Grand Line Sea

"Luffy . . ."

Luffy woke from his nap in the sun with a start. He blinked and crossed his eyes to see Tikki sitting on his nose.

"Something up?" he mumbled, yawning.

"Six months have passed."

Luffy stared at her, slowly processing the sentence. His eyes widened and he sat up, sending Tikki flying; he reached out and caught her before she hit the deck.

"So I don't have to be Ladybug anymore?" he exclaimed.

"That's right. Not unless you want to."

Luffy grinned. "No way! It was fun, but being a hero isn't for me." He paused. "This means you're gonna leave, huh?"

She nodded. "When you decide to get rid of the Miraculous, I'll be gone. My partner and I will go back to our Master, and we'll figure out another way to beat Tigermoth and save our friend."

"Got it. I'm definitely gonna tell everyone tonight, so stick around until then, okay?"

"Understood."

"Six months already, huh?" Zoro muttered, closing his eyes again.

Plagg nodded. "Ladybug had the same deal with my partner, so he'll give up his identity as well."

Zoro smiled. "Right."

"You know who he is, don't you?"

"Yep. It shouldn't have taken me so long to figure it out . . . but I'm glad."

"Guys, I have an announcement," Luffy said at dinner, partway through his second serving. The others glanced up expectantly, a knowing look in Zoro's eyes.

"I've got something to tell you," he continued, grinning, "so we're gonna meet out on the deck after dinner."

"Is it bad?" Usopp said suspiciously.

"Nope! Also, Sanji, when we meet, can you bring crackers out?"

"Sure," Sanji said. "Don't tell me you'll still be hungry?"

"They're not for me."

"Bring cheese while you're at it," Zoro added. "The smelly stuff."

Sanji folded his arms. "What's this about?"

"Zoro, you like the trash cheese?" Luffy said in surprise.

"No, but—never mind. You'll see."

"This better be good," Nami said, folding her arms. The crew was together on the deck, the sun barely beginning to set. Sanji had set aside the crackers and cheese.

"It will be," Luffy promised, still grinning. "Guys . . . I'm sorry. I've been lying to you all this time."

The others glanced around in confusion, though Zoro just waited. Robin smiled in understanding, and Brook appeared thoughtful.

"You?" Franky said at last. "Lying?"

"You couldn't lie to save your life," Sanji said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, that's rude," Luffy muttered.

"That's generally not considered rude," Usopp muttered.

"Anyway . . . I am sorry, but I promised I'd keep it secret until now. So . . . Tikki!"

Tikki flew out from under his hat, startling the others.

Luffy grinned. "Transform me!"

Tikki flew into the ribbon, and Luffy spread out his arms, his clothes and hat melting away as his suit, mask, and medallion came into place.

Finally, Luffy, dressed as Ladybug, stood in front of everyone with a grin.

"Surprise!" he exclaimed.

"You're Ladybug?!" Usopp exclaimed.

"What—that's so cool!" Chopper cried, his eyes shining.

"Luffy, what the hell?!" Nami yelled.

"You look really good in that," Franky remarked.

"Ah," Brook said. "So . . . none of you realized after all?"

"Did you know?!" Nami yelled, turning on him. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

Brook held up his hands. "Well, you see, Robin-san was—"

"Did you know?!" Nami exclaimed, turning to Robin. "How could you?!"

Robin smiled. "Luffy did promise to keep it secret. I just helped."

"Betrayer," Nami whispered.

Sanji pointed to Luffy in shock. "It was you all along?"

Luffy laughed. "You betcha!"

Sanji hung his head. "I can't believe this."

Luffy glanced over to Zoro at last. "Zoro? Are you okay?"

Zoro grinned. "Sorry, Luffy. I figured it out last time."

"Oh, you did?" Luffy said. "How?"

"Next you're gonna say Zoro was Chat Noir," Nami groaned.

"No way," Sanji exclaimed. "No way that moron could be someone as cool as Chat Noir!"

Zoro removed his bandana, revealing the ribbon. "Plagg," he said, and Plagg flew out of the haramaki. "Transform me!"

"NO WAY!" Usopp screamed as Zoro's clothes and swords vanished, replaced by his suit.

"This is the worst day of my life," Sanji whispered.

"You were Chat Noir the whole time!" Chopper exclaimed, eyes sparkling in delight.

"Not that I wanted to be," Zoro admitted. He glanced at Sanji. "Cook, you okay?"

"Robin, you knew about him, too?" Nami whispered. Robin nodded and Nami hung her head.

"I am not okay!" Sanji exclaimed, glaring at Zoro and Luffy. "I changed my mind! You two aren't cool at all!"

Zoro took out his staff, spun it around, and held it in front of him in a fighting stance.

"So cool," Sanji whispered. He shook his head. "No! You tricked me!"

"Still want those autographs?" Zoro added.

"KITTY!"

Zoro turned just in time for Luffy to tackle him to the deck.

"It's you!" he exclaimed, hugging him while lying on top and covering his face in kisses. "Zoro, it's you! I'm so glad it's you!"

"It's me," Zoro said, grinning as he hugged Luffy back.

"You mean you two didn't know it was each other?!" Usopp exclaimed.

Nami strode to them, knelt, and hit them over their heads.

"You have a lot of explaining to do!" she hissed.

". . . So, that's about the situation," Zoro finished. Everyone had ended up sitting together. "Sorry again for keeping it secret."

"I can't believe we didn't realize it," Nami groaned. "I never thought you two of all people would be heroes!"

"We're not, though," Luffy insisted, sitting in Zoro's lap and leaning against him.

"It's still so cool," Chopper exclaimed.

"I feel like I should say . . ." Usopp bowed his head to them. "Thank you guys for saving us all those times."

"Don't mention it," they said together.

"So . . . why tell us now?" Sanji said, still in a slump from discovering his heroes' identities.

"Because we're not gonna be Ladybug and Chat Noir anymore," Zoro said. "The deal was we'd do this for six months and no longer."

"Aw, no more Ladybug and Chat Noir?" Chopper exclaimed in disappointment.

"We're still gonna be here," Luffy pointed out. "Just not dressed up."

Chopper brightened. "That's true!"

"On that note . . . Tikki, come out, detransform me, whatever."

Tikki flew out and Luffy's suit melted away.

"I'm done explaining stuff," he said as Zoro asked the same of Plagg. "Robin, Tikki, cat-salami, can you guys take over?"

"My name is Plagg," Plagg said in annoyance, startling the others.

"Certainly," Robin said. "Tikki, Plagg, there's food over there if you're tired."

They thanked her and Sanji and flew over to get the cheese and crackers.

"Wait, so that's why you idiots kept stealing from the pantry!" Sanji yelled, pointing to Luffy and Zoro.

"Yeah, it gives them energy," Zoro said. "They gotta eat. Got a problem with that?"

"If you had just asked—!"

"Anyway," Robin interrupted. She began explaining about the Kwami with the help of Tikki and Plagg as Luffy closed his eyes, leaning into Zoro.

"How'd you figure it out last time?" he whispered.

"The rose," Zoro murmured, playing with his hair.

"Oh. I guess that's why Tikki said not to leave it out." Luffy grinned, eyes still shut. "But that's okay."

"Yeah."

"Are you paying attention?"

Luffy blinked and focused on Tikki. "Huh? Sure."

"I was saying that Plagg and I should leave."

"Oh."

"Did you zone out during that whole explanation?" Franky exclaimed.

"I guess." Luffy rolled off of Zoro's lap, sat up, and stretched. "Hey, Tikki . . . didn't you say the first time we met that the whole reason you needed us was to help your friend?"

"That's right," Tikki said.

"If you were listening to her just now, you would've known that," Nami muttered.

"Well . . . if you know where this Tigermoth guy is, maybe we could help you after all, just not as Ladybug and Chat," Luffy offered. "'Cause I like you guys, and I'm still mad at him for messing with our friends."

Tikki and Plagg shook their heads.

"We're getting closer to knowing who and where he is," Plagg explained, "but we're still not sure, and you have your own journey."

"Besides, Tigermoth is sure to use more akumas along the way, so if Ladybug and Chat Noir weren't close by, that would be a bad situation," Tikki added.

"That makes sense," Zoro said with a nod.

"Alright, then," Luffy said, reaching around his neck for the ribbon. "I guess this is goodbye!"

Tikki flew forward and hugged his nose.

"Good luck on your travels, you stubborn idiot."

Luffy grinned. "Same to you!"

Plagg hit Zoro's forehead. "Nice knowing you."

"Yeah, whatever," Zoro muttered.

"You're all such good friends," Brook remarked.

Luffy and Zoro untied their ribbons at last and held them out. They vanished along with Tikki and Plagg.

"If we do ever find that Tigermoth guy, though," Luffy said as Zoro tied his bandana back on, "I'm gonna beat him up."

"We'll help," Nami, Usopp, Chopper, and Sanji said together.

"I kinda wish I'd gotten to see you guys as heroes more often," Franky commented. "You did look pretty cool."

"We're cool no matter what," Zoro pointed out.

"You are not," Sanji hissed.

Zoro grinned. "So, say I went out and got a black suit and cat ears—"

"I'll kick your ass!"

"What if I went and got a look-alike Ladybug suit?" Luffy asked innocently, grinning.

"I'll kick your ass!"

"Maybe Nami and I could make replicas for you two," Robin offered with a wink. "It's not like you would have those abilities, but . . ."

Sanji sank to his knees and fell facedown in the grass.

"Hey—"

Luffy and Zoro turned around as Luffy got ready for bed and Zoro got ready for night watch. Usopp hesitated, glancing between them.

"So, uh—if you feel up to it, would you be willing to pose for sketches after all?" he blurted out.

They glanced at each other.

"Sure, I guess," Zoro said, shrugging.

"I don't like sitting still," Luffy protested.

"It would only be a minute."

"Deal!"

Zoro glanced up at a noise and found Luffy climbing through the crow's nest door, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.

He grinned sleepily. "Hey, Kitty," he murmured, shuffling over to Zoro and sitting beside him.

"Hey," Zoro replied, pulling him into his lap. "Something up?"

"Just wanted to be with you." Luffy yawned.

"I see."

"Hey, Zoro . . . it was you the whole time."

"Yeah. And it was you."

Luffy grinned. "We should've known sooner."

Zoro nodded. "Looking back, it was obvious . . . but it's not like many of the others realized."

Luffy giggled. "That's true. Zoro . . ."

"Hm?"

Luffy reached up and hit Zoro over the head.

"What'd I do?" Zoro muttered indignantly, rubbing his head.

"I told you back at Little Garden not to be so reckless," Luffy scolded. "And then you took that arrow."

"That wasn't reckless," Zoro protested. "I took it on purpose. By that time, it was the only way to get you out of the way. You were the only one who could purify the akuma, so . . . I couldn't let you get hurt." He sighed. "Fat lot of good that did, in the end."

"That's all over and done with," Luffy mumbled, yawning. "Don't worry about that. I just don't want you to die."

"People die."

"I know."

Zoro sighed. "Are you staying up here?"

"Duh. Do you wanna share the blanket?" Luffy leaned into him.

"I'm not cold. I generate my own body heat through sheer will."

"You've got goosebumps on your arms."

"Those are heat goosebumps."

"You're dumb." Luffy stretched out his arms and managed to bring the blanket around Zoro's back, pulling the edges to the front so it wrapped around both of them. He yawned, his head beginning to bob.

"Get some sleep," Zoro murmured.

"Mm," Luffy mumbled. "G'night . . . Zoro . . ."

Zoro pressed a kiss to the top of his head as he fell asleep. "G'night . . . Luffy."

~Fin~

Story's done! Thanks for all your support, everyone!