***Amaya's POV***
"This is the Merry! It's the Merry!" Chopper's wobbly voice starts to say as he's flopped on the ship's deck. "I really love the Merry!" He fails his little limbs as best as his worn body would let him.
"...she's alive. My Merry is alive!" Usopp exclaimed with tears in his eyes as he hugged the mast.
"I can't believe it! This ship was dropped into the sea!" Franky mentions what happened back in Water Seven.
"Believe it! Merry is the eighth member of the Straw Hats after all." I smile as I look towards the figurehead. "Right, girl?"
"Who on earth sailed the ship here?" Nami questioned, looking around for anyone else.
"I just-" I was interrupted by a swordsman.
"We'll talk about it later! Give us your instructions!" He spoke to Nami, reminding her and all of us our situation: surrounded by marine battleships.
"That was close! I thought I was gonna be killed by the battleships!" Luffy shouts as he is also sprawled on the deck floor. "Hey, Ama! Thanks for-"
I covered his mouth to keep him from finishing. "As if I wouldn't save you, we all made a promise didn't we? Thank you for keeping your end." I smile.
"Don't worry about it." Luffy smiled and laughed.
Robin then took over and thanked everyone from the crew with me following right after. I didn't want to steal going first since I was an addition to the original story, yet sometimes it feels like the original storyline is a distant memory. I truly feel like I've been a part of this world my whole life.
"Say stupid stuff like that after we escape from here." Zoro, the killjoy, ruined the moment.
Apparently, Sanji and Chopper thought the same as they attacked him with a kick from the blonde and a chomp on the leg from the reindeer.
"What do you mean 'stupid stuff', you damn moss head?!" Sanji shouts.
"What do you mean, you dame moss head?!" Chopper mimicked the chef.
"Shut up! If we die here, it'll all come to nothing!" Zoro defended himself both with his words and his sword from Sanji's kicks.
"Apologize to Ama-chan and Robin-chan!"
"He's right!" Apologize!"
"That's enough!" He looked down like he just realized something. "Oh, Chopper? You can move now?"
"Huh? Y-You're right! I'm moving!" His tiny self started to shout in joy. His happy mood then did another 180 as he transformed into his larger form and put Zoro in a painful looking hold. "Apologize already!"
"Ahhh!"
"Do you give up?" Sanji smirked.
"No!"
"Now, guys!" Nami takes charge. "We're gonna hurry up and get outta here!"
"''Yeah!'''" Everyone cheers in agreement.
All ships take aim!
"They're gonna fire at us!" Usopp freaks.
"Catch the wind from the starboard and head east!" Nami orders.
"We can't! We're surrounded on all sides!" Zoro declares.
"Sanji!" I called. "Did you find it?" I ask.
The sound of two battleships colliding into one another showed the result of his success.
I smile. "Guess ya did!" I yell over to him. "Nicely done!" I turn my head towards Nami. "Nami! Prepare for some new currents!" I warn her, so that she can get us out of here quicker.
"Woah! This is more than I expected!" Sanji's voice responded.
"Sanji! Don't tell me you did something earlier!" Usopp wondered.
"Yeah, these guys aren't the kind of enemy we could escape from with just guts, right?" He rhetorically asks, pointing to his head. "So I decided with Ama-chan's help that closing the Gates of Justice would work in our favor." He explained.
"Are you two geniuses or what?!" Luffy shouts from the floor.
"We can't go on rejoicing forever. The whirlpools are a problem for us, too." Zoro analyzed.
"That's right!" Usopp agreed.
"Morons." I shake my head at them.
"What?!" They both yelled at me.
"Shut up!" Nami interjects. "There is no sea that the Merry couldn't cross with us on board!" She declared.
"That's right! We're counting on you, navigator!" Usopp's opinion quickly changed its tune.
"Nami-san! You're so cool!" The love cook had hearts coming from his visible eye.
While she finished identifying the trajectory of the whirlpools Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and I went to the back of the ship to protect her from cannon fire.
"One-Sword-Style...Thirty-six Pound Phoenix!" He slashed at a cluster of cannonballs headed our direction. "Dammit! I can't do the Hundred-and-eight version with just two swords." He complained.
"You can just take a break, then." Sanji quipped.
"What'd ya say, ya jerk!" He snapped back.
"H-Hey! They're coming again!" Usopp tried to get their attention.
They were too distracted. "Room! I called, creating a large one around us as I threw six pebbles in the direction of the cannonballs. "Shambles" I had them all change positions, so the cannonballs were headed back to the ship that fired them, creating devastation for them on impact.
"Tripple-Flame-Stars!"
"Collier Shoot!"
After some time, Luffy dragged himself over to us, using his chin to pull the rest of him over. He wanted to fight too, so Sanji and Zoro stretched him out like a tarp to richotte all the cannonballs back.
"That saved us, Captain!" Zoro smiles at his further injured captain.
"Just as we'd expect from our captain!" Snaji joins in with a smile of his own.
"Hey! Are you guys demons?!" Usopp shouted at the two with shark teeth.
"Ya know, if they didn't dislike each other they would be a deadly duo to battle." I comment.
"Don't just say that like there isn't a problem!" Usopp shouted at me next.
The Straw Hats are escaping towards the Falls!
Fire! Fire! Fire! Are you all idiots?! Sink that ship already! Spandam's annoying voice orders.
It seems that they caught the whirlpool's current! They're going at an incredible speed!
"Go! Speed forth with all your might!" Luffy yells from the ground.
"Franky! Can you do the thing?" Nami shouts at the man.
"Sure!" He jumped over to join us in the back of the ship. "Prepare for a shock." He informed us. "It'll be rough on the ship...Sorry about that." He was placing his arms together and changing his stance to be able to take a heavy impact. "Coup de Vent!"
The ship then took to the sky, flying outside of the battle fleet's range.
Usopp readied an attack of his own. "Don't underestimate what she's been through! The Merry flew 10,000 meters high in the sky! Special Attack! Super Smoke Star!" He launched the projectile to land in front of the fleet, creating a large smokescreen and hiding us from view.
***Mini Time Skip Brought to You by a Ama's Plane Flying Away***
I was up in the crow's nest as we were slowly trugging along the ocean's current back to Water Seven. After everything that went down, I needed some alone time. I laid down on my back with my legs dangling off the side, watching the sky and the clouds that passed by.
I failed.
Not only did my plane get taken from me again by the marines, but this time I couldn't bring her back. I had to slice her up myself, destroying the living legacy of my island, my family in the process. Talk about pathetic.
I wish I could have at least said goodbye. I wonder...did planes also have spirits if they were loved like Merry?
"Hey, Merry?" I speak out. "Did you ever meet the spirit of my plane? Was she happy? Is she upset that I failed her?" The breeze left. "She must've been, huh?"
"I see a ship headed towards us!" I hear Luffy exclaim from the deck below.
I guess it's time to get out of my head and rejoin the rest. I stall for another second before begrudgingly sitting up and climbing down the rope ladder.
The large ship headed our direction had 'Galley-La Company' written largely on one of the many sails. It was a beautifully made ship, then again you couldn't expect anything less from those crafters.
As the ship neared, the commentary of all the people on the ship became more apparent. Many were impressed by the Straw Hat's survival, especially since they left mid-storm to storm enemy territory.
"Ahoy! Ice pops!" Luffy calls out to the still injured mayor.
Our celebration didn't last long, as Merry split in half. Her head was nearly drinking the sea water as she was now bending over due to the damage.
"Hey, what's going on?! What happened all of a sudden?!" One of the passengers on the other ship shouted.
"All of a sudden? Isn't this just natural?" Sanji suggested.
"Huh?" Luffy looked at him in question.
"It was declared that Merry could no longer sail." The chef explained.
Luffy ran over to Merry's head, calling out to the other ship. "Pops! This is bad! Merry is in trouble! Please do something! You guys...This is good timing! You guys're all shipwrights, right?! I'm begging you! Please do something. She's our friend who has been traveling with us all this time! And just a bit ago she saved us!" He begged with hope.
I closed my eyes. This was hard to watch, knowing the outcome already.
"Then let her..." his voice was heard amongst the small waves. "Rest now. I've already done everything I could. I'm watching a miracle right now." He states. "A miracle of a ship that has long passed its limits. I've been a shipwright for many years, but I've never seen a pirate ship this incredible. It's lived a splendid life."
"Okay," Luffy's voice of acceptance could be heard. I opened my eyes to see that his expression matched his tone.
We all left the ship, headed for a long boat that was provided for us by Galley-La. We stayed on it as we prepared to send Merry off on her next adventure.
"Well then...you guys ready?" Luffy questions his crew around me as he stands on a boat of his own ahead of us.
He received a couple of 'yeahs' in return.
Luffy lit the torch he held in his hand as his head was lowered in Merry's direction. "Merry...The seabed is dark and lonesome, so we'll watch you to the end." He raised the torch to lite Merry where she split in half. "Maybe it was good that Usopp wasn't here. There's no way...that he could bear this." Luffy solemnly comments, unknowing still that Sogeking was Usopp in disguise.
"What do you think?" Zoro lowly questioned the sniper next to him.
"I disagree. Everyone must someday say farewell. This is a man's parting. Not a single tear should be shed."
Luffy finished setting fire to Merry as we all watched.
"He too...is prepared." Sogeking finished.
We watched as the flames soared to every part of the Going Merry. From the deck to the remaining ropes and sails and slowly approaching the masthead the fire started to consume her.
"Thank you for carrying us for such a long time, Merry." Luffy said as his smaller boat floated back to join ours.
As we silently watched, small circles started to fall from the sky.
"Snow?" Nami wonders aloud to my left, holding out her hand to catch the first drop.
It didn't look like snow to me, rather small balls of light. They continued to cascade down from the sky, bringing a warm feeling upon contact.
'I'm sorry', Merry's voice voice to each of us. 'I wanted to carry you even further. I'm sorry. I wanted to continue going on adventures with you forever. But I-'
"It's us who have to apologize, Merry!" Luffy interrupts her. "I'm not good at steering, so I ran you into icebergs at times. There was a time I tore the sails, too." I stopped a few times as he sniffled. "Zoro and Sanji are stupid, so they broke all sorts of things! Usopp would fix them each time, but he isn't good at it! So it's us who have to say," he trailed off, falling to his knees on his boat.
'But I've been happy. Thank you very much...for taking good care of me all this time. I really have been happy...because I have all you. And I got to make a best friend like you, Luffy.'
"Best friend?" Luffy questioned.
'She was with us since your best friend arrived. She called herself Ghost Member of ASL.'
The cold breeze swept across my newly wetted face, hearing of her: my plane. So she made a friend. I'm glad.
'But now she's gone and it's time for me to join her. Thank you..everyone.'
With those final words, Merry tipped over and started to further sink into the sea.
"Merry!!" Luffy screams for her.
I hopped over to Luffy's boat, so I could wrap my arms around the rubber man. It's hard, saying goodbye to your beloved vessel, especially when you think it's your fault. I should know.
"Ama!" A new voice joined as a silhouette appeared within the sinking Merry. "Don't you dare blame yourself! I was happy to be with you!" The voice was spunky yet caring, which could only describe one person who came to mind.
"B-But! I couldn't protect you! I never even gave you a proper name! I-I'm so sorry!" I cry out to my plane's persona.
"Of course you did, silly. We're shadow members, remember? We are the shadow of the 'A' just like when you were building me as a kid."
"Shadow.." I look up to see a smile on the glowing silhouette's figure. "Thank you."
"I'll always be with you, Ama." Shadow faded along with Merry into the sea. A wail left my mouth as my eyes acted as faucets.
Luffy and I were both sobbing messes, crying over our respective losses.
***Time Skip 2 Days Later***
Some of us were chilling in the temporary quarters that we were given once we returned. I slept for a day and a half and woke up to Chi staring into my soul. Needless to say, she scared the crap out of me.
I also learned that all of our things were lost during the Aqua Laguna. I turned to stone, upon receiving that tidbit of information. My air board, my dials, and my money just gone. I cried. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. I wailed inside my head as Chi attempted to console me.
After I calmed down, I joined Nami at a small table. She was still depressed about our missing things, mostly the money and her tangerine trees. Sanji offered us tea, hoping to cheer us up a bit.
The cook then went to wipe up a feast for our now sleep eating Luffy. Why did you have to teach him that skill, Ace?
Granny Kokoro came to visit us along with her granddaughter and her bunny. She thought that everyone had woken up since Luffy was eating, but she was stunned to see that he was still asleep. She then noticed a gloomy Nami, asking what the problem was.
Nami was like a monochrome painting as she explained, no life or color behind any of her words and actions.
"How gloomy." Granny Kokoro comments. "Then I wonder if the visitors outside have something to do with that."
"Visitors?" Sanji questioned as we received a knock with people delivering handfuls of different objects inside several santa sized sacks.
It was if someone came over and dumped a bucket of paint on Nami's head, she was revived. She ran over to hug one of her trees. "Tangerine trees! I thought I'd never get them back!" She squealed in delight.
"Well, when we were chasing you guys around as Iceberg's assassins, we confiscated everything as pirates' belongings. Sorry about that." The man explained as he also held something very important.
"My Air Board!" I shout in excitement before rushing over to inspect its condition. There wasn't so much as a scratch, and all the things that were being held inside were still safe. Whew. "Thank you!"
"I'm glad for you two." Granny Kokoro chuckled at Nami and I.
"Hey! We're back!" Chopper calls as he and Robin walk through the door.
Sanji dutifully raced to grab the bag out of Robin's hand.
"I went to check on the Franky Family's injuries. Also, I didn't take my eyes off of Robin!" The reindeer reported with a military salute.
"Ok, well done." Sanji returned the gesture.
"Yep!"
Robin started to laugh. "I told you, I'm not going anywhere."
"It's a promise, okay?!" Chopper said.
"It's a promise." She agreed.
"Both of you! Look at this!" Nami interrupted them. Striking a pose that one might see on a gameshow, she showcased her trees. "The tangerine trees were okay! We got everything back, including our money and belongings! We can now continue our journey!"
Chopper ran over in front of her to join in on the celebration. "All right! I'm so glad!"
Frany then busted into the room striking a new pose with the twins on either side of him. "Yow! Are you guys super! Everyone," he looked around. "Isn't here, but that's okay." He then stood like a normal person.
"What is it, Franky, all of a sudden?!" The semi-exasperated cook asked.
"Listen!" Franky pushed up his shades, so we could see his eyes. "I've got something important to discuss with you." He sat down cross-legged right there on the floor. "On an island where wars happen one after another-" he started to tell a tale only to be interrupted by Sanji.
"What is it all of a sudden? You just barged in here. If it's a stupid story, we're not gonna listen."
"Geez, Sanji, no need to be so rude. I'm sure there's a reason. At least hear the man out." I suggest with a smile.
"Yeah, just shut up and listen to my story." Franky agreed. "No matter if the islanders start a war where cannonballs fall incessantly, or if everyone dies and the town also dies and turns to ruins this huge tree would continue to stand. No matter what happens, this tree will not fall. People once again nestle close to that tree and create a town...a country. Only a few trees like that exist in this world. The name given to the strongest of all trees is 'Adam,' the treasure tree."
"A tree?" Sanji retates, uncertain.
"What about the tree?" Chopper tilts his head with his arms crossed.
"Its wood appears on the black market on rare occasions. I wanted it, but it cost almost 200 million. So it was impossible for me to buy it. And then, there appeared pirates with a lot of money- in other words, you guys."
"You jerk! You'd better not have bought something like that with our money!" Sanji snapped at the cyborg who still sat on the ground.
"Just keep listening!" Franky yelled back as he pounded both fists on the floor and continued to face the ground. "A long time ago, I made the decision that I'd never again build a ship. But I wanted to catch up to the person who was my goal after all. The next thing I knew, I was drawing blueprints for a ship."
He took a short pause. "My dream is...to use that treasure tree...to build one ship...A dream ship that crosses any sea!" He said resolutely. "I've already obtained the tree. I've already got blueprints, too. I'm going to build this ship now. So...when it's completed...will you set sail on the ship I've built?!" He then started to shift his gaze among all of us.
"W-what t-then?" Chopper couldn't form the words.
"Then... a-are you going to give that ship to us?!" Sanji was in disbelief.
Franky grinned. "That's right. Nothing would make me happier than for people I like to travel on my ship. Well, that, and it's kinda like you gave me the money for it, so..." I chuckled at hearing his second reasoning.
"The Oro Jackson, the ship of Gold Roger, the only man who completed the round-the-world journey, was also built using this treasure tree. I swear...I'll build an incredible ship."
"I guess it can't be helped." Granny Kokoro said. "Tom-san and you are both craftsmen after all." She followed her statement with a slightly drunken laugh.
"Now...I can understand the feelings of Tom-san, who died with pride."
Everyone started celebrating, thanking Franky left and right. I smiled at the scene. It was always cool to see these things first hand.
The grateful party was cut short when the wall was suddenly bashed in, smoke and debris flew everywhere within the room, obscuring the offender in the process.
"What the hell!?" Franky's voice shouted.
"Who's there?!" Chopper questioned.
A silhouette was seen walking towards us. "So you guys are the Straw Hats?!" A familiar voice questioned. Ahh, that's right. How'd I forget about this? I smile as the others start to panic.
"I've got some guys who I want to have meet Monkey D. Luffy." He states as the smoke clears and his dog head piece becomes visible.
Franky and Sanji got into defense positions between him and Luffy as he stopped the snoozing straw hat.
"Geez...He's as hopeless as ever." He then shaved past the two guards, headed straight at Luffy.
"What?" Franky's shocked face was kinda funny.
"Dammit!" Sanji turned to face his captain in worry.
"Wake up!" Garp yelled as he punched Luffy into the now broken floor.
"Luffy!" Chopper shouts.
"O-Ouch! That hurt!" Luffy complains, holding the new bump on his forehead.
"That hurt?! What're you saying?! That was a punch! There's no way that'd work on rubber!" Sanji reasoned.
"There's no means to ward off a fist of love!" Garp says as he removed his headpiece. "Looks like you've gone on quite the rampage, huh, Luffy?"
"Ack! G-G-Grandpa!" Luffy stutters upon seeing his face.
"What?" Everyone chorused. "Grandpa!!" They all shout.
"A-A Navy Vice Admiral is his grandpa!" Chopper screams.
"Hey Garp!" I wave and smile at the man.
He smiled at my greeting before returning his attention to Luffy with a fake one. "Luffy! Isn't there something you need to apologize to me for?!"
"'Garp?' 'Garp' is the name of a Navy hero!" Nami states.
"Eh?" Franky and Chopper wonder.
"Yup, that's him. Same guy." I answer their unasked questions.
"Eh!"
"Luffy! Is he really your grandpa?!" Sanji asks the still whining Luffy.
"That's right! Don't you dare mess with him!" Luffy seriously responded. "When I was small, he almost killed me a bunch of times!"
I laugh. "Luffy, why didn't you only mention the bad things. He took me shopping!" Chi squeaked in agreement on my head.
"That's cuz you're his favorite!" Luffy protested.
"Now, don't go giving me a bad name." Garp directed his statement to Luffy. "I shoved you into a bottomless pit. I threw you into a jungle at night. I attached you to balloons and let them fly. I did all those things in order to make you a strong man!" He claims.
"I think I've just discovered where Luffy's endless vitality comes from..." Sanji mentions.
"That and all the grief Ace put him through as a kid, dropping boulders on him and such along with kicking him off tall bridges. Ahh, memories." I chuckle.
"I eventually entrusted you with my friend as had you train with Ace and Ama, but I take my eyes off you and look what happens...." He trails off with his eyes closed in disappointment. "I trained you to become a strong marine!" He bellows from a new stance.
Luffy shot off the ground into a stance of his own. "I told you over and over that I wanted to become a pirate!" He protested.
"You got corrupted by 'Red Hair'! How foolish!"
"Sh-Shanks saved my life! Don't badmouth him!"
Garp grabbed a hold of the front of Luffy's shirt, preparing to punch him once again. "How dare you talk like that to your grandpa?!"
"Ahhhhh! I'm sorry!" Luffy quickly relents, trying to avoid his punishment.
"This is terrible! Luffy got captured by the Navy!" Chopper freaks, earning a small laugh from me.
"Don't worry Chopper just give it 3...2...1" I point to the two who had both fallen asleep mid-argument.
"''What?! They fell asleep?!''" Chopper, Franky, and Sanji all shout, earning a loud laugh from me. This was great!
Garp snapped out of it first. "Oh, no. I fell asleep. Hm?" He then noticed that Luffy was also asleep as he was being held by Garp. "Wake up, Luffy! Is that how you behave when you're being scolded?!" He then wacked him a couple more times. "And that's not how you should speak to your grandpa in the first place!"
The others seemed to be over it midway.
"Th-th-that hurt!" Luffy shouts between clenched teeth as he held onto his new additional bumps on his head.
Garp then gave him a quick lesson on Shanks, being one of the Four Emperors, and that the other powers that held them in check were the Seven Warlords and Navy Headquarters. After the lesson, Luffy seemed clueless still, but he was glad to hear that Shanks was doing alright.
The sound of fighting could be heard from outside, specifically swords clashing. I sigh. I'm surprised he made it.
"Hm? What's going on?" Garp wonders.
"That's Pirate Hunter Zoro, a criminal with a bounty on his head." Garp's officer responded.
"Oh? That's Luffy's friend? He's quite energetic, too. Well, you guys, try stopping him." Garp smirks as he talks to a couple of his officers.
"'Yes, Sir!'" The two respond before making a dash in Zoro's direction.
I stepped out to get a good view of the show.
Luffy followed after them. "Hey, Zoro, wait! You don't have to fight!" He was interrupted by an uppercut kick from a pink headed marine.
"What the..?! You bastard!" Luffy tried to punch him, yet missed due to his speed. The blonde marine was attempting to take Zoro down with a sword type weapon I haven't heard of.
It was over in a flash. Luffy had pinned pinky and Zoro had a sword on either side of the blonde.
Seeing it was over, Garp and I walked over as Garp laughed.
"You guys are no match for them at all!" He laughed at his fallen students.
"You guys are strong. I wouldn't expect anything less. I concede." The pinky said before he was allowed up. "It's been awhile. Do you recognize me?" He questioned Luffy and Zoro.
"Who are you?" Luffy asked.
"It's me, Coby! Don't you remember me?"
"Coby?" His thinking face was plastered on as he dug through his memories. "Coby?! I do have a friend Coby..But the Coby I know was short."
I snicker at my slow-witted best friend.
"That's me! The Coby who was a hopeless crybaby!" He admitted with a smile.
Chi couldn't hold it in as we both laughed. "That's not something I would have admitted." I mention.
They then caught up for a bit.
"Well then you guys!" Garp calls.
"Sir!"
"Repair this wall." He ordered, pointing to the mess he created.
"What?!" They all question in dissatisfaction.
"That's so selfish!" One complains.
"If you were going to have it fixed, why did you break it in the first place?!" Another reasonably questioned.
"It's cooler to go in that way, isn't it?" Garp explains.
"Don't break it for a reason like that!"
"Fine we'll fix it, but you gotta help!"
Garp's energy drained out of him, but he still helped his men repair the damage.
"I thought your grandfather was a big shot?" Sanji questions Luffy to my right.
"I don't know much about his job." Luffy admits.
"He is, but he's a reasonable guy in the end. He's not the stuck up type like the ones we usually run into." I explain with a shrug.
"Come to think of it, Luffy." Garp starts as he continues to hammer the new board in place. "I heard that you saw your old man."
"What?! My dad? What do you mean by my dad? I have a dad?"
"Oh.. Then he didn't tell you who he was? I heard that he saw you off at Loguetown."
"Luffy's old man was in that town?" Sanji confirms.
"Wh-what's my dad like?" Luffy wonders.
As he continued working Garp spilled the beans. "Your father's name is Monkey D. Dragon. He's a revolutionary!"
"Dragon?"
I covered Chi's ears with one hand and one of mine with the other, knowing what was coming.
"'WHAAAT?!'" Both pirates and marines shouted in surprise.
After they stopped yelling, I removed my hands glad that my eardrums were still intact.
"Chi Chi."
"You're welcome." I respond to her thanks.
"Hey, guys.." Luffy looks at his crew. "What are you so surprised about?"
"Idiot! You don't know the name 'Dragon'?!" Sanji yells at him.
"Your father is a dangerous man!" Nami added on.
"Huh?" Luffy was still confused.
"In short, Luffy. He's a man with a lot of power, yet works against the world government. Got it?"
"I think?" His face said otherwise.
At this point, Garp was the only one still working on the wall since his helpers were still in shock at the news. "Ah, I guess, I shouldn't have said anything about it, huh?" He stopped hammering as he scratched his head. He then laughed. "Well, then, forget what I said."
Everyone except Luffy and I became frozen. "EHHHH!!!" They all shouted as Chi and I laughed at Garp's antics. I went over to assist with the board that Garp was still installing, hoping to speed up the process a bit.
"I was sad to hear that you also became a pirate." Grap said as I helped him out. "I was hoping that the strongest of the bunch would become a marine." He continued.
I sighed sadly. "You know I couldn't Garp. They would have only used me for my knowledge on planes. A circus monkey if I was lucky or a bird locked in a cage. Besides, I couldn't betray my parents like that, not after what happened. Even if there are good marines like you and brother Smoky, that's not true for the higher ups who call the shots. Sorry to disappoint you."
Garp sighed, too, as we continued to work. I would grab a board and hold it in place, and he would hammer in a few nails to keep them there.
"Did you join Luffy's crew?" Garp questioned. "I would have thought you would have chosen Ace over him."
I blush at the suggestion, nearly dropping the board I was holding. "I-It's not like that Garp! They're both my best friends. Nothing more." I took a deep breath to settle my nerves. "And no, I haven't joined Luffy's crew. I'm just hanging out with them until my next island tradition. I also decided that I won't join a crew until I fall in love. It'll keep things from being awkward like joining one then switching to another later on."
Garp laughed. "You always were the smart one of the group."
I laugh as well. "Well there wasn't much competition in that category."
We were at a calm silence for a few more boards.
"Ama, there's something I want to tell you." He seemed serious, which was unusual for the man.
"Hm?" I hold up another board.
"It's about your parents. Do you want to know more about them?" I dropped the board in shock before whipping my head in his direction.
"I'll take that as a yes. I think you already know about your father, Kazaku. He was the island chief of Arocana, a great warrior and known for building some of the fastest planes."
I sat down next to Garp, listening about my parents. I nod my head, showing that I knew some of what he just mentioned about my father.
"Do you know about my mother? In the journal they left me, they mentioned that she was once important before she married father. Do you know why?" I question.
Garp sighed in resignation. "Did you ever wonder about your bounty name?" He asks instead.
Hoping it would lead somewhere, I humored him. "I thought it was generous that they named a pirate Goddess, but other than that not really."
"It has to do with your mother and it is yet another reason that your bounty posters want you captured alive. Your mother was a World Noble. She was one of the few who were normal due to her passion for learning. Once she met your father, they fell in love and she decided to move there, leaving her family behind at Marie Joes. She was one of the good ones as you would say." He explained.
My mom was a World Noble. Gotta admit, I wasn't expecting that. No wonder my first bounty was so high. I'm not only the lone survivor to know how to build aircrafts, nor am I only the keeper of an insanely powerful devil fruit; but now you're telling me I'm related to World Nobles. Just wait till they learned I copied Robin's knowledge. Man I'll always be hunted. What a pain, but at least now I know more about my family.
"Thanks for letting me know, grandpa." I said with a smile.
He hit his hand with the hammer at the word, grandpa. He looked at me in shock with tears streaming down his eyes. "W-What did you say?" He questioned.
"I said, 'thanks for letting me know, grandpa.'" I repeat only to be wrapped up in a bear hug.
"S-She finally called me grandpa!" He exclaimed in joy "Luffy! Did you hear her! She finally called me grandpa!" He then gave me a grandfatherly kiss on the top of my hair, allowing me to copy his knowledge on the Six Powers that CP9 uses.
After his hug and kiss, he froze as he face turned to one of realization. "I shouldn't have done that." He looked at me. "What did you learn?" He asks, concerned of what it might be.
"Umm, the Six Powers." I reply, hesitantly.
"What?!?!?!" Everyone shouts.
Garp turned to stone for a moment before it crumpled away, leaving his shocked self. "Well, then, forget I did that." He swept it under the rung again.
Everyone, pirates and marines, all collapsed to the floor in dramatic anime faints as Chi squeaked her laugh from her spot on my shoulder.
I smile at the scene. "I'll do my best." I responded, knowing that it was impossible.
After some time, Garp gathered his men and faced all of Luffy's crew and I.
"Since you're my grandson and granddaughter, I decided not to capture you on this island! I'm gonna give the Nave that good excuse, so stay here and rest easy!" He declared.
"That can't be an excuse, so let's tell them that he got away." His second in command recommended behind him.
"I just bought those two along to say hi." He gestured to Coby and the other blonde. "Feel free to talk as long as you want. I'm going back!"
"Okay! See ya!" Luffy waved goodbye with a smile.
Garp punched him in the face. "That's too casual!" He berated him. "Be more reluctant to say goodbye, you idiot! You haven't seen your grandpa in forever!"
Luffy sat up from the grass he was knocked onto. "What do you want me to do?! All you did was hit me!"
"Even so, I still want my grandson to love me, you moron!"
Deciding to save Luffy, I stepped in. "Since you are being forced to leave us, have a safe trip back." I said with a smile. "Chi CHi", she sent him off as well.
"Take notes, Luffy! That's how it's done! I'm off!" And with that, he was.
We all went back inside, except for Luffy, to relax from all the excitement of Garp's visit with freshly brewed tea. I wonder how long we will need to wait until the ship is ready. I should take about a week, right?
I should train my Rumble Rumble powers for hearing things while I'm still in town. I should also start designing my new plane. I want to make it faster like dad's plane's were. I bet I overlooked some notes in his journal.
I yawn. It's a great plan, but I'ma start tomorrow. I went over to the bunk that Chi and I shared with Robin. I was out like a light as soon as I hit my pillow.
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Authors Note:
So here's what I've decided to do with the posting schedule. I will post once a week every Friday, but I will post the number of chapters I've written up to that point. So you will for sure get 1 chapter a week or you could potentially end up with 2 or 3, depending on the week. I feel like once a week in reasonable for me to slow down when I need to, yet if I was a reader, I would want more so this was my compromise.
Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'm looking forwards the the upcoming ones as well. Until Next Time...
World Imaginer