"Everyone, I'm here to say goodbye."
Vivi's voice trembled, choked with emotion, and tears rolled down her cheeks, splashing quietly onto the stone path beneath her feet.
The crew, initially surprised, fell into a deep and respectful silence. No one spoke. They simply stood there, eyes focused on Vivi's trembling figure as the wind gently carried her voice across the docks.
"Ever since I left Alabasta with you all, I've come to understand just how vast the ocean really is—how many adventures it holds, how many magical places and creatures exist out there in the world."
Her voice cracked slightly, but she continued, brushing away her tears with the back of her hand.
"I met the best companions… and boarded the most incredible ship. You showed me what it meant to be free."
She smiled as she reminisced.
"Usopp, always bragging about some heroic tale. Nami, secretly hiding in the cabin counting Baileys like a squirrel. Zoro, constantly training and getting lost. Luffy… always charging ahead without thinking, making a mess but never giving up. And Sanji…"
Her cheeks flushed slightly.
"He may be a flirt, but he's kind and dependable when it really matters."
Her expression grew soft and distant.
"And Leo… he always sat quietly at the helm, reading a book no one else could understand, sipping black tea like a proper magician. He's mysterious, yes… but whenever he's around, everything feels a little safer."
Her voice cracked again, but she pushed through.
"You're all such wonderful people. Thank you for taking care of me."
The wind tugged at her clothes and hair as if urging her forward. But her feet remained rooted to the spot.
"I want to go with you. I really do. More than anything, I want to continue this journey with you all… But…"
Her voice trembled as her heart broke.
"But I can't."
A heavy silence followed.
Tears streamed freely now as she looked toward the ship, hands clenched at her sides.
"If we… ever meet again… will you still call me your partner?"
The dock echoed with her words, and then with silence again.
Goodbye, Luffy. Goodbye, everyone.
Sometimes, the most powerful farewells are the ones spoken through silence and shared memories.
The crew on the Going Merry didn't speak. No one could.
But one by one, their arms lifted high into the air—fists clenched, the symbol of friendship drawn into their skin by the green wind swirling around them.
On the distant shore, Vivi saw it. Crying and running alongside the ship, she raised her arm high in the same gesture. The green breeze danced around her, and the glowing magic pattern—representing their eternal bond—lit up on her arm.
Luffy broke the silence. "Let's go."
His voice was a little hoarse.
The Merry began to sail forward once more, cutting across the glimmering blue waters toward the next island.
But trouble wasn't far behind.
The sea began to churn.
From the horizon, warships—previously swept away by Leo's tidal surge—reappeared. Leading them were Smoker and Hina, their vessels rising back into sight with battered sails and scorched hulls.
"There's the Merry!" Hina shouted furiously, pointing ahead.
"Fire!"
Cannons roared.
The air was filled with the thunder of explosions, the whistling of cannonballs, and the pounding rhythm of waves crashing together. The symphony of battle had returned.
But the sea was not on their side.
Every cannonball that approached the Merry was swallowed by the sea, dragged down into its depths as if by an invisible hand.
Leo stepped forward, eyes glowing faintly with blue light. His gaze was fixed on the pursuing fleet.
Even though he knew Vivi wouldn't join them, the sight of these Marines attacking again stoked a fire in his heart.
Enough.
In that moment, he rose slowly into the air.
A blue aura surrounded him as he hovered above the ship. The magic wand in his hand shimmered with energy.
Then he waved it.
From the sea, a colossal whale formed—crafted entirely of water. Nearly a kilometer in length, the watery beast opened its maw and swallowed the entire fleet in a single surge.
The whale spun once in the sky, then exploded in a burst of light and color.
Debris rained down.
But before anything could hit the water, Leo flicked his wand again. A gentle pink wave swept across the battlefield, and every falling shard, every drop of water, transformed into petals—soft, glowing, colorful petals that danced through the sky like falling stars.
Then, just as calmly, Leo floated back down to the Merry's deck.
Behind them, with petals in the air and the sun rising over the horizon, the Going Merry glided gracefully away from Alabasta.
They left behind a land saved.
A friend loved.
And enemies defeated.
"Damn it!" Hina hissed, clutching the railing.
"I won't forgive them. Hina will never let them go."
She fell from the sky—caught in Smoker's arms.
Smoker narrowed his eyes, watching the tiny shape of the Merry vanish into the distant sea.
"We're no match for them. Not yet," he admitted, a cigar clenched tightly between his teeth. His uniform was scorched, and he looked worse for wear.
"But I'll keep chasing them," he muttered. "Even if I have to gather more strength or take on the whole world. One day—I will catch you, Straw Hat Luffy."
His words were filled with conviction, but the faint smile playing on his lips said otherwise.
---
Time passed.
The Going Merry sailed on, leaving the shores of Alabasta behind, but the mood aboard the ship was unusually heavy.
Robin had officially joined the crew, but her sudden arrival—and Vivi's emotional farewell—left a lingering tension in the air.
Everyone except for Leo, Luffy, and Sanji seemed on edge.
Eventually, that tension boiled over.
"No way! I'm not accepting this!" Usopp slammed his hand down on the table, glaring at Robin who lay casually on a lounge chair nearby. "There's no way this woman can be our crewmate!"
"She's dangerous," Nami added, her voice low and wary. "Very dangerous."
Chopper peered out from behind Leo, his small body trembling. "She's an assassin, right? She could be planning to eliminate us one by one!"
Back in Alabasta, Leo had told them about Robin's history.
She'd been wanted by the World Government since the age of eight, with a bounty of 80 million berries. She had survived two decades navigating the darkest corners of the underworld, dealing in crime, espionage, and betrayal.
She was ruthless, cunning, and deadly.
And now, she was on their ship.
"Yes, I was wanted at eight," Robin said calmly, closing the strange, rune-covered book in her lap. "And yes, I worked with a number of underground organizations. That was the only way to survive."
Her expression remained unreadable.
"But," she added, eyes glancing toward Leo, "you all did some rather inappropriate things to me back there. You must take responsibility. I'm homeless now."
She pouted, turning her gaze toward Leo with a melodramatically hurt expression.
"What… what did you do to this woman?!" Sanji's face twisted in horror. He turned toward Leo, furious.
Nami, Usopp, and even Zoro stared at Leo in disbelief.
"I didn't expect you of all people to be like this…" Nami muttered, her eyes narrowing.
"Tch. A boring woman like her would just slow down my blade," Zoro said coldly—but even he was confused.
Chopper pulled at Leo's pants leg with wide eyes. "Leo, what did you do to her?!"
Leo stared at them all.
Then glanced at Robin, who gave him a small, smug smile.
A wicked grin spread across his own face.
"Exactly what you think," he said smoothly, waving his hand.
"WHAT?!" the crew shouted in unison.
Sanji collapsed to the floor in despair. "Noooooo!"
Zoro's eye twitched.
Nami's mouth fell open.
Even Chopper's jaw dropped.
Their stares flicked rapidly between Leo and Robin, who was now laughing quietly behind her hand.
And just like that, the mood shifted.
The crew, still unsure about Robin's past, no longer questioned her place on the ship.
Robin, however, froze mid-laugh. The smile on her face cracked.
Her mouth twitched as realization hit.
She had been outplayed.
And Leo, grinning in triumph, sipped his black tea in peace.
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