Sorry this took me a little longer than I was planning to get out, but this chapter is the longest yet. For those wanting more between Luffy and Zoro, here it is!

Oh and someone mentioned I should have stayed with Luffia as the given name, but Luffy is still Luffy, he's just now a she and slowly changing into that mindset, hence this story is genderbent. Anyways, you may feel free to call her Luffia if you wish, but i'm keeping the name Luffy.

Enjoy!

Chapter Eight:

A matter of the Heart

Following the fall of Arlong Park, the village of Cocoyashi planned a large celebration, of which everyone was invited. They had every assortment of food and drink imaginable and Sanji who readily offered his services, was more than happy to be of help.

Nami spent most of the evening talking with various people of her hometown, especially her sister Nojiko and her father figure, Genzo. Gin sat to the side and drank most of the evening and Usopp partied like there was no tomorrow, singing and dancing with new friends he made around town.

Zoro was laid up in the doctor's clinic. His wound had opened again while he was fighting and that meant he needed stiches and rest, or so he was told. He felt justifiably grumpy that he couldn't be out amongst the celebration. That creepy doctor had threatened to sedate him if he even tried to escape.

"Oi, Zoro! You in here?!"

He glanced up from his bed towards the door. "Luffy?" he called, sitting up. He winced at the pull he felt from his wounds.

Luffy walked in, a large grin on her face and a large plate of food balanced precariously on her right palm. He also spied the bottle of sake she held in her left. "That for me?" he asked with surprise.

"Of course," she grinned, "Zoro needs to eat and celebrate too!"

Zoro felt a warmth spread throughout him at the thought that his Captain remembered him, even with all the partying going on outside. Usually she would be busy stuffing her face with every food imaginable.

"Thanks."

Luffy smiled warmly as she sat on the edge of his bed and watched him dig in to the food and nearly guzzle the bottle of sake she had stolen for him. She doubted the doctor would approve, but then she didn't really care what the doctor thought. So long as Zoro was alive, she would strive to do what she thought was best for him. In this case, that meant bringing her swordsman sake to drink.

Aware of the silence, Zoro noticed Luffy's eyes held that distant look again. It wasn't often, but sometimes when she went strangely quiet, he noticed she seemed to be in another place entirely and always with a deep frown.

This time though, he was pleased to see a genuine smile on his captain's face. It wasn't often, as most of her smiles were forced. He didn't think the others noticed it, but he certainly did. Especially when she showed him her true smile. He quickly learned to differentiate between them.

"You alright?" he asked softly.

She turned to him, puzzled for a moment before she noticed the concern in his eyes. "I'm good, thanks. So, how is Zoro feeling?"

Zoro allowed the conversation to deviate. "Feeling fine, just a bit sore, but only when I move."

Luffy giggled. "Which is basically always except when your napping on deck."

Zoro smirked. "Napping is fun." He shrugged as he took another long swallow of alcohol.

Luffy sighed. "No, having adventures is fun. Napping is boring." She commented as she too took a long swallow from the offered beverage.

"To you maybe," he commented with a laugh, watching her.

Luffy's smile widened at the sound of her first mate's laughter as he drank. It wasn't often she heard it. Out of everyone, Zoro was often the most serious, except when around Sanji. Then again, she had noted with interest that the two didn't seem as at odds with one another this time around as they had been in the former timeline. She wondered what changed it. Maybe having Gin on board?

"Luffy?"

The captain blinked and noticed the same concerned look as before spread across his face. "You were spacing out again. Are you sure you're okay?"

Luffy flopped back across Zoro's bed, suddenly tired.

"Zoro? Do you ever have a sense of Déjà vu?"

"You mean do I feel like I have been through something before and am now experiencing it again?"

She nodded and turned to meet his gaze. "Yeah. Do you?"

"Can't say I have. Why?" he questioned curiously, offering her the bottle that she readily accepted.

"Well, it's nothing really. Just as times I find myself feeling like that," she stated before taking another swig.

He hummed, nodding. He felt pretty good all of a sudden, his insides felt warm, his wounds currently were pain free, probably due to the medication the doctor had given him earlier. As Zoro watched his Captain as she laid there, spread out upon his bed, listening to her speak, his mind began to wander. What would it be like to kiss those pretty pink lips of hers?

"Nay, Luffy?"

Luffy turned and found herself nearly face to face with her first mate who was suddenly leaning over her. She studied his dark green eyes and the bright neon coloring of his hair. She studied the muscles that twitched in his neck and the shape of his head. She felt his breath, hot against her face.

"You're actually good looking, huh?" she asked in a whisper, not even realizing she had said her thoughts out loud.

Zoro felt his face heat up. "You, uh, your acting a bit moody, Captain. Did you drink alcohol before coming in here?"

He said this as he took another deep gulp of his own sake bottle, a single drip splashing down onto her face just below his chin.

Luffy blinked and started to wipe the drip from her cheek, but his hand stopped her as he leaned down and swept it up with his tongue.

Her face turned bright cherry red and she looked away, suddenly very confused and a bit frightened of this sudden predicament, though she would never admit it. "Z-Zoro…"

"Yes Captain?" he breathed, his breath ghosting across the skin of her neck making her shiver.

"W-What… I mean, why…" she stopped, her own thoughts fuzzy and unfocused.

"Captain," he teased, even as his own voice began to slur. "Are you drunk?"

She groaned. That had to be it!

"Must be," she replied.

'Maybe more than I realized', she thought to herself with a frown. Luffy's brain felt really, really weird right now. Maybe that explained her racing heart?

A gentle hand turned her face back towards that of her first mate. His eyes were intensely staring into her own and she noted the redness of his own cheeks. Was Zoro drunk too?

She suddenly scowled and sat up. Zoro doesn't get drunk!

Quickly, she placed her hand on his forehead. "You have a fever," she accused, "if you didn't feel well Zoro, you should have said something. I wouldn't have brought you sake. Last thing you need with a fever is alcohol. It will only increase it and its symptoms."

She continued to reprimand him for his carelessness in accepting alcohol in his condition (though honestly it was partially her fault as well), but the only thing he noticed was she was touching him and her hands, so cool against his skin, he wanted more…

Luffy suddenly froze when she found her hands pinned up by her head and her feverish first mate straddling her body.

"Zoro…" she started to question, but he suddenly leaned down and laid his forehead against her collarbone. Luffy wasn't sure what to do in this situation. "Zoro?" she called again, uncertain.

"Your so cool," he commented in a whisper.

She sighed. "That's because your burning up. You…"

"No," he interrupted firmly.

His eyes met hers. "You're an amazing person, Captain. I could never be that strong and even now, a fever is taking me down. I feel useless… weak."

Luffy glared at the man above her. "You're not weak! Sickness is part of what makes us human. We all have moments where we need help and it takes someone strong to admit that."

Thoughts of her own illness that cost her the lives of her crew came rushing back and she felt the need to correct him that much more because of it. "Besides, I think you're an amazing person. I could never use swords the way you do. Especially not three, I mean who does that? I would probably cut my tongue out or…"

Luffy's eyes widened when her mouth was suddenly silenced by a set of warm lips pressed gently against her own. She felt his tongue slide into her mouth and though she was unsure of how to proceed, she found herself kissing him back, albeit a little awkwardly. Each of their tongues exploring the other.

A moment later, he pulled back and looked her in the eye. "I like your tongue just where it is, Captain, so don't go cutting it out. You shouldn't chew on blades if that's… what… happens…to you…"

Zoro collapsed against her, his breathing heavy as he passed out due to sudden exhaustion. Luffy laid there for a few moments beneath him. Her eyes were wide.

Even as lightheaded as she felt right now, she knew this would take time to process. Her first mate just kissed her! ZORO just freaking kissed her! And for some reason, she found she didn't really mind. In truth, she had even sort of… liked it.

No, no, no, no! She yelled mentally at herself. He kissed her with a fever. He doesn't like her, he just did it because he was confused and burning up. Besides, if he knew she had been a man in the former timeline, he would never had done what he did. Right? Right?!

Carefully sliding herself out from under the unconscious swordsman, she quickly covered him with a blanket and left the room. She didn't notice his dark green eyes following her out, nor the groan he made as he collapsed back onto the bed, filled with self-loathing. Just what had he done?!

The following day, Zoro was released after a lengthy lecture from the Doctor on why drinking alcohol with a fever and pain medication was a very stupid idea. He and Luffy hardly said two words to each other when they met up. Neither were sure what the other remembered and neither were sure how they themselves felt about what happened. If the others noticed something was going on between them, no one fortunately said anything.

"Nami," Luffy stepped into her Navigators house later that day, "Are you ready to head out?"

Nami turned to greet her captain as she placed a bag of things over her shoulder. "Yup, all set. Just let me go let Nojiko know. She wanted me to tell her before we left, since we don't know when we might return."

Luffy nodded silently. "You know, if your sister wanted to come with you, she could. I wouldn't ask you to leave her behind."

Nami met her gaze evenly. "I know, but Nojiko isn't made for the pirate life. Had she wanted or even shown an interest, I would have asked you about it, but… truthfully, she loves the small-town life. It's that part of her that shows we aren't blood related. I seem to crave adventure, but she has never felt the same."

Luffy nodded. "I can't say I understand. My own brothers and I always craved adventure, but…"

"You have brothers?" Nami interrupted curiously.

Luffy blinked. "Oh, didn't I tell you guys?"

Her navigator shook her head. "No but wait until we are back on board and then tell me. I need to go run a few errands before we depart."

Luffy waved as Nami ran off, obviously in a hurry. Luffy sighed. So, what should she do in the meantime?

"Captain Monkey?"

Luffy turned and met the eyes of the man she knew as Genzo. Ah, so it's that time again.

"Call me Luffy and can I help you?" she asked in a clueless manner.

"Captain Luffy, I wanted to talk to you for a minute before Nami sets sail. Listen, I have known that girl since she was a baby and she has always been a happy child, apart from her time with Arlong."

"And let me guess," Luffy asked gently as she moved closer to the man, "you're here to warn me not to take away her smile or you will kill me?"

Genzo blinked before smirking. "Exactly."

"Rest assured then, Mister pinwheel. I will try the best I can to never let that smile fade."

"That's all I ask."

Luffy boarded the ship where everyone else was gathered except for Nami.

"Where is my darling swan?!" Sanji cried.

Luffy hummed. "She said to set sail and she would come. Gin! Raise Anchor!"

"Aye, Captain."

"We can't leave yet, my goddess!" Sanji cried in distress, "Nami isn't…" he stopped when his eyes picked up a red head darting through the crowd that was seeing them off. "NAMI-SWAN!" he shouted, dancing with hearts in his eyes.

Luffy smiled as Nami jumped and landed firmly on the deck of the ship. "Bye everyone!" she shouted, waving at her hometown.

"That girl, she stole my wallet! Mine too! Nami! You darn pirate! Take care!" the voices of the crowd echoed across the water and Nami laughed as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Take care, everyone!" she shouted back happily, her voice breaking.

She knew she would seem them again.

A bird let out a cry in the air above them and Luffy looked up, suddenly beyond excited as it dropped a newspaper aboard their ship.

"Hey guys, we have our first bounties!" she yelled, bouncing around the ship with glee.

Nami froze from where she had been tending to their new orange trees and turned towards her Captain. "Already?!"

Luffy just laughed and unrolled it. She was right, it was a bit earlier than before, but nonetheless, here they were. The others crowded around, each of their expressions varying in degree of shock and pride as they took in the names and numbers.

"Straw hat Luffy, 79,000,000?!" Nami gasped.

Luffy grinned. That's larger than last time! Then again, she was also a lot stronger than last time too and had taken out her enemies basically with a single hit.

"Hey, even Zoro has one," Usopp commented, lifting the other page. Luffy blinked. That was new. She looked over her sniper's shoulder and sure enough, there was her first mate.

"Demon Eye Zoro?" Luffy read with surprise.

The others stared at the swordsman who stared back. "What?"

"His eyes do look kind of evil," agreed Sanji.

Said evil looking swordsman didn't take kindly to that comment and a fight started. The first Luffy had seen since the last timeline.

Laughing, she looked back down at the bounty. "29,000,000 huh? Hmm. Not bad for a starting amount."

"Alright guys!" she shouted, turning to her rag tag team of pirates, "to the grand line!"

"AYE!"

"So, should we stop for supplies first or just keep going until after we cross reverse mountain?" Nami asked Luffy as the two stood talking near the wheel.

Luffy hummed. "I would like to stop at loguetown and get supplies. Since it was the place Gol D. Roger was executed, it seems only fitting, you know?"

Nami chuckled. "Yeah, I guess it does. Alright, sounds good to me."

Luffy smiled as she turned back to face the sea. It felt great to be with her crew again, starting back into the grand line. One step closer to their end goal of Raftel.

A single thought suddenly crossed her mind. Didn't grandpa say she met her dad here in the former timeline? She hummed. This time she would have to keep a look out and since she now knew who he was and now since she also had her Observation haki unlocked, that would be ten times easier to do!

As the ship docked, Luffy grinned at the sight of the city.

"Alright, so, I was thinking split into pairs and meet back at the ship in say, one hour?" Nami questioned from the back.

"Sounds good," Luffy agreed with a nod, her arms crossed with excitement.

"I will go with you, Nami-swan~! Or you, Luffy-Dawn~!"

Luffy blinked. "Dawn?"

Sanji swooned as he collapsed over the railing beside her, hearts in his eyes. "Yes, my goddess. Dawn fits a lovely creature such as you, Captain. Dawn for the setting sun and Don, like the leader of a group of criminals~" he sang.

Luffy couldn't help it. She snorted.

Sanji squeaked. "Even your snort is cute~!" he cheered, twirling around on his toes.

"Shut up and sit down, curly-cook!" Zoro demanded, grabbing the other and dropping him to the deck.

Sanji jumped up, ready to start something, when Nami interrupted.

"Thanks, Zoro. Now listen up!"

Sanji pouted and Zoro smirked. Luffy giggled into her hand, catching the eye of her first mate who met her gaze before both looked away simultaneously. Nami noticed and frowned but continued.

"Here's the pairs. Myself and Usopp will go gather the needed requirements for the trip, such as paper, medical supplies, clothes, soap, and the sort. Sanji, you and Gin go gather some more food provisions and the needed cooking supplies."

"Right," Sanji agreed, glancing at Gin who smirked back at him. The two were close after all they had been through and didn't mind the idea of going into town together, though Sanji would have enjoyed one of the ladies a bit better.

"Zoro, you're with Luffy. She wanted to look at the execution platform, so accompany her. Everyone else, head out!"

Luffy watched the others jump off the ship before glancing back at Zoro who was standing a bit to the side, his eyes looking anywhere but at her.

"Um, did you want to look at something before we head to the platform?" she asked hesitantly.

Zoro finally glanced her way. "I was thinking about looking for a new sword or two, seeing as how Mihawk shattered all but Wado Ichimonji."

"Alright, well, let's head there first then."

The two jumped off the ship and started into town. Luffy placed her hands on the back of her head as she walked, looking around in interest at all the sights she didn't remember seeing from the first trip to Loguetown.

Zoro was quiet for the most part, only occasionally commenting on things or people he noticed that were of interest.

Luffy sighed. She could feel the awkward tension between them and knew she needed to clear the air before they went into battle or it could cause trouble. "Nay, Zor-," she stopped and blinked before groaning.

Zoro was once again gone.

Zoro had been walking when he suddenly noted how quiet everything had gotten. "Not a lot of people in this direction," he commented to his Captain. He wasn't sure what to say to her after their… well, their last encounter. When he heard no response, he looked up. "Luffy?"

He sighed. Did that girl get lost again?

A sudden body bumping into his had him stepping back to keep his balance, as a grunt came from just ahead of him.

"Ah, sorry," came a female voice.

Zoro turned and nearly screamed at the girl sitting in front of him. Despite the little differences, he could have sworn he was staring at an older Kuina.

Finally locating her glasses that had fallen in the collision, the woman looked up and smiled upon seeing him. "Sorry about that. My name is Tashigi. Are you alright?"

Zoro blinked. "Uh, yeah…"

"Well, that's good." She suddenly froze and spied the sword at his waist. "Oh my gosh! Is that Wado Ichimonji, one of the O Wazamono swords?!"

"Y-Yeah," he stuttered, eyes wide, "Y-You know of it?"

"Of course!" she grinned and Zoro was sure he felt Luffy's déjà vu kicking in. "It's so magnificent. You must be a great swordsman to have it."

"Uh, yeah, it's a keepsake entrusted to me by an old friend."

She grinned. "That's so nice."

"Yeah… look, I was on my way to look for another sword or two. D-Do you happen to know where I might find a good one?"

"Hmm, well I don't know where one might be that's as nice as that one, but… yeah, I think I might. Come with me. It's the least I can do after running into you like that."

Zoro wasn't sure if he should really be following this Kuina look alike, but at least she knew something about swords and where he might find one.

Upon entering a small sword shop, Zoro took a long look around as the woman started speaking to the store owner. It didn't look like a place where he might find a sword of quality, but then suddenly he spied it. Hidden in a barrel of junk, a beautiful black sheath. Grabbing it, he could feel the evil aura emitting from the blade.

"You!" the sword owner shouted, eyes wide, "be careful with that!"

Tashigi frowned, eyeing the sword. "Is that…"

"Yeah, a cursed blade," Zoro nodded, turning to the store owner who looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Y-You know of it then?"

"Of course, I can feel it. It's a nice sword. Tell me, what do you want for it?"

The store owner laughed nervously. "It's cursed. It kills its own masters or takes their arms as compensation if not their lives. Trust me kid, you don't want that one."

Zoro hummed. "Old man, if I can use this sword, can I have it?"

The owner stared at him. "What are you…"

Zoro pulled out the blade and then held out the sheath. "Let's see who the real master is."

"W-Wait, you can't!" Tashigi yelled, but it was too late.

Zoro threw the sword in the air and as it came back down, it passed by his arm without a scratch and straight into the sheath he held below. The two stared in shock and awe as the young man chuckled. "Well old man?"

"That… that was amazing. You are truly a master swordsman," the man commented, his tone of voice showing his admiration, "Of course, take it. No one else can use a blade like that."

Zoro smiled and hooked it to his hip. "Thanks. You wouldn't happen to have another like it, would you?"

The shop owner stared for a moment. "Actually, hang on." He rushed into the back and soon returned with another blade, just as beautiful as the black one and just as strong.

Tashigi gushed. "That… that sword is…"

"Beautiful," Zoro interrupted her, taking the blade in his hands. "How much?"

The shop owner chuckled, shaking his head. "It's a gift."

Zoro stared, "Are you sure?"

"Quite, I would be honored for this sword to go to such a talented swordsman."

Zoro smiled. "Thank you."

As he walked out of the shop, Tashigi smiled alongside him. "That was very kind of him."

"Yeah," Zoro nodded, patting his new swords with a gentle fondness.

"Lieutenant!"

Zoro snapped his head up. Lieutenant?

"What is it?" the woman beside him called.

She's a marine?! He stared, shocked.

"We just got word there are pirates spotted by the execution platform. Smoker wants you there."

"Alright, coming." She turned to Zoro with a smile. "Glad to have met you. Bye!"

She waved and hurried on. Zoro stared after her. Pirates at the platform… LUFFY! He ran after the marines, keeping back a way's but right in their shadow as they led him to where he needed to go.

Luffy walked towards the platform after having made a couple stops of her own. She had bitter sweet feelings about this place ever since she herself claimed the title of Pirate King. How Rogers died, smiling… she was envious. He could only smile because his crew was alive. She on the other hand, she had to watch them all die before her, one by one. Oh, how she was envious.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't even notice the shadows coming up behind her until they were suddenly there.

"We meet again, Straw Hat!" that familiar voice shouted.

She sighed and turned to Buggy. Unfortunately, with all their past dealings, she just couldn't not recognize that annoyingly high-pitched tone anymore.

"What do you want, red nose?"

Buggy jumped up and down in anger, tossing out words faster than any sailor. She wondered if Buggy had a mother and if his mother had ever heard him talk like that?

"My, my, if it isn't the pretty little thing that had Coby all up in a twist," another annoying voice taunted from behind.

Luffy turned to the woman. Smirking, she looked her up and down. "And you are?"

The woman scowled. "Only the most beautiful thing on this sea, honey! That means more beautiful than you! I am Alvida and I will kill you for what you did to me!"

Luffy hummed. "I don't know, what do you think red nose? Whose prettier?" she asked the clown, purposefully ignoring the fuming woman beside her.

Buggy blinked, startled by the question. "Uh, well…" he looked between them and Alvida just got angrier and angrier the longer he took.

"What do you mean, well?!" she shouted.

Buggy turned to her. "Err, well, it's not an easy question to answer," he tried to explain.

Luffy watched in amusement as Alvida suddenly started swinging her bat at the clown who ran away screaming. Unable to stop herself, she began to laugh to the point she had to hold her stomach in an effort not to get sick. The two of them were just too comical sometimes.

"What are you laughing at?!" Buggy shouted, angry.

Alvida also looked a bit perturbed. Luffy just shrugged. "You guys. You fight like an old married couple."

The two once again met eyes before they both exploded into arguments about why they would never marry one another and how he was a creepy red nosed clown and how she was a fat lard turned string jelly. Luffy just watched them like one might watch a ping pong match before she noticed the cloud of smoke coming towards them from behind.

'Smokey…' she smiled. It had been such a long time since she had last seen her marine rival. Of all the Marines she had met, he was one of her favorites and amongst the ones she most respected.

Alvida and Buggy who didn't seem him coming, continued to argue, nearly blue in the face.

"And don't think for a second that I…" Buggy froze and then screamed when he saw the cloud behind his former female comrade. He knew exactly who that was. Alvida frowned and turned to see what he was staring at, only to be caught by Smoker who growled. "Pirate scum, you're under arrest!"

Luffy just laughed, only to freeze up when she felt a blade at her throat. Smoker also froze, staring Buggy down angrily.

"Let the girl go."

Luffy blinked. Did he not yet know that she was also a pirate?

"I have business with this girl. It's you who should go, White Hunter!" Buggy growled.

Smoker eyed the blade. "I won't ask again."

Buggy backed up, his grip tightening on Luffy's arm. As much as she wanted to turn around and drop kick the stupid clown, she was honestly more curious about what Smoker would do in this situation. Course, she could use Haki or her devil fruit and knock the jerk out, but then that would be a bit too easy and showy for this early in the game. She doubted the marines were aware of just how strong she truly was. For all intents and purposes, she was as strong any of the Pirate Emperors from the new world.

Luffy was jerked out of her thoughts when she suddenly found herself floating above the ground, her waist locked in a death grip by Buggy as he flew them up to the platform, his feet having made their way up separately beforehand.

"Now watch, as I take my revenge and end Straw Hat Luffy where she stands!"

Smoker's facial expression didn't change and Luffy wondered if that meant he had known the truth about her all along? If that was the case though, then why was he trying to save her, a pirate? She didn't have much time to contemplate this when Buggy shoved her down and she found herself pinned, once again, in the same position that Rogers had been in upon the day of his death. How ironic… she thought to herself with a sigh. And here she thought things would be different this time around.

As Buggy laughed maniacally, she noticed the executioners block was coated in sea stone. No wonder most pirates can't escape. She could already feel her energy lagging.

Suddenly, as her eyes swept the sea of faces, she noticed a familiar green head in the far back. His expression, if she could make it out right, was horrified. She smiled sadly in his direction, wishing they had talked and cleared the air before this. After all, she could possibly die this time around, what with the timelines being changed. She should have been more careful.

"LUFFY!" her swordsman's voice echoed across the compound. She noticed the marines turn and look for the source of that scream, but Luffy knew even if they did find him, they wouldn't so easily take Zoro down.

"My goddess!" a much more annoying voice shouted from the opposite direction.

"Luffy!" Nami screamed, standing just behind the cook. Usopp and Gin were at her side, both staring wide eyed in mounting horror.

"I won't tell you again, Buggy! Release the girl!" Smoker demanded, his voice that much more demanding.

Buggy just laughed. "Say goodbye, Straw Hat!"

Luffy looked out at her friends. Her family. "ZORO! SANJI! NAMI! GIN! USOPP!" she took a moment to breathe, mentally adding the other names of the crew members she had yet to find. "I WILL BE THE KING OF THE PIRATES!"

"Die!" Buggy screamed after her proclamation, but his own word was drowned out by a loud clap of thunder that began to rumble overhead.

"LUFFY!" her crew shouted, running towards her desperately as Buggy's sword came down.

Luffy grinned, Smoker gaped, and lightning struck the platform.

Everyone shielded their eyes before gazing in complete awe at the charred wooden remains and the slightly singed girl standing amongst them.

"Ha!" she laughed, picking up her hat and dusting it off. "I wasn't certain that would actually happen this time around."

Everyone stared, stunned. "You…" Smoker started to speak, but suddenly Alvida turned and struck him. Luffy hummed as she watched the fight break out, amused by all that happened.

"Luffy, this way!" Zoro shouted.

The swordsman ignored the narrowed eyes of the female lieutenant from before that were now burning into him.

Luffy turned and took off, a large smile spread across her face at seeing the slightly moist, relieved gazes of her crew staring back at her.

"D-Don't do that again!" Nami shouted, wiping her eyes continuously.

"L-Luffy!" Usopp shouted, hugging her.

"That was a close one, Captain," Gin sighed.

"M-My goddess~" Sanji bellowed, "that dang clown! How dare he do that to my beautiful…"

Sanji was cut off and his hug avoided when Zoro grabbed Luffy and tucked her into his arms and against his chest, his face buried in her hair. Her straw hat continued to hang loosely in her hands as she blinked wide eyed at the sudden embrace.

"Marimo, what are you doing to my beautiful goddess?!" Sanji shouted, ready to attack the first mate.

Nami smirked at the scene. "Sanji~ Can I have help carrying my things, please?"

Sanji turned to her immediately, his eyes once again hearts. "Of course, Nami-Swan~" he sang, hurrying to help her.

Gin and Usopp shared knowing looks, following after the two as Zoro, almost reluctantly, released her.

"Zoro?" Luffy asked, staring up into his eyes as her swordsman studied her face in silence.

"I'm sorry."

Luffy froze. "What?"

"About that night, at Cocoyashi village. I shouldn't have kissed you like that. I was brash, and you were drunk. I apologize, it won't happen again."

Luffy was actually left speechless. He regretted kissing her? Does… does that mean he doesn't like her? She chuckled weakly, suddenly oddly betrayed feeling, and stepped back, out of his reach, her eyes not meeting his. "I see, yeah… I understand. I'm sorry too."

Zoro sighed in relief. "Alright, well… let's get back to the ship."

He turned and started to walk off. Luffy watched him go, her emotions jumbled as she started after him, but stopped suddenly when she felt a familiar presence to her left. Staring into the dark alley, she called out to him.

"Dragon."

A man in a green cloak stepped out, his eyes intense as he studied her, his long lost daughter. He could feel her compressed aura. She was much stronger than he thought she would be at this stage in the game.

"You know who I am then?" he asked her, a little surprised.

"I do," she nodded, but didn't bother explaining how. He didn't bother to ask.

The father and daughter stared at one another, a strange sort of communication happening between the two without words. She could feel his interest in her, as well as his… was that concern?

"So, what do you want?" she asked bluntly. "I assume you didn't come to just say hello."

He looked out towards the sea. "Pirate King, is that your dream?"

Luffy eyed him. Part of her wondered what he would do if he knew the truth about her. The other part refused to ever share something so private with the man she had come to consider a familiar legend and nothing more. He wasn't her father and she felt no need to explain anything to the likes of him. The only thing she owed him for was saving Sabo in the last timeline, but that was it.

"It is," she merely replied.

He smiled. "It's a good dream."

She frowned.

"You're not my father, you know," she told him bluntly.

He eyed her.

"I have a father and you're not him," she repeated.

"Oh? Red-haired Shanks, is it?"

Luffy didn't bother asking him how he knew that. She assumed he had spies everywhere.

"That's right, Whitebeard as well" she answered boldly.

Dragon was silent. She couldn't tell what he was thinking behind the mask he had built up to cover his emotions, but she could sense he was unhappy and even… guilty?

"I see."

It was an awkward pause as the two stood there in silence, both unsure of what to say or how to say it.

"Perhaps, we might meet again, in the coming future?" he suggested.

She hesitated in her response.

Luffy knew this was his way of asking her if he could see her again sometime, but she wasn't certain how she felt about that. She wasn't even sure how she felt about this exact moment, seeing as how last timeline, he hadn't even bothered to introduce himself. He certainly wouldn't have this time around either if she hadn't been the one to call out to him first.

"You have a lot to make up for, and it won't be easy even if you start now." Yes, he could come see her again, but it didn't mean she accepted him. Still… "and when you do, maybe then I might start to consider you family."

Dragon said nothing, he merely nodded as he looked up towards the gray colored clouds. Luffy also stayed silent, her mental state just as confusing as her present emotional state. The sound of feet pounding along the street in their direction had both tensing in preparation of a possible fight.

"You should go," he told her, stepping out into the street to block her from sight, "I will slow them down."

Luffy hesitated, but then took off running. Dragon watched her go before sending a burst of his power throughout the city, the strength of it picking her up and dropping her directly in front of her ship. Startled, she glanced back at the city. "Guess that's a start," she thought out loud with a frown, but he had a long way to go before she would ever consider calling him 'dad'.

"Luffy?" Nami called.

Luffy turned to her crew, all eyes were on her, most of them confused and some a little concerned.

"Ah, sorry, I got side tracked," she told them, hurrying on board.

The Marines rushed the dock where the ship had been anchored, but it was too late. The Straw Hat crew was gone.

Smoker stared out across the water. He wouldn't let them go so easily.

Don't hate me! Zoro and Luffy are both stubborn, clueless idiots and I feel that would be even truer if they were both in love with one another, so enjoy the fun as it comes! Review and let me know your thoughts!