Chapter 015

Kaya watched in melancholy as the Going Merry faded out of sight over the horizon. Usopp was finally making his way out into the vast seas. Her eyes threatened to water as she remembered their conversation from earlier that afternoon. After the conflict, Usopp had pulled her aside in the restaurant. He had explained that he was finally going out to sea today, and wanted to make sure that she would be OK. She had replied with conviction that she would be.

She was sad that he was leaving, of course, but she could never bring herself to stand in the way of his dream. She had assured him that her condition was getting better. It really was. She felt better than she had in a long time, since her parents had passed away. She remembered first falling ill that day, and being visited by a strange young boy with a long nose, who had started telling her stories of his adventures to a sky island where pure souls went after they passed, and what an amazing and happy place it was. His lies had been ridiculous, but she had listened eagerly to them all the same.

A year later she would find out that the boy's father had been a pirate who left on a journey to roam the seas. His mother had fallen ill soon afterwards, and the boy had run through the town yelling that pirates were coming, that his father's ship had arrived on the coast, that his father was waiting to see his wife alive and well. Kaya cried more that day than she had since her parents had died.

How he must have felt, seeing her fall into despair. She had almost lost the will to live like his mother must have. She resolved that day to live on and to overcome her condition so that he wouldn't have to worry, but it was just so hard. Only the boy's frequent visits and eccentric fictions kept her going.

"Pirates are coming!" she heard three juvenile voices shout in the distance. She smiled, still looking out at the horizon even after the ship vanished from her sight. Good luck, Usopp. You don't have to worry about me. I'll be OK from now on. Just sail on, and live strong.

The Going Merry made it's way through calm, cerulean waters as a couple seagulls flocked overhead. Luffy jumped onto his feet from the dock where a dripping paint bucket lay and held up a flag with a poorly drawn pirate flag excitedly. "It's done!"

His three crewmates stared at the abomination with neutral expressions. Usopp was the first to comment. "What's done? Your prop for a live adaptation of When Flags Attack?"

"Are you that artistically challenged? Or is this some kind of abstract art?" Nami asked curiously.

"You guys are missing the point," Zoro said, shaking his head in disappointment. "A pirate flag is meant to strike fear into the hearts of our enemies. If I cringe at the sight of it, then it's picture perfect.

Luffy pouted at his crewmates' reactions. It wasn't as if he hadn't been working on his artistic talent since the first time he'd attempted this. Usopp grabbed the brush from his hand. "Your first draft was…terrible, Luffy. But let an old pro show you how it's done."

With that, he quickly painted a Jolly Roger on another flag. Only it wasn't a Jolly Roger for the Straw Hat Pirates. It had a long nose, a brown hat with a crossed stripe pattern, and a slingshot in place of one of the crossbones. Luffy continued to stare at it as he bonked Usopp over the head.

"Third draft's the charm," he said as Zoro and Nami laughed out loud. Usopp gave in and drew a perfect Straw Hat Jolly Roger, just the way Luffy remembered it. He cheered. "All right, Usopp! Now the sail!" Once that was painted, Luffy really got psyched. The ship was exactly the same. Zoro wore a small smile as well as he looked up at the finished product. "The pirate ship Going Merry is ready for action!" He picked up his drink from the deck. "A toast to our two new comrades," he said gleefully.

"Cheers!" they all shouted as they clinked their cups together.

"So, now that we have our ship, what's next, Luffy?" Nami asked. Luffy thought for a moment and turned his attention to the positions that needed to be filled.

"Well, we'll need a chef," he began. "As well as a doctor, and eventually, a carpenter. We should also recruit someone once we get into the Grand Line who has practical knowledge and experience from traveling the area." Luffy and Zoro fit this description of course, but Luffy was thinking about Robin. Nami nodded at each suggestion, genuinely impressed. Luffy had really thought this through. "And of course, we'll need a musician at some point. Can't go without that."

Nami sweatdropped. "Uh, right." Luffy looked at her innocently.

"What? Pirates love to sing. Right Zoro? Come on buddy, let's get a duet going."

"Piss off."

"See?" Luffy concluded, turning back to Nami. Suddenly they heard the sound of cannon fire and turned to see Usopp standing in front of one of their few cannons with a shocked expression on his face. In the distance, they could see the shattered remains of what looked to be a strange

rock formation.

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