Chapter 54: A Duel for Merry

Back with Nami, Luffy and Usopp.

The three of them met with Kaku and Iceburg and were told by Kaku that the Merry was done for. The three were in shock and didn't know what to do and Kaku geppo'd away. Nami just watched this happen without much for a reaction as Kai used to do this all the time. Then she froze.

"Is it really normal for people to walk on air?!" She almost smashed her head against a wall. Kai was telling the truth!!

Back with Kai.

Kai and Robin were left alone together. Kai leaned against a wall, using his elbow to hold himself up as he rested his head on his hand, leaning towards the wall.

"What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" Kai asked.

Robin glared at him, clearly not in the mood. This caused Kai raised his hands in surrender.

Robin sighed and explained. "They threatened me by telling me they were ready to use a buster call on this island if I didn't go with them. They also said that they will let the rest of the Straw Hats go if I comply."

Kai nodded. "I see, sounds just like the government. Millions of hostages just to kidnap one cute girl. This is the kinda shit I wanted Aokiji to see for himself. Haaaa..."

Kai just shook his head. He looked at Robin and continued. "I'm going to tie up a few loose ends, if CP dipshit asks about me, just tell him I'm in the bathroom. I'll talk to you more later on the train ride. I agree with you going with them and not letting a buster call destroy the island, but remember how I told you that I would fight the entire world for the people I care about?"

Robin nodded.

Kai lit a cigarette and continued. "Luffy will do the same. And you're already on his list of people he cares about as well. Try to think about that and think about the future. More specifically what YOU want in the future. I wanna hear YOUR thoughts. Anyway, I'll be back."

Kai disappeared and left Robin in her thoughts. She started thinking about what she wanted. She wanted to live, she wanted to stay with Kai more and get closer to him. She enjoyed being around him and he gave her a reason to want to live. She also wanted to stay with the crew who accepted her without hesitation. She had grown fond of her life with these people who supported and cared about her.

As these thoughts flooded her mind, tears pooled up and started falling from her eyes as she started to cry alone in her room. She didn't want to be abandoned again, she just wanted to live like everyone else does. She didn't want to be a sacrifice to save the crew and the island. 'If only I could be saved, but it isn't that simple.' She thought while wiping tears from her eyes.

Kai appeared in front of a building and walked in. He walked up to a certain man in a speedo. "Yo, cutty. I see you nabbed 200 mil from someone. Anyway I have a deal for you."

The man turned abruptly when he heard that name. "Who's cutty? I'm Franky, the SUPER shipwright."

Kai waved him off. "Cutty, Franky, who cares I'm not the government and I don't want Pluton's blueprints. It would be so much easier to just go steal the one that already exists, so why build it myself? Anyway, I'll give you enough money to build the best ship ever, rivaling Tom's ship. All you need to do is build it for some people I ask you too and incorporate an old worn down ship into it. How's that sound?"

(A/n: I know that this is different from what I said earlier on Alabasta, but new information came out in the manga.)

Franky was on guard for a second as he heard Kai mention Pluton but then he heard Kai's proposal and forgot about it. He cared way more about building a dream ship than some random blueprints! "That's a SUPER deal! I'm in!"

Kai smiled. "Great!"

Kai handed him 500 million belli. "Whatever you don't use on materials just give to your goons later. I have tons anyway."

Franky's jaw dropped to the floor and he hugged Kai. "You the best! Mystery mask man!"

Suddenly a huge commotion was heard upstairs. Franky went up to help but Kai held him back. "Wait a minute. They deserve that one. You know that 200 mil you have right now? They jumped someone when they stole it. That's his friends coming back for revenge. Don't worry they won't kill anyone."

Franky thought for a moment before he nodded. "I never told them to beat anyone up. I just wanted some money to build a ship."

Kai got up to walk away he left Franky to his own devices. He walked upstairs to see everyone on the floor unconscious and Sanji, Zoro, Luffy and Chopper standing over them after beating everyone up.

"Yo." Kai said as he raised his hand.

They all nodded in acknowledgement.

Sanji asked. "Where's Robin-chan? You were supposed to be with her."

Kai waved him off. "Something came up." He said dismissing the question.

Kai then looked at Luffy and said. "Captain rubber. Lets say hypothetically you had to go to a marine base to rescue one of your crew members. Would you go?"

Luffy nodded without hesitation. "Obviously. They're my nakama."

Kai laughed. "Wahaha! That's what I thought."

Sanji and Zoro had their eyes widen at this before Zoro smiled like a wild animal. "I've always wanted to charge a marine base."

Sanji lit a cigarette and smiled. "Anything for Robin-chan."

Kai smiled with an intensity that matched Zoro under his mask. "Good. But don't do anything too early, this island could be wiped off the map if you make a move too early. You guys will have to wait until we reach Enies Lobby. Got it?"

The duo nodded seriously. Luffy and Chopper were just confused as they didn't pick up the clues Kai had left in his conversation. Kai walked with the four back to Merry. On Merry Usopp was still asleep. Everyone was there and he finally woke up.

"Yo guys what's up?" He asked everyone and Luffy had a huge smile on his face.

"Usopp, come here, we're getting a new ship. Let's look through which ship to buy." Luffy said.

Usopp's face darkened. Before he smiled. "Hahaha! Good one guys! That's really funny! You almost got me!"

No one on the crew laughed at all and Usopps face contorted into one of sadness.

"WHY?" He yelled out.

"Is it because I lost the money? We can always get more money!" He tried to rationalize.

"Merry is going to die." Luffy said seriously. "No one can fix it no matter what. Otherwise I would have never made this decision."

Usopp's tears started running down his face. "I'll never give this ship up! Are you guys idiots?! You're just going to listen to some random shipwrights?! That isn't like the Straw Hats I know! I've misjudged you Luffy!"

"Stop Usopp! Luffy didn't-" Nami started to say before Luffy raised his hand in front of her.

"Stop, Nami. I've made my decision and I won't change my mind no matter what you say." He interjected.

"Listen Luffy, not everyone can just charge through the world without worries or consequences like you! We aren't all monsters! I'm not going to leave a comrade behind just because they couldn't measure up to your needs! Is that what we all are to you?! Just tools to use and throw away when you're done with us?" Usopp yelled out.

The crew all stared at him with cold eyes for that last statement. Luffy was nothing like that and everyone here knew that.

Luffy started getting mad and screamed too. "That's different! Merry is a ship! Not a person!"

Usopp scoffed. "It's the same thing! You have no problems leaving behind a comrade and eventually you'll do the same to me and everyone else on this crew who isn't needed anymore. Isn't that right?"

Luffy jumped at Usopp and tackled him to the ground. "Don't talk like you know everything! You're not the only one who cares about Merry! If you don't like my decision then you can just leav-"

"IDIOT!" Sanji yelled as he cut off Luffy's speech with a kick to the face. "Luffy! What are you thinking?! Watch what you say!"

Luffy realized what he was about to say and quickly apologized. "I'm sorry. That's not what I me-"

Usopp quickly cut in. "No! That's fine Luffy! Since that's how you really feel isn't it? You're right, it's best to cut off the dead weight right here. So, I quit."

The whole crew gasped and Kai lit a cigarette. Usopp started to walk away but before he was gone he turned around. "The ship belongs to the captain. So fight me. If I win, I take the Going Merry."

Usopp paused before he screamed. "MONKEY D. LUFFY! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL!" Then he stormed away in anger.

Kai saw this and pulled Zoro aside. "Yo, Mr. first mate. Remember what I said back on Sky island? This is where you step up. You can't let Usopp back in this crew without an apology, no matter what happens. If your crewmates can just leave and join on a whim then that's not a real crew. I have no problems with him returning but he needs to apologize and realize that this can never happen again."

Zoro nodded solemnly. "You're right." Was all he said before he walked away.

Kai went back to where Robin was to wait for the duel time. He arrived in a room with the CP9 agent and Robin.

"Whew. What a leak!" He said as he stretched and sat down.

The CP9 agent, Blueno, ignored him and Kai whispered to Robin. "Merry can't sail anymore, but Usopp couldn't accept that and left the crew. He's dueling Luffy at 10."

Robin gasped in shock, not at the news of the Merry, she already knew she didn't have long left after the Merry's klabautermann showed up. Robin was shocked that Usopp left the crew. Kai told her everything that happened including Usopp getting the money stolen and getting beat up. Then they waited for a while together.

10 O'clock.

Kai had to 'take another leak' and went to the Merry to watch the duel. He showed up and went to the back of the Merry where no one could hear him. "Merry, I can't repair you at this point, but I think I found a way to let you watch their journey till the end. Just trust me ok?"

The ship buzzed lightly and a slight voice was carried in the wind. "Hehehe! Thanks, Kai. I trust you."

Kai smiled when he heard this voice which was too quiet for anyone else to hear.

Luffy and Usopp were facing each other with 20 feet in between them. Eventually they charged at each other but before they could clash Usopp fell over and coughed up blood. Luffy paused and Usopp shot at him. It was a ketchup star and not blood. Luffy got hit by Usopp's shot and fell on his back. His hat fell off and he was looking into the sky with a hardened look on his face. He slowly stood up and charged full speed at Usopp who tried to shoot him again only for Luffy to dodge.

Luffy closed in and sent a punch right for Usopp's face. It connected and Usopp fell backwards. Laying on his back he stopped trying to fight.

Luffy picked up his hat and walked by Usopp. "Do whatever you want with the Merry. We're getting a new ship and sailing on ahead. Without you."

The rest of the crew followed Luffy and walked past Usopp. When they all got passed Usopp, Luffy started crying.

"That's what a captain is. Don't hesitate. If you can't be decisive, then who can we believe in?" Zoro told Luffy.

Luffy sadly nodded in acknowledgement as he swallowed a sob and continued walking towards the city, for some reason the night sky seemed twice as dark tonight...