Omni-Piece: Without Ben

Another One-Shot Chapter

EXTRA! Water 7: Ashes (Zoro's POV) 4/?

Zoro stood near the back of the ship, arms crossed, leaning against the rail as the Going Merry bobbed in the water. His eyes weren't on the ship, though; they were on the horizon, toward Water 7. There was a weight on him, one that had been growing heavier by the hour.

Without Ben around, there was a strange absence in the crew—a hole that none of them could fill. Luffy had his usual smiles, but Zoro could tell it wasn't the same. Not for him. Not for anyone.

The usual bustle of the crew was gone too. Sanji had run off after Robin, leaving Zoro with just Chopper, Nami, and Luffy. The doctor had his head down, always quiet. Nami, as usual, had her sharp eyes on everything, but today she seemed… distant.

The ship creaked beneath him, and Zoro's attention was elsewhere...

The crew's journey through Water 7 was turbulent. The hopes of fixing the Merry had died along with the realisation that no matter what they did, it wouldn't save her. The Galley-La workers had told them what they already knew deep down—there was no way to repair the ship. Franky had made it clear: the Merry was beyond saving. The realisation sat heavy in the air, each member of the crew holding their own internal struggle.

The Merry had been more than just a ship to them. It was their home, their constant companion on the seas. But now, they were going to have to say goodbye to her. Zoro had never been good with goodbyes, but this one was different. The Merry had carried them through so many challenges, and now they were about to part ways with the ship—and everything it represented.

Zoro wasn't the only one struggling with the loss. Usopp had barely spoken since the conversation with the Galley-La workers, his usual bravado nowhere to be found. Zoro knew what was coming. Usopp had already clashed with the Franky Family, and after the news about the Merry, it was only a matter of time before he snapped.

It happened sooner than Zoro expected. The second confrontation between Usopp and Franky wasn't just a fight—it was a breaking point. The argument escalated quickly, and before Zoro could even make sense of what was happening, Usopp was gone. He left the crew, unable to accept what was happening to the Merry.

Zoro didn't say anything as Usopp stormed off. There were no words to offer him. It was too late for that. Usopp had made his choice.

Later, Zoro found himself standing alone on the deck, his thoughts swirling in a haze of frustration, confusion, and sadness. The crew was splintering. Ben was gone, Sanji was off chasing after Robin, and now Usopp had left them too. Zoro didn't know what to feel anymore. The merry days of carefree adventures seemed to be slipping away, piece by piece.

He couldn't afford to let that show. Not now. They still had a mission to complete. The new ship was ahead, and they had to push forward. For now, there was nothing left to do but keep moving.

That was when he heard Luffy's voice. It was muffled, coming from somewhere in Water 7.

"Zoro! Help! I'm stuck!"

Zoro groaned and rubbed his temple. Of course Luffy had gotten himself into some kind of mess... The captain never seemed to learn. Zoro sighed, pushing himself off the rail to head towards the sound.

Luffy was wedged awkwardly in the chimney, his limbs flailing uselessly as he struggled to free himself. It was a sight Zoro had seen more times than he cared to remember.

"Oi, Luffy. What the hell are you doing?" Zoro grumbled, his irritation rising.

"I'm stuck!" Luffy's voice was frantic, tinged with a desperation that Zoro couldn't ignore. It wasn't like Luffy to get stuck on something so simple, but maybe it was just his way of avoiding the real issues. The Merry was gone, Usopp had left, and Sanji was off on his own mission.

Zoro exhaled through his nose. "You can't be serious. You're too big to be doing this kind of stuff!"

He walked over to Luffy, grabbing his leg and pulling him free with a swift yank. Luffy tumbled onto the floor with a dull thud.

"Thanks, Zoro!" Luffy said, flashing that wide grin of his. But even Zoro could see that it didn't reach his eyes. Luffy was as lost as the rest of them.

Zoro stood over him, arms crossed, watching as Luffy slowly picked himself up. He could feel the weight of everything that had happened, and he wasn't sure what Luffy was thinking. Probably the same thing everyone else was thinking—how the hell do they move forward?

"Don't go doing that again," Zoro muttered, his voice low. "You've got a crew depending on you, Luffy."

Luffy paused, his grin faltering for a moment, but it quickly returned, forced as ever. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine! Let's go get a new ship and keep moving forward!"

Zoro nodded, but the knot in his gut didn't ease. "The new ship… it won't be the Merry."

Luffy didn't answer immediately. He just looked out over the sea, then turned back to Zoro, his smile still intact, though it seemed more fragile than usual. "Yeah... but it'll still be our ship."

Zoro didn't know how to respond to that. They both knew the truth, even if neither of them wanted to say it. The Merry was irreplaceable. The crew had been through so much together on that ship. Saying goodbye to her was like saying goodbye to part of their past.

But there was no time for mourning now. They had to keep going.

"Let's just get moving," Zoro said finally, his voice steady. "We've got to stay together. For now, that's all we've got."

=TO BE CONTINUED...=