Free Heart

Ch 30 - I am Breaking a Chain.

Emmy didn't know how long she had been asleep but what she did know was Luffy had done something extreme. She had woken up to what felt like an earthquake and before she could blink, she was smooshed up against a stampede of townspeople as Usopp ran as fast as he could with her in his arms. Whatever had happened, she knew her brother was the cause.

"Luffy?" she asked as she looked around her to see Sanji with a still sleeping Zoro slung over his shoulder while pulling Nami behind him.

"Arlong Park is collapsing!" one of the townspeople cried, "Evacuate! Get to safety!"

"What?" Emmy gasped as she turned to look over Usopp's shoulder. Indeed, the building had cracked right in the middle and it had splintered off into smaller cracks that wrapped around the walls like a spider web. Chunks of the roofs were starting to fall to the ground and the very foundation was shaking from the impact.

They ran for a good two minutes before the ground stilled and the last piece of Arlong Park settled into the debris. As loud and thunderous as the wrecking was, the people were deathly quiet. Their speed as they walked back to the stone gates was vastly different from how they left. It was hesitant and slow as if at any moment, the building would rebuild itself.

The townspeople waited silently for the cloud of smoke and dust to clear, for the deciding factor of the rest of their lives. Were they finally free after 8 years of a tyrant's reign or was it all just a small taste of hope that they'll never ever get again?

Luffy, Emmy thought as she watched with her friends, Is Nami-san free? Did you break all her chains?

"Luffy..." Usopp said worriedly as he got Emmy back up on her own two feet while Sanji just dropped Zoro to the ground like a bag of rice.

"Oof! What the-" Zoro grunted, his eyes snapping open and then they narrowed at the sight of the curled eyebrows, "You bastard!"

"Zoro! Look!" Emmy shouted and pointed straight ahead at the wreckage. From the top of the debris, a figure burst through and it slowly straightened up. Emmy smiled when the sun caught the figure's red vest and black hair.

"BIG BRO!!!" Johnny and Yosaku shouted while tears of joy streamed down their faces.

"Is...he okay?" Usopp asked, his eyes falling on how much blood was dripping over his captain's arms and legs. He also noticed that Luffy was panting very heavily.

No one else said a word. They were too nervous to say anything. This turn of events was just too unfathomable and if someone suddenly told them it was all a dream, they would've believed it.

Then, the rubber boy drew in a long breath.

"NAMI!!!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. His cry rang out to the edges of the island and he waited for the navigator to look him in the eyes.

"You're my nakama!!!" he roared.

It was a fact. There was no denying it and his expression seemed to dare the gods to prove him otherwise.

Nami's eyes watered and she had to break her gaze from the boy's in order to wipe the tears that continued to flow. "Yeah..." she finally admitted, "Yeah...I am...."

"He...he won?!" the townspeople gasped, the truth finally settling into their mind and soul.

"He won!!!" Johnny and Yosaku cheered.

"Shishishishi," Luffy laughed as he jumped off of the rubble and ran towards his nakama. Somewhat unfortunately, he was cut off from the reunion by all the people he had just saved. The people of Cocoyashi Village tossed the captain in the air as they cheered and cried.