Warm Memories and Brotherly Bonds

Chapter 18: The Thief with a Heart of Gold

"That pulls at the heartstrings," Franky cried out, he couldn't remember every crying more as he did tonight and wringing out the soaked handkerchief, "Those cooks weren't ashamed to cry. You could feel the love there as they waved you off, Sanji!"

"Oh, shut up," Sanji said, trying to wipe away his own tears before the noticed.

"So they really did care about you all along!" Chopper said happily, also having a few stray tears on his cheeks.

"Yes, they just didn't know how to come out and say it to your face," Robin reminded him softly, smiling brightly as she looked up to the feeble glow of the moon as she stepped out onto the grassy fields and enjoyed the soft breeze, glad to be out of that memory for the moment. "It's funny..." she went on, almost to herself, "How the things we want to say the most are actually the things that are the most difficult to say."

"It's almost sad when you put it like that," Nami said softly, thinking it all over. There were so many things that she wanted to say to so many people but she was never able to say it. Especially when it came to... her mother...

She stared up at the sky and stared at the twinkling stars—wondering.

Sanji, however, just watched the smoke from the cigarette drift off with the wind, thinking about Zeff and the other cooks. He wondered how they were all doing right now. He hoped that they were all still alive and breathing—and didn't burn the ship down. He wanted to go back someday and really show off how strong he had become.

He smiled to himself. He could show off all the cooking skills he learned since coming here... and he was sure that even Zeff would be impressed when they see his Sky Walk.

All too soon the black sky was replaced with a sunny day. He sighed, wondering just when this 'monster' would show up so that they could kick its ass. They were all pilled in the familiar boat and Luffy was running around, looking at everything—though there wasn't anything but water for miles around.

Yosaku and past Sanji were near the front of the ship and resting there as Luffy jumped around.

"What's this?" Brook asked looking around.

"This was where we took off towards Nami-san's village," Sanji said, thinking it over.

"You sure took your sweet time getting there," Zoro told him irritably.

"Hey, you should just be happy we came at all to save your lousy ass!" Sanji snapped at him.

Finally, past Sanji yelled at Luffy to calm down. Still excited, he came over to sit at the very front of the boat and turned to Yosaku, "So... are we getting close to where Nami is? You know... the island?"

"So we get to see your island, Nami?" Chopper asked her.

Nami didn't answer right away as she looked down, feeling a little blue. While it would be wonderful to see her home again, she had mixed feelings about it all. She wasn't sure she was going to like to see herself here.

Suddenly, Yosaku slammed his hand down on his knee, and got their attention. Pointing an accusing finger at him he yelled out, "You're way to naïve and way too young! Don't you get it? Don't you realize every second that passes brings us closer to the infamous Arlong?!"

"Arlong?" Chopper repeated before he blinked in surprise, "Isn't that the Fishman that Jimbei talked about? The ones that you guys stopped?"

"Yeah," Sanji said, looking over to Nami. "Nami-swan?" he asked in a gentle voice.

"I'll be fine," she answered firmly. Those who weren't aware of the whole situation here always knew that there had been issues between Nami and the Fishmen—but they weren't entirely sure just what they were about. Robin, Chopper, Brook, and Franky were all looking at each other nervously, wondering just what kind of burden that Nami had been carrying around all this time.