Light slowly filled the room again. Luffy rubbed her eyes and the darkness in the arena subsided completely. There were murmurs and gasps.
"What?" Luffy looked around.
"What happened?" Kitaro was confused as well, looking over the balcony. Luffy pointed. She looked up at Kitaro.
"Zyuu! Zyuu's gone!" She said.
"It appears so..." Kitaro said in a low, surprised voice. The crowd was silent, all staring at the spot where Zyuu used to be. Not a trace remained of the black-haired King. Luffy looked all around the arena, all around the stands, and even looked up into the sky - that was also now void of any clouds, its sun shining brightly on the arena.
"How does one person just... vanish?" Luffy asked.
"I don't know, Luffy-sama," Kitaro said. Then the referee stepped out.
"I-in light of what just happened!" He yelled into the microphone, "I declare, Wonder D. Ryuu is the winner!" There was a small silence before the crowds showered Ryuu with flowers and endless cheering. Ryuu turned and looked up at Luffy. He bowed.
"I am your King! Wonder D. Luffy!" Ryuu yelled, smiling as he added his last name to Luffy's name.
After the tournament battle, Luffy sat in her throne with Kitaro by her side. She kicked her feet in the air because she was too short to touch the ground. The door flew open and Luffy looked to the side. She stood up to get a better look and was pulled into a hug.
"Oh! Luffy-chan! Aren't you glad? We can finally be together!" Ryuu had pulled away, keeping his hands on her shoulders. He had a happy, crazed look in his eyes. Luffy shook her head and shrugged away.
"I want my old clothes. I want to go home!" she said. Ryuu kept that same happy face as if he didn't hear her at all.
"You can have all the clothes you want! Come now! Luffy-chan!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her down some stairs into the large clearing where he had fought Zyuu. Luffy looked at him. His face was scratched from the long battle, but he kept his composure. Ryuu set Luffy's hand in his own and held it up in a victory pose.
"The wedding will take place in two days!" he announced. And again, everyone in the stadium was cheering.
Kiero was confused by all the commotion outside. He pressed the button and let the window slide open. He looked out and let out a surprised gasp. He turned to Sanji, Zoro, Ace and Cheshire with a wide grin.
"Hey! Ryuu won!" he said.
"What?" Ace stood.
"Ryuu won! King Ryuu's gonna marry Luffy-sama!" He turned to the clearing cheered along with the crowd. The boys looked at each other, then back at Kiero.
"What does that mean?" Zoro muttered.
"It means we finally have a queen!" Kiero turned to them again, then his expression went from happy to timid. "But... you guys won't live long enough to see King Ryuu and Luffy-sama's reign," he muttered. Suddenly, the den-den mushi in his pocket rung. He grabbed it. "Um, hello?" he greeted.
"Kiero! King Ryuu and Luffy-sama are heading home. Get the prisoners back to the dungeon!" Kitaro's powerful voice blasted through the snail. Kiero flinched.
"Uh, yeah! Sure thing, Kitaro! I-I'll meet you back at the castle," he said as Kitaro hung up. Kiero turned to the four in the cage. "It's, uh, time to go," he said shyly.
Luffy was pushed into the carriage in front of her and Ryuu. She grumbled, fiddling with the dress that never seemed to stay in the same place that she was wearing. She looked over to Ryuu, who smiled reassuringly at her.
"Don't worry, Luffy-chan! I'll make sure you're happy." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. Luffy hastily wiped said cheek and scowled out the one way window. She watched Wonderland go by and yawned, tired from the day's events. She leaned back, her head hitting something behind her. She looked. Ryuu glanced at her a smiled. "Tired?" He put an arm around her.
"Kinda." Luffy yawned again. She thought about the last time she took a nap. Being as childish and energized as she was, Nami constantly had to make her go to bed and sleep for an hour or so to calm her down. She shifted under Ryuu's arm and drifted to sleep.
Behind the carriage sat a decorated prison cart. Inside sat the four boys, who were wondering what was happening to their sister, captain, and friend. Zoro remained silent, seething inside. He was the first mate; it was his job to protect his captain, and he wasn't doing a very good job.
"Luffy-chwan..." Sanji dismayed at his married captain. Just the way the word set in his mind made him sick to his stomach... "marriage." Ace kicked the cage door. The sea stone handcuffs were the only thing keeping him from bursting into flames from anger. He peered out the window at the cart in front of them. Everything in the field they were riding through was quiet, unmoving.
"He better not try and do anything to her," Ace growled, feeling a bit insecure without his sister by his side. Cheshire just looked up at the ceiling. He thought of anything they could do to help, and so far, he was coming up dry. He sighed as the prison cart rocked on the bumpy ground.
Luffy awoke when the carriage hit a large bump. She looked around, rubbing her eyes and looking at the head that had fallen onto hers. She moved to see Ryuu, who had dozed off along with her. She shook the sleep from her head and shifted in Ryuu's hold. The King woke up and looked at Luffy.
"Something wrong?" he asked. Luffy turned to him.
"Ryuu!" she started. He cocked his head to the side with a small smirk. "Ace - Ace is my brother!" she said.
"I know." Ryuu nodded, looking ahead.
"And I'm a Queen, right?" she asked.
"That is correct, my dear." Ryuu nodded again.
"So! Ace is like a Prince, right?" Luffy guessed, Ryuu stared forward, silent. He looked at Luffy when she prodded his arm. "Right?" she repeated.
"I... I suppose so," he muttered.
"Then Ace can't be in prison! Ace is a Prince! Ace is your brother, too!" Luffy said. Ryuu looked Luffy up and down, an amused smirk on his face.
"You are very strange. Wonder D. Luffy." He ruffled his fianceé's hair. Then he pulled open a small window. "Stop the cart!" he yelled.
The boys jolted when the cart stopped.
"We can't be there yet... something must be up." Cheshire stood. Zoro nodded, as did Ace and Sanji. The door swung open. The guards looked over the four, then their eyes fell on Ace, they bowed. Ace was confused.
"Ace-sama, our apologies," they said, leading him out the cart. Ace looked back at the three who were listening and shrugged. The guards talked to Ace.
"What's the big idea?" Ace asked.
"Luffy-sama informed the King of your relation," the guards said. "You are Luffy-sama's, the Queen's, brother, making you King Ryuu's brother as well. This makes you royalty," they explained. Sanji, Zoro and Cheshire exchanged glances, silent moment's of relief. They unchained Ace and led him to the cart, where he sat opposite Luffy and Ryuu.
Luffy smiled when Ace entered the carriage.
"Ace-onii-chan!" She jumped and snuggled into the familiar, warm, scent that was her eldest brother. Ace hugged her tightly and muttered into her hair.
"I won't leave your side again," he said. Luffy smiled. Ace looked up at Ryuu. "Why! Hello, brother." He said the last part with a scowl. As far as Ace was concerned, Sabo was his only brother. Ryuu forced himself on Luffy, and Ace wouldn't forgive that.
"Afternoon, brother," Ryuu nodded, the same slight scowl on his face. Luffy spun away from Ace and sat by his side, leaning against his bare chest and yawning, tired, yet again. Ace rubbed her hair.
"You need to sleep," he said. Luffy nodded and drifted off into sleep.
It was a silent ride to the castle. When they got there, Ace was showered with new clothes and he was provided with a room to sleep in, right across from Luffy's room. He walked down the hall, uncomfortable in his butler's suit. It was similar to one Ryuu had, only with a red undershirt instead of a white one.
"This is no way for a pirate to dress," he grumbled as he made his way to the dungeon. The guards bowed as they let him pass. "Oh! Where's Luffy?" Ace asked.
"The Queen is planning the wedding with the King," they said. Ace nodded, scowling into the dark stairwell as he walked down to where the other three were.
Zoro was asleep until he heard footsteps coming from the stairwell. He lazily opened on eye. Cheshire was also asleep, and Sanji was, as well.
"Who's there?" Zoro asked, walking to look out the bars.
"Yo." Ace waved from the other side of the cell.
"Ace," Zoro said, loud enough to wake Sanji and Cheshire.
"Ace?" Sanji yawned. Cheshire stood and rushed over.
"Alright, I made a plan," he said. The three stared at the boy.
"A plan?" they asked. Cheshire nodded.
"Yes! What did you think I was doing since Ace left?" He shrugged. They nodded as Ace sat in front of the cell.
"Well, spill it," he said. "Cheshire."
"Well, good job laying low until now, but -" Cheshire explained the plan, and soon, Ace was walking back up the stairs from the dungeon. He nodded at the guards as they closed the doors behind him.
Luffy sat in front of a book, Kiero sitting across from her, asleep. Ace had promised not to leave her, but he was gone. She assumed he had some plan to get her out of here, but for now she would go along with it. After many tailors came through with clothing after clothing, Luffy settled on some black pants, a bright red shirt, and red sneakers. Ryuu presented her with a crown. It was her straw hat with a crown instead of the red band, but if you lifted up the crown part, it was her hat through and through. She left the crown there (it held her hat down when the wind tried to blow it off). She yawned, flipping another page that she didn't bother to read while Ryuu was talking with Kitaro. She glanced over to listen.
"So, I need you to put the prisoners' swords in the training facility. It'll be nice for the guards trainee's to have something decent to practice with," Ryuu said.
"No!" Luffy said. Ryuu and Kitaro looked back at her.
"What's wrong? Luffy-chan?" Ryuu asked.
"I want them! I want the swords!" Luffy said, grabbing them from where they were leaning against the door. She held the three swords tightly against her chest. Zoro's treasure's. Ryuu looked at her with a confused gaze.
"I... guess, if it's what you want," he said.
"It is!" Luffy said. Ryuu smiled.
"Very well! Kitaro, take these to Luffy-chan's room." Ryuu slipped the swords from Luffy's hold and gave them to Kitaro.
"Of course, my King, Luffy-sama." Kitaro bowed and left the room.
Ace walked aimlessly through the large palace halls. He was trying to find his room. He yawned, feeling as if his narcolepsy was going to appear soon. He heard the closing of a door and slight humming. He looked up. Kitaro, Luffy's guard was walking away.
"Oi!" Ace waved, Kitaro turned.
"Ace-sama." Kitaro bowed. Ace waited. Then he set a fiery glare on the guard. "What's this?" Kitaro wondered as Ace brought flames to his hands.
"Just doing things according to plan," Ace said, charging Kitaro.
"I see." Kitaro jumped out the way, flipping over Ace and punching his back, Ace winced.
"You - you have Haki." Ace coughed.
"I do." Kitaro punched again. Ace rolled out of the way and used his flames to close around Kitaro. The guard was not so easily beat, though, and Kitaro pushed through the flames, facing Ace with burnt clothes and an ash-covered face.
The fight was long, neither side backing down. Soon, Kitaro was burned and beaten and Ace was bruised and battered.
"Enough!" Ace summoned the last of his energy.
"I couldn't agree more," Kitaro said, sending the remains of his Haki and energy into one hand. They both let out a cry as Ace shot out a large spiral of flames and Kitaro charged with his own fist. The two attacks met and a bright light filled the room.
A large explosion filled the castle, making everything shake. Luffy stumbled out of her chair and Kiero shot up in surprise.
"What was that?" Luffy yelled over the crumbling bricks.
"I don't know, but stay here, Luffy-chan. I'll find out. Kiero! Protect her at all costs!" Ryuu ordered, setting his crown on the table and running out the room, Kiero locking the door as Ryuu left. Luffy cocked her head to the side.
"It's, um, probably nothing, Luffy-sama. So, what do you want at the wedding?" Kiero tried his best to turn the girl's interest back on the boring book, silently praying Kitaro would come back soon.