Chapter 24

__________________________________________________________________

___________________________________

The chapter got you itching for more? Read ahead and get exclusive content before anyone else? Join me on Patr -e-on! Your support would mean the world to me.

( | p@treon.com/FictionGoat | )

. . . .

__________________________________________________________________

___________________________________

Rain drizzled steadily from the heavy gray clouds above, mixing with the rhythmic crash of waves against the lighthouse's base. 

Dragon's deep voice broke through the quiet, coming from behind. "I want to apologize if my crew disrespected you in any way."

Toshi blinked, glancing back to see Dragon standing behind him, his coat billowing slightly in the breeze despite the rain weighing it down. A few of the crew had followed, lingering silently in the background. The man eyes darting across the group, and for a moment, Toshi swore he stiffened just slightly.

The man with flower-petal hair, now empty-handed since he had tossed the booze to Sogeki earlier, turned his gaze to Dragon.

"Disrespected me?" the man repeated, scratching at his cheek lazily.

Dragon nodded slightly. "If Toshi or Sogeki caused you any offense, I take responsibility for that. We're not here to create trouble. We're just looking to stay for a day or two to repair the ship and wait out the storm. After that, we'll be on our way...if that's alright with you."

There was a pause.

A long pause.

An uncomfortably long pause.

The man stayed quiet for a long moment, his expression unreadable as he studied Dragon and then glanced at the crew behind him. Rainwater trickled down his glasses and flower petals, but he didn't seem to care or even notice.

Toshi shifted uncomfortably, the silence dragging on and on until it felt unbearable.

Finally, the man spoke, his tone flat and utterly casual. "Man, for a second there, I thought you guys were gonna kill me or something." He shrugged, shaking his head as though laughing at the absurdity of his own thought. "Didn't realize there were this many of you. It's kind of impressive, usually don't see a crew of this size here."

Toshi furrowed his brow, shooting Dragon a sideways glance, but the man's unreadable composure didn't waver.

"Anyway," the man continued, gesturing lazily toward his lighthouse and the little house beside it. "Yeah, sure. Stay as long as you need. Just don't touch my stuff. And if you break anything…" He looked pointedly at Toshi and then Sogeki, his voice dropping slightly, "You'd better fix it."

Dragon gave a short nod. "We'll respect your space. Thank you."

The man grunted, shoving his hands into the pockets of his shorts. Without another word, he turned and shuffled back toward the small house. The creaky door groaned in protest as he pushed it open, stepping inside and letting it swing shut behind him with a final thud.

Toshi exhaled through his nose, glancing up at Dragon. "You're seriously okay with letting that guy just… be weird like that?"

Dragon's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. "He offered no harm, only hospitality. That's good enough."

Toshi sighed, jamming his hands into his pockets. "Guess I'm the only one who finds that guy weird... Him and Troy probably get along just fine," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

Before he could dwell any longer, Dragon turned to face the crew. "Let's repair the ship. The faster we finish, the faster we're out of here."

Toshi chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, yeah… I'll, uh, go work on the lower decks," he said, a grin plastered on his face like it would somehow make his words more believable.

Dragon stopped mid-step, glancing over his shoulder with a skeptical gaze. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "You're not just planning to sleep down there, are you?"

Toshi immediately raised his hands in mock innocence, his grin growing a bit wider. "Nah, nope. No sleeping. Totally gonna work. Promise."

Dragon stared at him for a beat longer before continuing toward the ship. "If I catch you slacking…"

"Yeah, yeah," Toshi cut in with a wave of his hand. "I'll be the perfect little worker bee, boss."

Dragon's silence was answer enough. Toshi sighed again as he walked after him, already regretting his life choices and mentally preparing himself for the next few days.

. . . .

____________________________

______________________________________

The storm from before had completely cleared, leaving behind a cloudless sky and a blazing hot sun hanging high above. The blue ocean sparkled as the sunlight danced on its surface.

Docked against the towering red cliffs of the Red Line, was a giant ship, its sails fluttering in the light breeze, as if catching it's breath.

On the ship's deck stood a black-haired boy with messy hair, with a mop in hand. With the mop he sloshed back and forth as he wiped down the wooden floors. The deck was gleaming in the sunlight, its surface polished to a near-blinding shine.

"FINALLY!" Toshi yelled, throwing his arms into the air like he'd just conquered the Grand Line itself. The mop in his hand wobbled with splash of water coming from the bottom. Sweat trickled down his temple as he swiped at his forehead with the back of his hand, groaning. "That took way too long." With a heavy sigh, he tossed the mop into the bucket beside him.

It had been days...endless, soul-sucking days of backbreaking labor, but finally, the repairs were done, and the ship was ready to sail. Toshi leaned on the railing, staring out at the ocean.

Honestly, he should've been relieved, but if he was being real, he'd rather spend the whole day training than endure another second fixing this cursed ship. Sure, it beat getting pummeled during training, but if someone asked him to pick?

He'd probably take the punches over scrubbing, hammering, and hauling. At least training didn't involve splinters. Or buckets. Or whatever the heck that weird smell in the lower deck was.

Toshi's gaze drifted upward, settling on the top of the cliff where the lighthouse was. Outside, lounging in a beach chair as if he hadn't a care in the world, was the same man Toshi had met before. The guy sat casually, a newspaper spread wide in his hands, completely unfazed by the world around him.

Toshi hadn't spoken to him since they'd first arrived. He hadn't even gotten close, to be honest. But from what he'd heard, the Grand Line was supposed to be hell on water...a death trap where most people barely survived. And yet, here this man was, kicking back at the edge of danger like it was a seaside resort.

Something about him was… off. There was no denying that. No one normal would pick a lighthouse on the cliffs of the Grand Line as their hangout spot. Still, Toshi couldn't help the curiosity tugging at him. Just who was this guy?

Toshi looked around the ship. It was mostly empty, with the crew busy restocking supplies and doing final checks before they set sail. So for now, he was left all by himself.

With a small sigh, he turned back to the ocean. As Toshi leaned over the railing, something strange caught his eye...

Just beneath the surface of the sparkling water, a massive shadow moved. It wasn't the gentle ripple of a school of fish or the lazy roll of the ocean's waves. This was something else. Something big.

SWOOM SWOOM

Toshi squinted, leaning forward instinctively. "What the…" he muttered, his brows furrowing. The shadow shifted, rising closer to the surface.

The water broke with a splash, and a massive blue head came out from the ocean. It was a whale...huge, even by whale standards. With blue skin marred by several bandages wrapped around its head. Its blank, beady eyes stared directly at Toshi, unmoving, and unblinking.

Toshi stared back, his expression mirroring the whale's emptiness as his brain struggled to process what he was seeing. For a long, awkward moment, it was just the two of them, locked in a staring contest that neither seemed willing to break.

And then it clicked.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Toshi yelped, stumbling backward and landing flat on his ass. The impact sent a dull thud through the deck, and he scrambled backward, pointing at the creature. "What is that?!"

The whale remained motionless, still staring at Toshi as if it were silently judging Toshi's reaction.

Toshi frantically glanced around the ship, hoping someone else had seen this and could explain why a giant whale had decided to pop in for a visit. But the deck was mostly empty, the rest of the crew busy.

He let out a long groan, slumping back onto the deck and covering his face with his hands. "Of course. Of course, this happens when no one's around," he muttered before sitting up again.

Slowly, he turned back toward the ocean, his curiosity, and maybe a tinge of nervousness getting the better of him. The whale hadn't moved, still floating there staring into Toshi's soul.

"Okay, fine," Toshi muttered under his breath. "Let's see what your deal is, you weird floating monster." He crept back toward the railing, cautiously peeking over the edge. The whale's blank stare continued, as if it were waiting for something.

Toshi still keeping his eyes locked on the massive whale before him. The whale was enormous, easily half the size of their ship, which was impressive in its own right.

"You're not gonna eat me, right?" Toshi asked, his voice wavering as he tried to sound casual.

The whale didn't respond, of course. It just floated there, staring blankly at him. Then, with an eerie slowness, the blue whale began to move closer to the ship. The water rippled with each subtle shift of its body, and the sheer proximity made Toshi take an instinctive step back. With Its massive head getting closer and closer.

But it wasn't attacking. It wasn't even doing anything particularly threatening. It was just… there.

Taking a deep breath, Toshi stepped forward again, hesitating as he leaned over the railing. The whale was now so close he could feel the cool spray of mist every time it exhaled through its blowhole.

"Okay, this is officially the weirdest thing I've done," Toshi muttered under his breath.

It was within arm's reach now, Toshi squinted at the bandages wrapped around its head. Who puts bandages on a whale? And more importantly, how?

Cautiously, he stretched his hand out toward the massive creature. He closed one eye, half-expecting it to snap its jaws at him or suddenly dive under the water.

His fingers brushed against the whale's skin, and it felt… warm. Warm and smooth, like polished stone, but alive. The whale didn't move, didn't flinch. It just floated there, letting him make contact.

Toshi blinked in surprise, pulling his hand back for a moment before reaching out again, this time with a bit more confidence. "Huh," he said softly. "You're not so bad, are you?"

The whale blinked once, its massive eyelid slowly closing and reopening as if acknowledging him.

"Heh… I actually did it," Toshi muttered, a small grin breaking across his face as he started to rub the whale's slick surface. He could feel the warmth beneath his palm, and for a moment, he felt oddly satisfied.

The whale, however, had other plans.

Without warning, it began to back up slowly, its massive body shifting beneath the water. Toshi tilted his head, curious. "Hey, uh, what are you—"

Before he could finish, the whale flipped onto its back with a thunderous splash, sending a large wave of water surging toward the ship.

"BWAGH!" Toshi yelped as the wall of water slammed into the deck, drenching him completely and knocking him flat onto his back.

Lying there in a soaked heap, he sputtered, "What did I do to you?"

He groaned as he rolled onto his knees, wiping his face with his sleeve in a futile attempt to dry off. Water dripped from his hair and clothes, forming a small puddle beneath him. With a sigh, he pushed himself to his feet, raising his arms as water continued to pour from his sleeves. "Great. Just great."

From above the cliff, a booming laugh echoed through the air.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The man with the flower-petal hair was doubled over, clutching his stomach as tears streamed down his face. He pointed a trembling finger down at Toshi, gasping for air between his laughter.

"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT, OLD GEEZER?!" Toshi screamed, pointing a shaking, accusatory finger up at the man on the cliff. Veins bulged on his forehead and his neck as he practically scream.

The man's laughter then stopped. He let a single tear roll down his cheek before his face turned completely stoic. Slowly lowering his hand, he then adjusted his glasses. "I'm only forty-nine years old," he stated bluntly, "and I am not an old geezer. My name is Crocus… and what you just said hurt my feelings."

He paused for a long time, before casually lifting the newspaper back up to his face.

Toshi froze mid-rant, his finger still pointing, now more out of confusion than anything else. He blinked. "Huh?"

The gears in his head clunked to a stop, his expression twitching as he tried to form a response. "Well—"

WHOOSH!

Another wave of water crashed into the ship, drenching him yet again and sending him sprawling face-first onto the deck.

*SLAM!*

Toshi groaned, his voice muffled against the wood. Slowly, he pushed himself up, shaking like a wet cat. His fists pounded against the deck in frustration. "THIS SHIT'S PISSING ME OFF!" he shouted, slamming his hand down one more time.

Crocus peeked over the newspaper, deadpan. "You're really not great at making friends, are you, kid?" Crocus sighed, folding his newspaper neatly and setting it aside on a small table next to him.

 He leaned back into his beach chair, perched precariously on the cliff overlooking the dock below. He stared down at the massive whale. His stoic expression softening slightly.

"You're probably wondering why Laboon has that bandage on his head," Crocus began, his voice low but carrying easily over the sound of waves.

Toshi, still seated on the drenched deck with water dripping off his chin, glanced up. "Laboon? That his name?" he asked, brushing some hair out of his face.

Crocus nodded. "Yeah. Big fella's been hanging around here for decades. Loyal, stubborn… and heartbroken."

Toshi frowned. "Heartbroken? What do you mean?"

Crocus turned his gaze to the massive whale, who was now playfully splashing water with its tail in the distance. "Laboon came here over fifty years ago with a group of pirates—his friends. He was just a baby then, following them from his home in the West Blue. They promised him they'd return after they crossed the Grand Line. Told him to wait here at the entrance for them."

Toshi leaned forward slightly. "So, what happened to them?"

Crocus's expression darkened. "They never came back." He sighed, running a hand over his bald head. "A few days ago, I told Laboon the truth...his friends aren't coming back. They left the Grand Line years ago. Whether they forgot him or decided they couldn't return, I don't know. But I couldn't keep lying to him."

Toshi's mouth opened, then shut again as he looked back toward Laboon. The whale's massive head rose above the water for a moment, the bandages around his forehead standing out starkly against his blue skin.

"He didn't take it well," Crocus continued. "Laboon started slamming his head into the Red Line, trying to break through. Thought he could get back to them if he just… broke the wall down. He's stubborn like that."

Toshi winced, glancing up at the towering red cliff. "That explains the bandages... but damn, that's rough."

Crocus nodded. "He's calmed down now, but he's still hurting. Keeps pretending like nothing's wrong, playing around like he always does, but…" He trailed off, his gaze distant. "You don't spend fifty years waiting for someone and walk away fine when they're gone."

Toshi was quiet for a long moment, watching as Laboon dove into the water, his tail splashing high into the air before disappearing beneath the surface.

"So, what now?" Toshi asked finally.

Crocus shrugged. "Now? I keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't do anything reckless. And maybe…" He hesitated, his voice softening. "Maybe he'll someday stop."

Toshi paused for a moment, his hair falling over his eyes. "Stop, huh?" he said softly before slowly rising to his feet. "Someone stubborn like that won't stop," he added simply, his tone more reflective than dismissive.

Crocus adjusted himself in the beach chair perched on the cliff above, glancing down at Toshi. "What're you scheming now, kid?" he asked, his tone more skeptical.

Toshi didn't answer right away. He turned to the railing, peeling off his soaked shirt and tossing it to the side. His shoulders squared, and a grin started to form on his face. "If Laboon's not gonna stop on his own," he said, climbing onto the ship's railing, "then I'll just have to beat some sense into him myself."

Crocus sat up abruptly, his eyebrows raising. "What are you—wait! Don't be stupid, you idiot!" he called out, but it was too late. Toshi dove headfirst into the water.

TO BE CONTINUED.

_________________________________

________________________________________________________

Want to read ahead? Check out my P@TREON.

( Patre0n.com/FictionGoat )