"…You son of a bitch, you weren't just spouting nonsense on Skypiea," Tashigi groaned.
"It's not that surprising, in hindsight," Jonathan mused, albeit with a slight twitch in his grin. "Sometimes the honest truth is just too… unbelievable to handle as the truth."
"Apapa… maybe so, but still…" Apoo ground his teeth uncomfortably. "Look, I'm just playing devil's advocate for the sake of advocacy, but the things you're talking about… an omnipotent something or other, alternate worlds? Somebody's gotta voice what we're all thinking here, if only so that it don't rot, alright?"
"Eh…" Foxy hedged with a few shifty glances. "If it helps, I've… come into contact with the same whatchamacallit that he's talking about, this… this 'B.R.O.B.' thing, during my initial encounter with the crew. It was brief and I'd…" He shivered fearfully. "I'd really rather not talk about it, but still, it-it was more than enough to convince me of the veracity of his words just now."
"Hrm…" Tsuru hummed before nodding to herself. "Jeremiah Cross, how many levels are there in Impel Down?"
I hesitated slightly at the question before bowing my head with a grimace. "…Six," I admitted before shooting a dark glare at Soundbite. "But if anyone else were to ask me, I would say five every single time, because as much as I criticize the government, I'll agree that there are some people you need to just lock up and melt the key. So let me be clear: nobody is to ever, ever breathe a word of the Eternal Hell outside of this group."
"…Well said, Jeremiah Cross," the old Vice Admiral said, approval and nerves equally prominent in her voice. "As it stands, any doubt I personally held has been dispelled, though I do dread the events that could have led to such a story, including Level Six. For now, should anyone still harbour any doubts, I would suggest that you contemplate the audacity fallacy."
There was a moment of silence before Soundbite sighed through newly acquired shark teeth. "Mind explaining?" Bartolomeo grumbled.
"Ahh… ah, yes, I've actually heard of this before!" Tashigi offered. "Basically, it's the question of why anyone would make an incredibly outrageous lie like that if they were lying? We'd be more likely to believe something less audacious; ergo, it must be true."
"… Uh…"
"Yes, I know that there are problems with that line of reasoning," Tashigi assured him. "After all, that's why it's a fallacy. Though… in this case, you do have to admit that it makes sense, right?"
"Yeah… yeah, I guess it does," Apoo nodded. "Alright, what the hell. I'm satisfied. It's totally nutty…" The long-arm grinned widely. "But in the end, above all else? I trust Cross. So if believing this is crazy… APAPAPA! What the hell am I saying!? I'm a Grand Line Native, I'm already crazy!"
"Hear, hear!" Dorry and Broggy chorused as one.
There were a few more vocal signs of agreement, a bunch of nods, and then a brief period of hushed exchanges. Then Jonathan spoke up.
"So, then, I believe we've just managed to handle our prerequisite business in a timely manner, so let's move on to our business proper. Who'd like to begin?"
"Ah… actually?" I grinned sheepishly as I raised my hand, wincing at the chorus of groans that sounded as a result.
"What should we have expected…" T-Bone groaned wearily.
"Unsurprised, Hina is absolutely not surprised at all…" the cage-woman huffed.
"Apa… Cross really loves to hear his own voice, doesn't he?"
"Tell me about it, he reminds me of Ito more often than not…"
"Oh, cram it up your bilges, it's not like what Cross talks about isn't important!" Merry protested on my behalf… before donning a cheeky grin. "Most of the time, at least…"
"Half the time…" Vivi conceded as she twirled a lock of her hair around her finger.
"Once in a while…" Zoro grumbled, digging a finger in his ear.
"Like, one percent of what he says?" Nami mused, using her clouds to buff her nails.
"So much respect, I really feel the love…" I grumbled, rolling my eyes. "I am serious, though. Before we go any further? There are some facts about us that need to change."
"Like what, Cross?" Smoker grunted.
I wiped my expression clean as I popped up a finger. "We need to rethink what we call ourselves." I raised a second finger. "And with that rebranding, we need to restructure our goals for the future."
"Ohoh?" Tsuru raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. "Well, you've certainly managed to snag my interest. Care to share what you have in mind, Mister Cross?"
"Well, it's like this, see," I said, tenting my fingers together. "Our current name, MI, Marine Integrity, was fine at first, when it was just Marines fighting to remove and replace a rotten system. But now… well, now we've grown beyond that. Ox, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, even my own crew and Cobra's. It's not just Marine interests being represented here, but pirates too!"
"And what of it?" T-Bone rasped dryly. "What 'interests' of pirates should we consider, hm?"
Vivi winced uncomfortably as she raised her hands to her ears. "Ooooh, this is going to be loud…"
And indeed, the following roar from our… less law-abiding compatriots would have shamed a banshee. And the loudest of all was Bartolomeo, who was leading the charge in the protests.
"WATCH YOUR FUCKIN' MOUTH, YOU TOO-FRESH CORPSE! WE'RE AS MUCH A PART OF THIS FUCKING THING AS YOU BITCHES, MEANING THAT WE HAVE JUST AS MUCH FUCKING SAY IN WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENS!"
"HOLD YOUR TONGUE, YOU INSOLENT CUR!" T-Bone bellowed back, giving just as fiercely as he was getting. "FOR YEARS THOSE WHO FLY THE BLACK FLAG HAVE LOOTED AND PILLAGED THE WORLD, SLAUGHTERING AND ENDANGERING THE INNOCENT WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A HINT OF EITHER RHYME OR REASON! THEY ARE A SCOURGE UPON THE WORLD BY THEIR VERY EXISTENCE, AND THEY DESERVE—!"
Right, that's where I draw the line.
"Cover your ears," I growled under my breath as I shot my hand into my bag. I gave my friends just enough time to defend their eardrums, and then…
BWAAAAAAAAAH!
"BOTH OF YOU, SHUT THE HELL UP!" I roared in the silence that followed my multi-decibel blast. I huffed a bit to get my breath back before forging on. "T-Bone, think about what the hell you're saying, damn it! 'Scourge by their very existence'? And 'deserve'!? That's the exact kind of shit that Akainu spouts, T-Bone, the same bile that the Elder Stars peddle! Is that really what you want in life, T-Bone?! Is that the level you want to sink to!?"
Another silence fell, though it broke just as quickly with T-Bone's weary and ashamed sigh. "My… My apologies, Cross. I have never conformed to the spirit of such teachings… but I have been forced to recite them for years on end, and as such, the spewing of such lies has become all but second nature for me. Still, I acknowledge that there is no real excuse for my words."
I nodded in acceptance at the apology, but my scowl snapped right back into place when Bartolomeo spoke again. No, wait, did I say 'spoke'? I meant to start cackling.
"Hehahahaha! Nice job putting him in his place, boss-ma—!"
"Bartolomeo, kindly stuff it before I reach halfway across the world and shove your pompadour down your throat," I practically snarled, reducing Bartolomeo to stunned silence.
"C-Cross, wha—!?" he started weakly.
"'What' would be the fact that you're acting like a royal jackass when you don't have any grounds to stand on," I spat. "And why? Well, you kind of burned it when you became involved with a few names. Names like Kironoa, Eolialso, the Prisca Santana, the… ugh, Crobin?"
"Heeheeheehoohoohoo—!"
"Plug it before I plug you," I snarled, prompting Soundbite to flinch self-consciously. "And Barto, you had damn well better remember those names, or else what little respect I have for you at the moment is going to hit rock fucking bottom."
"Wha—Of course I remember, those were some of the—!…ah… w-well, t-the islands and t-the ships that my crew—!" Barto flinched as my glare redoubled. "Ah… t-that I raided! B-but—!" The barrier-man swallowed heavily as he tried to regroup. "W-What the hell of it? So I raid a bit, big fucking whoop! T-That's what pirates do!"
There was a brief moment of painfully tense silence before I leaned forward. "'That's what pirates do', is it?" I hissed. "Do me a favour, would you… remind me when was the last time that the Straw Hats pulled a raid on civilians?"
"Wha-?! B-But that's—!?"
"Or the last time the Sun Pirates did something like that," I forged on through gritted teeth. "Or the Red-Haired Pirates? Or the Whitebeard Pirates?!"
"A-Ah… I, ah… t-that's, ah…" Barto muttered uncomfortably, shifting his eyes side to side as he tried to keep his cool.
"Cross…" Zoro said in warning.
I glanced back at the swordsman before heaving a defeated sigh. "I… alright, fine. Look, T-Bone, Barty, what I'm trying to get at is that for all you two were acting like royal dicks earlier, you're also not wrong. T-Bone, you have to keep in mind that Pirates are still human, or at least sentient living beings, but Barty, you need to acknowledge that the vast majority of pirates are amoral monsters."
"Hey, that's not—!"
"Kuro, Krieg, Crocodile, Blackbeard," I listed off dryly.
"…withdrawn," the barrier-man whispered.
"Alright, look, we're getting off-topic here," Foxy snorted. "Barto might be an idiot, but the rest of us have no such compunctions about our, shall we say, 'chosen profession.' What exactly is the point you're trying to drive at here?"
"What I'm trying to get at is that for all that there are bad pirates," I continued undaunted. "There are still good pirates in the world as well. Pirates who only go out onto the seas in search of adventure, out of a lust for freedom. And unless I'm mistaken, it's safe to say that those same pirates are represented here today, correct?"
"I…" Bartolomeo hesitated slightly before nodding firmly. "Yeah… Yeah, you're damn right!"
"But of course!" Broggy laughed.
"After all!" Dorry proclaimed. "What need have we giants for gold? Nay, we set out to sea in search of honour and glory for Elbaf!"
"Eh, me and mine do like the gold, but we tend to take it from other pirates, so I say we're in the green," Foxy smirked.
"To steal the crown of the King of the Pirates all for myself… Apapa, I'll go down in my tribe's history!" Apoo cackled ecstatically.
Vivi blinked thoughtfully. "Wait, doesn't that mean—?"
"Shhh," Merry shushed her with a grin. "I wanna see how this plays out in the future!"
"There is nothing in the world that matters more than freedom," Marigold quietly contributed.
"I believe I've made my point," I stated. "Now, dedicating ourselves to the integrity of the Marines was all well and good when it was just Marines here, but let's face it! This organization has expanded beyond the Navy's corruption, and our goals must expand with it. What I propose is thus: that what we no longer merely aim to rebuild Justice… but rather, that we aim to rebuild the whole world. It is my personal opinion that together, we must strive to build a world where those who do not seek adventure or excitement are justly protected, yes… but also a world that allows those who are swayed by the lure of the seas, swayed by adventure and freedom, to follow their calling freely, and without worry."
There was a long pause as everyone considered my word.
"Eh, what the hell, I've been backing crazy long odds since day one anyway," Smoker muttered with a sigh.
"It sounds idealistic… but honestly, Hina does not believe that that is a point against it, all things considered," Hina added.
"And besides, since when have crazy long odds meant anything to the Straw Hats or anyone on their side?" Jonathan mused with a smirk.
"We could definitely support something like that," Dorry hummed.
"Bigger fights and bigger risks?" Broggy cackled. "You're damn right we can support the hell out of that!"
"APAPAPA! Trust the Straw Hats to jump to the absolute craziest option!" Apoo cackled.
"Ergh…" Foxy sighed with a grimace. "I'm technically a part of their crew, so I'm going right to hell alongside them no matter what I say…" He donned a pained smile a moment later. "So I guess that means I might as well charge right in with everything I've got!"
"So, Mister Cross, if I am understanding you correctly," Tsuru cut in with a measure of sharpness. "You're proposing that we strive first for destroying the current world… and then rebuilding from the ashes to create an entirely new world as well as we can manage? Is that right?"
I made to respond, and then I grinned from ear to ear as a thought struck me. "Yes… Yes, that's exactly what I'm proposing! And as such…" I spread my arms invitingly before all of my comrades, physically present or otherwise. "Unless anyone protests, be it either to this change of objective or to what I'm about to suggest, it is my official opinion that we change this organization's name to something that makes our purpose evident to all. Ladies, Gentlemen, assorted bastards and bitches… I propose that henceforth, we label ourselves as the New World Masons. All in favour?"
"Aye!" a unanimous chorus of voices sounded out, with varying amounts of enthusiasm.
"Motion carried!" I nodded gratefully. "Anyways, that's everything particularly pressing at the moment. Who's up next?"
"No, he's on first."
THWACK!
"YEOW!" Soundbite flinched back into his shell with a yelp.
"Thank you," I nodded gratefully at Zoro.
"Just be happy I didn't hit you too," he countered.
"Well, if I may?" Jonathan cut in, though without any heat. "I am currently in possession of two pieces of news, both good and bad. Beginning with the brighter news: with the heavy damage to Blackarm Island, the Navy is in need of a new training base for their recruits, and has selected Navarone. Not only will this omit any lingering budget issues we have, but it should also prove an invaluable resource in turning soldiers to our number, as well as spreading our presence and influence across the globe."
I struggled not to let a massive grin split my face; with Jonathan in command, not even Akainu was likely to root out the mole mine we were setting up. But the other part of what he said still stuck in my mind, leading me to refuse to let myself celebrate yet.
"And… the bad news?" I asked, not stopping the dread that crept into my voice.
Jonathan's smile promptly dropped into a frown. "Well, the former staff of Blackarm Island has relocated to the fortress so as to continue training operations, and after gauging the personality of the chief instructor, I elected to try offering him the position of Taurus. He seemed intrigued at first, but the moment I brought up that we were acquiring intelligence from pirates, he closed off entirely."
I felt my heart threatening to explode. "Sooo on a scale of one to ten, ten being 'Akainu's on his way'—?" I began weakly.
"Calm down, Cross. He may not be willing to join us, but he's not willing to betray us either. He simply has his reservations about cooperating with pirates. When it comes to matters of justice, he acknowledges the corruption of the World Government, and he respects our endeavours to fix it."
"Mmph… and the SBS hasn't done anything to change his view of pirates?" I ground out.
"It had, Cross. But the recent attack by 'Captain' Kid has served to remind him of all the reasons why he and his despise pirates."
I promptly slapped a hand to my face, groaning. "Right, I read something about that dumbass almost getting torn in two by an ex-Admiral, of course it'd be the same one…"
"Ah, if I may?" Vivi spoke up. "Just how deep is this ex-Admiral's grudge against pirates? Because maybe I could try and—"
"In the early days of his career, he lost his wife and son, and more recently, he lost an entire division of cadets, save for two, along with his arm, all to pirates," T-Bone wheezed.
"Withdrawn!" Vivi squeaked.
I sighed, shaking my head. "Alright… well, if there's one silver lining here, it's that someone of admiral-level strength sympathizes with our cause, even if he doesn't support us. That's more than I can say for any other Admiral… for now, anyway."
I looked up seriously. "But still, that was too close a call; if he wasn't sympathetic, we'd all be gargling magma about now. As such, I think we need to come up with a contingency plan for later recruitment attempts; after all, if we let even a single thread get pulled, then everything could potentially come apart at the seams."
"What exactly are you suggesting, Cross?" Vivi asked in a steely tone.
"Oi, watch it!" I snapped indignantly. "I'm not Crocodile, and I'm not suggesting we become Baroque Works here. There are more ways to keep people quiet than death; just ask Capricorn and Rooster, seeing as they each have some of the best practitioners of one such method on their respective crews."
There was a confused pause as everyone wondered what I was referring to, until Hina perked up thoughtfully. "…Hina has Jango, and Goldenweek escaped onto the Cannibal with her cohorts," the infamous Black Cage mused. "You're suggesting that we hypnotize them?"
"Tell me it's not a good idea," I challenged. "It's non-lethal, I've never heard of there being any long-lasting damage, and if it works properly, there's no chance of them ratting us out. Plus, if all goes well, we'll soon have another person capable of brainwashing in our ranks." I blinked. "Actually, what about you, Vice Admiral Tsuru? I don't know much about the Wash-Wash Fruit, but do you think—?"
"Possibly…" the Vice Admiral muttered ponderously. "I've never tried it before… but then again, it's never too late to teach an old ability-user new tricks. I'll see about going out on a few patrols to experiment; Sengoku shouldn't bat an eyelash at my request to be away from Marineford—or more precisely, him—for a while."
I grimaced uncomfortably. "For what it's worth, I still believe he's a good man. I just…"
"Aired his moral failings and dirty laundry to the entire world," Tsuru responded. "I'm aware of that. My issue isn't so much the laundry itself as the fact that he ever accumulated it in the first place. He…" She heaved a weary sigh. "He was my friend, and I thought I knew him… and instead he hid so much from me? I understand that there's pressure at the top, but there's only so much that I can forgive. And I realize now that he passed that point long ago. And for that revelation… I both condemn and thank you."
I grimaced at the weary resignation in her voice, but nonetheless nodded in acceptance. "Alright, so we've got four capable of it, that should be enough for now. Does anyone else have suggestions for additions to the Cleaners?"
A pause fell, and Tsuru broke it with a scoff that sounded more like a chuckle. "Simple, but it will do. Now!"
"Ah, wait, hold on a sec!" Tashigi spoke up hastily. "I know that I'm going to regret this, but… Goldenweek, Jango and Vice Admiral Tsuru are only three. Who's number four?"
"The other sheep sailing about on the high seas," Merry whistled innocently.
"Uhh… someone else explain, please?" Foxy requested uneasily. "Preferably in a way that makes sense?"
"Oh, she's talking about Kalifa," I blandly replied. "She should be contacting you soon, and I imagine that with enough practice and training from Tsuru, she should be capable of wiping memories, too. After all, she was partially successful on Nami on her first try. Isn't that right, Nami?"
Nami responded by rolling her eyes.
"…Kalifa," Tashigi finally bit out. "As in CP9's Kalifa? The exact same Kalifa who tried to kill you all?"
"You mean sort of like how most everyone on this call has tried to kill us in the past, and still fantasize about killing me today?" I responded dryly.
"Seriously, HOW CAN YOU BE EVEN REMOTELY surprised by this?"
"Moving on, right now," the Lieutenant snarled, soliciting chuckles from most of the listeners.
"Mwahahahaha! Seriously, Tashigi, I thought you were past the 'ditz' stage by now," Merry snickered.
"…Cottonmouth? You are as annoying as Cross," Tashigi spat acridly.
I snorted in laughter, but looked curiously at Merry; she was laughing too, but it was clear that it wasn't out of amusement. It seemed more joyful.
"Oh, you don't know the half of it, do you, Tashigi?" Merry said with a smile. "I'm definitely going to have to get on the SBS next time to start telling the world more about their ships. Like I told Iceburg and Franky, the ship's heart is their crew. His or her likes and dislikes, his or her behaviour, his or her knowledge, all come from the ones he or she carries."
She sat back with a wide, peaceful smile on her face. "I've soaked up a little of everyone on the crew; they've made me who I am, and I couldn't be happier or prouder. Though, heh, I'm not planning on joining Zoro or Leo for a sword fight anytime soon."
"Wait, wha—?" Zoro asked, sitting up. Then he blinked in realization. "…You're saying that you're capable of mimicking all of our fighting styles, Merry?"
The ship-girl shrugged. "Well, obviously, I can't duplicate Luffy or Robin or anyone else who relies on their Devil Fruit. But, for hand-to-hand combat or weaponry? It's… more like muscle memory than actual training, but… yeah, I think I can fake it all well enough."
All present stared at Merry. Then, suddenly, the sound of mass scratching filled the air, drawing our attention back to Soundbite, who was himself glancing down at his grinding teeth in confusion.
"UH, what are you all doing?"
"We're taking notes, of course," Foxy scoffed. "Do you have any idea how much of a riot went on when her wanted poster was published, confirming beyond any doubt that an autonomous ship was responsible for rescuing the Straw Hats from Enies Lobby?"
"Congratulations, you've managed to start a global trend that's going to last for years," Hina huffed.
"You complete. Raging. Bastards," Tashigi ground out in a long-suffering tone.
There was a tense silence as we considered that before Vivi coughed. "Aaanyways, that's everything on your end, Vice Admiral Jonathan?"
"As of now, yes."
"Perfect," I nodded in satisfaction. "So, does anyone else have news before I drop another bombshell?"
"Someone please say yes," Smoker groaned.
"Well, I do have one more bit of news," Tsuru stated, a vindictive grin sliding onto her face. "All of you pirates can breathe a little easier for the immediate future. You see, on account of the sudden surge in public unrest and the bad publicity following Enies Lobby, there's been a bout of, shall we say, reassigning going on."
"Oh?" I let a smirk spread across my face. "Please, do tell."
-Four Days Earlier-
Admiral 'Akainu' Sakazuki was glowering worse than usual as he entered his superior's office. He had an operation to plan, dammit, and losing that brat Bartolomeo was infuriating.
"Report," Sengoku ordered tersely, the IV drip hanging at his side serving to emphasize just how drained the Admiral of the Fleets was.
"'Black Bart' Bartolomeo successfully escaped into the Calm Belt," Akainu immediately and tersely summarized. "Boa Hancock reported failure in tracking him down, and there has been no news of him since his escape. All Marine bases in Paradise have been notified to send word if they see him, and in the meantime, his bounty will be tripled."
Sengoku huffed out an angry sigh, idly shuffling through the papers on his desk as he listened. "How can one crew have provoked this much trouble?" He glanced up irritably. "One that doesn't have a D. on it, I mean."
"I assure you, Sengoku, that this will be the last time they do," Akainu stated. "The Straw Hat Pirates should have been exterminated upon their first broadcast, and that's a mistake that I fully intend to rectify."
The Buddha-Human didn't even spare the admiral a glance as he snorted dismissively. "Whatever the hell you're thinking about, forget it. For now," He waved his hand at the chair in front of his desk. "Why don't you just take a seat, make yourself comfortable? We're going to be here awhile."
"With all due respect, sir," Akainu responded, shaking his head and starting to turn towards the door. "My men are already preparing my battleship to sail for Water 7, and we're leaving within the hour. By this time tomorrow—"
CRASH!
Akainu flinched as a massive golden fist shot by his head and smashed the office's doors.
"SIT YOUR FUCKING ASS DOWN NOW!"
The admiral shot a glare at his superior, flaring the temperature in the room to the same levels as a raging volcano as he prepared to protest—
"Akainu."
—before clicking his mouth shut and killing the heat dead when he briefly found himself confronted with the sight of a horizon-swallowing, eye-searingly divine figure.
The next instant, he was back in Sengoku's office, the human Admiral of the Fleets still engrossed in his paperwork.
Sengoku glanced up at Akainu. "Sit down."
Akainu tried to muster some form of resistance—
Sengoku's eyes glinted gold. "Before I stop being polite."
And then promptly planted his ass in what he suspected was a deliberately two-sizes-too-small seat.
The Fleet Admiral levelled a stare at him, looking for all the world like the displeased boss that he was. "Just so we're clear, the only reason I am keeping myself calm in this situation is that my age has been showing lately, and I can't maintain my rage for more than a few seconds without my heart giving out on me. Make no mistake, however. We've had more resignations in the last twenty-four hours than in the last two years, at least fifteen percent of the World Government's nations have attempted or succeeded in revolution, and above all else, worldwide opinion of the Marines is at an all-time low. I. Am. Furious."
He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing more. "And the two major catalysts for this are the publicizing of CP9's black book—which Spandam is being punished for—and the destruction of Ohara. As it stands, we will be lucky if the deployment of the Buster Call isn't deemed a war crime worthy of Impel Down come the next Reverie."
"What!?" Akainu jerked forward in shock. "Sir, I realize that that Call didn't exactly go according to protocol—!"
"PROTO—!?" Sengoku started to roar before wincing and ramming his fist into his chest. "You want to speak to me about protocol?! While I acknowledge that all Buster Calls have high casualty rates, none before have resulted in genocide!"
"I had to be certain that—!"
SMASH!
Akainu promptly shut up when Sengoku's fist split his desk.
"To reiterate," Sengoku hissed. "Do not let my calm demeanour fool you, mutt. I am begging you for any excuse you can give me so that I can lock you away as you deserve. Will you be kind enough to give me that excuse?"
The admiral wisely kept his trap shut.
Sengoku snorted dismissively as he returned his attention to his paperwork. "Of course, now is when you decide to wise up… as I was saying, the main cause of the outcry is the fact that you, an Admiral, sacrificed a shipload of Marines and civilians for no other reason than your own 'Thorough Justice'."
"And what's wrong with—!?"
Sengoku whipped a form out of a drawer and slapped it on the desk. Akainu took one look at the paper, registered the words 'dishonourable discharge', and immediately reconsidered his priorities.
"As it stands," Sengoku continued. "I'd like nothing more than to throw the book at you just as I did to Spandam, as that would be the easiest and best way to diminish all of the negative publicity we're getting. But as it stands, your abilities remain too much of an asset for the Navy for me to do that. So, what I'm going to do instead is to make sure you don't end up anywhere in the public eye for the foreseeable future."
He pushed his paperwork forward for Akainu to see. "Your new marching orders are as follows: you and Vice Admiral Onigumo—who I am equally infuriated with—will be working together from now on. You will not be assigned to Marineford, you will not be assigned to anywhere in Paradise." He leaned forward, positioning himself so that he was looming over the suddenly, though quietly, terrified admiral. "Your assignment is to bury yourself in the New World like the tick that we both know you are, and wage war against the Four Emperors. You are going to do your level best to remind me, remind Kong, and remind everyone else who outranks you as to why we consider you so much of an asset, and why we cannot simply condemn your overkill-happy ass to Level Six of Impel Down. And if you don't?"
Sengoku pushed himself up from his desk, the light falling just right so that his face was hidden in shadows, two golden orbs where his eyes were.
"There is a very real possibility that we will forget."
He leaned forward and glared at the admiral's face. "Do I make myself clear, soldier?"
"…crystal, sir," the admiral ground out.
"Perfect," Sengoku nodded in satisfaction, ignoring Akainu's tone as he returned to his paperwork. "Just so you know, I fully expected that you would be difficult up to this point, so I decided to get some… assistance in this endeavour."
That prompted Akainu to blink in confusion. "Wait… what do you mean by—?"
SMASH!
Akainu spun around as the entire wall of the office smashed inwards, fully prepared to end whoever the intruder was, and promptly paled in horror when he realized who the intruder was.
"Hello, Mutt," a grinning Monkey D. Garp chuckled grimly as he strode up to his technical superior, slowly cracking his knuckles one by one. "Been a while. Don't worry, this won't be long, I'm just going to explain to you why you're going to stay the hell away from my grandson."
For the first time in over a decade, Admiral 'Akainu' Sakazuki swallowed fearfully.
-o-
"…After that, well… suffice to say that we probably won't be dealing with that particular walking menace anytime in the near future. He just arrived in the New World today, along with a large selection of Marines with, shall we say, similar views concerning Justice. Odds are quite high that it will be much easier to weed out potential supporters now that Akainu is on the other side of the Red Line, both in Marineford and on the high seas."
I wasn't quite able to respond to Tsuru because I was only half-listening. The reason for this lack of attentiveness was that halfway through her explanation, all of the pirates present—my friends and I included—and a few of the Marines started straight-up dying with laughter.
"HEHAHAHA! HEHAHAHAHAAAAAA! MY SIDES! MY SIIIIDES!" Bartolomeo howled, tears gushing from his eyes.
"It c-couldn't have happened—PFHAHAHAHA!—to a worse asshole, PFFHAHAHAHAHAAA!" I cackled.
"I m-must agree here," T-Bone gasped, obviously wheezing in an effort to get enough air in his lungs. "I have been w-w-waiting for that literal son of a bitch—FAHAHAHA!—to get comeuppance for the last twelve years!"
It took a good three minutes for us to get ourselves under control enough for Tsuru to speak again.
"Alright, that's all the news I have from the top presently. Is there anything more to discuss this evening?"
A few seconds of silence.
"Eh, I may as well say that I've collected a few more crews for our cause," Foxy said with a shrug. "Also, there seems to be some suspicious activity going on around the base of one Captain Moore. Isolated away from any civilian dwellings, ideal for corruption to fester."
"Suggestion noted," Tsuru said, and a slight sound of scratching came across the connection.
"I can assure you that I will be bringing a high recommendation of the New World Masons to my superior," Marigold added. "I cannot promise yet that they will join due to our… circumstances, but I believe that whatever resources we can safely offer are at your disposal."
"Which is a big deal," I confirmed with a sage nod. I then snapped my head up as a thought struck me. "Oh, and speaking of extra resources, good news: I met Dragon, and we're officially allies of the Revolutionary Army now."
The silence was deafening.
"…all in favour of not questioning this turn of events and merely rolling with it?" Jonathan suggested.
"AYE," was the unanimous chorus.
"Heh. Honestly, I don't feel comfortable thinking about it too hard, so I'll agree there too," I snickered before clapping my hands together. "Alright, if there's no further business, I move that we bring this meeting of the New World Masons to a close."
"Seconded," Smoker agreed.
A few seconds of silence passed.
"Motion carried," Apoo stated. "I'm looking forward to the next time I can hijack the SBS, Cross! KA-LICK!"
"Cheers to a new world, Cross. KA-LICK!" Marigold and Bartolomeo departed. And one by one, the connections dropped, until the only one speaking through Soundbite was the snail himself.
"So, who exactly is Cobra?" Vivi asked, confirming that the connections were gone.
"Boa Marigold, the youngest of Boa Hancock's two sisters," I replied, to much widening of eyes. "And yes, I mean Boa, the only female Warlord and the most beautiful woman on the six seas, Hancock. Suffice to say that the only reason she's a Warlord is that her contract with the Government is the only thing keeping them from raiding her island; the Boa sisters have more justifiable hatred against them and the male gender than even you can imagine."
Nami raised her finger and started to speak, but promptly lowered that finger and snapped her mouth shut. "I'd ask, but then I remembered what was lying behind the last time I asked, and I'd rather not have nightmares, thank you very much."
My other confidants nodded in agreement with varying amounts of desperation.
I shook my head free of those thoughts as I looked back at the sun, nearly setting, and I felt a smile grow on my face. "…hell of a view…"
I was shaken out of the wonder by a small tug on my pant leg, prompting me to look down at Merry's smiling face. "And I wouldn't be here seeing it without you," she whispered happily.
"Or me," Vivi sniffed haughtily, as she stepped up to me, before looking to the side with a blush and a grin as she rubbed her finger under her nose. "Though… honestly, I think that the positives are outweighing the negatives at this point."
"What they're saying is that you've been making a difference, Cross," Zoro explained with a roll of his eyes. He then donned a glare when Nami thwapped him upside the head, wearing a cheeky grin of her own.
"And what this lug is saying," she chuckled. "Is that we're all happy you're here, Cross?"
"NOT ME!" Soundbite denied, not very convincingly. "If it weren't for you, I'D HAVE HIT IT BIG in showbiz!"
"But instead, here you are slumming it with us, huh?" I needled with a smirk of my own.
"…bah. When you put it like that, I suppose it COULD BE WORSE," Soundbite whistled to the side in an oh-so-innocent manner.
I chuckled as I patted his shell, watching the sun sink all the while. "Don't ever change, Soundbite."
"Not even if they paid me, Cross. Not even then."
-o-
The six of us watched the sunset from the lip of the fountain until it vanished over the horizon, then headed back to the base for a casual night, followed by a casual day, and another casual night; the only occurrences of any noteworthiness during that time were Zoro picking out a new sheath for Funkfreed and Merry finally growing strong and stable enough to move without her crutches, though it'd be a while longer before she was capable of full-on running.
Then, on the morning of our seventh day since escaping Enies Lobby, Zambai and a visibly exhausted Paulie woke us up early to inform us that the new ship was finished. Needless to say, within the hour, all twenty-one of us were assembled on Scrap Island, facing a massive structure covered with a massive tarp, held by two-thirds of the remnants of Tom's Workers…
-o-
"Nagagaga! I wasn't about to miss the chance to do this!" Kokoro chuckled, standing alongside Iceburg and ready to tear off the tarp at a moment's notice. "After all, the last time I was a part of an unveiling like this, it was for old Jacky himself!"
"Woohoo!" Luffy whooped eagerly, all of the implications of the moment lost as he jumped from foot to foot with ill-suppressed eagerness. "New ship, new shiiiiiip!"
Luffy wasn't alone in his eagerness, either (big surprise). Everyone else on the crew was just as eager as he, though the degrees to which they were showing it varied, from Chopper's equally starry-eyed squealing to Zoro's stoic smile.
Still, even in the midst of all the anxiety and fervour, Conis still had enough wits about herself to glance around with a thoughtful look. "I'm sorry, but shouldn't we wait for Franky? I mean, he did build this new ship, right?"
"No way! If he's not here, that's his problem! I'm too eager for you all to see big bro large and in charge to wait!" Merry squealed, bouncing for joy on Funkfreed's newly-plate-mail-armoured head, said armour having been acquired courtesy of his brand-spanking new sheath.
"Eeeasy there," the elephant-sword chuckled, centring Merry on his head with a poke of his trunk.
"I'll admit, I'm pretty eager myself," I breathed, already soaking in the covered form before me with awe. "My memory's a little bit fuzzy, six months of wear and tear and all, but one thing I'm positive of?" I shook my head slowly. "The ship that I remember was not that big."
"Heheh, yeah," Merry laughed into her hand. "Franky was gonna make him smaller, but once he heard how many of us there are and once he got some say-so in matters, he told Franky one thing and one thing only!" Her grin widened to the point that it was visible even with her hand in place. "Big."
I nodded numbly as I took it all in. "Yeah… he hit that mark…"
"This is gonna be epic," Mikey whispered softly as he eagerly rubbed his hands together, his reaction mirrored by the rest of the crew's Dugongs.
"Enough waiting, show us our ship already!" Luffy roared, throwing up his fists in impatience.
"Heh, well, if that's how you feel…" Iceburg nodded in knowing agreement. "With Franky gone, I'll just have to unveil this ship to you in his place. And I have to say, it is quite a ship. My eyes lit up when I beheld the blueprints for this ship, and for good reason. This ship is truly incredible, capable of—!"
"Oh, will you shut your trap already!?"
"Wha—?"
THWACK!
"GAH!" Iceburg yelped when a pair of small feet slammed into his face and knocked him aside.
"Dynamic Entry!" Merry proclaimed as she stuck her landing, none the worse for wear after Funkfreed had flung her at the foreman, apparently at her prompting. She then flashed a pair of victory signs with a large grin. "Merry Edition!"
Nami promptly levelled a flat glare at me. "I blame you."
I donned a massive grin of my own as I flashed my own victory sign. "I accept that blame with pride!"
"What the hell was that for, you brat!?" Iceburg demanded as he shot up into a sitting position, pinching his bleeding nose shut.
"You were taking too long!" Merry stuck her tongue out at the man before grinning at us. "And Big Bro's getting impatient, so without further ado?" She grabbed the hem of our new ship's cover. "I give you none other than my brand-spanking-new Big Bro!"
And the amusement and bemusement amidst the crew faded into nonexistence as we beheld the spectacle that Merry unveiled.
"AWESOME!" the Kiddy Trio and TDWS exclaimed.
Boss bowed and shook his head with a chuckle. "Truly," he breathed out a proud cloud of smoke. "A ship capable of fulfilling all manner of Man's Romances."
"Hmph," Zoro smiled honestly. "Now that's a big ship."
"Incredible…" Robin breathed, lightly thumbing her stetson's brim up.
"THE KITCHEN! I NEED TO SEE THE KITCHEN RIGHT AWAY!" Sanji declared.
"It's magnificent!" Conis gasped, clasping her hands before her chest.
"I'll second that!" Su nodded her head emphatically in agreement.
"Even I'm impressed, this is amazing!" Lassoo panted eagerly.
"I've seen the battleships of Marineford, and this blows them clean out of the water!" Funkfreed trumpeted.
"Forget Marineford!" Vivi squealed, stars shining in her eyes. "Over half the ships that show up to the Reverie pale in comparison, and those carry kings!"
"Ah'll second that!" Carue squawked as he snapped his wing up in salute.
"…the GOD OF NOISE… has been left SPEECHLESS," Soundbite gaped in awe.
And in all honesty, I couldn't blame my partner, seeing as I was right there with him; double the budget and add a ship-whisperer into the development, and the result was… well. It was definitely the Straw Hat Pirates' second ship; the design was unmistakable, but in form? It was an entirely new beast that stood before me.
The first and most obvious distinction was the third mast sitting in the middle section of the ship, sporting furled square sails, part of a distinctly longer middle deck that gave the ship a leaner, sleeker look than the canon vessel. The mizzenmast on the rear deck had been adjusted, too. The arms of the mast were now parallel with the length of the ship instead of perpendicular, and I think the sails were different too. Sue me, I'm not a maritime expert. They'd adjusted the bow, too; the lion figurehead was now on the end of a longer extension sporting additional sail lines, and the entire bow was more sharply curved forward. And… I squinted at the form of Iceburg standing next to the ship. I think it might have been a bit higher above the water, too.
The overall effect was a ship that wasn't just fifty percent heavier, or so Iceburg informed us, but that also just plain looked faster than the admittedly kind of squat and tubby canon ship. It wasn't as inviting, but it made it look a bit meaner, so overall I think it was a wash in that department.
My inspection done, I leaned over to Nami, who was still doing her own examination. "So, what kind of ship is this, exactly?"
"I'm pretty sure it's a three-masted barque," she absently replied. There was a momentary pause, and then she grinned the sunniest grin I'd seen on her face in a long while. "It is! Oh, this is perfect! I was a bit worried they'd give us a ship-rigged tub, but this'll turn circles around most Marine ships! And we'll definitely have enough people to man the rigging, I was worried about that, too! Ohhh, I can't wait to get at the helm and take her for a cruise!"
"I'll take your word for it," I chuckled, feeling a drop of sweat run down the back of my head. "Anyway, though, before we go on board, I think we should give our newest crewmate his name."
"WHAT?" Merry's attitude spun around immediately as she shot a stern glare at me. "Cross, unveiling him without Franky being here is one thing, but to not let the one who conceived him have any part—!"
"If my memory is accurate, the name he set his heart on is 'New Battle Franky, Lion Gang Champion," I said, most certainly not with a smirk.
"…Right, then! Let's give big bro his name before we go on board!" Merry cheered, her attitude completing its revolution, albeit with a way more rigid smile.
"That should be easy!" Usopp smiled eagerly as he turned towards me. "Cross, in the story, what—?"
"USOPP!"
"Gah!" our sniper yelped when Luffy suddenly shouted.
"We can't just ask Cross for the ship's name," our captain informed him. "He only knows the name that a crew just like ours asked. If we choose the same name, fine, but we have to choose it ourselves! We're not just gonna steal it from them!"
"Well…" Usopp bowed his head in admonishment before smiling confidently at Luffy. "Well in that case, what names do you have?"
Luffy crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side, smoke all but visibly wafting up from his head as his mental gears ground against each other. And then his head popped up with a grin, a lightbulb practically shining over his head.
"Black Bear Polar Bear Lion Tiger!"
There was a heavy silence as everyone stared at him before Usopp clapped his hands. "Right, anyone else?"
"Oh, oh!" Vivi waved her hand eagerly. "How about… the 'Grace of Sekhmet'?"
"Denied!" Merry sang, popping her hand up. "Big bro's a boy!"
Vivi's face flushed as she slowly lowered her head. "Oh… yeah… right…"
"Still way better than Luffy's suggestion…" I muttered.
"Like that's hard…" Carue muttered under his breath.
"Super Wolf Gorilla Bear!"
We all ignored the rubber man in favour of waiting for someone else to speak up.
"How about…" Conis tapped her chin thoughtfully before pounding her fist in her palm with a satisfied smile. "Fluffy McFluffmeister? That sounds fierce, right?" She waited for a moment before glancing around in confusion when nobody said anything. "What? What's wrong?"
Su slapped a paw to her face with a moan. "Ohhh honey…"
"Next!"
"How about 'Big Boss Lionel'?" Zoro volunteered.
"I suggest Monsieur Sunflower," Sanji contributed.
"Dandelion Lion Dandy Unbearable Bear!" was Luffy's contribution.
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU THREE!?" Usopp roared incredulously.
"Better question: what isn't?" Lassoo snorted.
"Alright, that's it, silence from the Monster Trio!" Merry barked, exasperation battling with how she looked to be three seconds from busting a stitch.
Honestly, I had to agree with Merry on this one. Those names were so bad that even our ship was sporting a sweatdrop of its own. Or maybe that was just ocean spray, hard to tell. Then Robin opened her mouth.
"Do not say 'Being of Darkness,'" I warned her. She promptly tilted her hat down and glanced to the side, whistling, as many of the crew turned to stare at her.
"… 'Nostromo', then?" she suggested.
My head bounced as the sheer weight of that name struck me.
"I'd go for 'Ishimura' myself!" Boss proclaimed with a stab of his cigar.
"Agreed!" his students barked eagerly.
My head bounced even harder from that one.
"Tsk! Amateurs, THE LOT OF YOU!" Soundbite sniffed imperiously. "Clearly our beloved vessel deserves one name and ONE NAME ONLY!"
I shot a glare at Soundbite out of the corner of my eye. "Don't you dare. Don't you fucking—!"
"ALL HAIL THE ENTERPRISE!"
WHAM!
Aaand that one was heavy enough that I outright face-faulted.
"Captain?" I growled into the dirt. "My patience is rapidly wearing thin… as is the integrity of my skull."
"Okay," Luffy nodded. "Merry? What does our ship want to be named?"
"Doesn't work that way," Merry deadpanned as she waved her hand before her face. "We name him, he doesn't have any opinion either way except that it not be terrible."
"Oh…" Luffy slowly nodded his head in understanding.
"Hmm… oh!" Chopper snapped his head up as an idea came to him, eagerly grinning at me. "Cross, you can't tell us what the other crew named their ship, but it's alright if we come to the same name on our own, so… can you tell me what led them to choose that name?"
Luffy perked up with a grin at that. "Hey, that works! I'm with Chopper! Come on, Cross, what was it?"
"Ah…" I hesitated for a moment, glancing around at the crew and confirming that everyone was giving me their consent before looking at the ship before us and searching my thoughts for a good way to word this. And then… and then I had it.
I grinned as I jerked my chin dead ahead. "If you want an answer," I drawled. "Then just look to his mane."
All eyes turned toward the figurehead, staring at the orange spikes that composed its mane. For a few seconds, they just stared. Then I smiled as I saw understanding come into their eyes, lighting them all up one by one.
The second everyone got it, I spread my arms wide. "Ladies and gentlemen," I proclaimed proudly. "Allow me to introduce you all to the second and hopefully final ship of the Straw Hat Pirates! The ship that will carry us all to the shores of the isle of Raftel! The ship that is destined to carry us across the sunny waters of a thousand seas. Please welcome…" I swung my arm at the ship's figurehead. "The Thousand Sunny."
The instant the words left my lips, a wave struck the ship and caused it to rear up in the water, a groan, no, a roar echoing out from every plank of wood that composed it.
"…I am so in love with this crew," I breathed.
"And he really loves that name!" Merry cried as she literally jumped for joy.
"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed happily. "Then the Thousand Sunny it is!"
"Tch," Zoro grumbled. "I still say that Big Boss Lionel would be better…"
"Denied!" Boss immediately interjected. "There's only one Boss on this crew, and he likes his cigars thick and his enemies powerful!"
"Well, I certainly like it…" Nami said with a smile. "Sunny…"
"Full approval here!" Usopp and Chopper cheered as they shot their hands up.
"AGREED!" the Teenage Dugong Warrior Squad leapt and shouted as one.
Conis nodded her head politely. "Pleased to meet you, Sunny."
"Ditto!" Su cheered in agreement.
"Looks to me like everyone's as happy with the name as he is!" Funkfreed remarked.
"Well, if that's the case, then there's only one thing left to do!" Merry proclaimed.
The ship-girl rapped her fist on the nearest part of Sunny's hull she could reach, and a rope dropped down from the rigging in response. She then wrapped the rope around her arm and gave it a firm tug. Now, the rope dropping could have been a coincidence, but the rope yanking Merry up and onto the deck's railing? Not a coincidence.
"Come on!" Merry cried, waving her arms eagerly. "I'll give you all the grand tour!"
I blinked stupidly as I tried to figure out what the hell I'd just seen. "…well, shit."
"Nagagaga! Well, that's certainly not something you see every day!" Kokoro laughed uproariously.
"What the—?! How!?" Iceburg demanded. "I never saw anything like that in… the…" Iceburg's eyes then widened in realization, his jaw dropping like a stone. "…all those times you snuck off during construction…"
"That's right~!" Merry sang, swaying side-to-side as she stuck her tongue out. "Big Bro Franky was technically a part of the crew by the time everyone hit Enies, so I picked up some shipwrighting from him, and while we were building Big Bro, I hid tons and tons of tricks and gimmicks all around his body, and only I know how to work them! Cool, huh?"
"Considering how I actually got to know you while we were building Thousand Sunny?" Iceburg swallowed heavily as he eyed the ship-girl. "'Terrifying' might be the more appropriate term."
"Just be glad she's on our side!" Kokoro chuckled, knocking back her bottle.
I took that as my cue not to pursue the subject. "Right, then!" I said eagerly. "Given most of my knowledge is now completely null and void, what say we go ahead and look at our new home?"
Luffy had rocketed himself to the deck long before I finished speaking, and the rest of the crew barely waited before we were all running towards the beautiful barque. A few ropes and rubber lines later, and we were standing on one of the Thousand Sunny's key features, canon and now.
"THERE'S A LAWN!" Luffy laughed eagerly, he and the rest of the Kiddy Trio, plus Lassoo, throwing themselves onto the grass and rolling around in bliss.
"You've just made yourself a friend of sea-faring dogs the world over!" the mutt-cannon panted ecstatically.
"Forget the dogs, I'm in heaven!" Su cheered as she shot to and fro about the lawn. "So much vearth, so much green, and I'm going to be living on it!? Woohoo!"
"And trees, too?" Funkfreed breathed in awe as he chowed down on a few leaves from one of said trees. "This is… wow."
"You can definitely say that again…" I replied. And I meant it too, because 'wow' was the only conceivable word for the Sunny's mid-deck. The canon version had been impressive enough, but this? A field of greenery that was twice as long and half again the width, and this was all on a ship.
And the size wasn't the only obvious difference in the deck, either.
"Oh, what's this?" Sanji whistled appreciatively as he looked around the structure he'd entered. It was a pavilion, erected in the center of the deck between the main masts, though closer to the second. It was a simple thing, really: ten feet tall, eight wide and about sixteen long, and raised on a deck of wood. Overall, it looked like a wall-less—if well-maintained—shack.
Currently, Sanji was occupied with the central feature of the pavilion: an empty rectangular bar, erected in the center of the building. "So…" he mused as he ran his hand over the bar's countertop. "I take it that this place is meant to be a picnic area or something like that?"
"Even better!" Merry proclaimed, stomping her foot in the grass. Said stomp caused a section of the floorboards in the center of the bar to part open, and allowed a table of metal to rise into sight. Its purpose was unclear until the air above the metal started to shimmer, joined by a few trails of smoke.
Sanji was practically drooling as he took it in. "An outdoor hibachi grill…"
"More than just that!" Merry sang. "Hey, Conis!"
"Hm?" the Skypiean said, looking over from where she'd been watching Su clamber about one of the trees. "What is it?"
"Oooh, nothing much," Merry giggled. "I just wanted to show you…" She stomped the grass again, causing the grill to retract and a number of metal walls with metal sheets over them to rise, filling the whole bar area. Yet another stomp and the sheets sank… to reveal all of the weapons she had brought with her hung up and arrayed in style. "Your own personal armoury!" Merry proclaimed as she swung her arms out.
"Oh, wow!" Conis breathed in awe before hesitating slightly. "Ah… but Merry, even if those weapons are hidden below the deck… is it really such a good idea to have them all out in the open like this?"
"Already thought of that~!" Merry sang, and with yet another stomp, a quartet of walls shot up and properly sealed the armoury, with a plain old hinged door in the side allowing for easy entrance and exit. "Voila! Ready to weather the worst that the elements can throw at us!"
Sanji pushed the door open and poked his head out with an impressed whistle. "This'll definitely be handy. For many reasons."
"Glad to hear it!" Merry nodded before turning to Lassoo and Funkfreed. "This place'll also be your guys' sleeping quarters, special cases for both of you to snooze in. Sound good?"
The Zoan-weapons exchanged glances before nodding contentedly.
"Does to me!" Funkfreed replied.
"Sure as heck beats sleeping on my stomach!" Lassoo chuffed.
"Great!" Merry said, beaming. "And don't worry, I'll teach you guys how to work the pavilion's controls, so that you can operate it yourselves. Oh, and Conis!" She jabbed her finger at the gunner. "There are also a ton of controls all throughout Sunny that work the cannons, aiming them and firing them and all that, so I'll teach you how to work those, too. Fair warning, it'll be a lot of work. You think you're up for it?"
Conis didn't even hesitate to pump both her fists in a clear show of readiness, steam all but shooting from her nostrils, and her eyes shining. "Of course!"
"And don't worry, she won't be alone either!" Su cried, leaping onto her owner's shoulder. "One is good, two is better!"
Merry grinned. "Alright, I'll start showing you the ropes once we're on our way! Oh, and speaking of which…" She rapped her fist against the primary main mast (the one with the weight-room/crow's nest), and another rope with a handle at the end dropped down. She looked at me and pointed to the rope, grinning. "Just give that a yank, and it'll take you straight to the radio room! Fair warning, you're gonna wanna hang on tight!"
I exchanged eager grins with Soundbite before jogging over to the line, grabbing it firmly and giving it a hard yank.
One arm-straining and utterly exhilarating ride later, I was perched on the roof of the crow's nest. I was a bit confused at first, but then Soundbite indicated a trapdoor in the roof that I was… pretty damn certain hadn't been there in canon. So, I popped it open, dropped through, and entered my personal radio room.
Apparently, Franky and Merry had installed a makeshift attic in the weight room, which they'd converted into where I was now. Admittedly, the room was kind of plain at first glance: a slot on the wall designed for my transceiver, a large swivelling chair beside a desk, a perch with a bowl nearby where Soundbite could sit and nom on whatever the heck he wanted, and a bed (Franky's definition of a cot, I'm sure) at the other end of the room. That was about it, though. Eh, it made sense, I suppose. I'd have to decorate on my own time.
"Kind of a—WHOA, what the—?" Soundbite cut himself off as he noticed his voice echoing. I looked more closely at the walls, and then I realized that, thanks to the angle and design, they'd bounce any sound coming from near the chair. I grinned; with Soundbite's powers, that had serious potential.
"This is sooo cool…" I breathed.
"I know, right!?" Luffy agreed.
I started in shock as Luffy's voice came from the desk. I approached the desk, slid the top back using a handle I'd located—
"WHOOOA," Soundbite gaped.
I felt my jaw drop almost to the desk as I took in the large collection of pipe-like tubes arranged like a piano, each one labelled for a different place on the ship. Then, looking up, I saw that I had missed what was behind the desk: a collection of pipes that made the desk look more like a freaking pipe organ.
Acting on a hunch, I pressed one of the keys for the deck and spoke up. "Hey, can anyone hear me?"
"Cross?" Zoro's voice came out of the corresponding pipe. "The heck, did you get Soundbite's powers or something?"
"Nope!" Merry piped up from… another pipe. "He just found the ship-wide comms system I put in his room! Let's him hear everything across the ship, and spread his voice everywhere, too! Neat, huh?"
"But ain't dat wat Soundbite's fowah? Heheheheh—!" Carue's snickered through the pipes.
"Oh, so you mean you want Soundbite to keep his monopoly on all things auditory?"
"Heheh—squawk!"
"Hmm…" Soundbite hummed thoughtfully before cocking his head to the side. "BAH. I SHALL BE GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO GRANT YOU ALL THIS TRESPASS UNTO MY DOMAIN!"
"Glad to hear it, my liege! Now, hurry up and zipline down the rope I've got set up over the crow's nest! I wanna show you guys the helm!"
My partner blinked in confusion. "Huh? The helm? WHY? What could be so special about THAT?"
As it turns out, quite a bit.
"Pirates and piratesses, allow me to present to you," Merry proclaimed in a grandiose manner as she swept her arms before her. "The nerve center of Big Bro Sunny!"
And it certainly looked the part, without a doubt. Rather than a pedestrian wheeled helm with a lever next to it, Sunny's helm was affixed to what I can only define as a U-shaped dashboard that, despite the low-tech look of the dizzying array of levers, switches, winches, and buttons, would have been right at home in a Mecha anime. Add in the number of hand-brake style levers lined up next to the wheel-proper and the pedals below the wheel, and it was just…
"Wow," I repeated numbly.
Merry grinned eagerly as a rumbling groan ran through Sunny. "Big Bro really likes how much that's been said about him!"
"Hrm…" Nami hummed as she leaned around the panel and thoroughly examined it, her clouds swaying around it but never actually touching it. "This all looks impressive, sure, but… what exactly does it all do?"
"Weeell…" Merry began with a grin.
And what followed was a complex series of gestures and jargon that I will spare you, readers, the difficulty of muddying through. When she stopped speaking, I looked at my crewmates. Soundbite's eyes were spinning, Robin was frowning in a clear attempt to keep up, and everyone else was either staring blankly or asleep on their feet.
Nami, meanwhile, was practically vibrating. "Really?"
"Uh-huh!" Merry nodded with just as much eagerness. "Ain't it cool?"
"I think all of us normies agree that it would be cooler in English," Raphey deadpanned, Mikey's subsequent snore serving to underline her point.
Merry shot a sidelong glare at the dugong before sweeping her arm over the dashboard. "All of these controls here," she drawled. "Are capable of operating every line, every sail, every timber…" She then donned a more bloodthirsty smile as she flipped a toggle.
TH-THWACK!
"AGH!" "OUCH, DAMN IT!"
"And every pulley," Merry snickered as she watched the pair of dugongs nurse the brand new lumps they were sporting. "On Big Bro Sunny. Sure, there are odds and ends everywhere in the woodworks, but this here is the master enchilada, way more impressive. You like?"
"Worth every last beri we paid," Nami breathed. Almost everyone present developed sweatdrops; the last time she had been this excited was when she saw the pillar back on Upper Yard, and Robin was already surreptitiously preparing a dope-slap. However, the arm on Nami's hand evaporated when she suddenly blinked the beri-signs out of her eyes. "Eh? Wait a second… hey, Merry, I just realized: none of these controls are actually labelled."
Hearing that, the ship-girl flinched and refused to meet anyone's gaze as she scratched her blushing cheeks. "Eh… r-r-really… i-is that so, huh… w-well then, I suppose that it'd be best if the person operating it were…" She glanced at Luffy sheepishly. "Someone who knew Big Bro Sunny… inside and out?"
Luffy's response, of course, was to smile. Only unlike usual? This was a smile not of amusement, but rather one that was wholly and undoubtedly kind. "We wouldn't have anyone else at Sunny's helm, Merry."
Merry instantly snapped out of her funk with a massive grin before snapping her attention upward, her expression changing yet again to show a more solemn smile. "Thanks, Captain. But before that, there's… one thing I need to take care of real quick."
With that, she flicked one of the dashboard's toggles, grabbed the rope that swung into reach, and, with a tug, was yanked up onto the top of the crew's nest. A glance at Soundbite was all that was needed for him to amp her.
"We've got one last thing we need to do before Sunny can really be our ship!" she proclaimed, digging her hand through her coat and withdrawing—
"Is that our spare flag?" Usopp asked, drawing down one of his lenses in order to better scrutinize the black cloth that Merry was holding.
"Nope." Merry shook her head with a sad smile, drawing her coat open and indicating the emblem on her chest. "This is our spare flag. What I'm holding…" She held the flag to her chest, tears shimmering in her eyes. "It's the original. I… I can't bear it anymore, not with all my damage, and… and I'm g-gonna miss it…" She was silent for a moment before smiling contentedly. "But… I'm alright with that. I'm alright because I know… I know that the next person to bear it will do it and do it right. So…"
And so, with almost reverential slowness and care, Merry tied her flag—our flag—to Sunny's flagpole, keeping it bunched up once it was secure. The second the deed was done, however, she re-donned her usual grin and gazed back down at us. "And now…"
She stamped on the crow's nest and let the flag loose at the same time, and both the flag and Sunny's mainsail snapped into full view as one. And with Merry's coat still open, it was a trinity of skulls that smiled down at us.
"I'm proud to announce!" Merry cried, her fists planted on her hips. "That as of this moment, the second ship of the Straw Hat Pirates, the Thousand Sunny, and the helmsgirl, 'White Menace' Going Merry, are officially reporting for duty!"
Luffy grinned, as did the rest of us. And after the moment passed, I spoke up again. "Now we just need to get Franky here so that the Thousand Sunny can have his maiden flight—!"
CLONK!
"Ow!" I winced, rubbing the spot Merry had handily landed on before chuckling sheepishly as I realized what she was glaring at us for. "Ah… maiden voyage, I mean."
"Much better!" Merry chuckled before blinking and glancing around in confusion. "But… ah… now that I think about it, Big Bro Franky is pretty late. What the heck is keeping him?"
"Ohh, nothing much," I said with a smirk. "He's just labouring under the delusion that he's not coming."
Merry stared blankly at me before cocking her head to the side. "…I'm guessing you have something in your head to fix that particular bit of stupidity?"
The grin I donned was swiftly mirrored by her, by Luffy, aaaand by pretty much everyone else on the crew.