THE TWIN CAPES LIGHTHOUSE - OLD FRIENDS AND NEW ADVENTURES
Alabasta Saga - Reverse Mountain Arc - Episode 62 - 63 (Beginning of Saga)
A/N: Man, this is a long chapter, but here it is, thank you for the support, and I will be back to start Whiskey Peak Arc soon. Thank you.
3rd POV:
Everyone stares ahead, thinking about what the Grand Line can bring them. "Mihawk is here..." Zoro thinks as he knows he must become stronger to win it out with the World's Greatest Swordsman and win.
"Getting closer to All Blue..." Sanji hopes their journey along the Grand Line brings them to the All Blue.
"A complete map of the world..." Nami smiles as she imagines all the islands they will see on their adventures.
"To prove I'm the sea's bravest pirate!" Usopp thinks as he imagines the praise of adoring people though deep inside, he's terrified of what the Grand Line holds, and he looks at Dakota as she picks at her nails, deep in thought.
"To avenge my mother and find the bastard who did it! I'm going to find you!" Dakota thinks as she picks at her nails, trying to calm her temper.
"I can see it! The greatest ocean in the world... Grand Line! And somewhere ahead... One Piece is waiting! LET'S GO!" Luffy yells and laughs as we sail down towards the clouds.
Dakota's POV:
I watch as we sail rapidly towards the cloud coverage, and it's not too long till we reach the clouds, and they envelop us in a deep fog again. "This is the greatest!" Sanji yells over the loud rushing noise as we get closer to the end of the cloud coverage, and I hear it. Laboon! He's calling out for them again! Crap!
"No, no, no, no." I keep muttering, praying that Laboon isn't in the way again.
"Did you hear something just now?" Zoro asks, and I keep muttering to myself.
"Huh? What?" Nami asks from next to me.
"I just heard a strange noise!" He repeats himself.
"Must've been the wind!" She replies, and I shake my head. "There's a lot of strange rock formations here that could've caused it." Then Laboon calls out again and becomes slightly more visible at the top of the clouds.
"What's that?" Usopp asks, and I grip the railing in front of me.
"Nami-san! I see a mountain ahead!" Sanji calls from the mast behind us.
"A mountain? There can't be!" Nami yells up to him.
"But I see it right there!" He yells down.
"Who cares!" Luffy shouts from the figurehead. "Let's go!"
"After the Twin Capes, there should be nothing but ocean!" Nami yells, and we clear the clouds, and Laboon is right there, clear as day, entirely in the way. Everyone shouts as we speed towards the giant Island Whale in the way.
"It's not a mountain!" Sanji screams as we sail closer.
"It's a black wall!" Luffy shouts.
"You're wrong! It's -!" Nami begins, but Zoro cuts in before she can.
"Then what is it!" Zoro cuts in, but before she can answer, I do because I know this damn whale.
"IT'S A WHALE!" I scream, and Laboon lets out another agonising scream of pain, calling out for his lost friends.
"W-W-What do we do?!" Usopp yells as we get closer.
"Fight it!" Luffy suggests, but that won't do anything.
"IDIOT! We can't fight something like that!" Nami snaps at Luffy angrily, scared for her life.
"T-T-T-The currents taking us right at it! What are we going to do~?!" Usopp cries out in fear.
"Wait a minute! We've gotten this close, but it still just looks like a wall. So where's its eyes?" Sanji asks, and I shake my head; that won't matter if we're drowning.
"You're right! It may not have noticed us yet!" Nami pieces it together, and they're right, but Laboon isn't interested in us anyway, just getting through the Red Line.
"At this rate, we'll hit it dead on... oi! There's an opening on the left! Port! Hard to port!" Zoro shouts, and I run into the kitchen to see that the broken helm is still not fixed.
"The helm is broken!" I shout back, turning away from the broken helm.
"We have to do something, dammit! I'll help!" He yells, jumps over the railing down to the main deck, runs to the kitchen, and helps me pull the broken helm.
"Ah! Right!" I hear Luffy yell. "I just got a good idea!" He runs off, and I have a bad feeling about that.
"Luffy? What are you doing?!" Nami calls out after him as he opens the door below deck. Zoro and Sanji help me pull the helm, hoping we skim Laboon on the port side; I can feel the strain of the ship as we pull with all our might.
"Pull! Pull~!" Sanji grunts.
"It won't turn~!" I huff as we get closer.
"It's no use!" Zoro cries out.
"Don't give up!" Sanji yells, and we grit our teeth as we try to move the helm; I hear Usopp screaming as we get closer to Laboon, and then the loud boom from the front cannon rocks the ship back a little.
"THE CANNON!?" We all shout in surprise, and the pull back from the cannon going off slows the ship down, but we still hit into Laboon, and the poor figurehead gets the hit and snaps off. The figurehead spins towards Nami and lands with a hard thud, and then Luffy yells in surprise.
"MY SPECIAL SEAT!" Luffy shouts, and we let go of the helm sitting on the floor both in relief and annoyance at Luffy's antics.
"One day I'll kill him," I mutter and shake my head, the smoke clears, and the cannon has no effect on Laboon because of his massive size. I hear Nami whimper as she sits up, and Zoro gulps as Laboon stays still.
"R-RUN FOR IT!" Zoro shouts, "WHILE WE CAN!"
"What's wrong with it?!" Usopp quivers, and we get out the oars and row around Laboon to get out of the way.
"Didn't it notice it was hit by a cannon?! Is it stupid?" Sanji questions as we row furiously.
"Who cares? Just GO!" I shout as we row, and Laboon lets out a mighty cry; my ears feel as if they're bleeding as he roars, shocking the surrounding area.
"AHH! My ears!" He shouts from the other side of the ship with Usopp.
"Row! Just keep rowing!" Usopp shouts as the roar vibrates around us and even feels like it's going through us.
"We gotta get away from it!" Zoro snaps as we row around close to Laboon's eye, and Luffy stands at the head of the ship behind Nami as she still hasn't got to her feet.
"Luffy?" Nami questions him as Laboon stops his crying.
"Damn, you..." Luffy yells at Laboon. "My favourite seat... WHAT THE HELL DID YOU BREAK IT FOR!?" He rages and punches Laboon in the close eye, which definitely will not help us.
"YOU IDIOT~!" The crew and I shout at Luffy, and for a second, everything is quiet when Laboon looks down at us, finally noticing us thanks to Luffy's rash lack of thinking.
"It sees us!" Usopp cries out in fright.
"How'd you like that? I'll kick your ass, jerk!" Luffy shouts to Laboon, and Usopp and Zoro kick him hard, making him fall over.
"SHUT UP, DUMBASS!" They shout at him, and Laboon makes a sound almost like he's asking us something; I look over my shoulder, and he moves so his mouth is closer to the water, and he lets out another roar, but as we're out of the way the water for now.
"W-what?" Nami whines as we get sucked in closer to Laboon, who opens his mouth more, and the Going Merry gets sucked further inside. The others scream as we enter his jaws, the ship rocks, and Luffy falls overboard.
"Luffy!" We shout after our Captain.
"Gotta move!" Luffy shouts and stretches out his arm catching onto the side of Laboon.
"I'll get him!" I yell and run to the side of the ship. "Demon Shift!" I jump off the boat and hear the others shout out, but I shift in midair and find myself on the side of Laboon, on Luffy's back as he climbs the side.
"We're not dyin' here!" Luffy snaps as he climbs the side of Laboon, swallows the ship inside, closes his mouth and begins to submerge under the water. We make it to the top of Laboon, Luffy is out of breath, and I sit next to his panting self as he sits to catch his breath. "What do we do? Everyone was eaten." Luffy wonders gets to his feet, and decides punching Laboon on the head will work. "Oi! Oi... stupid! Spit everyone up! Spit them up! Give them back! Give them back! You damn-!" Laboon seems to have enough of Luffy punching him and submerges faster to escape the idiot. "Asshole! Going underwater!? Stop! OI! STOP IT! OI! WAIT! GIVE ME BACK MY NAKAMA! OI! I said, stop! WE'RE GOING ON AN ADVENTURE TOGETHER! THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO ME! GIVE 'EM BACK~!" Luffy keeps shouting. I slap the back of his head, take the nape of his shirt, and drag him to the door Crocus put on Laboon's back some time ago. I open it with one hand as I keep Luffy in the other. Just in time, thankfully, as Laboon fully submerges, I huff as I close the doors, not letting any water in, and I wonder what the others are doing right now?
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
Zoro's POV:
I stare at our surroundings, and it looks like we're still outside though the liquid underneath the ship is green; I can't understand what is happening and where Luffy and Dakota are gone. I need to keep calm for the sake of the others, but I fear for Dakota and Luffy and what kind of trouble he's got her in. "What do you think?" Nami asks out of the blue as we all stare around us.
"'What do you think,' you say." I echo as I look at the small island that floats in the centre before us.
"It doesn't matter what you think. We clearly just got swallowed by a whale." The stupid Love Cook says as he stands behind me with Nami and Usopp in shock.
"Is this a dream?" Usopp wonders, and I have to agree.
"Yeah. Probably a dream." I agree, and I hope Dakota and Luffy are okay wherever they are.
"Ah. So the house on that island...?" Nami asks.
"An illusion." I reckon, and something significant bursts out of the water, revealing a giant squid breaking through the surface before us, rocking the green water.
"Ah... and this?" Nami asks and then freaks out with Usopp.
"A GIANT SQUID!" They both scream, running away as Sanji and I stay behind to fight the giant sea creature when three harpoons shoot through the squid, which falls back dead, creating a large splash.
"Looks like someone's home," I comment with a smirk.
"Better hope it's a person..." Sanji replies.
"No more. I wanna go home." Nami cries from shock and fear.
"If Luffy and Dakota were here, they'd know what to do..." Usopp cries, and Nami looks at him, mentioning our Captain and Assassin's names.
"Oh yeah, are Luffy and Dakota, alright?" Nami wonders, and I can't help but think Dakota is keeping Luffy out of some trouble already.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
Dakota's POV:
We land in the tunnels throughout Laboon, thanks o Crocus, and Luffy looks around in confusion as I walk over to him. "What's this? Why does this whale have a door and now a passageway?" Luffy asks, and I walk past him to the stomach where the ship should be.
"Because this whale is trouble and too large to take care of from the outside," I tell him, and he yells after me as he chases me down.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
Nami's POV:
I sit behind the others with Usopp on his feet next to me, trying to say something as someone walks out of the tiny house. "S-Shoot it!" Usopp shouts out of fear. "Blast the island with the cannon!"
"No, hang on a sec. Someone's coming out." Sanji says, and I see the person in the doorway of the tiny house; he picks up the rope, hulls the giant squid, and walks out of the house, revealing an older man with flower petals around his silver hair and colourful shirt. "It's a flower!"
"Flower?" Zoro mutters, unsure of what it is or who it is.
"My mistake. It's a person." He corrects himself, and I get to my feet, walking over to the two brutes at the front of the ship with Usopp next to me.
"What's up with that guy?" Usopp wonders.
"That old man just killed the giant squid," I comment as we watch the man.
"Was he fishing, or was he saving us?" Sanji questions, and the older man looks at us strangely and walks to a lounge chair. He watches us as we watch him with an intense air around him. He sits down and takes the newspaper as if we're not there. "SAY SOMETHING, ASSHOLE!" Sanji rages at him, and the man looks up coldly from the paper.
"We'll fight you if that's what you want, jerk! We've got a cannon right here!" Usopp yells from the other side of the ship, and I look over my shoulder at him, sigh to myself, and look back at the older man feeling a tenseness in the air.
"Don't. Or someone will die." The older man says with such seriousness in his voice, and I shriek with Usopp clinging onto each other with fear.
"And who would that be?" Sanji asks him.
"Me." The older man answers, angering Sanji.
"YOU!? You freakin'..." He snaps at him, and Zoro pats him on the shoulder, moving him to the side.
"Hey, don' get pissed off." Zoro tries to calm him down.
"Playing with me..." The Cook mutters under his breath, and Zoro pulls him behind him as he moves forward.
"Old man, tell me. Where are we? And who are you?" Zoro asks, and another tense aura comes from the older man.
"If you want something from someone, it's proper manners to introduce yourself first." The older man tells Zoro.
"Yeah. that's right." He agrees, seeming put off. "My mistake. My name is Roro-" He gets cut off by the old man.
"I am Crocus. I am the keeper of the Twin Capes Lighthouse. I am 71 years old, Gemini, Blood Type AB." The older man angers Zoro, who tries to cut him, and Sanji holds him off.
"CAN I KILL HIM NOW!?" The Swordsman shouts at us.
"Hey, cool off!" Sanji tells him.
"You want to know where you are? You come to my one-man resort and then yell such rude things at me. Do you think you're inside a rat's stomach?" Crocus asks us, seeming quite annoyed at us, and Usopp looks around, quivering.
"So we really were swallowed by the whale! But this doesn't look like the inside of a whale." Usopp comments, and I start freaking out.
"Hold on! What's gonna happen to us!? I don't want to be digested!" I cry out in fear clutching my face, and Crocus does the weird tense stare at us again.
"STOP DOING THAT!" We shout at him.
"Can't you appreciate a good running gag?" Crocus asks us.
"A GAG!?" We yell at him,
"As for the exit, it's over there." He tells us and points to a large steel door that looks like it's standing in the middle of the sky.
"WE CAN LEAVE!?" We shout at him, and I run to the ship's side to look closer.
"Hold on a second. What's an exit doing in a whale's stomach? And why is that door in the sky?" I ask as Usopp and I look over the side of the ship.
"Wait. Look carefully. The sky, the clouds, even the seagull, it's all a painting! It's all painted on the whale's stomach!" Usopp explains, and I see it now, but I can't believe it is true.
"I like having fun." Crocus cuts in from his lounge chair.
"JUST WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" He finally snaps, trying to climb off the ship to beat the crap out of the older man like the other two.
"It's okay, just leave him alone," Zoro tells him, placing his hand on Usopp's shoulder and pulling him back.
"Now what?" Sanji asks.
"Nami. There's the exit. Let's just get out of here." He orders as he is the First Mate.
"Alright," I agree, and before I can even move, something makes a loud smash from what seems like far away, and the green liquid rocks create large waves. I hold onto the side to keep myself steady as the rest of us and the liquid seem affected by whatever the whale is doing.
"Now what?" Sanji questions.
"He's started again." I hear Crocus mutter, and l look over at the small island and point over, looking over my shoulder at Zoro.
"Look at that!" I call out, and Zoor stops looking up and looks at the island to see it moving with the stomach acid. "That's not an island! It's a ship! And it's made of iron!"
"You're right! That must mean that this 'ocean' is made of stomach acid!" Usopp finally catches on.
"So if we stay here too long, we'll get digested," Sanji concludes.
"Oi! 'Started' what? Explain!" Usopp shouts over to Crocus over the crashing waves.
"This whale... Laboon has stared ramming himself against the Red Line." Crocus explains, and there's another smash from outside, and the stomach acid crashes hard against the walls.
"WHAT!?" Zoro and Sanji yell.
"Now that you mention it..." I realise and remember our first encounter with the giant whale. "This whale had some huge scars on its head. And it was bellowing to the sky."
"What are you saying?" Usopp asks me.
"It's in pain!" I exclaim, and another set of smashing comes with the stomach acid crashing around.
"I get it! So the old man's plans..." He jumps to the same idea I have.
"Probably," I answer him. "He's trying to kill the whale from inside its body!"
"Well..." Crocus mutters to himself.
"What a horrible way to kill it!" Usopp scolds.
"Now that we've solved this mystery, let's get out of here. Our ship's going to dissolve if you just stand there complaining." Zoro says to us.
"Well, the whaling business doesn't bother me, and I don't feel like saving this one. Let's get out of here." Sanji says, and I can't help but dislike what he's saying, but maybe it's too late for this poor whale. The sound of crashing happens again, making the stomach acid crashes around us, rocking the ship.
"Shit! The waves are too strong! We won't be able to get to the exit like this!" Usopp yells over the crashing waves.
"We gonna have to try rowing. Take the oar!" Zoro orders the others.
"We have to get out now! We have to find out what happened to Luffy and Dakota!" I yell at the boys.
"They're outside! I saw Luffy get thrown up to the side of the whale's mouth! Dakota followed!" Zoro tells us, and I sigh in relief, hoping they're safe. I see Crocus dive into the stomach acid.
"The old man jumped in!" I yell and point over to where the older man jumped in.
"Eh? Why'd he do that? He'll be digested." He comments as the whale smashes its head against the Red Line, causing more waves and rocking the ship.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
Dakota's POV:
Laboon continues to crash into the Red Line, making it very difficult to move around; Luffy keeps flying around fast towards the stomach, which is good. Still, I can't keep up as I continue to shift each time Laboon crashes, causing the pathway to shake. "W-Why?" Luffy yells as he hits the four walls, and I phase behind him. "Spinning, spinning, my eyes are spinning!" He yells as he falls through the exit towards another more extensive pathway with a water flow. I shift behind him, spooking him as he yelps in fright as he gets to his feet. "Now, where are we?" He asks me. "An ocean? A river? A pipe?"
"We're getting closer to the others," I vaguely answer when Laboon seems to move his tail up, and it tilts slowly, and we lose grip and fall towards our destination.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
Usopp's POV:
I see the old man pop out of the water towards a metal ladder. "Oi, the old man's coming up!" I shout out to the others, notifying them.
"Just ignore him. We have to figure out how to open the door." Zoro tells me, and I watch the older man climb the ladder.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
Dakota's POV:
I cling onto Luffy as we fall, and he yells in my ear, making it ring when it becomes steep, and I catch my feet and skid down like a slide as Luffy runs forward next to me, still keeping a hold on the idiot. "I can't stop~!" Luffy keeps yelling as he runs.
"What is that voice, Mr 9?" I hear a woman's voice from below.
"I don't know, Miss Wednesday!" A man's voice replies I guess Mr 9, and I recognise the names from two places. We get closer to the door, and two people stand in our way; Luffy continues to scream, and the two in front of the door call as we get closer and crash into the two, opening the door.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
3rd POV:
Luffy, Dakota and the two bounty hunters crash through the door that leads into the stomach; they make it a few feet into the abdomen before falling towards the acid. Crocus hears the screams from the four above him and sees the two bounty hunters and Dakota with an unknown boy who looks eerily familiar. "Them again!" Crocus huffs, and the crew on the Going Merry see their Captain and Dakota among the falling.
"Oh no, Miss Wednesday! Below us is a huge sea of digestive juice!" Mr 9 screams along with Miss Wednesday.
"Luffy? Dakota?" Zoro questions as he sees the four fall past the ship.
"Yo! You guys are all okay! By the way,... save us!" Luffy calls out to his crew as he takes Dakota's arm, and they fall into the stomach acid as Crocus makes it to the top of the door the four crashed through before.
"Luffy and Dakota caught up with us, but they brought a couple of weirdos with them," Usopp comments as the boys look over the side of the ship.
"Hey! The old man's gone!" Nami yells out, finally noticing that Crocus has left.
"Who cares!" Zoro yells back at her, not seeing the significance. "We have to help Luffy and Dakota." He says that as the two morons sink to the bottom, Laboon crashes against the Red Line.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
Crocus marches through the passageway as Laboon smashes his head against the rock face. "Stop it, Laboon." Crocus orders the giant whale, though he can't hear him and makes it to the room with empty barrels and a large needle with a sedative to calm the massive creature. "Stop giving yourself these terrible wounds. There's just a bit of sedative left. I'll have to make more later." Crocus injects the tip of the needle into the flesh. Pinching Laboon enough to feel. "This wall is the wall that separates the oceans of the world. It won't break no matter how hard you hit it, Laboon." The sedative takes effect, and the creature calms, finally stopping in his pursuit.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
The others notice the change in the whale's behaviour inside the stomach. "It's calm! The whale's calmed down." Nami announces as Zoro and Sanji get up from the stomach acid-hulling Dakota, Luffy and the two bounty hunters.
"Looks that way. So..." Zoro says and turns to the others with Dakota walking over, having changed clothes into black leather jeans, a black crop top with skeleton hands over her breasts and a jacket to cover it. Dakota sees Luffy sitting on the side above the two bounty hunters and Sanji, who is cooing at the bluenette. "We saved your asses. Now, who are you?" Miss Wednesday looks to her side at Sanji as he looks at her with a dopey look, causing her to flinch away.
"Mr 9, these are Pirates." She whispers to her partner.
"I can see that Miss Wednesday." He replies, and they look around at the crew. "But I think we can convince them. Probably..."
"Are you two scoundrels still here? Don't make me repeat myself! As long as I'm alive, you won't lay one finger on Laboon." Crocus warns them, and they look at him standing in the small doorway.
"Oh, he's back." Usopp states.
"Who's the old guy?" Luffy asks, and before Dakota can answer, Miss Wednesday giggles, catching their attention as she gets to her feet, clutching her weapon along with her partner Mr 9.
"You may say that, but we cannot retreat." Miss Wednesday says.
"Killing this whale is our mission. We won't let you interfere with our whaling anymore! We'll rip a hole in its stomach!" Mr 9 exclaims, and the two are ready and aim their guns over their shoulders. "Let 'er rip, baby!"
"Roger!" Miss Wednesday yells, and they fire their guns; two cannons shoot out towards the stomach wall; Crocus seeing them, runs and jumps off the ledge.
"You...!" Crocus growls as he jumps to stop the cannons, which explode in contact with his body; the thick dark clouds of smoke from the explosion and Crocus falls.
"That old man... stopped the shots himself!" Usopp yells in shock.
"He actually protected the whale...?!" Sanji joins in with his shock.
"Of course, he would." Dakota snaps, and they look at her, but Miss Wednesday laughs her shrill laugh before they can say anything else.
"Cease your pathetic resistance!" Miss Wednesday yells at the older man,
"If you want to protect it that badly, just try that again! The whale is going to feed our town!" Mr 9 says with Miss Wednesday, laughing as he says this, and he joins her. Crocus lands in the stomach acid, poorly injured from the explosion as he bobs in the green liquid.
"What's going on..." Nami wonders and Luffy has enough of the two bounty hunters laughing in glee and smashing their heads together, knocking them unconscious.
"Luffy?" Usopp asks cautiously, looking at the two unconscious bodies.
"Don't know why. Just had to hit them." Luffy says with a mean look on his face.
"If you didn't, I certainly would. Hurting poor Laboon." Dakota growls, gaining the attention of her fellow crew members. "Hey, Crocus get your butt over here!" She yells, and he snaps out of it, hearing a familiar voice he hadn't heard in a little over a year, and he swims over to his mini iron island.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
Crocus climbs up to his lounge chair and sees Dakota and the rest of the Straw Hat crew joining him with the two unconscious bounty hunters tied together on the ground, and he sits, getting comfortable. "You helped me immensely. By why?" Crocus asks Luffy, unsure why though he has no doubt it has something to do with Dakota.
"I didn't help you. Just didn't want to see that." Luffy tells him bluntly.
"Oi, Luffy." Dakota scolds her little Brother.
"Hey... what's the deal with those guys?" Nami asks Crocus, unsure what the situation seems to be. "And what are you doing inside this whale?"
"Cut it out!" Usopp tells Luffy as he tries to pry him from the palm tree with no luck. "Oi, oi, Luffy! Quit it already! What do you think you're doing? It's stupid!"
"These two scoundrels are from a nearby town. They want the whale's meat. Laboon could feed their town for two or three years." Crocus explains what the two bounty hunters are up to now.
"'Laboon'?" Nami asks, having heard the name a few times and not just from Crocus.
"That's this whale's name. He's an Island Whale. They inhabit West Blue, the largest species of whale in the world. How could I let him become food? There's a reason why he continues to bash his head against the Red Line. And why he faces Reverse Mountain and bellows..." He explains, leaving a little mystery though Dakota already knows, having heard the story before.
"A reason?" She asks him, intrigued.
"Yeah. This whale... You see... he's a whale with the heart of a person. And he's been earnestly waiting for a certain group of pirates... for 50 years..." The older man tells them. "You'll hear it now. This is Laboon's story..." Crocus begins the story by informing them of the pirates who came to the Grand Line 50 years ago with a small Island Whale. "I was taking care of the lighthouse, as usual, that day. When a group of jolly pirates came down from Reverse Mountain and into the Grand Line, swimming alongside their boat was a small whale. That whale was Laboon. Island Whales like him only inhabit West Blue. They're the largest species of whale in the world. It appeared Laboon had been travelling with the pirates for quite some time. But they were now headed into the dangers of the Grand Line. They thought they had left him behind in West Blue, but Laboon had followed them. Island Whales normally swim together with their Nakama in pods, but to Laboon, these pirates were his Nakama. They remained anchored at this cape for a few months to repair their ship. I became quite friendly with them after a while. Then, on the day they were ready to leave..." He tells them as best he can what the Captain of those pirates had said to Laboon. "That was 50 years ago."
"50 years?" Sanji echoes, and Dakota scoffs, having heard the story some years ago.
"Laboon's been waiting for those guys for 50 years?" Usopp asks wide-eyed.
"So that's why he's bellowing? And he's ramming it to reach the other side of the wall?" Nami guesses.
"Yes," Crocus answers her.
"Can we get out of here, please?" Dakota cuts in, and the others look at her; Crocus gets up from his lounge chair and jumps onto the ship; she waits for the others, and they set off out of the stomach.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
Dakota's POV:
We sail through the large pipe Luffy, and I were in earlier, with Crocus leading the way. "This water pipe is incredible. Surprising, he's still alive with such a big tunnel in him." Zoro wonders aloud from next to me.
"Is this more of your 'having fun'?" Sanji asks Crocus.
"This is my 'Doctor' fun. Dakota had the idea when I first met her." Crocus answers him, and the others look at me, and I shrug; I was only a kid.
"Doctor? Dakota?" Usopp yells in surprise.
"I'm his Doctor, after all. A long time ago, I ran a clinic here on this cape. I was even a ship's Doctor years ago." He tells them, and I remember Dad telling me when I first met him about how he would fix him up, and Mum would yell at him for starting a fight.
"Really? Well then, be my ship's Doctor!" Luffy tells him, and I shake my head as he sits at the front where the figurehead used to be.
"Don't be stupid. Unlike you six young' ins," Crocus replies, stopping his little island at a ladder and climbing up. "I don't have the energy to go around doing foolhardy things anymore."
"A Doctor..." Nami mutters.
"So that's why you're living inside the whale," Sanji asks him.
"And this is all a result of your medical treatment," She says, and Crocus makes it to the top and turns around to face us.
"That's right. When they get this big, there's no way to treat 'em from the outside." He tells them, and he walks over to the exit gears. "Here we go!" He begins opening the door, and we slip out.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
"WE'RE OUT!" Luffy shouts in celebration. "IT'S THE REAL SKY!" We make it over to the cape with Crocus' lighthouse.
"But 50 whole years? Those lousy pirates sure are making him a long time..." Usopp complains as we drift over.
"Idiot. This is the Grand Line, y' know? They're dead. No use waiting on them anymore." Sanji says, and he's right from what I've found out though I don't know if I should tell Laboon; he was heartbroken before he may be worse off knowing.
"That's for sure since it's already been 50 years. I guess that shows just how terrible and chaotic this unexplored ocean is going to get." Nami comments as we stand around the figurehead that Luffy sits on, and Usopp runs over.
"How can you jerks say such heartless things!? You don't know that! They might still come back! It's such a good story! A whale that continues to believe in his Nakama's promise Ain't that right, old man!?" Usopp scolds the others and asks Crocus.
"Yeah. But the truth is crueller than you can imagine. It was all part of their plan. Those guys ran away, from the Grand Line." Crocus tells the others, but I now know better.
"No way... so, they actually left the whale behind?" Usopp asks and looks behind us to Laboon.
"They tried to run away from the Grand Line, that means they would have had to cross the Calm Belt, right?" Nami asks Crocus.
"Even if by some chance they are alive. They would never return to this place. The season, the weather, the ocean currents, even the winds, they all go around in unpredictable patterns. Common logic is worthless in this ocean. The terror of the Grand Line quickly overwhelms the weak of heart." He explains.
"So those weak-hearted shitheads. Without a thought for your life or their promise, packed up and hightailed it out of the ocean." Sanji summarises, but he's wrong.
"They just abandoned the whale? And he's been waiting 50 years for them to come back for him? That's so cruel!" Usopp voices his outrage at dead men.
"But if you know this, why haven't you told him? The whale understands human speech, right?" Nami asks him.
"I did tell him. All of it. But he refused to listen. That night Laboon faced Reverse Mountain and bellowed for the first time, and began battering himself against the Red Line. He still believes they'll return from the other side of that wall. He just won't listen to the truth." Crocus says, and I sit down on the floor, hating the idea of Laboon suffering any longer, waiting for people who just won't return.
"What a whale..." Sanji pulls out a wisp of smoke from his cigarette.
"Even when there's no point in waiting..." Usopp sighs.
"If there was no reason to wait, he would have listened to me. More than anything else, he is afraid of losing his reason to wait. His home is in West Blue. And yet, there's no way home for him now. All he wished for was to continue being Nakama with the men he followed here." He continues.
"Y'know, he may be in this pitiful state, but you were betrayed too, right?" Sanji asks the older man and takes a drag from his cigarette. "It's not really your problem anymore, is it?"
"Looks at the scars on his head! If he keeps ramming it against the rocks like that, without a doubt, he will die. We may have a strange relationship, but it's been 50 years. I'm not going to watch him kill himself." Crocus tells them, and out of nowhere, Luffy rips the mast and runs towards Laboon, yelling, catching the attention of the others.
"What's that moron doing now?" Sanji wonders.
"Can't take your eyes off him for a second!" Zoro scolds as the idiot runs up Laboon's back towards the head.
"Looks like he's going mountain climbing!" Sanji comments.
"Gum-Gum Flower Arrangement!" Luffy shouts and thrusts the sharp end of the snapped mast into an open wound on Laboon's head.
"That's the mast, isn't it?" Zoro questions as he watches his arms crossed over his chest, which I can't stop looking at since we met.
"Yup. Right off our ship." Sanji replies, standing next to him, between Zoro and Usopp.
"That's our mainmast." Usopp points out. "QUIT BREAKIN' THE SHIP!" Laboon tears up from the pain and smashes his head down, creating a massive wave rocking the ships. Laboon shakes around, trying to eliminate the pain as he cries, making harsh waves.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!" We scream at the goofball as he swings from the mast atop Laboon and thrashes around. Laboon seems to have enough and jumps out of the water and heads for one of the capes head first, crashing in, trying to dislodge the mast and shaking Luffy off.
"HEY, BOY!" Crocus shouts out to Luffy in anger and worry.
"It's okay!" I shout back as I hold onto the railing keeping a good grip. "He won't die even if he gets crushed!" Laboon gets back into the water and tilts his head back, letting out a noise of frustration, and Luffy seems okay as he sits up. He looks pleased with himself. Laboon smashes into the rock face and crushes Luffy, who jumps out of the way, but Laboon swats him with his tail making him fall back onto the cape. Luffy gets up and stretches his arm, punching Laboon in the eye; in pain, Laboon clothes his eye and headbutts Luffy into one of the lighthouses.
"What's he thinking!?" Usopp wonders, and I have some ideas. As Luffy gets up and jumps, punching Laboon in the head a couple of times, Laboon catches him and throws him back into the lighthouse wall cracking the stone, and he seems to go limp.
"Luffy?" Zoro calls out to him in worry, and I jump onto the railing, hoping the idiot moves. "What the hell are you doing?" Laboon goes in, ready to headbutt him getting closer, and I see a smirk make its way onto my dopey Brother's face.
"It's a draw!" Luffy shouts, and it stops Laboon from his rampage as he seems to calm down, and the idiot gets to his feet with a grin putting my Father's straw hat back on. "Pretty strong, ain't I? You wanna beat me, don't you? Our battle isn't over! So we're going to have to fight again someday. Your Nakama may be dead, but from now on I'm your rival! We'll fight again someday to decide which of us is the strongest! Once we're finished sailing the Grand Line. I'll be back! Then we'll finish our fight!" Luffy vows, and it brings Laboon to tears; I shake my head at the idiot and smile. Laboon tilts his head back and lets out a happy bellow. I am glad to hear something pleasant from him finally.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
I get off the ship and stand next to Luffy as he smiles at Laboon, who seems to notice me and lets out a coo; I rub my hand against his cracked skin and smile as the others join us. "Sis, you got any paints aboard?" Luffy asks me, and I shake my head, signalling no.
"No, I don't, and I didn't get any paints to replace them at Loguetown," I tell him, and he huffs. "But I might have some inside Crocus' place," I tell him, and I walk over to the lighthouse door walking inside.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
I walk to the storage closet knowing Crocus wouldn't touch my art supplies that I had left here some time ago, and I pick them up, checking nothing is missing, and I pick up a large pot with a set of paintbrushes inside. I stop seeing the portrait I painted a few years back of Rogers's old crew; I see my parents in the midst of them, with my Father's bright red hair and Mother's vibrating blond hair standing out to only me. I've met all of them except for the man himself, Gol D. Roger; I wish I could tell him how his son has grown up to be a fantastic man.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
I walk out of the stone lighthouse to see the others all standing with Crocus in front of Laboon, and I place my art supplies on the ground in front of Luffy, but before he can touch the paintbrushes, I slap his hand away, causing him to pout. "Last time you painted something it looked like a nightmare come to life, do you want me to paint it?" I ask him, and he nods his head.
"Sure, Sis, you've always had the arty touch," Luffy says, and I nod, taking a paintbrush from the pot and begin to paint on the front of Laboon.
I wipe the sweat away from my forehead. I look at my artwork of our crew's symbol with Luffy in the middle. "Lookin' good! This is our 'Fight Promise'! So until I get back, don't go hitting the wall and rubbing the mark off!" Luffy tells Laboon, and he makes a noise of agreement. "YOSH!" I finish putting away my painting supplies and then clean the paint from my hands before going onto the ship.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
I put my art supplies in my and Nami's room under my bed for safekeeping, see a paint spot on my jacket, and take it off, leaving me in a black crop top with skeleton hands over my breasts.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
I walk outside to see Nami and Sanji standing up on the landing by Nami's orchard, and Usopp seems to be fixing the ship; he stops and looks over at the two. "What happened to those two guys?" Usopp asks them, and I walk off, not caring and jump over the side onto the red rock face.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
I walk over to the wooden table with Nami as she plots our course. I feel like I have forgotten something, but I shrug it off for now and continue reading my book. "All set. Now to start planning our course through the Grand Line." Nami says, and after a brief pause, she shrieks, alerting us to her distress; I look up over the pages of my book to look at her.
"What the hell, you're so loud!" Luffy complains from over with Laboon, and Sanji climbs up the ladder to us with plates of food and Usopp behind him.
"What is it, Nami-san? If it's food you want, never fear!" Sanji exclaims with his usual gooey look.
"Food...!" Usopp cheers as he reaches the top.
"The compass is broken!" Nami yells, and I look down to see the compass needle spinning around, never stopping. "It won't point in a single direction!"
"Oh, she's right." He agrees as the boys, minus Zoro, crowd around me, looking down at the compass. "Round and round it goes."
"Dakota I'm disappointed in you, I would have thought you'd've told them by now." Crocus scolds me, and I sigh. "They could have thrown their lives away if you didn't tell them."
"I was getting to it, it's not like they asked me about the Grand Line or anything and I thought hands-on experiences would do them some good," I argue and place my book down though I try to avoid the scolding look.
"Tell them." He orders, and I nod, submitting.
"This ocean has no common logic to it. That compass isn't broken." I tell, and Nami looks at me as if getting it a little.
"Then, could it be a magnetic field?" She asks, and I nod, confirming her theory.
"That's right. The islands of the Grand Line are abundant with minerals, causing abnormal magnetic fields along the entire line. What's more, the winds and currents here are completely unstable. As the Navigator, you must realise how insurmountable this is." I explain everything I've learned while exploring and travelling the Grand Line.
"You're right... we'll be doomed if we don't have any way to determine our direction. I didn't know that. My bad!" Nami laughs, blushing a little as she somewhat apologises to the others.
"Oi! This is bad! How are we gonna make it?" Usopp demands answers.
"HOLD IT, YOU GUYS! WOULD YOU PLEASE BE QUIET FOR A SECOND!" She rages at the boy.
"Navigating the Grand Line will be impossible if you don't have a Log Pose," I tell Nami, and she looks slightly confused.
"Log Pose?" She echoes. "I've never heard of it."
"It's a unique compass that memorises a magnetic field," I explain simply.
"A strange compass?" Luffy echoes, sounding muffled.
"Yeah, they have a very distinct shape," I reply, and he pops a Log Pose in my face with a purple band.
"Like this?" He asks me.
"Yeah, like that," I answer, giving him a strange look. "If you don't have this Log Pose sailing the Grand Line will be impossible."
"I see. But, hold on a second." Nami says and turns to the eating boy. "Luffy?" She punches him hard in the face. "WHY THE HELL DO YOU HAVE ONE!?" She demands, and he falls to the ground.
"Those two weirdos dropped it on the boat..." Luffy explains, sitting back up, rubbing his head.
"They did?" Nami asks him.
"Why'd you punch me?" He asks her.
"I felt like it." She answers back.
"Felt like it?" The dummy echoes, and she walks towards him, taking the Log Pose and taking a good closer look.
"So this is a Log Pose. There aren't any markings on it." Nami comments, and I smirk.
"The islands dotting the Grand Line obey the rules created by magnetic fields. So in order to travel from island to island, the Log Pose must readapt to the magnetic field at each island, and it will point you in the right direction. The truth is that there's no way to determine your exact position on this ocean. You are utterly dependent on the magnetic field memorised by your Log Pose. You must first choose one of the magnetic fields emanating from Reverse Mountain. But regardless of which island you choose to start from, your route will eventually join with the others into one final route. And the name of the island at the end of that route is... Raftel. The final island of the Grand Line. in all of history, only one person known to have confirmed its existence was the Pirate King. The island is legendary." I explain what I've picked up over my time in the Grand Line and what my Father and family have taught me.
"Raftel..." Nami mutters, probably thinking of the final island, I've never seen it myself, but I know with Luffy, we will.
"So it has to be there!" Usopp chimes in, looking all excited. "One Piece!"
"Who can tell? That island is the most prominent of all. But not one other soul has yet reached there alive." I tell them, and Luffy snaps, eating some of the bones of the fish.
"We'll find out when we get there," Luffy says, so sure of himself, and I can't help but laugh, and he lets out a puff of air. "Alright, I'm full. Let's set sail!" Sanji and the others finally notice that Luffy has eaten all our food.
"YOU HOGGED IT ALL TO YOURSELF?!" Sanji rages at him.
"Whoa, even the bones." Usopp gasps, but that's nothing new; growing up, it was eat everything or don't eat.
"The Log Pose, huh? This is truly precious. Our fate at sea is counting on it." Nami says as she looks at the Log Pose with wonder, and I smile; I guess she won't be needing mine.
"You freakin' shitty rubber - I wanted Nami-san and Dakota, My Love... I wanted Nami San and Dakota, My Love, to - TO BE THE ONES TO EAT IT!" Sanji yells and kicks Luffy in the stomach sending him flying, smacking into the Log Pose, which shatters, leaving a shocked Nami that soon turns into rage.
"Why'd you do that?" Luffy asks as if he doesn't know.
"You'd better be ready to die, shitty rubber..." He growls at him.
"Sanji-kun?" Nami calls out to him, and he stops.
"Yes~! Nami-san~!" The Love Cook grins like an idiot turning to face her wrath.
"YOU TWO! GO SOAK YOUR HEADS!" She shouts at them and kicks them into the water below.
"That was really, REALLY important, wasn't it?!" Usopp screams in shock.
"Our precious... Log Pose." Nami whimpers, and I search my bag for my own Log Pose.
"Don't worry, I've got another one you can have," I tell them, and they look at me as I pop out my old Log Pose from my bag. "I owe you one." Sanji and Luffy come up with the two goons with them, and we sit down as they want a favour.
The two goons explain their favour in the smallest detail they're asking of us, and I don't like it one bit; even the island sounds shaky. "Whiskey Peak? Weird name." Luffy comments once the two goons finish explaining.
"What is it?" Usopp asks them.
"It's the town we live in! Erm... sir." Mr 9 answers.
"Don't you have your own ship?" Nami asks them.
"Sadly, it was destroyed." Miss Wednesday laughs it off.
"Wouldn't that be a little too kind on our part, Mr 9? Considering you tried to kill that whale." She asks, getting in his face.
"Just who are you two?" Usopp asks them.
"I am a king!" Mr 9 exclaims his lie, and Nami pulls on his cheek painfully.
"Liar." The Navigator states, not taking him seriously.
"We cannot say!" Miss Wednesday answers, seeming to struggle with this.
"But all we want is to return to our town! We didn't really want to do this kind of underhanded work -." Mr 9 says.
"-but please understand, 'secrecy' is our organisation's motto." Miss Wednesday says, I know only one organisation with that motto, and it's not good to get involved.
"We truly cannot say anything!" Mr 9 pleads with us, but I know enough.
"We are begging you kind people to help us!" Miss Wednesday begs.
"We will surely repay your kindness!" Mr 9 jumps in, begging some more.
"Don't listen to them." Crocus cuts in with his warning. "No matter what they say, they're a couple of underhanded sleazebags."
"The thing is. We broke this Log Pose and don't have another. You sure you still want to come?" Nami asks them, lying to them.
"WHAT?! YOU BROKE IT!" Mr 9 yells, and Miss Wednesday doesn't look too happy either. "THAT WAS MINE, YOU KNOW?!"
"You made us throw ourselves at your feet when you can't even go anywhere!?" Miss Wednesday adds in her yelling.
"Oh, BUT, Dakota is giving us another one," Nami mentions with a sly grin, and they seem to change their tune as they fall on their knees, bowing to her, which she seems to love.
"We throw ourselves on the mercy of your kindness!" Mr 9 begs again as they bow.
"Sure. you can come." Our Captain agrees, which shocks the two goons as they get up, showing their surprise and the rest of us. "It's called Whiskey Peak? Let's go there."
"O-Oi, are you serious? We just met these guys, and you're gonna bring them along just like that!?" Usopp protests, and I have to say my dear little Brother is too trusting.
"It's fine. Don't worry about details like that." Luffy shrugs it off, but I won't. I'll keep an eye on them while they're with us.
"But the only place you can decide your course from is here at the starting point," Crocus warns him, and he has a point, but it'll not affect the goofball.
"If we don't like it, we'll just try again," He replies with a big grin, and I shake my head; of course, he'd say that.
"I see," The old Doctor mutters, probably recalling the good old days.
"Okay, let's get going." Luffy orders and runs over to Laboon as he stays by the coast. "I've made my promise to the whale. Let's get ready to leave." He stretches, and I pick up my bag from the seat.
"And just who are you?" Miss Wednesday asks rather rudely.
"Me? I'm... the man who's going to become the Pirate King!" Luffy answers, and I see them try to hide their laughter, and I snarl at them as we make our way to the ship.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
I stand on the Going Merry with most of the crew, plus the two idiots, as we pack everything away, and I feel like painting again. "Everything's ready. Your Log should be set. Did you orient it to the map?" Crocus asks Nami as she stares at my old Log Pose.
"Yeah, it's pointing towards Whiskey Peak," Nami answers and comes aboard.
"Later, Flower-ossan! Thanks for the help!" Luffy yells out to Crocus.
"Sure, now get goin'." Crocus waves him off.
"See ya! I'll be back, whale! Set course to Whiskey Peak! Full speed ahead!" Luffy orders with a big fat grin, and I set my easel up on the side for one last painting for today next to a sleeping Zoro.
"AYE!" We all shout in agreement as we sail off, Laboon says goodbye, and I begin painting him and Luffy like I've done throughout my life as I capture moments. I look at the horizon with the sun setting and grin as I think of our adventures shortly.
ONE PIECE - REVERSE MOUNTAIN ARC
I watch Usopp and Luffy jump up and down at the front, and I laugh as I finish the painting of Laboon and Luffy, pick it up, and walk towards the others. "What do you think?" I ask them, showing them and watching their reactions, and they all seem surprised and happy, and Luffy picks it out of my hands. "Luffy, be careful; the paint is still wet!" I warn him as he looks at it carefully
"Cool! Is this getting added to your collection?" He asks, and I nod; the others all look at me.
"I paint moments all special to my family and me," I tell them and take my painting from Luffy, and something drops out of my leather jean back pocket; I look down to see my worn-down journal lying on the floor. Before I can pick it up, Nami grabs it and looks inside; I know what's inside a long list of names.
"Why is this full of names? I recognise a few of them." Nami comments, and I place the painting on the side and look down at the floor.
"It's a list of all my hits," I tell them, not looking them in the eye. I hear the pages flicking, and I look up as the others are too silent to see them all looking at me, not in fear but something else. "I guess those days are behind me now. Huh?" I look at my Baby Brother, and he nods as he looks at the first name on my list; he hugs me close, and I hug him back. I know these people won't judge me like others will. These people are my friends, my Nakama, and we have each other backs even after the short time we've had together.