Freedom & Fate | One Piece x Reader

Chapter 24 | Symbol

You wake up to a gentle rocking for- and backwards motion. Something soft can be felt underneath you and the small room you are in is decorated quite cute but modestly. For a second, confusion started settling in again. You sit up and suffer a stinging sensation on your neck. When you move your hand up, you feel a soft material covering your wound.

The trapdoor leading to the room swings open and down the stairs comes a cheery pirate wearing a straw-hat.

"Y/N, you're finally awake!" he says excitedly. "You slept so long, you even missed lunch!"

"I missed lunch?" you look at him, dumbfounded.

And I'm starting to feel really hungry too...

"No, wait, before that," you speak. "Where are we?"

"Oh, that's right!" He chuckles. "You're the first one to sleep on our new ship! The Going Merry!"

Your face lightens up and a smile spreads on your face. "You got the ship?"

"Yep."

You hop out of bed and rush outside to view the ship as a whole. "It's amazing!" You lean over the railing and gawk at the sheep figurehead. You spot Merry and Kaya standing next to the ship and wave at them.

"Y/N, how are you feeling?" Kaya asks.

"Fine and refreshed," you reply.

"I'm glad to hear that." She smiles. "I had everything you need for a voyage loaded onto this ship."

Before you could respond something else caught your eye. A big ball, no... Usopp, carrying a backpack at least five times his size is rolling down the slope! Your mouth forms a small o as your eyes follow him. He would have slammed right against the new ship if it wasn't for Zoro and Luffy stopping him with their foot to his face.

You chuckle and turn to look at the Going Merry again. The most interesting spot is, of course, the very front, the sheep figurehead. You stroll over there and slowly climb on top of it, careful not to slip and fall into the water... again.

As you expected, the view from the front is the best! Seeing everything clear ahead of you is a bliss.

After getting a deep breath of air, you step down from the figurehead and notice that everyone already boarded the ship. Well, everyone except one. You run up to the railing.

"Safe voyage guys! Hope to see you again somewhere!" Usopp says.

"Why?" Luffy asks.

"Huh, why?" He sighs. "You're so cold-hearted! We're both going to be pirates, so we might meet again on the high seas–"

"I think you should reconsider," you cut him off.

"Hurry up and get on board!" Zoro commands.

"You're already our companion, aren't you?" Luffy replies.

And just like that, another person joined his crew.

"To a new ship and a new crew member!"

You all raise your cups and clash them together. "Cheers!"

ஐ

"What are you doing all alone in our room?"

"Oh, Nami," you answer surprised. "I was just trying to fix something." You scratch your cheek, a little flustered about the fact that you couldn't exactly figure out how you can fix it.

"Could you help me?" You show her the ripped up maid outfit.

"Sure! Actually, I'm quite good at stuff like this," she replies.

With her skilful hands, the dress looks as good as new. You could barely notice the seam. Next, you clean the outfit and even out the wrinkles. You had to ask Nami a lot about basic household chores. For the finishing touch, you fold the dress neatly together, take a seat at the desk and write a little note.

"Are you giving it away?" Nami asks.

You shake your head lightly. "No, I'm returning it."

// { The next day at Kaya's mansion }

By the windowsill, Merry finds a special delivery. He picks up the small piece of paper laying on top of the dress.

Thank you

A smile spreads on his lips. He reaches for his handkerchief. "You're always welcome." //

ஐ

"Y/N!"

You peek down from the crow's nest. Luffy is calling you to come down for a moment and help him with a project.

"What's this project?" You look at the black fabric on the ground.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to draw our Jolly Roger!"

"A flag?"

"Yep!"

"Ah, I suppose pirates need something like that," you answer.

"I'll do the outline and you colour it in." He hands you a paintbrush from behind his back.

A few seconds later he finished drawing the symbol. You think it looks... peculiar. But you don't say anything and just colour it in with white, red and yellow. This symbol is certainly pointing out his treasured straw-hat.

After painting in his outline, it only looks half as bad.

"What's with the fabric?" Luffy suddenly asks.

"Oh, this?" you point at your neck. "It's... j-just a scarf."

"Hmm..." He moves closer and stares at the fabric intensely. "Alright!" He steps back and puts his hands on his hip. "I guess other colours suit you too!"

"Other colours?" you ask but receive no reply. Luffy already ran off to show the flag to his crew. You stand up and follow after him.

"Tadaaa! Our symbol!" Luffy proudly presents his work. "Whaddya think?"

"Our symbol..." Nami sighs. "Y/N, did you really help with this?"

"The design was his," you reply. "After looking at it for a while, I think it's more like modern art."

"Modern? Art? I don't think any of those words are fitting," Usopp comments. "Why don't you guys leave it to the great Captain Usopp?"

In the end, Usopp drew a much better-looking flag. The Jolly Roger now hangs at the top of the mast and the same drawing was transferred onto the sail. From this point on, everyone in the vast sea shall recognise the Straw-hat Pirates!

✘