Inside a quiet bar, Tashigi stared suspiciously at Kuro.
He was eating peacefully with no sign of attacking.
Ever since she had clipped his nail, he had stopped trying to kill her.
"Why aren't you trying to kill me anymore?" Tashigi stated coldly.
Kuro shrugged boredly, "Got bored honestly."
Tashigi felt her emotions rise but held herself.
Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself.
Looking at Luna, Tashigi could see that Luna was happy for managing to hold herself back.
The bar doors opened and Bonney came in.
Everyone in the bar turned to look at her.
Kuro seemed to smile as he looked behind her.
Luna too smiled and Tashigi wondered why.
Behind Bonney was Sabo.
Bonney and Sabo walked up to their table.
"What business do you have with us?" Luna questioned.
"We need to talk," Bonney stated as Sabo stayed quiet.
Luna turned to Kuro.
"The day has come," Kuro stood.
Tashigi wondered what day has come.
"Shishishishishi, looks like we can finally go back!" Luffy grinned.
"Yeah, it's been so long," Usopp grinned.
"Looks like you two have many questions for Kuro," Robin stared at Zoro and Kuina.
"Damn right," Kuina smiled.
"Wonder what answer he'll give us," Zoro smiled.
"A very good one or else," Kuina's eyes sharpened.
"Into the mist, let's go!" Chopper cheered.
"Yeah, sail ahead!" Luffy yelled.
"Aye ya, Captain!" Nami smiled.
"I can't wait to see Luna-San!" Sanji heart-eyed.
"Yohohohohoho, I wonder how they'll react," Brook laughed.
"It's going to be a super reunion!" Franky grinned.
Into the mist, the strawhats sailed in.
One by one, they fell unconscious.
One by one, the strawhats woke up on the Sunny and saw a smiling old lady.
"Looks like you're all finally awake, it's nice to see you all again, you might not recognize me, but I'm Luna," Luna smiled.
The strawhats stared blankly at Luna for a while, "Eeeeehhhhhhhh?!"
Luna started laughing, "Seeing your expressions makes me feel young again."
Usopp tried to look for Kuro but couldn't find him, "Where's Kuro."
Luna smiled sadly and the atmosphere became tense.
"What happened to him?" Kuina seemed to choke.
Luna looked into Kuina's eyes and the whole crew waited for the bad news.
Luna sighed sadly, "He's still alive sadly."
The whole crew fell, "Ooooiii!"
A door opened and an old hunched man walked out.
He had glasses on and seemed like a confused old man.
"Luna, who are these youngsters?" he questioned.
"They're the strawhats, Kuro," Luna explained.
Kuro fell into thought, "I think I remember them but I forgot who they are."
Kuro walked by Luna's side, "Can you tell me who they are Luna?"
Luna smiled sadly, "They're our crewmates from a long time ago."
Kuro seemed to remember, "Ah, I remember now," Kuro stared at the strawhats, "They do indeed look like them."
"Does he have Alzheimer" Chopper questioned.
Luna nodded sadly.
"Alzheimer?" Luffy tilted his head.
Chopper nodded sadly as tears started forming in his eyes, "It's memory loss."
The whole crew became silent as they couldn't believe what was before them.
Luffy couldn't accept the situation before him, "This is a prank right Kuro?"
Chopper looked at Luffy sadly, "I don't think it's a prank Luffy."
"Right Kuro!" tears started forming in Luffy's eyes.
"You two are horrible," Tashigi came out of a door with Bonney and Sabo.
The strawhats became lost.
Luna laughed wickedly, "I wanted to play for a little longer," and became young.
"Sorry to make you cry Cap," Kuro smiled benignly and turned young.
"Luna, Kuro!" Luffy's eyes brightened and wrapped the two in a hug.
The other strawhats felt conflicted, having been fooled.
Robin, Kuina, and Nami did not look happy.
However, they all decided to get into a group hug.
"You can let us go now Luffy," Luna squeezed out.
"I don't wanna!" Luffy smiled.
"Even though your brother is here to visit you?" Luna smiled.
"Ace?" Luffy questioned and looked at Sabo and Bonney.
"Sabo," Sabo stated with a smile.
Luffy went blank for a moment as his memories flashed.
Suddenly his eyes went wide.
A warm tearful reunion proceeded.
Kuro was about to disappear when Kuina stepped in front of him, "I got a question brother."
Kuro tilted his head, Kuina usually called him Kuro and not brother.
Kuina took out her sword and Kuro did the same.
The two swung and clashed.
Everyone around could feel conquerors spreading from the two.
"What are they doing?" Nami questioned confused.
"Testing each other," Zoro stated.
Everyone around watched carefully.
"Tell me Kuro," Kuina gazed, "Why did you die a premature death in the past?"
Kuro seemed to realize and smiled, "How could someone like me who's not meant to be born not die?"
Kuina's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean?"
"Without Trust Me Bro, my death is inevitable, and only one Trust Me Bro can exist in this world, just like Luna," Kuro gazed carefreely.
Kuina and everyone seemed lost, they didn't know how to take Kuro's words.
Kuro smiled gently, "Don't be sad, I'll be here till your dream come true and you wake up."
Kuina grinned with anger, "Then I'll make sure to never wake up."
Kuro arched an eye, "I didn't think we were that close."
"Well, now you do!" Kuina roared and pushed Kuro back.
"I can already see it," Kuro smiled, "Violent sister comes back with friends and beats up her brother."
"Stop joking around!" Kuina gritted.
Everyone was at the dinner table.
"You two are evil," Usopp gasped out as he listened to Luna's recount of the past two years.
"What do you think of our change?" Sanji questioned.
"Luffy looks less sharp," Luna stated.
Luffy's mouth hung open.
"Kuina looks more bloodthirsty," Kuro stated.
Kuina rolled her eyes.
"Zoro also looks more bloodthirsty," Luna stated.
Zoro also rolled his eyes.
"Nami looks grittier," Kuro stated.
"I'll take that as a compliment," Nami smiled.
"Sanji looks less cute but more handsome," Luna stated.
Sanji felt as if his heart was gouged out and put back in.
"Chopper looks more cute," Kuro stated with a smile.
"There's no way I look cuter," Chopper wiggled shyly.
"Robin's eyes look like she's seen some crazy shit," Luna stated.
Robin merely smiled at Luna's description.
"Franky looks more super," Kuro thumbs up.
Franky rubbed his nose with a smile.
"Brook's bones look shinier," Luna stated.
"Yohohohoho, thanks for the compliment," Brook laughed.
Luffy was about to eat a piece of meat when Kuro's eyes shot open.
"Stop Cap!" Kuro panicked.
Luffy stopped and tilted his head, "Huh why?"
Kuro took the piece of meat and showed it to Luna.
She gasped and everyone wondered why as they looked at the normal piece of meat.
"The holy among us!" Kuro breathed out.
"Holyamong us?" Sanji tilted his head.
"By Gold Roger it's true," Luna reached her hand for the piece of meat.
Kuro handed it over as if it was grace given.
"Ok, what's weird or special about the piece of meat?" Nami deadpanned.
"You wouldn't understand," Luna stated, "But just know that this piece of meat is sus."
"Sus?" Chopper tilted his head.
"Yeah," Luna ate the piece of meat.
Kuro went blank along with everyone.
"Sorry Kuro, but I don't think the crew can handle the sus," Luna stated.
Kuro sighed, "I guess you're right."
"The sus?" Robin tilted her head.
"They're not going to explain," Kuina shook her head.
The strawhats headed down towards Fish-Man Island.
"Aren't you scared of the darkness Kuro?" Usopp whispered.
"I guess I am, we should make a fire that can attract a giant sea monster to kill us all," Kuro smiled.
"No no no no nope!" Usopp whispered fiercely.
"I wonder what's the last sound we would make if we were to die," Robin muttered with a smile.
"Probably the sound of our bones breaking under the pressure of the ocean," Luna replied.
"Eeeeeeeeeeee!" Usopp ushered out.
Kuro held up his finger and smiled, "Hey Usopp."
Usopp stared blankly, "Don't."
"Do it!" Luna spoke deeply.
Kuro's finger lit up and the strawhats saw everything clearly around them.
Beyond the light, they saw a giant eye gaze upon them.
Usopp stood still shocked.
Chopper started screaming and running around.
Zoro, Sanji, and the others prepared for battle.
"Just a little training," Kuro smiled, "Let's see who can scare the most sea monsters with their conquerors."
Kuro's eyes became piercing and the giant eye seemed to shiver.
Without hesitation, the giant eye disappeared into the darkness.
Attracted by the light, more sea monsters appeared.
"Turn it off turn it off!" Usopp tried to cover Kuro's finger with a blanket.
He succeeded and sighed with relief.
"I guess is better, now we won't know if we're getting eaten by a giant sea monster," Kuro grinned.
Usopp became still, "Turn it back on, turn it back on!" Usopp shook Kuro.
Kuro laughed, "Sorry Usopp, but there's no light for me to produce light. If we die, it was good knowing you."
"Nooooo!" Usopp cried fearfully.
"We're all gonna die!" Luna yelled.
"Save me, Robin!" Nami cried and hugged Robin.
"I'll save you Nami-Swan!" Sanji cried.
"May I see someone's panties before I die?!" Brook's cried.
"You can see mine!" Luna shouted.
"There's no light, I can't see it!" Brook's cried.
"I'll shine some light!" Franky yelled and his nipple lit up.
"I have a plan, everyone!" Luffy yelled.
Everyone looked at Luffy with doubt.
Luffy turned to Kuro, "Do something Kuro!"
Everyone dropped to the ground.
"I knew it," Luna muttered.
Kuro turned to Kuina, "Use your observation to locate the monster and use conqueror on them."
Kuina closed her eyes and proceeded to fire off blasts of conqueror at the sea monster around them.
Walking around, the strawhats took in the sight of the many mermaids.
Sanji's eyes were filled with a constant heart.
"Do you think they poop?" Luffy whispered to Kuro.
Sanji turned to Luffy with a glare, "There's no way they..."
"They do Cap," Kuro replied.
Robin, Nami, Tashigi, and Kuina deadpanned at Kuro.
"How would you know?" Usopp stared skeptically.
"I saw it, with me own two eyes," Kuro stared dead at the crew.
They didn't know how to reply at that.
"Where's Luna?" Chopper questioned.
"Following after a lost Zoro," Kuina replied with a sigh.
"Let's hope we can leave this island peacefully," Nami signed.
Kuro grinned and Nami's face dropped.
"Care to tell us?" Robin giggled.
"No spoilers," Kuro looked at Luffy.
"Yeah!" Luffy nodded.
Inside a clothing store with Luffy, Kuro, and Nami, Tashigi decided to ask a question she had for a long time.
"Kuro, can you tell me why you joined Luffy to become a pirate?" Tashigi questioned.
Kuro stopped licking at his ice cream and fell into thought.
"Long ago, Luffy bested me in arm wrestling, and because of that, I gave him my loyalty," Kuro stated.
"I thought it was because you wanted Luffy to keep Kuina safe while she chased after her dream," Nami eyed.
Kuro shrugged with a smile, "That was a side bonus."
Tashigi stared at the smiling Luffy with doubt.
"You gave me your loyalty because you knew I would protect Kuina didn't you?" Luffy laughed.
Kuro went wide eyes for a moment, "Sometimes I forget you're very sharp."
Luffy laughed, "I can just sense people better."
Kuro sighed with a smile, "Yeah."
"How did you know Luffy had what it took to protect Kuina?" Tashigi questioned.
Nami smiled, "He knew Luffy was the grandson of Garp."
"That doesn't guarantee his ability," Tashigi stated with doubt.
Luna appeared behind Tashigi, "Booo!"
"Eeeee!" Tashigi jumped.
She turned to Luna with a pout.
Luna laughed, "Sorry I couldn't pass up the opportunity."
Luna looked to Luffy, "There's more to Luffy than you think."
"What?" Nami questioned curiously.
"Yeah, what?" Luffy tilted his head curiously.
Luna turned to Kuro who shrugged with a smile.
She turned back to Luffy and smiled, "Luffy can help your dream come true if you sail with him. That's all I'll say, no spoilers."
"Can my dream come true if I sail with him?" Tashigi questioned with doubt.
Luna shrugged with a smile, "Who knows?"
