sinking gyari's ship had opened a world for luffy. he had gained three crew members in the span of a day but he had lost meruhen gou in all the commotion. makino had given her to luffy as a parting gift, maybe if he explained it to her, she wouldn't grill him so hard.
but first he needed a new ship before he could even think of venturing back home. he had saved the village so there was a chance they'd lend his crew a boat as thanks. he'd double down with the fact that they falsely captured him as gyari if he saw them hesitate. that bullet really hurt, even if it didn't do any actual damage.
'are you actually a hammer or was my sister lying again?'
'i'm a devil fruit user. we sink in water. so yeah i'm a hammer,' luffy tilted his head at shiruku, 'why? you're not gonna throw me in the water like anne, are you?'
'it doesn't matter how many times i go in water, i'm gonna drown every time,' luffy shuddered at the memory.
'but what if something different happens this time!,' anne called, balloon seeming to squawk in agreement.
'seems like they're both out to get you.'
luffy scrambled behind the swordsman, 'you'll protect me, won't you?'
she chuckled at the fear displayed on her captain's face, 'sure but you can't eat off my plate anymore.'
luffy nodded frantically, seemingly becoming smaller the closer anne and balloon got to the pair.