On the Going Merry, the four humans and one reindeer who had already woken up, along with Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp—who hadn't been seen in quite a while—were sitting at the dining table, eating and chatting.
However, aside from a certain heartless glutton of a Straw Hat, everyone else looked like they had no appetite.
"You guys were actually dreaming the whole time?! And you dreamed about other people's childhoods?" Zoro raised an eyebrow. The development of this situation was simply too bizarre.
"To be precise, our consciousness likely traveled into the memories of others." Sherlock took an elegant sip of his black tea and continued, "That was far more real than any ordinary dream."
Hearing this, Nami and Chopper both nodded vigorously in agreement. Judging by their somewhat unsightly complexions, they were clearly still shaken by the previous experience.
The long-nosed brother wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "Phew, I thought your souls had been stolen by some demon in the mist."
"That sounds quite interesting." Sanji placed a dish on the table, then lit a cigarette, smiling somewhat lecherously. "If I had fallen asleep last night too, wouldn't I have had the chance to see the cute childhood versions of Nami-san and Robin-chan?"
(And...)
The curly-browed cook spent a moment being lovesick, then cast a gaze filled with ill will toward a certain swordsman. Coincidentally, Zoro was also looking at the former with a wicked grin on his face.
...I would also have the chance to teach that bratty, stinking Mosshead ((Perverted Kappa)!!!) a good lesson!
Huh?!
The two froze simultaneously. Then, these naturally incompatible guys immediately realized the other was harboring the exact same dark thoughts. Their faces instantly darkened.
"Are you thinking about something rude? Mosshead!" Sanji viciously stubbed out his cigarette. "It's a pity we didn't experience that adventure because we were on night watch. Otherwise, I would have definitely educated the childhood version of you!"
"Tch! That's exactly what I wanted to say, you lovesick Curly-brows!" Zoro grinned, looking quite indignant. "Let me tell you, even when I was ten, I could have beaten you until you were looking for your teeth all over the floor!"
"Hah?! Then when I was five, I could have kicked you flying!"
"Then I... Bastard! I'm gonna cut you!" Unable to continue talking, the green-haired swordsman flew into a rage out of humiliation and drew Wado Ichimonji.
Clang, clatter, crash...
"These two really are something else. To think they can start fighting just from a look." Watching the two grappling once again, Usopp rubbed his forehead helplessly.
"Truly idiotic..." Sherlock sighed softly, then asked the others, "So, what exactly did you all experience in your dreams?"
Nami, Robin, and Chopper looked at each other, then looked at the idiot captain who was silently stuffing his face. None of them spoke.
After a while, the blue-nosed reindeer extended a small hoof, breaking the silence first.
"I think I went to Luffy's childhood." Chopper's furry face was covered in fine sweat. "In the end, I was almost eaten by Luffy and his two brothers..."
"Pfft... Hahahaha! That really fits Luffy's style!"
Hearing this, Usopp, Nami, and the others laughed without restraint, clearly taking pleasure in his misfortune. Even Robin subconsciously let the corners of her mouth curl up slightly.
Chopper teared up. "Ahhh! Stop laughing! Is getting almost eaten that funny?"
"Two brothers? Isn't Luffy's brother that 'Fire Fist' Ace?" Sherlock comforted the frantic little reindeer and asked Luffy, "You have a second brother?"
"Yeah, I have two brothers."
The simpleton captain, who had single-handedly finished off most of Sanji's cooking, let out a satisfied burp. Then, a look of reminiscence appeared on his face as he spoke softly, "His name was Sabo. He was my second brother, but Sabo died in an accident when I was little."
"Back then, the three of us made a promise to set out to sea and become pirates..."
Saying this, a rare layer of sorrow smeared across Luffy's face, which was usually filled with a brilliant smile.
At the same time, Sherlock and the others suddenly realized that their usually heartless, simpleton captain was actually a guy with a "story" too.
Perhaps feeling the atmosphere was getting a bit too sentimental, Nami tried to change the subject. She smiled at the blue-nosed reindeer and said, "By the way, Chopper, I met the childhood you. After all these years, you really haven't changed much."
"Huh?! Nami, you met the childhood me?" Chopper was shocked.
"Yeah." The orange-haired navigator nodded with a smile. "Besides you, I also met your adoptive father, Dr. Hiriluk. His medical skills were really terrible. Because of him, I was chased by the families of those patients... Eh?! What's wrong, Chopper?"
Hearing Nami mention his adoptive father Hiriluk, Chopper's dark, beady deer eyes instantly misted over. His nose soured, and large teardrops began to flow.
"Waaaaah! Doctor! I... I miss you so much!"
Well, the atmosphere had become even more sorrowful...
Sherlock looked at Nami and calmly pushed up his glasses. The deep black eyes behind the lenses held neither sadness nor joy, yet the latter still read a specific meaning from them:
(You really are an idiot...)
Nami was incredibly embarrassed. She was just about to say something to comfort him when she was interrupted by a magnetic, sexy female voice.
"I met the childhood you, Navigator-san." Nico Robin smiled tranquilly. "In your hometown, I took you and your sister out to eat and play for almost an entire day. You two sisters were very cute when you were little."
"Me and Nojiko?" The orange-haired navigator froze. Then her expression changed, and she opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to ask something.
"I really envy you and your sister for having such a wonderful mother." The charming woman said this very abruptly, forcefully blocking the question Nami was about to ask.
"Really, I envy you very much." As she said this, Robin's gaze became distant.
"Yeah, she really was a good mother. The best mother in the world." Nami's breath hitched, and a thousand thoughts instantly flooded her mind. Thinking of that pink-haired woman deeply etched in her memory, the navigator revealed a sweet smile, tears faintly shimmering in the corners of her eyes.
(Bell-mère...)
Zoro and Sanji were still in the heat of battle, fighting with reckless abandon, while the atmosphere at the dining table grew increasingly heavy and sentimental. This was because the others had all inadvertently had their sad childhood memories triggered.
"Hey, Robin, isn't bringing this up now just adding salt to the wound?" Usopp complained a bit, then looked at the simpleton captain lying on the table and asked, "By the way, Luffy, who did you meet from their childhood in your dream? Was it Robin or Sherlock?"
"Childhood who? What are you talking about?" Luffy tilted his head, looking completely baffled. "I only know I suddenly went back to Loguetown, and then I met a little boy and a silver-haired little girl, but I didn't meet the childhood versions of them."
Speaking of this, Luffy seemed to remember something and grinned widely at Sherlock. "Oh, right! Sherlock, that little boy actually had the same name as you! And the snacks their mom made were super, super delicious!"
(That definitely must have been the childhood Sherlock and his sister, right? Luffy, what is wrong with you? How can you not even recognize your own crewmate!)
Nami and the others looked at the Warlock, who had gloom lines hanging over his head, then looked at the straw-hatted idiot reminiscing about delicious snacks. They didn't know what to say.
"Luffy, look carefully again. Look at my face."
Sherlock pointed a finger at his own face and spoke extremely calmly. "Don't you think I look very much like that little boy?"
"Huh?" The simpleton captain carefully scrutinized the Warlock's handsome, extraordinary face, then shook his head and affirmed, "Nope. You really don't look like him at all!"
Robin touched her smooth chin, thought for a moment, and then suddenly recalled the scene when she and the Straw Hats first met at Whiskey Peak.
"Luffy, look again." Saying that, Robin reached out and gently removed the silver-rimmed glasses from the bridge of Sherlock's nose.
Looking at the Warlock without his glasses, the simpleton captain was instantly dumbfounded, seemingly shocked by Sherlock's [Gargantuan Transformation].
He rubbed his eyes and asked uncertainly, "Sherlock? Are you Sherlock? How did you suddenly turn into this! That's amazing! But this look really does resemble 'Little Sherlock' a lot!"
"Are you guys biological brothers? Ahahahaha." As he spoke, Luffy started laughing like an idiot. He laughed quite happily, as if he hadn't been the one feeling sad just moments ago.
So in the end, this idiot didn't even realize what had actually happened earlier!
Everyone fell into a mysterious silence. Even Sanji and Zoro involuntarily stopped fighting, looking at a certain glasses-less spectacle-wearer with shock and uncertainty.
Sherlock's expression was terrifyingly gloomy. Even as calm as he usually was, he suddenly felt an impulse to hit someone.
(Could it be that in this idiot's eyes, these glasses are Sherlock's true body???)
(Oi, oi, oi, Luffy, are you going to play this gag for the rest of your life?)
(Face blindness is a disease, it needs to be treated!)
(Why do I suddenly feel a chill?)
(Sherlock's face is so scary...)
(Heh heh.)
Nami and the others looked at the silver-rimmed glasses in Robin's hand, suspended between laughter and tears, silently retorting in their hearts.
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