After settling things with Laboon, Ryuuto returned to the shore.
"Nami, let me introduce you," Ryuuto said with a smile. "This is our ship's doctor, Crocus!"
"You damn kid, I haven't agreed to anything yet!" Crocus retorted loudly.
"Old man, you can't go back on your word! You already promised!" Ryuuto said, staring Crocus down.
"That's right, old man! You have to do what you say!" Nami chimed in, backing Ryuuto up.
"Alright, alright, I can't win with you two," Crocus said with a sigh. "To think a man who was just a village doctor for a few years is now going to become a pirate!" He ran a hand through his afro in exasperation.
"Though, it has been a long time since I've gotten any real action. I wonder if these old bones can still handle it?" Crocus added in a low voice, adjusting his glasses.
He had originally planned to live out a quiet retirement here, but then he met Laboon. His daily routine gained a new task: treating the massive whale. But now, thanks to the kid's treatment, Laboon was already getting better. More importantly, Ryuuto's words had reignited Laboon's will to live. He wasn't needed here anymore. Maybe getting out and seeing the world again wouldn't be so bad after all, Crocus mused, analyzing the situation in his head.
"Captain, are you sure about this old guy?" Nami whispered to Ryuuto, leaning in close.
"Hahahahaha, Nami, don't you underestimate Crocus," Ryuuto boomed with laughter. "Crocus, former doctor of the Roger Pirates, welcome to the Tenglong Pirates!"
He finished with a grin, extending his right hand to Crocus.
"So, that's how it is. You knew all along, didn't you, kid?" Crocus said with an awkward smile.
"Hello, Captain." Crocus then reached out and firmly shook Ryuuto's hand.
"Crocus, do you have anything to bring along? We should get going to our next destination," Ryuuto said, his mood soaring.
"Just my old partner," Crocus replied.
He walked back toward the lighthouse and re-emerged a moment later with a vintage medical case strapped to his back.
"Let's go!"
Crocus, still in his sandals, took a powerful leap and landed on the deck of the Tenglong before anyone else.
"Nami, let's go too!"
With that, Ryuuto leaped back onto the Tenglong, bringing Nami with him.
"Momoo, are you ready?"
"Moo!"
Momoo nodded vigorously, as if to say, 'Leave it all to me!'
"Captain, is this creature one of our crew members too?" Crocus asked, pointing at Momoo.
"He is! This is Momoo. It's time to go. Let's say one last goodbye to Laboon!"
"Laboon! Goodbye! We'll be back!" Ryuuto shouted, waving from the dragon-headed prow of the ship.
Crocus also waved, saying a silent farewell in his heart.
"Whaooo!"
Hearing their calls, Laboon cried out in response.
Sunlight cascaded down onto Laboon, the golden rays shattering against the sea's surface and glinting across his massive body... just like in the memories of a time long past, when he had joyfully followed Brook's ship.
"Moo!"
With a cheerful cry, Momoo broke through the waves, pulling the Tenglong forward at a remarkable speed.
As the navigator, Nami stood at the bow, watching the Log Pose and calling out directions to Momoo to keep them on course.
They were on their way to Alabasta.
"Captain, you're surprisingly well-prepared. You don't seem like rookie pirates at all," Crocus remarked. He had immediately claimed Ryuuto's large deck chair upon boarding and was now flipping through a newspaper, the cover of which featured Ryuuto's large bounty poster.
"Where's your Log Pose pointing?" Crocus asked.
"Alabasta. I promised someone I'd go there and help them with something," Ryuuto replied, gazing at the distant sky.
"Alabasta? It's been a long time... That's a good place." Crocus's thoughts also drifted back to the distant past.
"Caw, caw!"
A black dot in the distance grew larger, and Ryuuto could finally make it out: a News Coo.
"Caw!" Having finally spotted a ship on the vast ocean, the News Coo flapped its wings and hurried over. It saw the tall mast and dove down, landing gracefully.
"Caw, caw!" After steadying itself, the bird calmly preened its feathers, then started cawing and gesturing at Ryuuto with its wings.
"You want money before you'll give me the paper?" Ryuuto asked, struggling to interpret the bird's gestures.
"Jeez, the News Coos on the Grand Line are a whole different breed," Ryuuto remarked.
"Nami, do you have a coin on you? If so, give one to this bird," Ryuuto said, resigned.
"Huh? This bird charges for newspaper delivery?" Nami asked, looking at the News Coo with surprise.
The bird, completely unafraid, puffed out its chest and held its head high when it saw Nami looking.
With a sigh, Nami fished a warm coin from her pocket and tossed it to the News Coo.
"Caw!"
The bird's reflexes were sharp; it snatched the coin out of the air with its beak and quickly deposited it into its newspaper bag. It then pulled out a newspaper and tossed it to Ryuuto.
"Caw, caw!"
Its business concluded, the News Coo gave a satisfied cry, flapped its wings, and flew away.
"I don't remember the News Coos in the East Blue being like this," Crocus muttered from his deck chair.
Meanwhile, Ryuuto caught the paper and began to read.
"Wapol Establishes the Sakura Kingdom!"
"Drought in Alabasta Worsens! Crocodile-Backed Rebel Army in Standoff with Royal Army at Capital!!"
"Ryuuto Causes Upheaval in Loguetown, Bounty Raised to 70,000,000 Berries!!"
...
The paper was filled with news of recent events. Those three headlines, in particular, caught Ryuuto's attention.
On Drum Island, Wapol had finally established the Sakura Kingdom. That meant Eve should be able to live a peaceful life now.
In Alabasta, Crocodile was systematically fanning the flames of hatred against the kingdom.
And as for himself, all he'd done was save Luffy in Loguetown, and his bounty had already shot up to seventy million Berries. No wonder Dragon had chosen not to intervene directly. Exposing himself so early would be a huge detriment to his operations.
After absorbing the information, Ryuuto casually tossed the newspaper to Crocus.
He then headed to the galley to start making a meal for Nami and Crocus. Before he was transported to this world, he'd enjoyed cooking as a hobby. He hadn't given it up after arriving in the world of One Piece, and he often made delicious meals for Nami. Now that Crocus had joined, he'd be cooking for two other people.
Crocus, for his part, seemed to have adopted a policy of passive observation.