Chapter 6: Bride & Groom

Jiru spun around, not knowing what or who to expect. Nobody had called her by that such name in decades. Marching down the hall were three marines she never would – SHOULD - have expected: Garp, the maroon-haired Coby and the third wheel, Helmeppo. All three of them had no visible weapons, and were stepping confidently into the foyer.

Garp, as large as he was, wore his all white suit proudly. The blue shirt underneath only brought out the white suit. His blue and green tie was held into place by a Marine's gold icon pin. The old man's grey-white hair was combed back and neat. The grin on his face was unmistakable; the old man was devilishly happy to freeze her into place with his command.

Helmeppo's suit was the same, only much smaller than Garp's; since Garp was one large man to begin with. The marine's blonde hair was slicked back and pushed behind his thin black sunglasses. Jiru didn't really find Helmeppo that much of a threat or interest.

Coby, however, was dressed sharp enough to bring a blush to her face. His white suit was just another set of clothes – a navy blue man's shirt under a white tuxedo jacket, which matched the white suit pants - but the young man wore it well enough. His hair was darker still, since the first time she had met the young and energetic, making it more of a puce-hue than pink. The blue ribbon tied around his neck gave lie to the feminine color of his hair and the weak impression Jiru had of him from years back. The marine also had a yellow, black-print bandana worn around his forehead, over which a pair of goggles sat.

"Fancy meeting a legend such as the Silver Queen here in Water 7." Coby's amused voice greeted her. He locked his eyes with hers and offered a deep bow. "I am honored to meet you, Miss Golden-Silver."

"What the hell are you doing here, Garp!?" Jiru, far from being cowed, scowled at the older man. "You can't catch me, Luffy's right outside that door."

"Is he now?" the retired Marine legend chuckled, gazing down at her. "Well then, we shouldn't keep him waiting now, should we, my dear."

Without stopping their stride, the trio of differently aged marines stepped up next to Jiru, keeping care not to tramp their feet on the two-foot long white-crème silky train of the wedding gown. Helmeppo and Coby each took a door and used their marine-trained arms to thrust the doors open with ease.

"What!?" The bride looked rather confused as Garp reached down and hooked his thick arm around her white-gloved one.

"Your groom awaits you, my dear." Garp smiled again, and stepped forward.

Outside:

Luffy watched with great joy as Brooke exited the building first. The skeleton's appearance meant the ceremony was about to start. The pirate captain's black eyes followed Brooke's movement; every skeletal step the tall, re-dead pirate took to make his way to the music section. When the afro-haired pirate musician played the first piano note, Luffy's eyes peeled away from the musician and snapped back towards the doors.

"Ahh!" Luffy exclaimed as his friend, Chimeny, exited the building, tossing red and sparkling blue flower petals before her. "Usoppu, look at that."

"I see it, I see it Luffy." To Luffy's left, Usoppu smiled bigger as they watched Gonbe pulled the small version of Sunny-gou ship behind him.

"SSOOO COOOL!" Luffy said. Zoro and Nojiko came out next, and the pirate smiled at his nakama because he was just so happy. Zoro looked really sharp as Nami's sister appeared to half-drag the samurai down the aisle.

"Would you just calm down, Luffy? Geez." Usoppu muttered to his friend as Sanji and Nami exited next.

"Looking absolutely stunning, Luffy-idiot." Nami smiled a small smile as she literally shoved Sanji away from her as the love-sick cook had to be physically dragged to the left side of Luffy's entourage.

"Thanks Nami-chan!" Luffy chuckled both in growing joy and at Sanji's antics. "You look awesome too, Nami." Nami looked really beautiful in her white-blue dress, Luffy thought. No wonder Sanji was as smart as a rock at the moment; the lovely vision of Nami next to his side had the effect of a brain-shutdown on the blonde pirate.

"Why thank you, captain." The navigator replied coyly.

Her captain nodded and turned back to watch Vivi-hime and Chopper walk out of the building next. The blue-haired princess was gorgeous in her apparel and Chopper could only help but smile to his captain as the reindeer parted ways with the princess; she going to stand on the bride's side as he moved next to Sanji, prodding him with a hoof to keep the drooling cook in line. Lastly, Franky and Robin left the building, impressing Luffy with just how nice the pair looked together.

"Now, Luffy, Please remember to behave civilly when she comes out, ok?" Nami whispered in his ear. "She'll probably be nervous as hell, and anything you do would most likely be embarrassing."

"Yea, ok, Nami." Luffy had a huge smile plastered on his face as Robin and the shipwright parted ways in front of him, taking their places on the respective sides, the historian to his right and Franky to the left. The music changed as Brooke switched from the processional bit to the bridal theme. The guests in the seats all stood as Luffy and his nakama faced the large double doors of the Galley-Ra headquarters building.

Luffy couldn't stop his body from moving, his fingers tapping against his legs, his rubbery arms twitching excitedly; if he was sitting instead of standing, his legs would have been bouncing up and down due to the level of excitement pulsing through his body. Luffy's Haki-sense wasn't helping either, since he literally felt the same level of nervousness his soon to be queen was feeling as she stood behind the closed doors of the same building the rest of his nakama just recently came from. So he became confused as the nervousness instantly changed to worry, a tiny sliver fear, surprise, and then outrage – like she was being attacked.

"Zoro…" Luffy's smile lessened, nearly fading. The black-haired pirate captain instinctively knew his first mate's own keen sense would pick up the troubling vibes from the woman inside.

"I know." The swordsman grunted back, and allowed his hand to close around the trio of hilts belonging to his swords. Next to Luffy; Chimeny, Nami, Vivi, Robin and Nojiko had yet to catch onto the captain's body language; while Gonbe, Usoppu, Chopper, Sanji and Franky remained ignorant of whatever danger was impending inside the building. Both Luffy and Zoro stepped forward, ready to pound whatever danger was putting their woman in distress. However, before the two could take another step, the double doors flew open to reveal quite the surprise.

"SUGOI!" The pirate captain shouted as his temporary concern melted into pure awe.

His beautiful bride moved out of the building, blinding the pirate captain with her dazzling, heavenly-sparkling dress. Even though Nami, Boa Hancock, Vivi, Robin and Nojiko were all bustier than the short-statured thief, the most beautiful woman was – hands down – his Golden Thief.

"Luffy, you idiot." Zoro had changed his threatening pose into one of casual relaxation, stepping back into the groomsman line. The Mugiwara Pirates all had a communal urge to slap their captain and his reaction. Luffy was standing a step away from them, his awe radiating from his eyes and body alike – something Luffy normally did when he was geeking out over something utterly random.

"Wow." Usoppu was right there next to his captain, although his reaction was far more reigned in. "She is a goddess, Luffy."

Her smile was half-set as she tried her damned best not to look too embarrassed at the three people around her – something she failed at if her red blushing face was any indication. The Mugiwaras all gasped as they finally registered the three people who were ensconced around the bride.

"What?" Luffy tilted his head in concerned confusion and blinked. His beloved Golden Thief was in the hands of his grandfather, Garp. Slightly behind the large man and shorter woman were two others the pirate captain recognized: Coby and Helmeppo.

"Relax, Luffy." Zoro spoke in a low tone. "Look at the bigger picture."

Luffy did just that and felt his smile come racing back, forcing him to bite his lips to keep himself from laughing completely out loud. His grandfather was escorting the dark-haired Golden Thief down the aisle to 'give' the bride to the groom. Jiru's face was absolutely red as his massively tall grandfather had to bend over to keep her arm in his. The pirate captain chuckled as he got his overwhelming urge to laugh under control. This was so much more 'adventurous' than the boring practice thing last night. He wouldn't have changed anything for the world.

xxx

Jiru couldn't help but let her face flare red as the retired marine hero Garp played her like a fool and escorted her down the aisle to Luffy. Nothing could have ever prepared her for the kind of surprise Garp had just pulled her through. So it was with a red-face that she managed to get to Luffy's side.

"Luffy…" She nearly hiss-whispered. "I didn't…"

"It's ok, Jiru-chan." Her captain just kept on grinning.

"You will take care of her, right?" Garp's voice interrupted them. "Or I will hunt you down like the idiot grandson you are."

Luffy just looked up at his sharply dressed grandfather and grinned a shit-eating wide grin.

"Thanks, Old Man, for making sure she got here safely." Luffy said, then turned to Jiru, reaching out to take her arm from Garp's. "Are you ok, Jiru-chan?"

"Yes…I- I am. Just really red in the face."

"We noticed." Usoppu jumped in and smiled. The Mugiwaras watched as Garp, Coby and Helmeppo gathered themselves – the crowd and the bridal party were all still in surprised awe – and took themselves to the far side of the groom's side of the seating section. Raleigh and Shakky just smiled and nodded to the marine hero.

"Nmyaa…" Iceburg cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the Mugiwaras. "If we may start the ceremony…"

"Yosh!" Luffy cheered. The selected guests felt the light tension break and all sat down, whispering amongst themselves, excitedly. Luffy, taking Jiru's white-gloved hand, smiled at her and guided her up the trio of steps and to the podium of which the mayor of Water-7 would bind them in marriage.

XXX

Author's Note:

This chapter isn't done yet, but I wanted to get this out there for those of you who have so patiently followed this story!

Thanks for your favs, follows and reviews.