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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.

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RUMBLE!

22

kiseki

As Zoro walked across the beach toward the ship, he was alerted to a sound off to his right, and paused to see what the hell it was, ready for the worst, just in case it happened to (finally) be a hostile animal that wasn�t a stupid, and usually harmless, bird.

When Sanji pushed his way out of the tree line, dragging what looked like a heavy, round, and flatish slice of tree trunk behind him with a rope, Zoro wasn�t sure whether to be relieved or regretful.

But perhaps this could be fortuitous. Sanji was pretty mellow today due to nicotine withdrawal, so perhaps he would be more willing to hear him out.

�What the hell are you doing off the ship, Pinhead?� Sanji shouted accusingly as soon as he caught sight of the swordsman.

Then again� Zoro grimaced as Sanji dropped his rope and began marching across the sand, because he was obviously more interested in what LUFFY was doing off the ship than Zoro.

�We�re heading back to the ship, what does it look like?�

�That wasn�t what I meant, asshole,� Sanji returned as he glanced over Zoro�s hand to look at the figure that Zoro grudgingly had to show him. He considered hiding the captain from view for a moment, but then decided he was in enough trouble already. �What happened to him?� Sanji asked, the anger draining from his voice to be replaced with concern. �Is he unconscious? What the hell did you do?!�

�He� A bird attacked him,� Zoro sighed. This was not his finest moment.

�Geezus! At a time like this?!� Sanji asked, reaching out as if to touch the little captain, but stopping short. �He doesn�t look good.� He looked up from Zoro�s hands, noticing for the first time that the swordsman didn�t look so hot, himself. �How long ago did it happen?�

�A few minutes ago� He was� He is in a lot of pain. He needs help,� Zoro admitted as the two started toward the ship together, the new tabletop forgotten in the sand.

�I�m sure Chopper�s not back yet, but maybe Nami-san can help him,� Sanji said.

�About that�� Zoro started. �Do you think you could hold off on telling her?�

Sanji looked back at him incredulously. �You don�t want her to know?� Then he shook his head and kept walking. �I can�t say that I blame you, but I�ve gotta tell you� if you think you can keep THIS a secret, you�re out of your mind. We�ve been gone for hours. I doubt she�s still asleep, and even if she is, you�re anything but out of the woods.�

�What the hell does that mean?�

Sanji glanced back at the pair. �I mean that Nami-san isn�t the only person who�s going to be pissed about this.�

Zoro glared at him, and Sanji returned it. �Maybe you should stop worrying about Nami-san finding out and start worrying about those who already know.�

Like you? Zoro didn�t like how that sounded, but there was nothing he could do about it but say, �But you won�t tell any of them? It�s not that I don�t want them to know so much as it is that don�t want them to freak out and react in the predicable loud way. Luffy doesn�t want to be crowded. That�s half of the reason he�s holding my in confidence.�

�I figured as much. The other half is because he doesn�t want to appear weak, right?�

Zoro shrugged as carelessly as he could with his focus still on the boy in his hands.

Sanji snorted, �You two are unbelievable.� He was on the ladder and climbing a second later. �As far as telling Nami-san goes, why would I want to bring her news like this? Besides,� the cook added as he climbed onto the deck and Zoro took hold of the bottom rungs, �If you can manage to keep this a secret from my brilliant Nami-san for more than three minutes after she sees you two, I�ll give you a medal. And that�s even if Luffy does miraculously wake up beforehand.�

Robin had heard their voices on the beach from her sun-lounger, and was standing beside the ladder when Sanji turned around.

�What�s the matter, Cook-san?�

Sanji wasn�t even going to try to keep this from the observant Robin. �Luffy got hurt. Surprise, surprise. We need to figure out how to bandage him in this condition. Won�t that be fun?� He turned around and whispered loudly down �Take him to the bathroom. We�ll clean him there.�

�What�s wrong with the Galley? It�s roomier.�

�I suppose we could, but I thought you two wanted to keep this a secret? Or is it just you�?� Sanji was actually curious how Luffy could have had any say in this if he was unconscious. He had the feeling Zoro was afraid of what would happen - not the him, and not to Luffy, but to THEM. He didn�t know if Zoro yet understood that there was a them yet, but he was protecting them nevertheless. Zoro�s greatest fear was obvious to anyone who lived with him, and Sanji only hoped that any punishment he got for lying to everyone and almost killing the captain didn�t result with it coming to pass.

Zoro paused for a moment on the ladder, and then nodded. If they locked everyone out of the Galley, that would be a dead giveaway that something was wrong. Their bathroom activities, however, were things that no one would ask about. Plus the counter was a mess and they didn�t exactly have a table to work on anymore.

Upon reaching the top of the ladder, he had to grudgingly allow Robin to take a look at Luffy. She appraised him silently and with no mystery lighting her features. Zoro could tell she wanted to say something to him, but what came out of her mouth wasn�t what he expected to hear.

�I�ll get his backup outfit when he�s finished being cleaned up. We made two of these yukata,� was all she said. �But I didn�t think we�d have to use the second one so soon.�

With that, she turned and headed back to Aft deck, aware that her female presence wouldn�t be needed to help Sanji and Zoro take care of their little leader.

Zoro sighed and headed for the restroom, Sanji coming down the stairs and following behind him. This was the first time Zoro had seen the restroom since the ship had taken damage the night before, and he paused for a moment in surprise. This wasn�t so bad. Sure, there was part of a wall missing and the patch job over it looked like Usopp�s typical atrocious mending jobs, but other than that, everything was in it�s right place again. All of the water this room had gained the night before had gone down the floor drain, and everything had been dried to prevent wood rot, as too much moisture inside of a ship was a dangerous thing.

Sanji had brought a deep salad bowl and filled it with warm water from the sink. They couldn�t bathe him in the sink easily because the sink had very little room around it to lay things on, and they would have to lay bandages and Luffy down in order to figure out how to do this right.

�Let�s see him,� Sanji said as he set the bowl down on the wet bench and turned to get out the first aid kit.

Zoro lowered himself beside Sanji in front of the bench and untied Luffy�s belt, gently opening the folds of his yukata. They both had to work to hold Luffy still and slide the fabric out from beneath the boy without disturbing his wounds, all the while thanking somebody (but God was right out) that he was deeply unconscious through it all. Finally the boy was exposed to their worried eyes, and they both got a full look at what had previously been hidden.

There were no signs of bruising to the little body, which surprised Zoro, because he could have sworn that a few minutes ago when he�d seen Luffy�s chest, the outlines of dark marks had been forming around his torso. The blood had stopped, and most of it was dried on his skin in the shape of little rivers. Luffy�s body was well-sculpted even in this condition, and the contrast of the red against the pale moon-coloured skin made him look almost like a vivid painting; a breathtaking work of art. It would have been beautiful if it hadn�t been so terrifying.

�There�s a lot of blood, but it looks like there are two wounds -- on his arm and leg. Has he woken up since this happened to him?�

�Yeah,� Zoro answered. �He just fell asleep before we came out of the trees. He was hurting, but he showed me, and they were pretty deep. He said they weren�t so bad but��

�Yeah, well, he�s said that about being run through,� Sanji scoffed, �so I don�t know if we can take his word on that. Here, bring him closer to the water.�

Zoro did so, glad that Sanji wasn�t putting him on the spot or teasing him for not knowing what to do next. Being gentle with wounds wasn�t something Zoro was used to doing, and he�d never actually patched up anything so delicate without breaking it in the process before. He was just too heavy-handed.

Sanji dipped one hand in the water and scooped up just a little bit of it before moving it just over Luffy and letting it spill onto his shoulder and trickle down the little arm. Drops of red water ran down Luffy�s skin and dripped off Zoro�s fingers.

�You wanna be gentle, and not abuse the wound in any way,� Sanji advised as he repeated the process in the same place on Luffy�s shoulder until the blood had mostly washed away from his small upper arm.

With a silent nod, Sanji passed the torch, and watched as Zoro did his best to copy the cook�s movements.

�Good,� Sanji deemed after a moment, and relaxed a little before deciding it was safe to have a whispered conversation. �Zoro, how did this happen?�

Zoro took a deep breath and released it in a whisper. �He was with me the whole time. He just wanted to see everything. Just for a little while, and he was doing so well today that I thought�� He swallowed and pushed past the excuses. �So we went out and walked around, but then I� encountered a problem, and he had to get down, and then when we got out of that mess we got into another one. He was right next to me when this bird came out of nowhere. This stupid toucan�� he trailed off and fell quiet.

�You�re lucky it was a toucan and not an anaconda, dumbass,� Sanji remarked.

��I know,� Zoro whispered.

�You agreed to take responsibility for him until he got better. I heard to promise that kid that you would help him through this, and what happens?! How could you let him get taken, Zoro? What if he had died?!�

�Do you honestly think I don�t know that? You think I haven�t gone over every nightmare of a scenario in my head fifty times since it happened? You think I was sitting around watching it like a masochistic voyeur? Gods, Sanji, I know how bad it was, okay? I know better than anyone here what it was like for him, what it was like to find him�� he trailed off as he became aware of what he was saying, and to whom. �I mean�� Zoro whispered unconsciously, but there would be nothing else, and he couldn�t take it back now that it was out there.

Sanji�s next argument died in his throat at Zoro�s passionate response. He paused and just looked at the way Zoro was regarding Luffy, and sighed. He adjusted his position and just watched him spill water over his little charge for a few moments.

Zoro worked with care to clean their Luffy well. When the two men saw the tiny body involuntarily shiver with slight chill, Zoro dipped his hand slightly in the warm water so that Luffy�s hips, waist, crotch, and upper thighs were mostly submerged in the heat, leaving his wounds exposed for more cleaning.

�So,� Sanji prompted again, �then what happened?�

�What do you think happened? I hunted for him and I found him-�

�But not before the toucan had done its thing to Luffy,� Sanji added. He didn�t mean to be cruel, but neither did he want to be merciful. Luffy was half dead, and while it was partially his fault, he wasn�t in the best mindset to take the blame entirely. �At least you got it away from him before it could really hurt him.�

��I didn�t.�

�What?�

Zoro took a deep breath and confessed, �I didn�t get it away from him. When I found him the bird was long gone and Luffy was like this.�

Sanji took a moment to consider this, looking at Zoro incredulously. �Are you saying that he fought it away himself? In this condition?�

�Aa.�

Sanji looked at his sleeping captain, unsure how to react for a moment. Then his confusion dissolved and he shook his head, smiling with pride. �Sasuga Luffy� da na. I feel stupid for expecting anything less, now. He�s always amazing us.�

Zoro�s eyes filled with a fondness that temporarily replaced the guilty look they�d held moments before. �Yeah. Yeah, he is.�

Sanji let the subject rest and leaned up to see better when the last of the blood was washed away. Then he sat up straight in confusion. �Wha�?�

Now that the blood was gone, they could see that Luffy was barely cut up at all. His leg was little more than a large pinprick anymore, and the long gash that had traveled the length of his arm before was not nearly as long or deep as it had been originally. In fact most of Luffy�s upper arm showed no sign of wear and tear at all.

Sanji knew that this wasn�t right. Even without Zoro�s look of utter confusion, it was easy to see that there was simply no way that such a large quantity of blood had come from two injuries this size.

��How big were they originally?� Sanji finally asked, knowing that there was no need to elaborate.

Zoro shook his head in disbelief. �They were� This is not as bad as it was,� he answered without really answering. �I thought for sure when I first saw him that it was much more severe than this, but now it�s� It�s like the whole mess is healing itself at warp speed.�

�Maybe it is.�

�What?� Zoro asked, scrutiny still fixed closely on Luffy�s not-as-injured-as-before body.

�The RumbleBalls,� Sanji clarified. �This may be the effect of the RumbleBalls. I mean, it has to be, right?�

Zoro made himself nod. �Yeah� it has to be.� Then he let out a sigh. �Yokatta��

�Should we even bother wrapping it?� For the first time, Sanji sounded unsure of himself.

��I think it�ll actually be okay. There�s almost nothing left to wrap. If this keeps up for even a few more minutes, he won�t even be injured anymore,� Zoro answered as surely as he could.

Sanji stood up. �Then I�ll go get his new outfit,� he explained his move away, and disappeared out the door, closing it behind him and leaving the two alone.

Zoro was unfazed by the door opening and closing. �Did you know about this?� he whispered to the very unconscious Luffy, expecting no answer. Which is what he received.

He observed that Luffy�s color was coming back nicely, his tan a nice sheen over his skin that replaced the pale ghost look that he�d been sporting for the last half hour. Luffy was quite a thing to behold at the moment, Zoro realized. He fit perfectly into Zoro�s palm, helpless in all his glory -- the future Kaizoku-ou. Now that Luffy was safe, Zoro allowed himself a small smile at the irony of the situation, however bizarre it was.

Later he and Luffy would discuss what happened today, but for now Luffy was safe, and that�s all Zoro had been wishing for since he�d first stepped into the quicksand. Now his only concern was for how long the boy would sleep after he�d finished healing. Zoro had to assume that healing this fast was quite an energy drain, and the heavy sleep was a natural result of that. He hoped he was right.

He watched Luffy sleep the sleep of the very unconscious until Sanji came back, by which time all evidence of a bird attack was gone completely. All the same Zoro was careful in redressing Luffy in his last red yukata, gently putting his arms through the sleeves with a somewhat practiced ease that came from both Luffy�s rubber body and the aftercare of many battles in which Zoro had been put in charge of cleaning and clothing Luffy while Chopper bandaged him. The most recent of which being only a week ago after Luffy had been defrosted from a block of ice. That had been terrifying, too.

It�s like he�s TRYING to give me a heart attack, Zoro almost seriously considered. He�d laugh at me if I told him that� Wake up, Luffy.

�What�ll we tell the others?� Sanji asked.

Zoro shrugged.

�We have to tell them something, Zoro. If he�s not awake when they all get back-�

�Then he fell asleep,� Zoro answered. �That�s not so odd. He�s been keeping strange hours since this happened to him.�

Sanji was quiet for a moment. �But Zoro, what if this has side effects that aren�t apparent right away?�

�Like what? He�s been hurt worse than this before, and frankly he doesn�t need a side effect to get thrown into a world of pain and insanity. He�s been visiting them both for days now. Every morning he wakes up - maybe via attack, maybe not - to be met with a world that�s too loud and bright and big to handle, and then he clings to me like a terrified monkey for the rest of the day while trying to pretend that he�s not completely overwhelmed in front of you guys. Then when I get him alone he unleashes all the tears and frustrations that he managed to keep locked away in secret for the duration of just one simple meal. The kid�s a walking wreck, and I just wanted to bring him some happiness by giving him something he really wanted and taking him to the island, only to find that a new form of hell was waiting for him, so you tell me Sanji, what the hell else could this turn of events possibly do to him that could make this any worse?! Geezus, he finally had some good come out of this and healed quickly. Can�t we just let one thing be without digging into it? He�s fucking sick of it already. If he has to go to Chopper to be analyzed like a specimen in a zoo one more time I swear my temper�s going to rear up hard.�

Sanji looked at Zoro. �That�s the most you�ve told me about how he�s handling this than ever before.�

Zoro calmed his shaking hands and took a few deep breaths before answering in a calm whisper, �Yeah� well, don�t yammer about it to anyone, alright?�

Sanji nodded. �You have my word.� He looked down at Luffy. �What would he want us to do in this case?�

��I don�t know. He�s always flip-flopping.�

�And you can�t make a choice yourself, because we all know you have no free will where he�s concerned,� Sanji taunted slightly.

�Oh, get off,� Zoro threw back at him without looking up from Luffy. �I guess he�ll tell us what to say when he wakes up. When in doubt, wait for the captain and follow his cue.�

Sanji smiled. �So whipped."

Zoro didn't deny it.

------------

Almost two hours had passed since the boys had emerged from the bathroom, during which time Sanji had gone back out to the beach and retrieved the new tabletop, which Zoro had helped him pull on board with one hand. Said tabletop was now lying in the middle of the deck outside next to the hold hatch. Zoro and Sanji had since been carrying the remains of the former table out to join it�s replacement --Zoro carrying them out to the railing and handing them down to the deck where Sanji received them and carried them the rest of the journey-- while Luffy slept in his Boshi-bed on the kitchen counter. He was out so cold that frankly the two older men had decided that not even an attack could reach him where he was now, but one could never be sure, and Zoro refused to leave the room Luffy was in.

The sun sank low in the sky, and just before it could get dark (and therefore scary) Sanji saw Chopper and Usopp emerge from the tree line with two heavy baskets of fruits.

As if this were some kind of magic cue, Nami emerged from the storage room behind him with a long stretch and a content smile.

Nami-san is so beautiful when she stretches, Sanji hummed happily to himself.

�Oh wow,� Nami said, looking at the sky for the first time. �I didn�t think I would sleep so late. Now my schedule will be all messed up�� she murmured.

Sanji turned and gave her a smile. �I would be thrilled to wear you out again!� he declared without thinking.

She gave him a weird look before deciding to pretend the whole sentence hadn�t been heard. �Is this the new tabletop?� Nami asked instead, allowing her attention to be grabbed by the thing on the deck.

�Only if it meets with your approval, my love!�

Nami scrutinized the block of wood and gave it a nod. �Good. Usopp can sand it out and fix up its shape. We�ll be able to eat off it for dinner tomorrow.�

�Nami is so glorious when scrutinizing pieces of wood!� Sanji snorted steam and all but collapsed on the deck in sheer bliss.

Nami walked past him without sparing him a glance and looked out to wave Usopp and Chopper back. �Sanji-kun, why don�t you go help them carry in the food?�

�Ahhhh,� Sanji sighed dreamily and floated off of the ship and down to the sand where he abruptly regained form, frowned at the two younger boys, and grabbed Usopp�s basket, because the sniper�s arms looked like plucked guitar strings.

---------

Sitting on a bench, Zoro looked up from cleaning his sword as everyone walked through the Galley door together. Sanji headed straight for the sink to begin cooking a something of sorts for dinner� he didn�t know what it would be yet, but he would figure something out -- he always did. Nami was looking refreshed and had some mapping equipment under her arms, and the two smaller boys were talking about �that enormous cannibal fruit insect that had tried to eat them whole�.

Not having been expecting such a rush of noise and movement, Zoro was frozen in the metaphorical headlights.

Luffy was still out cold in his hat next to Zoro on the bench, and knowing that moving would draw attention to himself, Zoro was forced to pretend like he was completely unconcerned when Sanji glanced over Luffy on his way to the counter to fix dinner.

When Sanji�s expression remained calm and unsurprised, Zoro was able to calm some as well. The last thing on earth they needed right now was to have Luffy wake up in shock, wondering how he had gotten back onto the ship, why he was clean and dressed, and asking what had happened in the jungle that he�d missed before they�d come back home.

Discretion was not one of Luffy�s names.

�Hey, Zoro!� Usopp sang with a glance in the swordsman�s direction. �Hi, Luffy!� he added, assuming that Luffy was with Zoro and he simply hadn�t seen him yet. When no sing-song greeting came back to him, Usopp actually looked over at Zoro curiously and noted that he had assumed wrong. �Where�s Luffy?�

�In bed,� Zoro answered as nonchalantly as possible with a head toss to the hat beside him. He had no idea why that answer made Nami suspicious, nor what he had done to give himself away, but an amber glare was suddenly scrutinizing him from head to toe. Zoro did his best to pretend he�d done nothing wrong.

Usopp walked over to the bench and glanced down at Luffy. �Wow,� observed the sniper, �he�s out cold. What did he do today?�

Zoro didn�t know how to answer this, and began kicking himself for it. How could I not have seen this coming? He asked himself in disbelief. Where the hell has my mind been?

He had no idea what his face must have looked like -- it may have just been Nami�s perceptiveness -- but either way his dumb silence was incriminating.

Nami dropped the maps in her arms onto the stand in the corner and looked at him in disbelief. �You went out onto the island!� Nami accused, coming up to him. �I knew it. I knew you would do this. You�re so reckless!�

�Robin didn�t tell you that we left?� Zoro asked, only slightly surprised. �Or have you been sleeping this whole time?� he taunted.

�She said you were �around somewhere� when I woke up earlier,� Nami answered in exasperation, �and don�t you even tease me about sleeping all day,� she added as she leaned down to look at her captain. She saw Usopp�s �Wow� and raised him a �Geez�. Zoro couldn�t see what all the fuss was about. Luffy looked a lot better than he had earlier; he was healed up completely by now. Was it that unusual to see Luffy completely dead to the world?

�He�s out like a light. What happened to hi- Did you drop him?!� she asked, suddenly suspicious.

�No!� Zoro denied, indignantly. �He got� I was� It�s complicated,� he finished pathetically.

�Has he woken up yet?� Robin asked from where she was - suddenly right behind Zoro.

�Robin! Why didn�t you say they�d left the ship?� Nami demanded in a high-toned whisper that would have been a scream if not for her respect for her captain.

�Would it have made a difference at that point whether I�d said it or not?� Robin shrugged, approaching Zoro and taking Nami�s place as the navigator began bemoaning Robin�s habit of being entirely too vague.

�Seriously, though, Zoro," said Usopp, "he got into trouble, didn�t he? Was it an attack? Did he get hurt?�

Zoro nodded carefully.

�What?!� Chopper said in startlement. Chopper pulled himself onto the bench and popped up beside the Boshi-bed to look at Luffy in his hat.

�It was a bad one,� he elaborated carefully, �but it was in response to something outside.�

�What, did he get attacked by another bird or something?� Nami asked casually as she sat down beside him.

When Zoro didn�t answer, her eyes widened. He hoped she wouldn�t make a huge deal out of it.

�Are you serious?!� she cried.

Zoro glared at her. Didn�t ANYONE on this whole damn ship have ANY clue what DISCRETION was?!

�He�s alright,� Zoro excused.

�How is he alright?� she demanded loudly, then caught herself and repeated the demand in a whisper.

When Chopper moved to pull away the blanket for a full and unnecessary Luffy-examination, both Zoro and Sanji stepped forward. �Chopper,� Zoro said as Sanji placed his hand over Chopper�s right hoof, �he doesn�t need to be checked. We�ve already cleaned and checked him over. He�s fine - he�s just sleeping hard. We shouldn�t disturb him right now.�

�Why is he sleeping so hard?� Usopp asked. �I mean, isn�t it weird that he hasn�t woken up with us all in here talking.�

Sanji sighed and ignored Zoro�s glance. �He�s sleeping hard because the RumbleBalls healed his wounds quickly. Deep gashes were healed in a matter of minutes. It�s wiped him out. Or so we think.�

�We got lucky,� Nami put in.

�Aa,� Sanji agreed, �we did.�

Zoro couldn�t think of anything to say as he felt two sets of eyes turn on him pointedly.

��But it�s over now, right?� Usopp asked, trying to bring some cheer to the room.

��Aa,� Sanji said again, �Algaehead helped him with what the RumbleBalls couldn�t.�

Zoro went back to pretending to polish Sandai Kisetsu.

�How so?� Chopper asked from where he hovered.

�Haven�t you overheard?� Sanji smirked and got down low. �Zoro has �magic fingers�.�

Zoro almost fell off the bench.

�Zoro�s a wizard?!� Chopper exclaimed in amazed shock.

�Yes!� Usopp saw a chance and immediately adopted it, �Zoro is a wizard. I�m surprised that you didn�t realize that you�ve been sailing with a wizard for all this time!�

�I didn�t!� Chopper agreed quickly. �What kind of magic can he do?�

Usopp indicated toward their captain with an �isn�t it obvious?� expression. �Well, he shrunk Luffy!�

�REALLY?!�

Usopp nodded, happily reveling in Chopper�s convenient memory loss.

Zoro rolled his eyes. When it came to real life, Usopp did not play with a full deck. He didn�t even have HALF a deck. He had a three.

�Still, Zoro, we agreed to keep him on the ship. Why did you agree if you had no intention of doing it?� Nami asked.

�Nami, he needed this, come on,� Zoro pleaded his case. �You know he would have ended up inland somehow. He was determined.�

�But� Fine. All the same, how could you let him be attacked by a bird?!�

�I didn�t LET anything happen. You think I wanted him to get hurt?�

Nami�s jaw worked for a moment as no sound came out, then she let out a grumble of resignation. �No. No, I don�t.�

�Thank you,� Zoro said, and turned back to his sword. He was amazed. Why wasn�t she maiming him?

�But-�

Here it comes.

�-I still think it was irresponsible of you to take him out there alone. Look at what happened!�

�Who�s to say that the same thing wouldn�t have happened on the deck of this ship? This is Luffy we�re talking about. Luffy and trouble are practically lovers. It wouldn�t have made a difference whether he was alone or not. We were all present when he ate the plate of RumbleBalls in the first place, and see how much of a difference that didn�t make?�

�That�s not the point.�

�Then what is your point?� Zoro was getting exasperated. Both of their voices were rising in pitch.

�If you can�t be responsible enough to not take him into an obviously dangerous place, then maybe he�s not best off with you!�

Zoro�s blood turned to ice. ��You can�t take him away from me.�

Nami didn�t answer, and Sanji stepped in-between them. �No one�s taking anyone away from anybody.�

�Sanji-kun!�

�Koukaishi-san,� Robin stepped up, �I agree with Cook-san.�

��So do I,� Usopp added nervously.

Nami was confused, and Sanji took her hand and lead her to sit down again. �I know how you feel, Nami-san, even if I don�t agree with you, but that�s not our decision to make. Luffy�s the captain.�

Nami looked ready to break something, but after holding that pose for a moment, she slumped over on the bench, resigned to being outvoted. �Why am I on this ship?� She mumbled tearfully. �No one understands me here��

Robin laughed. �There, there,� she patted Nami�s back.

No-one noticed the small smile being worn by the little captain in the straw hat.

I have the best nakama in the world.
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