Soon an old, muscular man who had the appearance based on the flower Crocus with petals on his head climbed up to the ship. I recognized him as doctor Crocus, a former member of Gol D. Roger's crew.
"Uh… It's a flower… No! It's a person! Who are you?"
Zoro said, his voice uncertain due to the man's queer appearance.
Crocus gave us a blank stare and opened his mouth slightly, as if to say something.
Everyone closed in their ears towards Crocus, curious about his identity and why he jumped on to our ship.
…
....
...….
...….
......….
"Will you say something…!!!" Everyone in the ship yelled at Crocus
…
Just when people were about to lose it again from Crocus's silence, he said, "It's common courtesy to introduce yourself before asking others questions, you know?"
"Oh, sorry about that…" Zoro replied. He was momentary dumbfounded by Crocus's words.
"Like how I introduce myself… My name's Crocus, the lighthouse keeper of twin capes. I'm 71 years old, a Gemini and type AB blood. Also, my favorite food is...."
Zoro's veins bulged out of his forehead, and he glared at Crocus. He placed a hand on his swords and asked me, "You don't mind if I kill him, Cross?
"Calm down Zoro…" I held him back with a tight-lipped smile on my face. I didn't think it was a good idea to fight a retired chef from Gol D. Roger's crew, just because he was annoying.
"I am here because I felt a threatening power inspect Laboon… Anyway, it looks like you aren't here to hunt Laboon like these two people over here… I won't let people like them lay even a single finger on Laboon!" Crocus continued.
Everyone blinked their eyes when they heard that the duo I'd 'saved' were here to hunt someone called Laboon. On the other hand, I was surprised from the fact that Crocus had been able to detect my observation Haki.
At that moment, Sanji returned from the kitchen and asked, "Who's Laboon"
Swisssh… In the next moment, Laboon's head popped out of the sea. The giant whale's massive body sent many waves, one after another, to our ship.
"Whaa… What's that?" Nami yelled.
"W-We are doomed…!" Usopp started running in circles around the ship.
Crocus's expression remained the same and he raised his voice to say... "Calm down, you all…. This is Laboon. I have taken care of him since that day...…."
Crocus told us the story about Laboon and how he'd been waiting for his friends forever. Most of us, including Crocus, felt that Laboon's wait was in vain…
In time, Laboon started smashing his head against wall when…
With a sigh, I flew up in the sky and fine-tuned the electromagnetic waves in the air to make my sound loud and amplified.
"Hey listen Laboon…! Your friend's still out there, so don't fret and wait a little longer! Here's a song for you…
yo-hohoho yo-hohoho~
yo-hohoho yo-hohoho~
yo-hohoho yo-hohoho~
yo-hohoho yo-hohoho~
Going to deliver Binks' Sake!~
Following the sea breeze! Riding on the waves!~
Far across the salty depths! The merry evening sun!~
The birds sing as they draw circles in the sky!~
Farewell to the harbour, To my old hometown~...…"
Crocus's eyes widened from hearing the song, and he said, "That's the Sake Blink form the old age… How does he know it's Laboon's favorite song?!"
"Wow, with Cross in my crew… I think we'll have a musician." Lucy murmured, her eyes sparkling.
"Let's all sing it with a Don! A song of the waves~
Doesn't matter who you are, Someday you'll just be bones~
Never-ending, Ever-wandering, Our funny traveling tale!~
yo-hohoho yo-hohoho~
yo-hohoho yo-hohoho~
yo-hohoho yo-hohoho~
yo-hohoho yo-hohoho…..~"
BUOOOOH…! The huge Laboon danced around and rejoiced at my song. Everyone applauded my efforts, and I bowed back to them.
"I also have something to say to Laboon…" Lucy launched herself at Laboon using her Gum-Gum fruit powers.
Everyone watched with pale faces as Lucy fought the giant whale. She issued her challenge to Laboon that they'd fight once again after she returned from the Grand Line. Laboon accepted the challenge with happiness, and Lucy started painting her Jolly Roger in the whale's face as a proof of the challenge.
"Hmph… I also want to paint this as proof that I'd be back one day to meet you!" I said.
A part of me felt irritated for some reason and went ahead to draw my own Jolly Roger before Lucy could finish hers. We glared at each other and hurriedly drew the entire structure…
In the end, Laboon's face was painted with an ugly Jolly Roger, which had a Straw-Hat and a lightning-shaped cross on it.
**
Shortly, we all started preparing to set sail.
I was next to Nami. We were about to start discussing our navigation when...
Wahh…! A small scream escaped Nami's mouth. She inspected her compass with a pale face.
"My compass is broken…!" Nami said, pointing at the needles going haywire.
"It's not the compass but the magnetic fields… Here in the Grand Line, the navigation is a little unusual as in…"
I went on to explain to her everything I knew about the basics of Grand Line navigation including: the use of Log Pose, the erratic changes in weather, and that all routes converge at the legendary final island, Raftel.
Nami's head tilted downwards, and she had a bitter smile. "Ah, I see. I'm such a clutz. I am the navigator and I don't know all this…"
Smiling gently, I placed my hands on both her cheeks and tilted her head upwards to look me in the eye.
"Hey, applying this knowledge and knowing it are very different things. I don't even want to imagine how it'd be if we went on this trip without your skills. Cheer up, I've gift for you!"
I went up to her and held her hands up. Next, I put on a Log Pose, which I'd stolen from Vivi and her partner, to Nami's arm. I had modified it into a bracelet with pinwheel and tangerines design with my Thunder Metallurgy.
Nami admired the Log Pose with a dimpled grin. She said, "I'm going to become the best navigator, Cross. You'll be very proud of me."
I nodded at her determination, and we went to get food at Sanji's invitation soon after.
**
Sometime after our meal, I was in the Going Merry's storeroom, making an inventory of my items.
'Damn that Lucy… Why did she steal my food… even though Sanji is willing to make her more,' I pinched my lips.
After I received my Logia body-type, I'd almost never compromised when it came to my daily calories. All kinds of revenge plans ran through my mind, and I grinned evilly.
Thuk… Thuk… Footsteps approached towards the storeroom. My mood took a 180 once again, and I frowned.
"What're you doing here, Lucy" I asked.
Lucy walked close to me and smiled brightly. She said, "Shishishishi… I'm here to tell you something, Cross. I want you and all of your crew to join me!"
"Well, I won't. You're stupid and your each action risks lives... Since a ship can't have two captains, we'll find us a new ship at Whiskey Peak... I don't need my crew in your hands."
I curled my lip and closed in on Lucy too.
How dare she suggest something so absurd as working under someone. I had to become the King of the Pirates, in accordance with the mission Isekai services had given me.
"If you don't risk your life, you can't create a future, right? I'm going to fight you for Captain… and then go on to become the King of the Pirates." Lucy said, unmoved from my words.
'Did someone tell her that she can resist my lightning… Well, not enough,' A strange, invisible force started surrounding my body.
Ever since I analyzed Mihawk's use of Haki and my fight with Smoker, I'd slowly cracked the theory on using Armament Haki. I was now able to create, in essence, an invisible armor around myself. Though my Armament Haki was draining and weak currently, it was enough to send some pressure upon Lucy.
"Once again, you should say Queen. But you can never win my crew with your meager strength, or conquer the sea!"
Lucy gritted her teeth and ran toward me. She jumped on me and… Thud… we landed in the same position we first met in. She was lying on top of me; our crotches rubbing against each other, and her breasts close to my face.
"I know I'm not strong enough to protect you now, Cross. How about you become Captain temporarily, but you'd let me take over one day when I become stronger than you… Deal?" Lucy said, her voice firm with resolve.
I couldn't take it anymore, and I said, "It's a deal!"
Kyaah… Before Lucy could rejoice, I got up, only to push her down instead.
I climbed on top of her; her face was red, and she breathed heavily.
"Huff… Huff… What is it, Cross?"
I leaned in and delivered a kiss onto Lucy, not once but again and again. My hands uncontrollably started to caress her body: her smooth thighs, narrow waist, and toned stomach, and firm butt.
Her skin was soft, elastic, compelling me to caress it forever. It was impossible for me to stop anymore.
'Ha~… Hau~… Ah~"
Soon I had my tongue go inside Lucy's mouth and lick hers. At first, she was surprised and pulled back. However, after some initial resistance, her tongue wrapped around mine, and we greedily licked and sucked on each other's tongues.
Saliva poured from my mouth and into hers, and Lucy began to gulp it down slowly. Her face was flushed red with an intoxicated expression on it.
"Lucy, you're liking this, aren't you?"
"Ha~ I-I have never felt this before. M-My body feels hot… but it feels good..."
I went back in for a kiss, making Lucy's whole-body shiver for a moment. I noticed moisture build around her genital area… Did she just cum from kissing?
Next, I grabbed on to her red tank and pulled it, nearly ripping it off. I could see her exposed perky tits, and I couldn't hold back at all. I squeezed both her tits, nicely and tightly.
Aaah~ Lucy moaned loudly.
I kept thoroughly enjoying the softness and the elasticity of those mounds, occasionally pinching those pale, pink nipples.
"Fua…"
Every time I teased her nipples, Lucy would give a cute whimper and put more efforts into entangling our tongues. I couldn't help but think she looked like a cute puppy right now…
Her nipples had already become hard and erect. I started to squeeze and rub her nipples more intensely, when one of my hand moved towards her jean shorts. I pulled it down along with her pink, polka dot panties. I moved my hands to caress her smooth, soft butt and couldn't help but have my hand linger there a little longer. I massaged and rubbed her butt and thighs thoroughly before moving on somewhere else…
"Ah… Aah… No, Cross… Not there!"
I immediately felt a slippery and wet sensation as my fingers slipped inside Lucy's slit. I rubbed her insides vigorously and played with her clitoris, while both our tongues became even more frantic. I was about to continue when…
Aaah…! Lucy's entire body jolted, and thick liquids rushed out from inside her. She clinged to me and started to pant heavily, her face beet root.
'I guess she was already too excited… not too surprising,' I thought as I furthered caressed Lucy's body.
Suddenly, I remembered that she'd stolen my food. I curled my lips as I imagine what I should do to her for punishment; however, a voice echoed from above that delayed my plans.
"Alvida-chwan ♥ , Noelle-chan ♥ , Nami-swan ♥ , Lucy-chan ♥ , and others… Snacks are ready!"
Growl… Both of us tidied our clothes and rushed upstairs before the snacks got over.