Chapter 72: The Ship of Promise....

" Y-You are the one who saved Megalo are you not? " Shirahoshi said as she started smiling.

The giant shark came from the corner of the room and nodded with a grateful sound towards Luffy.

" Uh-huh, this guy was very lucky to be your pet. " Luffy petted the shark.

' If not for you, i would have handed him over to Reiju for preparing a lavish dinner. ' Luffy thought.

" And you are a Pirate… does this mean that you are a bad person Luffy-sama? " Shirahoshi asked as she remembered her mother saying something to her.

// Listen well my child, you are now entering puberty, you will someday find a boy that you will form a crush on. But be careful of bad boys, they will bring you nothing but pain, find a nice boy. //

"Awawawa~" Shirahoshi head started spinning, her feelings have completely defied her mother's expectations of her.

" Does this mean I started falling for a bad boy? Save me, dear mother. " Shirahoshi whispered so faintly Luffy could barely hear. even with her mother's warnings Shirahoshi could not stop looking at him, her heartbeats faster than ever. Shirahoshi herself might have realized unconsciously that this was no crush, this was full blown love, a connection far deeper than the depths of the ocean.

" Shirahoshi, I might be a Pirate, but I never considered myself to be a bad person, well I am not a good person either..." He smirked as he put his next line.

" But in reality, I don't know the answer to your question Hoshi-chan, am I good or evil? You can decide that for yourself. " He said with a husky tone of voice.

She blushed.

" Luffy-sama, you are roguish alright… you are a very bad gentleman. " she murmured, then after her gears worked.

" Wait, Hoshi-chan? " Shirahoshi asked about her new nickname.

" Yes, I like you, but your name is too long. So from today onwards i will always call you Hoshi-chan. " Luffy said as his blunt nature came over.

" Like you. Like you. Like you… Hoshi-chan, nickname. " Shirahoshi murmured as her circuits fried again from embarrassment.

Their personalities were completely opposite, but that's why they had such good chemistry. Luffy was very strong willed, very dominant, blunt to a fault, and very selfish, whereas she was selfless most of the time, very submissive and while she did have will it was suppressed from years of isolation.

" Luffy-sama, do you desire anything, I will give you anything in my power to thank you for saving me from that cruel attack? " Shirahoshi asked, mentioning the sword incident.

" Well, I don't want anything, but what was that axe that flew in just now?! I don't sense anybody nearby that could throw such a thing…" Luffy asked even though he knew the truth.

" I believe… I know the one responsible, is named Vander Decken. He seems to have a grudge against me since I refused his proposals of marriage… from the information I have, he seems to have eaten a devil fruit, it grants him the power to target me at any time, anywhere, as such, I am only permitted to travel outside when Mother is with me. " She explained softly.

" It's been ten years now, ever since I refused him when I was six. " Shirahoshi put Luffy down.

" Ten years in isolation." Luffy murmured. " That means you are sixteen? " Luffy asked.

" Yes, Luffy-sama, if you don't mind answering what is your age? " She needed to know her crush's age.

" Hrm, I'm 17 years old. " Luffy said

She smiled; they were only one year apart, she felt an indescribable happiness. She pushed her bust forward as she admired him with a hand on her cheek, she mashed her boobs giving a nice view point of her cleavage to Luffy.

They started talking with such familiarity, once her shyness disappeared and her curiosity took over. She asked of his adventures and he told mostly everything, leaving out the violent parts. She also did the same.

Her tail swung around madly creating tornadoes in the room. She was smiling happily for the first time, as she laid face down. She pushed a pillow in her chest, it enhanced her cleavage as she listened as Luffy explanation.

There was a lot she did not know, soon Shirahoshi started tentatively flirting even if she did not notice it.

...

" Hmm, Luffy-kun is with my daughter, Shirahoshi, if I know you…" Otohime whispered as she used observation.

" I am sorry, but the banquet must be delayed." She said as she adjusted her blond hair, everyone just nodded.

" Don't worry about your captain, as I said he is with my daughter, and if I know her she will want to visit her father's grave. It is also in the sea forest so let us meet there…" Otohime declared as a giant goldfish appeared outside of the gates.

" Well, let's go then. " Nojiko said as they all jumped on top of the goldfish and headed towards the corridor of water and went out of the palace bubble.

.....

" Let's go Hoshi-chan! We are going outside! " Luffy said.

" B—But if I were to do such a selfish thing… It would be a terrible bother for my mother and my brothers, as well as everyone in the palace! And..." she replied sadly.

" But you want to go don't you? " Luffy asked again.

" Luffy-sama…" Shirahoshi said after calming down.

" Where do you want to go? " Luffy grinned.

"…..." She looked to the side as her eyes dropped.

"..."

"..."

" Well…" She said after a few moments of stressing over it.

" Hm? " Luffy prodded.

"...The Ocean Forest… awawawa! No, I just went and said, b-but that's just a dream… In truth I could not do something so outrageous as leaving the tower…" She started tearing up.

" Hoshi-chan, there is no need for you to cry, you can be selfish if you want, I'll protect you! " He laughed.

" But it took all my courage to say it…" she whispered softly, " I've always longed to visit the ocean forest, for all of these ten years. But everyone besides my mother always warned me. " Shirahoshi said, now she had Luffy sitting on her palm as she put him in eye level with her.

" Luffy-sama… will you really take me out of this place? "

" Yeah! " Luffy said.

"... You truly promise to protect me? " She whispered softly the question, her eyes were misty. She looked uncertain as baby blue eyes met glowing red ones.

" Yes, leave it to me… it'll be fine! " Luffy said with a smile. Shirahoshi also smiled at his response, her eyes watered, and she started crying for joy.

.....

Its been two hours since they exited the palace. Luffy caressed Shirahoshi's soft pink hair.

" So how does it feel to be out after ten years?" Luffy asked as Shirahoshi unconsciously nuzzled him closer to her, she opened her eyes, her body trembled a bit.

" It's exciting Luffy-sama, but I feel like I'm doing something naughty…" Shirahoshi confessed her feelings to him.

" There is nothing bad for wanting to go outside, don't worry Hoshi-chan I will shoulder all responsibility. " Luffy reassured her.

" Is this what they call an adventure? " Otohime asked her eyes held a childlike innocence and curiosity.

" If you are this excited about it then it's an adventure, so this Forest of the sea? Is there anything interesting for us to see? " Luffy asked.

" There is a grave Luffy-sama… a grave I've never been able to visit, It is the place I've wanted to go most these last years. " Shirahoshi said with a big smile on her face.

While they were enjoying their outing, suddenly a announcement attracted their attention.

" ZZT...ZZT...ZZT " The monitor activated in the sky, showing Vander Decken with the microphone in hand, his eyes were bloodshot.

" Testing… " His deep voice boomed.

" Attention all citizen of Fishmen island… can you hear me? You can only blame yourself for your bad luck. " He grinned showing rows of diamond-sharp teeth.

" Vander Decken..." Shirahoshi yelled in surprise.

The same situation was playing out everywhere on the island. Otohime and the rest of the Devil Dragons were also looking at the broadcast.

" Let me make an announcement, i am Vander Decken the pursuer of Princess Shirahoshi. But she refused me in the past. So i thought may be she was not interested in any men. But today my subordinates informed me, that she is strolling around the Fishman District with another man. "

" So i have had enough of you. If i can't make you mine then i can only kill you. So that you won't be anyone else's. "

" So, get ready Shirahoshi. My present will arrive there at any moment. "

" Behold, my ultimate present for you my dear Princess Shirahoshi. The falling Noah. Bahohohoho....."

" And don't worry, your only savior that old goat Whitebeard has already left this island. So you can rest assured, no one can save you now. Bahohohoho...."

Luffy frowned after hearing his statement as he understood that bastards intensions and Shirahoshi was also becoming restless as she had a very bad premonition about this.

Suddenly a giant shadow enveloped the whole land of Fishman Island. Everyone watched in horror as a enormous wooden ship approaching their land.

It was Noah also known as the Ship of Promise.

Seeing Shirahoshi was on verge of tears, Luffy immediately consoled her and called everyone to the Fishman District.

Otohime and the rest received the call and headed towards Luffy's direction.

.....

Currently everyone was gathered at a place and were watching the ship already begin colliding with the outer bubble of Fishman Island.

" Mother, it's all my fault. If not for me..." Otohime cut her off, " No, my little Princess. It's all that weirdo's fault. " She tried to console her along with the rest of the Devil Dragons.

" Then let me go outside, so that this land will be out of danger. " Shirahoshi said in a sad voice while looking at her mother. She just found a man worthy of her love but in the next moment everything was coming to an end.

Otohime rebuked her, " No, absolutely not. I won't allow it. "

Luffy interrupted them, " Should i destroy that ship? " Otohime instantly shook her head, " No, we can't do that. That ship's purpose hasn't been fulfilled yet. " Luffy sighed at their ridiculous beliefs and finally decided to take the only remaining option to save the island.

" Very well then. " said Luffy and started walking away. Seeing this everyone felt confused only Zoro, Reiju and Kaya had some ideas.

After reaching a safe distance from everyone, Luffy grinned a little as he was about to show off his power.

His body started changing and bone cracking sound could be heard.

* Roarrrr.....*

A mighty Dragon roar came out of him and ice-blue Dragon scales started appearing on his body. His face elongated and limbs turned into Dragon Claws. Two beautiful wings appeared behind his back.

20 meters....50 meters....100 meters.....210 meters....

Luffy turned into a 210 meters long collosal Western Dragon. His enormous body could be seen throughout the Island as terrifying Dragon might pressed down on everyone's body. Everyone felt awed by his magnificent transformation.

While Shirahoshi was looking at him with adoration, Otohime was with lustful eyes. The Devil Dragons were also looking at his figure with proud grin.

Then Luffy flew directly towards the falling Noah. All eyes were on the Primal Divine Dragon that was enshrouded in blue rays of lights, with icy-blue Dragon scales glistened within them.

He grabbed its railing and pulled the whole ship without breaking a sweat. He swam past the surrounding fauna and dropped the ship outside like throwing garbage.

Everyone cheered happily as the danger subsided. Queen Otohime breathed a sigh of relief, as a huge burden was lifted from her chest.