OP meets PKMN: Master of Illusions Chapter 12

Chapter 12

 Morning on  the Thousand Sunny. Chopper, Usopp, and Brook lie sprawled on the deck, looking absolutely exhausted. After five whole days of nonstop partying, they just had to stop.

 “Ugh…who knew that Pokemon knew how to party?” asked Usopp. “I’m beat!”

 “Me, too,” Chopper added.

 “Yohoho…hoho….” Brook panted.

 Sanji sighed as he and Zoro carried the last barrel of fruit and meat onto the ship and into the storage room.

 “That’s the last of the food,” he said. “This should last us for at least a few weeks…or until Luffy gets hungry and inhales everything again.”

 “And we still have plenty of booze left over,” said Zoro.

 “Hey, Chopper,” Blizzard called, carrying a bundle of plants in his mouth. “Here are some of the herbs Zoroark said we could have.”

 “Just put them in the sick bay, please,” said Chopper. “I’ll store them away as soon as I get my energy back.”

 Blizzard nodded before he headed for the sick bay with the herbs.

 “Franky!” Nami called.  “Is the ship ready to sail?”

 “SUPER ready!” Franky answered.

 “Now we all need to do is wait for Luffy,” said Nami. “Where is he?”

 “He and Zorua are saying their last goodbyes,” Robin replied.

 “Well, I can understand that,” Nami said, “but they better hurry. The log could set at any minute.”

 On the shore of the island, Luffy, Zorua, Zoroark, and all the other Pokemon stood face-to-face. There seemed to be a long, almost eerie silence, but it was soon broken by the sound of Luffy heaving a sigh.

 “Well, Zorua,” said Luffy. “I…guess this is it.”

 “Yeah,” said Zorua. “…are you sure you have to leave now, Luffy? You could stay and play a little bit longer! Please?”

 “Sorry, Zorua,” Luffy apologized, “but…we can’t stay here much longer. We’re pirates, so…we don’t stay in one place for very long.”

 “Oh,” Zorua muttered, his ears drooping.

 “Unless…you wanna come with us,” Luffy inquired.

 Zorua shook his head.

 “That does sound nice,” said the little fox, “but I can’t go with you guys. When I grow up, I have to protect all my friends and this island when Momma leaves.”

 Luffy smiled down at Zorua.

 “In that case, you better get stronger, okay?” he asked.

 “I will!” Zorua answered with a determined expression.

 “Luffy!” Nami called. “I understand that you’re trying to say goodbye, but you might wanna hurry it up, honey! We gotta leave, soon!”

 “I’m coming, Nami!” Luffy called back before he turned to the Pokemon. “Zorua…Zoroark…take care of each other.”

 “I shall,” said Zoroark. “Thank you, once again, Luffy.”

 “And that goes for the rest of you little guys,” Luffy said to the rest of the Pokemon. “Be careful, okay?”

 The Pokemon all made their little cries of agreement, and Luffy chuckled.

 “Well…I better get going, then,” he said before he turned to leave.

 “Luffy!”

 Luffy turned back around to look at Zorua, who looked back at him with teary eyes.

 “You’ll…you’ll come back and see me again, won’t you?” asked Zorua.

(A/N: Cue “Unwavering Emotions” from Pokemon Black and White version)

 A pause, but then Zorua felt a gentle pair of hands picking him up off the ground and pulling him into a soft embrace.

 “Of course I’ll come back and see you again,” said Luffy.

 Plip! Plip! Zorua suddenly felt something wet falling onto his head. Looking up he saw small beads of tears…falling from Luffy’s eyes.

 Zorua seemed surprised, at first, but then he hid his face into Luffy’s chest and sobbed, too. Even the rest of the Pokemon have tears in their eyes. The only one who remained strong was Zoroark.

 “Luffy!” Nami called again.

 Luffy sniffled before he wiped his eyes and put Zorua back down.

 “Okay,” he said. “I…I gotta get going, now, so…see ya.”

 With that, Luffy turned to leave once more, and Zoroark and the Pokemon did the same.

 “Come, little ones,” said Zoroark. “Let us return home.”

 The Pokemon turned to follow Zoroark…except Zorua, who remained behind, staring after Luffy as he walked up the gangplank and boarded Sunny.

 “Luffy!” Zorua called. “Everyone!!”

 The Straw Hats looked up when they heard Zorua’s voice.

 “Don’t forget,” Zorua called, “we’re friends forever!!”

 Luffy grinned and chuckled before he flashed a thumbs-up.

 “We’ll never forget!” he called.

 “Bye, Zorua!” Nami called as she waved.

 “Take it easy, Zoroark!” called Chopper. “Make sure you don’t do anything to reopen your wounds, again!”

 “Take care!” Robin called.

 “Hey, Oshawott!” Zoro called. “When I come back, maybe we’ll have a spar, sometime!”

 “Osha! Oshawott!” Oshawott chirped.

 “Until we meet again!” Brook called out.

 “Stay SUPER!!” Franky shouted.

 “Tepig! How about you help me make another banquet fire the next time we meet?!” Sanji asked.

 “Tepig!” Tepig cried before he snorted out a small blaze through his snout.

 “See ya around!” Usopp exclaimed.

 AWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~!! Blizzard howled.

 AWWOOOOOOOOOOOO~!! Zorua howled back before he turned to follow Zoroark and all his friends, and before long, they all disappeared within the forest.

 Luffy smiled before he turned to face his crew, who all smiled back at him.

 “All right, you guys!” Luffy shouted before he threw his fists into the air. “SET SAIL~!!”

 “YEAH~!!!” the Straw Hats cheered in agreement.

 And so, with the Marines defeated and the Pokemon Lostlorn Island safe from harm, the Straw Hats set sail in search of their next adventure in the New World. What could it be, one may ask? Well, that is an entirely different story for an entirely different time.

THE END