AN:
Slowing things down here a little bit but still a very fun chapter to write. These kinds of chapters are probably the ones I have the most fun with. I love doing fights, but I really enjoy good character interactions and those are a little easier to figure out when the characters aren't beating the snot out of each other, lol. Anyway, the next couple of chapters will be slower ones so expect that but I still think they will be fun reads.
Also, I'm loving all the comments and feedback on these most recent chapters so keep it coming! Ngl, the more I hear from you guys the more I get the urge to write, even if it's just something like 'good chapter' or 'bad chapter'... Is that my attempt at a bribe?... Maybe... Lol. Still, I appreciate you all, regardless, for even just reading. :)
Alrighty, that's enough from the cringe lord. Hope you guys enjoy this one and, as always, let me know what you think!
---
Chapter 38: Celebrations
Darkness... It was the only thing Arlong could see as he abruptly awoke from his slumber.
A groan left the fishman's mouth when he made to sit up, the waking haze beginning to clear from his mind. With his growing lucidity came vicious stabbing pain lancing through his head, right behind his eyes. He attempted to open them to get a look at his surroundings but his vision never brightened... His heart began to beat faster and panic shot through him... Why couldn't he open his eyes?...
Jinbei's black orbs watched his ex-crew mate scramble in panic while he rubbed at the bloody cloth tied around his head before they dropped to the ground at his feet... Hachi had told him everything...
Shame filled the warlord's stomach when he thought back on his arrival to Cocoyashi... If only he'd tried to understand rather than let his anger get the best of him... When he saw one of his fellow fishmen practically half dead at a human's feet, he'd been consumed with rage... And now that he knew the whole story... He was ashamed... Because he was the cause... An entire village had been subjected to Arlong's reign of terror... All because of him...
"I suggest getting him to a doctor.", Jinbei said in the orangette's direction, his eyes glued to the unconscious form in her arms.
The words made Nami scoff, a growl leaving her lips when she replied, her gaze settling on the figure hanging over his shoulder. "And I hope he dies before you can get him to one.", she spat, her voice laced with vitriol.
The words made more sense now...
"Leave... And never come back.", the girl said, putting an end to the conversation as she glared into the eyes of the larger fishman.
Jinbe held the girl's gaze for another moment longer before sighing and turning away, his eyes still peeled into a glare, "... We won't.".
He couldn't even go back and try to rectify things... Well, he could... But, it would likely do more harm than good... Jinbei's lips turned downward into a frown... Even if he was never forgiven, he hoped their paths crossed again one day so he could, at the least, apologize for the pain caused by his decision all those years ago... For now, though... He'd just have to shoulder the guilt and keep moving forward...
It had been almost a day since they'd left Cocoyashi and, after hearing the full story from Hachi, Jinbei knew what he needed to do... He'd sent the octopus fishman ahead with the others when he discovered the small uninhabited island they were currently on, wanting to deal with Arlong on his own. A part of him was angry with those three as well, but at the same time, Arlong was their captain, so he was the one the crew's crimes fell on... They also fell on him... He honestly didn't know if he really even had the right to do what he was doing...
The thought made him cringe, guilt continuing to eat at his stomach... The shark fishman's eyes came back up and his gaze narrowed into a glare. "Why?...", he asked carefully, eyes dropping downward once again.
Arlong whipped his head in the direction the words came from, panic still making his heart beat wildly. "Who's there?!...", he shouted.
The larger of the two brought his gaze back up and stared at the person on the ground in front of him for a moment before responding. "... Jinbei.", came the even reply.
Arlong was taken aback, confusion shooting through him. "Wha- what?", he sputtered. Jinbei?... Why would he be in the East Blue?... The thought made him growl, heart still trying to beat out of his chest while memories of their parting ten years ago passed through his mind, "What the hell are you do-".
"Answer the question, Arlong.", Jinbei demanded, his shame beginning to turn to anger.
The blind fishman felt his panic beginning to turn into heat that crawled through his veins, the darkness he was surrounded by beginning to make him angry as he started to remember the events that occurred before he'd lost his vision... The bastard that wore the straw hat... He'd lost to him... And, if that wasn't insulting enough... The brat had also seemingly left him blind... Another vicious growl left his lips, "Why, what?!...".
A pause hung between them for a moment, the anger of the two fishmen almost palpable in the surrounding air.
"Why did you do it?...", Jinbei growled back, "... Why did you do what you did to that village?". He just couldn't understand... If Hachi was to be believed, then Arlong had become the exact thing that Fisher Tiger and the Sun Pirates fought so hard against all those years ago...
"What do you mean, why did I do it?...", Arlong scowled, "Isn't it obvious?...". A vicious smile replaced the frown on his lips, "It's because it's what they deserv-". A fist slammed into his cheek and his body was sent careening through the air, a gasp leaving his mouth when he hit the ground.
"They did nothing to you.", Jinbei angrily replied, fists clenching as he walked toward his ex-crewmate's still-recovering figure.
Arlong scrambled to his feet, an angry roar leaving his lips before he sent the violently swirling heat in his chest shooting through his veins, "THEM BEING HUMAN WAS ENOUGH REA-".
"NO, IT WASN'T!", the larger fishman bellowed. He stepped past a wild punch thrown in his general direction and his right fist hardened, "WHAT YOU DID TO THEM WAS UNFORGIVABLE!". His black knuckles flashed forward and connected with the center of Arlong's chest, bones cracking under the impact, "AND IT'S MY FAULT!".
Blood flew from the blind fishman's mouth and his form once again blasted through the air, his enhancement immediately fading in wake of the pain spreading through his center. He roughly landed and rolled in the dirt, only a moment passing before he was lifted by the ruined collar of his shirt.
"BECAUSE OF THE DECISION I MADE ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, COUNTLESS PEOPLE SUFFERED AT YOUR HANDS!", Jinbei's black fist flashed out over and over again as he pummeled the figure he held in the air, "I DON'T HAVE MUCH LOVE FOR HUMAN'S EITHER, ARLONG! BUT, NO ONE, FISHMAN OR NOT, DESERVES WHAT YOU DID TO THEM!... WHAT YOU DID TO THOSE GIRLS!". His vitriol coalesced and he tossed Arlong's battered body into the air, his black fist wrenching back while his teeth ground against each other, "DEMON BRICK FIST!".
To Arlong, it seemed as if time froze for a moment, the world losing its color as black/blue lightning flashed through the air while wave after wave of energy blasted through his body. He was barely even conscious when the final wave passed over him and he suddenly shot backward, destroying several trees before cratering into the ground.
Jinbei let his fist drop back down to his side and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath through his nose before letting it out of his mouth... He'd probably gone a little too far... He took another deep breath before walking in the direction of the small forest, his footsteps carrying him to the crater the object of his ire was buried in. He looked down on the groaning figure with mostly contempt, but also a sliver of sadness... They had been friends once...
The warlord stared for a moment longer before shaking his head and turning away... It was time to leave... They would get there long before Arlong recovered. "You're a disgrace to the legacy of the Sun Pirates, Arlong...", he said over his shoulder. It looked like he wanted to say more, but he instead shook his head and continued on his way toward the ocean.
As the blind fishman lay there, vicious pain shooting through his body, as angry as he was at Jinbei and his words, most of his vitriol was directed at the crystal clear image of the human in his head... This was all his fault... If the brat had never shown up, he would have still been in Arlong Park... He would still be able to see... A vicious growl rose from his throat as he thrashed around in place, the pain only making the sound grow louder.
Arlong's growl turned into a roar, the picture of the boy who'd thrust this darkness upon him still clear behind his nonexistent eyes... One day... He didn't know when... But... One day...
The straw-hatted bastard would pay for everything he'd taken from him.
---
Light assaulted Luffy's vision as he slowly peeled his eyes open and they were met with a relatively plain wooden ceiling... Where the hell was he?...
Nami smiled widely at the slowly waking figure, "Good morning... Captain.".
A chill went through the boy when he heard the words, a large smile coming to his face... Oh yeah... He'd won!... He turned in the direction of the voice and his vision was met with a head of orange hair. "Nami!", he exclaimed brightly.
The orangette stood from her chair beside the bed and made her way over, sitting down on top of the covers before leaning over and wrapping her arms around the person underneath them. "You didn't hear it before... So... Thank you.", she whispered into his ear, "... Thank you so much, Luffy.".
The teen lightly laughed and his wrap-covered arms snaked around the girl's back, "You don't gotta thank me, Nami.", he smiled into her shoulder, "... You're my friend.".
The words made the orange-haired girl's grip tighten, tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. The two stayed locked to each other for a long moment before she loosened her grasp and pulled away, wiping her eyes while she smiled down at her captain, "Still... Thank you.".
Another laugh bubbled from Luffy's throat and he sat up, the covers falling from his chest. It didn't take long for him to notice the white wrappings covering the majority of his upper body and a small groan left his lips... He was sore... Big time... Those guys had been strong... Especially the bigger guy... A part of him wondered if they would ever get to finish their fight... He shrugged to himself and made to push the covers the rest of the way off but stopped, suddenly realizing something.
"Uhhh... Nami?...", the boy questioned, his eyes curiously glancing at the orangette's cheeks already beginning to grow red, "... Why am I naked?...".
Nami panicked at the words, scrambling to find the right response to give, "I... Uh... You- your clothes were pretty ripped up... And they were covered in blood... So I... Uhhh... Took them off to... Fix and wash...".
Luffy peeled his eyes away from the sputtering girl and they landed on the table where his clothes and hat were laying out... They looked... Wearable... If not the vest, then at least his jeans... She did say she had to fix them... However... She could have at least left him with his underclothes... His eyes shifted back to see the orangette's cheeks growing redder when she saw what he was looking at. He stared at her with a blank expression and pointed at the table, "Didn't want to leave me in my underwear?...".
The orangette desperately waved her hands in front of her, nervous laughter beginning to leave her lips, "N- no, uh... You see, they were... Uhhh... R- really dirty... And I didn't want them getting my bed... All... Gross...". As soon as the words left her lips, she realized the excuse actually made it sound worse...
The teen continued to stare blankly at his friend for another moment before the room suddenly filled with his laughter as he held his stomach in humor-induced pain and fell back to the bed. "Nami! You big perv!", he choked out through his giggles, rolling through the aches shooting through his body.
Flames ignited underneath the girl's skin and its usual light peach turned to a burning red, embarrassment flooding her system. With nothing more than a small squeak in reply, she bolted from the room and slammed the door behind her, the boy's laughter still sounding through the wood at her back.
"I told you it was a bad idea.", Nojiko mused through a sip of tangerine juice, eyes dancing in amusement.
Nami scowled at the girl sitting at the table, heat practically rolling off her in waves. "Shut up, Nojiko...", she growled, making her way into the kitchen. She opened up the fridge and sighed at the coolness that hit her skin, reaching inside to grab a glass bottle full of orange liquid. She shut the door and popped the cork to her drink, satisfaction suffusing through her when its citrusy flavor hit her throat.
The orangette turned to walk over to the table and sat down across from her sister, a smile rising to her lips as the embarrassment began to fade. She glanced at the door to her room appraisingly, ignoring her captain's laughs still echoing through its wood, before looking back across the table. She smirked in remembrance of her sister adamantly offering her help in 'caring' for their injured savior, "Besides... You're gonna tell me you didn't like what you saw?".
A light dusting of red rose to Nojiko's cheeks and a small lewd smile made its way to her face. "... I never said that...", she whispered through the rim of her mug... Nami's captain didn't look like much from afar, but... Up close... Now that was a different story...
The conversation died as the two were pulled into their thoughts of the boy in the other room, blushes coloring their cheeks a bright red.
After a long moment of 'reflection', Nojiko shook her head, smiling when she looked up to find her sister still lost in her imagination. She let the girl be for a moment longer before clearing her throat, "So... Now that he's awake... You're leaving soon?... Right?".
The lewd images of her captain immediately sunk into the back of her mind and Nami focused back in on current reality, thinking on the question. "Yeah, I guess so.", she sighed... She'd already said goodbye to her mother, and most of her was absolutely ecstatic about leaving to sail the on the Grandline with Luffy. But, a tiny part of her was saddened at the thought of leaving her sister by herself again...
"Don't.", the blue-haired girl chastised, setting her mug on the table. She reached over and grasped her sister's hand, looking deep into her brown eyes while sending her a small smile, "I want you to go chase your dream.".
The orangette felt tears rising to the corners of her eyes at the words, but she sniffed them back up and returned the gesture, squeezing the hand held in hers, "Thanks, Nojiko.".
Nojiko stared deep into the brown orbs for another moment before softly loosening her hand and standing from the table, stepping in the direction of their mother's room, "I'll be right back.".
Nami watched her sister walk away in curiosity. What could she possibly be looking for in there?...
---
Luffy had been laughing so long that it was starting to hurt, but he just couldn't help it. "Pervy, peeping, Nami!", he wheezed to himself, holding his sides while he rolled on the bed.
Suddenly, the teen's laughter ceased, a heavenly scent wafting by his nose. His body shot up and he was immediately on his feet, rushing toward the open window. He almost didn't have the strength to stop himself in his injured state, but he managed to skid to a halt, his nose hanging out of the opening... Something smelled delicious... And now that he wasn't laughing, he thought he could hear something coming from the same direction as the smell... Was it... Music?...
The boy shook his head, mouth salivating at the smell still wafting through the window. He wanted some of whatever it was and he was definitely gonna get it... Without another thought, he made to step through the window, groaning at the stiffness of his body.
A breeze suddenly blew through him and Luffy shivered, feeling air in places he certainly wasn't used to feeling it... He looked down before a sheepish laugh left his lips, his hand coming up to scratch the back of his head. He'd forgotten about that... He turned on his heel, dressing as quickly as his injured body would allow, and, soon enough, was making his way through the window, his nose leading him in the direction of the music that got louder with every step he took.
It took longer than the straw-hatted teen would have liked, but he eventually made it to the edge of Cocoyashi village, his eyes widening at what met him there. A large smile rose to his face when he realized what he'd walked into... It was a party!
Luffy wasted no time rushing toward the commotion, the aches in his body moving to the back of his mind when he joined in on the joyful chaos. The large smile stayed plastered onto his face, his laughter being drowned out by the music blaring loudly through the town as he weaved through dancing couples and vendors selling various items.
The whole atmosphere had the pirate captain practically vibrating in excitement... He absolutely loved parties!
Luffy continued to make his way through the packed crowd of dancing villagers and sniffed the air, searching for the scent that had brought him there. It took a moment, but the smell hit him once again and he grinned, rushing off in the direction it was coming from. It smelled like meat... And... Fruit?...
"Melon and Prosciutto! Come and get it while it's fresh! Everything is on the house today in celebration of Cocoyashi's freedom!", a man shouted through his cupped hands. A gust of wind suddenly blew through the area and he stumbled backward, wildly looking for its origin. As his wide eyes shifted through his stall he immediately realized something and they widened even further, "Where the hell did all my melons go?!...".
Luffy's arm bulged while he kept his delicious bounty firmly secured, his mouth gobbling up melons whole as he ran. As he weaved his way through the packed bodies of the crowd, he couldn't help but moan in ecstasy... These things were delicious!
The boy's breathing eventually began to become labored between melons so he was forced to slow down, his stomach bulging from the ones he'd already eaten. Before he knew it, he'd passed into a quieter part of the village and his jog turned into a walk, his eyes shifting through the area.
Black orbs landed on a path leading to somewhere he couldn't see and, with nothing else to do while he ate his food, Luffy looked around before shrugging, beginning to trudge along the trail... A part of him was just curious as to where it might lead...
"Bellemère...", Genzo said, stepping up to the wooden cross marking the woman's grave, "Your daughters have grown into wonderful, strong young women...". He popped the cork on the sake bottle he held, "Looking at them...". Tears prickled at his eyes when he began to pour the alcohol over the grave in memoriam, "... It's almost like seeing you alive again.".
The scarred man stopped pouring and took a swig of his own from the bottle, gulping down several mouthfuls of the clear liquid. The bottle dropped back down to his side and he wiped his mouth, making to continue before a voice sounding at his back stopped him.
"It's a grave...", Luffy said to himself through a bite of melon, his feet slowing to a halt. He looked up to the man standing next to it. "Did somebody die?", he asked obliviously, his mouth unconsciously moving to suck down another of his meat-covered delicacies.
Genzo didn't bat an eye at the interruption, his gaze staying glued to Bellemère's grave as he took another swig of sake, "Yeah... Somebody died.". A sigh left his mouth and he reveled in warmness swirling through his stomach, "It was a long time ago, though.".
The boy's footsteps stopped beside the grave just as he popped the final melon in his mouth, sending it down to the endless depth of his stomach in naught but a moment. "Who was it?", he asked curiously, rubbing his engorged belly in satisfaction.
There was a long silence before the man answered, pictures of the joyful woman floating through his mind. "... It was Nami's mother.", he eventually said, a small smile rising to his lips. He looked up to the sky... She was probably smiling down on them right now... Wherever she was.
Surprise bloomed on Luffy's face and he looked at the wooden cross in a new light, another moment of silence passing before he bent at the waist, bowing as deeply as his large stomach would allow. His hands clasped together in front of his head. "Thank you for being Nami's mom!", he exclaimed, immediately straightening back out.
With his piece said, the large boy respectfully nodded at the man next to him and turned to make his way back to town. He wanted to go get some more melons.
"If you do anything to make her unhappy... I'll kill you.", Genzo said just loud enough for the retreating figure to hear. He turned and sent a glare in his direction, "Do you understand?".
It took a moment for the words to register but when they did, the corners of the Luffy's lips rose. "Don't worry scar guy... I'll make sure to keep her happy.", he replied with a smile, turning away and beginning the trek back down the small trail.
Genzo watched the teen's form disappear down the path before he turned back to the grave at his feet, finishing off the bottle of sake in his hand. He bent down and, for the first time since he'd put it there, removed the pinwheel connected to his hat. He eyed the item slowly spinning in the breeze for a moment before placing its stem in the dirt in front of the wooden cross. "I think it's time we actually started living our lives.", he said with a sigh, standing from his kneeled position as he watched the pinwheel spin for a moment longer, "... You're missed, Bellemère. But, I know you're watching from somewhere...".
The scarred man turned away with a soft smile on his lips, his eyes looking up while his feet carried him back to town, "So, watch us live... Watch us laugh... But... Just know... We will always wish you were still here.".
---
Nojiko lifted a small box from a hidden compartment in one of her mother's drawers before pushing it back into the bedside table. She eyed the item for a moment before standing to her feet to make her way back into the kitchen.
The blue-haired girl sat back down in her chair and smiled sadly at the gift, placing it on the table in front of her sister, "Mom was going to give that to you for your next birthday... But...".
The words weren't said but they didn't need to be for Nami to understand, her eyes landing on the wooden box. After a moment of looking, she reached toward it in nervous anticipation, wondering what it might be that her mother had wanted to give her.
"I would have given it to you earlier... But...", Nojiko met Nami's eyes and her expression grew rueful, "... I guess it just never felt like the right time.".
The orangette understood the sentiment... However, she made no reply, her gaze locking back on the box in her hand. With one more glance at her sister, she looked back down and peeled the wooden container open, two small pieces of gold meeting her eyes when the top came all the way off.
Nami stared in awe at the earrings pressed into the chic black velvet they sat on... They were so simple... And yet, that did nothing to take away from their beauty.
The two pieces of jewelry were shaped to look like a pair of lightning bolts... At least, that's what she thought they looked like... They were probably more like 'S's if all the letter's curves were straightened out.
The girl carefully reached into the small box and picked up the golden earrings, so entranced by the stunning bolts of lightning that she didn't notice the small static prickle against her skin when the pads of her fingers first touched them.
"Mom said she found them with you on that battlefield all those years ago.", Nojiko chimed in, smiling at the happiness she could see on her sister's face.
The words confused Nami as she stared at the glinting pieces of golden metal. "These... Were mine?...", she asked, looking back up to her sister.
The older of the two nodded her head in confirmation.
The orangette's gaze dropped back down to the earrings in her hand for a moment before it came back up to her sister. "... Why didn't she give them to me earlier then?", she questioned in confusion. If she'd had them all those years... Why did her mother wait to give them to her?
Nojiko sighed, lifting her mug to her lips. "Your guess is as good as mine...", she answered through a sip of tangerine juice.
Nami looked back down at her gift and shook her head, a smile rising to her face. She had them now, and that was all that mattered. She looked up and flashed her gift in her sister's direction, smile turning to a teasing grin, "Wanna help a girl out?... Like old times?".
The blue-haired girl laughed at the humor in the words, setting her cup down and standing from her chair. "You gonna cry?... Like old times?", she rebutted, small giggles rising to her throat at the red spreading across her sister's cheeks.
"No...", the orangette huffed in slight embarrassment.
Nojiko let her giggles peter out and grabbed one of the small pieces of gold from her sister's hand, "Good... It was really annoying.".
Before she could retort, the orange-haired girl felt a small pinch in her earlobe and hissed. "Damn it, Nojiko! Warn me first!", she growled in irritation.
"Quit being such a baby.", the older of the two scoffed, reaching to grab the other earring. When she went to pick it up, however, the hand holding it closed.
"Actually...", Nami said looking intently at the curled appendage. She stayed silent for a moment before smiling to herself, knowing exactly what she wanted to do with the other golden lightning bolt, "... I think I'm just gonna wear the one.".
---
A piercing whistle shot through the air before Luffy removed his fingers from his mouth, keeping his eyes trained on the horizon and looking for any sign of his friend and ship.
The teen had spent a little more time at the party in town before he'd decided to get his friend to bring the Merry to the island so he and Nami could get ready to leave. A part of him wanted to stay and party with the villagers of Cocoyashi for the rest of the day, but the bigger part of him wanted to get back on the water and start picking up the rest of his crew... The Grandline was practically calling to him...
"Merry!", Luffy yelled excitedly, the lamb-shaped figurehead of his precious ship entering his vision in the distance.
A short time passed as the teen waited patiently on the shore and, eventually, the Merry bottomed out against the sand of the shallow waters. He was almost immediately sprinting into the ocean, his large belling jiggling with every step he took. "Levi!", he shouted jumping into the air.
The large beast caught Luffy on his nose and he nuzzled his friend for a moment before sliding off his large head and landing back in the water. "I'm gonna go get Nami! You wait here and watch the ship! We'll be back soon! I promise!", he exclaimed over his shoulder while he swam back to the shore. In but a moment, he felt sand beneath his feet and rose out of the water.
The straw-hatted pirate captain's stomach wiggled wildly as he jogged as fast as he could... What?!... Running was hard right now!... Plus, he was injured!... After what felt like far more running than it should have been, his eyes met a break in the trees and he gasped in relief, his jog slowing to a walk when he made it through the treeline.
"Nami!", Luffy yelled, approaching the front door to his navigator's house. His attention was pulled away from the front door and his eyes found the replanted tangerine grove off to the right side of the small building, his mouth salivating at the sight of the ripe orange orbs even in the wake of the veritable feast he'd just consumed... Maybe Nami would let him have one...
The front door opened and Nami looked through it incredulously, her eyes landing on the enlarged figure of her captain... "Where the hell have you been?!", she asked incredulously. She and Nojiko had gone looking for him when they found out he wasn't still in her room... They'd searched basically the whole town before giving up and heading back to the house... They'd even roped Genzo into helping, something the man was less than ecstatic about...
"I was at the party!", the straw-hatted teen exclaimed, excitedly. "It was so fun, Nami! We danced and sang! And I even got to eat a whole bunch of delicious food!", he added, forgetting to mention that it was a whole bunch of one thing... Honestly, now that he was talking about it, he kind of wanted to go back...
The orangette only looked at the boy's soaking form in annoyance, however, she couldn't help but smile at seeing him back in his signature outfit... He usually looked really good in it... But right now it was hard to find his round form all that appealing... A small laugh left her lips and she shook her head, pushing off the door frame she was leaning on to step in her captain's direction... He would probably be back to normal in a couple hours.
"There's something I wanna give you.", Nami said stopping in front of the taller boy. She hadn't paid much attention to it before but she had to look up at him now... Had he always been taller than her?... She suddenly realized she was staring and banished the thoughts with another shake of her head. "Think of it as my way of saying thank you.", she said reaching into her pocket.
"You mean, other than the hundred times you've already said it?...", Luffy teased, a laugh rising from his throat at the glare being sent his way.
The girl chose to ignore him and instead looked down to the golden earring resting in her palm, glare softening. "... It's also a way for me to know that my captain is always with me...", she added, the words coming out softer than she wanted them to. Her hand came up and brushed the golden metal dangling from her ear, "You don't have to wear it... bu-".
"Thanks, Nami!", the straw-hatted teen exclaimed, picking up the girl in a hug before softly setting her back down. He reached his fingers into her hand and grabbed the small piece of jewelry in it, gazing at the glinting golden lightning bolt in awe. It was so cool!
Nami laughed at the excitement in the boy's voice, "Like I was saying, you don't have to wear it... But I wouldn't hate it if you kept it with you...".
Luffy eyed the earring for another moment before a thought crossed his mind, his eyes dropping down to his necklace... Maybe... "Can I try putting it on my necklace?", he asked curiously. He'd never tried to make a new charm with anything but a devil fruit but it would probably work the same way... Right?
The question confused the orange-haired girl, her voice coming out tinted with uncertainty, "...Sure...".
The straw-hatted teen smiled before taking a deep breath and bringing the small piece of jewelry into contact with the braided leather cord around his neck. As soon as the two items touched, a small bit of light flashed and he hissed when he felt the golden metal sear the tips of his fingers. However, he held strong, and, eventually, let his hand drop back down to his side, a new charm resting in between the two already there.
Nami watched the scene unfold in bewilderment, staring at his necklace's new charm in shock... She had no idea it could do that... It made her all the more curious about the two colored jewels on either side of her lightning bolt... She still needed to ask about those... Not only that... She also couldn't help but be curious about the strange glow they'd radiated during the battle...
"There we go!", Luffy exclaimed proudly, eyeing his new charm in excitement. It looked so cool! "I knew it would work!", he added, gaze shifting to the burnt skin on his fingertips. He lifted the appendage and stared at the small injuries curiously... That had been weird a little weird... He eventually shrugged his shoulders and dropped his hand back to his side, looking down at the girl in front of him. He went to say more but stopped when his attention was once again grabbed by the luscious tangerine trees over her shoulder.
The teen almost immediately forgot about the current conversation and licked his lips. "Hey, Nami...", he said, pointing toward the grove, "... Can I pleeeaaassse have one of those?...".
The orangette turned in curiosity and couldn't help but scoff at what her captain was pointing at, "Sure...". Before he could make a move, however, she grabbed his arm, "But only one.". At the nod of his head, she released the boy and he sprinted past her, drool dripping from his mouth as he ran.
Luffy almost tackled one of the trees to the ground but managed to stop himself, his feet grinding to a halt in front of its fruit-bearing branches. It was almost hard to choose... They all looked so good... It took him a moment of searching, but he eventually found the right one and carefully plucked it from its resting place.
"You've got a good eye.", the girl mused, approaching the same tree her captain stood at. She searched through its green leaves before smiling and picking a tangerine of her own, a moment passing as she eyed the fruit. When she was satisfied with what she saw, she held it up in a gesture of cheers and began to peel it.
Nami's gaze suddenly shot back up at the sound of a crunch, a groan leaving her mouth at what met her vision. "Damn it, Luffy!...", she growled in irritation, "You're supposed to peel it first!".
---
"GARP!", shouted the deep voice of a figure sitting behind his large desk.
The crunching of rice crackers and heavy footsteps echoed from the open doorway as a tall, tanned man stepped through. He had short grey hair and a beard of matching color, his face wrinkled with age. His eyes, however, still sparkled with a hint of youthfulness.
Over one of the man's blue orbs lay a deep scar that made him look like a battle-hardened warrior, a battle-hardened warrior currently dressed in a white suit over a navy button-up shirt with a teal tie. A matching white coat rested over his shoulders, the word Justice written on the back, and on the shoulders of the coat hung a pair of ornate black and red shoulder pads.
"The hell's got you all riled up, Sengoku?", the man asked with a belly laugh. He always found it amusing when his friend was annoyed.
The man named Sengoku sent the other occupant of the room a withering glare and turned the photo he was looking at in his direction. "You're damn family, Garp! That's what!", he yelled slamming the paper onto his desk, "This damn thing came yesterday from Branch Sixteen in the East Blue!". He scowled down at the image, "Better yet... We've also been informed that the marine that sent it in was the sole survivor of his unit... And only because he'd been left to look after their ship...".
Garp approached the desk and looked intently at the photograph, the rice crackers in his hand slipping from his grasp when he froze in shock... It was a photo of his grandson... Luffy stood in the center of the picture with blood covering the majority of his body and a bright white smile gracing his face... What the hell had happened to him?... He shook his head and his eyes moved to the more damning part of the image.
Surrounding his grandson's figure were multiple arcs of black lightning... That damn brat... Always doin' shit that made his life more complicated... First Koby, now this?... He wasn't actually all that upset about taking the kid on when he really thought about it... What could he say... He liked him... He once again shook the intrusive thoughts away and looked up at his old friend, his voice taking a more serious tone, "... Was this supposed to be his bounty photo?". There was a chance he was wrong, but he didn't think so... His grandson was probably sailing the seas as a pirate now, so it was his best guess.
"Yes...", Sengoku growled, "We're damn lucky Momonga had the wherewithal to bring it to me before it got to publication.". His curled fist slammed into the paper on the desk, a loud thump reverberating through the wood. "Did you do it, Garp?", the man questioned, "Did you teach your damn grandson how to wield haki?!".
"Calm down.", the grey-haired man replied with a scoff, "Even I'm not stupid enough to teach an idiot like Luffy something like that.".
---
Shanks abruptly awoke from his alcohol-induced slumber when he loudly sneezed into the air, groans of annoyance coming from several of the sleeping bodies surrounding him.
The red-haired pirate captain sat up and blew his nose into the crook of his elbow, groggily looking around the hideout for a moment before almost immediately lying back down to sleep off the rest of the alcohol that was surely still in his system... It was probably just allergies or something... Or, maybe he was just hungover...
The thoughts barely even had time to cross the man's mind before he was back in the clutches of Morpheus, soft snores already beginning to rise from his mouth once again.
---
Garp frowned while continuing to gaze at the black arcs of lightning surrounding his grandson, "... I didn't even know he was a conqueror...".
"Then how the hell is it possible for this picture to exist?!", Sengoku questioned in exasperation.
Silence was the vice admiral's answer to the question as he continued to stare at the photo of Luffy. "Is there a replacement?...", he eventually asked with a sigh... Why couldn't the damn brat have just become a marine?...
Sengoku scowled at the non-answer, picking the picture up to lock back in his desk, "... Not yet, but we'll get one soon.". He folded his hands in front of him and sent his old friend a conflicted look. "You know what this could spell for him... Right, Garp?...", he asked carefully. He nodded down to the picture now tucked away in the safety of his desk, "If things like this continue to come to me... I have a feeling his infamy will grow far faster than he'll be able to keep up with.".
The words made Garp scowl because a part of him knew they were true... If Luffy started bringing things to light that the World Government had purposely kept hidden from the public eye it could be... Bad... He bent down and picked up his rice cakes from the ground, another large sigh leaving his mouth. "You got a price on him yet?", he questioned tiredly, dusting off his snack before taking another bite.
"No.", the fleet admiral replied shortly, his chair screeching against the ground as he stood, "It still remains undecided.". He stepped past his desk and the man standing at it, heading for the entrance of his office... Watching Garp eat had made him hungry... "But, more than likely...", he pulled open the door and gave his friend's back one last hard stare, "... It's going to be one of the biggest initial bounties ever given... And not just in the East Blue, Garp...".
Sengoku turned away and began to walk in the direction of the kitchens, his final words barely reaching the ears of their recipient, "... It's going to be one of the largest in all the blues.".