57 56. Split Apart

Jon come back to the ship, and found Sanji & Chopper has come back too.

"Only you guys that have come back?"-Jon

"Yeah."-Sanji

Suddenly Nami call them while running toward the ship.

"Everyone, this is bad, our money has been stolen, and Usopp has been beaten up."-Nami

"WHATT?!"-All

"Where's Luffy?"-Zoro

"He has searched for the ones responsible for this, Franky Family. Let's treat Usopp first, i know their location, but we can do that later."-Nami

"Alright."-All

They move to Usopp's location near the Dock 1. When they arrive there, Usopp is nowhere to be found. There's only blood traces on the ground.

"This trace, he's walking by himself."-Jon

"Where?"-Nami

"Maybe to the ones that took the money"-Jon

Suddenly they see Luffy jumping around on the buildings. They call him and explain the situation. They go to Franky family's place, the Franky House. When they arrive there, they found Usopp has been beaten up more than before. They all become angry, and they will destroy this gang. Nami will treat Usopp's wound for now.

*BANG*

Luffy smash the door open, they saw many people are partying.

"Are you Franky family?"-Luffy

"Oioioi, who are you? How dare you break to our place like that."-Grunt A

"Just answer me!"-Luffy

"You're Strwahat, Luffy. You want to avenge your crew member? That's right, we're Franky family, what do you want to do after knowing that?"-Grunt B

"Destroy everything!"-Luffy

"Understood captain"-Strawhats

They all start attacking the gang members. It's easy to defeat these grunts with the five of them. Wait, Jon has made 10 clones so it's 15 now. Jon just use taijutsu because he feel angry they beat up Usopp like that. So he feel better when he beat up these guys with his hands rather than ninjutsu.

"Where's the money?"-Luffy

"We will not tell you anything"-Grunt X

"Jon!"-Luffy

"Alright"-Jon

Jon use his sharingan and put the grunt under genjutsu and extract information from him.

"Boss Franky has bring the money and left the island."-Grunt X

"Where?"-Jon

"To an auction on another island and buy Wood from Treasure Tree Adam."-Grunt X

"When will he come back?"-Jon

"We don't know"-Grunt X

"Jon, keep an eye for Franky's news! Let's go back to the ship for now, there's something that i have to tell you all. Also, flatten this building!"-Luffy

They all come out and the building suddenly crumbled, then explode to pieces. Zoro has cut the building and Jon leave paper bombs. Now the building has become small pieces of woods.

They go back to the ship, and Chopper treat Usopp's wound. He's stil unconscious and need some hours to wake up again. After Chopper finished, Luffy call them and tell them something.

"Where's Robin?"-Luffy

"I don't know, she's suddenly disappeared and we can't search her."-Chopper

"I saw her going somewhere with someone i don't know. I try to follow them but they disappeared."-Sanji

"I will send my clones to search for her."-Jon

"Alright. Here's the news, i have decided, we will buy a new ship."-Luffy

"!!!"-All

"New ship? Why?"-Jon

"Nami, explain it!"-Luffy

"Going Merry can't be fixed anymore. The damages are too big and the greatest damage is at the Keel. It has been damaged and can't be repaired. Repairing the Keel is the same like building a new ship entirely.

I have asked if the problen is money, and told them we have more money than the one we brought. But it's not the problem, no amount of money can repair Merry. There's no shipwright that can repair it without building it anew. That's what Iceburg from Galley La Company said."-Nami

"That's why i decided to buy a new ship. Merry can't sail with us even to the closest island anymore. It will endanger our lives at this point, so i need to make this decission."-Luffy

They all keep silent and understand why Luffy take this decission. They love Merry, it's their home now, but their lives are more important. Jon remember something and ask the system about his idea.

'System, can the Mokuton repair Merry fully?'-Jon

[Yes, however it will take a very long time. Host hasn't meet the requirement for getting Mokuton. Beside, even when host get it, it will take a long time to control the wood and fix it with high precission.

Mokuton is one of the most difficult element to control and mastered. That's why no one has succeed in practicing Mokuton on their own beside Hagoromo, Ashura and Hashirama. Other can only use their cell to get the power, even Zetsu need their chakra first.]

'Tch. Then, can i increase my inventory capacity and store Merry first until i have Mokuton and enough control and mastery to fix it?'-Jon

[Host can increase 1 m3 volume for 250 SP but it will increase by 50 SP after each purchase. But host can't store Going Merry no matter how big the inventory or storage scroll is.]

'!! What? Why can't i store Merry?'-Jon

[Going Merry has manifested a spirit called Klabautermann, and spirit is a soul. So the ship has become some kind of sentient with soul in it.]

'Klabautermann?'-Jon

[From Host's memory from Alabasta library. A Klabautermann is said to be a water spirit (or fairy) that dwells on ships and is basically an incarnation of a ship that has been well cared for. It is a merry and diligent creature that is said to warn sailors when a ship's in danger and help in bigger ways sometimes. They are normally considered to be only a legend among seafarers.]

'Is thay why i can't store it?'-Jon

[Yes. Soul and body can't be separated unless the body has died. Storing Merry is the same as killing it.]

'Shit!'-Jon

Jon gritted his teeth, he love Merry, it's his only home in this world now, so he really like it. Not to mention he always repair the ship with Usopp. Little Garden is a training place for him, not a home. The crew is his family, so the ship is their home.

Sure he also think Broggy and Dorry as his family too, but Little Garden is really not a home. Broggy & Dorry won't call it home too, only a duel place. Their home is Elbaf, and now his home is Merry. It's so heartbreaking for him to leave his home.

Jon send his clones to sweep every place in the city. He send command to his clones to use sharingan and search for Robin's chakra signature. The clones keep searching for some hours until it start to became dark and they haven't found any clue.

It start to became dark but there's no news about Robin. Usopp also still unconscious, so they look for ship designs for the time being. Suddenly Usopp wake up, and they all feel relieved.

"Usopp, you wake up. Good, i need to tell you something. We will buy a new ship."-Luffy

"!!! WHAT? What do you mean a new ship?"-Usopp

"They have checked Merry and said they can't repair it anymore. The damages are too big and repairing it is no different than build a new ship. If we keep sail with Merry, it will endanger our lives."-Luffy

"W-what are you saying? It must be because i lose the money right?"-Usopp

"No, we have much more money but it will be the same."-Luffy

"Don't joke around, Merry is also our friend right? DID YOU WANT TO LEAVE A FRIEND?"-Usopp start to raise his voice.

"SHUT UP! I CAN'T RISK OUR LIVES BY SAILING WITH MERRY AGAIN. I HAVE DECIDE THIS, IT'S CAPTAIN'S ORDER"-Luffy

"SO WHAT? YOU WOULD JUST BELIEVE SOME PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE MET AND LEAVE A FRIEND BEHIND? SINCE WHEN DID YOU ACT LIKE A CAPTAIN? WHY ACT LIKE THAT NOW WHEN A FRIEND IS SICK?"-Usopp

Jon widened his eyes hearing Usopp say this. He don't know what has got into Usopp's mind to say something like that. Even if they have disagreement, they have never gotten into something like this. They keep arguing and Luffy didn't let the other interfere.

"IF YOU CAN'T FOLLOW MY DECUSSION, YOU CAN PA-"-Luffy

"CALM DOWN!"-Jon

Jon stopped Luffy and also stopped a kick from Sanji. Sanji almost kick Luffy for what he almost say because he's too heated up. Jon can't let him kick the captain but he also need to stop Luffy from going too far. He has interferring his Captain's talk, but if he didn't do it, Luffy himself might regret his words later.

"Calm down! Cool your head first! Don't say some words that might make you regret it."-Jon

"Sorry, i'm slipped up"-Luffy

"It's okay Luffy, if that's how you really feel. You will be a pirate king right? Then you don't need a weak crew member. I don't need to go that far. I guess this is farewell."-Usopp

"Usopp, what do you-"-Nami

"I leave this crew"-Usopp

They widened their eyes hearing Usopp declare he leave the crew. Nami tried to stop him but he just left the ship. The other also come out and see Usopp leave.

"The ship is Captain's right? Then because i have leave the crew, i will take it from you. Monkey D. Luffy, i challenge you for the ownership of Going Merry. Tonight i will come for duel at 10 o'clock."-Usopp

Usopp leave and the other just look at him. They a have complicated expression on their face. Luffy seem sad and angry, wether to himself or Usopp. Chopper cry, and Nami try to console him even tough she also feel sad.

Sanji is mad at Zoro because he let the Franky gang leave at good condition when they attack Merry earlier. He think if those guys aren't fine, then Usopp will not get beaten up and the money will not be stolen. Usopp must have feel very bad about that and he can't take the news very well.

"I'm sorry Merry, you have bring us all here, but this happen. I'm sure you don't want this, me too Merry. Usopp must be the saddest about this news. He can't take it that well like the others, he love you the most.

I know it will only pained you seeing this, but there's nothing we can do now. Sometime love is what hurt us the most. Leaving your loved ones is the most difficult thing to do afterall."-Jon

Jon caressed the mast, and touch the hole that he patched up with sloppy skill. He have tears in his eyes, he really love this ship. He remember when he have a bike and he need to sell it for his medical fee.

He cried for a week and he still sad about it. It's a bike he bought with his own money, and he always took a really good care of it. He know his life was more important, but he really love the bike. But even with the money, he still died, and he need to saw his family sad because of him.

For him, the one that hurt him most, is not saw someone leave, it's leaving them. He still want to be with his family but he can only leave them. He's sure Merry also feel that way, it has spirit so it must have feeling.

But he know, Merry is suffering now, if they keep sailing with Merry, it will only suffer more. Jon look at his friends that still make a fuss and sigh.

"CALM DOWN!"-Jon

They all stopped and look at Jon.

"Raising a fuss now will not change anything. We have many problem this time, but this is life. This is what a crew will face, what a friendship will face. Usopp has leave, he made his own decission.

A man need to keep his words and be careful of it. Even if he's too hotheaded and irrational before, but it's also the consequences of his words. Luffy is right, if he can't accept the Captain's decission, he need to pack up.

We are friends, but we are a crew too. A crew have a hierarchy that can't be changed. If you can't accept your captain decission, then you can leave. A crew without unity will only fall apart and endanger everyone. It is sad, but that's life, just accept it and keep moving forward."-Jon

They all got silent and sit quietly after hearing Jon. He's right, that's what life is, and that's what a crew will face. Things like this can always happen and they need to be ready. They all silent for sometime but suddenly Jon got a memory from his clone.

"SHIT!"-Jon