On the way back, Nami was practically glowing, happily fiddling with her newly acquired Clima-Tact.
"How is it? Suits you, doesn't it?"
Ace chuckled as he watched her light up with excitement.
"Mhm! It's a really great tool."
Nami's face was full of joy, nodding enthusiastically.
Finally, she had some serious power of her own. The next time she boarded a pirate ship to swipe their treasure, she'd have more than just her wits to rely on.
Suddenly, Nami's steps faltered. She bit her lip.
"What's wrong, Nami?"
Ace noticed the shift instantly. He could already guess what she was thinking, but didn't call her out—just asked gently.
"It's nothing… I just think… being your navigator doesn't sound so bad."
She turned and smiled brightly.
"Yeah?"
Ace nodded and ruffled her hair affectionately.
"Kaya-ojousama! Ace-san! Nami-san!"
As they arrived back at the villa, Merry came rushing over, beaming with excitement.
"The ship is ready! She can set sail anytime!"
His voice was a mix of joy and bittersweet pride.
Joy—because the ship of his dreams had finally come to life, and far surpassed what he had originally imagined.
Bittersweet—because his dear young lady was about to set sail into the vast, unpredictable sea.
"Merry, I'll be counting on you to look after the house," Kaya said with a soft smile.
"Leave it to me, Kaya-ojousama!"
Merry thumped his chest proudly, his eyes slightly misty.
"Come on, let's see our pirate ship."
Ace's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
By the shore...
A ship covered in a large tarp sat silently by the water.
Merry stepped forward, gripped the cloth tightly, and gave it a dramatic yank—
Whoosh!
"This is the Going Merry!"
Merry's voice brimmed with pride as he unveiled his masterpiece.
Before them stood a sleek, fast caravel. The rear mast flew a triangular sail; the ship's rudder was centrally mounted at the stern. Its figurehead: a smiling sheep's head.
Atop the mainmast was a space reserved for the pirate flag—currently left empty, since Ace had yet to settle on his Jolly Roger.
The hull was fitted with four cannons: one facing forward, one at the stern, and two on either side. The deck boasted a small grove of orange trees.
Of course, this Going Merry was a much larger, sturdier, and more formidable vessel than the one from the original story.
"Or… oranges? Why…?"
Nami stared blankly at the orange grove, her voice soft and dazed.
"Well, my navigator once mumbled something about oranges in her sleep. As captain, I couldn't just ignore that, could I?"
Ace smiled warmly.
"..."
Nami bit her lip, silent.
"Alright! Let's move everything onboard. We set sail tomorrow!"
Ace's voice was full of energy as he looked out over his future ship.
"Yeah!!"
Kaya threw her tiny fists into the air, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
Nami responded too, but her enthusiasm clearly lagged behind the others'.
Ace noticed—but said nothing, just smiled knowingly.
Soon, they were all bustling about, moving things onto the ship.
Kaya even brought a stash of cash, along with a selection of gold and jewels that would be easy to trade on the seas.
Ace gave it a quick estimate: over 30 million Berries, easily—and that was just a portion of Kaya's household fortune.
No wonder Kuro had targeted the family's wealth. It was more than substantial.
Once preparations were done, Ace suggested they sleep aboard the Merry that night, to start getting used to life on the ship.
Kaya agreed eagerly.
Nami, however, gave only a quiet, complicated nod.
They picked out their rooms, made some simple arrangements, and soon, the night fell.
...
Later that night...
Snore… Snore… Snore...
Ace, freshly bathed in hot water, was fast asleep in his cabin.
Click.
The door creaked open softly. A shadow slipped inside.
Nami crouched by the bed, watching Ace's sleeping face in silence.
She didn't know how long she sat there.
Eventually, she bit her lip again.
"…I can't drag you into this, Ace. And Kaya too. Even if she's gotten better… if she ever faced Arlong and his crew…"
Her voice was barely a whisper.
"If I don't leave now… I might really follow you into the Grand Line, Captain."
Nami gazed at Ace's peaceful face, murmuring softly.
The fear of Arlong had taken root deep in her heart. Even after witnessing Ace's strength, she couldn't bear the thought of pulling him and Kaya into that nightmare.
Or… maybe she just didn't want him to see that side of her—the side she'd hidden from the world.
Or… maybe if she stayed any longer, she wouldn't be able to walk away.
And then, what would happen to the people of Cocoyasi Village?
Nami couldn't tell anymore. Her thoughts were a mess.
But her decision was made.
She placed a letter on Ace's desk. With a small satchel of money and her new Clima-Tact in hand, she stood quietly among the orange trees on deck for a long, long time.
Then, under the cover of night, she slipped into the lifeboat of a merchant vessel anchored nearby… and rowed toward Cocoyasi Village.
What she didn't know was that, the moment she vanished into the dark sea—
Ace's eyes snapped open.
...
The next morning...
"Ace! Nami, she…"
Kaya came rushing to Ace's cabin, only to gasp when she saw him already half-dressed. Her face turned pink and she quickly turned away.
"Come in, Kaya,"
Ace said with a calm smile.
"We're setting sail. Time to bring back our stupid navigator."
In his hand… was the letter.
"Ace, I took the money! Hehehe. I'm a really bad thief—I could never be your navigator.
I hate pirates the most!"
At the bottom, the ink was smudged—tiny water stains that had clearly been wiped away carefully.
Ace smiled.
"She should've just trusted her captain a little more… My stupid navigator."
And that little thief?
She only took 30 million Berries with her.
Ace chuckled softly.
She must've just been that close to the 100 million she needed.
---
TL/N:
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