Some time after the battle, the villagers were surprised to learn Usopp's morning tall tales had stopped. Departure loomed.
A single sailboat rested on the northern shore.
A charming ship with a sheep figurehead, not overly large.
Quirky for a pirate ship, but the crew's reactions were glowing.
Merry, the butler who prepared it, explained to the beaming Straw Hats.
"Wow, amazing! A sheep!" Luffy exclaimed.
"It's an older design, but I crafted it. Caravel build, triangular sails, stern-center rudder. It's the Going Merry," Merry said.
"Going Merry… our ship," Luffy grinned, thrilled.
His adventure-hungry expression was familiar. Kiri, smirking, shrugged and asked, "Well, Captain, like it?"
"Shishishi, yeah! Finally got a ship!"
Luffy was ecstatic, the crew's most enthusiastic. Nami and Silk chatted excitedly about the Merry; even Zoro grinned, satisfied.
A ship at last. Real voyages could begin.
Kaya, offering the ship, smiled at their joy. Their delight made it worthwhile.
No regrets or hesitation, she addressed Luffy, the self-proclaimed captain.
"Everything you'll need for the journey is loaded. Ready to sail anytime."
"Thanks. We're spoiled rotten," Luffy said.
"Pampered, idiot," Zoro corrected, arms crossed.
Luffy's misused phrase drew Zoro's exasperation. Typical carelessness.
A warm atmosphere lingered.
Hours after the battle, despite Kuro's betrayal, Kaya smiled, unshaken.
Usopp, absent, was packing at home. He'd leave the island, and Kaya didn't object. Mature beyond her years.
Her gaze on the lively Straw Hats was gentle, though she seemed restless.
Waiting for him?
A shout came from the hilltop. All turned.
Usopp, lugging a massive backpack, tumbled down the slope. Overpacked, comically large, he barreled toward the Merry. Luffy tilted his head.
"Gaaaah! Someone stop me!" Usopp yelled.
"Why's he so excited?" Luffy mused. "Oh, he's stoked for the voyage!"
"He's begging for help," Zoro snapped. "Your ears broken?"
"We should stop him," Silk said. "He'll crash the ship."
"Mmph, can't have that," Luffy agreed. "Let's stop him."
Luffy stepped forward, approaching the rolling Usopp.
At the moment of impact, he thrust out his right foot.
A loud thud.
Usopp stopped, Luffy's sandal pressed against his face. He mumbled weakly, "Th-Thanks…"
"No prob," Luffy said.
"Hahaha, what an entrance, Usopp! Nailed it," Kiri laughed.
"Not funny," Zoro groaned. "Lucky he didn't die under that."
Zoro eyed the improbably intact backpack, sighing. Usopp had mentioned living alone since his mother's death. He'd brought everything. Too much for one person. The crew moved to help.
No time to dawdle before departure.
Zoro and Kiri took the backpack to the ship. Kiri used his ability, not hands. Zoro noticed, scowling.
"Carry it yourself. Don't cheat."
"I am carrying it," Kiri said.
"With your puppet trick. That's your hands?"
"Could be."
"Hmph. At least you're helping."
"Sorry, is carrying it yourself better for training? Should I stop?"
"Just carry it. This ain't training."
"Great deeds start small."
"What's that?"
"Someone's words."
"Not an excuse to slack."
Bickering as usual, they boarded.
Silk and Nami followed. Nami, knowledgeable about ships, reacted to "caravel." Silk, curious, asked, "Nami, you know ships? What's a caravel?"
"You're a pirate and don't know?" Nami teased.
"Nobody taught me! First I've heard."
"Fine. A caravel's a maneuverable small ship. Its features—"
Silk nodded, boarding as Nami lectured.
Only Luffy and Usopp remained.
Luffy turned, grinning. "Let's go, Usopp. Our ship."
"Yeah, one sec," Usopp said.
He faced Kaya.
They smiled, not mourning the farewell, ready to part cheerfully.
Oddly, their first meeting outside her mansion. Always indoors or in the garden before. A new moment.
Kaya smiled gently at Usopp's bright grin, no sadness. A brave send-off.
"Sorry for taking the ship. You sure?" Usopp asked.
"Yes. You'll cherish it. It rarely sailed, so it'll be happier traveling with you."
"Heh, got it," Usopp said, rubbing his nose, chest puffed.
He was elated.
A pirate setting sail. Had he ever felt this thrill?
He'd spun adventure tales, but now they'd be real. No lies. He'd live them.
With resolve, he spoke to Kaya.
"I'm going. Don't worry, I'll sail the world with Luffy, become a brave sea warrior, and return. This is my only home."
"I'll wait," Kaya said.
"Look forward to it. I'll tell adventures wilder than lies."
"Fufu, I will. Take care."
"Yeah!"
Usopp boarded with Luffy, shouting from the deck.
No regrets, only boundless adventure.
Time to sail.
"All right, men! Weigh anchor!" Usopp bellowed.
"Hey, Usopp! Why're you giving orders? I'm captain!" Luffy snapped.
"What!? I'm not captain!?"
"Idiot, I'm captain!"
Their antics lacked decorum, but the Going Merry moved.
The deck buzzed with laughter. Usopp and Luffy leaned over the railing, waving. Kaya waved back, smiling.
Watching the ship drift away, Kaya spoke to Merry beside her.
"Merry."
"Yes, milady?"
"Lying hurts."
"Yes…"
Her smile faltered, loneliness surfacing.
She'd hidden her heart, knowing she couldn't stop him.
Merry nodded, understanding.
"You wanted to stop Usopp?"
"…Yeah."
She lowered her waving hand, clutching the other tightly.
Kuro's plot had hurt, but this was lonelier.
Merry spoke.
"I heard a village tale. About a lying boy—"
He began a story; Kaya listened.
Meanwhile, in Syrup Village, the Usopp Pirates—Carrot, Pepper, Onion—gathered, resolute without seeing Usopp off.
"Really doing this?" Carrot asked.
"Of course," Pepper said. "We're the Usopp Pirates. We'll carry on."
"Right. Let's do it," Onion agreed.
At the village entrance, they inhaled deeply, then ran, shouting.
"Pirates are coming!"
Some time after departure, the island a mere speck, the deck bustled.
Luffy proposed a toast for Usopp. Kiri paused him, suggesting they make the Merry a true pirate ship first.
Since abandoning their last ship, their flag was with Apis.
To claim piracy, they needed a black flag. Cloth and paint were gathered.
Six huddled on the deck.
"Usopp, good at drawing?" Kiri asked.
"Damn right. Nimblest hands here," Usopp boasted.
"Then you draw it. We've got the design."
"What's it like?"
Kiri explained a skull with a straw hat. Usopp nodded, starting with paint.
Luffy and the others trusted him, chatting joyfully about the ship.
"This ship's awesome. Finally real pirates," Luffy said.
"Just started," Zoro scoffed. "Too soon."
"Let's paint the sail too. It'll look cool," Luffy suggested.
"The sail?" Silk said. "That's huge."
"You guys have no sense of danger," Nami sighed. "No destination yet. Talk plans after."
"Grand Line's the destination," Luffy said.
"So carefree…" Nami muttered.
"Let's all do it. Faster that way," Luffy proposed.
As he spoke, Usopp shouted, raising the black flag.
"Done!"
"Really, Usopp!?" Luffy gasped.
"Yeah, look!"
The skull had a long nose, a slingshot for a crossbone, and a bandana—clearly Usopp's face.
Luffy's arm stretched, smacking Usopp's head. Zoro crossed his arms, exasperated. Nami sighed, impressed by the skill. Silk gave an awkward smile. Kiri laughed.
"Look at this perfect sketch!" Usopp bragged.
"Wrong design," Luffy growled.
"Trying to hijack already?" Zoro said.
"Haha, nice, Usopp. It's you!" Kiri chuckled.
"Not the time," Nami snapped. "You're all hopeless."
"Calm down," Silk urged.
Usopp's joke made the deck lively. Luffy demanded a redraw, but Kiri laughed.
Grudgingly, Usopp redrew, enjoying it.
"I'll let you be captain for now," Usopp teased. "But if you slip, I'm taking over."
"No worries. I won't lose," Luffy said.
"Nice, Usopp," Kiri said. "Join us, then get your own ship. Straw Hat Fleet's first captain, Usopp. Cool, right?"
"Oooh, I like that!" Usopp said.
"What, Usopp? Quitting already?" Luffy asked.
"Not now. Just future plans," Usopp clarified.
"I don't wanna split from my crew," Luffy said.
"But more people won't fit," Kiri said. "We'll need more ships."
"Guess so," Luffy conceded.
"You gave in that easy!?" Usopp exclaimed.
Usopp finished the straw hat skull, better than Kiri's. The crew nodded, satisfied. Nami spoke first.
"Nice job, Usopp!"
"Heh, child's play. Respect me, praise me, call me Captain Usopp—"
"Hey, Usopp, let's do the sail next. Cooler, right?" Luffy interrupted.
"Let me finish!"
Pleased with the flag, Luffy dragged Usopp to plan the sail's design. They discussed seriously, pointing at its size.
Zoro approached Kiri, arms crossed, stern.
"That your scheme?" Zoro asked.
"What?"
"The fleet talk. You're plotting."
"Maybe. Thought about strong-arming the Black Cat Pirates, but they were too weak. If we recruit, they gotta be useful."
"Our subordinates, huh?"
"We'll need them someday. Like before."
Silk and Nami joined Luffy and Usopp's talk.
Kiri, smiling calmly, continued.
"Luffy's clueless about this. He picks friends for fun adventures, not power or control."
"Yeah. He thinks getting stronger's enough," Zoro said.
"Not enough to rise. Strategy's key. Luffy doesn't think that way, just goes with the flow. I'll handle it—grow the crew, make us unbeatable."
"Taking it all on yourself? Heavy burden."
"Better than losing. You noticing helps."
"Rough role. You okay with it?"
"Yeah. It's how we are."
They watched the others.
Luffy laughed carelessly. That was fine, Kiri said.
Zoro's expression grew complex. Sacrifice came to mind.
Kiri didn't resent it, so stopping him was pointless. But was it right to let him carry on? His face from Lost Island lingered.
Kiri spoke calmly.
"I like it. Luffy's a hassle, but he's my king. I want to grant his wishes, help him."
"You're his knight?" Zoro asked.
"More like strategist. Not that noble. You be the knight."
"Poor citizens if he's king."
"But never bored. Every day's lively."
Joking eased the tension. Zoro softened, not relieved but resigned.
Neither would change. Watching was all he could do. Kiri's water weakness wasn't his only flaw—his crew obsession was too.
Zoro knew Kiri's old crew was wiped out. That made him unpredictable.
He'd stay vigilant.
As Zoro resolved, Luffy waved.
"All right, let's paint!" Luffy shouted.
"Wait, Luffy, you're terrible at this," Zoro said. "Let us handle it."
"Wha—?"
"Think of the Merry," Usopp said. "Mess up the sail, and it's ruined."
"I can paint if you outline," Kiri said. "Luffy and Silk too."
"Don't call me out!" Silk protested.
Attention turned to Silk. Kiri, shaking with laughter, grabbed paint.
Painting the sail would take time. No one minded—they eagerly joined.
"Let's finish and toast. To our new mate and ship," Kiri said.
"Yeah!" Luffy cheered.
Usopp outlined; others painted. Even Luffy and Silk wouldn't hinder.
Work went smoothly.
Still chaotic. Painting was a riot.
Luffy, the troublemaker, escalated things.
"Hey, Luffy, don't spill paint! You'll ruin the Merry!" Usopp yelled.
"Crap!" Luffy gasped.
"Luffy, put that down! Don't spill!" Nami shouted.
"No roughhousing!" Silk warned.
"You guys never get tired?" Kiri asked.
"Stop gawking and help!" Zoro barked.
Noisy, hectic, no calm.
Shouting, dirtying themselves, yet work progressed smoothly.
Anger faded; they grew playful, childlike.
It took an hour.
The sail's mark was done, the deck slightly stained.
Their clothes and bodies were paint-splattered, but they didn't care, gazing at the sail.
The ship moved forward, wind in its sails.
The pirate ship Going Merry was complete.
Bright smiles lined up. The breeze felt good, the sail perfect despite fatigue.
"Done! Looks awesome," Luffy said.
"Told ya. My drawing," Usopp bragged.
"Miracle it turned out with all that chaos," Zoro said. "Lucky the deck's not worse."
Zoro groaned at the colorful deck.
Looking at each other, they laughed at their messy appearances.
"Pfft, Kiri, your hair's red!" Luffy cackled.
"You're white-haired, Luffy. So young," Kiri teased.
"Haha, idiot. No surprise with that energy," Nami said.
"Stop laughing," Silk said. "Nami, your hair's dirty. Gotta bathe later."
Even Nami, usually stern, laughed brightly.
Smiles filled the deck.
Cleaning the deck, washing up, and tidying awaited, but first, a toast.
Kiri and Zoro brought a barrel and mugs.
To the new crewmate and ship.
Mugs filled, they circled the barrel.
Under the straw hat skull, they shared smiles.
"Took a while," Kiri said.
"Your fault for messing around," Zoro replied.
"You're no saint," Nami shot back. "Couldn't tell if you wanted to stop or join."
"Let's start," Kiri said. "Luffy, lead."
"All right, to Usopp and the Going Merry!" Luffy shouted.
"Here's to us!" Usopp roared.
Mugs clashed, spilling ale, as laughter returned.
A small feast unfolded on the deck.
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