Foreword: This rather short oneshot was first posted on a chaos thread to the prompt 'Loyalty'. The idea behind it is not original; I've seen other fics exploring the situation from Merry's POV, but hopefully there's room for one more. As always, concrit is very welcome and encouraged.
The fic is starts at about the same time as manga volume 36 and ends at approximately volume 39.
Disclaimer: The characters and situations of One Piece belong to its creator, stupendously talented, sometimes-heartless Eiichiro Oda. They are used here without permission for entertainment purposes only. This fanfic is not to be used for profit in any kind.
One Last Time
A One Piece fanfic by Elin B
The ship had known for about a day now that a very big wave was coming, one larger than any she had encountered before. She'd been aware of it even before two of her people had returned to let them know about it, talking loudly to each other. Human speech was often hard for Merry to parse to begin with, unless she made a big effort: people talked so fast, and had so very many words. It was usually easier for her to sense presences and intentions of those who were familiar to her. But in this case, the slow, steady wind, the current that kept drawing the water further out and the fish rapidly swimming away down into the safer depths had already let her know what was coming.
She didn't fear the wave. But for one thing, she would have been at peace with it - she had managed to bring them all this far, at what seemed the very best place to let go, an isle of shipwrights who could build them a new ship. And it seemed a quick, fitting way to end things, one that would be easier to bear with composure than getting dismantled bit by bit by scrappers. She was so very worn-out and tired.
However, the one who had stayed with her and was still trying to futilely patch her up and keep her spirits up showed no signs of preparing to get away before the great wave came. Usopp's love for her, his stubborn refusal to let her go wrenched at her even as it also warmed her. Merry wasn't sure if she would be able to summon enough strength to protect him from the worst of the wave, making sure he'd survive. That great worry gnawed at her, keeping her from accepting the fate that seemed inescapable.
When the big dismantler with blue hair who understood about ships showed up to bring them both up to his place and it looked like she'd escape the wave after all, she was half relieved and half dismayed. What if Usopp decided he'd try sailing home on her later, against all sense? She'd have to make herself break apart right after leaving port, so he'd be able to swim back. That would be hard to do, timing it just right.
Then suddenly three men and one woman dressed in black turned up, hostile to the dismantler-guy. The ship felt disturbed. She couldn't quite understand what was going on, but there was a darkness in the city that she'd been aware for a while now, and these black-clad people were at the very centre of it. And, she sensed now, it was a darkness that threatened the whole crew. When they took Usopp away it only confirmed her suspicion. Merry was plunged into the churning waters below, and maybe she should have welcomed it, but now new worry agitated her instead.
I can't let the wave finish me! I need to know what's happening to them!The sea was too much in an uproar to let her clear her mind and reach out to them now. She'd have to keep herself together, somehow, enough to let her focus later... if she could.
I will,the ship resolved. And then the great wave came.
Pain, the ship could not feel, only a haunting loss of self whenever damage made her function much worse than she ought to; taking her away from the good, solid ship she was built to be. After the wave, that loss was starker and wider than ever, enough for a small caravel to drown in. She was coming undone.
Tossed up on shore, the ship strained her powers to search for her people. And maybe because of how close her end was, or just because her needwas so absolute, she was able to reach further and see clearer than ever before.
They had all left this island. They were onboard two of those strange Sea Trains, rushing headlong into a place of terrible danger. Great battles waited for them, there. They would fight so very hard, all of them, to be together again. And they would win. But - Merry creaked with alarm - there was nothing there for them to return on. They'd be stuck, outnumbered, cornered. And killed.
No! I will not allow it!
She sensed a man that walking on the shore, moving stiffly as if he was in pain, then pausing to look at her. Merry felt an affinity with him. Like the loud dismantler from before, this was a man who understood ships.
She focused hard on talking to him, to his heart - begging him to do one last repair. And, miraculously, he did hear her, even though he had never even seen her before. He was hesitant, rightfully sceptic considering the extent of her damage... but Merry insisted, and at last he consented.
Even more wondrously, this wounded man working alone managed to patch her up enough for this one last journey. This was no ordinary shipwright. Again, Merry was supremely grateful she had made it to this particular island and no other before the end.
Sailing alone would take effort, without her steady navigator there, without anyone of the others to man her. And once she reached her goal, she would have to sneak past great battleships, making sure not to be seen by the enemy before she reached the crew. But the destination lay clear in the ship's mind, and she knew she could do it. Once there, she would call out to them. Usopp would certainly be able to hear her - but, she rather thought, so would Luffy and the others. They would not do worse than this stranger had done.
As she pushed herself away from the island of shipwrights, a great, selfish joy shot through her from stem to stern.
They still need me after all! I get to sail with them one last time!
sang through her creaking wood, her flapping sails and flag. If she could have, Merry would have whistled.