Celebration & Departure

Hancock found herself in a white space.

"Where am I?"

She looked around confused. For some reason, her body felt light.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something very important."

(Go back.)

"Eh?!"

An unknown voice echoed in the space causing Hancock to look around frantically.

(It's not your time to die, Boa Hancock. Go back.)

"Huh? Die?"

Hancock became even more confused.

"What do you mean—"

(I said go back!)

"Ah!"

Hancock opened her eyes and was breathing heavily.

"W-What happened?"

She looked around and saw that she was in the banquet halls.

"Ah, that's right. I was preparing to meet Luffy and then..."

"Hancock, you're awake."

She turned her head. Luffy's face was merely inches away from hers.

"You suddenly fainted so I got worried."

Her eyes were spinning in her head and was unable to hear a word Luffy was saying.

"It looks like you're al—Huh? Hancock?"

Hancock's body went limped once more as her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

"Hancock?!"

Hancock once again found herself in the white space.

"...."

(......)

She stood in silence but she knew whatever talked to her was present, yet didn't say anything. She stood there for a while before it spoke.

(Really? Is this what we're doing?)

"....."

Hancock remained silent and just looked at her feet.

(I just sent you back, basically bringing you back from the dead, and this is how you repay me?)

"...."

A sigh echoed in the space. A light flashed and Hancock opened her eyes again. However, this time she was in the arms of Elder Nyon. Her face immediately grimaced.

"I'll appreciate it if you didn't look at my face with disgust the moment you lay eyes on me."

"You're asking for quite a lot there, Granny."

"The bare minimum of respect is a lot?!"

Hancock pushed Elder Nyon off her while standing up.

"I felt like I had a weird dream, even by my standards."

She mumbled.

"Uh, Hancock."

Luffy was standing some distance away from her.

"Luffy~!"

She called out his name with overflowing affection.

"Congratulations on finishing your training!"

She started clapping and the rest of the party started applauding as well. Hancock's eyes softened as she looked at him.

"Eat as much as you want. Play as much as you want. You deserve it."

"Thanks!"

Luffy immediately went to the table and grabbed a piece of meat and a drink.

"Everybody, let's eat and have fun! It's a party!"

"Oh!"

The girls joined in eating and drinking as music played in the halls. Hancock watched all of this with a smile on her face.

"Hahahaha!"

Luffy's laughter rang out as he stood on the table. He pulled the skin on his face and tied it in knots before dancing.

"Go Luffy!"

The girls cheered as he did more and more tricks with his body.

"Yeah, I'll never understand how anyone can find that funny."

Else Nyon mumbled.

"I agree."

Hancock surprisingly agreed with her. This caused Elder Nyon's jaw to drop.

(Wait, maybe she still has a little common sense left)

She thought. As for Hancock—

"How could you laugh at anything so beautiful?"

Her eyes turned into hearts as she looked at Luffy.

(...Yeah. I should've expected as much.)

Elder Nyon sighed.

"I wish I could see the world through your eyes. It seems pretty carefree."

"Hm? Did you say anything worthy of being fed to the panther, Granny?"

Hancock asked without taking her eyes off Luffy and gently clapping.

"Not at all, My Dear."

"I see."

The smile never left her face the entire banquet. The banquet went on until late in the night. Luffy lay on the table sleeping with a turkey leg in his mouth.

"He looks so sophisticated."

Hancock stood by the side of the table looking at him with heart eyes.

"...Love is scary."

Elder Nyon mumbled.

"As long as she's happy."

Sandersonia whispered in her ear. Elder Nyon sighed.

"Snake Princess, Sabody Archipelago is almost a two weeks voyage from here. Luffy is supposed to return 3 weeks from now. We're leaving tomorrow at his request. The ship supplies and personnel has already been dealt with. I hope everything is up to your standards."

Hancock put on a serious expression.

"Good job, Granny. I need everything to be perfect for Luffy's first voyage with us."

Her face became flushed.

"Two weeks isolated on a boat together. Ah~, it's like our trip to Impel Down all over again. I can't wait!"

Her body started wiggling like a snake.

(This girl completely forgot we're gonna be there with her, hasn't she?)

Elder Nyon thought while shaking her head.

(Well, I guess it's better this way. In order for our plan to work we need the two of them to spend as much time as possible. It would be better if they forget about us and get lost in their own world....Although, Hancock is always in her own world.)

She looked at Hancock who was slowly approaching Luffy. Hancock hesitantly poked his cheek. Luffy intensely clamped down on the turkey leg. He started chewing it bone and all. He swallowed before rolling on his side. Hancock's face brightened up and she started to gently poke him.

A smile slowly formed on Elder Nyon's face.

"Well, at least she's happy."

The following morning.

"Ugh...."

Luffy woke up on top of the table with a groan. He sat up while smacking his lips. He looked down and saw Hancock resting her upper body on his legs. She was kneeling and asleep. Confusion appeared on Luffy's face. He looked around and they were the only ones in the room. This caused him to be more confused. After a while, he just shrugged and laid back down. He fell asleep in a second.

Hours later, Luffy was on the Kuja Ship yawning.

"I can't believe I did something so embarrassing!"

Hancock was on the other side of the ship hiding her face in her hands.

"So you fell asleep looking at him, what's the big deal?"

"Shut up, Granny! Why did you make everyone leave us alone like that?!"

"It seemed like an intimate moment. I thought you'd enjoy it alone."

"I almost had a heart attack when I woke up leaning on Luffy!"

"This man has seen you naked on multiple occasions and this is what you're freaking out about?"

"Ahhh, I can't face him yet. I need time to prepare myself."

"So we're just going to ignore the fact he's the only man to ever see you naked? Alright."

Elder Nyon walked over to Marguerite.

"Accompany Luffy again when we return to Rusukaina."

"What about the Snake Princess?"

"She'll be there but she'll be keeping her distance for a bit. We don't want Luffy to think we're avoiding him or anything, so keep him company until she wins against her inner demons."

"....Alright, Elder Nyon."

Marguerite nodded after much hesitation. The ship departed Amazon Lily and arrived at Rusukaina in the evening. The entire crew, minus Elder Nyon, disembarked along with Luffy, but as planned Marguerite kept him company. Hancock was still fighting her inner demons, mumbling absentmindedly while being guided by her sisters.

"Ah, I just remembered. I need to pay those guys a visit before I go."

"Who?"

"Some friends I made here."

They arrived near the safe zone where they saw a giant ape, a crocodile, and a lion fighting it out.

"Hey!"

They froze when they heard Luffy's voice. He dug his hand into the giant sack he was carrying. He pulled out some meat.

"I brought a parting gift!"

The beasts' eyes lit up and their mouth watered. A few minutes later, Luffy started a fire and put the pieces of meat to cook. He looked back at Marguerite and others and smiled.

"I'll be back. I'm going to get my treasure."

He left quickly walking through the snow. Marguerite and the girls started looking around. They marveled at the scenery. The Ape and the Crocodile started eating the meat on the fire. They soon started fighting for it.

"Hm? Where am I? Where's Luffy?"

Hancock suddenly snapped back to reality.

"He went to get his hat."

Marguerite answered.

"He's been gone for a bit. Luffy~!"

"Leave him. He's probably a bit emotional leaving this place after two years."

Hancock said.

"I'm coming back now~!"

Luffy's voice reached their ears. This caused Hancock to smile. Marguerite turned her attention to the ape and crocodile who was fighting.

"Grrr..."

A shadow cast over her. She turned her head and saw the giant lion approaching her with a hungry look in its eyes. Marguerite immediately readied her bow with a nervous expression. The lion roared in retaliation. The two were ready to clash.

"Hey."

A stern voice caused them to flinch. They turned their heads to see Luffy approaching with his hat in his hand. The lion became passive and visibly frightened.

"Look again, that's my friend."

Luffy glared in their direction. The three beasts backed down and even stopped fighting. Marguerite slowly became more relaxed.

"Luffy, the ship is ready to sail at any time."

"Alright, thanks for waiting."

Hancock stood some distance away with a proud look on her face.

"He's become the true boss of the island."

Sandersonia along with the rest of the girls were all impressed. Luffy walked up to the monsters whose bodies stiffened the closer he got.

"But man, because I became friends with these guys I couldn't eat them."

The beasts became confused.

"Even though they look so yummy."

They then became dejected.

"Don't worry, Luffy."

Hancock was able to talk to Luffy again but with a flushed face.

"I've loaded the ship with your favorite food. Don't you think that makes me a good wife?"

"I'm grateful for the food but I'm not getting married."

"Ah~. I love how blunt you are~."

Hancock looked like she was on the verge of fainting to the amusement of her sisters. Luffy stood in front of the beasts who looked at him with caution.

"I guess it's time to say goodbye to you guys and this island."

The beasts became dejected. Yet, Luffy grinned and placed his hat on his head. His eyes were bright and fearless.

"Let's set sail!"