~Third~
"Hey Usopp! Are you there?!"Luffy called looking around the Merry for the long nosed sniper "Where did you run off to? Come back!"Chopper called "Hey Usopp!"Luffy said checking in the crows nest and basically everywhere on the ship not realizing Usopp was still there just wearing a mask.
"I checked everywhere looks like we're the only ones on the ship"Nami said "I don't get why you insist on being stupid, it was Merry alright"Nicole said "Yeah!"Chopper and Luffy agreed "You're the one being stupid the Merry couldn't have sailed itself here"Nami said "And why not? You've seen this ship fly twice and you still believe she didn't sail herself?"Nicole asked.
"Well what makes you so sure about it?"Nami asked "We all heard her right?"Nicole asked "But there's no way right? That's impossible"Nami said but she wasn't so sure about what was impossible anymore "See? You're not so sure yourself either"Nicole said leaning on the rail next to Zoro and holding his hand just cause really.
"Hey look there's a ship coming"Luffy said, it was a Galley La company ship filled with shipwrights and Iceburg, Nicole smiled waving back to the mouse Tyrannosaurus sitting on Iceburg's shoulder but then the Merry hit her last wave and the keel snapped braking the ship in half "Hey why is it falling apart all of the sudden?"Zoro asked.
Nicole frowned a bit "Nothing sudden about it, we all knew this was going to happen"she said "Yeah they told us Merry was unfit to sail"Sanji said "Ice pops help Merry's in trouble can't you do something? You got here just in time, you're all shipwrights aren't you? I'm begging you don't let her die now, Merry's more then just a ship she's a member of our crew if it wasn't for her we all would have died back there so come on do something!"Luffy yelled.
"She's fought hard for you but it's time to let her rest besides i've already done everything that i can"Iceburg said and went on to tell how on that stormy night in the middle of the aqua laguna he heard something and did his best to fix the ship all on his own, he told them he watched the ship sail off on its own.
"This is a miracle, there's no other word for it, the miracle that a ship has gone beyond its limits to see you one last time as you know i've been a shipwright for many years but i've never seen a ship as incredible as this one, it's lived a wonderful life"Iceburg said.
Luffy recalled what Merry had said when she appeared seemingly out of nowhere in Enies Lobby "I understand"he said, the Strawhats got off Merry and into a smaller boat the Galley La ship let down on this boat there was Robin, Franky, Sanji, Chopper, Nami, Zoro, Nicole and Usopp.
Luffy was standing on a smaller boat right next to the Merry, it was time to say goodbye "Well guys you ready?"Luffy asked but Nicole had a feeling he was asking that more to himself as he lit the torch "Marry i know the floor of the sea is a dark and lonely place but don't worry we're here to see you off"he said and set the Merry on fire with the torch.
"I'm sure you wish he was here but it's probably best that Usopp isn't around i don't know if he could take this"Luffy said "Well? Is that true?"Zoro asked the masked man in question "Of course it isn't we must all say our farewells someday every man knows that we must hold back our tears, Luffy knows what has to be done"Usopp said.
The Merry quickly caught on fire and the Strawhats watched their ship go down in flames "Thank you for carrying us for so long and so far Merry"Luffy said his little boat backing off, then it started snowing "Merry"Nicole muttered a bit and couldn't help tearing up as she recalled all the good and the bad memories they had made on the Merry.
"I'm sorry"they heard a voice say, Merry "I wanted to carry everyone just a little bit further i had so much fun i wish our adventures would never end"she said "Merry!"Chopper called as Nami broke down but before she could fall Sanji pulled her over letting her cry in his shoulder, Nicole bit on her lip hard blinking away tears trying not to cry, Zoro pulled her closer, a literal waterfall of tears was coming from Usopp but the others remained stoic, though that didn't mean they weren't just as sad about having to say goodbye to their friend.
"But i'm sorry i"Merry was cut off "No Merry! If anyone should apologize it's us not you! I'm no good at steering i ran you into icebergs and all kinds of stuff! I took bad care of you and ripped your sails! Zoro and Sanji are idiots too they were braking your stuff all the time, Usopp tried to fix you but he wasn't any good at it we all know that, if anyone's sorry it's us"Luffy said full on sobbing as well.
"I don't mind i was happy, i know you always treated me with love, thank you, even if the time we spent together was short, i'm glad that i could spend it with you"Merry said before the flames consumed her "MERRY!!!"Luffy cried.
~skip~
Two days later the Strawhats were back on Water 7, Nicole was out on shipwreck island with Zoro examining Yubashiri "Can you do anything?"Zoro asked "I can only tell you to take better care of Kitetsu and Wado Ichimonji and this"Nicole said before bonking him on the head with the butt of the blade "Ow, but i guess i deserve that"he said rubbing his head.
"You sure do, you don't even have a grasp on Haki yet you go and be reckless with your swords, at the very least i hope this has taught you a valuable lesson"Nicole said "Yeah"Zoro nodded before looking at Yubashiri "I'm sorry, i was a terrible master, i promise to be better from now on"he said laying a hand on his other swords "I'll make sure he keeps to that promise"Nicole said putting her hand on his.
Zoro smiled and put Yubashiri away and held her hand as she lead the way back to where they were staying.
~skip~
On their way back Zoro and Nicole spotted a marine ship and rushed their way back.
~skip~
Even though they rushed back the marines were already there "Damn it we're too late"Zoro said "Come on"Nicole said letting his hand go and rushing on ahead drawing her swords and fighting the marines with Zoro when one marine with Kukuri knifes came flying at him but he easily took care of the guy.
"Zoro Nicole it's okay we don't need to fight the"Luffy was cut off as he was kicked but the rubber boy easily took care of them "Boys you're no match at all"Garp said walking out of the building, anyway the two marines turned out to be Coby and Helmeppo, as soon as Nicole heard that name again she instantly bolted as far away as possible.
~tiny skip~
The marines were fixing the hole Garp had made "So this grandpa of yours is really famous?" Sanji asked "Beats me i never really asked him about his job"Luffy said "By they way Luffy i heard you met your old man a while back"Garp said "Huh? My dad? No i don't think so, i didn't even think i had a dad"Luffy said.
"That's a shame i thought he'd introduce himself to ya, from what i hear he saw you off back at Loguetown"Garp said, Nicole furrowed her brows a bit it was starting to make a little bit more sense why that green wind had appeared back then "Uh could you give me a hint here? What's dad like?"Luffy asked.
"The name of your father is Monkey D. Dragon, the revolutionary"Garp said, now it made total sense but still Nicole found it shocking, as did everyone else, they freaked out "What's the deal you guy? Why's everyone freaking out so much?"Luffy asked "Are you kidding me?! You're trying to tell me you've never heard of Dragon before?!"Sanji yelled at him.
"He's a dangerous man like really dangerous"Nami said "Eh he wasn't that bad"Nicole shrugged "Are you saying you met him?"Luffy asked "Yeah, i'll tell ya the full story later"Nicole said "So what's a revolutionary?"Luffy asked turning to Robin.
"I'm not exactly sure how i should explain this one, pirates like us are enemies with the navy but we don't usually attack them on our own but the revolutionary army is directly opposing the authority of the world government and the man at the head of that group is Dragon, by now his ideology has spread to many nations causing world wide rebellion, the governments hold has already collapsed in number of regions, naturally the government is furious, they've labeled Dragon as the worlds worst criminal and won't stop at absolutely nothing to hunt him down, the problem is no one knows a single thing about him, he's very mysterious and yet"Robin trailed off.
"And yet what?"Luffy asked "You exist"Nicole said "That was a mistake huh i probably shouldn't have said all that stuff"Garp said and just laughed "I take it all back, forget it okay?"he asked shocking everyone further.
"Anyway Luffy since you're my grandson i won't capture you and turn you over to the government it's fine if i tell them that i'm sure everyone will understand can't put work before family right?"Garp asked "That's not an excuse sir let's just say they got away"his lieutenant said "I mostly just came here as a favor to Coby and Helmeppo you boys take your time and chat it up all you like i'm heading back to my ship for now"Garp said.
"Alright so long!"Luffy said before Garp punched him "Is that all you're gonna say?! At least pretend like you care! I'm your grandpa you haven't seen me in ages!"Garp yelled at the rubber boy "But i'm happy you're leaving all you've done is yell and hit me!"Luffy yelled back "I just want my grandson to love me you idiot! I'm not as heartless as you!"Garp yelled back.
"That old man blew in and flew out like a storm"Sanji said "I admit the part about Dragon certainly surprised me and here i thought my family history was odd"Robin said "It's certainly surprising, honestly i should of seen it sooner from what i remember about Dragon, though thinking about it Luffy doesn't really resemble his old man at all in appearance"Nicole said.
"Where is Luffy anyway?"Chopper asked "He's out front with Coby and that other guy"Zoro said "You don't wanna see them too? You're old friends right?"Sanji asked "Well this does bring back memories but Luffy's the one who saved Coby"Zoro said "Personally i'd like to stay as far away as possible from that other guy, for his sake so i don't snap and castrate him, i still blame you by the way"Nicole said.
"Would you drop it already!!"Zoro yelled at her "No"Nicole simply said sipping on her tea "I wonder where Nami went, she said she wanted to gather info from the navy but i guess she changed her mind"Chopper said "She said she went to the pool with Kokoro and the others"Robin said "The pool?"Chopper asked "Galley La has a company pool in the back for all of its employees to use"Robin said.
"Does that mean Nami's in a swimsuit i better bring her a drink!"Sanji said dashing off in full lover mode "It's been ages since i've gone swimming for just fun, i might take a dip as well if that's fine with the doctor"Nicole said turning to Chopper "Yeah, you've recovered really quickly you gotta tell me how"Chopper said.
"I guess my body just works faster"Nicole shrugged not really knowing how she recovered so quick herself, anyway she grabbed her swimsuit from all their stuff and headed out back, a beat of silence passed before Zoro followed her, Robin giggled a bit while Chopper tilted his head clueless about Zoro's intentions.