Chương 104: Part 10 - Who ordered sushi? 26/26
"In a way," Zoro grumbled, as frustrated as Nami, and was immediately rewarded with a bright smile. "It's not just the absence of his 'voice,' but what it signifies."
When their crew was on land, Luffy almost always 'drowned out' his presence, turning his thunderous 'voice' into a barely audible whisper. They had grown used to not hearing Luffy's 'voice' from time to time. However, firstly, there was always his 'whisper'. Secondly, this never lasted more than a couple of days. And thirdly, even without hearing Luffy's 'voice', they always knew he was nearby. Now, it was different.
"And what does the absence of your captain's 'voice' mean?" Nojiko asked, puzzled.
"It means Luffy isn't here with us," Nami said with a heavy sigh instead of Zoro. "You don't know him, you haven't been around him long enough to understand how we feel. The closest comparison I can make is to the death of our mother… not the death of Belmer-san itself, but the disappearance of that familiar protection… calm… comfort."
Nojiko's laughter was cut off abruptly. It seemed rather harsh for Nami to use such a comparison.
"You don't realize it, but everything that happened with Arlong and his crew was Luffy's doing. Yes, Ryu and Yosaku took out the crew. But it was Luffy who saw their potential, invited them into his crew, and turned them into who they are now. Just like he did with Zoro first, and then with me. Luffy always knew, minute by minute, what was supposed to happen on this island. He anticipated everything, from Arlong's attempt to use bribed guards to take my money, to the moment when I had to decide whether to let Arlong go to jail or order the guys to kill him. That's partly why he's not on this island now. Arlong and his crew were too boring for him to waste his attention on them."
"That's just one reason" Zoro added.
"But there are definitely others." Johnny agreed.
Johnny and Yosaku had been silently collecting tangerine in their baskets, preferring to leave the serious talks to Nami and Zoro.
"Luffy always has several reasons, he can't do it any other way," Yosaku supported his friend. "I'm sure that if he ever decided to start worrying about long-term plans, even his plans would have plans."
"Although this time, I think the main reason he's missing is Usopp," Johnny expressed his opinion. "He definitely wants to complete the first item on his ridiculous list."
"Poor Usopp," Yosaku agreed.
"More like dead Usopp."
"Who's Usopp?"
Nojiko asked Nami, but the answer came from Johnny:
"He was a former member of our little family. Usopp was with us for a short time, but he was a great guy!"
"Are you guys at it again?" Nami sighed heavily.
"It's not our fault you refuse to acknowledge the truth" Yosaku shrugged.
"What truth?"
"The one where Usopp was a former member of our crew. Luffy started telling him a story about a little engine that could. Usopp isn't strong enough to survive that kind of story."
All three guys turned pale, as they always did when the little engine that could was mentioned.
"Usopp's doomed," Johnny nodded wisely, fully agreeing with his friend. "Like I said, he was a great guy!"
"You and your little engine again," Nami said irritably, rubbing her forehead as if she had a sudden headache.
"Hey, it's not our fault we don't have a great ass and a pair of tits to protect us from that story!" Johnny protested sincerely, with Yosaku vigorously nodding in agreement.
"What's this little engine that could?" Nojiko looked around at everyone, confused.
"Not 'could', but 'could' ! " Zoro corrected her fiercely.
Nojiko glanced at the unusually emotional swordsman and then questioningly at her sister.
"Don't pay attention to it," Nami said dismissively, waving her hand. "When it comes to that damned little engine, they turn into complete idiots."
"I hope you hear that story someday," Yosaku said darkly.
"She won't," Johnny shook his head. "Luffy won't bring himself to do it, you know."
"What's this story about?!" Nojiko asked with some alarm now.
"It's not really about the story," Johnny grimaced.
"Don't say that," Yosaku disagreed, "that damned "chika-chika" and "toot-toot" still occasionally gives me nightmares. You run and run, and that damned "chika-chika" never leaves you, and then "toot-toot" and… ugh.
The guys shuddered in unison, including Zoro.
"Okay, I admit it's not so much about the story itself as about who's telling it and what follows that story," Johnny corrected himself. "Did you see the scar on Zoro's chest?" He pointed at the mentioned swordsman. "Luffy almost cut him in half that time."
"Your captain did that to you?!" Nojiko asked, covering her mouth with her hand as she stared wide-eyed at Zoro's chest. The huge scar running from his left thigh to his right shoulder was clearly visible as all the guys were in shorts. "Why did he do that to you?" she asked with a subdued voice.
In the past week, Nojiko had thoroughly studied Zoro's body and was aware of all his scars. She had always thought he got them while hunting pirates. But the truth, given all the praises she had heard about their captain, was quite shocking to her.
"This scar… I asked for it myself," Zoro replied, tracing his finger over his chest.
"You asked your captain to cut you in half?" Nojiko stared at him.
"No, I asked Luffy how I could become stronger."
"And he said you needed to be cut in half to do that?"
Johnny and Yosaku burst into laughter, and even Nami smiled. They found Nojiko's words amusing, but they were even more entertained by the fleeting thought that Luffy might actually say something like that seriously.
"Some things can only be understood by facing Death, so Luffy set up a fitting meeting for me," Zoro replied with a slight smile.
"So, Usopp's a goner," Johnny concluded, and for once, Nami didn't argue.
"Alright, enough relaxing," Nojiko clapped her hands, "we've talked enough. As I understand, you're planning to set sail in a few days? Then we have just a couple of days to harvest all the fruit."
"Clearly Nami's sister" Johnny muttered quietly.
"Hurry up and pick, I have plans for the evening," Yosaku replied.
"As if I don't have any," Johnny grumbled, but obediently fell silent.
They left the island three days later.
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