Chapter 52: To Cocoyasi Village
Sunny's POV
The Baratie's silhouette had barely faded into the hazy horizon when the Going Merry bobbed gently on the open sea, her sails catching the first whispers of a morning breeze. The deck was alive with the usual post-departure chaos—Lucy scampering about like a hyperactive squirrel, Usopp fiddling with some gadget that looked suspiciously like it might explode, Zoro already dozing against the mast with his swords cradled like teddy bears, Sanji vanishing into the galley with promises of "a feast fit for goddesses," and Nami poring over her maps at the helm, her orange hair glowing in the early sunlight like a beacon.
But before we could fully settle into the rhythm of the voyage, there was one loose end to tie up: Johnny and Yosaku. I glanced over at the bounty hunter duo, who were leaning against the railing, staring back at the shrinking outline of the restaurant with a mix of nostalgia and excitement. In my mind, I briefly replayed the conversation from the previous day, right after Sanji's emotional farewell to Zeff. Amid the backslaps and toasts, Johnny had pulled me aside, his wild hair even more disheveled from the excitement, and Yosaku nodding vigorously beside him.
"Sunny-bro," Johnny had said, clapping a hand on my shoulder with that perpetual grin of his, "we've been thinkin'. Big bro Zoro's showdown with Hawk-Eyes? Epic. And joinin' up with you guys for a bit? Best adventure ever. But... we got our own bounties to hunt, our own paths to carve. Can't ride your coattails forever, y'know?"
Yosaku had chimed in, adjusting his bandana. "Yeah! We're bounty hunters at heart. Time to strike out on our own—maybe snag some big fish in the East Blue. But if you ever need backup, just holler! We'll come runnin'!"
I'd nodded then, respecting their decision. No hard feelings; the sea was big enough for all kinds of journeys. Now, as the Merry pulled away, it was time to make it official.
I stepped over to them, the crew pausing their antics to watch. "Johnny, Yosaku," I said, my voice steady but warm. "Looks like this is where we part ways."
Johnny straightened up, his grin widening as he scratched the back of his head. "Aw, Sunny-bro! Don't make it sound so final. We're just takin' a detour—gonna hop on a merchant ship headin' back east. Got some leads on fat bounties waitin' for us!"
Yosaku pumped his fist, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Yeah! And we'll spread tales of the legendary Straw Hats everywhere we go! 'The crew with the flying kicks, the sharpshooter who never misses (mostly), the cook who fights with fire, and the swordsman who took on the world's best!' You'll be famous before you know it!"
Zoro cracked an eye open from his nap spot. "Hmph. Just don't exaggerate too much. I don't need help from you two clowns building my rep."
Johnny laughed, slapping Zoro on the back—earning a glare. "Big bro! We'll miss your grumpiness. And your naps. Mostly the naps—gives us time to polish your swords without you yellin'."
Usopp sidled up, wiping a fake tear. "Farewell, brave bounty hunters! May your slingshots never break and your bounties always pay up! I, the great Captain Usopp, salute you!"
Lucy bounded over, hugging them both in a bone-crushing embrace that left them gasping. "You guys were awesome! Come find us when you're rich and famous—I'll share my treasure! Well, maybe a little."
Sanji emerged from the galley with a couple of packed lunches, wrapped in cloth and smelling divine. "Here. Don't starve out there. And if you ever need a real meal, track us down. Just... don't hit on Nami-swan when you do."
Nami rolled her eyes but smiled softly. "Take care, you two. Try not to get caught by the marines—or worse, actual competent pirates."
Johnny and Yosaku saluted dramatically, their poses straight out of a bad adventure novel. Johnny: "Thanks, everyone! Sunny-bro, keep kickin' butt!" Yosaku: "And Nami, if you ever need navigatin'... nah, you're the best! See ya!"
We lowered a small dinghy for them, watching as they rowed toward a passing merchant vessel that had agreed to pick them up. As they climbed aboard, they waved wildly, shouting farewells that echoed across the water. The crew waved back, a mix of laughs and good-natured ribbing filling the air. It was bittersweet—losing two enthusiastic allies—but the sea was about moving forward, chasing horizons.
With that chapter closed, the Going Merry cut across the sea like a lazy bird, sails full and crew restless. Sunlight danced off the waves, the kind of picture-perfect morning where adventure felt both inviting and terrifying. The salt in the air was crisp, carrying hints of distant storms, and the horizon stretched endlessly, a canvas of blue promising unknowns.
I leaned against the rail, lips curled into a smile that made even the gulls fly wider arcs around the ship, as if sensing something predatory in the air. It wasn't my usual grin—this one was slow, sharp, like I'd just remembered the punchline to a joke nobody else had heard. My mind buzzed with plans, the whispers of {ego} and [system] weaving through my thoughts like threads in a tapestry of controlled chaos.
Usopp, ever the paranoid one, shivered dramatically from his perch on a barrel, his long nose twitching. "W-what's with that smile? He looks like he's planning to cook us all alive… or worse, make us train until we drop!"
Zoro cracked an eye open from his nap, his bandaged chest rising and falling steadily. "Hmph. If he tries, I'll cut him down. After my nap."
Lucy cheerfully ignored the ominous aura, swinging from the rigging with a laugh that echoed like bells. She flipped upside down, her hair dangling like a wild mop. "We're almost there! Conomi Islands, here we come! I can't wait to meet Nami's family—Aqua, Nojiko, Bell-mère! Do they have good food? Tell me they have tangerines!"
Sanji, overhearing from the galley door, swooned dramatically. "Tangerines? For Nami-swan's home? I'll prepare a feast of citrus delights—tangerine soufflés, glazed duck with orange reduction, and cocktails that sparkle like her eyes!"
Nami swatted at a fly buzzing near her maps. "Focus on not burning the ship down first, Cook."
But I wasn't thinking about arrival just yet. My head was full of whispers only I could hear, plotting the next phase of our growth.
{ego}: "Ohohoho, yes! Perfect! Let's make training so brutal it'll make Aqua's sessions look like nap-time yoga. Blood, sweat, tears—maybe a bit of puke for flavor. Usopp retching mid-push-up, Zoro bleeding from his pores, Sanji crying over ruined hair gel—comedy and progress all in one!"
[system]: "Fufufu~ proposal acknowledged, Master Sunny. I'll tailor a regimen worthy of your legend: twenty hours a day, minimal rest, delightful suffering~ Shall I sprinkle in lightning strikes or freezing storms for ambience? Their screams will be music to my circuits. Ara ara… imagine them begging you for mercy~ ♥"
I whispered back, too soft for anyone else to hear: "Make it worse. Make it unforgettable. But don't tell them yet. Let the surprise hit like a tidal wave."
Nami stepped up beside me at the rail, her shoulder brushing mine in a way that sent a subtle spark through the air. Her hair caught the sunlight like molten copper, and those sharp eyes of hers eyed my grin with suspicion. "What are you plotting now, Sunny? That smile's giving me chills—and not the good kind."
I tilted my head, voice dipped low with a teasing lilt, leaning in just close enough to feel the warmth of her presence. "Would you be jealous if I said it's a surprise? Something to make us all stronger... including you."
Her cheeks colored faintly, though she tried to brush it off with a huff, crossing her arms but not pulling away. "I'll only be jealous if it's stupid. Or if it involves me getting sweaty and gross."
"Then I'll make sure it's just stupid enough," I murmured, my hand lightly grazing her arm in a fleeting touch that lingered like a promise. The romance in the moment was subtle, like the gentle rock of the ship—undeniable but not overwhelming. Her eyes met mine, a spark of something deeper flashing before she looked away, biting her lip to hide a smile.
Lucy, ever the chaos machine with impeccable timing, threw herself between us like a human cannonball. "Oi! No lovey-dovey on deck unless I get to be referee! First rule: no smooching without my approval! Second rule: share the snacks!"
Nami shoved Lucy away with practiced ease, her face now fully flushed. "Get lost, you glutton! This isn't a romance novel!"
Lucy tumbled dramatically, rolling across the deck and popping up with a grin. "It totally is! Sunny's the mysterious hero, Nami's the fiery beauty—ooh, and I'm the comic relief! Usopp, back me up!"
Usopp, caught off guard, stammered. "Uh, yeah! And I'm the dashing sidekick who saves the day with inventions! Like this—behold, the Anti-Romance Fog Machine!" He pulled out a gadget that sputtered smoke, filling the deck with a hazy cloud that smelled suspiciously like burnt rubber.
Sanji dashed out, waving a towel. "My goddesses! Are you alright? That smoke—it's ruining the ambiance! Usopp, you fiend!"
Zoro snorted awake. "Great. Now it smells like failure up here."
The crew dissolved into laughter, the comedy diffusing any tension as Usopp chased the smoke away with frantic waves. I chuckled, sliding an arm around Nami's waist for a second too long before stepping forward, the touch a quiet anchor amid the mayhem.
"Everyone on deck," I called. My voice wasn't loud, but it carried with the weight of Haki, cutting through the chatter like a blade.
Usopp groaned but obeyed, coughing from his own invention. Zoro lumbered up with his swords half-dragging, grumbling about "interrupted naps." Lucy practically cartwheeled over, landing in a dramatic pose. Sanji sprinted the second he heard Nami would be there, adjusting his tie with a flourish. Even the Merry seemed to steady herself, as if sensing the shift.
The crew gathered around in a loose circle, bracing for either a speech or another one of my terrifying surprises. The sun beat down warmly, waves lapping rhythmically against the hull, but the air hummed with anticipation.
I glanced at each of them, eyes calm but assessing—Usopp's nervous fidgeting, Zoro's stoic readiness, Lucy's boundless energy, Sanji's devoted stance near Nami, and Nami herself, watching me with that mix of trust and wariness that always stirred something in my chest. "We're heading for Cocoyasi Village. Aqua, Nojiko, and Bell-mère are waiting. Family reunions, tangerine groves, maybe some quiet for once. But before that…" My expression sharpened, the smile fading into something more intense. "We need to talk about strength. If we want dreams like Pirate Queen, All Blue, or becoming the world's greatest swordsman to mean anything, we'll need power to match it. Real power. The kind that turns impossibilities into footnotes."
The words hung heavy in the salty air, the crew's faces shifting from casual to serious.
Zoro straightened, his scars pulling taut, serious for once. "Hmph. Finally, you're speaking my language. I've been itching for a real grind since Mihawk handed my ass to me."
Usopp's knees knocked together audibly, his eyes wide. "D-does this mean more death-defying battles? Because I already risked my life against a crab last week! And that smoke machine incident just now—counts as training, right?"
Lucy flung her arms wide, laughing maniacally. "Bring it on! No dream is too big for me! I'll punch through mountains if I have to—after a snack break, of course!"
Sanji knelt dramatically at Nami's side, his cigarette smoke curling romantically. "For Nami-swan's dream of mapping the world, I'd face hell itself! Flames, demons, even dieting—name it!"
Nami elbowed him lightly. "Get up, you idiot. But... yeah. If it means protecting home, count me in."
{ego}: "Ha! You hear that, readers? He's actually going to do it. Poor crew has no idea they signed up for 'Boot Camp from Hell ft. God Sunny.' Someone prepare the vomit buckets."
[system]: "Fufufu~ they'll thank you when their fragile little bodies stop breaking. After all, only I get to break you, my Sunny~ gently, of course… for maintenance purposes ♥"
I lifted a hand, silencing them with a subtle pulse of my cool blue aura of Haki, washing over the deck like a calming tide. But then, something changed. I let the power deepen, my eyes darkening as the blue sank deeper until they looked like voids—endless, starless, terrifying. The air grew thick, the crew's breaths hitching.
"What the hell—" Usopp choked, clutching the mast.
Before anyone could blink, the world folded around us.
The deck buckled under their feet with a groan, the sea twisted like a wrung cloth, and suddenly the Going Merry wasn't gliding across calm waves. It was hurtling upward, propelled by an invisible force—my will bending reality just enough to make the impossible casual.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Usopp screamed, clinging to the mast like a terrified gecko, his hat flying off into the wind.
Sanji wrapped both arms around Nami protectively—who, annoyingly calm, just crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Why aren't you panicking?!" he yelled, his voice cracking as the ship climbed.
Nami sighed, her hand steady on his arm. "Because I already know Sunny can do this. Idiots. Besides, if we fall, at least we'll go out with a view."
Lucy, hair whipping in the gale like a wild banner, screamed with delight rather than fear. "WE'RE FLYING! MERRY'S FLYING! Look at the clouds—they're like cotton candy! Can we eat them?!"
Zoro's hand shot to his swords, his balance impeccable even as the deck tilted. "What did you do, Sunny? If this is training, it's a hell of a start—better than weights!"
The Going Merry soared higher and higher, piercing through layers of clouds until the air thinned, turning crisp and biting. 30,000 feet—wind brutal, oxygen scarce, the ocean below a dizzying smear of blue and white. The crew's faces were a comedy of extremes: Usopp green with nausea, Lucy whooping like a kid on a swing, Sanji torn between protecting Nami and not vomiting on his suit, Zoro grinning ferally, and Nami... Nami leaned into me slightly, her hand finding mine in the chaos, a quiet romantic anchor amid the storm.
Sunny stood steady at the center, cloak snapping like dark wings, void-colored eyes reflecting the awe and terror of his crew. "This is what it takes. This is what we'll need if we want to reach our dreams." My smile widened, sharp as broken glass. "So get ready. Training starts now—high-altitude endurance. Breathe deep, push through. Or fall."
The ship groaned, creaked—but then settled, as though even Merry herself had decided to bear the impossible, her figurehead seeming to smile defiantly at the sky.
{{ego}: "Look at that—holding Nami's hand while playing god. Smooth, Sunny-boy, real smooth. At this rate, you'll collect dreams and hearts in equal measure."
[system]: "Fufufu~ careful, my Sunny~ if you hold her any tighter, I might get jealous. But… she looks good beside you, I'll admit. Still, remember—no one clings to your heart longer than I do ♥"
Sanji finally unclenched enough to light another cigarette, his hands shaking as he muttered, "Remind me why I left a perfectly good kitchen for this madness. High-flying lunacy wasn't in the job description!"
Zoro snorted, one hand on his sword as he steadied himself against the wind. "Because you'd get fat otherwise, swirly-brow. All those soufflés going straight to your hips."
"Say that again, moss-head! I'll kick you off this flying death trap!"
"Gladly, love-cook. Bring it—mid-air sparring sounds fun."
They butted heads as always, their bickering echoing even at 30,000 feet, turning the terror into familiar comedy. Usopp wailed, "Guys! Not now—I'm gonna hurl!" Lucy egged them on, "Fight! Fight! But save some energy for cloud-punching!"
Meanwhile, Lucy had her arms spread wide, laughing like a kid on the world's deadliest rollercoaster. "This is the best day of my life! Merry's alive! She's a bird now! Sunny, can we do loop-de-loops next?"
{ego}: "Alright, end scene—Zoro and Sanji bickering mid-air, Usopp screaming, Lucy cheering, and you grinning like a maniac. Perfection. Straight-up movie finale material."
[system]: "System log updated: Operation 'Sky Madness' successful. Crew morale—fractured but functional. Loyalty—strengthened. Master's allure—exponentially increased~ Fufufu~ mission complete ♥"
I just stood at the center of it all, smile lingering, the whispers of {ego} and [system] coiled in my mind. All of it hidden behind that void-blue gaze.
And Nami—steady, close enough to feel the edge of my arm brushing hers—looked up at me with a knowing glance, her fingers still intertwined with mine. She didn't ask what I was planning next. She already knew she'd find out, sooner or later—perhaps in a quiet moment later, under the stars, where romance could bloom without the crew's comedic interruptions.
{ego}: "And with that hand-hold and a killer view, boom—romance tease secured. Nice pacing, author. Bet half the readers are squealing right now."
[system]: "Ara ara~ they should be. After all, only I truly know what lies behind that smile~ Fufufu~"
The Going Merry soared on, and for the first time, our dreams felt like they were truly above the world.