Faythe sat on the ground with a bright smile on her face. Her gaze looking down at a slumbering Captain that laid his head comfortably on her lap.
"You really made me worry back there!!"Usopp giggled continuously as he repeatedly jabbed Luffy's face with a pointer finger, "You!! You!!"
Chopper was making sure all the bruises and scorch marks on his bare skin were wrapped properly, his face turning into one of horror at Usopp's aggressive jabbing, "You're poking too hard! Are you trying to kill Captain!?"
Nami was sitting beside Faythe, with her knees bent and arm wrapped around her leg to keep her balance. Her free hand propping up her head as she leaned on her elbow to stare at her Captain, "I was scared, too. All that talk about the Afro making you strong..."
Sanji raised a brow at the ginger, "Nami-San, the Afro does make you strong!"
Wyper stood behind Faythe with his arms crossed, "He won the dual, did he not?"
Luffy listened quietly to the mindless chatter of his forgotten Afro as he heard the sound of someone laughing above him. The sheer joy leaving them could be felt from where he laid his head. Blinking his eyes blearily at the sudden light raining down on him, he slowly opened them to see the beautiful smile of Faythe brightening at the sight of him awake.
"Good morning, silly head."
Luffy took a moment to admire how the sunlight formed a halo around the redhead's face, cupping it perfectly in the blue sky behind her, "Y-yeah..." His eyes then widened in realization as he shot straight up in worry.
Though not before colliding his forehead against a close redhead.
"AH—!"
"OEWWW—!!"
They both reeled back in small groans. Small sizzles leaving their foreheads as they pressed their hands against it to soothe it.
"He he.. My bad, Fae..." Luffy blinked away a small pained tear, a nervous laugh leaving him as he saw a small glare shot at him.
Though it didn't last long as she just smiled softly at his small way of apologizing, "It's fine, Cap'."
Luffy then proceeded to get back on track as he quickly checked his surroundings, "HUH!! The game?? What happened to the fight? Did I win!? Was I dreaming??"
Zoro chuckled with a sigh, "Relax. You won."
Luffy let out a breathe of relief as he fell back into the comfort of Faythe's lap, "That's good." His dazzling smile shined through his pure relief. His arms wrap relaxingly around Faythe's waist idly as she played with his dark curls.
Chopper waddled up to Faythe and took her free hand, placing it on his own figure so he could get some affectionate scratches, "Mhm."
Usopp rubbed his long nose confidently as he took off Luffy's hat, "I wasn't worried for a second!"
Sanji sneered at the Sniper, "My ass."
Zoro smiled to himself, "I thought about it. If I left this ship, I'd have no point in being a pirate anymore."
Wyper sniffed, "Wherever Lady Faythe goes, I go."
Faythe smiled at the kind gesture, but her attention shifted when she heard the yells of the Foxy Crew,
"BOSS—!"
"You should be resting!!"
"Hey Straw Hat!" Foxy stood in front of a resting Luffy with a smirk on his face, "It's all because of you, that I've lost my perfect record..."
"Boss!!"
Foxy's eyes lingered on Faythe's warning glare for a moment before reaching out his hand towards Luffy for a shake, "Not bad, brother."
Luffy let out a small huff of reluctance as he slowly unwrapped his arms from Faythe and sat back up. He grabbed his hat from Usopp and put it back in its rightful place. But when Luffy went to shake the other Captain's hand, Foxy tried to shoulder throw the rubber man.
"EAT THIS—!!! OVERHEAD THROW OF VENGEANCE!"
Obviously it didn't work. Luffy sat in the same spot with a stretch arm and Foxy now has a concussion from slamming his head into the ground.
Faythe snorted into her fist as she heard Zoro mutter, "Idiot."
Foxy rounded back to face Luffy with a defeated snarl, "FINE! Let's get this over with. What do you want??"
The announcer then began to showcase its members, "That's right! The last part of the game still needs deciding!! The winner, Captain Straw Hat, gets to take a new crew member!!! They seem to be looking for a carpenter."
Faythe frowned in disgust as multiple people stood forward as if they were objects on a shelf to be handed over with no say in the matter, "I hate this..." She tucked her legs closer to herself as she leaned her cheek on her knee.
Chopper placed a hoof on her knee, "Faythe...?"
Luffy glanced over at her with a blank look. Though Faythe noticed, it wasn't like she knew what exactly was going through his head. For all she knew, he could be hungry. But before she could ask him, he turned back around as the announcer continued to list off said crew members.
"In that case, will they take the leader of our 50-men mechanic team, Sonieh? Or will they pick the battle-ready mechanic, Donoban? Or— The down right sexy carpenter, Gina-Chan?? Only the Captain can decide who to pick! Now please decide."
"Wha..?" Faythe felt her something grab her hand and give it a small squeeze of reassurance. Her eyes widened as she realized it was Luffy's. Though he didn't look back at her, he was being discreet as he faced the Foxy crew with a smile.
"I choose your flag."
"WHAT—!!!????"
Sanji hurried over with a furious and desperate look, "Hey, Luffy!! Think again! Isn't sexy Gina-Chan a lot better? You won't another chance at this!!!"
Faythe furrowed her brows in confusion, "Cap'?"
Luffy gave her hand another small squeeze as he smiled at Sanji and explained himself, "If we had fought for something like that. It wouldn't be worth it..."
Nami let out a breathe of relief. To be honest she didn't really like any of the options and she wasn't sure if she could trust them around the freshly plucked treasure they took from the crew.
Faythe watched Luffy laugh off Sanji's attempts at getting another female crew member. Her eyes trailing down to Luffy's hand wrapped around her's comfortably. Like he was afraid that if he separated from her for a moment, she would fly off again.
She didn't know whether to feel conflicted about that. But she didn't mind the fuzzy feeling bubbling in her chest. It was... ticklish...?
Faythe tilted her head at that. Her brows furrowing in a new confusion at this strange development, "What?" She muttered to herself.
Next thing Faythe knew, Foxy's crew had a strangely drawn symbol on they're flag, she didn't realize that Luffy had dragged her around while he gave the Foxy crew a new flag to sail around with as he kept they're original. She had been so focused on trying to discover what this curious fuzzy feeling is, that she didn't notice the time passing.
"HEY!! STRAW HAT!!" Foxy shouted from his ship as it departed from the island.
Luffy turned around with a raised brow, "Hm?"
"I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS—!!"
Faythe snorted out a giggle, "Perry the platypus—!!"
Luffy glanced over at the red head curiously, "What is a Perry?"
Faythe smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "Something random that just popped up in my head."
—
Tonjit sat with his horse, Sherry, right outside his elongated tent, "Sherry..."
"Hihi!"
Tonjit smiled wistfully at his friend, "Hahaha, don't worry. You waited ten whole years for me. Now it's my turn. I'll keep waiting until your healed. Then we'll catch up with the others together."
He watched with a smile as he saw Sherry tear up at his words, "Hihi"
"Okay. Okay!" He laughed when she started to nuzzle her nose against his old head. He glanced over his shoulder when he heard some rustling, "You guys..."
Luffy and the crew walked towards him with bright smiles on they're faces. The Captain held up the Foxy flag, showing evidence of their victory, "We kicked their ass."
"You're hurt pretty bad, yourself." Tonjit commented.
"Nah.." Luffy laughed with a cheeky grin, "This is nothing."
Tonjit snorted, showing a toothy grin, a single tooth missing, "Thank you..." Sherry neighed happily from her place.
Faythe smiled at the scene. Jotting down in her head as much info as possible. Her eyes following Chopper as he waddled over to the injured horse.
"Sherry, I'll change the bandages." Chopper said softly, not wanting to spook her.
Nami smiled at the scene, "I see... So this is why you accepted the challenge."
Faythe raised a brow at the finger, "We're not that stupid... We always need a reason to fight someone."
Luffy stood beside her with his arms crossed. His head nodding vigorously, "Yeah. What she said."
Usopp narrowed his eyes at the two, "Ehhhhh... I don't know about that... You two are pretty unpredictable...."
Nami leaned her elbow on Usopp's shoulder, "Come on. No need to baby them. Tell them they're both idiots and would've accepted it either way."
Wyper stepped in with a small smile, "Lady Faythe is something far from the term of an idiot... The Captain, though? I cannot find the words in myself to defend him..."
Faythe smiled at Wyper and put a hand on his arm, "Thanks!"
"HEY—!" Luffy huffed out a pout, "Respect your Captain!"
Nami chuckled at the scene and turned to Tonjit, "Why don't we take you to your people on our ship??"
Usopp shook his head, "No... These ten islands are actually the same one. The guide post won't point to them individually."
Tonjit chuckled at their words of support, "No problem. No problem. I'm an easygoing guy. I'm not in a hurry." He got up and dusted off his tribal-like robes. He began walking back to his tent, "Lets see... These must be your friends!? Since you're all here, allow me to treat you to something nice!"
Usopp grimaced, "What do you have? That cheese again?"
Luffy and Faythe erupted in a fit of giggles at the reminder of the molded cheese.
Tonjit was about to turn inside his home when he suddenly rammed into a pair of long legs adorned in white pants, "Wa!! What... is that?"
Nami stepped back, startled at the sudden appearance, "It's a person."
"Was he there the whole time?"
Faythe paused in her position. Her eyes wandering up the legs to see it was a actual person in a white suit with luxury blue button up shirt underneath a white vest. A strangely patterned yellow tie sitting comfortably under the half buttoned up vest. The man stood up in the doorway with his hand in his pockets and sleeping mask covering his eyes.
Sleeping mask?
Faythe narrowed her eyes and noticed a small trail of drool falling down his bottom lip, "Is this person sleeping?" Her eyes then trailed across her group to see they're reactions, until they landed on Robin's pale face. She immediately beelined straight towards her, leaving her spot next to Luffy.
Luffy noticed with a sharp gasp as he felt her hand leave his. His eyes following her figure rush towards Robin, "Robin...?" His brows furrowed in confusion as he turned back to see the man awaken from the sudden noise.
"Huh!!? Who the heck are you!?" He questioned while slowly lifting up his sleeping eye mask.
"THAT'S WHAT WE WERE ASKING YOU!!?"
"I personally thought you were a tree."
Faythe had just came to Robin's aid, just in time as the older woman lost all feeling in her legs. Her legs buckling underneath her, but her figure was caught by Faythe's arms wrapping around her waist, "Robin...! What's wrong..!?"
Robin could only weakly make out silent gasps of disbelief. Cold sweat began to trail down her face as she stared in horror at the man before her.
Hearing Faythe's sudden yells of worry, the crew instantly repositioned themselves battle-ready.
Luffy slid with his fists out, "ROBIN!?"
Wyper twisted to be in front of Faythe and Robin with his massive gun ready and loaded, "Who is this man, Robin!?"
Sanji herded Nami, Usopp, and Chopper closer to Sherry to put distance between the man that terrified their ex assassin crew member, "What's wrong, Robin-Chan!!"
Zoro slowly unsheathed his sword, while Faythe instantly shot out a hardened feather on her wrist. Their glares showing that they won't be happy if he does something to the fearful woman.
"Arararararara... You sure have grown to be a fine young woman...." The red head wasn't sure if it was the lighting but his face twisted into something keen to twisted and dark, "Nico Robin."
Faythe did not like his tone one bit. Her free hand holding Robin's shoulder comfortingly. Trying to reassure her that she's here, "Don't worry, Robin... I'm right here."