Crocus told them Laboon's story. By the time he finished, they were all moved. None of them had imagined a whale could have emotions as complex as a human's.
"Looks like this world still holds plenty of mysteries. A whale waited forty-seven years for his companions," Ham said.
"Amazing. I'm starting to like the big guy. I once met the smartest Island Whale I'd ever seen, but his companions from forty-seven years ago must have already..." Jelly shook his head.
"Yeah. There's no hope left." Crocus took out a newspaper and reclined in his beach chair.
"Not necessarily. Anything's possible in this world. Maybe one day his companions will show up," Rogge said with a smile.
Cook shook his head. "That was forty-seven years ago. Those people were in their thirties or forties back then. If they're alive, they're in their eighties or nineties now. How could they still be sailing? Besides, Mr. Crocus said he heard what happened to them. The entire crew was wiped out on the Grand Line."
"Are you a monster? This is such a touching story, and you have to put it so cruelly!" Jelly roared, glaring at Ham.
"The world really is full of wonders," Ares said in admiration.
"Oh, I see it now. You've got guts, going after the Heavenly Tribute." Crocus had been reading the paper for a while when he suddenly looked up in surprise.
"Isn't that paper days old?" Cook asked.
"Sometimes I spend time inside Laboon and miss the news. So I asked the News Coo to deliver the papers on schedule. The money's in that box. They leave the paper and take their payment." Crocus pointed to a corner, where a mailbox stood beside a box containing a few Beli coins.
"We've got a pet on our ship too. If only he could care about us the way Laboon does," Rogge said with a sigh.
"This is all your fault, you bastard!" Jelly shouted, glaring at Rogge.
Taking care of Billy was no easy task. That dog was unbelievably stupid.
"If we run into his companions on our travels, we'll tell them Laboon's still waiting," Rogge said with a smile.
"If only you could. I went to sea myself back then, but I never found them," Crocus said.
"Oh, you've been to sea too, Mr. Crocus?" Ham asked in surprise.
"What, you don't recognize who this old man is?" Rogge said with a soft laugh.
"What? Does Mr. Crocus have some other identity?" Jelly and the others looked at Rogge in surprise.
Rogge fixed his eyes on Crocus, and Crocus met his gaze.
Rogge smiled. "If I'm not mistaken, Mr. Crocus was the ship's doctor aboard Pirate King Roger's ship."
"What?!" Cook and the other three cried out.
"How do you know that, kid?" Crocus asked, staring at Rogge.
"I do know a few things, but I can't tell you how," Rogge said with a smile.
Crocus studied him, then lay back in his beach chair. "That's right. I was on that ship. But don't be so sure of yourself, kid. If they could be found, I'd have found them back then. We even reached Laugh Tale, but finding people at sea is too hard."
"Laugh Tale, where the legendary One Piece is... Crocus, does the One Piece really exist—" Jelly asked excitedly.
"Jelly, enough!" Rogge shouted, cutting him off.
Ham came over and put a hand on Jelly's shoulder. "Does it matter whether the One Piece exists? That's not our captain's dream."
Jelly came to his senses and stared at Rogge. He took a deep breath. "Why did you have to yell so loud?!"
"Old man, recommend us a route. I want to go to Sky Island, so you should know a good one. You went up there yourselves back then, didn't you?" Rogge asked.
"Sky Island? We visited quite a few. Which one do you want to go to?" Crocus asked evenly. He didn't dare look at Rogge now. The man seemed to know a great deal about them, and Crocus suspected one of his old crewmates had something to do with it.
"The one with the bell," Rogge said.
"You even know about that?" Crocus stared at him, eyes wide.
"I know a little." Rogge shrugged.
"Fine. Take this route. It'll bring you to the Kingdom of Alabasta. Keep following it from Alabasta, and you should find Sky Island. Once you leave Sky Island, though, you'll probably have to change routes again." Crocus pointed toward a spot on the coast.
A Log Pose could record a route here at the Red Line, giving them a choice. The Roger Pirates had searched the entire world for Poneglyphs. How could they not have visited Alabasta? Luffy and his crew had changed routes at Garden to reach Alabasta, then followed that route to Jaya Island before ascending to Sky Island.
The old man hadn't misled them. He hadn't sent them to Whiskey Peak.
If they went through Whiskey Peak, they would probably have to find Crocodile's subordinates and get an Eternal Pose to Alabasta from them.
If Rogge took that route, he might choose to stop at Garden and see the giants.
But an adventure ought to be his own. Luffy and his crew had theirs, and Rogge saw no reason to follow someone else's route.
"Cook, is the ship all right?" Rogge asked.
"It's fine. I just need to patch up the railing," Cook said.
"We can leave once the Log Pose finishes recording," Ham said, holding it up.
"I'm going to make a feast. We're setting out to conquer the Grand Line, so we've got to celebrate!" Jelly said with a grin.
Ares said, "I... I'll keep watch..."
Rogge went fishing, Ares went to feed the dog, and everyone else had something to do. Crocus looked around, then sat beside Rogge with a fishing rod and joined him.
"Not long ago, I met another pirate who stood out. You're a little like him, though your ambitions are bigger," Crocus said.
"Oh? Is there another strong pirate crew out there?" Rogge tilted his head. He couldn't think of anyone besides them who might become a breakout rookie that year.
"A Logia Devil Fruit user from the East Blue. His name is Portgas D. Ace," Crocus said.
"Fire Fist Ace," Rogge murmured.
"So you know him. You might end up rivals, though your routes won't cross unless you reach Sabaody at the same time," Crocus said.
"You didn't plan that, did you?" Rogge asked, staring at Crocus.
Before you continue