Chapter 7: Saying Goodbye

To

Ashlielle

Lizzy

moonbird

Dark-Rina

czxw

Anana16

Everyone else who has reviewed

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much for the reviews! You have no idea how much they mean to me!

Chandlure Trainez

And

Resha Tsubaki – I finally have a main villain for this story! Though he/she could always us some unique lackeys if you have any ideas. ;) Thanks for the suggestions though

Saying Goodbye

Though the rain had stopped, the sky was still grey as Nami leaned against the railing outside her bedroom, and gazed at the beautiful green lawn below. Condensation clung to the grass, the slide, the mast, and the swing, making them glisten like priceless jewels in the evening sun. The world was beautiful after it rained. A cool breeze passed through her damp hair. She closed her eyes and let the wind carry her thoughts far away from here. She let herself become entranced by the hypnotic sounds of the waves breaking against the ship.

Sssh hmm Sssh hmm

It was so quiet.

Sssh hmm Sssh hmm- Clomp clomp clomp.

Her trance was broken by the sounds of footsteps coming from the deck above.

"God damn it," Nami muttered as she climbed the stairs to see who the jackass with the big feet was. She opened her mouth to yell, but her voice got caught in her.

"Robin?" Nami said to herself.

The historian didn't look up. She was staring at the deck in deep concentration. Nami looked around her to see what she was staring at, and immediately wish she hadn't. For a few precious moments she had been in a state of ignorant bliss to the horrible things that had happened today… until the sight of a blood-soaked black bandana brought her back to reality.

Robin knelt down and picked it up and Usopp's watered-down blood ran down her arm.

"How could this have happened?" Nami asked, thinking out loud.

"We sail on a dangerous sea," Robin stated simply. She placed the bandana in the bucket and started cleaning the deck.

"I know," Nami whispered sadly. "I- I just can't believe he's gone."

Robin stopped cleaning and looked back at her.

"My Clima-Tact got dented during our battle with Oars," Nami told her. "I yelled at him about it last night... that it was too weak... that it needed to be stronger. And he promised that he would fix it in the morning," Nami smiled sadly. "He said that he would 'make it impervious to even the strongest of magical dwarfs' or something stupid like that… Now he's…"

"I'm sure Franky can repair it with Usopp's blueprints," Robin assured her.

Nami shook her head. "It's not that. It's- I should have thanked him. I should have told him how much-," Nami choked. She was desperately trying to keep from crying again.

Robin thought for a moment. "I read about an ancient tribe home to many brave warriors. They had a tradition when a highly valued member of their community died, each member of the tribe would write the deceased a Last Message. It could be a memory, a thank you, or a confession. The messages would be sealed in a bottle, placed in a burial ship with the body, and sent out to sea."

Nami sniffed and wiped her eyes. "We should do that."

"I'll have mine ready by sundown, " Robin promised.

"It's going to start raining again soon. We should send him off tomorrow, when the weather's cleared up."

"I'll tell Franky to start building the burial ship."

"Thank you, Robin," Nami nodded and left Robin to finish her task.

The door to the men's quarters opened and Zoro walked out onto the lawn. He looked terrible. The swordsman found a spot under the tree with the swing and sat down. To Nami's surprise, he didn't close his eyes, but stared up at the gray sky.

She took a seat on the swing. "How are you feeling?"

He paused for a moment. "...Tired," he finally answered. "You?"

"I'm…" she pulled out her Clima-Tact and held it in her hands. "I've never lost a friend before." Her eyes started to water. "I miss him."

Zoro pulled out Wado Ichimonjifrom his green haramaki and held it up. "I lost a friend a long time ago. We shared the same dream… to become the greatest swordsman in the world. This was her sword," the steal shined as the setting sun reflected off the blade. Zoro continued. "Fighting with this sword is like having her fight besides me." He nodded to her Clima-Tact. The same should go for the weapon Usopp made you. Every time you use it to fight, to protect you and your friends. It should be like Usopp is fighting with you.

Nami held the Clima-Tact closer. She wiped her eyes and nodded. "You're right." She got up. "Thank you, Zoro." She said and left for the kitchen.

Robin closed the door to Franky's workshop, leaving Franky along with his thoughts and a cold bottle of soda. She had just told him that it had been decided that they would have Usopp-bro's funeral the next morning. He would be sent out into the ocean in a burial ship, like a legendary hero -a brave warrior of the sea. It's what he had wanted… it's what the kid deserved. Franky had the task of crafting the vessel. He would build it out of Adam Wood and it would be super! But after hours of staring a blank blueprint sheet, he realized he had no idea how to design such a thing. This wasn't a battleship or a seatrain. This was a grave boat, for his nakama… his bro. And his mind was blank.

Franky growled in frustration and pushed away the crappy blueprints. He sighed and looked around him desperate for something that would that could help point him in the right direction. He found himself wandering into Usopp's workshop. Franky took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of gunpowder, and sat down on the platform. Looking around the room that was still so cluttered with scraps of metal, wood, and paper made it difficult for him to believe that the kid was gone…for good. Franky wiped his eyes- not that he was crying.

Then he saw it. A sketchbook. One of many that littered the room. He picked it up and began flipping through the pages. He found himself smiling a watery smile. This was it.

It was so quiet, were it not for the fact that sobbing could be heard coming from all corners of the ship, Brooke would have thought he was sailing the ocean all alone once again. He came to the very spot where he stood this morning when he had first seen saw what had become of Usopp-san. Someone had already cleaned the deck so it looked as if it never happened. After a moment of silence, he pulled out his violin and began to play.

He played the song that got him through all those many years of loneliness, the song that helped him live through all his heartache. He felt a presence standing behind him, but continued playing until the song was over, then he turned around.

"Luffy-san?"

But the captain didn't say anything. He just walked past him to the figurehead of Sunny and plopped himself down on his favorite spot.

Luffy stared out into the ocean.

"It hurts," Luffy said.

"Yes, it does."

"How do I make it stop hurting?"

Brook sighed. "It never stops hurting, I'm afraid."

"We need to find whoever did this. I need to make them pay."

Brook nodded. "What if we can't find them?"

"We'll find them."

"You may need to learn to put aside your anger."

"I won't forgive them - whoever killed Usopp."

"Nor will I, but for now you mustn't focus on revenge. You must prepare yourself to say goodbye."

"No," Luffy told him firmly. "If I say goodbye," his voice started to tremble "it means I won't see him again. So I won't say goodbye."

At this point Luffy was shaking.

"Maybe you don't have to?"

Luffy looked at Brook.

He continued. "I like to believe that there is another sea waiting for us to sail after we die. Filled with friends and family we had lost during our lifetime. And we will sing and dance and celebrate each time a new friend joins us on that new ocean. Usopp-san is probably waiting for us now."

Luffy smiled at his nakama. "That sounds awesome," he said. "I'm going to believe that."

"Brook! Luffy!"

They turned to see Nami and Chopper come up the steps. "Dinner is ready," Chopper said proudly. "Sanji let me help!"

"Really? That's awesome!" Luffy's smile turned into a pout when he realized something. "Sanji never let's me help. He only makes me clean dishes."

Nami bopped him on the head.

"He tried to let you help once, but you made a big mess!" she recalled.

"Oh yeah! That was fun!" Luffy laughed.

"And you would have eaten all the ingredients too if Usopp hadn't-"

Nami stopped herself. The talking about Usopp wasn't something she could handle right now. Not without watery eyes. Chopper also looked like he was about to cry.

Then Luffy patted the reindeer on the back. "So what's for dinner?"

Chopper brightened up. "Fillet sea king and shrimp soup!"

"Awesome! Let's go eat!"

Nami smiled sadly as she watched Luffy grab Chopper and spring over to the kitchen.

It still hurt too much for her to talk about him. Right now it felt like they were trapped in a storm she couldn't navigate out of, but this time it looks like would be Luffy who would lead them through. She just hoped he'd remain that way when they started their search tomorrow…

5:50. Ten minutes till the ceremony Sanji noted as he straightened his tie in front of the mirror. There was a heavy silence in the men's quarters as they donned their darkest apparel. No one knew what to say, so nothing was said. One by one they filtered out to the deck, until all but Brook, who had gone to prepare for the ceremony, were present. The women joined them moments later. Sanji's heart ached when he saw that Nami-san beautiful eyes were red.

Together they descended to the depths of the ship to the docking system. Brook was bent over the water with his back to them. At the sound of their footsteps, he stepped aside. As Sanji expected, a coffin was floating in one of the Channels. Lying in the coffin was a pale and lifeless Usopp. Brook had cleaned him up and dressed in his signature green overalls. Across his chest was his prized slingshot, Kabuto. The sniper looked… peaceful. If he hadn't known better Sanji would have thought he was just sleeping.

A sob escaped Nami when she saw him. She felt Sanji-kun's hand on her shoulder. And Chopper's tears running down her leg as the small reindeer hugged her. Luffy approached his fallen nakama with a bottle filled with eight rolled up pieces of parchment in his hand.

"Usopp… everything we had to say we wrote down. It's all in here." Luffy put the bottle in the casket. "You can read them while you wait for us." Luffy's eye started to get watery. "I wish… we could have traveled together longer. Now you'll have to wait for us as we move forward…but when we do see each other again. We'll have the biggest party ever and we'll tell stories about our adventures. So… wait for us!" Luffy pushed the grave boat out to sea.

"Thank you, Usopp, for everything," Luffy's voice broke as he failed to hold back tears.

Zoro put a hand on his captain's shoulder. "Come on. Let's go up top and see him off."

From the deck they could still sea the grave boat slowly making it's way into the sunrise.

Brook pulled out his violin and began to play a somber melody.

"Stop, Brook," Luffy demanded. Confused, Brook lowered his bow. "Usopp didn't like sad music," Luffy explained. "Play something he would have really liked."

"Hai," Brook raised his bow, but didn't play. "I'm sorry, but I'm embarrassed to admit I do not know his favorite song."

To everyone's surprise Sanji to hum a familiar tune.

Franky furrowed his brow. "Is that-?"

Sanji grinned. "His theme song."

"No, Sanji, that's Sogeking's song, not Usopp," Luffy corrected him.

"My mistake," Sanji said lighting a cigarette.

"It's easy to confuse to two. They are both so amazing. The way I remember it is that Sokeking's the one with the mask and cape," Luffy advised him.

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Oi, Robin," Luffy said turning to the archeologist. "Can you write Sogeking a letter and tell him to visit us sometime?"

Robin smiled sadly. "Consider it done."

Franky smirked. "Sogeking's a very busy guy, being a hero and all. He's probably too busy saving people and singing about his greatness to come pay us a visit."

Brook said dismayed, "That's a shame. I would like to meet a hero. Ah! Now, how did his song go?" he asked raising his bow.

Chopper and Luffy began to sing. Immediately Brook picked up on the melody and began to play as he sang along with them.

Oh, the wind carries my name

from Sniper Island far away ~ …

And as the wind carried the song towards the setting sun the Strawhat crew smiled through their tears, because they all had the feeling that somehow somewhere Usopp was listening.

He was probably singing along as well.