[Dumbledore - 100%]
The morning sun shimmered over Cocoyashi like a gentle goodbye, brushing the rooftops with gold. The village was still recovering from three straight days of dancing, drinking, and unrestrained joy after the fall of the Arlong Pirates. Laughter still lingered in the air, soft and sleepy, like the last notes of a song that refused to fade.
Ben stretched, wincing a little from the mild soreness in his limbs. The celebrations had been wild—Sanji had somehow ended up cooking on top of a table while Luffy tried to juggle plates, and Ben himself had been guilt-tricked into performing magic tricks until children were hanging off his cloak like Christmas ornaments. It had been… fun. Honest, genuine fun—the kind he hadn't felt in years.
"Oi, Ben!" came Usopp's voice from across the village square. "Come on, sleepy magician! I'll show you the greatest ship that's ever sailed these seas!"
Ben chuckled and followed. Usopp was practically bouncing with pride, his chest puffed up in full storyteller glory. The trail led to the familiar dock where the Going Merry rested, bobbing gently on the tide.
Ben stopped short.
Seeing the ship in person was nothing like seeing it on a screen. The wood gleamed with warmth, worn by salt and time, and the sheep-shaped figurehead beamed with such innocence that it almost seemed alive.
The sails swayed like breathing fabric, the ropes creaked like laughter. It's real, he thought, his chest tightening in quiet awe. This world really is alive.
Usopp gave him a tour with the enthusiasm of a museum guide who'd just discovered the exhibits could talk. He showed the deck, the tiny kitchen, and the cramped sleeping quarters.
Everything was smaller than Ben expected—charming, but simple. The crew had managed wonders with so little space.
Ben drifted toward the bow, his eyes on the figurehead. He rested his palm gently on the carved wood. "I'll make sure you survive," he whispered. "All the way to the end."
The sea breeze caught his hair, and for a moment, it felt like the ship understood.
Later that day, Ben approached Luffy, who was lying flat on his back near the dock, chewing on a stick of meat. "Captain," Ben began carefully, "I've been thinking. I could… make a few improvements to the Merry. Just a few magical touches. Nothing crazy."
Luffy's head shot up like a spring. His grin was instant and blinding. "MAGIC?! You mean, like fwoosh and kaboom?!"
"Not exactly," Ben said, smiling despite himself. "More like… better rooms. Stronger build. Maybe a few surprises."
Luffy's eyes sparkled. "DO IT! Do it, Ben! The Merry's gonna be the best ship ever!"
From across the dock, Zoro muttered, "As long as it still floats…"
Sanji flicked his lighter with a smirk. "If he gives me a better kitchen, I'll worship him as a god."
Usopp puffed his chest. "And maybe give me a proper workshop? For my artillery of justice?"
Ben chuckled. "Alright. Let's see what I can do."
For the next two days, Cocoyashi's nearby forest echoed with strange sounds—trees whispering, wood reshaping itself, and now and then, an unmistakable whoosh of raw magic.
The villagers often spotted glowing orbs floating above the ship at night, and children claimed they saw the Merry's figurehead wink.
By the morning of the third day, Going Merry looked… the same from outside. But something in the air felt different—warmer, stronger, alive.
The crew gathered at the dock for departure. Villagers lined the shore, smiling through tears, waving with baskets of fruit and goodbye flags.
Everyone except Nami was already aboard, leaning on the railing.
Luffy was pacing. "Where's Nami?! We've been waiting forever!"
Sanji sighed dramatically. "I joined this crew for her, Captain! If she's not coming, my heart's just a broken teapot!"
Zoro rolled his eyes. "Ero-cook, your heart's been broken since you started talking."
Sanji's head snapped around. "What'd you say, moss-brain?!"
And just like that, they were trying to kick each other off the railing.
Usopp sighed and pinched his nose. "Every. Single. Time."
Ben, leaning casually on the mast, called out cheerfully, "My money's on Zoro!"
"WHAT?!" Sanji barked, turning mid-kick. "You traitor!"
Ben laughed. "I just appreciate technique!"
Before the brawl could escalate further, a shout came from the village road.
"LUFFY! SET SAIL!"
Nami was sprinting toward them, dodging villagers trying to stop her for a proper farewell.
"Nami! Hurry!" Luffy shouted, waving both arms.
She leaped onto the gangplank, spun around—and with a sly grin, lifted her shirt halfway, revealing a collection of wallets that had somehow appeared there.
The crowd gasped.
Then laughed.
Even Genzo shook his head, smiling ruefully. "That girl…"
"Go, Nami!" Nojiko called, laughing through tears. "Take care of yourself and don't you dare forget us!"
Nami smirked and waved as the Merry began to pull away, the sails catching the sea breeze.
As the ship drifted into open water, Ben leaned over the railing, watching the shrinking shoreline. "They're good people," he said softly.
Once Cocoyashi was a distant blur, Ben clapped his hands together. "Alright, everyone! Gather around! Time to see what I did to the Merry!"
The crew exchanged curious glances. Luffy bounded over instantly. "SHOW US THE MAGIC!"
Ben led them below deck. What had once been a cramped corridor now opened into a spacious interior that seemed to stretch far beyond the ship's physical size. The walls were polished, the lighting soft and warm.
"This… is the same ship?" Usopp gasped.
"Spatial magic," Ben explained casually. "Bigger on the inside."
Luffy ran around like a child in a candy store. "IT'S HUUUGE!"
He showed them one room at a time.
The kitchen had expanded into a grand galley, filled with gleaming counters and a dining table large enough for twenty. Pots hung neatly, and an oven twice the size of Sanji's old one sat in the corner, humming faintly with gentle warmth.
Sanji's cigarette nearly fell out of his mouth. "I… I could cook for a king here."
"You already do," Ben said with a wink.
Next was the new captain's room—bright, airy, filled with maps and a sturdy bed.
Luffy flopped onto it immediately. "BEST. BED. EVER."
Zoro snorted. "He's going to nap through half our adventures now."
Then came Nami's navigation room. It was pristine—rows of shelves for charts, a drafting table with enchanted lamps that adjusted light automatically.
Nami's jaw dropped. "You—this—Ben, I love you."
Ben mock-saluted. "Magic well spent."
They passed through the crew quarters—spacious, with real beds, wardrobes, even little round windows looking into calm, artificial starlight.
"Now for the fun part," Ben said, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He led them into a wide chamber with strange markings etched along the walls. "Training room. You can adjust the gravity inside."
"Gravity?" Zoro repeated.
Ben pressed a panel on the wall. The floor hummed softly—and suddenly, everyone began to drift.
"Wha—woaaah!" Usopp yelped, flailing as he floated upward.
Luffy giggled as he started "swimming" through the air. "LOOK, I'M A CLOUD FISH!"
Zoro crossed his arms, perfectly calm even as he drifted upside down. "You call this training?"
Ben grinned. "Try walking when I turn the gravity up."
He did. Suddenly, everyone hit the floor with a collective thud.
"Ow!" Luffy groaned, face flattened. "That's awesome!"
Ben laughed, turning it off again. "You'll thank me when you're stronger."
Then he showed them self-cleaning brooms that swished across the floor, dishes that washed themselves, and even little mechanical golems stationed neatly by the walls.
When Ben clapped, they animated, sparring with fluid movements before freezing again.
"Automatic maintenance crew," he said. "They'll repair, polish, and protect the ship."
Nami's eyes widened. "You… turned the Merry into a miracle."
Ben smiled softly. "No. I just gave her what she deserved."
By sunset, the Going Merry glided through golden waters, the sun dipping low behind them. The crew sat on deck, the waves gentle beneath their feet.
Luffy was leaning against the mast, and a grin spread across his face. "This ship's perfect. We've got a swordsman, a cook, a sniper, a navigator, a magician…"
Usopp chimed in, "A magician who makes everything better."
Ben chuckled. "Don't put too much pressure on me, sharpshooter."
Zoro smirked. "He's already earned his keep."
Sanji poured drinks for everyone, nodding. "To new adventures—and to the Going Merry."
Nami smiled, raising her glass. "To our crew."
The glasses clinked. The sea breeze carried their laughter into the twilight.
Ben leaned on the railing again, watching the stars begin to bloom over the horizon. The ship's figurehead smiled forward, proud and unyielding.
He smiled back. "Don't worry," he murmured. "I'll keep my promise."
And as the Going Merry sailed into the night, the laughter of the Straw Hat Pirates echoed over the waves—young, wild, and utterly free.