The pink snow of Dr. Hiriluk's miracle faded into the distance, leaving the Going Merry sailing through a calm, star-strewn night. The air was crisp, but the biting cold of Drum Island was slowly giving way to the open sea's brine.
On the deck, Tony Tony Chopper stood clutching the straps of his blue backpack. He looked around, his large eyes wide with a mixture of wonder and lingering terror. He was really doing it. He was on a pirate ship.
And what a ship it was.
It wasn't just the ship itself; it was the crew. They were gathered around him, grinning, a collection of the most eclectic beings he had ever seen.
Luffy stepped forward, his straw hat casting a shadow over his eyes, but his grin blindingly bright.
"Welcome aboard, Chopper!" Luffy laughed. "You're a pirate now!"
Chopper shuffled his hooves. "I... I'll do my best! I'll cure everyone!"
Usopp, sensing a moment for gravitas (and wanting to impress the new recruit), stepped onto a crate. He adjusted his goggles and cleared his throat loudly.
"Ahem! Listen up, new recruit! As the Vice-Captain and brave warrior of the sea, it falls upon me to formally introduce you to the legendary crew of the Straw Hat Pirates!"
Usopp pointed a dramatic finger at Luffy.
"First, our Captain! The man who will become the Pirate King! Monkey D. Luffy!"
Luffy waved, picking his nose. "Yo."
Usopp spun and pointed to the green-haired man sleeping against the mast.
"Next! The demon of the East Blue! The man who hunts pirates and cuts steel! Our Swordsman, Roronoa Zoro!"
Zoro opened one eye. "You're too loud, Long-nose."
Usopp ignored him and pointed to the orange-haired woman at the helm.
"Our Navigator! The woman who commands the wind and the treasury! Nami!"
Nami winked, looking healthy and vibrant. "Nice to meet you properly, Chopper. Thanks for saving my life."
"Next! Me! The Great Captain Usopp! Sniper extraordinaire and Captain of 8,000 men!"
Chopper gasped. "8,000?! Whoa!"
Usopp preened, then pointed to the blond man emerging from the kitchen with a tray of drinks.
"Our Cook! The man with the burning leg and the best food in the world! Sanji!"
Sanji twirled. "Doctor-san! Would you like a celebratory juice?"
Usopp gestured to the white-haired man leaning against the railing.
"Our Magician! The man who defies logic and physics! Edgar D. Benjamin!"
Ben tipped an imaginary hat. "Welcome to the madness, Doctor."
Usopp pointed to the blue-haired girl sitting on a barrel.
"Our guest of honor! The Princess of Alabasta! Nefertari Vivi!"
Vivi smiled warmly. "Welcome, Chopper-san."
"And her partner, the fastest duck in the Grand Line! Karoo!"
"Quaaa!" Karoo saluted with a wing.
Usopp then gestured grandly to the two massive figures sitting near the stern, who, despite being shrunk to eight feet, still radiated immense power.
"Our heavy artillery! The Warriors of Elbaf! Dorry the Blue Ogre and Brogy the Red Ogre!"
"GABABABA!"
"GEGYAGYAGYA!"
The giants laughed, raising their weapons in a salute that made Chopper hide behind Ben's leg for a second.
Finally, Usopp pointed a thumb over his shoulder to the woman sitting calmly on the upper deck, reading a book.
"And her... she's... uh... Miss All Sunday. Currently, our 'Hostage' / 'Guest' / 'Mystery Lady'."
Robin looked up from her book, her blue eyes amused. "A pleasure, Mr. Doctor."
Chopper stepped into the center of the circle. He took a deep breath. He adjusted his pink hat.
"I... I am Tony Tony Chopper!" he announced, his voice squeaky but proud. "I am a Doctor! I... I ate the Hito Hito no Mi! I can change forms! And... and..."
He looked at them all—smiling, welcoming, not a single trace of fear or disgust in their eyes.
"Thanks for having me aboard the ship!" he finished, bowing his head.
"Aww," Robin said from the upper deck, a small smile playing on her lips. "Cute."
Chopper froze. His face flushed bright red. His body started doing a weird, wiggly, liquid dance of joy, waving his arms around.
"SHUT UP! BEING CALLED CUTE DOESN'T MAKE ME HAPPY, YOU JERK! BASTARD! HEHEHEHE!"
The crew erupted in laughter.
"He's definitely one of us," Sanji noted, lighting a cigarette.
"Alright!" Luffy shouted, throwing his fist in the air. "Nami! Set sail! Full speed to Alabasta!"
"Aye aye, Captain!" Nami called out. "The wind is with us! Merry, let's go!"
The ship surged forward, leaving the waters of Drum Island behind.
"AND NOW..." Luffy roared, drool already forming. "BANQUET!"
"YEAAAAAH!" Usopp and the Giants cheered.
"Hold on," a calm voice cut through the excitement.
Ben stepped into the center of the deck. He held up a hand.
"Wait a minute, everyone. Before we start the food... I have one more introduction to make."
The crew paused.
"Another one?" Luffy asked, looking around. "Did you find another person in your suitcase?"
"Is it a ghost?" Usopp whispered, clutching his chest.
"No," Ben smiled. "I think the correct sentence is... I need to reintroduce someone to you all. Someone who has been with us the whole time, but hasn't had a chance to say hello properly."
"Who?" Zoro asked, frowning. "We're all here."
Ben didn't answer. He just looked up at the main mast.
"Merry?" Ben said softly. "Would you do the honors?"
The crew looked at Ben. They looked at the mast. They looked at each other, puzzled.
Why was Ben talking to the—
"Hello, everyone!"
The voice didn't come from Ben. It didn't come from a person.
It came from... everywhere.
It was a soft, cheerful, youthful voice, sounding like a young girl. It resonated from the speakers Ben had hidden, but it felt like it vibrated from the very wood of the deck.
"Can you hear me?"
Usopp went pale. His knees knocked together.
"G-G-G-G-GHOST!" he shrieked, diving behind Brogy. "THE SHIP IS HAUNTED! WE'RE DOOMED! I HAVE GHOST-ALLERGY!"
Zoro's hand went to his sword. Sanji dropped his cigarette. Nami gasped.
Luffy, however, just tilted his head, his eyes scanning the air.
"Who's there?" Luffy asked. "Are you invisible?"
"It's me!" the voice chirped, sounding amused. "Don't you recognize me? I'm the Going Merry!"
Silence. Absolute, stunned silence.
The crew stared at the floorboards. They stared at the railing. They stared at the figurehead.
"The... ship?" Vivi whispered. "The ship is... talking?"
"Ben gave me a voice!" Merry said happily. "And a brain! And now I can say hello! Hi, Luffy! Hi, Usopp! Hi, Zoro!"
Ben stepped forward, enjoying the shock.
"I told you," Ben grinned. "Merry isn't just wood and nails. She's alive. She's intelligent. And now, she can talk to us."
The shock broke.
"SUGEEEEEEE!" Luffy screamed, his eyes popping out. "MERRY CAN TALK?!"
He sprinted to the bow. He grabbed the sheep figurehead by the cheeks.
"Merry! Is that you?! Can you hear me?!"
"I can hear you, Captain!" Merry's voice rang out, sounding clearest near the figurehead. "I'm so happy you're my captain!"
Luffy laughed, hugging the wooden sheep. "I love you too, Merry! You're the best ship!"
Usopp crawled out from behind Brogy, tears streaming down his face. He ran to the mast and hugged it. "Merry! You're alive! I knew it! I knew you were special! Do you recognise me?!"
"I remember, Usopp!" Merry replied kindly. "All your lies also!"
"She remembers!, And what do you mean by lies? They are all true!" Usopp wailed happily.
Nami walked over, touching the railing gently. "Merry... you saved us in the storm. And at Reverse Mountain."
"I did my best, Nami!" Merry said. "Ben helped me calculate the currents!"
"This is... incredible," Robin murmured, closing her book. "A sentient ship. Magically imbued... this crew defies all logic."
Chopper was staring at the deck with wide eyes. "The ship... is a nakama?"
"Yes, Doctor Chopper!" Merry said. "Welcome aboard! I promise not to get sea-sick so you don't have to treat me!"
Chopper's eyes sparkled. "Whoa! A talking ship! That's so cool!"
Ben raised his voice. "You can talk to her from anywhere on the ship. The galley, the quarters, the crow's nest. She's always listening. She's always watching over us."
Luffy pumped his fists in the air.
"Alright! We have a Reindeer! We have Giants! We have a Talking Ship! This is the best crew ever! BANQUET!"
"Right!" Sanji shouted, snapping out of his daze. "A banquet for our new family!"
He dashed into the kitchen.
Ben looked at the deck. It was cold and covered in remnants of snow.
"We need atmosphere," Ben decided.
He walked to the centre of the main deck.
Then he started using transfiguration, and from the wooden deck, stone began to rise. Smooth, grey stones formed a perfect, fire-safe circular hearth, about five feet wide. Around it, he created comfortable stone benches covered in thick, transfigured fur cushions.
Then Ben flicked his wand.
A magical fire roared to life in the stone circle. It was a beautiful fire—blue at the base, shifting to gold and orange. It gave off immense heat but no smoke, and the flames danced rhythmically, untouched by the sea wind.
"Come, sit!" Ben invited.
The crew gathered.
The Giants sat on the deck (the benches were too small for them), looking like mountains surrounding a campfire.
Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper sat on one bench, vibrating with energy.
Nami and Vivi sat together, wrapped in blankets, close to the warmth.
Zoro leaned against the mast nearby, bottle in hand.
Robin sat gracefully on a cushion, observing.
Karoo snuggled up to the fire for warmth.
Sanji emerged from the kitchen, balancing impossibly high stacks of platters.
"Dinner is served!"
Roasted dinosaur meat.
Hot, savory stew.
Fresh bread.
Fruit from the greenhouse Ben had set up in the suitcase.
And, of course, booze. Lots of it.
"KANPAI!" Luffy roared, raising a mug of juice.
"KANPAI!" the crew echoed.
They ate. They drank. They laughed.
Chopper tried his first sip of rum (given by Zoro), spat it out, and switched to hot cocoa.
Dorry and Brogy sat on the edge of the circle, their massive forms casting long shadows, laughing as they downed barrels of booze.
Luffy stole food from everyone.
Vivi laughed, the stress of her kingdom momentarily forgotten.
Robin sat quietly, sipping wine, watching the fire with a peaceful expression.
"This," Usopp sighed, patting his full stomach, "is the life. A full belly, a warm fire, and a talking ship."
"We need music!" Luffy shouted, crumbs flying. "Ben! Do the magic music!"
"Yeah!" Nami cheered. "Something lively!"
Ben smiled. He finished his drink and stood up. He walked to the edge of the firelight.
"Something lively? I think I have just the thing. A song from my home town. A song about hard work, whales, and the hope of going home."
He raised his wand.
"Orchestra Fantasma."
A deep, rhythmic thumping began. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. It sounded like a heartbeat, or the hull of a ship hitting the waves.
Then, a fiddle joined in. Then, a low, harmonizing hum.
Ben's voice, amplified and rich, cut through the night air.
There once was a ship that put to sea
The name of the ship was the Billy of Tea
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down
Oh blow, my bully boys, blow
The rhythm was infectious. It was a shanty—a working song.
Luffy instinctively started clapping his hands to the beat. Usopp grabbed an empty barrel and started drumming.
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
Ben's magic created a spectral chorus that backed him up, making it sound like a hundred sailors were singing along in the darkness.
Zoro tapped his mug against his knee, a small smirk on his face.
Robin closed her book, tapping her foot. She had never heard a song like this. It was raw. It was powerful.
She'd not been two weeks from shore
When down on her a right whale bore
The captain called all hands and swore
He'd take that whale in tow
Chopper's eyes were wide. "A whale?" he whispered.
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
By the second chorus, the crew was joining in. They didn't know the words perfectly, but the rhythm was in their blood.
"SOON MAY THE WELLERMAN COME!" Luffy shouted, off-key but enthusiastic.
"HUH!" Dorry and Brogy grunted in time, their deep bass voices shaking the deck.
Before the boat had hit the water
The whale's tail came up and caught her
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
When she dived down low
Ben spun, his coat swirling. He conjured illusions in the fire—a spectral ship battling a massive whale made of orange flame.
Vivi clapped, mesmerized. "It's beautiful..."
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
No line was cut, no whale was freed
The captain's mind was not of greed
And he belonged to the Whaleman's creed
She took that ship in tow
Sanji was dancing with Nami (who was laughing, feeling truly well for the first time in days).
"Play it louder, Ben!" Nami yelled.
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
For forty days or even more
The line went slack then tight once more
All boats were lost, there were only four
But still that whale did go
The tempo increased. The clapping got faster.
"GO! GO! GO!" Luffy chanted.
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
As far as I've heard, the fight's still on
The line's not cut, and the whale's not gone
The Wellerman makes his regular call
To encourage the captain, crew and all
Ben raised his wand high for the finale. The spectral orchestra swelled to a crescendo.
SOON MAY THE WELLERMAN COME
TO BRING US SUGAR AND TEA AND RUM
ONE DAY, WHEN THE TONGUING IS DONE
WE'LL TAKE OUR LEAVE AND GO!
The last note rang out, held by Ben and the spectral choir, before fading into the sound of the ocean and the crackle of the fire.
"YEAAAAAAH!" Luffy screamed, jumping up. "THAT WAS AWESOME! AGAIN! PLAY IT AGAIN!"
"YES! AGAIN!" Usopp yelled, drumming on his barrel.
Ben bowed theatrically. "As you wish, Captain."
He started the song again. This time, the whole crew sang along. Even Robin hummed the tune. Even Zoro grunted the chorus. Chopper danced around the fire with Luffy, his shadow stretching long against the sails