Shy Merry draped herself in a plain, dull cloak, hiding her face completely.
She looked like an ordinary little girl.
Yet on that simple canvas cloak, a faint, shimmering light betrayed her true nature, she was anything but ordinary.
Merry pressed her slightly translucent form tightly against the wooden mast, burying her face as if trying to disappear.
Her trembling only sparked Luffy's instinct to protect her.
Caught by Luffy, Merry looked like a child who had been caught doing something wrong.
Instantly, she transformed into a super-cute, anime-like little girl, shivering with such intensity it was almost visible.
Her two tiny hands waved around in confusion.
She scrambled up from the deck and rolled around the cylindrical mast, disappearing from Luffy's view again.
"Uh…"
Luffy tilted his head curiously, watching the small, adorable head peek out from behind the mast.
I don't remember Merry being this shy…
Could it be because she was just formed?
Suppressing his doubts, Luffy waved again, trying to greet her.
Looking at the tiny head peeking out, he gave a bright, sunny smile, cutting through the darkness brought by the soft moonlight and stars.
"Hello, Merry, I'm Luffy!"
After a brief silence, a small, childlike voice suddenly echoed in Luffy's mind:
"Pyee~?"
Sensing Luffy's kindness, Merry peeked a little further, though her face remained hidden under the cloak.
Perhaps this was the natural form of a ship spirit…
Luffy squatted, bringing his gaze level with hers.
He placed his milk cup, almost as tall as Merry herself, on the deck.
Then he spread his hands, making playful gestures like teasing a child.
He opened his arms, showing a gentle, kind face, but said nothing.
He intended to win over Merry with action rather than words.
"Pyee…"
Slowly, Merry inched a toe out from behind the mast.
After a long while, perhaps realizing Luffy meant no harm, or for some other reason, she slowly stepped out.
It looked like she wanted to try communicating properly.
"Pyee~"
Another soft call.
Luffy looked at her curiously and asked gently:
"Hello, Merry. Can you talk like I do?"
In the original story, Merry could speak freely, though her voice sounded like a seven- or eight-year-old's.
With Luffy's advanced Observation Haki, he could sense her intended meaning.
But this method was vague and mentally exhausting, requiring focused Haki to interpret.
If Merry could speak normally, as in the original story, it would be perfect.
Sure enough, after Luffy's question, the voice in his mind transformed.
No longer just short exclamations, it now carried a timid, childlike tone:
"Pyee, um~ y-yes~"
The soft, glutinous voice melted Luffy's heart like a baby learning to speak.
Too adorable! Isn't it!!!
Luffy lowered his own voice, speaking gently to match her:
"Merry, you know me, right~?"
"Y-yes, I know!"
Merry seemed excited to speak with someone, her tone gradually rising and her words becoming smoother.
Luffy crouched, then waddled forward slightly.
Frightened, Merry stepped back!
Luffy didn't mind her fear, instead continuing forward while speaking gently:
"Don't be afraid, Merry.
You know me, right?
You should know that I really like you."
He took another step, continuing:
"All of us… we really like you!"
Luffy approached, speaking words of reassurance while extending one arm, palm up, toward her.
He smiled warmly:
"We're partners, aren't we?"
"Thank you for all the care you've given us, Merry."
"P-p-partner…"
Though her voice sounded young, Merry possessed mature thoughts and consciousness, capable of easily understanding hearts.
After all, she wouldn't have been born if even one of them didn't care for her.
Facing Luffy just a step away and the warm hand extended toward her, Merry lowered her head shyly.
But after a moment, as if summoning courage, she clenched her tiny fists beside her and stepped forward.
Her small feet began moving, reaching toward Luffy's outstretched hand.
"I…I am the ship spirit of the Going Merry.
Th-thank…thank you all for loving me."
Her ghostly hand slowly moved toward Luffy.
But just as her tiny hand was about to touch his palm…
A shimmer passed!
To Luffy's surprise, her hand passed through his palm as if it didn't exist in this world.
Failing to grasp Luffy's hand, Merry's spirits instantly sank.
She seemed to cry, though no tears fell.
Her soft voice whimpered again:
"Ship…ship spirits…cannot touch humans.
Humans…will one day leave their ships and return to land.
But ship spirits…cannot leave the ships they protect…"
"So…so…"
Merry's ethereal body trembled, grieving her own fragile state.
Just formed, she had ignored the innate knowledge from her memories.
But now, under Luffy's smiling encouragement, she revealed her true form.
Yet… she regretted it.
No hope, no disappointment.
When she thought she would touch Luffy's hand, she suddenly understood why memories warned all ship spirits in this way.
Perhaps countless ship spirits had left behind this mark through endless sorrow.
Born from humans' love for their ships, ship spirits could not indulge in too much negative emotion.
It would interfere with the unique power that allowed them to gather into a ship spirit.
Seeing Merry's body fade and begin to vanish, Luffy realized the situation was critical.
His expression hardened!
He quickly retrieved the spirit orb from his system backpack.
Without waiting for her consent, he shouted:
"It's okay, Merry!
You're my partner! No one can hurt you!
Not even this world!"
Ding!
The orb's white button touched Merry's disappearing forehead.
The previously intangible Merry pressed the orb's button herself!
A red beam enveloped her body. Before she could react, she was drawn into the orb.
Luffy stood, holding the orb, whispering softly:
"Don't worry, Merry.
We'll always be together!"
[Ding! Congratulations! The host has captured the second pet, the ship spirit Merry.
Open the pet interface to activate exclusive skills for your pet.]