Going Merry— Moments Before Departure
The Going Merry bobbed gently against the dock, sails furled, sunlight glinting off her freshly scrubbed wood. The village's laughter still echoed faintly from shore as the crew finished loading the supplies Cocoyashi had gifted them.
"Got everything?" Luffy asked, watching as Zoro and Usopp heaved the last crate into place.
"Yup!" Usopp called back.
"Pyu!"
—Finally!
"Alright! We're stocked up with everything we need. I think we're good to go," Sanji said through the cigarette between his fingers.
"We've only been on this island for a few days, but it feels more like a lifetime!" Usopp sighed, stretching his arms once the box settled.
"Yeah! Nishishishi!" Luffy laughed, carefree as ever.
Sanji glanced around, eyes narrowing with suspicion. Fuwako mirrored his movements like a little feathered detective—completely ignoring the heartfelt moment between the two strays nearby.
But the bird's mimicry was cut short.
Nami wasn't aboard.
Fuwako's feathers fluffed as worry crawled up their spine.
"Yeah! Now it's time for us to get going!" Usopp declared.
"Pyu! Pyuu?!"
—Wait! What about Nami?!
"But we can't leave yet! We gotta wait for Nami-san!" Sanji barked, perfectly in sync with Fuwako's alarm.
"Well, maybe she's not coming," Zoro said flatly.
"PYU?!"
—WHAT?! WHY?!
"What why not?! If you tried to hit on her again I swear I'll break your freaking neck, you got it?!" Sanji shouted, practically breathing fire at the swordsman. Zoro replied calmly and smugly, sparking another pointless argument.
Fuwako tuned them out— nonsense could wait.
Their talons dug grooves into the deck as they leaned forward, scanning the villagers below with razor-sharp eyes.
Searching.
Hoping.
There—
A familiar silhouette tearing through the crowd.
"Pyu!"
—Nami!
"Set the sails!" Nami shouted as she sprinted full-speed toward the ship.
"Wait, why's she running?" Usopp blinked, confused.
"She said to set sail!"
"No! She plans to leave without letting any of us thank her or say goodbye!" Pinwheel man—though his pinwheel was missing— cried out in horror.
"Nami!"
"Nacchan!"
"Nami!"
"Pyu…"
—She really won't say goodbye? But they're her flock…
"You're really letting her leave like this?" Sanji asked sharply.
"Not my decision to make," Luffy answered, eyes steady.
Fuwako paused at that.
Not his decision.
Not theirs either.
If Nami chose this…
All they could do was accept it.
But their worry didn't ease— not one feather.
The navigator weaved through the villagers like wind itself, fleet-footed and focused. But Fuwako noticed something strange with each nimble sidestep…
…she was snatching things out of their pockets as she ran.
Before the thought fully formed—
Nami leapt off the wharf—
THUD!
CLACK!
She landed on deck with the grace of a cat. Then, in one motion, lifted her shirt—
And a rain of wallets tumbled onto the floorboards.
The villagers gasped. Then groaned. Then laughed themselves red—throwing mock-curses and affectionate scolding her way.
Troublemaker to the very end.
Fuwako puffed up proudly, beak stretching in the closest thing a dinosaur-bird could manage to a grin.
"Pyu!"
—Glad she's back!
They trotted along with Zoro and Usopp toward the bow, listening to the chorus of goodbyes fade with distance as the Merry glided out to sea.
Sunlight warmed the deck. The salty breeze tasted like freedom.
Later Fuwako curled up beside the tangerine trees, their "nest" made from fallen twigs and leaves. The bandages itched, but it was cozy and it smelled like Nami, so they stayed.
"You raised your prices again?! That's a little steep, don't you think?! Raise your prices again and I'll stop paying!" Nami scolded the seagull on the railing, like a parent lecturing a naughty toddler.
"QUUUACK!!"
—Apologies! I swear it's not my fault! Thank you for your patronage!!
The bird squawked dramatically and fled.
"Pyu…"
—Weird bird…
"What's the big deal? It's just one paper," Usopp chimed in.
"Just one paper? I buy these every day!"
"Yeah, but there's no need to save every last berry so you can buy back your village from Arlong now. You can finally stop obsessing about money," he argued, fiddling with a red ball full of a suspicious liquid. That made Fuwako's nostrils sting.
"You're so stupid! Now that all that stuff's over, I'm saving money for me now! Sheesh. I'm not gonna be one of those poor pirates who can't even afford to dress up!" Nami huffed, grin stretching wide as she looked toward the horizon.
"Whoa! Calm down! I'm in the middle of developing my special Tabasco star!"
Fuwako let out a quiet, amused huff.
Somehow, life already felt normal again.
Then—
Luffy's hand crept toward the sacred tangerines.
Fuwako froze.
"Py? Pyu…"
—Seriously? Captain never learns…
POW!
BAM!!
SLAM!!!
And the captain sailed directly into Usopp, whose face immediately burst into flames.
Fuwako clicked their beak, unimpressed, and waddled away from the chaos.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Zoro lounged a few feet away, arms behind his head, eyes shut — pretending none of that existed.
Tap. Tap.
Fuwako climbed onto his chest, careful not to disturb the healing wound, turned twice like a nesting pup, and settled into a warm feathery lump.
"Sanji's getting used, that poor bastard…" Zoro muttered with a sigh. He cracked an eye open, looking down at Fuwako. Then shut it again.
"Py-Pyu…"
—G'night, Zoro…
"Yeah, night birdie."
And just like that, both were snoring.
They could sleep through a sea king attack if they wanted.
It was a perfect nap — full of meat and fish and sparkly treasure — until a sudden scream from the crew ripped Fuwako awake.
"Alright guys!! We're wanted criminals!" Luffy announced proudly, laughing like a maniac.
"Wanted, dead or alive… thirty million berries?!"
"That's a whole lot of berries! Nishishishi!"
"Pyu…? Py…"
—Thirty million…? How much fish is that…?
Drool dripped down their beak.
Zoro stirred beneath them, clearly awake now too.
Fuwako curled back up, content to let the chaos play out in the background.
But then—
A familiar stench.
Rotting fish. Cheap gunpowder. Pink hair gel.
Fuwako perked up.
"Pyu..?"
—Wait… is that…?
A ragged marine ship passed by.
Then immediately turned around like a confused duck.
Fuwako blinked slowly. Reptilian eyes closing vertically the opening back up. Head tilting sideways, before perking up.
"Pyu!" Fuwako chirps in realization.
—It's that guy Sanji beat up!!
The pink-haired marine yelled something about firing, and Fuwako crouched ready to help—
But Zoro was already standing.
So they backed off.
BOOM!
The cannonball soared—
And Zoro, calm as a sleepy cat, stepped up to the rail.
"One hit'll do."
SLICE!!
SPLASH! SPLASH!
The cannonball split clean in half, both chunks splashing harmlessly into the sea.
"Pyuu! Py! Py!!"
—Awesome! AGAIN! AGAIN!!
Fuwako hopped in a flurry of feathers, wings flapping so fast they stirred up a gleeful breeze.
Zoro smirked, sliding his sword back into place.
The adventure had begun again.
And soon the world would truly learn the name of the Strawhat crew.
TO BE CONTINUED…