Steel Heart

Ch 40 - Recovery

"Sanji! I'm hungry!"

"Nibble on some cheese!" the cook angrily yelled at the whining rubber man.

Luffy stomped down the steps of the Thousand Sunny carrying two large wedges of cheese. He took a bite out of one of them and pouted as he chewed. "Cheese doesn't cut it. Cheese doesn't energize me!"

Sanji sighed as he carried a towering stack of heavy bowls out of the kitchen. "Then start hauling the ingredients I need to the courtyard. We'll be eating there since I'm sure everyone else doesn't want to budge."

The female pirate captain, Lola, looked up at the cook from the lawn deck. "Apologies. Everyone is just so happy to see the sun for the first time in years. They are crying tears of joy while sunbathing. I just don't have the heart to ask them to move."

Usopp glanced over at his captain, who was busy cramming more cheese into his overly stuffed mouth. "Where did all of that energy come from?"

"Tch," Nana scoffed as she balanced a giant crate of food on her shoulder with one arm and disembarked the Thousand Sunny. Pygmy dragged a small wagon of food behind him, "If you have that much energy, then help us out with carrying some of this, Luffy!"

Franky was waiting for her at the dock lifting a huge sack of food over his head. "Is that everything?"

Nana shrugged. "I hope so. Although, I wonder who gave us all this food and treasure?"

Franky grinned. "Maybe Santa paid us a visit and also gave Luffy that extra boost of energy."

Nana laughed as they walked back to the courtyard together. "You know, I would normally say that would be ridiculous but after seeing all that has happened, I wouldn't be surprised if there really is a Santa Claus."

"There is a cupid though," Franky teased, "And it seems to have shot the Curly Cook."

Nana ignored what he was insinuating. "You and I both know he's the type of guy who has been shot by cupid many of times, Franky."

"So you won't give him a chance?" Franky asked, "The guy has professed his love for you more times in two days than I have to anyone or anything my entire life."

Nana stopped in her tracks and waited for Franky to pause to face her. "And how many times has he said it to other women?" she asked with a skeptical look. Then she rolled her eyes and shook her head. "C'mon, Franky. He only thinks he loves me now because I'm the newest woman in his life. He's probably said this to Nami and Robin when they came on board. Hell, he still says it to them now!"

She moved forward and passed a silent cyborg. "I'm just the flavor of the month, Franky. He'll go after a new mellorine sooner or later."

They walked back without saying anything else on the matter. When they reached the courtyard, they headed straight for the mansion where Zoro and the rest of the Straw Hats had set up camp.

"Oy! Chopper," Nana called as Pygmy raced forward to say hello to his reindeer friend, "We got food and the supplies you asked for."

Chopper, who was in the middle of changing Zoro's bandages, looked up from his patient. "Oh! Thank you. You can set it on the side and I can come get it myself."

"How is he doing?" Franky asked as he set his cargo down at the entrance to the mansion before walking towards the group.

"I've never seen Zoro so badly hurt," Chopper said worriedly, "He nearly lost his life. I think something must have happened while we were unconscious."

Nana stilled for a moment before putting her crate down next to Franky's bundle. She stood up and spotted Sanji coming over to them, carrying his pots and pans. Suddenly, like a blur, Luffy ran past her towards his nakama's bed side. "Oy! Is Zoro up?!"