Together

"This is incredible. Franky really outdid himself." Cade glanced around her room. It was right beside the large fish tank that Franky had installed at Sanji's request. They all had giving the cyborg requests on what they'd like to see on their new ship. Franky didn't disappoint. Though she didn't really want anything but a bedroom, a sewing room and a room for her brother. Franky delivered on it all. He even put a door between their bedrooms so they could be close.

Kale shifted and fidgeted with the necklace. "Is this... really okay?"

"Of course it's okay. You no longer are a slave to the navy. You are a Straw Hat. We'll all take care of you." Cade took her brother's hand. "Trust me. It's going to be fine. You saw what our crew did to get Robin back. The navy won't bother you again."

Kale tightened his hand on hers.

"Come on. Let's go back onto the deck. We should be leaving soon." Cade led Kale out of the room. They gathered on the deck in time to see Franky landed half buried in a pile of wood, naked. "Why did they have to pull off his underwear?"

"Give me back my pants, Straw Hat!" Franky said after pulling himself from the boards..

"Then be our shipwright," Luffy said.

"Don't be silly. Don't assume you can make me your crewmate just by taking my pants!" Franky posed. "Stand like a lion, brave against the waves, even if behind the mask you have nothing!"

"I underestimated him! He's so resolute!" Luffy said. "H-he's the man of men!"

"He's just the biggest pervert out there!" Nami growled

"If I'm allowed to be a little violent, I can help you out." Robin crossed her arms. "Dos Fleur."

Arms and hands sprouted on Franky's legs. Robin squeezed. Franky screamed.

"Well, that's... one way to get what you want." Cade chuckled.

"Your friends are... very unconventional," Kale said.

"Yeah. That's them." Cade nodded. "You'll get use to it eventually."

"Hey, Robin! I want him to be our shipwright as a man! Don't make them come off, okay!" Luffy said.

"That's not possible, Luffy," Cade said. "He's still a man even if they come off."

"One a pirate has their hand on treasure they're never going to let it go," Robin said.

"I said I want to stay on this island!" Franky said. "I'm really thankful to you guys, more than I can ever imagine! I want to go with you guys, but I have stuff to take care of here! That's why I gave you guys a ship! First of all, I quit being a shipwright already! So that ship would be the last ship that I'd ever make!"

"Stop it, Franky. This isn't isn't your so called dream ship, yet," Iceberg said.

"I changed my mind on that," Franky said.

"What you want to do? No that's not right. Whatever you're doing on this island now is all just atonement. You are still blaming yourself for Tom being taken on that day. But Tom had already forgiven you. You brought those punks in the backstreet together. You called yourself a bounty hunter and protected this island from looters. Everything was done to protect this city of water that Tom loved. Though probably no one looked at it that way. You quit shipbuilding and subdued your will to live. Is that what your going to do forever? Even if Tom forgives you and I forgive you, you probably won't change, huh? Why don't you forgive yourself, Franky? You can live your own dream, right?"

Franky cried, still holding his private area.

"Hey, Robin! Please, stop!" Luffy said. "Huh? Aren't you doing anything?"

"I only did it once," Robin said. "He's just being a baby."

Zoro and Sanji come running towards the ship. "Luffy! Your grandpa is coming back! They already took the offensive in the coast over there and are looking for us!"

"I thought Grandpa was already leaving," Luffy said.

"Who knows?! Prepare to sail!" Sanji said. "Whoa, Franky! You haven't gotten your pants back yet?!"

"Here! Now get on! Captain's orders!" Luffy tossed his pants back to Franky.

"All right! I'll take care of it! I, Franky, will be the shipwright of the Straw Hat crew!" Franky leapt into the air with his butt sticking out. "I'm going to be away for a while!"

"Put your pants back on," Sanji said.

"And another idiot gets added to the crew." Cade shook her head.

"Hold on a second." Franky glanced around. "Aren't we missing someone?"

"It's okay." Luffy sat on the mast bench, crossed his ankle over his knee and put his hands behind his head. "We waited for him all this time. He never showed up."

Cade shifted on her feet. Sanji had told them a couple days ago that Usopp was planning on coming back to ship. Everyone was all for it. Everyone but for Zoro. Even she had her doubts about letting the sniper back on the crew. But if Usopp apologized for what he did and said she could live with that. Cannon balls whistled towards them. "Grandpa's arrived."

Kale ducked his head.

"Just stay close to me. He's not going to take you," Cade said.

The crew blocked the cannon balls that hurled at them.

"He's here!" Chopper said sniffing the air. "Usopp has come back!"

"Hey! Rejoice! It's me!" Usopp called out from the island. "Chopper! It's good weather! Let's go fishing! By the way, I have good news for you! Don't be surprised, when I'm back, I won't mind being a vice captain for you!"

Cade glanced at Luffy. Luffy ignored Usopp's calls.

"Luffy! Usopp's calling you!" Chopper said.

"I don't hear anything," Luffy said.

Cade shoved a cannon ball away from the ship.

"I'm sorry! Usopp screamed. "I'm sorry for being stubborn! I was wrong! I know it's shameful! And I know I said I left the crew! Can I... Can I take it back?! Please let me stay with you guys! Please make me your crewmember once more!"

Luffy threw out his hand. "Idiot! Hurry and grab my hand!"

Usopp grabbed Luffy's hand.

Luffy pulled him back to the ship. The two collided then fell on the deck laughing.

"Well, looks like the crew's finally together again," Cade said.

"Yeah." Usopp walked over to her. He bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Cade."

Cade bopped him on the head with her fist. "Don't ever do that again. If you do you won't be coming back."

"Right." Usopp nodded.

"All right!" Franky shouted. "Hold on! We're getting out of here! Get ready for a Coupe De Burst!"

Cade braced herself as Franky fiddled with the helm. With a sudden blast, the ship was sailing through the air. It landed on the water with a splash. "Wow! What the heck?!"

Franky laughed. "And that's only the beginning of the surprises on this ship!"

I don't think I'm going to update this story anymore. I'm burned out with it. That's caused several chapters to suffer. So I'll call it complete and if I feel like it some time later on I'll take it back up.