For a moment, nothing changes. The beauty continues sobbing into the beast's huddled form.
Then shooting sparks of light start to rain down from the sky. Slowly at first, then more and more until they light up the balcony like it's the middle of the day.
The beast is levitated into the air by some unknown force, with beams shooting out of his limbs. His hands and legs shrink, his fur giving way to tan skin. His shaggy face ripples and gives way to a chiseled face. His body finishes morphing into that of a human, and he is lowered back onto the ground. He awakens and unsteadily gets up. He stares at his now-human hands in disbelief. The beast- no, the prince spins around, his former beastly visage cast aside. He gazes at his true love through human eyes…
To realize that Luffy's quietly whimpering, tears streaming down his eyes.
"…Luffy?" For a second, Zoro wonders if his elation had been unfounded.
Luffy bites at his quivering lips. "You're alive."
Zoro's shoulders relax. "So I am."
"YOU IDIOT!"
"Ow!" Zoro inhales sharply, rubbing against his chest where Luffy had mercilessly punched him.
Luffy immediately hovers over him worriedly, "I'm so sorry! Is Zoro ok?! Did I hit your stab wound?"
"No, no; I think that got healed after the sparkly transformation…thing. Your punch is just stronger than I expected."
Luffy lets out a tense breath. He leans his forehead against the quickly-bruising injury.
"Luffy, I'm fine."
"You were dead. I saw you stop breathing."
"Yeah." Zoro hugs him tightly, feeling thin arms circle around his waist. "But Luffy…I'm here now. And I won't leave you ever again."
"You promise?" Luffy tilts his head up slightly, inches away from Zoro's.
"I promise." Zoro brushes his lips against Luffy's. "You're stuck with me for life."
Luffy's smile lights up. He laughs without restraint, laying his head back against Zoro's chest to listen to the newly-beating heart. "For life? I like the sound of that."
A/N: This chapter...is so short. Perhaps I shouldn't have made the last one so long. BUT THE STORY IS DONE. Just a little epilogue omake tomorrow.