Free Heart

Ch 61 - I am Leaving It To You

"Oh dear...Oh dear. Oh dear. Oh dear..." Emmy wrung her hands together as she looked at the diminishing Rainbase from the back of the Bananagator. Luffy was perched at it's head while the rest were riding on the back of a large desert crab. Chopper and Lashes had brought him to transport the crew across the desert. Apparently, the crab was a friend of the camel.

Luffy glanced over at the first mate. "You think we should've brought grabbed snacks before we left too?"

"No...Well...maybe we should have but that's not what I meant..." Emmy said. She hesitantly turned to face her brother and then her hands went up to her head. "I...I left my headband at Raindinners."

Luffy shrugged. "Oh, is that all?"

"What's going on?" Sanji called over, "Emmy-chan, why do you look so sad?"

"I left my headband at Raindinners," Emmy shouted back.

"You what?!" the group gasped.

Nami slapped her hand to her forehead. "Ugh! It was right in front of the cage. We must've lost track of it after the water came in."

"What does this mean?" Usopp shrieked, "Emmy! Are you going to lose control?"

Emmy bit her lip. "I...I don't know...I think as long as I have my bonds then...We should be okay, right?"

"Why are you asking us?!" Usopp asked, "This is something we should be asking you!"

Sanji seemed to be the only one not at all rattled by this news. He ashed his cigarette over the crab and then brought it back to his lips. "Oy. Usopp, calm down. Emmy-chan is right. As long as our bonds are there and stable, Emmy-chan will be fine. Besides, the headband was just a precaution. Emmy-chan doesn't really need it."

"Yes...but..." Emmy's hands went up to her head and she flattened her palms against her hair, "It was...a gift from Gramps. My first gift..."

Luffy hopped off his perch and he put his hands behind his head. "Shishishi. Gramps gave you that to protect you. He'd be happy to see that you don't need it."

"I...I guess," Emmy said with her hands still on her head, "But...it still feels weird."

Nami sighed and she held out her hand. "Toss your necklace over, Prude."

Emmy's eyes widened and both her hands went to the string of beads around her neck. "Why?"

"Just give it. You'll see," Nami said and then she glared, "Don't you trust me?"

Emmy reluctantly nodded and then threw her necklace to Nami. The navigator sat down and soon, she had tightened it, discarding some of the beads but still leaving on the signature faces. She tossed it back to the first mate.

"Wear that over your head," Nami instructed.

Emmy tucked the beads behind her ears with the two smiling faces displayed proudly on the side of her head.

"Better?" Nami asked.

"...Yes," Emmy whispered, feeling comfort in the added weight on her head.

"No problem," Nami said, "That'll be 100,000 be-"

"VIVI-SAMA! WATCH OUT!" Emmy suddenly shouted just as a golden hook shot out from the direction of Rainbase and latched around the princess' waist and yanked her off the crab.

"Ah! Chopper! Stop the crab!" Zoro commanded.

"Bananagator-san! Stop!" Emmy shouted at the same time.

Both animals skidded to a halt as Luffy's eyes narrowed at the stream of sand that was controlling the hook. He stretched his arms and made a grab for it.