MIDAS TOUCH

11

DELILAH FELT HAPPY AS SHE WATCHED EVERYONE let loose and socialize. Her gaze moved onto the little children giggling as they chased each other, a smile graced her face as she watched the children play. Standing next to Sanji she felt a nudge as she met Sanji's gaze. "Look who's back." He said as they both looked to see Zoro at the front of the queue.

"Oh! Back for seconds, you must have liked it." Sanji teased Zoro who handed his plate to Sanji. "Yeah, it was okay I guess." Sanji looked at the plate before smirking at Delilah. "Well, your plate says otherwise." Sanji said as Zoro huffed trying not to give Sanji the satisfaction of liking his food.

"I need to keep my strength up, even with your cooking. It's the least you can do, considering that I saved your ass from those fishmen." Delilah grabbed the plate from Sanji and placed a spoonful of fried rice on Zoro's plate before handing it back to Sanji.

"What? I saved your arse." Sanji spoke looking at Zoro, offended. "You didn't even get your hands dirty." Zoro said. "At least I don't need three swords to prove I'm a man." Sanji shot back as the swordsman looked at Delilah.

"That's my cue boys, see you later." She said as she heard Sanji tease her. "What? No kiss on the cheek." Delilah playfully rolled her eyes at him as she walked past the queue and walked over to where Nami was. "Hey," Delilah sat next to her as Nami threw her a guilty look as she spotted Delilah's new shirt.

"I'm sorry." Nami whispered as Delilah gave her a look. "Don't be. You did what you had to do to survive and I can't blame you for that Nami." The princess said as Nami sighed. "I just wish I didn't have to do that, thi- this pain that I caused you I wish I could take it back."

Nami told her as she released a breath. "And it's okay, Nami... I don't blame you, I could never. I forgive you and you forgive me and we're even Nami, we can move on from this." She told the girl who nodded before grabbing her hand.

"Come on," Allowing the orange head to lead the way, the two of them now stood next to Zoro as they listened to Usopp talk to the villagers. "But I knew I couldn't give up the fight. Not with the fate of Coco Village at stake because of Arlong." Usopp exclaimed as he stood up. "So I pulled out my trusty slingshot." Usopp mimicked firing sounds as Delilah noticed how all the villagers were hanging onto every word coming out of Usopp's mouth.

"I didn't stop firing at them. I fired my slingshot until my fingers bled and I didn't stop until I single-handedly took down Arlong and his crew." Standing between Zoro and Sanji Delilah giggled as she watched the children lean forward in their seats.

Sanji wrapped an arm around her shoulder as Delilah leaned into the warmth his body provided her as they listened to Usopp. The marksman noticed his crew as he cleared his throat as he grinned at them. "With a bit of help of course. I guess, I wasn't completely alone." Sanji laughed at Usopp's words.

Delilah felt herself get pulled away from Sanji as Zoro wrapped an arm around her shoulder as she heard Sanji mutter something under his breath along the lines of 'jealous swordsman'.

"Three cheers for the great Captain Usopp! We couldn't have done it without his help!" Luffy yelled. "Whoo!" Luffy cheered as the whole crowd cheered alongside him. "Marines!" A man yelled as everyone froze.

Zoro's hand moved down to grab his sword. "I'd rethink that if I were you." One of the Marines said as the vice-admiral stood in front of the Marines. "So these are the Straw Hat pirates." The vice-admiral looked at the six of them as his gaze briefly rested on Delilah before locking onto Luffy. "Marines, arrest them!"

Immediately a group of Marines stepped forward as Nami twirled her staff and knocked one of the men down. Delilah waited until one of the Marines was close to her as she side-stepped the man before kicking the back of his knee and grabbing his head. Pulling hard at his hair as the man lost his balance and fell to the ground.