Savior -Luffy-

-1-

Reunions were always nerve-wracking. I never liked them. However, as I stood on the ship I have lived the last two years on, staring at the south end of the Archipelago I first disappeared from, I felt tears in my eyes. Everyone was already here waiting for each other. As far as they knew, I was long dead at the hands of the government.

"There's word that all the Straw Hats are already boarding the Sunny," Shanks mentions breaking my train of thought. I take a shaking breath with a heartbeat that could kill a man at the speed it went.

"Thank you again, Shanks," I whisper as I slowly turn to look at him. "Keeping me for two years was something you really didn't need to do for me. I appreciate it."

"Just remember that you're always welcome back." I smile wide at his response and look at the rest of the crew.

"It's gonna be weird without you here!" Beckman declares. "We've gone and got attached to ya!" I laugh and hug them in a large group, all of their figures overpowering me immediately. I squeeze as well as I can, but their strength immediately outdoes mine. I pull back while the ship comes to a stop.

"I'll try to keep in touch," I promise. "I'll send gifts if I think of you guys when I see something." Shanks smiles wide and places his hand on my head.

"You've become so strong, May. Physically and mentally. I'm proud of you." I felt my throat clench at his words and frowned, diving onto him for a separate hug.

"You're the best adoptive dad I could ask for." He laughs loudly as I pull away.

"Show them what they've been missing, Kiddo." I nod, turning to look at the grass that stopped the ship from sailing any further. I swallowed thickly with a hand on my shoulder bag before shoving it all the way up my arm and resting it over my shoulder in a crossed-body style. As soon as I stepped off the boat, I wanted to scream and run to the crew immediately. They were just beyond the tree line and I knew they were waiting for everyone, including me. I wave off the Red Haired Pirates with a large grin and tears clouding my vision. I took a deep breath, dropped my hand, and looked in the direction Sunny should be. This was it. I have changed over the two years. The sun darkened my skin with more freckles, my body was much more filled out, my hair grew to the full length it once was, and my stomach was decorated with a large scar from a battle I carried through with Shanks' crew. Would they even recognize me? I nodded once in reassurance and headed towards the ship. When I finally saw the large vessel, my heart pounded harder than before. I bit my lip to keep from crying out as I saw the back of the blue-haired Shipwright peeking over the railing. I smiled wide and sped up my walk, hearing the familiar voices of the crew ringing into my ears once more after these two long years.

"We're still missing someone..." Brook trails. Everyone was quiet.

"She was taken by Kuma after everyone was sent away." I immediately recognized Luffy's voice. "She's probably trapped in the government if not dead already." His tone was low and it made my chest hurt. I quietly snuck up the ramp with my knuckles white from the grip I had on the bag I held. Everyone had their back on me except for Robin, who immediately made eye contact with me. I smirked and held a finger to my lips. She only smiled back and looked back at the quiet captain.

"Well, if I knew the reunion would be so glum I wouldn't have come back!" I speak up and can see all the bodies tense up. Chopper was the first to spin around and I was attacked by the small reindeer before I could react. I laughed loudly, holding the kid tight in a hug.

"Maylene!" Calls rang out in unison and I couldn't help but laugh in joy at the sound of them saying my name again. Nami pulled me from the crowd of men quickly in a hard hug.

"Finally!" She yells. "It took you long enough!" I laughed lightly as I slowly released her. The crew went quiet as I looked up at Luffy. He was standing there in silence, staring at me with an emotion I couldn't read.