️Ch.34: Straw Hats Reunited! Introductions to New Crewmates! And The Real Story Is Told!🏴☠️️
No one spoke a word after Johnny's proclamation.
"You can't be serious!" Yosaku is the one to finally break the silence.
Johnny seats himself on the ground. "Yeah, it's true. She was a traitor all along. She's been winning Arlong's favor, so she could have the treasure buried in Cocoyashi Village all to herself. That woman is just a cold-blooded killer. She won't stop until she gets what she wants. Nami had us fooled the entire—"
The bounty hunter is quickly cut off by Luffy rushing in and grabbing him by his jacket, hauling him up so he can look the rubber boy dead in the eye. Luffy didn't even notice that his precious straw hat had fallen from his head.
"Quiet! Say another word and you'll regret it!" He growls.
I decide to step between the two before things would get uglier. "Easy, Lu. Don't kill the messenger. This has absolutely nothing to do with Johnny, as much as I don't like to hear this kind of thing coming from someone who doesn't even know Nami."
"Go on, Big Sis (First Name). Believe whatever you want, but I know what I saw. Nami killed Big Bro Usopp!" Johnny shouts, not caring what Luffy could do to him.
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH! NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS WOULD NAMI KILL USOPP!! SHE WOULDN'T DO THAT TO HER FRIENDS!" Luffy bellows.
"But . . .But I saw it!"
"What was that about friends, Luffy?" A familiar voice makes their presence known.
I look away from Johnny to see Nami.
"Nami." Luffy gasps as he drops Johnny and turns to face the orange-haired girl.
"What are you doing here?" She demands with her arms crossed with her wooden Bo staff out and a guarded cold gaze aimed at them.
"What are we doing here?" Luffy repeats as he picks up his hat off the ground and readjusts it atop his head. "You're our friend. Came to get you." He explains.
"What a pest." Nami scoffs.
"Nami?"
At Luffy's confused look, Nami continues. "Friends, huh? Don't make me laugh." She says with a blank, yet cold, look, stunning Luffy into silence. "You're just pathetic enough to deserve each other."
Johnny then jumps forward from behind Luffy and points a finger at Nami. "Damn you! You killed him! I watched you do it! And now . . .Big Bro Usopp is gone!"
Nami smirks. "Yup, that's right. So, why don't you kill me and get you revenge."
Johnny is taken aback by Nami's statement. "Geh . . .What?"
Nami twirls her Bo staff. "Word to the wise, fellas. Because of your friend's stupidity, Arlong is preparing to kill Zoro, along with his entire crew. And I don't care how monstrously strong you guys think you are, you're no match for the real monsters. I promise, you stay on this island, you will die."
💥And just what does she think you are?💥 Trigger mutters to me. 💥She's never seen you when you're pissed or when those you care for are being threatened. Now that's a real monster.💥
If the situation wasn't so dire, I might have laughed. But this is no laughing matter, especially when the girl brings up death. I unconsciously rub a spot over my shirt just above my cleavage where one of the nastiest scars I have lies. As hard as it was to believe, I have died before and it was a miracle that I'm still standing here for all to see. I wasn't afraid for my own life when it happened. I was afraid I wouldn't have been able to fulfill my promise to my not-yet captain back then and to all the other people I've made promises to.
"So, you have a choice to make between life and death." Nami finishes coldly.
I remain silent with a blank face, as does the pack and Ghin.
Zoro growls.
And Sanji . . .well I can already guess how he's reacting to all this.
The blond chef already has the dopey look on his face. "Her heartless face is so hot." His visible eye then turns into a big pink heart and waves his arms in the air like crazy. "Hi, Nami! It's me, Sanji! Let's run away together~💞!"
"Sanji, do you really think this is the time? Especially when one of our own crewmates might possibly have been killed by this woman." Ghin tries to be the voice of reason for the Casanova chef, but is blatantly ignored.
Zoro then tries his own hand. "Listen to your friend and can it Romeo. This isn't the time or place for that." He snarls.
Sanji drops his lovey-dovey routine and glares back at the swordsman. "Excuse me, but love is like a hurricane, so back off—HEY, LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!!" But the swordsman is now turned away from the shouting cook to face Nami.
"Nami, where is Usopp?" Zoro demands.
"With the fishes." She replies without care.
"Dammit! Cut the crap." He growls as he reaches for his one sword and charges at Nami.
Everything happened so fast after that. Next thing I know, I'm standing between Nami and Zoro's sword, in full hybrid form, blocking his blade with a scaled forearm. My scales are as hard to cut next to sea prism or diamond. Downside is the scales only cover certain areas of my body.
"(First Name)." I hear Nami breathe quietly from behind me. I look over my shoulder and down at her and spot her wearing a black glove on her left hand. She notices my stare and hides the hand behind her back.
"What the hell? Why are you protecting her when she killed Usopp?" Zoro glares up at me (considering I'm 7'6" in this form).
I remained silent and just stare down at him with my blank look.
"Big Sis, Big Bro! We're all in this together okay?! This is no time to fight!" Yosaku attempts to disperse our "quarrel". Zoro takes his blade off my forearm, but I still have my guard up just in case and remain in my hybrid form.
Nami comes out from behind me. "Your pal's right. Now quit your bickering and leave while you still can. You outsiders have no right to butt into this island's affairs. Don't you get it yet? The only reason I got close to you idiots was to rob you of everything you had. But now that you're broke, looks like the dream's dead. So, go take your ship. Go on. Find a navigator dumb enough to join you and go to the Grand Line. Continue on your quest to find the One Piece or whatever. Just leave here!" She points her Bo staff at us in a threatening manner. "You're an eyesore!"
Johnny and Yosaku are growling at her blunt comments. At this point, I'm the only one who stood close to Nami.
"Goodbye, now." She finishes. She then waits to hear our response.
But the only thing I hear over the soft chirps of birds is the sound of Luffy falling flat on his back in the middle of the dirt road and falling asleep.
"Big Bro Luffy!" Johnny exclaims.
"Sleepy." Is all the boy says.
"Sleep?" Johnny questions incredulously.
"At a time like this? In the middle of the road?" Yosaku joins in.
"Well, I'm pretty tired." Luffy reasons without opening his eyes at the two bounty hunters. "I'm not gonna butt into their affairs. I'm not interested. But I'm not leaving either. Night."
"HUUUUH?!" Yosaku screams.
"Uh . . .Big Bro?" Johnny trails off in shock at Luffy's boldness (or possibly stupidity).
Zoro facepalms in agitation.
Luffy starts to snore lightly.
And me? I do the first thing that comes to mind. Follow Luffy's example, as does the Pack. Richie and Trigger pile themselves together while Umi coils herself up into the shallow waters of the rice paddy field, and I sit against her like a chair.
"Fine. WHATEVER! JUST GO AHEAD AND DIE!!" Nami explodes and takes off running. Sanji tries to call out to her, but she's already long gone.
🏴☠️️☠🏴☠️️
Unknown to the group, some of the villagers from the decimated town of Gosa managed to contact the Marines and have a ship sent over for an extraction mission. The Marines themselves are unaware of just how strong Arlong and his crew really are.
☠🏴☠️️☠
Back at Arlong Park, Carmela and Ahio keep an eye on what goes on inside the Fishmen fortress from a thickly concealed tree branch that hangs over the wall of the compound.
"Is that right? Marine Branch 77." Arlong questions from his lounge chair.
"That's right. That's what I said." Chu confirms.
"A newcomer. We'll have someone negotiate with the man in charge. If two million isn't enough to keep them from trying anything funny, then kill every last one of them."
Boom!
A cannonball is suddenly launched at Arlong Park and straight at the sawshark Fishman. But, either incredibly or terrifyingly, Arlong catches the incoming cannonball with his teeth and crushes it to pieces.
"Whoa! He crushed a cannonball."
"Those jaws are terrifying."
🌀And I thought Calder and Tito's jaws strength was terrifying.🌀 Ahio whispers to his sister.
🌺You got that right.🌺 Carmela responds.
"So, what now?" Kuroobi questions. "Are the talks . . .?"
Arlong spits out the cannonball remains. "Cancelled."
The Fishmen break out into cheers at the prospect of finally getting some action.
"Chu-Hold on, guys. Not so fast." Chu cuts in. "There's no need to expend so much energy just to take out the trash-Chu."
"Just leave it to us." Hachi adds.
"What foolish humans they are to pick a fight with us. In our own waters too." Kuroobi finishes.
"Those Marines don't stand a chance against three of our leaders."
"I doubt that ship will make it a full three minutes."
And the last Fishman's comment would be right.
While the Marines ready to fire another cannonball (thinking the last one was a dud), Chu leaps from the water and attacks the Marine that was readying the cannon. The Commodore in charge of the vessel was stupid enough to think he could intimidate the Fishman but is taken out in less than five seconds.
Meanwhile, Kuroobi tears off the ship's rudder, preventing the Marines from fleeing and Hachi is further down below on the ocean floor moving a reef into a strong current. This change in the ocean causes a whirlpool to appear in front of the Marine ship in only a few seconds.
The three of Arlong's commanders look on smugly as the massive ship is swallowed by the whirlpool.
🏴☠️️☠🏴☠️️
The villagers could only look on as their smallest sliver of hope to be free from the tyranny of the Fishmen sank to the ocean floor.
"They're dead." Chabo gasps as he crumbles to his knees.
"That's right. And so is hope." Nojiko sadly accepts. "It's time to face the truth: There's no way to escape Arlong's control."
"Angel, we need you now more than ever. I hope wherever you are that you're still alive." Bellemere murmurs.
Chu, Hachi, and Kuroobi return back to Arlong Park, proud of their flawless work.
"I'll bet you're tired." Arlong comments.
"Nah, I didn't even break a sweat." Kuroobi admits. "We know everything about these waters. From the winds to the depths. It was quite easy."
"With our expert knowledge of these waters, no one can beat us." Hachi adds with his six arms moving along with his speech.
"True, but let's not forget Nami's charts." Chu holds up one of said charts.
"I checked those before I moved the reef. It even tells the flow of the current and everything!" Hachi explains.
"Indeed. They are excellent charts. If we could persuade Nami to this for all the world's oceans, we would be the undisputed rulers of the sea forever." Kuroobi predicts.
Arlong sighs heavily and slumps in his lounge chair. "I know. Nami's brilliant. In fact, she could be critical in the creation of the Arlong Empire. It's just a shame."
"A shame?" Hachi echoes.
"He promised to let Nami and Cocoyashi Village go once she saves up 100 million beris." Chu explains.
"OH NO! SERIOUSLY?! Whatever you do, you can't let her leave! You can't! Say it ain't so, boss!" Hachi exclaims as his arms move around erratically.
"I have to. That's what we agreed upon eight years ago. I'm the kind of man who always keeps my promises when it comes to money. Always."
🌺I don't like that smile on his face, Ahio.🌺 Carmela shudders.
🌀You and me both. He's up to something.🌀 Ahio agrees.
🌺We need to find (First Name) and the others. That quake we felt earlier should no doubt be because of their arrival.🌺
🌀Yeah. Find trouble, find the Strawhats.🌀
The macaw siblings signal Tito and ChouChou who have been under the base of a tree near the doors of Arlong Park before flying off with the dog and tiger following behind in search of the rest of their friends.
☠🏴☠️️☠
"Hey! Big Bro Zoro! What on earth are you thinking? C'mon!" Johnny demands, as Zoro, along with Sanji and Ghin, decide to follow Luffy and just take a load off. Luffy's made up his mind, and no one could change it, so they see no point since it's captain's orders.
"Did you forget that Arlong is out to kill us? We should be running away!" Yosaku shouts.
"Now that we know what Nami's really like, there's isn't a single good reason why we should stay on this island."
"My reason for staying here . . ." The swordsman looks to Luffy sleeping body still in the middle of the road. " . . .is there." I didn't notice it because I was napping, but he also looks at my lightly sleeping form. "I'm staying because they're staying."
"Don't be stupid, Big Bro Zoro." Yosaku says. "Are you saying you want to bring her back, too?"
"What I want has nothing to do with this." Zoro answers. "I don't decide who the navigator is. He does."
"There's nothing keeping you two here, y'know." Ghin speaks. "You're not part of the crew, so you have no obligation to stay."
Johnny is hesitant but makes his decision. "Right. Understood." He looks to Zoro. "You're not leaving. Sorry to cut our reunion short, but I won't stay. My role as guide ends here."
"Yeah! I'm with him." Yosaku agrees. "I don't wanna deliberately get myself killed."
"Fine. I'll see you around." Zoro responds.
"Until we meet again, Big Bro." Johnny says as he walks off.
"Take care, you guys." Yosaku waves farewell.
"You too!" Zoro shouts back.
After a few moments nothing is heard but the wind rustling the nearby trees and Luffy's light snoring.
Sanji exhales smoke from his freshly lit cigarette. "Hey. Well . . .what do you think it is? Why was she crying?"
"I don't know." Zoro replies. "Was she crying?"
"She was in her heart."
"Pfft. If they were, they were tears of guilt for killing Usopp."
I crack open an eye and look at Zoro. "Do you really think Nami would be capable of such a thing, Zoro?"
"I don't see why not. She was willing to step on anyone else just to save her own skin."
"Yeah, right. Are you serious?" Sanji questions. "You really are dense. Do you still honestly believe that Nami could have killed Usopp?"
Ignoring the two's conversation, I suddenly hear fast-paced footsteps coming from up the road and making their way towards us. I get up from leaning against Umi to spot someone shrouded in a woolen tarp coming right at us.
The tarp goes flying off as the person picks up their pace running, and I was so shocked to see who it was that I couldn't even take the time to tell the others.
No longer paying attention to Zoro and Sanji's conversation, I didn't notice them prepare to go at it when Zoro had said something about Nami that pissed Sanji off. And just when Zoro's sheathed sword is about to meet Sanji's foot, Usopp runs ahead too fast and gets caught right between the two attacks. It was enough to make the two fighters wince.
"He's alive . . ." Sanji states.
"Well he was . . .I hope he still is . . ." Zoro says in worry.
"You idiots!" I rush forward and shove the two away before taking Usopp's head and gently placing it on my lap. "We just got him back after worrying for nothing, and you go and decide to kill him for real?!" I turn my attention back to the unconscious sniper and try to bring him back around. "Usopp? Usopp, can you hear me?"
He groans a bit and turns his head to face me, but doesn't appear like he's fully conscious. "Ah . . .I must be in heaven right now?"
"Why would you think that?" I question, not sure if he knows what he's saying.
"Because I'm in the presence of a gorgeous angel." I blush at the sniper's hazy-headed compliment.
Before I could respond, Luffy wakes up and takes Usopp from my lap and begins to shake him around.
"USOPP!! DID NAMI DO ALL THIS TO YOU?!!"
"Sorry. Zoro and I did that." Sanji admits.
"No, you did." Zoro growls.
Usopp then starts to come around. "Luffy, (First Name) . . .You're here now."
"Yup, sure am." Luffy says.
"Like we'd just leave you here." I smile.
"I'm here too. Hi there." Sanji feigns innocence as he smiles at Usopp.
Usopp gets upright and into Sanji's face. "One of these days, I'll kill you."
Sanji ignores the threat and pats the sniper's shoulder. "Oh, you just made a full recovery."
"SHUT UP!!"
"Oh, and by the way . . ." Zoro cuts in. "We kinda heard you were dead. Killed by Nami."
"Huh?" Usopp looks at the swordsman confusedly.
"Stupid Johnny! He was spouting nonsense the entire time!" Luffy growls.
"Well . . .in a way, it is the truth." Usopp says.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"But I'm alive 'cause you see she actually saved my life."
🏴☠️️☠🏴☠️️
Back at Bellemere's House, Nojiko and Bellemere return seeing Nami trash the place out of frustration and anger. After finally calming down she looks over her treasure map.
"Jeez, Nami. You sure know how to trash a place." Nojiko sighs.
"Hey. . .what's the matter, Nami?" Bellemere asks.
"It's nothing. I'm just resting a little that's all." Nami replies.
"You mean to tell us after pouring over a treasure map after wrecking a house is how you relax?" Nojiko and Bellemere pick up two chairs and sit at the dining room table with Nami.
"You could never fool us, Nami." Bellemere smiles slightly. "So, spill it. What is it that's really bothering you?"
"Something happened to make me mad. It's nothing."
Nojiko and Bellemere sigh at Nami's stubbornness.
"Those guys. Who are they?" Bellemere questions.
Nami gasps. "You know?"
"Yeah. We met some 'captain' guy. He seemed kind of liar-ish though." Nojiko continues.
"Nami, we heard that you actually smiled with them. Is that true?" Nami's foster mother wonders. "You and I both know getting you to do that has become next to impossible. As a matter of fact, Nojiko and I haven't seen you show a genuine smile in years."
"C'mon Nami. Tell us who these guys are." Nojiko demands.
Nami remains silent.
Nojiko smiles lightly. "It's okay. You can tell us anything remember."
"I had planned . . .to forget about them. I thought I could just . . .erase them from my erase them from my mind." Nami starts to recall all the fun and crazy times she had with the Straw Hats. But the times she seemed to always look forward to and enjoy was with (First Name). The navigator had so much fun trying on the clothes she made, or when she went diving and came up with deep sea treasures for her to look over. "Then . . .the more I tried to erase them, the more I remembered. The truth is, when I was with them the only thing I forgot about was the pain that I bare." (First Name)'s kind smile suddenly appears in her mind.
"It's funny. There was someone there who made me feel the happiness I haven't felt since I was a kid."
"Really? Who is this someone?" Bellemere wonders.
"Her name is (First Name), and she's this strong, caring, and sometimes scary young woman that's with those guys. In many ways, she reminded me of the both of you. She's kind-hearted and loving, but not afraid to put her foot down and show some tough love. If it were possible, I'd join up with them again, and sail around the world." Nami had fallen asleep telling her foster mother and sister about her times among the Straw Hats.
"Now, I see." Bellemere sighs. "There was finally someone who actually showed up for her."
"Friends." Nojiko finishes for her mother. "That word . . .means pain. It breaks her heart."
☠🏴☠️️☠
"So, that's it. That's how Nami pretended to kill me and make sure I could escape from Arlong Park. And how Calder got me out safely and undetected." The Straw Hat sniper explains.
"It sounds like she's got some other motive for joining this Arlong guy and his Fishmen." Ghin pieces together.
Earlier, after freaking out a bit, Usopp came to terms with accepting our new quartermaster.
💥That's how it sounds. Maybe he's strong-arming her or hanging something over her head.💥 Trigger adds. 💥Either way, she really wants us to stay out of it.💥
"Don't see how we can. I don't abandon friends." I respond.
"Obviously." Sanji agrees.
"Fine, what next? We gonna destroy Arlong Park?" Zoro questions
"Whoa! Hang on just a second!" Usopp halts. "Don't you better think we should find out what's going on with Nami first?"
"It's no use either way."
"Huh?" We all look back and see a purple-haired young woman with tattoos covering parts of her upper body. I remember her as Nojiko, Nami's foster sister.
"No matter what you all do, Arlong's rule won't come to an end."
"Nojiko." Usopp says in shock.
"Who's she?" Luffy asks.
"Nami's big sister."
Sanji start to go all lovey-dovey again. "What? Nami's sister? No wonder she's so hot~💞!"
"What do you mean that 'it's no use'?" Zoro asks.
"Just trust me. Don't get yourselves involved in what's going on here and leave poor Nami alone. I'll explain the situation."
"Situation?" Sanji echoes.
"Do you mean you can tell us why she joined up with Arlong's group?" Usopp asks Nojiko.
"Yeah. And if that doesn't get you to leave, I don't know what will."
"Okay. So, tell us all about it. I got to admit, I'm curious."
"I'll pass."
"Same."
Everyone looks at Luffy and I, shocked that we're leaving in the middle of a big reveal.
"Hey, wait!" Usopp calls out.
"I don't care about her past." Luffy answers.
"Where're you going Luffy, (First Name)?" Sanji questions.
"On a walk." I shout back.
"A walk?!" Exclaims Usopp. "Do you mean you're not going to listen to this?!"
"Nope." Luffy replies simply.
"I don't need to listen about Nami's past." The pack then starts to follow behind me as Luffy and I broke off from each other down different paths.
🏴☠️️☠🏴☠️️
"Who were they?" Nojiko questions once Luffy and (First Name) were out of sight.
"Don't mind him; That's just how he is." Zoro replies. "And (First Name)? I don't understand most of the things that go on in her head. We'll hear you out, though I can tell you right now I don't think it's gonna change anything."
"So, that's (First Name)? Nami never said anything about her being a Fishwoman."
"She isn't one."
Nojiko looks at the swordsman in confusion. "Then, what is she?"
"Someone you can trust and count on." Ghin says.
"Ghin's right. (First Name) is nothing like those renegade Fishmen. The only thing she shares with them is to be able to breathe underwater and her appearance." Usopp clarifies. "I'll listen to your story too. It might help me make some sense out of everything that's going on around here."
"Me too. I want to know all about her." Sanji chirps.
"I'll listen as well." Ghin says.
Zoro then falls asleep on the tree he was against.
"Now he's asleep." Nojiko says in disbelief pointing at the swordsman.
"HEY! YOU SAID YOU'D HEAR HER OUT!!" Usopp yells.
"I see. This is why it was so hard for her." Nojiko mutters, finally understanding her sister's feelings.
☠🏴☠️️☠
I continue to walk down the empty pathway with only my thoughts and the pack surrounding me, as I remember the day that I gave a young woman and her two adopted daughters a small sliver of light when a seemingly endless darkness would envelope their home.
'Bellemere. I'm here now. I'm finally going to fulfil my promise and free everyone from this tyranny.'
So lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice the yellow pearl in my pocket begin to glow as sunlight continued to beam down on me and the Pack.
☠TO BE CONTINUED . . . ☠
On the next One Piece . . .
"Bellemere, what a beautiful girl's name. How I'd love to meet her."
"Hey, are Bellemeres yummy or what?"
"Bellemere is a person not a food, you idiot! She's someone Nami will never forget."
"Shut uuuup! I can't sleep."
"You're the one who said you wanted to listen to the story."
"Are you guys serious about listening to Nojiko?"
"Hey, who's that person with (First Name)?"
🏴☠️️Ch.35: Bellemere's Angel! The Story of the Yellow Pearl Comes to Light!🏴☠️️
🏴☠️️☠🏴☠️️
☠Current Crew: Luffy | (First Name) | Zoro | Nami | Usopp | Ghin | Sanji☠
🐾The Pack: Carmela | Ahio | Tito | Umi | Trigger | Calder | Richie | ChouChou🐾
☠🏴☠️☠