One Piece (Love Story) [Part Two]

Chapter Two Hundred and Forty Nine [Rewritten]

-Chapter Two Hundred and Forty-Nine-

"Sure, thanks for the help, Monster Granny" Luffy nodded. "You're the best and thank you, Merry, we never would have made it if you weren't there" he brightly smiled as I happily leaned back against Zoro.

"Indeed, we would have been toast if it wasn't for her" I hummed in agreement.

"I was pretty surprised when you showed up, but when I think about it, you've always been there to protect us" Luffy said. "We've always counted on you, anyway, I'm just happy that you've been a part of the team, Merry—you're a good friend to have" he blissfully sighed as he closed his eyes and rested his cheek against the top of the ram's head.

"I don't mean to spoil your mood" Franky spoke up. "But damn, you guys did some crazy stuff back there—I don't think the government's going to let you off that easy after you burned down their flag" he pointed out.

"Eh, let them be mad" I shrugged.

"Well, whatever, it doesn't feel like a big deal to me" Luffy said which caused me to softly laugh. "The only reason I did any of that was because they took our friend and I wanted her back, we couldn't have done what we did without your help, so thanks a lot" he thanked, causing Robin to widely smile.

"Well, like you said, it wasn't really that big of a deal—I just did what I had to do" Franky blushed as he bashfully scratched the back of his head.

"The point is, we're all together, we're coming back in one piece and this fight was our victory" Luffy grinned which caused all of us to cheer. "Hey, Usopp, are you there?" he asked after a while of peaceful sailing, now curiously wanting to know where the long-nosed pirate had disappeared off to when he couldn't find him.

"Where did you run off to? Come back!" Chopper worriedly called out.

"Hey, Usopp!" Luffy loudly shouted for the man as both he and Chopper now started to search the whole ship for him. "I thought he'd be up here for sure" he muttered while checking the crow's nest before moving down to the rooms below. "Where are you hiding? You in there? Seriously, I just saw him!" he huffed upon checking the kitchen and still not finding who he was looking for.

"Are...are they being serious right now?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I watched them rush past the sharpshooter who had put his mask back on and picked back up that silly Sniper King persona of his.

"Hey, they're calling you" Sanji said.

"No, I can't, it's too soon" Sniper King nervously whispered back.

"Stop playing hide and seek!" Luffy snapped. "Get out here or I'll kick your ass!" he threatened, already starting to grow annoyed with the sharpshooter's "disappearance."

"Kick your ass!" Chopper echoed.

"Yeah, like that'll convince him to come out of hiding" I sweat dropped.

"Hey, do you know where Usopp's at, Sniper King?" Luffy asked. "You're his friend, right?" he asked, not questioning where Sniper King came from at all despite him not having been on the ship previously.

"Oh! Uh...no need to fear, he took a different boat and went on ahead himself!" Sniper King proclaimed before being kicked by Sanji.

"But why?" Chopper innocently asked, not understanding why the sharpshooter would do such a thing.

"That doesn't make sense, the Merry's his ship, right?" Luffy tilted his head as I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"That was a terrible lie and you two should have been able to see right through it..." I grumbled.