Back in the Blue Sea

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"Well, how long do you think it is going to take for us to get back down to the Blue Sea?" I squint up at Zoro, innocently smiling at the boy. "It doesn't feel like we are moving the fast."

Zoro shrugs, "This is my first-time floating down in a ship with a balloon, so I'm not sure." He looks down at me, "Why are smiling at me like that?"

"No reason," I giggle before jumping up and wrapping my arms around his neck to hug him. "It was awesome to see you stand up against that bastard. I might have slept as long as you once we finally had the chance."

He wraps an arm around my back to help hold me up. "You kicked ass out there I've been told. You've come a long way from when I first met you."

"I'm exceeding your expectations I imagine."

"Once I saw you fight for real, I knew you had the potential to be badass, and you're proving me right."

"And proving so many people wrong." I release my hold on him as he does the same; my feet gently hitting the floor. "I'm still glad that I can count on you if I get into a pinch while Luffy's off fighting his own battle."

"I think I'd do that even if it wasn't captains orders," he grins. "Helps both of us get stronger."

"And I'm just fun to fight next to, I know," I smirk, turning on my heel to find the other boy I haven't been able to talk to in a while. "Hey! Sanji!"

"Ah, yes, my darling!" Sanji gushes as he rushes over to me. "What do you need? I'll bake you anything that you want."

"I don't need anything to eat," I hold up my hand to stop him from coming any closer. "I do need to tell you something," I poke the center of his chest.

"And what is that?" he nervously smiles.

"Don't try to sacrifice yourself to save us girls again! Were you out of your mind!? I don't care how impressive it was, you had me too scared!"

He chuckles, scratching the back of his neck the whole time I've been yelling. "I'm sorry for scaring you, but I had to be a gentleman and save you ladies. It was the right thing to do."

"Oh Sanji," I smile with anger burning in my eyes. "When will you realize...that I don't need saving!" I slap his chest a few times, feeling the anger at the boy ease out of my body as all he does is laugh. Then I take a deep breath. "I do appreciate it, though. We would have been in deep shit if you didn't come to our rescue."

"You're welcome, Akari," he flashes a lovely smile. "I just can't help wanting to save such beautiful girls if I have the chance."

"Yeah, yeah," I wave him off, walking past him to walk over to Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper at the railing. "Alright boys, what are we doing over here?" I turn around, leaning back against the railing.

Luffy looks at me with a big smile on his face, "We're just looking out at the clouds as we float past. Isn't this awesome? We're floating down with an octopus as our balloon."

"It is pretty awesome."

"Akari," Chopper bounds up to me, placing his front hooves on my thigh as he looks up at me. "Did you and Robin find whatever you were looking for?"

"I wasn't looking for anything, but I think Robin did find what she needed," I nod a few times. "I can safely say that I learned something new because I went off with her. I've also got some things to think about."

"Like what?" Chopper cutely asks.

I softly smile as I look down at him, "Personal things, Chopper. Nothing for you to worry about."

"I'm sure Luffy would be willing to hear about your troubles," Usopp teases.

"Huh?" Luffy pulls his gaze away from the octopus. "Do you need to talk to me, Akari? We can sit on the figurehead if you want."

"Not right now," I tilt my head back to look up at the clouds now above us. "We haven't been able to be together as a full crew for long, and I want to hang with the three of you. Even if it is just watching the clouds and octopus."

"I'm always here when you're ready."

"I promise, once I've figured it out in my head, I'll go right to you, captain."

"Is that what boyfriends and girlfriends do?" Chopper asks. "Talk to each other about everything?"

I giggle, "Luffy and I are a little different than most couples. We tell each other everything because we've always done that since we were little."

"Not everything," Luffy pokes my side.

"I think if she kept something from you, it was probably for a good reason," Usopp chuckles. "Maybe regarding girl stuff. Kaya was all into medical stuff, so she'd tell me all about that when she wasn't feeling too sick."

"Girl stuff?" Luffy questions.

"Moving on!" I clap my hands, pulling my head forward to look between the boys. "Luffy has been my best friend since we were babies, and besides a select few things, mostly on my side, we tell each other everything. Other couples might approach communication a different way."

"What haven't you told Luffy?" Chopper asks.

"You are the cutest, Chopper," I pat his hat. "What's got you all curious?"

"I just haven't been around humans that are in love, so I want to know everything I can in case it could help when administering aid."

"I'm kind of curious now too," Usopp says.

"Akari didn't tell me she was shot, she didn't tell me she had a crush on me, then she didn't tell me she loved me right away," Luffy starts listing off. "She still hasn't told me that her gunshot wound was reopened when we helped save Usopp's village, but I can forgive her for that. Hm, what else?"

"You know about me getting kicked in the side?" I blurt out as I stare at Luffy.

"I didn't know the details, but I knew something was wrong when you grimaced all the way back to the mansion yet kept waving me off. Then you disappeared for a while. You're all healed now, so it is okay you never told me."

"I'm sorry I never told you, but I didn't want you to worry about it during the fight, and then I didn't want you to think that I couldn't handle myself. Do you think about it often that I never told you? Is that why you keep running your fingers over the scar when you have a chance?"

He shrugs as the lightest redness spreads over his cheeks. "I don't think about it a lot, but when we are falling asleep, and my arms are wrapped around you, I find myself unconsciously touching it. Then I remember that I am stronger and won't let something like that happen to you again."

"I think it makes me pretty badass, having a scar, even if it is small and it isn't that visible."

"The only scar I will let you get, so don't think about doing something reckless to get another one."

"You're always doing something reckless!" Usopp and I shout at him before we all burst into laughter.

It takes a few minutes for us all to calm down and get our breathing under control. After all this time apart, it feels so good to hang out and laugh like this. I know that these kinds of moments probably won't last long, so I want to cherish them as much as possible.

"Well Chopper, did that answer all the questions you had?" I wipe a tear from my eye.

"Yeah," Chopper nods. "I think that I still have a lot to learn."

I crouch down to be eye level with the reindeer boy, "You can always ask me questions. I'll do my best to answer anything you're curious about."

"Because you think I'm cute?"

I giggle, "Well, I do think you're super cute, but that's not why. I just want to, and that's what friends do. Even if I have to ask Robin since she has way more knowledge than all of us combined."

"You're just trying to flatter me." His face scrunches up with a smile as his entire body wiggles. "You won't get into my head."

I chuckle, standing back up, "Whatever you say Chopper."

"Ugh, I hope it doesn't take much longer for us to get down to the Blue Sea," Luffy groans, leaning into me.

"This is taking a while," Usopp says. "Not that I'm rushing to get back fighting monsters or anything. It is nice being able to not worry about trying not to die."

"I agree," Chopper says.

"It's gonna take a lot more than what we went through in the sky to kill us, I think," I smile, reaching down to grab Luffy's hand.

It happens in the blink of an eye as a ton of water rains down on all of us from the octopus. The force of it sending all of us falling to the deck as we crash into the sea.

"Waah!" Nami scream and Chopper scream.

"Ouch!" Usopp cries as he goes headfirst into the deck.

"Gah!" Zoro groans.

"It's cold!" Luffy shouts before being silence by the octopus landing on his face.

"I'm going to count that as a bath," I sputter out.

"Nami-chan, Robin-chan, darling Akari!" Sanji calls out. "Are you okay!?"

"Heh," Nami, along with all of us, is heavily breathing. "That was scary..."

It takes a moment for all of us to have enough breath back to sit up and then assess the situation. Now we're all soaked, so a change of clothes will be in order once we have our bearings. At least we have finally made it back to where we belong.

"Why did it suddenly shrink like that?" I pull the band out of my hair that has held it in a bun successfully all this time. "And why was it filled with water?"

"What was that?" Zoro rubs the side of his face.

"Maybe there was a leak?" Robin suggests.

"Phew," Luffy pulls the octopus off his face. He's still on his back and widely smiling. "Thanks to you, we're still alive. Thanks, Octopus."

All of us take our time standing to our feet, considering if we move too quickly we'll just fall right back on our asses. Our hair sticking to our faces no matter what we do. At least the sun is shining to keep us warm.

"The sea..." I happily sigh as I look out at the beautiful blue sea that we have landed in. "It is blue! No doubt about it!"

"Is everyone okay?" Chopper asks, getting quick affirmations that we all are.

"Well," Sanji places a cigarette between his lips before lighting it up. "That was one magical trip."

"Now that we are back, it all feels like a dream," Robin looks up at the sky.

"That's because it really was a dreamy place," Nami softly smiles as she looks up at the sky as well.

Chopper smiles as he gazes up at the clouds, "I wonder if we'll ever go back."

"Maye you will go there after you die," Zoro grins, "or somewhere close," he chuckles.

"Zoro...are you sure that we'll go to heaven?" Usopp nervously swallows.

"I'd like to go wherever I can to keep having adventures," I run a hand through the tangles in my hair.

"All right!" Luffy places his straw hat back on his head. "Now we can head towards wherever the log pose is pointing now. Let the sails down!"

"Hey, Luffy, give us a short break, will ya?" Usopp pleads.

"We had a three-day break before this," I tease, walking over to help Zoro on the main mast sails.

Nami disapprovingly clicks her tongue as she looks down at us from the upper deck. "If you can rest whenever and wherever you want in this sea, then nobody would be afraid of it."

"That doesn't look cool, Sanji," Usopp states as Sanji lovingly looks at Nami and reaches for her.

"Everyone, move it! Ah, see! Here it comes!"

Chopper lets out a spine-shivering scream.

"What's coming?" I turn to look behind us, feeling my heart drop to my toes. "That is one big wave."

"Full speed ahead!" Usopp rushes off to get to work.

"It's a tsunami!" Nami is a little too giddy for me.

The giant wave behind us could capsize us if we don't pick up our speed. There's also a chance that the numerous sea monsters that I can see swimming around in the tsunami could jump out and attack us. Even if a string of fear is running through me, I can't help feeling the adrenaline take over.

"There are giant monsters in those waves!" Usopp cries.

"Look! Sea monkeys!" Luffy laughs as he rushes around.

"It's so good to be back on the Grand Line!" I exclaim.

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

"I can dress myself, you know?" I tease Nami as I check myself out in the mirror in the girl's room. "I'll admit, I really like this outfit."

"Then why are you complaining?" Nami smirks. "I have no doubt that you can pick out a cute outfit on your own, but now that I have you as my little sister, I want to whatever I can to spoil you. I'm pretty sure that I said that before we got all these clothes."

"One day I'll get used to being spoiled, but it's going to take a few more times of you picking out what I wear," I chuckle, turning away from the mirror.

This time around, I'm wearing a cute pair of denim overalls with sunflowers embroidered all over and the shorts stopping mid-thigh, a light pink t-shirt underneath, white socks that stop right below my knees and have a yellow ring around the top, and super comfortable black sneakers. I still have my crossbody pouch to hold my shurikens, as well as the bracelet Luffy gave me securely on my wrist.

Nami has also changed into a new outfit. She's wearing a dark emerald green tank top with the word gold across the top in gold, tight white pants with a dark red belt, and rose gold sandals like the ones she normally wears.

"You look more comfortable in this," Robin directs at me. She's also swapped out dry clothes for the ones there were soaked by the octopus. She's now wearing a mostly white tank top with green straps and polka dots at the top, a dark purplish-blue jacket (that she's no wearing yet), dark blue pants, dark purplish-blue one-inch chunk heels, and an armband that must be from Skypiea with white tassels and a gold piece.

"I feel more comfortable," I happily sigh. "No offense to the last outfit, Nami. Maybe one day I will be ready to show that much skin, but for now, I am okay with something like this."

"Luffy will like you in anything, but I can't try to get him to see how you're more than just cute," Nami sighs.

"Oh, don't worry, he can see that," I pat her arm as I head for the door. "He just doesn't care that much. I'll take what I can get when he does though."

"Well, go out and see what he thinks about this one."

The three of us exit the room to calm seas, beautiful sunshine, and the boys hanging out on the main deck. There's still plenty we have to decide, but for a little while longer, we can enjoy doing whatever we want.

"Hey, Luffy!" I skip down the steps, heading right for the boy.

"Ah, Akari, I was wondering how much longer you would be," Luffy chuckles, eyes roaming over my body to take in my new outfit. "If you wore the same thing it wouldn't take as long. Still the cutest girl." He leans over to press a kiss to my cheek.

"Thank you," I smile, rocking back on my heels then forward on my toes a few times. "Cute but also practical to still be able to kick ass when needed."

"What about your hair?" He runs his fingers through my hair that I haven't decided how to put up yet. "Oh, can I do something? Please?"

I giggle, "Do you have something to hold my hair up?"

"Don't you?"

"You're lucky." I pull two hair-ties out of my pocket and hand them to Luffy. "Have you ever even done my hair?" I turn around, ready to deal with whatever hairstyle he's about to give me.

"I think I watched Ace do it a couple times, and I've seen Nami do it. I'm sure that it can't be that hard."

It takes a little longer than anyone else, including myself, would take when putting my hair up, and Luffy sometimes tugs a little hard causing me to let my pain be known. Still, I am surprised that Luffy even wanted to do my hair, so I am patient as he takes his time.

"Done!" Luffy excitedly jumps into my view. "Can you tell that they are pigtails? I wanted to do something more than a ponytail, and I always think you look extra cute in pigtails."

My cheeks heat up as I shyly smile, and with no mirror around, I reach up to feel how Luffy did. "I think you did a wonderful job, Luffy. This will be a big help, so I don't have to worry about my hair as much."

"You can always cut it if it bothers you too much."

"I know," I sigh. "I just don't want to make a dig decision like that right now. My brain is figuring some other important stuff out right now."

"Like what?" He takes a step closer to me, grabbing my hands. "You said something similar early but wouldn't tell me then either. What's on your mind, my sweets?"

My heart skips a beat at the nickname he has chosen to use, and I don't think I can avoid answering his question this time around. Especially since no one else seems to be listening to our conversation. Even so, I drop my voice to a whisper. "Ace told me who my mother was, but he left out my father. Who he is could be really important in the future. If no one knows my biological father, I should make a choice. Shouldn't I?" My gaze drops to look at our feet. "And I'm stuck on if I should pick the man Ace resented so much."

"Hey," Luffy softly says, tilting my head back up with a few fingers under my chin. "You don't have to decide right now, and maybe you never do. Worrying about it is only going to drive you crazy. Just because Ace hated him doesn't mean you have to. If he's the man you wish was your real father, then I think that would be pretty cool. Even if you only tell me."

"Thank you, Luffy. I was afraid you might find it silly that I was worrying about that kind of thing. I'm sure I wouldn't even be thinking about it as much as I am if Roger's name didn't keep coming up." I take a deep breath, "Okay, I'll worry about it if, or when, it actually becomes important."

"I'm glad I could help relieve your mind. At least for a little bit," he presses a kiss to my nose. "Now, would you like to watch me attempt the waver again?"

I chuckle, "You really think it will be different in a normal sea?"

He shrugs, "I won't know until I try."

"I like the way you think."

"Nami!" Luffy rushes off. "I want to try the waver in normal water!"

I chuckle, walking over to Usopp. "Well, at least the sea finally calmed down."

"He's not going to last on the waver, and then we'll have to jump in to save him," Usopp shakes his head. "For someone who knows that the sea is trying to kill him, he puts himself into situations where it

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