Elian smiled softly. Popeye let out a satisfied "Argh!" Tom and Jerry shook hands, proud of their contribution.
Bugs Bunny tossed the core of his carrot over his shoulder and casually concluded,
"Shall we head back? I'm hungry."
The night grew calm again. The Fishman captain lay unconscious in the sand, defeated.
Nami remained still for a few seconds, her eyes fixed on Arlong's massive body. Then, slowly, she stepped forward. Her movements were hesitant, as if she still feared he might suddenly get back up. She stopped two meters away and stared at him for a long moment.
He didn't move. His breathing was faint, uneven. Bluish blood stained the sand around his head. For the first time in six years, he looked… simply vulnerable.
A long shiver ran through her. Then, without warning, a trembling laugh escaped her. A real, liberating laugh that grew until she had to clutch her stomach.
"He's… really down," she murmured between laughter and tears. "Arlong… the monster who terrified everyone… defeated by a rabbit who was hungry."
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and turned toward the group. Her gaze shone with a new emotion: a mix of relief, gratitude, and disbelief.
"Thank you… all of you. I don't even know how to thank you. For six years, I believed no one could ever defeat him. I lived in fear every single day. And you… you showed up with your carrots, your bubbles, your fists, and your nonsense… and you did it. You really did it."
Elian stepped closer and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It's over now. He won't hurt you anymore. Not you, not your village."
SpongeBob bounced happily around them.
"Yeah! We won! We should throw a big party! With Krabby Patties, oranges, and dancing!"
Popeye grunted as he finally removed his pipe from his mouth.
"Argh. As long as there's food, I'm in."
Bugs Bunny, already pulling another carrot out of nowhere, shrugged with his usual grin.
"As long as there are carrots, I'm good."
Tom and Jerry had already resumed their usual chase around Arlong's unconscious body, as if it were just another amusing obstacle.
Nami took one last look at the fishman lying in the sand, then lifted her eyes to the starry sky. For the first time in a very long while, she took a deep breath, without that constant knot of anxiety in her chest.
"Tomorrow… I'll have to explain all this to the village," she said quietly. "They're going to have a hard time believing it. But… we're free. Truly free."
She turned back to the group with a shy but sincere smile.
"You can stay the night at my house. Tomorrow morning, we'll deal with the other fishmen. We'll put them on their ship and send them far away from here."
Elian nodded.
"We'll help you."
Bugs Bunny took a bite of his carrot and concluded casually:
"Perfect. But first… we eat. I'm really hungry after all that."
The small group began heading back toward Nami's house, leaving Arlong unconscious behind them on the beach. The moon softly lit the island, as if it too could finally breathe.
For the first time in six years, Cocoyasi Village would be able to sleep without fear.
The next morning, the entire island seemed to breathe for the first time in a long while. The sun shone brighter, palm trees swayed with the wind, and the people of Cocoyasi Village stepped cautiously out of their homes, their eyes still filled with disbelief. The news had spread like wildfire: Arlong was down. Truly down.
By noon, the celebration had erupted spontaneously.
Tables were set up in the village square, covered with colorful cloths. People brought everything they had: grilled fish, piles of oranges and tangerines, fragrant rice, fruit cakes. Orange and blue paper lanterns hung from the trees. Children ran everywhere, shouting, while improvised musicians played drums and flutes with wild joy.
At the center of it all, Elian's group was treated like heroes.
SpongeBob danced on a table, singing at the top of his lungs a song he made up on the spot. Popeye devoured a massive grilled fish while explaining how he had "punched that shark like a sack of potatoes." Tom and Jerry ran between the tables, spreading cheerful chaos. Bugs Bunny, leaning against a palm tree, calmly chewed his carrot.
And right in the middle of all that joyful madness was Elian.
He was hyperactive, impossible to stop. He ran everywhere, jumped over benches, did clumsy flips, and laughed so loudly he could be heard from afar. He grabbed children to spin them around in the air, helped carry dishes while making silly faces, and clapped every time someone played a new tune. His energy was contagious—even the oldest villagers couldn't help but smile when they saw him pass by.
Later in the afternoon, while the celebration was in full swing, Elian spotted Nami sitting slightly apart on a rock overlooking the beach. She was gazing at the sea, a glass of orange juice in hand, a soft but thoughtful smile on her lips. He ran toward her, slightly out of breath, hair messy and eyes shining.
"Nami!" he shouted, stopping in front of her, hands on his knees as he caught his breath. "Why are you staying all by yourself? Everyone's laughing over there! Come on, it's amazing!"
Nami looked up at him and smiled. Elian was flushed from running, a streak of orange juice on his cheek, practically vibrating with innocent joy.
"You never stop, do you?" she said softly.
"Never!" Elian replied, dropping down beside her on the rock, his legs dangling. "It's so great here! Everyone's happy, everyone's eating, and Arlong isn't around to scare anyone anymore. It's like the island can finally breathe!"
He stayed quiet for a moment, swinging his legs, then turned to her with a bright, curious smile.
"Hey, Nami… while we were fighting Arlong last night, I saw the way you were looking at the sea. You look at it like you know it by heart. And all those drawings in your house… those are maps, right? Real navigation maps?"
Nami nodded, a little surprised.
"Yes… I taught myself. I spent years charting the seas. I love it. Knowing where to go, drawing routes, feeling the wind and understanding the currents… it's like… reading the world."
Elian's eyes widened, then his face lit up with a huge, innocent smile.
"Wow… you really know how to navigate?! That's so cool!"
He straightened up suddenly, his eyes sparkling with pure excitement.
"Nami, you're amazing! You're brave, you're smart, and on top of that, you can read the sea like no one else!"
He turned fully toward her, hands clasped together like a child making an important request.
"Come with us! Please! We're a small, kind of weird crew, but we're good. We're going to go on adventures, explore islands, see lots of new things… And we really need someone like you. Someone who knows where we're going."
His smile grew even wider, full of naive hope.
"And besides… I like you. You're cool. You protected your whole village for six years even when you were scared. I want you in my crew. We'll laugh, discover things, and be together. What do you say?"
Nami looked at him for a long moment. Elian was sitting there on the rock, eyes shining, waiting for her answer with touching innocence. Just a hyperactive kid sincerely telling her he thought she was cool and wanted her to come along.
She lowered her gaze for a moment, still smiling, then looked back up.
"…Alright," she finally said, her voice soft but firm. "I'll come with you. But I want us to stay serious when we need to."
Elian let out a shout of joy so loud that several villagers turned and smiled. He jumped to his feet and did a clumsy little dance, arms raised in the air.
"Yes! Yes! Yes! Nami's joining the crew! This is awesome!"
He gently grabbed Nami's hands and spun her around once in a silly, improvised dance before letting go, laughing.
"You'll see, it's going to be great! We're going to discover so many new places, and you'll show us where to go. I'm so happy!"
Nami let herself be pulled along, laughing out loud. For the first time in a very long time, she felt light. Free.
Around them, the celebration continued. SpongeBob was still singing on his table. Popeye kept telling his stories. Bugs Bunny handed out giant carrots. Tom and Jerry ran between the tables, spreading joyful chaos.
Elian and Nami returned to the center of the party. Elian shouted to everyone with boundless enthusiasm:
"Listen, everyone! We've got a new navigator! Nami's coming with us! She's awesome!"
The villagers cheered and shouted along with him. The music picked up again, louder than ever.
Night slowly fell over Cocoyasi Village, but the celebration carried on late. For the first time in six years, the laughter was free, the dancing fearless, and the future seemed full of joyful promise.
And in the middle of it all, Elian shone. His crew was growing, and his heart was light.