Under a clear blue sky.
Two ships raced across the sea.
The Thousand Sunny. And the Going Merry.
No pirates. No Marine pursuit. A rare moment of peace. No fishing, no swimming, no surfing—none of the usual pastimes, and no training.
The new Sunny and the refitted Merry were all they cared about.
"SUPER!"
Franky stood in the middle of the Sunny's wide deck, arms spread, happily presenting their new home.
They had been in a rush to leave. Even Luffy hadn't seen the ships properly.
With Garp's loving pursuit behind them, the Straw Hats finally had time to look.
The Sunny was sleek, its white hull trimmed with bright yellow. It looked strong, and alive.
Best of all was the lion figurehead at the bow. Majestic, real—mouth open in a silent roar.
Franky struck his pose. "Does anyone want to know what surprises await on the Thousand Sunny? The future Pirate King's personal vessel!"
"I like that." Luffy clapped enthusiastically.
See? Inviting Franky was the right decision. The way he talked—"future Pirate King's vessel"—that raised the bar.
Franky grinned. He began.
"First, this!"
He patted the lion's base. "The Gaon Cannon! My genius invention. Fires a SUPER shockwave. Cannons are too low-class—a real cannon is best. Here, the Soldier Dock System. Channel One: White Horse No. 1. For scouting, for landing..."
He went on.
First floor: the men's quarters. Six beds. No more crowding. Not that it mattered for Luffy—he only slept an hour a night, wherever he dropped.
Their wanted posters were on the walls.
Franky had installed an aquarium, already stocked with fish. Strange sea creatures swam there.
The power room: that was important. It powered the Coup de Burst. Vivi and Merry were thrilled.
Flying would be easier now. Using her fruit alone tired Vivi out. She was working on her stamina—training with Luffy.
Second floor: Chopper's infirmary. A swivel chair, which he loved. A doctor's room, just for him.
The kitchen and dining room were huge. Sanji was impressed. Room to work.
A pantry. A wine cellar—locked, to the protests of Zoro and Nika. They shut up when they saw Nami holding the key.
The terror of the ship. Such authority.
A library. A measurement room. Books everywhere. Luffy looked at them, suppressed the urge to run.
A workshop for Usopp. A garden for Robin. The lawn deck, where Nami's tangerine trees grew.
A training room with equipment. Zoro's eyes lit up.
"And the Merry!" Usopp added, proud. "I helped refit her. She's more agile now. Safe in the Sunny's dock. We have two ships!"
"That lion's pretty cool."
Luffy jumped onto the figurehead—like he used to with the Merry.
A tug at his shirt. Merry floated beside him, looking up. Her blue eyes were wet. Her mouth was a small pout. She looked like she might cry.
"I like the Merry's sheep better!" Luffy crouched, held her face, rubbed it. "It's soft. It's comfortable."
"I'll get along with Sunny!"
Her face lit up. So easy to please.
Nami laughed, walked over, pinched Luffy's cheek.
"Now that we have a bigger ship, a certain training maniac can go wild at night without everyone waking."
"Is that good news?"
Luffy couldn't decide.
On the Merry, he had held back. Too loud, and the crew would wake. Now, he could train without limits.
But somehow, that thought made him want to cry.
Soon, the Sunny and the Merry sailed side by side, the blue sea stretching ahead.
A new Jolly Roger flew from the mast.
The familiar skull with the straw hat. Crossed swords behind. The symbol of the Straw Hats.
But something was off. The lines were rough. The skull's smile was crooked.
"Hmm. Something's wrong."
Merry floated beside the flag, her face scrunched. Not happy with her work.
"Let me! I'm good at this!"
Nika produced a brush and paint. She painted with confidence.
When it was up, it was worse. The skull looked like a squashed tomato.
"Puhahaha!"
Usopp laughed. He patted his chest. "Leave this to a professional!"
He painted. Smooth strokes. Clean lines. When it was done, it was perfect.
The Jolly Roger flew from the Sunny's mast.
"That's it." Luffy looked up. "Good work, Usopp."
"Of course. I've got confidence in this."
"Great. Do the rest."
"What?"
Usopp stared. Luffy was already walking away.
"What are you doing?"
"Studying." Luffy pointed at Zoro. "If you're bored, you could go with Zoro. He's about to swim ten thousand meters."
Usopp shuddered.
Ten thousand? And he had to keep up with the ship?
He wasn't one of these physical freaks.
***
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