Wishfull-star: I don't understand what you mean in the previous review.
izzywolf22: Thank you!
This chapter ended up pretty short. Sorry about that!
They got to the door, and it was opened by a large man with the same weird goggles as the previous ones had. Luffy didn't wait to nail him in the face so hard to broke through the wall. When they were in the doorway, all looking furious and cold, dangerous, they were mocked for only being four of them. They would "defeat them and take their heads". Plus, they were told they also weren't getting their money back.
Luffy didn't hesitate to let out that aura that scared even his crew, and those pirates on the boring previous island. Some nearest to him backed up. But those who couldn't see him, said, "You're the captain of that weakling, right? How strong are you for recruiting people like that?! You must have a death wish for breaking in here with that power!" Luffy nailed another in the stomach, crashing through his weird armor and shooting him into the opposite wall.
"Ahhhh! He broke through the armor! Hey, le-let's talk this out like civilized people!" Luffy smelled the scent of a burning match, and knew they were shooting cannonballs. Luffy said nothing, did nothing, and let Zoro come forward and cut them all up in midair, shocking the Franky Family. Then he cut up their canons themselves.
Ordinarily, Luffy would have loved seeing his strength like that. So impressive and strong, but not right now. It was not the time for such feelings. All it was time for was rage and hate and revenge. He wasn't going to take it all for himself. The others were just as angry as he was, and he would let them blow off steam as well.
Usopp… we'll be there soon. Hang on a bit more.
Sanji took part, when they started to run towards the door, he grabbed one of their faces as a support and did a handstand, pummeling everyone in range with his feet before going into regular kicks, hearing bones break easily. Even they could hear over the screams.
When they desperately ran for the windows, many unconscious or so beat up they couldn't move, how they did to Usopp, it was Chopper's turn, and he changed into horn point, attacking them all with it, puncturing skin and causing screams. He threw them into the air with his long horns. It wasn't surprising to see him act this way. He was furious. He knew how injured Usopp really was, and he was his friend and nakama as well.
The Franky Family realized they weren't escaping anytime soon, and tried to bargain. They explained that the money was already gone. Franky, the leader, was already gone with it. No matter how angry they were, they wouldn't get the money back. The one who did most of the talking called Usopp a weakling again.
"Shut up. This isn't about the money anymore," Zoro snarled. The other three were silent in agreement. There was nothing to say anymore. This was for Usopp, not the damn money! That didn't matter right now.
Luffy darkly said, "Leave no bone unbroken."
The Franky Family tried every trick they had to fight back, but they were all pointless. In the show of anger and strength, they screamed and begged. The four felt no remorse or guilt for the pain they were causing them. They were too angry after seeing Usopp that way, after Luffy heard his shame and sobbing.
Honestly, his body… was probably in better shape than his mind and emotions. Luffy knew his nakama. It wouldn't be pretty. They also had to somehow tell him the Merry was gone. She would not be setting sail ever again.
They pulled no punches until the floor was covered in damaged bodies, teeth and blood. None of them were proud at the state they left them all in. This was just something they had to do. Then they blew the house up with them all in it. Luffy didn't think any were dead, but he wasn't sure. They could bleed out from Zoro's attacks, so who knew? He didn't much care right now.
Chopper went to tend to Usopp. "Should we go after Franky?" Sanji asked.
"And go where?"
"Luffy can follow him."
"I don't know how he smells, or what his voice sounds like. This place is now full of the smell of blood and dirt and grime. Plus all of the scent of the fire,the burnt house. If I knew what he smelled like, then maybe," Luffy said, sounding ashamed. "If only I noticed Usopp leaving. I was just so distracted, and there were all sorts of smells and noises. Then there was the news of the Merry. I should have noticed it when I didn't hear sobbing…"
Zoro said, "It wasn't your fault. You shouldn't babysit us. You're the captain, but you're not a parent."
"It's not like I feel I'm babysitting," Luffy said quietly.
Sanji said they were probably not getting the money back by now. It had been awhile. "Those small fries really don't know where the money is. We can only deal with Franky when he comes back, but our money will definitely be gone by then. Fuck."
"Well, he won't be back anytime soon. Should we stay?" Zoro asked. They watched Chopper tend to Usopp a bit away.
Luffy turned around, sitting on the roof of what was left of the Franky house, and saw Chopper tending to Usopp with teary eyes. What if Usopp had been beaten to death? Luffy would have been responsible. He knew he shouldn't babysit Usopp, but he was ashamed of not even noticing he was gone. What kind of friend was he?
It would also be his fault if the ship sank with them all on it. Going over Merry's various wounds in his mind, they were all being ignorant and in denial. She was dying. And they would die with her, too.
Then there was Robin. If they had to go after her for anything, they couldn't even sail on the Merry. There was nothing she could do. She had done more than enough.
Chopper called that Usopp was better, and they could move him now. Sanji called him down, and Luffy said, "I've decided. We're saying goodbye to the Merry here." He dropped down, and Zoro took his hand. Sanji took a drag of his cigarette.
"I think so, too. The shipwright mosshead talked to sounded legit." Luffy said all of their words were the honest truth. The Merry was as good as dead. "Telling Usopp will be a nightmare, though," Sanji muttered.
"We have to do it, and he needs to accept it. Captain's choice, and the right one." Chopper carried an unconscious but bandaged Usopp back the way they came, to their broken nakama. When they got on, Luffy ran his hand on the railing, and made a mental apology.
They waited for Usopp to wake in silence while Luffy looked through the catalogue of ships they could buy. Or used shps, too. Losing the 200 million limited them, but 100 million was more than enough to get a nice one. He was trying not to think about Robin even though he kept his hearing focused and couldn't find her that way, even as Water 7 quieted as night was falling soon.
His hands shook as he turned pages, and Zoro came up to the crowsnest with him, and wordlessly pulled him to his lap. Luffy just kept looking, but his hands weren't shaking anymore. "We'll make new memories," he said firmly. Luffy slumped, but nodded. He didn't have to like it, but that was all they could do. New memories on a new ship. A new home.
Zoro asked if he liked any so far. "Not really. None of them are silly like the Merry. Maybe we'll have enough to get a new figurehead. Not a sheep, though. Hopefully we can get one with a better kitchen for Sanji. Maybe a good infirmary for Chopper. Bigger galley. The Merry… it was not going to fit more people, really." The swordsman agreed.
Luffy closed the catalogue and put it on the floor next to him, just letting Zoro play with his hair until Chopper came out. "Usopp is awake!" he said happily. Luffy was happy, but felt building apprehension. Sanji asked about Robin.
"I don't hear her anywhere. She's either being silent, or left the island. I would think it was because she was making sure to be quiet. She's smart," Luffy said quietly. "Let's talk about the ship before we bring up Robin with Usopp. Everything going wrong here." Zoro took his hand and Sanji patted his back.
"One week and then we can leave this place," he sighed, and they walked into the galley.
The moment they got inside, Usopp apologized for losing all the money. But he wasn't sobbing anymore, which was a good sign. Maybe he could forgive himself a bit. Anything positive was good. He hugged Zoro's leg, lamenting how he lost it. Of course Zoro wasn't good with people other than Luffy touching him, so he tried shaking him off, though trying to be careful of his various wounds.
He was bandaged up and handed some pain pills, and took them without a word. Luffy put on a smile, doing his best to try and come up with a good way to break the news. Chopper insisted he needed rest, and he finally let go of Zoro's leg, who walked a bit away from him and leaned against the wall.
When he was told the money was gone, at least for now, he didn't seem surprised. They had attacked the Franky house, but they'd all boasted about Franky being gone with the money. "We can't know where he went. I don't know what he smells like or his voice. Did you see him well?"
"No. He was wearing a mask. I have no idea what he looked like," Usopp said in irritation.
"Well, we still have 100 million, and that's a lot anyways," Luffy said. Nami started to say they'd lost the majority, but stopped herself and then looked down, apologizing. Usopp said it was okay. He wasn't upset. When he apologized again, Luffy waved it off.
"So, can we fix the Going Merry with the money we still have? We came a long way to get to a high class shipyard. We need to make the ship even stronger for the rest of our journey." He sounded so happy and hopeful. Luffy tried not to show how it affected him. Everyone was upset, and Usopp would be, too. He should stay positive.
He settled with, "Well, we won't know because I've decided to buy a new ship. The Merry's been good for us, but it's time to say goodbye. We really have to." He picked up the catalogue. "Iceberg guy gave us this to find a new ship. We can buy a good one with the money we have. A bigger ship for more people and all. We could even buy a really big used ship with our money. So losing the 200 won't really impact us, after all."
The room was silent, everyone having their eyes on Usopp, waiting for the inevitable bad reaction. "Hold on, hold on! This isn't something to joke about! C'mon, why are you all letting him joke like this? Really, Luffy, do we have enough to fix the Merry?!"
Luffy opened his mouth to speak, but Usopp started again. "Is it because I lost the money?! Because I lost the 200 million?! We just don't have enough money, right?! Since such a good shipyard has expensive prices right? Right?!" He was growing hysterical and stood up. His eyes were wide and bloodshot. Maybe with anger, Luffy couldn't tell other than his fast breathing.
Anger was at least in his breathing. Chopper tried to get him to sit back down. He was still badly injured, even if he was all bandaged up. Luffy wished he could heal like he could. That all of them could heal instantly like him. He still needed more blood bags. He forgot about that. There was so much to do here. He wanted to go on a date with Zoro, he wanted to go shopping with Robin for books, he wanted a shipwright, he wanted a lot of things, and it was all derailed because of the hard truth and some asshole people with a death wish.
"It's not that!" Luffy said, wanted to calm the situation in some way. "It's not because of the money! I-"
"Then tell me! Give me the truth, don't just spare my feelings!" Usopp shouted angrily. Now he was openly angry. At Luffy, maybe at himself, too.
Luffy insisted it wasn't the money! The money had nothing to do with the choice! The others were trying to calm the situation, but Usopp was lost right now. He wasn't listening to anyone, even the one who he was yelling at. Luffy was kind of unsure how to respond. He'd never gotten into a fight like this with his nakama. With anybody but Garp or early Ace. Dadan maybe, but never a friend.
He was trying to find a good way to respond other than anger.
Usopp demanded to know what the bullshit about buying a new ship was about. "It's not bullshit! I had trouble making the choice, too!"
"Guys, calm down! Fighting will get us nowhere!" Zoro insisted, though he was glaring at Usopp mostly. He couldn't help it, it seemed.
Usopp threw Luffy off after grabbing onto his vest. His hat had fallen off and onto the table behind him, which he was pressed against. He didn't want it to turn physical at all! What should he do? "Calm?! How can I be calm when he's spewing nonsense?!" Sanji stepped in.
"We only made the choice because it was necessary!"
"Oh, so he asks everyone else while I'm knocked out? My opinion matters less? Because you knew I'd protest?!" Luffy pushed him away, finally reaching a breaking point. How could he say he didn't value all of their opinions?!
Luffy glared and finally said, "The Merry is going to die! She's nearly dead already! It has nothing to do with the money! Or you losing it!" His fists were balled. "You know I'd never make this choice if I didn't need to! I love the Merry, too!"
Usopp was in denial, and didn't want to believe Lufy's words. "But this ship took us all the way here!"
"And that was too much for her! In this sea, she's barely survived! We should have known that early on! Merry will sink here, Usopp. No matter what, she can't be fixed," Luffy said calmly, though his lips were pressed tightly together. Usopp stepped back, and said Luffy was talking nonsense.
He replied, "No, the shipwright guys told us. They can't repair her. If you don't believe me, then I'll even tell you what they said! And I know they were telling the truth, too! They weren't lying. If they were I wouldn't have even considered this!"
"And we're supposed to rely on your magic blood power hearing?!" Luffy was hurt by that. It actually hurt a lot.
"It's been relied on the whole time, hasn't it?! Now that you don't like what you're hearing you're against it?!" Luffy snapped.
"You couldn't even hear the money being taken! How can we rely on that at all!?" Luffy wanted to punch him in the face. The others were watching a shipwreck unfold.
"No matter how angry you are, don't insult me like that. You know as well as I do that my senses have helped us get this far! No matter how angry you are, my decision won't change! You're the only one truly against it! Do you want to die here with her?! I won't allow my crew to die when I can make a choice to stop it!"
"So you're just getting rid of one of our crew?! Was she just a tool to you? You're part of the reason she's broken in the first place! Who rips the mast off?!" Luffy was growing really angry. He was near slapping Usopp, truly. And he was also near snarling. He didn't know what to say. Usopp was walking all over him, and there was no way to calm this situation now.
Zoro said, "We've all been rough with her. Calm the fuck down, now."
"Or what?!" The room was surprised by his behavior by now. He had never been this angry and disrespectful to any of them.
"Stop it, Usopp! Deal with the fact that I won't let us die! Even if I didn't have my senses, I'm not an idiot and am going to brush off opinions that make sense! You should know this! You try to repair her, don't you?! You know all of her wounds more than any of us! So how can you blow up on me for stating something obvious!?"
"So now you're calling me stupid?"
"Stop being immature! What's wrong with you?!" Luffy demanded. "And you don't be disrespectful to them either! And sit the fuck down, Chopper's trying to help you!"
"Don't order me around."
"I'm your captain! It's my job to make decisions! Even if you don't like them! You're not the captain! You're not making a life or death choice, I am! Everyone else has accepted it, you need to, too!"
"Now you're acting like the responsible captain?! How many times have you put us in danger?!" Luffy finally slapped him across the face, hard. Usopp sneered at him and held his cheek. Chopper begged them not to get physical. Usopp was still hurt. "You put us in danger even when you can just be fine afterwards! Just drink some blood and Luffy's back to being fine!"
"DO YOU WANT ME TO DIE, THEN? Should I stop taking my damn medication? Will that make you feel better!?"
"No! But you don't get what we go through at all! I misjudged you! Leaving one of us behind like they're nothing?! The Merry is our friend, our nakama! I won't let you get rid of her!"
"Then you can stay in a hotel while we say goodbye to her! If you can't handle it, don't even pretend to care! She's hurting, and how do you think she'd feel if she was the reason for our death?! Ending it will be what's right for everyone, even the Going Merry. My decision is final. Don't know how I'm going to punish you for treating me like this, but I will!"
Usopp glared at him. "I was just telling the truth!"
"You were being an asshole!"
"Just say I'm trying to help you be a better 'captain'!" Luffy tackled him, glaring at him furiously.
"If you don't like your captain or even respect him, then get the fuck off my ship!" Luffy shouted, losing control but knowing this was what a captain should say. He just didn't want to do it! He wanted Usopp to stay, but this was way too much! Luffy would have never imagined he would try and target his condition. It wasn't like Luffy liked it! He hated it!
That would be like Luffy pointing out all of Usopp's insecurities. The words left his mouth, but he didn't regret them. Nobody yelled at him, but Nami begged them to stop arguing. "I'm not arguing anymore. I've been more than explanatory to him! Go cool off! Come back when you're ready to treat people the way they should be!"
"You want to get rid of me. Just like you're getting rid of the Merry. When one of us is too weak, you want us gone! Right?! I'm too weak for you here! I'm the embarrassment! You have these lofty dreams, but I don't need to go that far! I only came when you invited me! The fate that brought us together isn't that strong. Since we don't have the same goals, why travel together anymore?!"
Then he left. Luffy heard the others go out and call him back, asking where he was going. He angrily said he quit. He was leaving the crew. Luffy swallowed and left. He wasn't going to argue with him coming back and not leaving. Luffy needed him gone for now so he could compose himself. Usopp would come back when he was cooled off.
Luffy didn't know how he'd punish him. He let his crew member walk all over him. Luffy was always good in a fight, knew what to do next. But this wasn't a normal fight at all. Usopp stopped storming off and ignoring Nami, Chopper and Sanji's pleas. "The captain is the owner of the ship. So fight me! The winner takes the Merry! Monkey D. Luffy! I challenge you to a duel!" he shouted.
They were all shocked. They knew Usopp would never win against Luffy. And he was right. Luffy could heal up afterwards. The other was already severely injured. What could he do against someone like Luffy? He could destroy him with a single hit. "At 10 tonight, we'll have a duel and the winner takes the Going Merry! After that, we have nothing to do with one another." Then he left.