"They should be passing the island any minute now. Does everyone remember the plan?" Even in the dark, Ace could make out his friends' nods. The air buzzed with excitement and anticipation. Tonight was going to be fun!
"Ace, are you sure Usopp and his crew will stop? The castle is a ways from their destination, isn't it?" Banchina asked worriedly. The wind gently passed through her, scattering dried leaves across the front steps of the ominous manor.
Across from her, Saul shook his head. "I don't think you have to fret. They may have their course, but Strawhat's a wild and unpredictable man. I have my doubts that he'll take the straight, easy path."
"He's a true pirate!" Hiriluk added, "He can't resist an adventure when he sees one!"
Tom patted Banchina's shoulder and gave her a smile. "They're right! Plus, Ace and I will be there to send them here with gusto!" He turned to the rest of the group. "After Ace leads them away, I'm going to be looking their boat over. I have to see this 'ship of dreams' my boys worked so hard on! Best of luck to the rest of ya!"
"I won't need luck," Kuina boasted.
"Confident, huh? You sure you can handle a pirate on your own?" Yorki teased.
"She'll be fine." Belle-mere smirked. "Girls like her don't lose so easily." From the shore, she heard a shout and a crash. "Hey Roci, do you see them yet?" she called.
Corazon tripped as he ran to them, waving towards the beach. "They've made it! I can see their ship! I can even see Law on the deck!" He fell forward, tumbling the rest of the way. "Ace!" He looked up at the freckled leader. "Is it finally time?"
"Sounds like it!" Ace grinned widely and pulled Corazon to his feet. "Give me a few minutes and I'll have them at the castle, no problem! After that, find your pirate and go wild!" Cheers erupted from the group, signaling the beginning of their plan. The nine split up, most running into the castle, while Ace and Tom ran towards the sea.
"But Nami! That place looks so cool! Let's check it out!"
"For the last time, Luffy, I said 'no'! We need to focus on getting to Dressrosa!" Nami whacked her captain in the head. "Besides, that castle is way too creepy! There's no way we're going anywhere near it!"
"Don't you remember what happened at the last spooky castle we visited? We got attacked by zombies and had our shadows stolen by a warlord!" Usopp cried.
"Ah, come on! I wanna see it!" Luffy whined.
The three argued back and forth as Ace and Tom hovered above them, invisible to the living eye. "That's Luffy for you." Ace chuckled. "He won't take 'no' for an answer." He floated down until he was behind his little brother, toying with the edge of his famed strawhat. With the next gust of wind, Ace sprang away, expertly pulling the hat off Luffy's head before he could grab it.
"Hey! My hat!" The captain dove after his prized possession, but Ace was faster. He leapt over the railing and dangled the hat in mid-air, waiting for Luffy to take the bait. Luffy threw his arm out and stretched until the hat was barely out of his reach.
"What's the matter, Luffy? Don't you want it back? Oh...oh, it looks like you almost have it!" Ace inched it closer to Luffy's hand, but yanked it back at the last second. "So close! Come on! Try again!" Ace taunted, knowing Luffy couldn't hear him.
"Damn it!" the younger pirate cursed. "Get back here, hat!"
"Luffy, stop screwing around!" Nami yelled.
"I'm not! My hat won't listen to me!"
From the upper deck, Law, Franky, and Zoro joined them. Zoro looked from the flying hat to Usopp. "What's going on?"
The sniper shrugged. "Not sure. Luffy's hat got blown away and now he can't catch it."
Over the ship, Tom rolled in the air, laughing hysterically at Ace's antics. "Tahahahaha! Brothers!"
"This always annoyed him when we were kids." Ace paused, noticing the frustrated growl Luffy made. "I'm heading back before his friends cut in. Have fun, Tom!" With a quick wave, Ace flew back to the shore of the island, making a mad dash for the castle.
"HAT!" Luffy slingshot himself off the boat, rocketing after his hat.
"Luffy, no!"
"Wait a minute, bro!"
"Damn it, Strawhat!"
It was too late. Within moments, Luffy was out of sight, his shouts echoing off the hills. Nami groaned. "This means we'll have to go get him. Franky, do me a favor and get the others from the kitchen."
"You got it!"
"Now, hold on a minute, guys!" Everyone turned to Usopp, who was shaking. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves! Maybe Luffy will just come back on his own and we won't have to go up to the creepy castle at all! So let's stay here and wait for him. Please!"
The other pirates stared at him for a moment before turning away, completely ignoring his suggestion. "Like that will ever happen," Zoro muttered.
Franky poked his head inside the kitchen door, being met with several curious gazes. "What the hell is all the noise about?" Sanji asked from his spot at the stove.
"Luffy's run ahead to the island we're passing. Nami wants some of us to drag him back."
"Idiot captain…" Sanji leaned back as flames danced from the pan he held. "Doesn't he realize this dish takes an extreme amount of time and delicacy to create? I can't go chasing after him all over when he decides to do something stupid, but…" His eyes turned to hearts and he swooned. "But my beloved Nami-swan needs me! I can't ignore her request!"
Robin smiled and stood from the table. "I'm sure Nami won't mind if you continue cooking. We can follow the captain while you finish the meal. I would hate to see all of your effort wasted."
"Oh, Robin-dear! You're so selfless and kind! I'll make the best cuisine you've ever tasted!"
"What about Caesar?" Chopper added. "Shouldn't we have someone guarding him?"
Brook sipped his milk calmly. "I agree. Traffy was very clear about needing Caesar for his plans. We need to keep him under careful watch."
"Don't worry bros!" Franky gave them a huge thumbs up. "He's in the crow's nest with the samurai, but I'll keep a SUPER close eye on him and the Sunny!" The ship bobbed as a loud splash came from outside. "Sounds like they've dropped the anchor alongside the coast. You three better go join them." Chopper, Brook, and Robin passed him and ran out onto the deck.
Meanwhile, in one of the castle's long hallways, the ghosts waited patiently for Ace's return. The seven didn't speak, each too excited about their own plans. It wasn't until the clock struck ten that Banchina spoke up. "That's odd. I wonder what's taking Ace so long."
Kuina scoffed. "Probably got lost."
"Do you think he needs help?" Corazon asked.
"HAAAAT!" Suddenly, from the other end of the corridor, Ace rushed towards them with an angry Luffy hot on his heels.
"Hi everyone! I'm back!" Ace called. Changing direction, he turned into another hall, keeping his brother distracted.
"Hey, look!" Yorki pointed out the window. "I see the rest of the crew coming up the path! He actually did it!"
Creak!
The large, front doors of the castle slowly opened into the dark entryway. With the moon shining behind them, the Strawhats and Law could make out an elegant staircase leading upstairs, along with several open doorways to a maze of halls and rooms. There was no sign of which direction their friend had gone. "Luffy!" Zoro yelled. "Luffy, where'd you run off to?"
Chopper's nose twitched as he sniffed, hoping to catch Luffy's scent. Instead, dust in the air forced him to sneeze. "I can tell he came in here, but I'm not sure where he went."
"We should spread out to look for him. We'll cover more ground that way," Law recommended.
"Zoro, take me with you!" Usopp clutched onto the swordsman's arm.
"No! Go with someone else if you're scared!"
Nami grabbed his other arm. "You're staying with us whether you like it or not! If we let you go alone, we'll have to send another search party after you, so I'm not taking my eyes off you for a second!"
"Fine! Just let go of me already!"
Chopper gently tapped Law's leg. "Traffy, can I come with you?"
The surgeon shrugged. "I don't care as long as we can get back on course for Dressrosa."
"I suppose that leaves the two of us then," Robin said to Brook.
The skeleton bowed politely. "I will protect you with my life...not that I'm alive anymore! Yohohoho!"
"Why don't we start upstairs?" One of Robin's hands sprouted on the railing, motioning for Brook to follow.
Law walked away into one of the doorways on the right. "Let's go, Tony." Chopper nodded and ran after him.
"Guess we'll go this way." Zoro turned, entering a hallway on the left. Usopp and Nami had released his arms, but were now barely a step behind him. "Would you two back off? I can feel you breathing on my neck."
They hesitantly took a couple steps back, but still stayed close to each other. "This place is even scarier on the inside," Usopp whimpered.
Painted portraits decorated the walls of the hallway, showing off nobles in fancy attire. Their faces were smug and it felt like their eyes were following the three. Occasionally, suits of armor stood alongside them, axes at the ready. The inanimate soldiers stood in twos, facing each other from opposite walls.
Usopp cautiously approached one of the suits. His fingers brushed against the feather attached to the helmet, watching the flakes of dust sprinkle the floor. "This place must have been empty for decades," he noted. A shadow loomed over him. "Zoro, don't crowd me when you were complain-" Usopp froze when he faced what he assumed was his crewmate. Instead of the green-haired man, his long nose pressed against cool metal as a suit towered over him in the middle of the hall. "WAH!"
"Usopp!" Zoro lunged forward, hand on Kitetsu's hilt. To his surprise, the armor anticipated his moves, latching onto his wrist while its free hand pulled one of his swords away. Zoro's eyes widened as he realized which sword had been taken. "You bastard!" The armor fled farther down the passage, Zoro following just as his captain had earlier.
Nami and Usopp shrieked and hurried back the way they came, forgetting their promise to watch the swordsman.
Upstairs, Robin and Brook stepped into the first room they found. The room held rows and rows of bookshelves that stretched up towards the vaulted ceilings. The floors were carpeted, except for a small, raised platform in the center. The makeshift stage presented a beautiful, ebony grand piano, whose lid was still propped open.
"How exquisite..." Brook admired the instrument's keys, pressing one to test the sound.
"This must be the estate's library. Some of these books look to be over a century old." Robin scanned a shelf of titles. The subjects ranged from weather to mythology, along with a couple of unmarked tomes that Robin assumed were journals.
Brook watched her with fascination. "Would any of these help you with your research, Robin? We can browse for a bit, if you would like."
From behind one of the rows, Saul felt his heart soar. "They really care about her dream!" He sniffled. "She finally found the friends she deserves!"
Below him, Yorki tried to shush him. "Don't get emotional yet!" he whispered, "We still haven't had our fun!"
"I know, but I can't help myself! I'm so happy for her! Dereshishishi! Dereshishishi! Dereshishishi!" The giant bellowed with laughter, overjoyed for the little girl he had saved. The room shook with him, rattling books off their shelves.
Robin and Brook gasped at the sudden disturbance. Brook stumbled closer to Robin, his grip tight around his cane for balance. "Cien fleur!" Several limbs blossomed around them, holding books securely in their place. "Brook, are you alright?"
"Yoho...yes, I'm fine. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest."
"But Brook, you don't have a heart," Robin replied knowingly.
"Skull joke!"
"Hat!" I said 'come back'!" Luffy's hat continued through the castle, leading Luffy into a wide, open chamber. There were no windows for his hat to fly out of and the pirate blocked the only door. "I've got you now!"
The hat floated several feet above Luffy, spinning in the center of the room. Ace continued to twirl Luffy's hat, grinning at their surroundings. "The ballroom! Perfect! It's only fitting for the king of the pirates. Well, Luffy, how's about we keep playing for a while, like we did when we were little? I'll even light things up to make it easier for you!" With a single gesture of his free hand, Ace lit the candles mounted on the walls one by one, bathing the ballroom in an orange glow.
"What the- Woah! They're mystery candles!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Figures you'd like that. Now, come at me, Luffy!"
The Sunny rested peacefully along the shore with Franky leaning against the main mast. While he was happy to protect his creation, the ship was incredibly boring without the crew around and Sanji insisted on not being disturbed. The only sounds he could hear was the light shifting of the waves, the gentle flapping of their flag in the breeze, and the clicking of the helm turning.
Wait...that wasn't right.
Franky paused, listening closer. Sure enough, he could hear the wheel being spun vigorously. "Hey, who's messing with the Sunny?" he called. Marching up to the other deck, he found no one, yet the wheel kept turning. Franky stepped back, about to write it off as a fluke from the wind, when one of the dock switches activated. The doors slowly slid open beneath him, showing the ship's paddle system. "WHAT?"
Tom peered over the side of the deck. "Would ya look at that! It's got a system similar to the sea train!" The fishman ran to the other side, rocking the ship along with him. "I wonder what kind of power source makes it run with such gusto!" He fazed through the floors to get a better look, leaving a stunned Franky on deck.
"Is this what I think it is?" Chopper's voice oozed with astonishment as he and Law looked around. "It is! We found the infirmary! This is so cool!"
"Tony, we don't have time for this. We need to find Strawhat and get back-"
"Look at all these antique tools!" Chopper cheered. Law tried to maintain a disinterested expression, but his curiosity won out. He joined Chopper at one of the tables, examining the old scalpels and gadgets.
"I've only seen most of these in medical journals," he added.
"Same here! I never thought I'd get to see them up close." Chopper picked up a leather bound notebook from the desk beside them, flipping through the first few pages. "Wow, there's even still records of the patients that they saw."
Corazon sat on one of the beds, grinning as Law continued fiddling with the equipment. "You can't stay a grumpy brat forever, Law." He stood and carefully tip-toed closer. "I bet I can spook you good!" He was centimeters away from ruffling the feathers around Law's collar when his shoe caught the edge of his own black feather coat. He toppled backwards, his legs getting tangled in the frame of another bed and he fell face-first onto the mattress. "A bed's not bad for me," Corazon assured himself, "It could be much worse."
Just then, his coat set the fabric under him ablaze.
"Eeeek! Traffy, there's a fire!" Chopper jumped back as a bottle from one of the cabinets floated over his head. "Eeek! Traffy, things are moving by themselves!"
Hiriluk rushed to Corazon's side, bottle in hand. "Never fear. I shall help you!" Hiriluk unscrewed the cap and poured the liquid over Corazon's coat. The flames grew stronger.
"That was rubbing alcohol!" Corazon protested.
Hiriluk scratched the back of his neck. "Damn, I really thought that would put you out."
"Traffy, the fire's huge! Do something!"
"Bastard! Stop running!" Zoro was catching up to the armored thief, his remaining two swords already drawn. He glared daggers at the suit, but kept his focus on Wado Ichimonji.
Suddenly, the suit of armor stopped at the end of the hall, turning to face Zoro, instead of running down the next turn. It drew the sword from its sheath, sliding into a proper dueling position.
"So you want to fight me?" Zoro asked. "Fine by me. I won't hold back."
Kuina smirked inside the armor. "Wado Ichimonji versus two sword style...how nostalgic. Get ready. I'm about to earn my 2002nd win."
Both let out a roar of determination as their swords clashed.
A punch hurtled past Ace's head. "You keep getting farther, Luffy! What happened to all that speed of yours?" A kick followed shortly. Ace dodged it, back-flipping out of Luffy's reach.
The captain panted. He knew he could still use his second gear and easily keep up with his hat's movements, but something in his gut told him not to. Something about the way his hat ducked and moved just beyond his grasp was familiar and, in a way, comforting. The playful flames from the candles engulfed him in warmth and he felt a wide smile stretch across his face. Memories flooded through his mind. "I'm gonna catch up to you!" he declared.
Sanji scraped the chopped vegetables into the pot, glancing over his shoulder as Franky dragged himself into the kitchen. The usually energetic shipwright looked tired and annoyed, which caught him off guard. "Franky, what's the matter? You look like Mosshead does when someone interrupts his nap."
"I've been running through the entire ship trying to figure out who's screwing with the Sunny! I've checked every spot, but I haven't found anybody!"
"And you haven't just been imagining things?"
Franky was about to protest when the pantry door swung open. Neither man moved as the door shut itself and the lock on the fridge turned. Cabinet after cabinet opened and closed by itself and Sanji watched in horror as one of the unused burners came to life. It wasn't until the door to Chopper's office clicked shut that Sanji reacted.
"Franky, what the hell is going on in my kitchen?!"
"You think I know? This has been happening all over since the others left!"
Brook handed Robin another book from the top shelf. "Is this the one you wanted?"
"Yes. Thank you, Brook."
The two had calmed down from the earlier surprise and were perusing the castle's extensive collection. Both of them already had gathered a few titles that they planned to bring back to their ship's own library. All the while, Brook marveled at the piano on the platform. "I wish we could take that with us," he said softly.
Robin followed his gaze. "Do you miss having a piano?"
"Very much. It was one of my favorite instruments to play, back when I was sailing with my old crew."
Shutting the book she had been reading, Robin placed a hand on Brook's arm, giving him a sympathetic squeeze. "Perhaps Usopp and Franky could build one for you."
"I'd love that! I already know what song I'd play first!"
As if on cue, the ebony piano's keys began to move, the shanty's melody drifting through the library. The happy tone of the song was a sharp contrast to the castle's gloomy atmosphere and Yorki smiled as he began to sing. "Yohohoho yohohoho~ Yohohoho yohohoho~ Yohohoho yohohoho~ Yohohoho yohohoho~"
Upon the verse, Brook joined in, tears beginning to form. "Gather up all of the crew~ It's time to ship out Bink's brew~ Sea wind blows to where, who knows~ The waves will be our guide~ O'er across the ocean's tide~ Waves of sunshine far and wide~ Birds they sing of cheerful things in circles passing by~"
Brook sang loudly, imagining an entire orchestra of men participating in the revelry. He kept his line of sight on the shelf, worried that if he looked over at the piano, he would find it was all just a dream. Still, he managed to slowly lift his head, risking a glance.
The blond pushed his cowboy hat back, giving Brook a quick wink as their duet continued.
In the entryway, Nami and Usopp stood back to back, cradling their weapons to their chests. Usopp's teeth rattled together. "Where do you think that music's coming from? Do you think it's something coming this way?"
"Don't be stupid," Nami chastised, "Brook's up there. He probably got bored and is messing around to pass time."
"Yeah, that's got to be it. That's a reasonable explanation," the sniper agreed. He bit his lip nervously. "But what do we do if one of those armored things comes back?"
"Run back to the ship," Nami replied simply.
Belle-mere and Banchina sat on the first few stairs, enjoying the last few notes that carried down the flight. The mothers had originally decided to wait and haunt their children once their swordsman friend returned, but he was still preoccupied with Kuina. Belle-mere stood up and rolled her shoulders. "I'm tired of waiting around. I'm going to go say 'hello'."
The red-head snuck behind her daughter, lightly poking her in the side. "Hey Nami," she whispered, "what's that?" She poked her again.
"Usopp, stop it! I'm freaked out enough as it is. The last thing I need is you trying to scare me!" Nami pushed Usopp away with the end of her Clima Tact and whacked his hand. "Keep your hands to yourself and wait for the others!"
"What are you talking about? I haven't even touched you!"
"Don't lie to me! You poked me!" Nami stopped and giggled when a hand tickled her side. "See! You did it again! Cut it out!"
"How could I touch you when I'm over here? You can see both of my hands, so if anyone's lying, it's you!"
Nami blinked, realizing he was right. She could see Usopp's hands wrapped around Kabuto's handle. "If you're not the one doing it, then who..." Another poke on the back drew a scream from the navigator. "Usopp! Help! Do something!"
He pulled back Kabuto's string, aiming at thin air. "H-hey! Wh-whatev-ever you are, you better leave her alone! I have 8000 men outside ready to strike when I give the order and I'm only giving you one chance to escape!"
Banchina stepped closer, shaking her head. "My silly boy," she said fondly, "You've always had such a vivid imagination." She reached out and stroked her son's cheek. "You're so brave. Your father would be proud."
Usopp screeched at the unseen affection, bolting out of the castle and down the path, Nami right behind him.
"The fire's still going! What are we gonna do?" Chopper hid part of his face behind the desk leg. "This place is weird and scary! Traffy, what's going on?"
"Quiet down and let me think. You're giving me a headache with all of your screaming." Taking a deep breath, Law sighed. "There has to be a logical cause for what's happening. I'm not sure what it is yet, but there has to be a reason. As long as we're calm, we can figure it out." He shut his eyes to concentrate when a couple of shrill cries pierced his ears.
"Oh no! That was Nami and Usopp! The castle's attacking them too!"
"Tony, please! Stop shouting! I can't think!" The reindeer didn't listen, running through the infirmary in a panic. Law was about to grab him when he heard a 'snap' above the commotion and everything went quiet. He could see Chopper's mouth moving and his hooves hitting the floor as he sprinted into the hall, but none of it made a sound. There was only silence.
Corazon patted out the flames consuming his coat. "No need to get upset, Law. It's okay. Just breathe." He glanced over Law's head as Hiriluk flew after the other doctor, leaving them alone. "I'll handle the noise. Take a moment to relax and I'm positive everything will feel better."
Law's head whipped around for the source of the silence, staggering around in a slight daze. Everything else that had happened had some kind of possible excuse, but the only thing that could cause this phenomenon was impossible. He refused to dwell on the similarities of the odd occurrences, even though he recognized a certain man's clumsy flare. Swiveling on his heel, Law fled after Chopper, desperate for an escape.
Nami and Usopp's screams echoed throughout the castle, even to the distant ballroom. Luffy skidded to a stop, his smile dropping into a concerned frown. He wanted to keep chasing his hat, but his friends needed him!
Ace sensed his brother's confliction and his expression softened. "Go on," he urged, "I know you're worried about them. A good captain has to protect his crew, after all." Landing in front of Luffy, he tousled the younger boy's hair before setting the hat on his head. "I had a lot of fun seeing you again. Take care of yourself."
Luffy tipped his chin up, nearly looking Ace in the eye. He looked content and, without a word, he left.
It only took him a couple turns to find one of the crew and his classic excitement came rushing back as he caught up. "Zoro! That's so cool! I didn't know you found mystery armor! Let me try!"
Zoro's swords were crossed in front of him, blocking a slash from Wado Ichimonji. "Luffy? Where the hell have you been? We were all looking for you!"
"Sorry. My hat led me in here."
The suit of armor jumped away and took a defensive stand. Zoro launched himself into the air, attacking with a powerful swing. The swords hummed upon impact. "Whatever. Just don't butt in. This tin can took my sword!" He was thrown back by the armor.
Inside, Kuina steadied herself. "Your sword, huh? Fine. If you want it back so bad, I'll wrap this up the same way I did last time!" Closing the space between them, she drew Wado back and swung, aiming on hitting Zoro's remaining swords away and knocking him off balance.
Clang!
Shusui and Kitetsu met her blade, holding back her final strike. A dark smirk announced the victor. "I'm not falling for that," Zoro growled. In a single thrust, he sliced off the suit's left arm. It, along with Wdo Ichimonji, clattered to the floor. "My win." Kuina dropped the sheath, accepting defeat.
"LUFFY!" From the right, Chopper galloped down the hall. His hooves tried to stop, but the rug beneath him kept sliding and the reindeer collided with the suit of armor. Pieces scattered across the floor as Chopper hugged Luffy's legs. "Luffy, I don't like this castle! Can we go back to the ship?"
Law jogged toward them, glaring at Luffy venomously. "Can we please get back on track, Strawhat?"
With a bubbly laugh, Luffy nodded. "Yeah. I'm hungry. Let's see if Nami and Usopp are back on the ship and then I want some meat!"
Chopper led the four of them through the passages, following the scent of Nami's perfume. As they came into the foyer, Robin and Brook sped down the stairs, books in their arms. "Captain!" Brook greeted cheerfully. "I'm so glad to see you unharmed!"
Further down the path, Usopp and Nami panted. "Franky! Throw down the ladder!" Nami shouted.
Franky and Sanji both appeared on deck. "Nami-swan! Did you miss me? I've made you a drink!"
"Hey!" Luffy and the others came over the hill. "Sanji! I'm hungry! Is dinner ready?"
"I was just dishing it up. Until it's served, you can get your ass on the deck and wait like everyone else!"
Usopp scrambled up the ladder that Franky tossed, plopping onto the grass. "Who cares about supper? We need to leave before anything else tries to grab us!"
Tom floated up through the floor, grinning ear to ear. Coming behind his student, he chortled. "Tahaha! It's a damn fine ship, Franky! You've put plenty of thought into it and I can tell you still have a whole lot of gusto!" He slapped a webbed hand onto Franky's shoulder, accidently sending the cyborg overboard into the water.
"AAH! They're on the ship! We're doomed!" Usopp howled.
"Everyone take your post! Luffy, unfurl the sails! Zoro, lift the anchor! Franky, take the helm! We're getting out of here! Set sail for Dressrosa!" Nami ordered.
The crew did as they were told, guiding the Sunny away from the shore. Brook looked back, watching the castle grow smaller and the nine specters wave goodbye. "It was nice to lay eyes on a familiar face," he mused.
Zoro groaned. "Is that supposed to be another one of your 'skull jokes'?"
Brook shook his head. "No. Not this time."
"My good fellow," a voice called from the crow's nest, "what is going on? Have we made landfall already?"
"Kinemon, where have you been? You were supposed to be on watch!"
On the beach, the ghosts cheered. "Great job, everyone! That was amazing!" Ace congratulated.
"You deserve some of the credit too! It was your idea!" Yorki gave him a high-five.
"She looks so happy!" Saul sobbed, trying to wipe away his tears. "She's smiling and everything!"
Banchina offered him a handkerchief. "I understand. Usopp's gotten so big." She turned to Corazon. "And Cora, dear, your boy looks so healthy!"
"I know! Isn't it great?" Corazon beamed with pride.
"I guess Zoro's improved a little. I didn't expect the reindeer to break the armor, though."
Hiriluk cackled. "Did you see the look on my son's face? Priceless!"
"Belle-mere, those fruit trees on their ship, were they from your farm?" Tom asked.
"Of course! They're the best tangerines in the world!"
"Tahahaha! I'll say! They were blooming with gusto!"
