𝐈 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐄𝐃 as I sat in my bed, which was Nami's but Luffy said I could stay there for a while. I then heard some grunting in a different room.
"Zoro?" I called out, standing up to follow the grunting. I peeked into his room, he was struggling with his shirt.
"Do you need help?" I asked, startling him a bit. He looks at me, frowning but nods his head once making me smile.
I then walked towards him, helping him with his blue shirt, I looked at his muscly chest, damn.
"What did you say?" Zoro asked, his tone firm. Wait, did I say that out loud and didn't realize?
"I said nothing, you must be hearing things, mosshead," I said, looking up at him as I continued helping him with his shirt, guiding his muscly arms, and holding his biceps.
"There," I smiled and finished with helping him. I was about to walk away until Zoro grabbed my arm gently and I turned, looking at him, raising my eyebrow.
"At the Baratie, I saw how you looked at my swords, why?" He asked, his tone a bit firm and soft at the same time, I can't explain it.
My smile turned into a slight frown, sighing. "My best friend, Kuina. She had a sword just like that, she was my best friend, besides Sanji of course. She sadly died by falling down the staircase."
"I know." Zoro nods, talking about her cause of death. "How?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"She was my friend too, we both promised each other that, we both will become the greatest swordsman or woman." He answered, looking down.
"That's brave," I smiled, "She told me about you." I added, "I hope good things," Zoro said with a small smile.
"Really good things. And can I ask you something?" I questioned softly, looking up at him, realizing he was hovering over me.
He nods once, "When I talked to you when you were just in the coma, were you awake that time?"
He let out a small chuckle and nodded, "Yeah, It's cool that you 'admire' me like that."
"But I do," I adored, taking his hand in mine. "I don't like you, but I'll tell you this, I admire your dream," Zoro said coldly, looking down at me.
I shrugged, "That's a start." I said making him roll his eyes at me. We then went updeck, Usopp was sailing.
"Hey! Morning, lovebirds." I heard Buggy chuckle, "I know Luffy made a deal with you to find Arlong, Clown, but if this is another one of your tricks," Zoro said, helping me get up the stairs, shouldn't I be helping him?
"What are you gonna do? Bleed on me?" Buggy asked, laughing but then Zoro grabbed his head, threatening him that he would throw the clown overboard. "Wait, woah, woah!"
I chuckled, looking at Usopp who was smirking in amusement. "Because I said bleed on me? You can bleed on me if you want. I mean, a deal's a deal, all right? You want your map back. I want my body!" Buggy exclaims.
"How do we know you're not leading us to a trap?" I asked, Zoro glancing at me before putting his attention to the clown, "What she said."
"Zoro, buddy!" The clown dragged the 'Y', looking at him. "Honor amongst pirates. Right? Come on. How about I sing a nice sea shanty to pass the time? Oh, there once was a girl with tangerine hair, who stole my map and left me stranded somewhere."
Zoro gave me Buggy and I went towards the barrel, putting him in it. "Ow! God, right on my nose!" I heard him yell.
"Has it always been this long?" I heard Luffy say as I walked up towards them. "We've only been here two minutes. Be patient." Sanji said and I hugged his arm, looking at Luffy.
"Some days, they bite as soon as you drop the line, and some days, it takes hours. And then there are days when you don't catch anything at all. But we're not talking about fishing, are we?" I told him as Sanji kissed my head lovingly.
"I just want to know if Nami's okay," Luffy said, giving a small smile.
"A beautiful, talented woman does not choose to ally herself with a pirate like Arlong," Sanji said, and I heard Zoro coming up.
"Nami clearly needs to be rescued." My brother added, "Her tattoo says different." Zoro said, standing next to Luffy.
"Well, tattoos don't tell the whole story. And like any woman, she's a mystery to be unrivaled." Sanji said defensively.
"Nami made her choice." Moss head said, looking at me and my blonde brother. "You don't know why," I said, looking back at him.
"The only thing I want to hear from your brother are dinner specials. You don't know Nami and you don't know me." Zoro said, looking at me specifically and I looked away, sighing.
"Sounds like you don't know her either, moss head," Sanji said, chuckling. "I'm sure Nami has her reasons." Luffy cuts their little bickering, silencing them.
"Whatever choice she makes...I just need to hear it for myself." Said the brave soon-to-be king of the pirates.
"Land Ho!" We heard Usopp yell, we all looked at him and then observed where he was pointing at.
Conomi Islands.
We went to the island, Coco Village. I looked around, it was so gray, there was no color. It looked so boring but looked pretty at the same time.
I walked next to Zoro, trying to catch up as I held his bicep which he let me hold.
We then saw a house that was broken down, Arlong. "Never seen that before," Zoro commented, looking at it.
"What could have done this?" Sanji asked, "Maybe I should head back, make sure the Merry's secure." Usopp said but when he was about to go, I reached for his arm, stopping him.
"Arlong did this." I said bitterly, "Hey, shit-hat! I think we can all agree that Arlong's a bad fish. But why don't we quit lollygagging and get my body back?" We heard Buggy yell from the bag.
"Pipe down in there," Sanji demands, looking at the bag he held. "Or what? You wanna whip me up a soufflé?" The clown jokes, "How about you take him for a while?" Sanji said, looking at Usopp.
"Ooh, the new guy carries the clown head," Usopp said mockingly, looking at my brother.
We then started walking forward, noticing some villagers. "Everyone! Please!" I heard.
"We don't have much time, and we're short again this month." A guy said who was wearing a police uniform.
I noticed a blue-haired girl, she was the only colorful one there.
A guy puts some of his money in the box, "Is it enough?" He asked and the policeman shook his head.
"Oh dear," I whispered, my grip on Zoro's bicep tightening. "You okay?" He asked, looking down at me, noticing how my grip was tightening.
"Yeah, I just feel bad," I said, looking up at him and he nodded once, looking back to the villagers.
"Do we have time to get some more?" A woman asked but then I heard Nami's voice. "No. You don't."
Nami walked towards the policeman, Luffy was about to walk towards her but Zoro put his free arm on his chest to stop him.
"You've got a lot of nerve showing your face here." The blue-haired girl said and spit onto the floor near Nami, looking at her in disgust before walking away.
The Straw Hat crew and I looked at the blue-haired woman before looking back to Nami.
"Got something for me?" Nami asked the police guy. The police guy gives Nami the box and she opens it.
"You're short," Nami said, looking at him. "Nami, please. This is all we have. Alrong has bled us dry."
"Then find more blood." Nami snaps at him quietly and he walks away.
Nami turned around and noticed us, "Luffy?" She asked, walking towards us. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing." Luffy said, "This is where I belong." The girl said.
"I don't believe that. This is not you." Straw hat boy denied, shaking his head. "No. This isn't the me you want me to be." Tangerine hair muttered.
Luffy took a step closer, muttering; "Nami...if you need our help-"
"No, I don't need any of you." The girl snaps, looking at us. "Arlong wanted the map, and I conned you into getting it for me. And you bought it. I was never part of your stupid crew."
Luffy shook his head slightly. "You don't mean that."
"Take the rest of these clowns and sail away from here. I never want to see you again." She snapped, turning to walk away leaving the five of us there.
Usopp lets out a chuckle, "Okay, that went about as bad as it could." He said. "So back to the boat before the fishmen find us? Sail the hell out of here? Okay."
"There's something else going on in here," I said, looking at Luffy.
"She was very clear she wants us to leave," Zoro said and I glanced up at him, about to let go of his bicep but he grabbed my hand, wrapping it back around his bicep.
"You don't know women. They never say that they mean." Sanji said, "I taught him that." I cut off.
"Tell me again why the cook gets a say." Zoro said, "Don't you guys get it? She's one of them. She's a bad guy. The villagers are terrified of her."
Luffy realizes something. "Not all of them." He said.
"Hey! Scar guy!" He called out to the police guy, and the rest of us followed him.
"Who was that lady?" Luffy asked, talking about the blue-haired woman.
"You know, the one with the cool hair?" I added, "Who wants to know?" Scar guy asked.
Luffy sighed, "I'm Monkey D. Luffy. I'm a pirate-"
"Hunter." Zoro and I cut him off, "Pirate Hunter," I said, taking a step, and letting go of Zoro.
"We're here to collect Arlong's bounty." Zoro said, "You? I've seen men twice your size. And women. And with twice your number go into Arlong Park. None of them ever came back."
"We just want to talk to her." Luffy said with a smile, "Trust me, you don't." Scar guy grunted. "But if it'll get you out of my town, try the house down the road on the edge of the tangerine grove."
Luffy then starts walking away and the rest of us follow him, Sanji removes his blazer, putting it around me.
I just realized I was wearing a bit of a revealing outfit, A white corset with long sheer sleeves, a white short skirt but it had shorts under it, my signature heels and I had two daggers on my belt.
"I think I got more of a boat body than a long-journey-on-foot kind of body," Usopp complained as we walked a bit fast through the grove. "Anybody else missing the ocean? No? Okay. I could go bring the boar around if we don't want to walk all the way back."
"Can you shut it?!" I snapped, looking back at Usopp and he looked at me, terrified of my tone, Zoro noticed this and smirked.
We then noticed a house with some tangerine vines around it. When we walked towards it, the girl quickly walked out, holding a gun at us.
"Turn around and leave. Now." She said as the boys backed up a bit, but not me, I wasn't scared of that girl. Zoro wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me back.
"That's what I've been saying," Usopp said, holding a tangerine.
"Hey, I saw you earlier," Luffy said cheerfully. "I think maybe you and I have something in common."
Sanji looked at me and Zoro and noticed Moss head's arm around my waist. Zoro noticed his glare and quickly let me go, rolling his eyes.
The girl clucks the gun, "I've got the gun, and you're standing in front of it. What could we possibly have in common?"
"Let's start with Nami." Luffy starts, "Seems you know her very well."
"She's a thief with no conscience." Blue hair said, "And when there's no more left to take, she leaves and doesn't turn back. Now get off my property."
"Nami's part of our crew. She's our friend." Luffy shrugged, "My sister doesn't have any friends." The girl shook her head, oh, so that's the sister Nami told me about "The sooner you realize that, the better."
"Sisters. That makes sense." Sanji said, smirking, "Both are as beautiful as each other."
"Give it up." Zoro comments, Sanji looks at me, "Give up my sister." I rolled my eyes at them
"I can tell she really did a number on you guys. You're not special, and I can't help you." Blue hair shakes her head.
"How about a meal?" Sanji said, "What?" Blue hair asked my brother.
"An exchange of sorts for your valuable time and information." I answered, "He cooks?" She asked me, looking at my brother.
"He's a waiter," Moss head said. "He's the best cook in East Blue," Usopp said. "You never tasted anything better in your life. Usopp's word!"
"Ain't got much to cook with." Blue hair said, "You'd be surprised how much my brother can make with very few ingredients." I said, smirking at my brother.
"What do you say?" Sanji asked, "We have a little dinner, a little conversation."
The girl puts the gun down, sighing. "Fine. But there'd better be dessert."
Sanji looks at us, proudly grinning. We then walked into her house.
"Dinner's served." Sanji smiled, giving me a plate. I took a bite.
"Mmm," Nojiko mumbled and ate some more of my brother's delicious dish. "Told you," Usopp smirked.
"You know, this is the best thing I've eaten in my entire life," Nojiki said, smiling at us.
"Listen. There's plenty more where that came from, but..." Sanji starts. "First, we really need to know about Nami." I finished.
Nojiko gulps, "The truth is..." She starts talking about how Nami joined Arlong and how their mother died.
Sanji sniffles and coughs. "Wait. Nami's working for the pirate that killed your mother?" Usopp asked, Nojiko nodded.
Luffy stood up and walked outside. I sighed, looking at the curly-haired boy who walked out.
I grabbed Zoro's chin gently, turning his head to me, I nodded towards the door, telling him to talk with Luffy. He nodded once and walked outside to talk with our captain.
"Can you just be quiet?" Usopp asked as Buggy kept on laughing and laughing while I tried to have some sleep.
I then stopped listening to them, sighing as I put my arm over my eyes.
We were all now outside, sitting down as Luffy talked with Nami.
𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐃 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕
Running through the orchard of apple and tangerine trees she slowly comes to a stop and falls to her knees. Tears gathering in Nami's eyes a disgusted and betrayed look expressed on her face.
"Arlong. Arlong." Her brows itch together and her tears fall down her cheeks with a whimper.
Looking down at her tattoo she digs her nails into the blue ink threaded into her flesh. "Arlong. Arlong! Arlong!"
Unable to make her nails pierce the skin of the tattoo she flicks out a knife, stabbing the shining blade into her arm repeatedly as she screams out the pirates name.
"Ah! Arlong! Arlong! Arlong!" Bringing her arm back to stab back into her arm a hand wraps around her wrist. Blood slowly drips down her arm, turning her head to face the person holding her back.
"I told you to get the hell out of here." Looking back down at her lap. Her hair covering her face. "You did."
Luffy's soft voice broke through the thick air. Her grip released and the knife fell. Yanking her wrist she pulls away from his hold.
"Then leave. You don't know anything about what's going on here."
"I don't." He didn't know yet he understood everything. And that's what she loved about him.
"Luffy."
Peeking back up at the man in the straw hat she didn't just see the boy who coincidentally ate a devil fruit, she saw a hero.
"Help me." Reaching up he took the hat off of his curly hair and placed it onto her head, earning a small gasp from the tear staired girl.
"Of course I will." Shifting on his heels he walked away with a glare set on his face.
"Of course I will." he repeated.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕
I was next to Zoro as he silently sneaked his arm around my waist, I lit up a cigarette, taking a hit.
I then noticed Luffy walking closer to us, "Of course I will!" He yells, throwing his arms up.
He then walks towards us, "Let's go." He demands, "Right." The four of us said in unison.
Usopp stood up and noticed some clamoring and gunshots. "What's that?" He asked, looking at the fire from afar.
"They're attacking the village," I said as the five of us went next to Usopp, looking at orange flames.