Last chapter of this part. The sun is shining and the world's on fire. Who knows who we will be tomorrow. All I know is that I won't die with this part unfinished.
Part 4; A Candle for a Giant
Chapter 6/6; When honour is restored the goldfish appear
Usopp had, after an explosion had gone off too close to Carue's wounded wing, finally caught up with the duck. The first thing he'd done was to turn Carue, have him zig-zag and double back, and returned to the scene of battle. One in hopes of shaking the persistent pursuers, two to see how Ruffy was doing. Last he saw her she'd been standing on a black mark on the ground, saying she didn't want to save their friends.
"I forgot," the sniper hissed through gritted teeth. "There's four of them, they work in pairs, but I've only seen three at work. They called it a trap."
"You annoying small fry!" Usopp heard the bomb guy shout after him, and Carue quacked and ran even faster, now in a straight line.
They were out in the open, the candle cake still stood with their friends ever whiter, Ruffy was for some reason laughing, and Usopp turned his head, just to realize Mr 5 was much closer behind than he had any right to be! He didn't have time to steer clear of Ruffy, and instead bumped right into her.
She stopped laughing instantly, and Usopp had just enough time to see there were paint on the back of her shirt.
Back under the trees, Usopp leaned forward.
"Carue, we need to round back."
The duck quacked in disagreement.
"No, we must. That paint, I don't think Ruffy can fight it, and if she can't fight Vivi and the others will definitely die."
Usopp dug out another star from his satchel and sent it backwards.
"Sure kill! Lead star!"
Rather than opening his mouth this time, the black man tilted his head to dodge. Good, that set the trap perfectly. Next time Usopp was sure to get him. He was surprised to see the bomb guy take out a gun, but dismissed the weapon. The bomb guy's attacks had been highly inefficient, counting more on the range of explosion to bring Usopp down rather than accuracy. The liar was confident that if the enemy couldn't hit him with his special attacks he couldn't hit them with a bullet.
Breaking the forest again, Usopp saw first Zoro, Nami and Vivi, and Master Brogy, completely white and stiff. And Ruffy was sitting there, making strange noises, like she was laughing, but it sounded so much more like Brogy's boisterous laugh than her own. More than that, her eyes were wide open and edged with red.
Before her stood the girl Usopp had dismissed before, holding a brush and a pallet in her hands raised as if prepared for attack, but looking perfectly spooked as she stared at Ruffy.
There was again a mark on the back of Ruffy's top.
"Fucking idiot," Usopp growled and dug into his satchel with one hand while looking over his shoulder. Carue was still running, but he ran straight as soon as Usopp didn't steer. The gun aimed at them fired.
"Flame star!" Usopp shouted, and then… couldn't see a bullet…?
"Breeze Breath Bomb."
The air bristled and this explosion hit Usopp in the shoulder.
Mr 5 smirked, satisfied. Beside him Miss Valentine laughed breathlessly. She had good stamina, but the duck was fast.
"What an idiot! He missed us and hit his comrade. Not that it matters. Fire doesn't work against you, Mr 5."
"Of course not, Miss Valentine."
Still, the mistake suited Mr 5 just as well. It would make his job easier. Mr 3 had been taken out by her, and if he finished the job even after it was given to a lower agent, he could climb the ranks and restore his dignity. He still couldn't understand how the girl had survived more than one explosive kick to the face. Her brain should have burst from the shockwaves.
The duck lay still, but the boy with the googles and long nose was still moving, rolling in the dirt in pain and seemed unable to really get his arms to obey.
"This is a new model from South Blue," Mr 5 bragged shamelessly and held up his gun. "Unlike your ordinary gun, this one can hold more than one bullet, though I don't shoot bullets. You see, even my breath is explosive." He walked towards the boy, fully intent on shooting until he was in pieces, but froze. Someone was pointedly clearing their throat in a way that demanded immediate attention right away.
"So that fire attack wasn't for us? He meant to burn off the trap mark," Miss Valentine said with great dismay.
Before them stood the pirate girl, somewhat sooty and red from the fire, topless with her arms crossed and hands cupping her breasts. Her face was one of extreme annoyance.
"Clothes," she snarled. "Give them to me or I'll rip them off you."
From his spot on the ground, Usopp stared at the scene before him. He rarely saw Ruffy this pissed, and he was quite glad her glare wasn't directed at him. Also, he'd meant to burn off her top, not whatever she wore underneath! What was with Ruffy's clothes getting burnt off her body anyway?! Either way, it was nice to see the signs of malnourishment slowly receding. Her ribs weren't quite as protruded as they were a month ago.
The female agent had a jacket on, and a short, yellow dress underneath. At first she looked to her partner, but the black guy was way larger than Ruffy, and he wore a long coat with his number on it. Thus, since she didn't need a distracted partner who couldn't lift his gaze to their target's eyes, Miss Valentine removed her jacket.
"Here. I'll give you this only because…"
Ruffy swiftly swept the jacket over her shoulders, zipped it up and tore off the long sleeves.
"Hey! That's mine you ungrateful…"
Ruffy bent down and picked up Shodai. "Cursed power…" Golden eyes froze the protesting woman on the spot. "Katana bat!"
"Miss Valentine!" the black guy cried as his partner was sent flying into the jungle.
"Go Ruffy!" Usopp yelled throwing his arms up, then remembered their predicament. "No, wait, ignore them! We must save Zoro and the others!"
"They're not dead yet!" Ruffy called back.
"They are dead!"
Usopp cursed and looked over. Sure enough, Mr 3 had revived, and now his body was encased in a giant white boxing-style armour, twice the size of Arlong, the fire in his hair burning with vigour.
'Why's the tip of his hair on fire?!' Usopp thought furiously, chastised himself for getting distracted… then paused as something occurred to him. Why was his hair on fire? It had been so since the beginning of the fight, burning more brightly each time he attacked.
"You will taste only the bitterness of despair. Face my ultimate Candle Champion!" Mr 3 yelled, then he turned around. "Miss Golden Week! Slap some paint on me with artistry! I'll crush that beansprout!"
"Can I go then?" the girl was quick to ask. The nervous look she sent Ruffy told Usopp she wasn't a fan of his captain.
"Yes, but of course you may go! In this form I am invincible!"
Usopp scratched unconsciously at his arm and felt something come off his skin, catching his attention. Ruffy was already attacking Mr 3.
There were warm droplets of wax on Usopp. At first it was transparent, but swiftly whitened as it solidified. Warm. Droplets that hardened. Mr 3's hair was in fire…
Usopp's head snapped towards the cake. It had candles on the top. Mr 3 was a candle man!
"Of course! Ruffy, we can save them!" he yelled. "That cake and everything else is made of wax! It's on fire because it melts! We heat up the wax and they're all free!"
Ruffy's eyes had been an almost reddish golden for some time. Now their colour got gentler. Not entirely brown, but her face somehow relaxed. Usopp hadn't realized just how anxious she'd been, how much the situation must have stressed her out.
"You're out of time!" Mr 3 yelled. "If they aren't dead yet they have seconds left before their hearts stop beating!"
"I won't take seconds!" Usopp yelled back and loaded his pachinko. "Flame…"
"Breeze Breath Bomb."
Usopp's flame star burnt his hand, but the explosion that hit him momentarily stopped his breathing. The loss of response from his nerve endings after the impact made him wonder how much of his body had been blown off. A strange noise of aggravated quacking had Usopp press a hand to his head, amazed that he still had a hand. A blurry image of Carue slowly came into focus above him. His ears were ringing, but he could hear the bomb guy talking. What he said didn't matter, Usopp was nothing if not a fast learner. So if directly attacking was useless, but these people were too stupid to see traps being set right in front of them, that was really the only option.
'Fine. Have it you way,' he thought through gritted teeth and dug into his satchel again. He turned to the duck stomping nervously beside him. "Okay Carue. This rope. Run as many turns as you can around all things wax."
The duck accepted Usopp tying the rope to his gear, his stomping growing anxious.
On her end, Ruffy was at a loss. Usopp said heat would save Zoro and Nami, but these idiots of course wouldn't let them. She had fought multiple opponents many times, but never like this. Never when feeling her bonds stretch farther and farther, just short of snapping. Mr 3 was still attacking her, keeping her hands bound. Shodai was growing aggravated in her hand, almost cutting free. The two giants' heartbeats were still overwhelmingly loud. And to make matters worse, the woman she'd batted away earlier came back. Earlier, Ruffy had hit her in the ribs on the left side, and there was something of a dent there, proving the woman wasn't unhurt. She was pissed though.
"You bitch!" she cried, and went straight for Usopp, the one who was down. "You'll suffer. Watch as I press your buddy to death!"
"Run Carue!" Usopp yelled, and the duck that had been leaning over Usopp fled.
Ruffy blinked, distracted. Shodai screamed and was just in time to raise Ruffy's arm to protect her from yet another punch from Mr 3's champion.
"I'm sorry," Ruffy said to the blade. "I'll concentrate now. So for Sun, lend me your power."
She turned decisively to Mr 3. He was the one she needed to take out. If she couldn't then she couldn't save Usopp and the duck was still running all over the cake with the bomb guy firing at him relentlessly.
Shodai broke the ties.
Ruffy wasn't a swordsman by any means, but in her weakened state of mind, Shodai had little issues wielding herself in Ruffy's hands. One cut was all it took. One cut and the candle champion lost both legs and one arm.
Ruffy sheathed the annoyed blade, cutting her fingers on it and accepted the stinging punishment as deserved. Now she could finally, confidently, save her friends and Vivi and the giants. Ruffy ran up to the fallen wax man and grabbed him by the hair while he was still trying to comprehend what had happened.
"For as long as I am captain, I'm not losing my nakama to the likes of you," she growled in his face. "If heat will melt the wax I'll just use your flame."
Mr 3 howled in pain at being pulled by his hair with half the weight of his wax champion attached, but with only one arm made for hammering he was unable to defend himself. Mr 5 was now aiming his gun towards Ruffy instead, but Usopp's voice suddenly came through.
"Ruffy! Carue's rope!"
"What?"
Usopp was gasping at the impossible weight of the woman sitting on him, but he hadn't lost yet. He pulled out the large bottle of oil he'd drenched the rope in earlier and made sure Ruffy saw what it was.
"Light the rope," he told her.
Through their bond, Usopp felt an overwhelming wave of pink and yellow feelings from Ruffy wash over him. His own heart answered with a sense of accomplishment he hadn't felt since he was a small child showing off to his mother, making her proud.
Ruffy was proud of him now.
Mr 3 was screaming, Carue was still running, Mr 5 didn't know where to aim anymore, the woman on top of Usopp was gaping.
Usopp really hoped this worked.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Ruffy said to the wax statues. "Hold on. It might get hot but it'll save you!"
The light on Mr 3's head touched the rope, and with a sizzling hiss, the fire spread across the rope, continuing to grow until the wax also caught fire. The flames burned, high and hot, much worse than Usopp had anticipated. Then again, his mother had once taught him that too much is often better than too little.
Ruffy stood back, blinking against the light. She was amazed at the network of wicks she saw inside the melting structure. But that wasn't what she concentrated on. Nami, Vivi and Zoro were all moving. The bonds to Zoro and Nami's heartbeats came closer, the tension easing, and Ruffy embraced them with everything she had.
The woman attacking Usopp jumped into the air with a scream, stretched out her leg as if it was a sword she wanted to use to cut him in two. Vivi and Nami's shapes in the flames crouched.
A movement in the glob of wax before her had Ruffy snap her attention away from her friends. Mr 3 was escaping. The colour trap girl was running in front of him.
"Oh no you don't!" Ruffy hissed and went after them.
Behind her Nami and Vivi jumped out of the fire, weapons at hand, and rammed into Miss Valentine. She flew some distance, and then she was still. Out like a light. Nami and Vivi were both coughing and drawing in greedy gulps of breath.
"Was that really the only way?" Nami complained. "We were almost toast."
"Don't yap. You're alive, aren't you?" Usopp retorted huffily and sat up, making sure he had Mr 5 within his line of vision.
Nami stood over him wearing only a black lace bra and her skirt. She smiled at him with more kindness than Usopp could remember seeing on her face before. "You're right. Thank you."
"I can't believe we're… chough… alive," Vivi commented, and Usopp didn't know if he was grateful or sad her clothes hadn't been burnt off as well.
"You won't be for long!" the bomb guy shouted and aimed his gun at them.
This time, Usopp was faster, and he sprung his trap. "Gunpowder star!"
As he had expected, the man lowered his gun to perform his trick from earlier. Unfortunately for him, he was stupid, and Usopp smirked widely.
"Gotcha. Like the taste of that?"
The black man's expression changed, and rather than his funny trick (Usopp was convinced the other thought it funny) his face contorted and he screamed hoarsely, stuck his tongue out and started fanning his face with his hands.
Usopp felt no sympathy for his victim as he grinned happily and sang. "Sorry to say my forte is lying. Rather than gunpowder, that was a deluxe tabasco star, spiciest in East Blue."
The bomb guy was not as amused. He sputtered, drooled from the spice assault to his mouth, and gasped, but he wasn't incapacitated. The worst part was that he knew the mission was bust. Boss would send people after all of them, even Mr 3. If they couldn't kill these rats it was game over. Only killing the pirates and Vivi and present their corpses to the Unluckies could possibly save them.
"Fucking… I'll blow you away! Blow my whole body up and there won't be a single bone left of any of you!"
He started for Usopp, who could only stumble back.
"Flaming…"
Mr 5 ignored the voice in the still burning and melting wax cake. That was his last mistake.
Zoro, with his blades on fire, their colouration shifting beautifully from the heat, charged out of the flames. "Onigiri!"
Mr 5 went down quietly, burning purple flames that sparked merrily.
"Burning swords, huh," Zoro hums to himself and puts out the fire by sheathing his blades. They are going to need some love once he got back to the ship in order to remove any discolouration and warps in the metal. A swordsman can never allow his blades to go dull.
Beside them, Brogy slowly rises and takes a seat. His hands and feet are bleeding now that the wax has melted away, but the heat from the fire has stopped the worst of the bleeding.
"What an odd feeling. My life saved by a tiny human."
Zoro tilted his head slightly. "Bad feeling? You don't mind being saved by a girl, do you?"
"That's not a first, I was a boy once, you know. It's not that. It seems to me this was purely your fight. Somehow, your fight crossed paths with mine and Dorry's duel, and now…"
Nami suddenly stepped forward. "Brogy, about that. Ruffy said something a while ago. You see, she can hear heartbeats. Are you certain the other giant is dead?"
Crocodile rarely contacted his agents via tele-snails. As a crime lord he was well acquainted with spy-tech, and knew the crime-fighters were often up to date with their own such methods. So written orders were preferrable. Old-fashioned and innocuous, overlooked. All of his orders were written by machine with only his stamp as a signature. Though the signature itself wasn't his originally, the dead couldn't complain.
Now though, with the end of his plan, decades in the making, just within reach, the final preparations in progress, and the sudden hiccup of princess Vivi out of his control, alive and on her way to Alabasta, Crocodile couldn't stand the delay of written reports and had opted for the more direct way of communication. Having only ever gotten Mr 3's reports written, it was odd to hear his voice.
"Hello, this is restaurant Le Crap. Need a reservation?"
Never in a hundred years would Crocodile have pegged Mr 3 as one who'd answer the phone in such a manner. His profile had "classic snob" written in bold letters all over it.
It bothered him.
"Stop fooling around, you idiot. Your report is late and I'm losing patience."
A short pause answered before. "Oh, my bad. Who am I talking to?"
Crocodile glared dangerously at his tele-snail. He'd been unaware Mr 3 was using his telephone snail, which was a safe line between their snails only, for anything other than reporting straight to him, to the point he couldn't even think first of who would contact him via this line.
"It's me, Mr Zero. You've been gone for a long time. Have you not finished your mission, Mr 3?"
There was a stretched, tense pause. Crocodile waited… and waited.
"I asked you a question," he pressed and hoped Mr 3 at the very least would catch on to how close Crocodile was to ordering his death. "Answer it. Have you eliminated Vivi and the straw hats?"
There was a sound of breathing on the other end, agitating Crocodile further. He was well aware of Mr 3's love for tea, but surely he wasn't enough of a fool to be drinking tea right at that moment?
"Of course, Mr Zero. Mission accomplished. Everyone who has had any knowledge of your secrets are dead," Mr 3 finally answered. His tone was relaxed and confident, edging on that snobbishness Crocodile would sooner have believed of Mr 3 than the tasteless joke he'd opened with.
However, doubt lingered. Mr 3 appeared to have been in contact with someone, and that opening phrase may have been code. Crocodile had a thought that Mr 3 had used the tele-snail in order to gather information. He was an old spy after all. But what sort of information was he gathering at this point that he'd failed to report back?
Across the room sat his second in command. He caught her eye and held her gaze. But no, not yet. Even though he was suspicious, he didn't have a solid reason to kill Mr 3. Vivi appeared to be dead, and while Crocodile's paranoia was itching to have Mr 3 dead, he still liked the man's effectiveness.
"I see. Good work. The Unluckies are on their way to confirm the kills, and deliver a certain object."
"Un… deliver something?"
"An eternal pose to Alabasta," Crocodile informed, keeping his voice cool. "Take Miss Golden Week to Alabasta and await further orders. The time has come to initiate the most crucial part of the plan."
"What the hell are those?"
Crocodile stiffened.
"What's the matter?"
The tele-snail suddenly sputtered sounds of fighting, gunshots, cracks and swearing. It lasted only for seconds.
"What happened?" Crocodile demanded slowly.
"Oh, um. Nothing!" Mr 3's voice had completely dropped the snobbish undertones, his wording much less refined. "Ah, the straw hat captain was a lot tougher than she looked. Very small and cute… I mean, I had gone too easy on her and she was still alive. But now she's definitely dead. Her hat… ah, her head came off."
If there was one thing Crocodile absolutely couldn't tolerate, it was a job half-done.
"Still alive… you said," he repeated slowly, making sure his anger was coming through. "Didn't you just tell me the mission was accomplished. Or did I hear you wrong?"
"Er, no, I did think I had killed them all properly, but the captain… but rest assured she's dead now."
"So… you gave me a false report."
"Ah, well, that depends on your viewpoint. Don't make me sound so bad. I assure you they are all dead now. I'll even make extra sure so no need to send more people. Okay?"
Crocodile leaned back, decided. Mr 3 had failed him. That was all the reason he needed to end the man. But he couldn't forget how smart Mr 3 was. If he caught on he'd be a nuisance to find.
"Very well. Then head straight for Alabasta. This will be our last electronic communication, don't want the marines to catch the frequencies. Hereafter you'll receive written orders as before. I wish for your success, Mr 3." Crocodile hung up without waiting for an answer and again locked eyes with his second in command. "Miss All-Sunday."
"Yes?"
"Dispatch Mr 2 to Little Garden. On the route to Alabasta, Mr 3 will be disposed of."
"Always so ruthless, Sir Crocodile," All-Sunday answered with that same cool, aloof tone she always used.
"Minions are replaceable. Are you talking back to me."
Miss All-Sunday snorted. "Of course not. I'll make sure your order is carried out."
Crocodile heard the click of the woman's heels leave the room. He didn't wonder about the restless paranoia in his gut screaming at him his partner was up to no good. He was quite certain she would be obedient for as long as he needed her. Until then, he needed to take some extra safety measures.
On Little Garden, inside a house of wax, Sanji stared at the now sleeping tele-snail.
"He hung up?"
Shrugging and putting the snail back into its basket, the cook looked around. Almost as soon as Sanji had spotted them, the otter and vulture had exchanged a glance and then attacked, the bird with guns and the otter with blades. Now the room was wrecked, and the otter had an imprint of Sanji's foot at the back of its head and the vulture had a twisted neck.
"Who were these freaks?"
He made a move to leave, but something touched his foot that wasn't a piece of wax. Sanji looked down. The object was made of wood and glass and had a compass needle in the middle. The only reason Sanji picked it up was because it said "Alabasta" at the top. He wasn't stupid enough to not realize what it was for.
Carue ran alongside Ruffy. He'd wanted to carry her, thinking he could catch up to the fleeing pair faster, but she'd just rubbed his beak and continued running by herself. Without words she conveyed a need to move. Her aura was still the same fiery blaze as before, but outlined with a nervous tick. Like a mother who had predators too close to her nest of chicks. Carue was a duck, and ducks with eggs fought like lions when something threatened the nest.
"You want to protect Vivi. You're a great friend, Carue," Ruffy said. Apparently she too could sense Carue's feelings like he could hers.
"Quack!"
"That's fine. I don't really care about her. I just can't forgive them."
"Quack?"
"Because these idiots came to this island for Vivi and us, but they decided they had a right to involve the giants that had nothing to do with anything. For what? Why? Dorry-ossan and the other giant were happy having only each other and their pride! What was the meaning of targeting them? I can't forgive them for messing with bystanders just because they can! They're not men! They are rats!"
"…quack."
Carue jumped over a fallen tree while Ruffy lowered her body and ran underneath. Then they both dug their heels into the dirt. Before them stood Mr 3. Hundreds of him. Leaning on large rocks, sitting on branches, standing in the trees, hanging off each other on the ground. Haughty laugher filled the air, but it was impossible to tell which way it came from.
"Welcome to the wax mansion."
Carue looked around, seeing multiple enemies and was ready to run. But Ruffy wasn't running. Her aura had become oddly calm. So Carue calmed down as well. Looking closer, the army of Mr 3 were all unmoving. The duck couldn't even spot a single one of the man who was breathing. How strange.
"Now, can you tell? Which one is the real me?" Mr 3's voice said.
Carue nervously glanced to Ruffy, only to see her eyes brown with an unimpressed look on her face.
The bodyless voice continued to talk. "You've messed with the wrong people. We are the smartest pair on all of Baroque Works. People like you who are only strong and run solely on animal instinct could never hope to catch up with us. I am Mr 3. I execute my missions perfectly. So come, step inside. The moment you turn your back on me…"
Ruffy had bad hearing. It wasn't rare for her to mishear words. It was much harder to fool her eyes. She bound Shodai to her back. The katana had finished her job when she cut Mr 3's armour. Without it, the man was only annoying.
"Cursed power…" she flew forward, her head leaning back. "Tolling Bell!"
Mr 3 was certainly not prepared to have his head almost crushed between a headbutt and the tree behind him.
"H-how… did you know…?"
Ruffy looked down on his crumbling form as the tree fell and knocked over several of the dummies. "Don't mock my animal instinct," she responded.
Carue suddenly cried out and started forward. The colour trap girl screamed and ran, and Ruffy held her arm out to stop the duck from pursuing her.
"Don't bully the weak. She doesn't want to fight."
Carue wanted to argue, to make sure the area around his friend was clear, make sure there was nobody who would hurt Vivi left on the island.
Ruffy rubbed his beak. Her touch was reassuring and certain. Carue calmed down and thought about it. Yes, that girl had not been actively fighting at all as far as the duck understood. She was only a painter. So Ruffy must be right. Chasing her would just be bullying.
"Are you certain the other giant is dead?"
Brogy heard the words and found himself caught between outraged at the insult to his pride and hopeful that maybe… maybe Elbaf really was watching. Maybe he'd seen the interruption, seen everything, and had decided to save Dorry. Save them both from anybody else's judgement but his.
Turning to the body mostly covered by a cape, Brogy grabbed Dorry's shoulder.
Dorry groaned and stirred.
Brogy sprung up in surprise. "Alive? Dorry! You're alive?!"
The other giant slowly sat up and held his shoulder. "I seem to have fainted. This wound is… not deep enough to kill me."
"Not deep…?"Brogy blinked rapidly, then his gaze snapped over to where their blades had landed. "I see. Our weapons failed us." It should be a devastating realization, that he'd failed to kill Dorry because of he'd swung his axe the same as he had when it was new and sharp enough to split hairs. But in the light of the day's events, he really just wanted to laugh about it.
Dorry hummed, gaze landing on the axe and sword. "Not even blades forged by Elbaf's finest blacksmith can withstand a century long duel between giants."
From the ground, the little man with the swords spoke up. "A century? I'm amazed The weapons are still useable at all."
Slowly, starting with a surprised chuckle, Brogy did start laughing. Howling in joy he threw his arms around Dorry. "I'm so glad you're alive, old friend!"
The last duel was void. Brogy hadn't won, Dorry hadn't lost, thus they had to stay on this lonely island with only each other but with their honour intact. Today was just a hiccup in time, one they would remember, full of tiny humans to remember. They would be okay even if they stayed here until they were both in their graves.
A small, clear voice reached the giants. "I got him."
Brogy dried his tears and released his friend. The other girl had returned, the captain. The other tiny humans moved closer to her.
The bulky giant couldn't help but smirk a little and he glanced at Dorry. The other was also studying the tiny humans, and there was a light of recognition in his eyes. They would have time to talk about that later.
On the ground, Ruffy suddenly reached out a hand and brushed off something on Nami's bare stomach.
"You had a bug on you," she said.
Nami immediately started brushing away imaginary ants and whatever else could be hiding on her that she couldn't see but could imagine the feel of their tiny feet. Beside her, Vivi was discreetly doing the same.
Ruffy's brown eyes looked up. "Hey, giants. You should clean up and get those wounds treated."
Without a word, Dorry lowered his clean hand and opened his palm. Ruffy hopped on without hesitation, followed by Carue who quacked for Vivi to join them. The rest followed suit, and Dorry effortlessly carried them all on his palm over to his camp.
"You know, that candle person called me Red Ogre Brogy," Brogy said conversationally as they walked, looking thoughtful. "I know I was called that when we were pirates, but why would that tiny human know that moniker?"
"Pirate? Wait, you two used to be pirates?" Usopp spoke up, eyes wide and mouth agape.
"Sure, a hundred years ago," Dorry answered. They had reached his camp and he sat down carefully, letting the tiny humans jump off his hand to solid ground. "I think they called me… Something Ogre Dorry."
"Blue Ogre," Brogy nodded from where he was washing his hands in the waterfall a few giant feet away. "Because your sail was blue, I think. Mine was red."
"Yeah…" Dorry drawled slowly, trying to dredge up memories of details beyond the battles and parties.
"Were you wanted pirates?" the human girl in scant clothing asked.
"Sure, we were quite famous back then. The marines did have a giant officer too, and he was a pain. Not from Elbaf, he never fought honourably. The tiny humans he trained though were tough and hard to deal with. That giant might have a high standing in the government today. He was quite young back then, after all."
The tiny humans were looking at each other, and none of them looked overly happy.
"What?" Dorry asked as Brogy helped dress his wounds.
"Once wanted, always wanted," the girl with bright hair stated and rubbed her neck. "Unless you were pardoned back then, for as long as you're alive, there is a bounty on your heads."
Dorry and Brogy looked at each other with wide eyes, then burst out laughing.
"Elbaf Almighty, we had completely forgotten about our bounties!"
"Ah, the memories," Brogy sighed. "So that's why that little man targeted us."
On the ground, Vivi felt herself deflate with guilt. "I'm sorry. Those people, they only came to this island because of me. OW!"
"Don't say that," Nami-san said and released Vivi's cheek from her painful pinch. It didn't hurt more than the bruise on her leg where Mr 5 had kicked her earlier, but it somehow brought tears to her eyes.
"She's right, Vivi. Don't worry about it. Have a rice cracker."
Usopp, Ruffy and Carue were sitting there, snacking on Miss Golden Week's crackers that she'd left behind, looking for all the world that they were on a Sunday picknick.
"What are those and where did you find them?" Nami-san demanded.
"I found them on my way back from knocking out the candle idiot," Ruffy-san said happily and offered Nami a cracker.
"Miss Golden Week must have dropped them when she fled," Vivi offered as an explanation.
"Confiscated!" Nami cried out and snatched the offered cracker, reaching for the rest.
"NO! Mine!" Usopp yelled and ran away with the package of snacks.
Ruffy just laughed heartily. Carue finished his cracker and quacked happily, taking a drink from the jug around his neck. His wing was bound with sticks where it had broken, a vine used to bind them in place. It was a crude solution and Vivi would do it properly once they were back on the ship, but she appreciated that Ruffy had cared for the duck.
Nobody was sending a single accusatory look Vivi's way. Really, these people were too good.
Behind her, Zoro suddenly spoke up. "This is good and all, but shouldn't we get going?"
Nami walked up to him with the only rice cracker she'd managed to swipe, Usopp following with the package of goods still in a firm grip and a victorious look as he chewed.
"I wish we could, but the log takes a whole bloody year to set."
"What?! Shit, that's no good."
"Tell me about it," Nami sighed and rubbed her head frustratingly. "We really need a miracle here."
"OH NAMI-SAN! VIVI-CHAN! RUFFY, and the rest of you. THANK GOODNESS YOU'RE ALL SAFE!"
"You! How dare you show up now!" Usopp cried out and stomped his foot even before he saw the owner of the voice.
The gang looked up to see Sanji come dancing out of the jungle, the smoke around him forming hearts, only to hit the brakes and gape at Dorry. "What the…! Are you Mr 3?!"
"What? How do you know about Mr 3?" Nami demanded.
"Oh, NAMI! How truly beautifully you are dressed!"
Nami clapped the top of the cooks head. "Explain yourself. How do you know about Mr 3? And give me that."
Sanji regretfully removed his blazer and offered it to Nami so she could cover herself. She didn't look good at all wearing his clothes, but wasn't one to deny what a woman wanted. Sitting down on a log he told them all about the house he'd found and how he'd heard a telephone-snail ring.
"Are you saying… you picked up the phone? You spoke to Mr Zero?!" Vivi-chan shouted, and Sanji decided her expression was one of admiration, mixed with surprise.
"I did," Sanji confirmed, noticing Zoro's dismayed grimace with satisfaction. "He thought I was Mr 3, so I played along and said you're all dead."
"And he fell for it?" Zoro asked.
"Yup, he gave orders to head for Alabasta to start the final stages of his plan. He won't send anyone else after us for a while."
Sanji had expected praise, not equal looks of frustration on ALL faces around him, save for the giants. Who were they anyway?
Usopp actually cried at the sky. "Golden opportunity and we're stuck here for a year! What the hell!"
"A year? Why? Isn't this thing pointing to Alabasta? Why are we staying here for…? What?"
Everyone, even the duck was suddenly staring at Sanji with their mouths hanging open.
Vivi threw her arms around Sanji in a crushing hug. "Thank you! You found an eternal pose to Alabasta! I can go home!"
Nami nudged Zoro's side. "Remind me to ask for miracles more often."
Sanji felt the supple breasts press against his chest and the sweet scent of her skin and hair and his bones shivered with happiness. "You… you're welcome. Glad to help. I'll do anything for you."
"Let's party! Rice crackers for everyone!" Ruffy shouted and snatched the package from Usopp.
The liar looked horrified. "We can't party! There's only two crackers left!"
"Three," Nami corrected and held up the one she still held. "And no, we can't have a party now, captain. We need to set sail!"
"And I hope you didn't forget about our hunting challenge," Sanji said, looking pointedly at Zoro.
"Did not, and I won. I bagged a rhino," Zoro bragged and held out his arms to illustrate how big his kill was.
"Can you even eat a rhino?" Sanji retorted and followed Nami and the rest as they turned to head back to the ship.
Ruffy stood still and looked up at the giants that suddenly looked thoughtful, rubbing their beards.
"Thank you for you hospitality, Dorry-ossan and Borry-ossan."
"It's Brogy!"
Dorry laughed and slapped his thigh. "What an interesting lass!"
As the voices of the tiny humans faded, Dory and Brogy sat in contemplative silence. They had lived on this island for a hundred years, there wasn't an inch of it they weren't familiar with. They had seen it all.
"They were good people," Brogy spoke. "Usopp is young, but he has potential."
"The lass is a good captain," Dorry nodded and reached for his sword. For the first time in many years, he took time to study it properly. He'd only sharpened it a few times in the past century. Now, before his eyes, he saw what his pride had blinded him to. He should have cared more for it. The sword had served him for so long and not once had he looked at it with appreciation.
"I'm sorry."
"Do you grieve, Dorry?"
He caressed the blade in a final farewell. "Yes and no. I have held this sword in my hand for a hundred years. It will feel empty without it. But our friends are about to sail out into the eastern sea. It's a worthy cause to die for."
Brogy lifted his axe before his face. "You're right."
They got up and headed for the eastern shore where the river flowed into the ocean. They stood there, heads held high facing the vast horizon. The shadow of the monster moved under the waves. It was time to face it.
A strange feeling settled in, as if someone was watching, as if this was the reason they had landed on this island to begin with.
The voices of the pirates reached them.
"Ahead lies the reason tiny humans…"
"…have never managed to leave the island."
The shadow under the waves turned back towards them, sensing food coming.
"With your lives you defended our honour."
"Therefore we won't fail you."
"Never shall our kinsmen's prideful pirate flag be taken down."
"So sail on straight ahead. When the enemy attacks, have faith in us."
The small ship entered the lowest edges of their vison. A light voice called from it. "We'll sail straight forward and have faith in Elbaf's warriors."
The giants smirked in approval.
"Farewell. We shall meet again," Dorry promised and lifted his sword.
"In Elbaf's halls, we shall see you again," Brogy promised held up his axe.
A cry from the small ship and the ocean started to rise.
"There he is, Island Eater."
"He will yield in the name of Elbaf."
The fish was not a sea king, just a regular fish, though of giant proportions.
"Overgrown goldfish," Dorry snorted. "Seems to have grown ever bigger since last time."
"I only remember what comes out of it, thinking it was a continent and landed on it."
"Ah. I think they called Empty Island," Dorry nodded and braced himself for the strongest attack he'd ever learned.
"What crazy adventures… the tiny humans brought back good memories," Brogy agreed and mirrored his old friend, once his partner.
The giant goldfish opened its mouth and the small boat disappeared inside it.
"Only the Blood-Soaked Snake can withstand us."
"Behold the mightiest spear of Elbaf's warriors."
They tensed, sensed their own power and didn't hold back.
"HAKOKU!"
The giant goldfish jerked as the giants slashed the air, the circular cut flying and cutting through the entirety of the monster. Through the hole, they saw the unharmed sails of their friends' ship. Their weapons shattered, the sound painful and final. But they had done their duty and their bearers would remember them with pride.
"Now friends. Go forth!"
On Merry Ruffy didn't look back. Her face was split in a giant smile as the horizon once again opened before her. Freedom tasted great!