"Last night..." Luffy started.
"I don't know anything! You didn't remember anything!"
Vivi shot up like a startled cat, cutting him off in a rush. In the morning light, the tips of her ears were translucent red.
Her protest was so overdone that Luffy only grew more confused.
Why was she so worked up? Did something happen after he fell asleep?
He looked at her—still in the same outfit from last night. Stockings, heels, shorts, the oversized white shirt. The morning light traced her slender figure. She looked beautiful.
But his gaze lingered on her lips. He couldn't help asking:
"Why do your lips look kind of swollen?"
They did look fuller than usual, with a slight unnatural redness.
Vivi jumped like a rabbit startled from its burrow, clapping her hands over her mouth. Her voice came muffled through her fingers, a mix of embarrassment and annoyance:
"You're seeing things! It was mosquitoes last night! Yes, mosquitoes!"
Luffy: "..."
What kind of mosquito could leave bites like that?
Not far from Water 7, a dog-headed battleship with a bone in its mouth cruised slowly through calm seas.
On deck, Garp sat at a small white table, eating crackers while talking on a Den Den Mushi.
The Den Den Mushi projected an enraged Fleet Admiral Sengoku, spittle flying as he ranted:
"Garp! You old bastard! You disobeyed orders again! Do you have any idea what your grandson has become?! Six hundred sixty million bounty! Destroying Enies Lobby! Declaring war on the World Government! You must—"
Click.
The call ended. Garp brushed cracker crumbs from his digging hands and stood up, a finger in his ear as if nothing had happened.
"Puhahaha! That Sengoku, making such a fuss. Don't I know that brat Luffy?"
Garp laughed, tossing the Den Den Mushi aside. "I told him Luffy was at Water 7. Why won't anyone believe me? He's definitely snuck back. Bogart!"
The hawk-nosed man standing at attention nearby came forward.
"Change course! Head to Water 7! To hell with Headquarters' orders!"
"Please don't shout, Vice Admiral Garp."
Bogart's cap brim shadowed half his face. His voice was steady. "The soldiers might get the wrong idea about disobeying orders."
"Who cares, hahaha!"
Garp clapped Bogart on the shoulder. "If they hear, just tell them to forget it!"
"You're still as unreliable as ever."
Smoker leaned against the railing nearby, two cigars clamped between his teeth. His expression was resigned; he was used to Garp's antics.
Garp glanced at him, grinning. "What, Headquarters sent you to keep an eye on me? Hmph. I won't go easy on that brat Luffy."
His eyes didn't match his words.
Smoker snorted, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke. "Don't joke, old man. I can't control what you do. I just want to fight Straw Hat again."
He still hadn't gotten over losing to Luffy at Loguetown.
Luffy and Vivi cleaned up a bit, then crept back to the Going Merry's hidden dock like thieves. Vivi needed to change out of the heels and stockings into something more ordinary.
The look she gave him when changing shoes made Luffy's resolve waver.
When they got back to Dock No. 1, Nami was waiting by the entrance, arms crossed. Her eyes were not friendly—especially when they landed on Luffy.
"Oh, you two are back?"
Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "Where did you go last night?"
Luffy's heart skipped, but he kept his face steady. "Training," he said righteously.
He even waved a fist, demonstrating the sweat that wasn't there.
"And Vivi?"
Nami's gaze shifted to Vivi, whose cheeks were still flushed.
Vivi took a breath and tried to look natural. "I watched Luffy train."
She couldn't meet Nami's eyes.
The two of them had clearly coordinated their stories. Nami was furious, but she had no real proof.
So she suspected they'd snuck off in the middle of the night—alone—and not done anything proper. But they were both insisting it was training.
Night training? Did she believe that?
Then she remembered that Luffy did train at night...
Nami's thoughts trailed off.
Behind her, Robin watched them with a knowing smile, as if she saw right through them.
That look made Luffy and Vivi's scalps prickle.
Luffy changed the subject fast. "Where is everyone?"
Nami let them off for now, though her expression was still sour. "Busy. Everyone's got something."
Usopp was with Franky at the new ship's construction site. As the crew's amateur shipwright, he was supervising.
Zoro went out for a walk. Chopper followed him—to make sure he didn't get lost.
Merry had gone into town with Nika.
Sanji had taken some money from Nami to stock up on supplies. Water 7 was a major trade hub; good place to buy in bulk.
Speaking of money made Nami wince. She glared at Luffy. "The new ship is bigger, so we can carry more supplies. No more running out of food after a few days at sea."
Luffy approved. "Great! Lots of meat."
"Whose fault do you think that is?! Your bottomless stomach! Do you know how much extra this costs?!"
Nami grabbed his cheek and pulled.
Luffy's protests were muffled.
Outside Dock No. 1, a crowd had gathered. Reporters, mostly, with cameras and microphones.
"Hey! You reporters are getting in the way!"
"Is it true Straw Hat and his crew are here? Someone saw their ship!"
"And I saw the Pirate King himself."
Paulie had a cigar clamped in his teeth, shouting angrily. "Where do you people even get this nonsense?!"
***
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