Part nine - Once, a liar, a cheater and a deciver met 26/26

Usopp looked at Zoro and Zoro looked back.

- G-gunner, huh? - the long-nosed smiled tightly.

- Unless you don't want to be the captain anymore.

- N-no, I guess I pass.

- It's up to you ... so, do you accept our offer?

- … I always wanted to be a pirate like my father.

- That's what you will be - Luffy smiled broadly. - We just raised our pirate flag.

- Really?

- Yeah, black sails, skull with bones, everything is as it should be. So, do you agree?

- ... To hell with you, I agree!

- Then ... welcome to the Straw Hat family! - cordially and completely sincerely said Luffy, which happened to him extremely rarely.

The rest of the family expressed their approval with a friendly pat on the shoulders and back of the boy, almost sending Usopp to the next world along the way.

- The Straw Hat family? - The long-nosed man asked, rubbing his broken shoulder with his hand.

- This is our symbol. - Luffy lifted his straw hat slightly above his head. - This hat gave the name to our family, and this same hat flaunts on our pirate flag.

- So this is how it is.

- By the way, I can see that you are already ready, - Luffy shifted the subject, glancing towards several large bags, seemingly full of Usopp's stuff.

- Yes, after all this mess I decided to become a pirate, so even if you hadn't invited me, I would still go to sea. As a matter of fact, if Kaya hadn't given me a message from you, I would have sailed a couple of days ago.

- Wannabe-zombi did good! - praised the girl Luffy. - By the way, she is waiting for you nearby, wants to say goodbye. I asked her to wait until we finish talking to you, but now there is no longer any need to keep her waiting. You can go to say goodbye, and then come ashore to the site of the Going Merry. And don't worry about your bags, Johnny and Yosaku will take care of that.

- Okay… then I'll be quick!

Usopp got up from the table and left the house.

- You're kind of surprisingly accommodating - Nami said as soon as the door closed behind the guy.

- Yeah, very suspicious, - Johnny said.

- Come on, it's not all the time for me to scare everyone - Luffy said nonchalantly.

It was only natural that such an answer did not convince the rest of the family in the least, but there was nothing they could do about it. All that remained was to wait and observe the situation, and, in case, save Usopp. Unlike all of them, he did not yet know the dangers of being a member of the Straw Hat family. However, just an hour later, on the shore, the family was in for a real shock:

- What do you mean, you won't sail with us ?! - distinct notes of panic were heard in Nami's voice.

Luffy smiled disarmingly in response. - Johnny and Yosaku can handle these aquarium fish of yours, and there's nothing to say about Zoro. I'm just not needed there.

- And what will you do yourself then? Zoro frowned.

- Usopp and I will first visit Gaimon with his animals, at the same time say goodbye to him for all of us, and then we will descend on the Baratie. Don't worry, I've calculated everything. It takes you about ten days to sail to the village of Nami, then you can lie there in the sun for another ten days, and then, if you take into account the route of the "Barati" sailing, you can swim to the restaurant in a day. Three weeks and we are together again.

Luffy said all this with his usual overwhelming enthusiasm. The impending separation clearly didn't bother him ... unlike the rest of the family. Aside from Usopp - as a rookie, he just didn't understand anything yet - the others with this development of events ... not that they were unhappy, rather they were now experiencing intense internal discomfort. They had already become so accustomed to Luffy's constant presence by their side that now, that from the thought of having to part with him for almost a month, they were extremely uncomfortable. Moreover, the showdown with the fish-men clearly could not be called a passing moment - just not after everything that happened between them and Nami - and they had never participated in anything like this without Luffy.

- What kind of Gaimon? - Usopp asked.

- This is the guy who got stuck in an empty chest twenty years ago and has been living in it ever since. You will like it.

- And then what is "Barati"?

- As I mentioned, this is a floating restaurant, or a restaurant ship if you like.

Usopp shook his head. - I didn't know there were such things at all, - Usopp shook his head.

- Trust me, you have yet to learn something that you can't even imagine now, - Luffy grinned contentedly.

- By the way, guys, so that there are no questions later, look here, - Luffy said, turning to still frowning Zoro, Johnny and Yosaku, and then took off his hat and put it on Nami's head. - While she is wearing this hat, you can consider Nami your captain, and God forbid, I will hear later that you are not listening to her, then blame yourself. You can command them as you please, - Luffy added personally for Nami. - But I advise you not to forget that at our next meeting I will take your hat from you, so do not give them absolutely idiotic orders, otherwise, you yourself understand, they will certainly reminde everything to you later. Now listen here ...

Luffy didn't talk too much, rather he quickly threw a plan for the future event for Nami. Maybe he was not going to swim with them, but he was not going to remove his hand from the pulse either. After making sure that Nami got it right and that she had no more questions, Luffy took on his first mate. Unlike the girl, the guy did not have any special plans for Zoro, but the swordsman still received some task. Just in his "specialty".

- See you in three weeks, - Luffy waved from the boat to the side of the Merry, Nami, Johnny, Yosaku, and Zoro. - Obey Nami and behave yourself.

All four gave off a friendly snort, but in the next moment the guys turned noticeably pale when they heard Luffy's words addressed to Usopp:

- By the way, Usopp, have you ever heard the story of the little engine who could?

- No, I don't remember something like that.

- Well, then when we get to Gaimon, I will definitely tell you about it. This is really important. We don't have much time, so we'll have to go all-in right away.

Realizing exactly what Luffy was up to, Johnny, Yosaku, and Zoro stared mournfully after the boat quickly moving away from them, in the opposite direction. And after all, Usopp actually managed to please them. However, the rejuvenated Kharon, as always, showed absolute ruthlessness ... and do not care that these are the waters of the East Blue, and not the river Styx. The meaning is still the same.

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Ohhh yeah, It's finished, finished

The biggest chapter till now is finished, 36000+ words.

All right, yay! Hurray. Good job, guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day (c)Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist

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