Chapter Text
The Going Merry felt smaller than usual. Usopp had noticed that happening before.
Somehow a ship changed depending on the mood onboard. After Arlong Park, the Merry had felt huge, like the whole ocean belonged to them now. After Drum Island, it had been cramped in the best way possible, with Chopper squeezed between everyone like he'd always been part of the crew.
Right now, the Going Merry felt like a very small box with very bad weather inside it.
He had grown so restless that he'd already walked four laps around the deck. He told himself it was exercise, but nobody was buying it. Zoro had opened one eye when he passed him for the third time, then closed it again without a word.
Luffy sat slumped against the mast with his straw hat pulled low over his face and his shoulders sagging. There was no grin or excitement. Not even an "I'm hungry".
This wasn’t Luffy.
The thought alone made Usopp feel sick.
"Sorry," his captain mumbled. It was at least the tenth time that morning.
Nami didn't respond anymore. She stood at the railing with her arms crossed, staring out at the water with the expression of someone too tired to stay angry. Usopp knew the levels. Loud Nami was dangerous but manageable. Quiet Nami was something else entirely. This was disappointed Nami, and that kind tended to last for days.
"It was everything, Luffy," she said without raising her voice. "Everything we had. We don't have money for anything now. Not food, not repairs. Nothing."
Usopp quickly looked away.
He’d been there yesterday. They’d docked at a small island called Muri Shima to resupply, and everyone had been given a job to do. He’d watched Nami hand Luffy the money and a list with things they needed. Usopp had honestly thought Luffy would just look at the other stuff in the shops. Maybe point at something and say “cool” before moving on.
That clearly wasn't what happened.
He had only been in another store for a few minutes. Apparently, that had been more than enough time for Luffy to buy several things that were very definitely not on the list.
There had been a robot. The robot had been undeniably impressive and had lasted approximately two hours before collapsing in on itself as though personally offended by its own existence. There had been fireworks, which had nearly turned the Going Merry into a very expensive funeral pyre.
There had been enormous roasted meat skewers that had vanished with a speed and thoroughness that defied physical explanation. And then there had been the two crowning achievements: a rare decorative warrior mask covered in sharp ceremonial spikes and weighing roughly as much as a small anchor and a life-sized inflatable octopus that Luffy had apparently found irresistible.
Unfortunately, the spiked mask destroyed the octopus. He tried not to think about how it happened, but it ended exactly as he expected.
Sanji was leaning against the galley door with a cigarette, looking like he had a lot to say but wasn’t going to say it.
He kept glancing at Luffy, then away again.
He had even tried to cheer Nami up with a mojito earlier, but she still hadn’t touched it.
Zoro had his eyes closed and his arms folded. His jaw was slightly too set for someone actually asleep. He was listening to every word, Usopp was certain of it, but as long as his eyes stayed shut he didn't have to do anything about it.
Classic.
Chopper stood in the middle of the deck, visibly uncertain where to put himself. His small hooves shifted. He looked at Luffy, then at Nami, then at Sanji and then back at Luffy. His face said something clearly.
Someone should fix this. Someone bigger than me who understands this kind of thing.
Robin was sitting a little apart from the others with a book in her lap. She was still finding her place in the crew, and today was definitely not a normal day for it, but Usopp had noticed she hadn’t turned a page in a while.
She was just sitting there, reading without really reading. Watching everything like she always did.
Someone, thought Usopp, stopping halfway through his fourth lap, should probably do something.
He looked at Luffy, but his captain only stared at the deck.
Someone capable.
Someone inventive.
Someone who in the right light could fairly be described as a great warrior and a brilliant tactician...
His eyes drifted, the way they sometimes do when his mind wanders, and landed on the wanted poster nailed to the mast. Slightly crooked. Luffy’s face staring back at him with that ridiculous grin.
Thirty million Berries in big bold numbers.
Usopp went very still for a second.
Then he couldn’t stop thinking.
Bounty hunters... That's a real job. Ordinary people do it. You find a pirate, you bring them in, you collect the reward. It was simple and even legal. What if....
His eyes went wide, and his heart started hammering with adrenaline. He could almost see a little light bulb flicking on above his head.
There was a Marine base on this island. A very small one, but still there. Probably not full of highly trained soldiers either. The island was too small for that. Maybe that made this a chance.
What if... I turn Luffy in.
That sounded insane. But... Robin had brought those seastone handcuffs back from Alabasta. Luffy could hide the key somewhere the Marines would never think to look. Usopp collects the bounty, Luffy frees himself, they walk back to the ship and everyone wins. Thirty million Berries. Every problem they had, solved.
They wouldn’t recognize him anyway. At least not yet. He had to admit, he didn’t even have a proper wanted poster of his own. He was just a tiny figure somewhere on Luffy’s, and nobody ever really looked at that part.
This was the best idea he had ever had, but probably also one of the riskiest.
He decided it still counted as the best idea he’d ever had.
He was still mentally congratulating himself when Nami turned from the railing.
"Forty thousand Berries," she said. Her voice was too calm.
"I gave you forty thousand Berries and a list. Six things. Flour. Salt. Rice. Vegetables. Rope. Tar for the ship..."
Luffy's hat dipped lower. Only his mouth was visible.
"I know."
"And instead you bought a six-foot inflatable octopus. And a mask with spikes, Luffy. Which you immediately put on, couldn't lift your head in, and fell face-first onto the octopus with."She gestured sharply at the deflated rubber octopus hanging limply over the railing." We don't have flour. We don't have salt. We don't have rope or tar and Zoro found a hull leak this morning that we cannot fix."
"...I said sorry."
Nami sighed deeply and stepped closer. Luffy still didn't look at her.
"I just asked you to do one simple thing. And I can't believe my captain can survive everything this sea throws at him, but can't handle something this simple."
She let out a long, heavy sigh.
"You're irresponsible."
She stood there a moment longer, breathing through her nose. Then something in her just gave up.
"I'm done," she said quietly. "Figure it out yourselves."
She turned and walked to the cabin. The door closed softly behind her.
That somehow made it worse.
Luffy sank further against the mast. His hat dipped lower, like it was trying to disappear with him.
Nobody said anything. Zoro opened one eye for a moment, then closed it again. Sanji let his cigarette burn down without noticing. Chopper looked like he was about to cry, or maybe run after Nami. It was a depressing sight.
Luffy looked at the door. Not at the broken, leaking octopus. Just the door.
Usopp knew that look. It wasn’t the look of someone regretting what he bought. It was the look of someone regretting the way he’d made her look at him.
The rest of the ship was completely quiet for a moment.
It was Robin who broke the silence, and she did it quietly, the way she did most things.
"I have some books I've been meaning to part with," she said, to no one in particular, closing the volume in her lap. "Duplicates, mostly. There's a village on this island. I noticed it when we anchored. I thought I might see if anyone there is interested."
Everyone looked at her.
A small smile appeared. "It won't be much. But it's something."
Chopper made a sound like a small animal being squeezed. "Robin, that's..."
"It's practical," she said simply. She stood, tucked the book under her arm and went below deck. A few minutes later she reappeared with a canvas bag that clinked softly, said "I'll be back before dinner," and stepped off the ship onto the dock with the unhurried ease of someone taking a morning stroll.
Robin was selling her books for them. For the crew.
He watched her go, bag over her arm, like she was just running an errand.
That's very kind, but it's not going to be enough.
His eyes drifted back to the wanted poster, and all he could think about was the thirty million Berries.
He waited until Chopper had wandered off toward the medical bay, then crossed the deck and crouched down next to Luffy. "Hey. Can we talk? Just us?"
His captain looked up with sad eyes. It really didn't suit his face. "Yeah. Okay."
They moved toward the bow where he made sure nobody could hear them. Usopp glanced back over his shoulder. Chopper was already gone, Sanji had disappeared into the galley again. He was probably already thinking of something else to try for Nami. Zoro looked the same as always… until Usopp noticed the steady breathing. He was asleep.
Good enough.
"I have a plan," Usopp said. "For the money problem."
Something shifted in his captain's face. "Really?"
He glanced over his shoulder. "Should we tell the others?"
Usopp could already imagine their reaction. They wouldn’t understand, and they’d still have no money, and Luffy would still be like this. It had already been too long.
"They’d probably say no," he said. "So we surprise them. When it’s done."
Luffy nodded, like that settled it completely.
Usopp started explaining, too fast, tripping over his own words. The disguise, the marine outpost, the handcuffs, the key, the escape. Thirty million Berries just sitting there waiting. As he talked he was already building it in his head: a long coat, something official-looking, goggles maybe and a fake name definitely. Usopp the Inescapable. The Iron Sniper of the South Blue. He could figure that part out later.
"But you'd need seastone handcuffs," he added. "Temporarily."
Luffy frowned. "Those make me really weak."
"That's why you'd have the key. Hidden somewhere they won't search. I get you out fast, before they move you anywhere."
"Where do I hide it?"
"Somewhere they won't search."
"Like where?"
"We'll have to think about that."
"Like in my mouth?"
"Uh, no. Not that."
"Oh," said Luffy.
He was quiet for a second.
Thinking, maybe? It was hard to tell with him.
Then a tiny grin tucked at his face. "Think I know."
Usopp decided not to ask, but it was good to see a very small smile on his face. Whatever the reason.
"And the cell," he added. "Once you take the cuffs off, you're rubber. You just..." he made a sliding gesture with his hand. "Through the bars."
Luffy looked at him.
"Yeah," he said. "Obviously. You're pretty smart, Usopp."
He felt suddenly a wave of warm vindication.
"How sure are you it'll work?" Luffy asked.
"Sixty percent." He caught his expression. "Maybe sixty-five. Look, we've survived worse odds than that."
Have we?
He ignored the small voice in his head.
Luffy actually thought about it. More than usual at least, which wasn’t saying much. He didn’t really do long thinking.
He could see it on his face. Nami’s disappointed look, the empty supplies, everything they’d wasted. It all seemed to weigh on him, slowly pushing him toward a decision.
Then Luffy looked up. He had a real smile. The first one all morning.
"Nami won't be disappointed anymore," he said.
"Exactly." Something in his chest came loose. "It's perfect."
"Completely perfect," Luffy agreed.
He stood and extended a hand. "So. Are we doing this?"
Luffy grabbed it without hesitation. He had not a full grin yet, but he was getting there.
"Yeah," he said. "Okay, Usopp."
He cracked his knuckles and turned toward the door inside the ship, then stopped and pointed back at his captain. "We come back with thirty million Berries and everyone thinks we're geniuses. This will work! "
Luffy looked at him.
"Yeah," he said. "Okay."
The Going Merry felt a little bigger than it had an hour ago and that was something.