Week 5 | Wednesday

[concasse]

[But what if your pet is the one who grabs your precious item first and is playing keep away because she thinks it's a game?

That's how Natsuo is going to find Sanji -- literally chasing after a baby tiger who has got a pink apron of all things in her mouth, gleefully zooming about the foyer while the chef yells after]

O-oi, Nami-chan! Don't chew that! It's my favorite one!

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[concasse]

Brook's not here -- but wait! A little more's gonna play out.

[And Sanji is right. It seems the boy with the straw hat is not having this explanation anymore than Natsuo, face grim as he steps over to the whale.

And uh... punches him in the face.

Classy.

The whale, at least, gives as good as he got, bellowing in pain before he straight-up slams the boy into the mountain. You'd think a person would be killed after that, but no, Luffy just peels himself off, barely scratched up, winds up for a punch--

And suddenly stops. Battle's over, he declares! It was a tie. So that means Laboon can't go dying on the Straw Hats until they get their rematch. They'll be traveling soon, but Luffy's gonna be the Pirate King. He won't fail to come back; all Laboon has to do is wait a few more years.

To seal the deal in "ink", Luffy gathers up a paintbrush and paint, marking Laboon with the Straw Hat Jolly Roger on his head. If he keeps hitting that mountain, the mark will rub off, and the Straw Hats will know Laboon didn't keep his promise.

So he has to live.

The scene ends with another bellow from the whale, not in anger, perhaps in understanding. As the Straw Hats finally sail off, they all wave to Laboon as he and the old man see them off.]