Sing With Us (One Piece OC)

Chapter 21 - As the Years Go By

About 1 YEAR after the Rumbar Crew left the Twin Capes... Gwen's Age: Biologically 11, Chronologically 17

Gwen: "Guu-weh-nn... G-wen.... Gwen. You try."

Laboon just cooed, smiling.

Gwen: "Heh, come on, goofball. I know you can do it... Try 'Laboon'... Laaa-booon..."

Crocus: "What are you two doing?"

Gwen: "I'm teaching Laboon to talk."

Crocus: "...... Come again?"

Gwen: "I'm teaching... Laboon... to talk."

Crocus: "I heard what you said, just... Gwen, Laboon can't talk."

Gwen: "Not with that attitude. He's just a baby. I couldn't talk very well when I was his age."

Crocus: "Well, neither could I but- No, I mean... he's a whale. Whales can't talk."

Gwen: "I know, but... he's different."

Crocus: "We'll you're right about that."

Gwen: "So surely, with enough practice, he could do it. And we still have about two more years until our crew comes back."

Crocus: "Gwen-"

Gwen: "I bet by then, I could at least teach him to say everyone's name!"

Crocus: "Listen, kiddo-"

Gwen: "Laboon, can you say 'Brook'? B-b-b, like you're blowing a bubble, B-b-b-b-Brook."

Crocus sat next to me.

Crocus: "Gwen, what do you know about Laboon's species?"

Gwen: "His what?"

Crocus: "Laboon is an Island Whale. They're a rare species, native only to the West Blue. Island Whales are very social by nature, and they travel in pods. S'why he was so attached to your crew."

Gwen: "Captain said... Laboon got lost from his mother... So he started following them. Then he found me."

Crocus: "Then you became part of his pod too."

I stroked Laboon's head as he smiled.

Gwen: "Is that right, buddy? Haha, yeah, we're a family~"

I laughed as he squeaked happily and nuzzled me.

Crocus: "So why were you trying to teach him to talk, anyway? You two understand each other surprisingly well."

Gwen: "I wanted others to be able to understand him too. And I thought... because he's still young and smarter than the average whale... I thought I could teach him...... It sounds stupid now..."

Crocus: "Thing is, Gwen... every living thing has its own way of communicating. The way Laboon talks is just different to the way we do."

Gwen: "Huh... I didn't think about it that way."

Crocus: "Haha, either way, I think it's pretty damn special you understand each other so well."

Gwen: "Perks of having a bond like we do, ey, brother?"

He chirped in agreement.

Gwen: "Hehe, hey! You wanna play 'Launch and Dive'!"

He smiled and nodded as I leapt onto his back and he swam away from the mountain.