Queen of the Pirates

Kuma the Tyrant

"Excuse me," a rough old male's voice snaps us all out of our somber mood.

"Whoa!" Usopp exclaims, jumping to his feet and readying Kabuto. "A zombie! There's one who still has a shadow!?"

"No, I'm just an old man with severe injuries," says the man who most of us met hours ago when first exploring this island.

"Quit trying to trick me! Just admit you're a zombie!"

"He's not lying," I softly smile. "Hey Old Man," I wave.

"You're the old man we met at the graveyard!" Sanji shouts.

"I can't believe that the day has actually come when I can walk beneath the sun," the old man says. "Thank you. I don't know how I'll ever repay you!"

"Old Man Spoil!" Lola's men exclaim. "The honorary chairman of the victim's club!"

"Club?" I breathe out a laugh.

"All of you!" Lola announces as she leads her men towards us. "I'm sorry we didn't thank you sooner! We're eternally grateful to you! Sorry we pulled all those weird tricks on you! We saw you in action and decided to place all our hopes on you!"

Every single one of them falls to their knees and bows their heads toward us.

"All of us in the Thriller Bark Victims' Clube want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts! We'll never forget what you did for us!"

"Thank you so very much!"

"In gratitude, I'll offer myself as a bride!"

"No thanks," all the boys instantly deadpan.

"Oh, don't say that!"

"There's no need to thank us," Zoro says as he scratches the side of his head. "Remember what Luffy said, Old Man. We fought for our own reasons..."

"Especially you! Let's tie the knot, scrumptious!"

"...And you just happened to be saved too."

Nami slaps Zoro across the face with enough power to send him flying to the ground. "What a rude thing to say! They're all so grateful!"

I chuckle, "That doesn't make what Zoro said any less true. It just so happens that our plans to take down this island aligned with the wants of everyone hurt by Moria."

"You're defending Zoro because he's like a brother to you, so stop being such an angel," Nami shakes her head.

"That's fair. Still, you didn't have to slap him that hard. We've all been through the wringer today."

"The lady is right though!" Mask shouts. "Let us do something to pay you back!"

"Whatever your reasons, we're just glad that Moria has been defeated," Bedhead says.

"See!?" Nami snaps. "Be nice!" she sweetly smiles.

"Um, Nami?" Usopp mumbles.

"That's right!" she blurts out. "There was something really important that I was supposed to tell you guys!" She slams her hands over her mouth.

"What's that?"

"We've got all the time in the world now, so spill," I tease.

"What's the matter?" Robin asks.