No wonder he's upset." Nami said. "Anyone would go crazy waiting that long." Soon, they were all sailing through the canal inside Laboon. When they asked Crocus about it, he claimed it was a doctor's playful mind at work. "A doctor?" Usopp asked.
"That's right." he said. "Legally certified. I ran a clinic in the Grand Line once, then became a ship's doctor."
"A doctor huh?" Luffy said. He knew Crocus wouldn't join, but it couldn't hurt. "Why not join us then?"
"Forget it." he said as he started climbing up a ladder. "That's for you young folk."
"Are you treating Laboon from the inside?" Nami asked.
"Yes." he said as he got to the top. "He's too big to treat outside, so I had to take drastic measures." he said as he opened up a door to allow them back outside. As they sailed outside, they heard more of the tale about why Laboon won't stop ramming his head against the Red Line, and how the pirates ran away through the Calm Belt.
'Not Brook.' thought Luffy as he looked at Laboon. "He seems smart." Nami said. "Why not tell him?"
"I have." Crocus said in a grim tone. "But Laboon won't listen. He believes that the Red Line is keeping him from his friends, so he keeps ramming it in hopes of destroying it." That was too much for Johnny and Yosaku, who were both now crying at such a sad tale. "If he believes his friends are gone, then it's over for him. He can't go back to West Blue, so we have a problem. Laboon's a lost soul who wishes to be with his friends, but is now killing himself to do so."
"Sad." Sanji said as he puffed on his cigarette. "So you got saddled with their burden huh? What will you do now?"
"I'm all that Laboon has." Crocus said. "His scars on his head are deep. His heart, deeper. If not me to tend to him, then who? It's a strange system of friendship, but it works."
BUUOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH!
Everyone looked to see Luffy's arm stretched out and smashed into one of Laboon's fresh wounds, making the whale shake in pain and rage. Everyone just stared in astonishment and shock as the two started fighting for a bit. Luffy was on the rock cliff with Laboon charging.
"IT'S A TIE!" Luffy shouted, stopping Laboon in his tracks. Everyone stared as Luffy sat up and smiled at him. "I'm strong, but I bet you knew that." he said. "I can tell when someone wants to fight. Well, I'll fight you if you want. You sparred with your shipmates I bet and you miss it huh? Well, I'll top what they could do. How about this? After my friends and I sail around Grand Line, we'll find you." he said. Laboon started to tear up before Luffy finished, "Then we'll have a rematch!"
"BUUOOOOOOOOOOH!" Laboon howled with tears in his eyes, now waiting to fight Luffy again.
()()()()
After some time, Luffy had painted his poor version of his Jolly Roger onto Laboon.
"There!" Luffy said, covered in paint. "This is a symbol of my promise to have a rematch with you. It's rushed, so you'll rub it off if you hit your head, okay?" Laboon gave a low howl in understanding. He then went back to his friends but frowned a little when he noticed Vivi wasn't there before noticing a log pose on deck. Before anything else happened, Nami started screaming, gaining everyone's attention. "What's wrong?"
"The compass is busted!" she said. "It just keeps spinning." Everyone looked to see that the needle kept on spinning.
"We had the same problem." Gin said. "We could never understand why."
"So you all came here without fully preparing?" Crocus asked. "Are you all here just to die?"
"Is it the magnetic field?" Nami asked.
"Correct." Crocus said. He then began to explain that common sense on the Grand Line is completely useless, and that to navigate safely through the Grand Line, one needed a special compass called the Log Pose. Luffy pulled out the one that Mr. 9 dropped, which caused Nami to ask why he didn't tell them that he had one earlier. Crocus then continued with his explanation of the Log Pose and how it works. "You start at one of seven starting Islands at the beginning of the Grand Line. Once chosen, you have to follow the log pose to the next island. Soon though, all of the routes merge to one, which is the final island in the Grand Line, Raftel. It's existence has only been proven by Gold Roger and his crew."
"That must be where the One Piece is!" Usopp said with a smile.
"That's a promising theory." Crocus said.
"We'll find out soon enough." Luffy said as he finished off the food. "I'm full. Let's go."
"YOU ATE ALL THE FOOD?!" Sanji yelled.
"Even the bones!" Usopp said in surprise as a few of the crew members just looked on in disbelief. "You bastard!" Sanji growled. "I made that food," he said before kicking Luffy away "SPECIAL FOR THE LADIES!" he shouted as Luffy flew past Nami, breaking the log pose. Nami just stared at the broken Log Pose before looking at Sanji.
"Oh Sanji." she said in a forced calm voice.
"Yes, my lovely Nami?" he asked with hearts in his eyes.
"BOTH OF YOU GO SOAK YOUR HEADS!" she shouted before knocking them both into the water. Most of the crew were looking at the broken pose, now feeling hopeless about getting any further. Crocus offered them a new one as thanks for saving Laboon, who had brought Luffy and Sanji up to the shore, along with Mr. 9 and Vivi. They all looked at each other before Mr. 9 and Vivi begged them to take them to Whiskey Peak.
"Whiskey Peak?" Luffy asked in mocked confusion. "Weird name."
"What's that place?" Usopp asked. "It's where we live...Sir." Mr. 9 said.
"Why not go on your own ship?" Nami asked.
"Sadly, it was destroyed." Vivi said, not noticing the sad frown on Luffy's face. Luffy was really starting to dislike seeing and hearing Vivi like this. He just wanted to hug her since it had been years for him when they last saw each other.
"Kinda pushing it, aren't you Mr. 9." Nami said. "Especially since you tried to kill that whale." They then began to try to question them, but got nothing since they said that 'Secrecy' was their organization's motto before begging them to take them. "Well, the Log Pose here is broken." Nami said.
"WHAT?! THAT WAS MINE!" Mr. 9 yelled in anger.
"YOU TRICKED US!" Vivi shouted.
"Oh yeah. Crocus gave us a new one." Nami said, which caused them to do a 180 and beg again. 'That bitch tricked me!' Mr. 9 thought.
"They can come." Luffy said, shocking most of them.
"Why?!" Usopp asked. "They're nothing but shady people!"
"I wouldn't trust these two." Gin said.
"Don't sweat it." Luffy said. "And as for our route, we don't like it, we'll pick another one next time."
"Good plan." Sanji said as he puffed on his cigarette. "Once we get to the end, we'll have to find something else to do."
"Yeah." Luffy said. "Now that me and Laboon have an understanding, I can leave without worrying about him.
"Who...are you anyway?" Vivi asked.
"The man...who will become King of the Pirates." Luffy answered with a grin. 'Stupid pirates.' Vivi thought as she and Mr.9 fought back a laugh while Crocus smiled widely at that. Soon they were all onboard the Merry as they prepared to sail.
"It should be pointing to Whiskey Peak." Crocus said as he pointed at the Log Pose on Nami's wrist.
"Right." Nami said.
"I'm off Laboon!" Luffy yelled. "You better be ready for a fight when I get back!" he said, to which Laboon made a soft sound in understanding. "Next Stop! Whiskey Peak! Let's go everyone!"
"YEAH!" they all shouted as they sailed away. Crocus and Laboon stared at them as Crocus spoke.
"They may be the pirates we've been waiting for." Crocus said. "That man had a mysterious air about him. Don't you think so? Roger."
!!!!NEW!!!!
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