"A name! Our pirate crew doesn't even have a name!! I was introducing us today and didn't even know what to say! It was so embarrassing!!" Luffy slammed the table with both hands, shouting like an angry child.
Honestly, he hadn't thought much about this before. But today, when Moria introduced himself with,
"I'm Gecko Moria, captain of the Thriller Bark Pirates," it sounded… way too cool!
As a crew that was destined to shake the world, they couldn't go around calling themselves "The Luffy Pirates." That just sounded lame.
So, they had to decide on a name today, no matter what!
"Pfft!" Robin couldn't hold back her laughter at Luffy's dramatic antics and let out a chuckle.
Noticing both Luffy and Brook looking her way, she quickly composed herself and nodded seriously.
"Yes, you're right. That's a major issue."
Brook folded his hands solemnly beneath his chin. His hollow skull wore a grave expression, and the faint flames flickering in his eye sockets made it look like he was deep in thought.
A brief silence fell over the group before Brook, taking on the tone of someone older and wiser, spoke in a low voice:
"This is indeed a serious matter."
The flames in his eyes flickered again as he mused aloud,
"Generally, pirate crew names fall into three main categories."
"First: Named directly after the captain.
Second: Based on the captain's title.
Third: Unique names that reflect the crew's character, goals, or philosophy."
Having finished, Brook turned his dark eye sockets toward Luffy.
"That's the typical way pirate crews are named."
Luffy nodded thoughtfully, clearly confused but taking it seriously.
Robin blinked in disbelief, watching the two of them so solemnly discuss the name of a pirate crew.
She really couldn't understand this whole "man's romance" thing.
After a brief pause, Luffy said, "Alright, we can forget the first category. 'Luffy Pirates' or 'Monkey Pirates' both sound terrible."
Robin and Brook held their silence, waiting for what he'd say next.
"As for the second option…" Luffy hesitated and gave Robin a glance. Then he said,
"I once had a nickname, 'Demon Kid.' Robin's title is 'Devil's Child.'"
"What?!" Brook exclaimed. "Robin-san is wanted too?"
In Brook's mind, Robin was always graceful and kind, a well-mannered, book-loving chef with a warm, gentle demeanor. The thought that someone like her had a bounty stunned him.
"They must've done some terrible things out there…" Brook thought to himself.
He hadn't left the Florian Triangle in forty years and was completely out of touch with the outside world.
"Yep, Robin's bounty is pretty high too," Luffy said cheerfully.
Robin smiled faintly and said in a mock-proud tone,
"'Devil's Child' Nico Robin, bounty: 79 million berries!"
She used to hate that name. It was a reminder of her painful childhood.
But now, things were different.
'Demon Kid' and 'Devil's Child'… that kind of sounds like a pair, Robin thought sweetly.
She didn't feel any sorrow about the name anymore.
CLACK!
Brook's jaw fell clean off and clattered onto the table with a loud, crisp sound.
Looking utterly defeated, he slumped onto the table and muttered,
"Robin-san's bounty is more than double mine…"
For pirates, bounties are a matter of pride.
They're always comparing who is higher.
"Ahahaha…" Robin was amused again by Brook's reaction. She laughed like a silver bell, her eyes narrowing into crescents as her shoulders shook with delight.
"Alright, alright, let's get back on topic," Luffy cut them off helplessly, rubbing his temples.
How did this serious moment get derailed so fast?
Returning to the main subject, Luffy continued,
"Demon Kid, Devil's Child, and with Brook's appearance… what do you guys think of the name 'Demon Pirates'?"
"Demon… Pirates?" Robin and Brook echoed together from either side of the table.
But the name didn't feel very intimidating or inspiring. It felt… odd.
Neither of them were truly evil at heart. Sure, their nicknames and appearances were "demonic," but that wasn't who they were inside. So the word "demon" made them both a little uneasy.
Yet neither of them wanted to disagree with Luffy, so they stayed quiet, hesitating to speak.
"…Alright." Luffy read their faces and immediately knew they weren't fans.
He muttered the name to himself:
"Demon Pirates… yeah, doesn't really have the right energy."
Only weaklings try to sound fierce.
"Ugh…" Luffy leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling with a deep sigh.
This was something they'd have to live with for the rest of their lives, he couldn't take it lightly.
He couldn't go around as "The Black-Haired Pirates" or "The No-Beard Pirates," right?
Why did others get cool names like "Sun Pirates" or "Thriller Bark Pirates"?
As Luffy let his mind drift, he began to grumble internally.
"Hm?"
"Sun… Moonlight…"
Luffy suddenly widened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling, his pupils narrowing.
It was like he could see right through the stone, through the thick fog, into the starry universe beyond.
One by one, stars flashed before his eyes… until he stopped on one blue planet.
"…I've got it!"
Luffy shot upright and slammed the table.
"I've got it!!"
Robin and Brook turned to him once more, waiting for his announcement.
Luffy stretched out his arm and pointed toward the sky beyond the stone walls, as if beckoning them to look at the far-off stars.
Excitedly, he shouted:
"We'll be called… the Starry Sky Pirates!!"
"Starry Sky Pirates…" Robin and Brook softly repeated the name.
Their eyes slowly lit up, as if the name filled them with a strange warmth and peace.
In their hearts, they silently imagined their future titles:
"Brook, Soul King and Chief Musician of the Starry Sky Pirates!"
"Nico Robin, Devil's Child and Historian-slash-Chef of the Starry Sky Pirates!"
Instantly, it felt far classier, infinitely better than "Demon Pirates."
The two of them raised their heads and smiled at Luffy.
"Yes! From now on, we are… the Starry Sky Pirates!"
"…And one more thing."
Luffy's tone suddenly dropped.
This name wasn't just for the sound of it.
It carried a dream, one he'd never dared to say aloud.
Not even the pirate world could hold his attention for long.
He craved true freedom.
With a grandfather like Garp, and a father like Dragon… there weren't many things in this world that could truly stop him.
But there was one place he desperately wanted to go…
Somewhere he might never return from.
Something even the greatest adventures couldn't replace.
Luffy leaned closer to the others, his eyes shimmering with emotion.
"Our goal… is the endless sea of stars. And to uncover the true meaning of this world."
Robin and Brook didn't fully understand.
As natives of this pirate world, the idea of "the stars" was abstract to them.
But Luffy's expression, the raw emotion behind it, touched them deeply.
He seemed almost… sad.
They didn't ask questions.
As his crewmates, being by his side was more than enough.
==========
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