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RUMBLE!	By : TreeStar Category: +M to R > One Piece Views: 7990 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 14
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RUMBLE!

15

BUBBLes 2: Sewing Seeds

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Luffy went back over to the casserole dish and splashed off all over again. The water�s effect helped was making his mind relax, and his muscles more fluid, and before too long his shyness was easily pushed out of his mind.

Zoro was watching in amusement a minute later as Luffy began trying to stamp on all the bubbles that now floated in a film on the surface around his knees. Some of them where the size of his head, and these ones got attempted flying ninja kicks.

Water droplets splashed his observer on the sidelines, but that didn�t deter the littlest pirate. In fact, he seemed to find it encouraging and put more effort into his stomping, running back and forth across the dish, laughing loudly.

The water was hinted blue now, and Luffy was paint-free as far as Zoro could make out. Except for maybe his feet.

�Luffy.�

The boy stopped against the side, panting with bubbles in his hair and a huge grin on his face. He turned to Zoro. �Yeah?�

�Are your feet all clean?�

Luffy balanced on one foot and lifted the other out of the water for inspection. He pouted and then began searching around him. �Hey! Where�s my washcloth?�

Zoro looked around for a second� and finally found it half buried under the soap bar somehow.

Luffy reached up when it was handed to him, and sat on the rim to scrub his soles. When he got between his toes, he started laughing and had to stop.

Zoro looked at him incredulously. �You�ve gotta be kidding.�

Luffy shook his head. �I can�t do it, it tickles too much!�

Zoro laughed himself, shrugging, �Well, you gotta do it!�

Luffy looked at the washcloth again. And then at his foot. And then at Zoro pleadingly.

Zoro shook his head. �I can�t do this for you, Buddy. You�re too small.�

Luffy�s shoulders dropped with a groan, but he took a deep breath, held it, and started in again. He got all of two seconds into the job before exploding with laughter.

Zoro rolled his eyes and watched in humor as the boy tortured himself, finally reaching over to catch him when he fell over backwards. His captain was such a loof.

Hence the name, I guess. Zoro thought in passing as he took the washcloth away and dropped Luffy back into the water with instructions to run around again.

Luffy did so, and when he stopped and checked, his feet were clean. He smiled at Zoro, �All done!� and started to run for the side of the bath.

�Hold up!� Zoro stopped the short the Charge of the Naked Gladiator by dipping his hand in the water in indication, and Luffy trudged back, sat down and then laid back to get the soap out of his hair. Zoro�s fingers supported his back and he ruffled Luffy�s hair in the water, and then sat him up when the soap was gone.

He lifted Luffy, whose energy had run out by now, out of the water and laid him on the Wet Bench. �You all clean now?�

Luffy nodded tiredly, and sat himself up again. He felt good. It was good to have the paint off. He didn�t feel funny anymore. The air was normal again.

Luffy put his feet together in front of him and held them in his hands. �Zoro?�

�Yeah?� Zoro spoke over his shoulder from the sink where he was rinsing out the dish and refilling it.

�Do I get to soak?� Luffy slapped his feet together to make that entertaining clapping sound.

Zoro set the empty dish down next to him. �Yep,� he said as he pulled the cover back some from the ofuro. He dipped the dish into it, more than half filling it with the hot water.

The thermostat on the side said 101 degrees. That was comfortable for Zoro, but it was WAY hot for Luffy.

Luffy jumped up as the dish was set behind him, and as Zoro re-covered the ofuro, he started to clamber over the side of his own mini-ofuro!

�Woah woah woah!!!� Zoro�s hand was around Luffy�s almost entire little body and lifting him away in a heart beat. �Hold on a sec!� He set Luffy down a foot from the dish. �It�s scalding hot, remember? Damn��

Luffy�s eyes were big. �Oh yeah!�

Zoro rolled his eyes again and carried the dish over to put a little cold water in it and mix it up. He had considered just refilling it with warmer water at the sink, but the ofuro water had those added minerals and skin crap that Nami and Sanji liked to add. They made it good for the skin and more relaxing, and to be honest, Zoro felt that Luffy could stand to be spoiled a little with all that he�d suffered through lately.

He finished stirring the water with his hand and took it out.

It felt warm; high 80s - low 90s, maybe? He carried the dish back over and set it down beside Luffy. �What do you think?�

Luffy balanced on the lip and dipped his foot into the water. ��It�s still kinda�No, I think it�s okay.� It felt pretty hot, but not TOO hot. He wasn�t sure how he�d react to it, but if he only took a couple minutes maybe�

�You sure?� Luffy�s hesitation had made Zoro hesitant as well. If this was going to be too much for him�

But Luffy nodded and got down onto his hands and knees on the side so he could lower his feet into the hot water. The rest of him followed.

It was much deeper now, coming up over his chin once he was in all the way. Seeing it would be like that, Luffy laid his head against the edge and draped both arms over so he wouldn�t fall under when it�s power over him kicked in.

Which it did, a moment later.

Ooohhhh� The water was sooo nice. It was hot, but it was really relaxing. Luffy felt like he could sleep. But then, he usually did when he was in the water. He usually didn�t have a choice in the matter. But in the ofuro, it was sooo soothing. He really liked it here. �Even though he could tell already that he wouldn�t be able to stay in for as long as he would like.

After reaching for the rest of that washcloth he�d cut a piece from earlier, Zoro watched the Paramecia sag powerlessly over the rim of the dish. That can�t possibly be comfortable, he realized.

After a moment more, he took two fingers and carefully slid them between Luffy and the wall of the dish. Unable to do anything to help, Luffy bonelessly exchanged one surface for a much softer one with a soft moan.

Zoro held his fingers low in the water so that Luffy�s whole body, sans his head and one of his arms which were resting on Zoro�s fingers, could be immersed completely.

Luffy liked being draped over Zoro much more than he did the casserole dish. The water was really warm and completely surrounding him. Zoro�s pulse thudded against his cheek in a familiar, steady rush, and his scent was the only one Luffy could detect. The whole setup was comfortingly hypnotic and peaceful, and Luffy found himself wondering if this was what babies felt like before they were born.

It was quiet in the room.

It was comfy.

It was just them.

After a few minutes, however, Zoro started to worry that Luffy had fallen asleep as he was so apt to do in the water. He bobbed his fingers up and down just barely, and Luffy managed a groan of response to show the world that he was still with it. �Barely.

Dipping his other hand in behind the little pirate, Zoro laid Luffy on his back into his open palm and scooped him out of the water.

�You okay, Luffy?�

�aaauuunnnn� Luffy groaned tiredly.

Zoro almost laughed. Always so dramatic, he joked to himself while snatching a fresh washcloth -the last one- out of the cabinet beneath the sink.

He laid Luffy out in the cloth and folded the bottom half up to wait for the boy to get his energy back.

When it came, Luffy sat up and reached all around to pull the washcloth up around himself in a helter-skelter way that he knew wouldn�t permanent, but he huddled up inside with his head poking out, content all the same; if it slipped he would just fix it! �Are we going now?�

Zoro nodded. �If you�re ready. Want to visit Chopper?�

Luffy considered it for a moment. On the one hand, he really wanted to know what the breathing attack might change. On the other hand, part of him really didn�t want to be shouted at by the medically-paranoid and overly dramatic reindeer. But there was more to it than that.

There was just something about his last couple exams that made Luffy not want to tell Chopper anything that happened to him anymore. He didn�t want to be analyzed again. When Luffy asked Chopper questions and got answers, then it was like only his condition was being reviewed. He liked that. He could learn from that.

But when Chopper asked questions, Luffy felt like HE was the one under the microscope, not the sickness. Chopper wanted so much detail� he didn�t ask for it to help Luffy, because there was nothing he could do no matter how much he knew about ANY attack. He just wanted to write stuff down; document everything that happened to Luffy for his own personal� what? Curiosity, maybe? And Luffy really didn�t like it.

�No. I don�t want him to know.� Luffy finally answered.

�Then how will you find out what you want to know?�

�Oh, I�ll ask him soon enough. But I won�t tell him anything. The others wouldn�t have told him��

Zoro opened his mouth, and closed it again. Luffy obviously realized that Chopper was viewing him like a control specimen. Any doctor would; Luffy was presenting with a once in a lifetime opportunity. But it was still wrong, because Luffy was his nakama and his captain as well as his patient.

�Fair enough.� Zoro didn�t ask for an explanation. If Luffy wanted to change the way he worked things, that was his call to make. �You�re the captain, Sencho.�

Luffy grinned, �Neehee!�

Zoro picked up the washcloth that was serving as a misshapen Luffy-wrapper, stood up, and went out the door. �Let�s see how those evil women are coming with your new clothes. Then you have to lay down for a while.�

�Okay. I need to talk to Nami.�

Luffy needed to talk to Nami and Robin. He wasn�t sure how he would go about getting what he needed yet, but seeing them was the first step. Then he would somehow make his request known, though he didn�t think he would ever be able to outright ask them. That would be wrong, and not something a good captain should ever do, no matter how important it was to the well-being of the crew as a whole.

It had to be voluntary, and something they decided on their own. He knew it might not work, and if that was the case then life would just be harder around here for a while. But even then he was only mildly concerned, because chances were that at least one of the clever girls would pick up on the problem and it�s solution, and that would be enough.

One of them was all he needed.

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The girl�s bedroom hatch was in the floor of the storage room. Five steps out of the bathroom and Zoro was on top of it.

He stooped to lift the hatch a little and called down, �You in here?�

�Yeah,� Nami�s voice came back. �I don�t have anything for Luffy to wear yet, though, if that�s what you came to ask.�

�How�s it coming?�

�We�re working ot it! Go away.�

Zoro lowered the hatch again and addressed his captain. �What do you want to do?�

Luffy hummed in thought for a minute. Then he got it! It was perfect. He wasn�t sure it would work, but it was worth a try� �Can I stay and talk to Nami if I rest, too?�

Zoro was thrown as to what was so important that Luffy would risk the impatient wrath of a busy Nami just to talk about. She wasn�t so bad normally -with Luffy anyway- but when she was interrupted she turned into a demon from the firey chasm. �You want to try taking a nap down there? Am I getting this right?�

Luffy nodded. �I want to show Nami and Robin my bed.�

Zoro was thrown, but turned wordlessly to head for the storage room door. �If you say so.�

He didn�t get it. Luffy wasn�t usually so insistent about things happening immediately unless they involved food. He had to know that Nami might be in a ferocious mood because of him falling in the paint and making her work, yet he had to see her now, even if he had to take his nap right by her.

Zoro headed down to get Luffy�s boshi-bed and bring it up for him to showoff, but he really didn�t get it.

In his hands, Luffy curled further into his hanky and smiled.

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A minute later found them back at the hatch to the girls� room, boshi in attendance. Luffy was still in the hanky for the time being, though. He liked to ride right up against Zoro when they were going someplace.

Zoro opened the hatch without knocking this time, and got the expected �Who is it now?� response as he came down the stairs.

�Luffy wants to watch you make his outfit. You wanna know why, ask him.�

�Nami! Robin!� Luffy jumped up waving as though he hadn�t seen them both already that day while Zoro set the hat down on Nami�s table and pushed a few of Robin�s books around it to keep it from tipping over.

Maybe little things are just more exciting when you�re so much smaller than they were.

Nami looked up when Zoro started to make themselves at home in her room. �Are you sure? It�ll be a- how cute!�

She was looking at Luffy�s hat now, having just noticed it�s new appearance. �I didn�t see this at breakfast! Have you been sleeping in it, Luffy?�

�Yep!� Luffy declared proudly as Zoro set him on the table in his washcloth. �Usopp hid it away at breakfast so that Sanji wouldn�t see it, but isn�t it the most interesting thing you�ve ever seen?�

�I don�t know if I�d go that far�� Nami said hesitantly as Robin laughed.

�I wanna show it to you!� Luffy got up, much to Nami�s chagrin and Robin�s amusement, and wrapped the washcloth around him like a cape before dashing across the table so that billowed up behind him and didn�t hide a bit of his anatomy.

He ran up the books like a set of steps and pounced onto his bed, making that wonderful *POOF* noise. �See? The neatest thing about is that it has part of all of you in it!�

Now all of them attained curious expressions. Zoro had been sitting comfortably against a stack of books that felt good on his back. Now even he looked up curiously.

�What do you mean?� Robin asked.

Luffy smiled scencerely at all of them, like he was about to reveal a big secret. Really, he was just thrilled to be able to share with them how much they meant to him�even though they already knew. He liked to remind them as often as he could. He enjoyed it.

�The blanket is part of Zoro, and the pillows are part of Sanji, and the mattress part of you and Nami because of the padding, and Chopper because of the cotton balls, and usually Usopp�s bear helps how it up in our bedroom but it�s not here now. Isn�t it great?�

�Is that padding from my kit?� Nami asked him.

Luffy shrugged. �Zoro made it for me.�

�Yeah,� Zoro answered, �It�s from your kit.�

Nami glared at him for a moment. Zoro held strong under the gaze. He hoped she wouldn�t launch off at him for going through her things, as he knew she was considering then.

��It�s a nice idea.� She finally said.

�It�s so wonderful, though!� Luffy insisted. �It�s the best present in the world! I love it!�

Zoro blushed, wishing Luffy would tone it down a little.

Robin smiled and continued her sewing. �It really is very nice, Sencho-san. Now we know what became of Cook-san�s suit.�

�He�ll be mad,� Nami�s attention was redrawn back to the hat by Robin�s words.

Now Luffy looked sad. He wrapped himself up in his hanky again. �I know. I really really love this bed! It smells like everyone and it makes me feel good� It�s one of the only things that does right now.�

He was quiet for a moment as the others looked at him. He�d gotten his meaning across.

Robin smiled. �It must be, for you to be able to sleep in it all night.�

�If it didn�t have everyone in it, it wouldn�t be the same� But now Sanji gets mad so easily. He knows it, too. At lunch he said that he was sorry about being so testy, but he can�t really help himself all the time now. Not for a while, anyway. And now his suit�s been messed up. Like he said himself, he won�t mean to, but he�s going to overreact.�

�Are you worried he�ll start a fight?� Robin asked.

�He�d better not!� Nami threatened as she continued sewing oddly familiar looking red fabric together into little sleeves.

Luffy shook his head. �Normally Sanji would throw some kicks and be done with it, but his mood is all messed up now. He might hold a grudge, and that would be worse than just another fight.�

�Won�t that be fun. Well, it�s Zoro�s problem.� Nami turned to give an implying look toward the swordsman.

Luffy didn�t like hearing this at all. �It�s all of our problem! We can�t take infighting right now. We�re nakama! I need to know that he�ll cooperate with everyone if anything happens to the Going Merry Go, instead of going off to do his own thing. Or worse, trying to pick fights with Zoro while Zoro�s trying to fight an enemy. He can�t not be working together with us just because Zoro did something stupid.�

Zoro looked uncaringly at nothing in another direction. He knew when he was being told off. He was also starting to understand why Luffy had insisted on coming down here to talk to the girls about this. Out of everyone on the ship he could have discussed this with, including Zoro, Luffy chose these two. There was no coincidence here. �I can deal with him.� the swordsman insisted.

Luffy met his eyes. �I don�t want you to have to.� He sat down on his bed and pulled the covers up around his middle, throwing his washcloth over there on the table. He turned back to Nami. He had to make her see that she was just as involved as the rest of them. �There needs to be someone who can coordinate battles and be in charge when I can�t, and Zoro has to be that person because he�s the strongest right now.�

Nami appeared skeptical, �You expect me to believe that you guys coordinate your battles? I�ve seen you guys fight together, remember?�

�Of course we do! Geez Nami,� Luffy pouted, surprised she didn�t know it. �We fight as a team.�

Nami raised an eyebrow. �You spend more time arguing over who gets the biggest group of guys to cream.�

�But There�re cues and stuff that we just know,� Zoro confirmed.

Luffy jumped back in with, �If he were mad at anyone else it wouldn�t be so bad, but if Sanji won�t respect Zoro as sub-captain because he�s pissed off at him, we could all be in trouble.�

�How so?� Nami asked as she continued working.

�I can deal with Sanji,� Zoro repeated, before Luffy could say what he was gearing up to say. �But I understand where you�re coming from.�

Robin nodded her understanding as well.

Nami looked at Zoro pointedly, and he explained, �It�s a matter of authority as well as smooth sailing. A crew needs someone that can step up at any time and take charge while still protecting them. Everyone needs to see this one person as the rendezvous leader; the one they can look to.�

�Luffy�s our leader,� Nami insisted. �The marines and most everyone else who knows of us knows this.�

�Yes, but he can�t lead an attack front, and enemies respect fighting strength in a leader. We�re approaching a new island and might not be willing to let us dock without a fight, so we have to be ready for that, and we have to keep up appearances. If there are marines, they can�t know that anything�s wrong. If we�re disorganized in any way when we haven�t been before, they�ll spot it. Also, there has to be one person who makes the critical calls, like if someone were to be taken hostage or whatever. If we need to put together a counter attack, then Luffy won�t be there, and if Sanji won�t follow me when I order, that could get bad.�

Luffy nodded in agreement. He had laid down in his bed now, and was snuggled under the covers.

Robin was interested in what their future may bring at the rate it was going. �What are you going to do if you end up being right about Cook-san?�

Luffy shook his head. �I don�t think there�s anything I can do. Sometimes I think he�s more scattered than I am right now. It wouldn�t be such a big deal if it had been done by anyone else, but it was Zoro. He�s been trying to pick fights with Zoro for days, and if he gets any more justification on his side, it could get out of hand. Quitting smoking has been hard on him, but it�ll be harder if he gets all mad and stuff. Then he�ll be miserable, and we won�t have any food to eat!�

It was quiet for a minute as Nami took the piece that Robin had sewed and started fixing it to her own piece. Then she decided to bring it to a point. �So, what we�re basically agreeing on is that because Zoro screwed up, we might all be in trouble even if Sanji-kun isn�t mad at us?�

�It wouldn�t have been such a big deal if he hadn�t quit smoking yesterday,� Zoro grumbled. �How was I supposed to know?�

Robin didn�t say anything. When Luffy looked at her, she appeared to be considering something.

He smiled. I knew it would be her.

Zoro was still sulking when--

�Ooo!� Luffy exclaimed out of nowhere. His eyes had fallen on something that had completely distracted him from the conversation. �It�s red!�

Zoro was confused for a moment before he saw what had captured his attention.

Nami smiled. �Yep, it�s red. It should be warmer than your hanky was, too. It has sleeves.�

�Alright!� Luffy threw his arms up over his head. �Then he lowered them with a yawn and snuggled deeper into his warm bed. He was so tired. Warm clothes! That will be so so so nice!

These were his last thoughts before he drifted off the sleep right there.

Nami looked over at Zoro. �Did anything happen to him? Or is he just being normal?�

Zoro settled back against the books again, prepared to nap himself. �He�s just like that. A little more than normal lately. He�s been tired more. I don�t think his body can keep up the energy it usually does with it all Rumbled up. He�ll be fine when he wakes up, but we shouldn�t wake him before he wakes up by himself.�

�What if he sleeps through dinner? Then he�ll be awake all night whining about food.�

�No he won�t. If he sleeps that much, then it means he needs to sleep that much. Sanji won�t mind fixing him something later. With his body all out of control, he just� needs to get what he needs whenever he needs it to make this whole thing manageable. You notice he hasn�t eaten as much, but he sleeps more? It�s kind of a trade off I think. He replenishes his strength in a different way now.�

Robin nodded. �His mind needs a break. Eating food is a wonderful way to charge up and keep going without downtime, but he can�t recover from stress and emotions that way.�

Zoro opened his eyes and glanced at her suspiciously (which was the only way he ever looked at Robin anyway). �Who said it�s trying on him emotionally?�

Nami looked at him dryly. �We�re not stupid Zoro. And we can try to imagine how it would be for us. He usually eats a lot because of physical exertion. Emotional exhaustion can only be cured with sleep. That�s why crying makes people tired.�

Zoro laid back. �I wouldn�t know,� he replied haughtily, closing his eyes. Now he could get a decent nap! They would wake him if Luffy was still sleeping and they had to leave.

�Don�t forget to put the anchor down� were his last words before falling asleep himself.

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Luffy stirred awake to find he was in the girls� quarters, Nami was gone, Zoro was sleeping over there against some books, and Robin was drinking coffee and looking over something at the desk.

�Ohayo, Robin.� He greeted sleepily.

She turned a little and smiled at him. �Oh, Luffy. Did you sleep well?�

He nodded and yawned hugely. He wanted his toothbrush. His mouth tasted kinda funny. But it would probably be okay in a few minutes. For a nice change of pace, he wasn�t feeling too bad, all things considered.

Robin sat down next to the table. �Here. Try this on,� she said as she handed him the outcome of their hard work.

It was really nice! It was sort of a miniature yukata. A robe, basically.

He opened the front of it and put his arms through the holes. It was a little long in the sleeves so he could hide his hands in them to keep them warm. Made from red cotton, and heavier than his hanky had been, but not uncomfortably, it kept the heat in much better than his last outfit had. He didn�t feel as naked when he wore this. Rather than a string this time, he had a strip of the same fabric that was a little less� pinchy?�to tie in front and keep everything together with. He could tie and untie it at will now, so he wasn�t stuck like he was in the hanky. It didn�t have pants of any sort, but it flowed half way down his calves to stop there, so he was well-wrapped. It felt about as thick as a sweater to Luffy, and it was very soft.

It actually felt suspiciously familiar, though it took him a while to realize that. The only person who wore red almost religiously on the ship and therefore had red fabric to use was�

�Robin? What was this made from?�

Robin smiled, �One of your red T-shirts.�

Luffy�s jaw dropped in shock. They�d been cutting up his things?

Of course it was only a red shirt and he estimated that he had at least ten others, so his jaw came back up after only a second. As long as it hadn�t been his teal hoodie. He liked that hoodie.

Robin laughed a little. �Do you like it? We figured that a shirt was no good if you couldn�t wear it, so we�ll make sure you get a new one when we dock at a town.�

�I like it! Thanks Robin!� he turned to thank Nami only to remember that she was gone. �Where�s Nami?�

�Eating dinner, I assume.�

�It�s dinner time?�

Robin smiled. �Mm-hm.�

�Why didn�t you go?�

�Because you and Ken-san were asleep in here.�

�Oh.� Luffy looked at his swordsman for a minute. Just watching.

Robin smiled.

�Zoroooo,� Luffy called after a minute. �I know you�re awaaaake.�

The corners of Zoro�s mouth rose up a little.

Luffy laughed. �You�re a terrible faker.�

�As if you�re not?� Zoro asked before finally raising his head to mock-glare at his captain.

Luffy only found it funny. �I�m brilliant.� he stated so blatantly that Zoro burst out laughing.

�A smart-ass maybe.� He pushed himself up. But then he didn�t move to pick Luffy up. �You wanna eat or what?� he called over.

Luffy nodded, realizing he would have to fly. The last time he had rocketed anywhere, he�d ended up in a pool of paint� because something had gone wrong. Something�

Robin was standing at the foot of the stairs waiting for them, and Zoro was probably still foggy-minded giving him an expectant look. Zoro hadn�t been this way since Luffy�s gotten sick, but Zoro hadn�t actually been asleep when Luffy wasn�t, either.

Luffy put his hands on the edge of the table, pulled back, took aim, and sailed splendidly across the room, landing against Zoro�s tummy with a little *PLOP* sound and wrapped his arms and legs around Zoro�s middle like a Stretch Armstrong doll.

Zoro almost laughed. That had tickled little. But if Luffy learned he could tickle in this state, Zoro was doomed, so he acted invincible.

Robin smiled like she had this big secret. Evil woman.

Zoro followed her up the stairs, supporting Luffy when his arms and legs slowly unwrapped and he started to let himself slide down.

�Nice outfit. Is it comfortable?�

Luffy lazily sprawled out on Zoro�s palm and relaxed. �Mm-hm. Comfy soft.�

�Did you get enough sleep?�

�Think so. You?�

�For now. Bedtime�s soon. Eat and then you�ll be tired.�

�Kay.�

Zoro didn�t give Luffy extra covering when they went outside to the Galley. Luffy seemed to notice, but he didn�t shiver at all. Zoro was glad. Luffy needed to catch a break like this. It would make this easier on him.
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