Free Heart

Ch 42 - I am Okay.

"And then and then and then suddenly, BOOM! His insides exploded!" Luffy shouted, stretching out his arms for emphasis.

Emmy let in a startled gasp and looked over at the long bearded giant, who was grinning from ear to ear. "Dorry-san! Your insides exploded?!"

"Gegyagyagyagyagyagya!" Dorry laughed, sending birds flocking up into the skies.

Luffy, Emmy, Usopp, Nami, and Zoro were sitting around the picnic blanket Miss Goldenweek had laid out. Usopp had found a way to melt the wax structure using a rope soaked in oil and the flame from Mr. 3's actual head. Once Nami, VIvi, and Zoro were freed, they made short work of the other two Baroque Works agents, Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine.

Two giants, Dorry and Brogy, were also somehow involved in this, which Luffy was in the process of explaining to his sister. He started with his epic ride on the dinosaurs, which he found significant but no one else did.

"Yeah! It was from the alcohol that Usopp gave Broggy!" Luffy said.

"Oy! It wasn't because of me, though!" Usopp protested, spraying bits of rice crackers everywhere, "Mr. 5 tampered with the alcohol when we weren't looking so I didn't know it was going to explode."

Luffy's face turned green. "You don't think that snot guy put his snot in the barrel...did you?"

Everybody's face twisted in disgust at the thought. "Ew...." they murmured in unison.

"But why were they after Dorry-san and Brogy-san?" Emmy asked.

"Because of their bounties," Usopp said, cutting off Luffy completely, "Remember, Baroque Works is first and foremost a company of bounty hunters."

"Gabababababa," Brogy laughed, "It's been so long we've both forgotten that we had bounties on our heads."

Vivi's head lowered as she stood quietly next to Carue. "But...I was the reason they came to this island in the first place."

Nami reached over and pinched Vivi's cheek. "Let's have none of that!"

"Yeah," Luffy said with a grin and lifted up the bag of rice crackers to her, "What're you so down in the dumps for? Here! Have a rice cracker."

Vivi rubbed her aching cheek but kept her head low.

"No one here is blaming you for what had happened, Vivi-sama."

Vivi's head snapped up while the rest of the group looked anxiously at the first mate, who had reached into the bag. She pulled out a cracker and then held it out for the princess.

"There's enough for you to worry about in the present and future so don't dwell on the past," Emmy said, "So just let it go and eat a cracker."

"Miss Maid..." Vivi whispered as she tentatively took the cracker out of Emmy's hand and bit into it. Just as the savory taste hit her tongue, her stomach growled loudly. Her hand went to it and she giggled sheepishly, "I didn't even realize I was hungry."

"Eh? Did you, Emmy?" Nami asked.

"Ooh! Does this mean your powers are all back, Emmy?" Luffy asked.

"Not fully...," Emmy said and then placed her hands on her hips, "Luffy! Sanji and I packed you and Vivi's lunch. Did you eat her share?"

"Well, she didn't want it!"

"Did you ask?" Emmy asked in a scolding tone, "Or did you just assume?"

"I-" Luffy started to say.

"Luffy?"

Luffy avoided his sister's gaze and then his lower lip jutted out. "I just assumed and ate her lunch." His eyes and finger shot over towards the long bearded giant. "But so did Dorry! He never had Sanji's bento before so I offered him some!"