Chapter 24: New Crewmates!

"Chouttomatte!" Usopp stood up, shouting at the top of his lungs.

All eyes turned to Usopp, taken aback by his sudden outburst upon witnessing Kaya agreeing to become a pirate and join Luffy's group.

Luffy, curious about Usopp's reaction, asked, "What is it, Usopp? Do you have something to say?"

"You-you can't possibly be thinking of becoming a pirate, Kaya. It's not the life you should consider living. That's-that's too dangerous! Didn't I tell you before?" Usopp's concern for Kaya's safety and well-being was evident, and he couldn't bear the thought of her facing countless dangers out in the vast sea.

"Usopp, I have decided. I will join Luffy. I don't want to stay inside the walls of this castle anymore," Kaya firmly stated, expressing her determination to break free from her confined life and seek adventure with Luffy's crew.

"I think you will gradually recover fine if you start enjoying life rather than staying in the past sad memories. But I have a way to improve your health quickly." Luffy said confidently.

'No way, he isn't really going to ask her to-' Both Nami and Zoro looked at Luffy in surprise. Unfortunately, they were thinking in the wrong direction because Luffy meant something else.

"A Devil Fruit," Luffy said.

"A Devil Fruit?"

"Yes, by eating a Devil Fruit, your body will gain incredible powers and become stronger."

"But where would we find a Devil Fruit? Aren't they very rare?" Usopp asked.

"You won't find one just by staying on this island. That's why I wanted to invite you to join my crew and travel the seas with us." Luffy suddenly threw out the invitation to Kaya.

Everyone was shocked though Nami and Zoro knew about it beforehand.

"Impossible! Miss Kaya can't possibly become a Pirate. It's It's-" Merry

"It would be alright, Merry. She would be safe with us. I promise that I will protect her with my life." Luffy then turned to face Kaya and asked, "The world is incredibly big. Don't you want to see it with your own eyes, Kaya?"

"I do," Kaya replied.

"I heard from Ussop that you wanted to become a Doctor."

"Yes,"

"Because we will be going to every part of the world, touring the greatest cities and Islands and perhaps you might get a chance to gain medical knowledge from one of them," Luffy explained and continued, "Life is too short to spend it on a single place. You won't regret it, Kaya it will be full of adventure I promise"

Ussop and Merry could see by the genuine smile on Kaya's face that she had made up her mind and would truly join Luffy's pirate crew.

Kaya then turned to Merry and said, " Merry, I have decided that I will join Luffy's crew in which case you will have to look after this mansion, the village and our businesses."

"Don't worry, Miss Kaya, leave it to me. I will do my best to take care of your wealth." Merry promised to her and to himself.

"Not my wealth, Merry. It will be yours once I leave with Luffy. I will be a pirate remember? The Marines would confiscate my properties and everything that belonged to me. Rather than letting them have it, I will transfer it in your name as you have been loyal to this family."

"Wha-! No- Miss-"

"I have decided and I won't change my mind. You will now prepare the papers. Don't refuse me, Mister Merry, It's my wish." Kaya said.

"I-I understand, Miss Kaya. I will not disappoint you and accept it but only as the caretaker as I will be giving everything back to you once you come back from your adventures." Merry said with determination after accepting why she was giving up her wealth to him.

"Raise your glasses, everyone, in honour of our two newest crewmates, Kaya and Usopp," Luffy exclaimed. He lifted his glass of rum, a gesture mirrored by Zoro and Nami, and, of course, Kaya.

"Huh?"

"We're friends now, right?" Luffy said with a smile. Usopp just stared before he jumped and threw his fist into the air.

"I'm a real pirate Captain now!" he screamed.

"No! That's what I am Usopp!" Luffy yelled back as they all laughed. "To our new crewmate!" Luffy yelled.

"CHEERS!" they yelled with smiles on their faces.

. . .

The next day, Merry led them to the port to reveal Luffy and his crew's new ship.

"I wonder what kind of ship she's got in store for us," Zoro pondered as he and Nami rose to their feet. They both noticed Luffy's subtle trembling.

"Luffy?" Nami inquired.

"Shishishishi," Luffy chuckled before bounding towards the door. He already knew what awaited them, and the excitement filled him with joy. The others followed him to the shore, where a ship was calmly anchored. It was none other than the Going Merry.

"A caravel!" Nami exclaimed with a beaming smile as Luffy leapt into the air with unbridled delight.

"This one's for us?" Luffy asked, already certain of the answer.

"Yes. She's yours now," Kaya confirmed, her smile warm.

"She might be an older model, but I personally designed her, and she sails like a dream," Merry explained.

"Her name... Going Merry!" As he demonstrated the ship's controls to Nami, Luffy joyfully bounded aboard, his eyes welling up with tears of happiness. "Luffy, can you stop goofing around?" Nami scolded. Before he could reply, they heard screams coming from up the hill. They all turned to see Usopp tumbling down with a backpack the size of a boulder strapped to his back. "SOMEONE HELP ME!" he cried.

"That looks like quite the ride," Luffy commented as he leapt next to Zoro. "Fun or not, he's headed straight for the ship," Zoro said in a nonchalant tone.

"Usopp!" Kaya exclaimed in surprise, her eyes widening as Zoro and Luffy both extended their legs, preventing Usopp from colliding with the ship as his face met their feet. "Thanks... I think," Usopp mumbled.

"Miss Kaya, as per your instructions, I've transferred your personal belongings to the ship," Merry reported.

"Thank you, Mister Merry. Take care of yourself," Kaya replied warmly.

"You too, Miss Kaya. Have a fantastic journey," Merry said as he disembarked from the ship with Usopp's three little friends who had come to bid him farewell.

"Merry," Luffy thought as he sat on the figurehead of the Going Merry.

'I can't express how relieved I am to see you. It's tough that we can't take you with us into the New World, even at your full strength. But this time, we'll ensure your well-being. I promise.'