Chapter 35 – I Refuse Your Refusal
Sunny's POV
Lucy stood tall, fists planted on her hips, grin wide under that battered straw hat.
"You're joining my crew!"
Her words hung in the air, bold as cannon fire.
I raised a brow, smirking. "And if I refuse?"
She didn't even blink. "Then I'll refuse your refusal!"
For a solid two seconds, the ship creaked in silence.
Nami groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "Oh no… she's even dumber than she looks."
Koby, sitting cross-legged nearby, practically fell over. "T-th-that doesn't even make sense!"
I burst out laughing, holding my stomach. "You really are something, Straw Hat girl."
Lucy puffed her chest proudly. "Shishishi~! That's right! Stubborn's my middle name!"
"Actually," {Ego}'s dry voice hummed in my mind, "her middle name is probably 'reckless idiot.'"
[System] chimed in sweetly, but with her usual yandere undertone. "Mmm~ but she is bold. Bold girls can be dangerous. Sunny, don't let her get too close… unless you want me to eliminate her ♥."
I sweatdropped. "Please don't."
---
Sharing Dreams
We sat together on the battered deck of what was left of Alvida's ship. The sea stretched endlessly around us, the horizon glowing orange in the late sun.
Lucy clapped her hands. "Alright! Dreams time! If we're gonna sail together, we need to know what drives us!"
She went first, of course. "I'm Lucy, and I'm gonna be Queen of the Pirates!"
"Queen?" Koby gasped. "Y-you can't! The seas are dangerous, the Marines, the Warlords, the—"
Lucy leaned forward until her nose almost bumped his. "Don't care! My dream's mine, and I'll chase it no matter what!"
Koby froze, then lowered his eyes. "…I-I want to be a Marine. But not just any Marine. I want to protect people. I don't want to be weak anymore."
Lucy's grin softened into something rare—respect. "That's a great dream."
Then her gaze flicked to me. "What about you, Blue Eyes?"
I leaned back lazily, pretending to think. "Me? Simple. I want to explore the world. To see everything it hides. And…" my voice dropped just a touch, "to protect the people I love. Always."
Nami, sitting beside me, stiffened ever so slightly. She looked away fast, but I caught the faint pink creeping up her cheeks.
Finally, Nami spoke, her tone softer but filled with quiet determination. "I want to draw a map of the entire world. Every island, every sea, everything... all of it on one map."
Lucy's grin returned. "Shishishi~! You're cool! Definitely joining my crew!"
"Wait—no one said—" Nami started.
"Too late!" Lucy barked happily. "I refuse your refusal!"
Nami buried her face in her hands. Koby sweat nervously. I just laughed again.
---
Comedy Break
Koby, ever the innocent, tilted his head. "Sunny, why do you follow someone like her? Isn't she a little… reckless?"
"Little?" Nami deadpanned.
"Because," I said smoothly, "reckless people make life fun."
{Ego} scoffed. "Fun? That girl's brain is emptier than a busted sake bottle."
[System] hummed. "But emptiness leaves room for obsession. Sunny, you're not allowed to look at her too much, okay? ♥"
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "You two are impossible."
Lucy blinked. "Eh? Who're you talking to?"
"Don't worry about it."
"Suspicious~!" she sang.
---
Toward Shells Town
By the next day, our patched boat skimmed over calm seas. Lucy sat on the bow, scarfing down bread like she hadn't eaten in weeks.
Nami studied the map with a calculating look. "Shells Town. There should be a chart of the Grand Line there. If we get it, I'll be one step closer to mapping the world."
Koby's hands trembled with excitement. "And… and it's where I can report to the Marines! My dream… it's finally within reach!"
Lucy pumped a fist. "Perfect! And Zoro's there too! He's the strongest swordsman—he's gonna be my crewmate!"
Nami's jaw dropped. "You can't just 'recruit' someone like him! He's a demon!"
Lucy grinned. "Perfect! Then he's exactly what I need!"
I leaned back, watching their bickering with half-lidded eyes. "Guess fate's steering us to Shells Town."
Nami huffed. "Fate? No. Idiocy, yes."
Lucy laughed. "Same thing!"
And for once, even I had to admit… she wasn't entirely wrong.