air and brought them down on the barrel breaking it.
"Its official." Nami announced before turning to D. "Is there anyway you could make sure the ship stays its course without capsizing while we discuss how to enter the Grande Line?" She asked him.
He grinned as he waved his hand. Slowly the wheel spun to right their course. With each wave that crashed against the side it felt as if invisible hands held the ship right. "Good enough?" Nami nodded as she called everyone to go inside.
"We need to be ready for the unexpected when we enter the Grande Line." Nami stated once everyone was sitting at the table. "Besides D, no one here has ever been to the Grande Line. Its not called the Pirates Graveyard for nothing."
"We also need more crew members than we have." Everyone turned in surprise to look at Luffy who had spoken. Well, everyone but D. They had already discussed this long ago. "We need a doctor to take care of us. We've been lucky so far but there is going to be bigger fights in the future. We need to be prepared." D held back his laughter as the others stared in shock. Luffy had just said something smart. "We also need a musician." Luffy smiled.
"I should have realized it couldn't last." Nami sighed. "The one time Luffy says something smart and he adds something ridiculous." She turned to D. "Is there anything you could tell us to help us prepare to enter the Grande Line?"
"Well for starters it can be the greatest adventure you could ever imagine or it can be your worst nightmare, depending on how you choose to view it." Ussop instantly came down with the 'I can't enter the Grande Line yet' disease. "There's more." Ussop paused in his moaning. "The first half gained the nickname of 'Paradise' along time ago from pirates that tried to brave the second half before they were ready."
"Why's that?" Nami whimpered slightly as she moved over to Ussop's side of the bench. She looked like she might come down with 'I can't enter the Grande Line yet'.
"Due to the second half being even more unpredictable than the first half." D answered her. "But you don't need to worry about that till you get there."
"How are we supposed to even get there?" Zoro asked. "If its as unpredictable as you say then I doubt a good sense of direction will do us any good." This brought out shouts and stories of his own lack of direction.
"Normally you would by a special compass in Lougetown. But its become difficult for anyone to get their hands on since Captain Smoker was dispatched there." The whole group become sullen. Already the were less prepared for the journey. "Don't worry though." D added before they could get too down. "I have a couple friends who hang out at the starting point for the Grande Line. I already checked that their still there so just mention me when you get there."
"Wait your not going to be with us when we enter?" Ussop asked a little worried.
"I drew a lot of attention back in Lougetown. There will be certain people looking for me." D answered his question. "If they find me on this ship they might try to destroy it."
Zoro flinched slightly as he realized who D was talking about. "Tempest." D nodded.
"Ok everyone." Nami took over bravely. "Is there anything else you want to add?" She pointed at D. He shook his head and gestured that she had the floor. "So the Grande Line will live up to its reputation. We already knew it would be tough. Each of our dreams led us here and we're not quitting. So lets move on to the subject of actually getting into the Grande Line. The challenges start now."
D quietly left the room as the group began discussing the river path leading up the side of the Red mountain blocking the Grande Line from the common world. Making sure that the ship would guide itself for at least another half hour before needing their navigators direction he left the ship.
As D disappeared a blonde head poked itself from behind the cabin. Current watched the spot her father disappeared as she decided what to do. She had been following her fathers line which had deviated from the line of the others. Trusting her instinct she followed the crew and she had been right. Her father had circled back to them proving Tempest's theory that he had plans for them. She glanced inside to see the four crew members discussing their next move.
"I smell the sweet aroma of a woman!" The blonde man interrupted the girl with orange hair. Current ducked back hoping he hadn't seen her out there. "What are you talking about you pervert?" A disgruntled voice asked. A voice she recognized to be the swordsman that Tempest became flustered whenever he was mention. The sounds of fighting broke out and Current turned to leave. Tempest would want to know about their father's deeper involvement. He didn't prepare things for everyone who bore his mark normally. It also wasn't normal for every member of a crew to have his mark. Pulling her lantern from beneath her cloak she formed her doorway to the in-between-world. Once the door was opened she stepped through it, but not before hearing a gasp behind her. The door closed behind her before she could turn to see who had made the noise.
"Guys!" Ussop cried out in surprise. The others quickly came out from the cabin to see what he was screaming about.
"What's going on Ussop?" Nami asked as he just pointed to the open space he had just seen a blonde girl disappear from. "Ussop?"
"There was a girl right there!" He pointed at the space again. "She was standing right there and had a lantern in her hands."
"Where'd she go?" Sanji asked fervently. If a girl was involved he was attentive.
"She was standing there and a weird whole appeared in the air in front of her." Ussop explained. "Then she walked into the whole and it disappeared!"
"So its a mystery whole." Luffy decided as he picked his nose.
"No!" Ussop yelled. "Well, I guess it was a mystery whole." He amended. Unless the girl was here there was no way to know what it was. "D!" He remembered. D could explain everything. "Where did D go?"
"Your right." Nami thought for a bit. "I haven't seen him since he explained about the Grande Line."
"He left the cabin right after that." Luffy continued picking his nose. "I figured he had things to do so I didn't say anything." He said after Nami smacked his head, he was no longer picking his nose.
"Im sure he's still on the ship though." Nami with fake certainty. "I mean, it's still steering itself." She waved her hand towards the room where the rudder was controlled from. "If he left then it would stop when he got to far from it."
"Not necessarily." Luffy shrugged, his mouth full of something. "He can set a time limit for an ability like that. He just doesn't like to cause it's harder." He started running away when Sanji's angry voice could be heard. "Luffy stop stealing from the fridge!"
"Well we'll just need to get by without him." Nami sighed. "From my calculations were approaching the entrance to the Grande Line." Sanji and Luffy stopped running around while Ussop and Zoro, who had been subtly eating snacks of their own, looked up.
Ussop cleared his throat as he hid a meat sandwich behind his back. "What about the girl I saw?" He asked bringing the conversation back to why they were all out here.
"We'll just have to assume your losing your sanity." Nami dismissed him.
"Hey!?" He cried out a little hurt. "I really saw her."
"Sure sure." Nami waved her hand clearly not believing him.
"Why don't you guys believe me?" Everyone looked at him. "We've seen stranger things having D hanging around. Haven't we learned not to laugh at the impossible?" He asked them.
"I may have seen the blonde girl." All eyes turned in surprise towards Zoro. "Though not just now." He added quickly. "I can't be sure it was the same girl Ussop saw but, it was while Tempest was hanging around waiting for D." He quickly told them about the Blonde girl he had seen while Tempest was helping him 'heal'.
"That's her!" Ussop nodded his head vigorously. "It's got to be! The description matches. I only saw her from behind but its got to be her. A blonde girl wearing a cloak similar to D's, her hair shoulder length."
"So, if this girl is real." Nami said despite Ussop's blubbering. "What does that mean to us?"
"She could be D's daughter too." Luffy said, a meat sandwich in his hand. "Hey!?" Ussop searched his back pockets for his sandwich, which was gone. Luffy continued. "Tempest did mention she had sisters."
"You could be right." Nami nodded. "It is the only explanation that makes sense."
"Or it could be a bounty hunter." Zoro put in. "Luffy does have an irregularly large bounty for how long we've been to sea." Everyone nodded in thought. "Though if she was a bounty hunter capable of coming and going without alerting anyone I don't know why she wouldn't have taken his head."
So it's agreed." Nami clapped her hands as if closing a book on the discussion. "Most likely we have another one of D's daughters we need to worry about." Everyone winced as they remembered Tempest's attitude towards her father.
"Woah?!" Everyone cried out in surprise as the ship listed dangerously to the side. "I'm guessing the time limit on the ship steering itself is up." Nami shouted as the storm seemed to pick up in ferocity. "Sanji keep the rudder straight as best you can, I'll direct you if we need to change course." Sanji quickly ran to obey while sing his love for her. "Ussop Zoro tighten the rigging on the sails! We don't want the storm doing more damage than good." The two ran to comply.
"Luffy!" She called his name catching his attention. "You know what to do." She grinned. Luffy grinned back before going and climbing on the figurehead.
"We sail for the Grande Line!" He cheered as the path leading into the Grande line came into view. Reverse Mountain. Within moments the current leading up the mountain caught their ship and Nami began shouting directions for Sanji.
"We're pulling to far to the left!" She shouted over the storm. Zoro noticed Sanji was struggling as hard as he could to even manage to keep them going somewhat straight. He quickly joined him adding his own strength. "That's better just a little more." The two pulled as hard as the could fighting the current of the sea. It wasn't enough. They were still pulling to the left, heading straight for a pillar built to the side of the river leading up. "Do something about that pillar Luffy or we all die!"
"Got it!" Luffy jumped of the figurehead and ran to the railing. "Gum-Gum Balloon!" He shouted as he jumped out to put himself between the pillar and the ship. Just in time his inflated body kept them from crashing, but barely. Within moments they say that there was similar pillars every so often going up the mountain.
"All right guys!" Nami sighed with relief. "Just got to keep it straight."
"Trying." Zoro and Sanji grunted with the effort. It felt like the rudder was trying to do a three sixty or something. They had never had to push harder in their lives. It also kept changing direction over minute or so, making it impossible to relax. One lapse on their part and they would go careening into the walls of the mountain.
"We're almost there!" Nami notified everyone as the final pillars came in sight and the of Reverse Mountain could be seen. Passing the pillars the Going Merry shot into the sky as the river changed course, now going down the mountain.
"Just ahead of us is the Grande Line!" Each of the crew members grinned think of how they were one step closer to their dreams.
"Broooom!" A loud noise sounded from below and ahead of them, causing the very air to shake from its volume.
"What was that?!" Ussop when the sound came again even louder.
"What ever it is its ahead of us." Nami said as the sound ended. "The clouds are clearing up. See if you can see anything."
Ussop rushed to stand by the figure head. Both him and Luffy scanned before them. "It looks like there's a wall in front of us!" Ussop screamed.
"Impossible!" Nami pulled the map she stole fromBuggy out. "There isn't a wall on the map!"
"Brooooom!" The mysterious sound rumbled through the air causing the ship to shake in the water. At that moment they passed below the clouds.
"Its not a wall!" Sanji shouted. "Its a whale!?" Everyone gasped as the sight of the giant whale came in view. The thing was huge, towering high in the sky, and had scars covering its skin as if it had fought something horrendous.
"Turn the rudder." Nami screamed. "See if we can go around it." She had noticed it didn't block the entire entrance. "The thing is so huge it probably doesn't even see us."
"That makes sense." Sanji grumbled as he and Zoro struggled against the current. "The rudder won't budge! The currents to strong." He shouted.
"We have to figure out how to stop." Nami shouted to no one and everyone. "If we hit that thing we'll be crushed."
"A way to stop." Luffy mumbled to himself. "I've got it!" He ran below deck.
"Where you going Luffy?" Nami screamed but it was to late he was already out of sight. Instead she focused on the problem at hand. "Zoro! Sanji! Get us turned!"
'Boom'! An explosion came from the front of the ship lighting up the shadow caused by the whale while also slowing them down. Nami gasped as the speed dropped suddenly throwing her into the railing. A small whirl of chaos hit the others as they were all thrown forward as well.
"What did Luffy do?!" Sanji grumbled as the ship continued to slow down.
"Did it work?" Luffy climbed up from below.
"Are you crazy?" Nami and Ussop screamed at him. "Why would you shoot a cannon at something that big?" The two shook him when they were again thrown to the deck as the ship stopped completely. Only this time it was because they hit into the whale causing the figurehead, which was the point of first contact, to break off.
"It broke my seat!" Luffy screamed as Ussop tackled him to the deck to keep him from doing anything rash again.
"Get the oars and bring us around this thing." Nami instructed Zoro and Sanji. Quickly the ship pulled away from the whale and began going around. As nothing happened and there was no reaction from the whale Nami began to relax. "This thing is probably so big it didn't even feel that cannon ball." She sighed. "It makes me tremble just to think what would happen if we made it angry." Just as the ship came around and a large white eyeball came in sight Luffy broke free from Ussop.
"You broke my seat!" Luffy screamed. "Take this! Gum-Gum Pistol!" He punched the giant eye as hard as he could.
The entire crew froze in fear as they held their breath. Maybe it didn't feel it since its so big. As if sensing their hopes the eye looked down directly at them.
"Broooooom!" The monster whale cried out. This time pain and rage could be heard in its cry.
"You think I'll let you get away with breaking my seat?!" Luffy screamed as he stretched his arms to the top of the sails.
"Stop Luffy!" Nami cried hopelessly as he launched himself in the air. They were already doomed. "Get this ship away from here!" She ordered Zoro and Sanji when she felt something pull the ship.
"What's going on?" Ussop cried as he joined Zoro and Sanji.
Horrified Nami stared at the whale for a minute before answering. "Its going to swallow us!" She screamed as the others noticed its mouth was beginning to open. Already water was being pulled in at the edges. Once the mouth was fully open the pull became to strong. The Going Merry was sucked inside without its captain.
Luffy looked back to the ship when he heard the screaming from the entire crew just in time to see it disappear into the whale's mouth. "Give me back my friends!" He shouted as he punched its rubbery skin. Despite how hard he hit he could tell he was doing no damage. "I'm not joking here!" He screamed in frustration as the whale began lowering itself into the water. "Wait you stupid whale! My friends are in your mouth!" He began stomping his feet trying uselessly to make it stay above water. Pretty soon the water had risen to the point where he could reach the edges if he tried. Searching frantically for something to stop it he noticed something weird. There was a hatch like on a submarine sitting a few feet away from him. Not giving it a second thought he opened it and dived in, closing the door before the water could follow.
"What's going on?" Nami wondered allowed as she looked at the clouds above her. She was lying on her back on the deck and could see the others doing the same around her. "Did I imagine us getting swallowed by a giant whale?"
"If you did we all imagined it." Ussop answered her question.
"If it really happened how do you explain those." Sanji pointed to the clouds.
"Before explaining that explain this." Zoro pointed to the other side of the ship. Everyone turned to see a little island siting nearby. On the small island a small house had been built.
"Do you think anyone's home?" Nami asked. "Hello?" She yelled. "Anyone home?"
"I guess not." Ussop shuddered. "Lets get out of here, wherever here is."
Out of no where a giant squid burst from the water between their ship and the island. Zoro began unsheathing his swords when the door of the little house opened and a giant harpoon shot out impaling the squid. "Someone's coming out!" Ussop whispered.
An old man wearing a strange feathery hat walked out carrying a lawn chair and proceeded to relax. He glanced at the befuddled crew before pulling out a newspaper and continued to ignore them.
"Who are you?" Sanji questioned the man, preparing to fight. The man looked away from his newspaper and studied Sanji.
"You should introduce yourself if your going to inquire after someone's name." The old man replied gruffly. Sanji acknowledged that made sense and began introducing himself when the old man interrupted him. "I'm Cronus." Sanji immediately became angry and was ready to attack.
"Calm down." Zoro sighed as he unsheathed his two newest swords. "Tell us where we are old man, or else." He threatened confidently.
"You should put those swords away before someone gets hurt." A dangerous look entered the Cronus' eyes. "Who?" Zoro asked him as he took a fighting stance. Cronus stared him down for several minutes. "Me of course." Now it was Zoro's turn to get angry. Sanji laughed at him joking that he had asked for that one.
"You guys stop questioning him." Nami said catching their attention. "Did you think its possible for him to be one of D's friends he mentioned?" The two Oh'd as the thought dawned on them. "Hey mister!" Nami called out causing Cronus to look away from his paper again. "Do you know a D?"
"Do I know a Dee?" He asked. Nami nodded. "Course not." He frowned.
"Maybe he new him by another name? He is kinda old." Ussop pointed out. "Are you friends of the Devil?" He shouted to him.
"Am I friends of the De Vill?!" Cronus asked astonished. Ussop nodded. "Hate the guy!" Ussop apologized for bringing it up.
"Guess its not D's friend." Nami sighed looking away. "Wait! There's a chance he doesn't want to give himself away in case we're from the government. Let's try one more thing." She turned back to face Cronus. "A Bearer of the Mark asks officially for aid!" She shouted. Cronus stared at her before bursting into laughter.
"You do realize that only works if your the Master of the Mark, right?" He said once he managed to control the laughter. "If you want help just between Bearers its more like you scratch my back I'll scratch yours."
"So you do know D?" Ussop asked.
"Course I know D." Cronus scoffed. "You an idiot boy?"
"If you knew him why'd you say you didn't when I asked?" Ussop screamed.
"Thought you was asking about Dee. You know with the e's tacked on the end." Cronus shrugged. "Don't know any Dee's."
"What about when we asked about the Devil?" Nami questioned.
"You meant the Devil?" Cronus said confused. "Thought you was talking about a guy I knew back in the day called De Vill. Hated the guy." He shook his newspaper out. "You guys shouldn't be here. Your ship can't last much longer in the stomach."
Confused Ussop was about to ask what he meant when Zoro caught his attention and pointed to the side of the ship. Ussop glanced over to see tendrils of smoke coming from the boards barely touching the water. The ship bobbed revealing the boards below the water level. They were smoking even more and already appeared damaged slightly. "We're really inside a stomach?!"
"You got eaten didn't you?" Cronus asked. Without warning the water shook as a large pounding came from outside the whale. As the water shook and waved were created the tumultuous water revealed the underside of the island to be covered in metal plates. Cronus quickly dove into what they realized to be stomach acid and swam to the far wall. Climbing a ladder they could now see he opened a hidden door and rushed inside. Silently they waited for him for about ten minutes before the crashing from outside stopped and the waves around them calmed down.
"Hey guys." They all turned around to see D standing behind them. "How was the trip find my friends all right?"