Queen of the Pirates

An Archaeologist Joins the Crew

+~*~*~*~*~*~+

"Come on, Luffy," I sigh, squishing his cheeks together as we sit on the deck right outside the kitchen. "You have to cheer up. I don't like seeing you sad like this."

"What's the point?" Luffy lets out a sad breath. "She decided to stay back. I thought we were having a lot of fun together."

"She's a princess, Luff, she has to take care of her country. That's why we were helping her in the first place!"

"Okay, sure," he slightly pouts. "Still doesn't make me feel better. I never thought that a crewmember would leave."

"It was only ever going to be temporary," I pull my hands away. "Alabasta was her end goal, and after we ensured that Crocodile was out and she would be back at the top, we would have to move on without her. She'll always be our friend, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I guess so. How come you're not sad?"

I gently smile, "Well, when I start to miss Vivi, I'll just remember all the great memories we made together, and I still have the rest of the crew here as we continue our journey. It's all going to be okay."

"It is nice that you can have such a positive outlook in this kind of situation."

"Well, after all I've been through, I have to," I lightly chuckle.

His arms wrap around my middle, pulling me into his lap. "It is a good thing that you are still by my side."

"It seems like the Navy isn't after us," Zoro says as he walks around the lower deck.

"Uh-huh," the rest of the crew says as they are all sitting on the deck around us.

I shake my head as Luffy rests his chin on my shoulder.

"I think we lost them, which is good," Zoro says.

"Uh-huh," the others mumble.

"Can you guys not say anything else?"

"We miss Vivi!"

"Quit crying! If you didn't want her to leave, you should have kidnapped her!"

I chuckle, "Zoro has a point."

"Barbarians!" Chopper cries.

"You're mean," Nami growls.

"Moss head," Sanji grumbles.

"Three-sword style," Luffy gives me a squeeze.

"That's not an insult, Luffy," Usopp looks at Luffy with wide eyes.

"Four-sword style."

I giggle, "That isn't possible."

"Listen, try natto," Usopp says. "Tell him his stinks like natto."

A door creaks open from below deck, and then a female' voice that I've heard before speaks up. "Well, it is about damn time you left that oversized sandbox."

"Yeah, about time," Zoro agrees, and then his face contorts into confusion.

Silence can be loud when the shock of some event is beyond believable. Especially when the enemy is on our ship. Well, ex-enemy at the very least, though it is unclear what her intentions are being here now. Every one of us jumping up and heading down to the lower level, besides Chopper who tries to hide behind the railing.