A/N: Cheers! Even though I never thought this fanfic would reach 50 chapters!
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MORNING CAME AND as well as their clothes for the party. A carrier van apparently stopped by the dorm early and dropped off the suits and gowns of the six people who was currently having breakfast inside the dorm. The room smelled like sausage and bacon with a few hints of coffee that Nami herself prepared for the five of them; Luffy didn't like drinking coffee so he got milk instead.
Three chairs surrounded the small dining table. The two boys, Luffy and Ace, stood behind Nami's and Isuka's seats respectively while Sabo was sharing half of the seat with Koala. Or rather, she was sharing the seat with him.
Ace gulped the black coffee and gave an exasperated sigh. "So, who's taking a shower first?"
Nami's eyebrow twitched. She still remembered last night when Luffy walked in an all too familiar scene, causing him to get dropkicked by the face. She learned her lesson, though, to always lock the bathroom door.
"I will," Sabo raised a hand.
Koala turned to him. "I'm taking a shower first!"
"No, I will."
"No, me!"
Ace sighed and grinned. "Why don't you just take a shower together if you don't want to be the second in the bath?"
Sabo almost choked on his bread.
Nami laughed.
But Isuka gave Ace a smack behind the head. "What's with your dirty mind? Are you really that sexually frustrated?"
"Ew. Keep it in your pants, Isuka."
"I should be the one telling you that!"
Time passed and the boys were finally in their suits but...
The boys waited outside their own dorm when the girls were dressing up. They didn't need a hairdresser or anything aince their hair were already well-made as they were.
As such...
When the three finally entered the room...
"Oh...wow," Luffy's eyes were fixed at Nami with her off-shoulder orange gown that resembled a queen's. Two small braids that pulled the loose hair towards the back of her head were also present and it made her even more beautiful than usual.
Couldn't believe it? Ask Luffy who was speechless at the sight in front of him. Remember, it wasn't like him to get swept off by a woman's looks.
He wore a red and black suit with the blazer extending down, reaching halfway down the back of his knees. He also, of course, kept his strawhat but had a black hat over it to match his outfit. Even though he didn't plan to wear it for the party, Luffy kept it hanging by his neck.
Speaking of plans, the brothers had a small talk during their time outside the dorm. It was about a certain plan they have set for Luffy, who would be doing the impossible.
Anyway.
Their limousine – which was actually just a black van with gold accents inside that Nami definitely loved – arrived sometime soon. The six of them walked down the hall in their gowns and suits, and it was mostly Isuka telling Ace to assist her down the stairs.
The puffs of Nami's gown resembled the stripes of her Sorcery Clima-Tact that, by the way, she kept under her clothing with thanks to the strap she used during the Forefront Exhibition Festival. Also, her tattoo was showing off and it just added an extra touch of coolness to her outfit.
She yawned.
"You sleepy?" Luffy asked as he turned to her. She was sitting by the window.
"Not really," she chuckled. "okay. Maybe. I wish I didn't finish that series last night."
"That's fine. I think we'll be in the road for some time so you can take a nap if you like,"
She smiled and then shifted on her seat, leaning her head against the window.
Behind them were Ace and Isuka who wasn't talking ever since they left. Sabo and Koala were sitting on the front passenger seat because there was enough space for three people there.
They all heard a slight snore. It definitely came from Nami.
"So Luffy, are you ready?"
The raven haired boy beside Nami raised an eyebrow.
"The thing," Sabo chuckled. "remember...?"
"Uh-huh. I am ready,"
"You better be, little brother." Ace rubbed his head from behind. "If you screw this up, you know what—"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. It's fine."
They were stuck in traffic for a few minutes, Nami still asleep. She wasn't moving until the vehicle came to a sudden stop and she subconsciously lifted her head, then leaned it back again against the first sturdy object she could sense.
That was Luffy's shoulder.
Her temple was leaning on his right shoulder blade and her arm subconsciously snaked around his right forearm loosely. It was like she was looking for a stuffed toy to accompany her to her sleep but she couldn't find any. Luffy tried glanced at the sleeping beauty beside him but he decided against it. He didn't want to wake her up because of his movements since this was still Nami; she would definitely give him a beating if he breaks her nap.
Luffy could smell the sweet scent of her perfume, tangerine with hints of honey, from where she was leaning against him. Her wavy orange hair looked soft and it also smelled like honey. Meanwhile, as he tried to look at her snoozing face, Luffy noticed the bright red tint on her cheeks but no other colour on her eyelids. He knew that girls liked to put cosmetics or make up on their face when there's an event but Nami definitely looked like she didn't have any. Either way, he would find her gorgeous.
And 'gorgeous' was not in his vocabulary before.
A few minutes later after a couple turns and swerves, they finally arrived at their destination. Luffy gently woke up the sleepyhead on his shoulder, everyone else but her taking note of his slightly pink cheeks. Nami had one eye closed as she sat straight and her eyes met Luffy's.
"Morning!" he teased with a smile in which Nami blinked a couple times before...
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to sleep on your...shoulder,"
"It's fine. I kinda like it, though!"
She felt her cheeks warm up and so she averted her gaze with furrowed brows. "S-Shut up..."
The six of them then headed towards the entrance of the venue; a five story building made for the ones in 'power'. In other words, everyone attending would be men and women with a whole lot of Beris in their pockets. In fact, there was an implicit understanding that those who were attending the current party would be the ones most likely to have a reputation behind them.
And it wasn't wrong. The fact alone that Monkey D Dragon was invited to the party already meant a lot. He was one of the most powerful man in the area and dubbed as both the most wanted person in the world, and 'World's Worst Criminal'. If he was a criminal or not, no one actually knew except for a few select individuals.
All told, the Silver Bell Ball was officially afoot.