Book One: Treasure of the Heart (Zoro X OC)

Chapter Twenty Three ~ Laboon the Whale

~Nicole~

"So what do you think?"Nami asked "I don't know what to think"Zoro said "Is this even real?"Sanji wondered, Usopp was just making incoherent noises as i looked around at the area, the i noticed seagulls "Cause i know what i saw and felt we were swallowed by a whale"Sanji said "Is this a dream?"Usopp asked "Yeah i'd say that's a fair guess"Zoro said "Look closer"i said pointing out the seagulls "It's just a mural"i said.

"Alright but what's with this island and the house?"Nami asked "Illusions?"Zoro wondered before a giant squid popped out of the water, Nami and Usopp promptly freaked out while Zoro, Sanji and i got ready to fight it but then three spears pierced it from behind, i didn't drop my guard however "Looks like someone's home"Zoro said "Let's hope they're human"Sanji said.

"I've had it you guys let's go"Nami whimpered "Giant squids, guys with harpoons and where's Luffy?"Usopp cried "Yeah where is he?"Nami asked, someone started walking out of the house "Whoa whoa we should fire our cannon there!"Usopp said "Hold your horses scardy cat, we don't know if they're an enemy"i said, the person started pulling the squid in and walked out "It's a"Sanji was cut off "Flower"Zoro finished off "Dummy it's a decoration, they're clearly human whoever they are"i said.

"Are you sure?"Usopp asked "That old man just killed a great king squid with one shot"Nami said "The question is why, was he trying to save us or is he just fishing?"Sanji asked, the old man started walking giving us this look, i grabbed Zoro's arm, not that i was scared or anything, the old man sat down in his lawn chair, i sighed a bit in relief, again i wasn't scared or anything "You gonna say anything?!"Sanji yelled at him.

"Hey you wanna fight?! We got cannons back here you bastard!"Usopp yelled all the way back from the cabin, the old man gave us that look again "You try it and someone's going to die"he said, "Yeah? And who's that?"Sanji asked, i had a feeling where this was going "Me of course"the old man said "Excuse me!"Sanji blew up at him, i snickered a bit, this old guy was totally harmless, i let go of Zoro as he walked forward "Who are you?"Zoro asked.

The old man gave us that look again "You've got some nerve stranger, it's only polite to introduce yourself before asking a question of someone you just met"the old man said "Alright fair enough i'll go first my name"Zoro was cut off though "If you must know my name is Crocus and i'm the lighthouse keeper of the Twin Capes, i'm seventy one and a half years old, Gemini" the old man said "I'll kill him i swear!"Zoro snapped drawing his sword, i held him back though "Calm down, he's just messing with you"i said.

The old man gave us that look again "Stop doing that!"the others yelled at him "What's wrong haven't you ever heard of a running gag?"the old man, rather Crocus as he had so kindly introduced himself, said "That was a gag?!"we yelled at him "The exit is over there"Crocus said pointing out the metal door that i sweat just appeared there "We can get out?!"we asked "So what's with the mural?"i asked "Call it a doctors playful mind"Crocus said "You're not making any sense you crazy old fool!"Usopp yelled at him "Easy don't let him get to you"Zoro said holding him back.

"Yeah just shut up"Sanji said "Nami if that is an exit then we need to get to it"Zoro said "Agreed" Nami said, the whole area started shaking just then however "Hey look! That's no island it's a ship and it has a metal bottom"i said spotting that "Yeah of course cause we're floating on a sea of gastric acid"Usopp said "That means a wooden ship won't last long"Sanji said "Hey! What's with this freaky whale?! Answer me old man!"Usopp yelled at Crocus.

"He's very angry, these after shocks are a result of him hitting his head against the Red Line" Crocus said "What?!"Zoro and Sanji asked "That explains the deep scars on the whales head and the deep howling"Nami said "Why is he doing that?"Usopp asked "It's because he's suffering, the poor thing!"i said frowning a bit "So what's the old man doing on the inside?"Usopp asked "More then likely he's killing the whale from the inside"Nami said "What?! I won't let him! You hear that old man! Hurt this poor creature any more and you're chopped meat!"i yelled over at him.