The ship waited for them at the edge of the village, resting quietly where the land met the sea—as if it had been listening the whole time.
It wasn't large.
It wasn't imposing.
But the moment they saw it, they knew.
The hull was clean and freshly painted, its wood a warm, soft brown that still carried the scent of care and maintenance. The lines of the ship were gentle and balanced, built not for war, but for travel—steady, patient, and enduring. It looked like a ship that could cross long distances without complaint.
At the bow stood its figurehead.
A lamb.
Its face was carved with a calm, almost playful expression, round eyes gazing forward as if curious about the world ahead. The woolly curls were detailed with care, not exaggerated—simple, friendly, welcoming. It didn't look fierce. It didn't look proud.
It looked kind.
Usopp stopped in his tracks.
"…The Merry," he whispered.
The deck was modest but well-kept. The mast stood tall and straight, the sail neatly furled, white and clean, untouched by battle or storm. Ropes were coiled carefully along the sides, and the railing showed no cracks, no signs of neglect. Every plank felt intentional—built by hands that wanted the ship to last.
Nami stepped closer, running her fingers along the side of the hull. She could tell immediately.
"This ship's been loved," she said quietly.
Zoro glanced around once, then nodded. "It'll hold."
Luffy said nothing at first.
He walked up to the bow and looked straight at the lamb figurehead. For a moment, he didn't smile. He didn't laugh. He just stared—eyes wide, focused, like he was meeting someone for the first time.
Then—
"This ship's awesome."
That was it. No long speech. No overthinking.
He grinned, wide and genuine.
"We're going to have great adventures together."
The ship creaked softly as the waves rocked beneath it, as if answering him.
Behind them, Kaya watched in silence, her hands clasped together. Merry stood beside her, eyes glistening.
The ship had found its crew.
And the sea was waiting.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Cry, who was beside Kaya, didn't know what to say—or maybe she just couldn't express her emotions like the others. She looked at the ship and simply stared at the ship's head.
Kaya noticed the silence Cry was showing. She touched and held Cry's hand. Kaya held onto it, then Cry looked down at Kaya, who was about 5.6 ft tall. Then Kaya stretched her hand up, like she was trying to grab something.
Cry saw this action and didn't know what was happening, but she lowered her head to a place where Kaya could see her face.
Now they were facing each other.
Kaya kissed Cry's forehead. Cry raised an eyebrow, then Cry also kissed Kaya's forehead.
"Thank you, Sister," Kaya said.
Cry didn't know what that meant, but Cry smiled at Kaya. Her smile was like sunshine in this dark world. She was truly a goddess.
Then Cry opened her mouth and said her name, "Chraaaay." Her voice was really a melody—no matter how many times Kaya heard it. Then Kaya said, "Cry… my name is Kaya."
And Kaya smiled at Cry.
And just like that, the journey to Syrup Village ended faster than how it came.
---
In the afternoon, they decided it was time to go and venture the sea. Kaya was waiting on the shore for everyone while she was sitting in Cry's lap like a baby being carried. They were waiting for the others to help Usopp pack his things.
Usopp decided to sail with Luffy after knowing that Luffy knew his father. But Usopp's resolve wasn't about chasing his father—it was the adventure and the promise he made to Kaya. A story that was never a lie. A true story. A true adventure.
Kaya smiled and said to Usopp, "Follow your heart," which gave Usopp more courage to sail with Luffy.
Kaya was hugging Cry. They were like sisters who didn't want to say goodbye. Kaya was hanging her arms around Cry's snow-white neck, their bodies pressed together.
Kaya could feel the big breasts of her sister—she could even feel her nipples.
Then Kaya remembered yesterday's event when Kaya, Nami, and Cry tried to purchase clothes for Cry, but they couldn't find her size, especially for undergarments.
That's why Cry's body was still mostly uncovered, except for the black polo she was wearing. When Cry saw the black long-sleeve polo, she stared at it for a long time, which gave Nami and Kaya the impression that Cry liked black colors.
She was beautiful in the black polo. It gave her an even more seductive presence. Her large chest was held tightly, squeezed by the fabric, while her long black pants showed her curves and her plump ass. It made people question their own appearance, and many would stop and drool just by looking at her.
What shocked Kaya the most was when Kaya tried to help Nami change Cry. Nami explained that Cry was like a newborn. That raised an eyebrow, but Kaya didn't care who she was or what she was. She was warm—too warm.
Then Kaya saw Cry's manhood.
Remembering it made Kaya blush. Her white skin turned completely red. She couldn't help it—Kaya had seen the biggest one she had ever encountered. In the medical books she read, there were pictures of male and female organs, how they worked, how they functioned, and their average sizes.
But when she looked at Cry—who was 6.5 feet tall, a beautiful woman with massive gifts—she didn't expect her to have such a manhood. Kaya estimated it to be around 11–12 inches, and it wasn't hard at all.
Thinking back made Kaya blush even more.
What caused her confusion was that Cry didn't have the usual male anatomy below—but instead had a woman's anatomy as well. That raised many questions in Kaya's mind.
After discovering this secret, Kaya felt she needed to protect Cry. With beauty like hers, danger would definitely follow her.
Kaya hugged Cry more tightly.
Cry met Kaya's eyes. Kaya kissed Cry's cheek.
"I hope, Sister, you're always here. I'll feel lonely if you weren't," Kaya said while hugging her tightly.
Cry didn't understand the words, but she could feel the loneliness and sadness. Cry kissed Kaya's cheek back and, with her melodic voice, said, "Me."
Kaya looked at her. She saw how Cry's small mouth formed a soft whistle with her pink lips. From her mouth, a tiny grain of salt came out. When it left her lips, it grew and transformed into a crystal conch shell.
Inside the transparent shell, water flowed gently.
Kaya looked at it—it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. The shell was clear, shining, and the water inside was visible.
Cry gave it to Kaya. It was around 5 inches tall and 3 inches wide.
Kaya looked at Cry.
Then Cry said, "Me… here."
Cry pointed to the sea, then made a throwing gesture. In her heavenly voice, she said, "Me here."
From the gesture, Kaya analyzed that if she threw the shell into the sea, Cry would be there.
"You'll be here?" Kaya asked.
Cry nodded.
Kaya hugged her tighter than before.
"Okay… thank you, Sister," Kaya said.
Cry smiled.
Cry then looked at the sea, where the Merry was docked, and she began to hum again.
The humming was pure and heavenly. Even the sea and the wind chose to stay quiet and listen to her voice.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
To be continued