The Window Maker - (OCXCANON)

Chapter 19 (Journey to Grandline)

The Going Merry was speeding down the slope, splashing water in high torrents on each side as the crew held on. The wind whipped wildly against Ki's cheeks and her ponytail was flailing behind her. A wide grin creased her cheeks as she whooped, "We're almost there!"

Sanji balanced on the rope ladder and yelled, "Woah! This is great!"

Usopp chuckled from his position wrapped around the mast post with a wide grin. Nami held tight to the railing while she threw her head back, laughing and whooping as well.

A loud reverberating tone tore through the air causing Ki to jump out of her serene state. She looked around but it seemed the only other one that noticed was the swordsman. He raised an eyebrow, "Huh? Did you guys just hear something?"

Ki nodded and raised a hand over her eyes, squinting against the ocean spray, "It sounds like some kind of horn! Or an animal cry maybe?!"

Nami turned to them still grinning, "Huh, what's that?"

Zoro raised his voice a bit more so the navigator could hear, "That groaning sound? Didn't you hear it?"

She shrugged and shouted back, "It was probably just the wind! At this speed, everything sounds distorted!"

Another loud groan burst from the depths in front of the barreling ship. Ki snapped her hands over her ears, the repeated deep sound was vibrating her eardrums painfully. She squeezed her eyes shut and cried, "It sounds like something in pain! Something massive!"

Sanji anxiously called down, "Nami! I see a mountain up ahead!"

Nami gasped and whipped her head up to the cook's voice, "What?! That's impossible!!"

Sanji shouted doubtfully, "But it's right there! I can see it!"

Luffy held onto his hat and cackled, "Who cares?! Go!!"

Nami's gaze returned forward as she yelled, "After we passed the twin capes up ahead, there should be nothing but ocean!"

Luffy leaned forward and squinted while he grunted curiously, "Hm?"

Ki continued to clutch her hands over her ears but leaned forward as well. The next groan rattled her teeth as she yelled, "It's not a mountain! But it's definitely in our path!!"

The screaming began again as the slope got more steep, pressing them forward towards the behemoth. Luffy screeched, "It's a black wall!!"

Nami angrily cried, "No it's not!"

Zoro shouted fearfully, "Then what is it?!"

Usopp pulled down one of his goggles and zoomed in, "I- I- It's- It's a whale!!" The giant whale cried out again and Usopp whimpered, "Wh- Wha- What are we gonna do?!"

Luffy peered down at his crew with a slightly confused but excited expression, "Should we fight?"

Nami growled up at the rubber boy, "Idiot! How the hell are we supposed to fight a 100 ton whale?!"

Usopp began pacing back and forth as he cried, "We have to do something! Our path is blocked!! How do we escape?!"

Sanji furrowed his brow as the wind tossed him about, "Calm down! If this creature looks like a giant wall to us, we must be a speck!"

Nami agreed with the cook, "That's right! It's highly possible that this thing isn't even aware that we're here!"

Zoro turned on his heel and pointed, "We'll run right into it unless we change course! Look! We can get by on the left! Port! Hard to port!!"

Usopp mockingly yelled, "The rudder's broken!!"

Zoro hopped to the lower deck with a huff, "Do something! Anything!"