Summary:
After hearing the story of Laboon the whale, Luffy comes up with a clever solution to his problems. From Laboon’s caretaker Crocus, the crew learns more about the Grand Line and how to navigate it using Log Pose, since compasses are useless there. The crew eventually decides to travel to Whiskey Peak.
Crocus begins to tell the story of Laboon to the straw pirates. He explains that Laboon has been waiting for a group of pirates for over fifty years. Fifty years ago, Laboon arrived with a group of pirates known as the Rumbar Pirates. The pirates did not want to bring the young whale on a dangerous journey and wanted to leave her in West Blue, where she originally lived, but she followed the pirates on their journey. To Laboon, the pirates were like his own family. The Rumbar Pirates stayed at Reverse Mountain for a few months to repair their ship, during which Crocus befriended them. Once they were ready to set out on their journey, they asked Crocus to take care of Laboon and left him in Crocus’ care, saying that he would return after three years. The captain of the ship asked Laboon to wait for them and promised him that no matter what happened on their journey, they would come for him and he was still their friend.
The scene cuts back to the Straw Hat Pirates. They finally understood why Laboon was yelling and banging his head against the wall. Crocus reveals that he is a doctor and treated Laboon’s wound from the inside. Luffy immediately asks him to be his crew’s doctor, which Crocus refuses, citing that he is not as young as he used to be. Krokus finally lets them out of Laboon through a tunnel, and the Straw Hat Pirates briefly discuss the possibility of the death of the Rumbar Pirates. Usopp dismisses the possibility of their deaths, believing that they are indeed alive and will return for Laboon. However, Crocus says that the pirates may have escaped the Grand Line and won’t be coming back for Laboon. The Straw Hat Pirates further discuss the pirates running away and not fulfilling their promise to return for Laboon, asking Crocus why he didn’t tell Laboon about the pirate’s betrayal since he is perfectly capable of understanding human speech. Crocus tells them that he did try, but the whale refused to listen to him. Sanji tells him that since Crocus himself was betrayed, Laboon shouldn’t be his problem anymore, but Crocus tells him that he won’t let the whale die because he has developed a certain relationship with it.
Suddenly, Luffy breaks the mast of the Going Merry and hits the whale with it. Laboon retaliates and starts fighting Luffy. Luffy stops the whale and declares it a tie between them. Luffy marks Laboon as his rival and promises to have a rematch with him when he completes his journey. He then asks Laboon to wait for him and not heal as they will be fighting soon. Luffy then paints a Jolly Roger on Laboon’s face.
Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 escape the Straw Pirates’ ship, but drop their Log Pose, which Luffy picks up. They decide to go back to their boss because their mission has timed out. Suddenly, Mr. 13 and Miss Friday, the Wretches, fly over them and drop a bomb on them.
Nami discovers that the usual compass and common sense on the Grand Line do not work due to the magnetic fields of the various minerals found on the Grand Line. Crocus says that they need to have Log Pose to progress in their adventure. Luffy reveals that he found Log Pose on the ship. Krokus then tells them that the Log Pose will re-adjust to the magnetic field of the various islands and point them in the right direction, which when followed eventually leads to the Story of Laughter. Usopp asks if One Piece is there, to which Crocus replies that only one man and his crew ever got there, the pirate king Gol D. Roger, and mentions that One Piece is a myth and no one really knows if it exists or No. . Luffy reveals that they’ll know for sure when they get there, so it doesn’t really matter. As they converse, Luffy eats all the food and Sanji kicks him for not saving any for the others. Log Pose suddenly breaks and Nami kicks them both. Crocus says he would give his Log Pose to save Laboon. Later, Laboon pulls Sanji, Luffy, Mr.9 and Miss Wednesday out of the sea. Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday request to go on a trip with the Straw Hat Crew to Whiskey Peak, their homeland. Crocus tells the crew to leave them alone for trying to hurt Laboon, but Luffy agrees to take them to their hometown. The crew then continue on to Whiskey Peak and the episode ends with Crocus saying goodbye to the Straw Hat Crew and remembering Gol D. Roger.