A/N: It's finally here! This is my piece for the 2014/2015 One Piece Big Bang event! I feel like I've been waiting forever to share this, and I'm so happy it's finally time.
My partner for this fic was the lovely kupocoffee on tumblr! and I will post a link to their artwork in my ff profile.
I had the idea for this fic forever ago when I was listening to Hotel California, and I seriously held on to the idea for so long before this event gave me a chance to write it. So hopefully you'll enjoy!
Also a huge thank you to caelumxiv for being my beta and whipping my sorry story with weird typos and awkward sentences into shape!
The weather on the Grand Line was always unpredictable. Half the time is was downright awful, but it wasn't usually such a big deal. Nami was one of the best, if not the best, navigators in the world. Storms could try to go against her, but Nami could sail them all. Most of the time she was able to find a way around a storm before it even managed to reach them, but sometimes they had no choice but to sail through the squall. Nami guided them carefully during those rare moments, and they usually made it through quickly without even the slightest damage. It was impressive, to say the least, and made travel on the Grand Line incredibly easy for the Straw Hat Pirates.
They were three days out from the last port, too far out to turn around, when Nami felt the change in the wind. The storm picked up, catching the ship in massive, rolling waves within the hour. It had been impossible to navigate around. Nami had tried taking them out of the way several kilometers north in an attempt to avoid it, but the storm was wider than Nami was willing to travel and the only course of action was to batten down the hatches and prepare to sail through it.
It was a big one. Waves rose over their ship, washing over the deck and threatening to take members of the crew with them. Rain poured down, stinging at their skin and soaking them through. Cold settled into their bones and made them ache. Nami had predicted it might take a couple of hours to get through, and once they were through the storm, the next island wouldn't be too far. Being in one island's steady climate meant calmer waters.
That had been three days ago.
"Namiiiii," Luffy whined, bouncing his head on the galley's table. Usopp and Franky hastily restacked the pile of cards that the vibrations were displacing, both sending him very pointed looks. Their irritations went ignored however, and after a brief pause to speak, Luffy continued his bouncing.
"You said it would only take a couple of hours!"
Sanji set a plate of fried meat in front of his captain, smacking Luffy's hands with a spatula when he pounced on it. Luffy snatched his hand back to his chest and sent Sanji a scornful look, a petulant pout on his face.
"Don't give Nami-san a hard time."
"I'm sorry," Nami apologized for what might have been the thousandth time in the last few days. She sighed, staring down into the steaming mug of coffee than Sanji had placed in front of her. She couldn't quite bring herself to meet their eyes.
The storm was taking its toll on everybody. There would be slight breaks like this one, where the ocean would settle a bit and the rain would lighten just a little, and they'd be able to eat a meal or take a nap. Their rest never seemed to last long enough before the wind would pick up again and they'd be scrambling to keep their ship in one piece. Even now, Nami could hear the rain coming down harder than before, and she was sure any minute now Zoro would be calling all hands on deck again.
"Maybe we could use the Coup de Burst to get out of here?" Usopp suggested, picking a card from his hand and placing it on the table in front of Robin with a smug grin.
"SUPER idea, bro!" Franky gave him a thumbs up in approval.
"No, not a super idea," Nami corrected irritably. She pinched the bridge of her nose. She'd been running on less sleep than anyone because she was the only one who could navigate them through this. "If we do that we're likely to get blown away to who knows where. We're just going to have to sail through it."
There was a collective sigh from everyone in the galley. Nami bit her lip. She felt guilty for misleading them, and every time she had to shoot down their hope, she felt even worse. It wasn't her fault, and no one really seemed to blame her, but she knew how tired they were, and how badly they wanted this storm to end.
"I'll get us through this."
She hadn't realized she'd said it out loud until she got a reply.
"Of course you will," Luffy said, chunks of meat flying from his mouth with the words. He swallowed the rest of his mouthful and grinned broadly at her. "You're my navigator!"
"There's no one more competent for the job," Robin said, looking up from her book and giving Nami a warm smile.
"Yeah, Nami," Usopp chimed in. "We're totally counting on you."
The faith of her captain and crew restored her energy better than a full night's sleep ever would. She sat up straighter, and for the first time in what felt like days, a hint of a smile stretched her lips. She felt wide awake once more and ready to tackle whatever the storm threw at her next. Her nakama needed her.
"All hands on deck!" Zoro's called out over the sound of the rain.
Through the galley window, Nami could see that the weather had picked up again. The torrents of rain made it difficult to see, but she could feel the waves had kicked up again. The rocking of the ship beneath her feet was enough to tell her that. The storm was challenging her, testing her resolve. She smirked before taking one last gulp of her coffee.
"All hands on deck!" She repeated.
She would show this storm who was boss.
They came upon the island on the fifth day, if you could even call it that. It was barely a strip of land, a tall strip of rock rising from the sea, with only a single building resting on top. It didn't even register on the log pose. The ocean's waves struck mercilessly against the base of the rock, wearing into the side of the jutting cliff, leaving it balanced on only one side. One day, the whole island might crumble into the sea.
The building on the island had seen better days. It was worn down and weather beaten, with some of the windows boarded and hasty repairs made to the siding in an attempt to keep the weather out. It was taller than it was wide, and Nami swore it seemed to sway in the wind, though it could have been a trick of the rain. It didn't look safe or habitable, but there was a light glowing in the first story window that showed them someone was home.
"Can we go look?" Luffy asked, the thirst for adventure shining in his eyes.
Nami stared at the island skeptically. Though the storm had died down considerably for the moment, it didn't seem safe to anchor too close to the island. The way the waves beat against the island's base promised wreckage for their poor ship. On the other hand, if they anchored further out, she doubted they could get up to steep sides of the rock from the mini Merry.
Most of the crew had gathered by the railing to look at the little island with its single building. Their excitement was palpable. A chance to rest and stretch their legs on land was too good to pass up after almost a week of weathering a bad storm.
"It's not safe to drop anchor here," she said. Nami could already feel their bitter disappointment. "Let's sail around the other side and see if it's better there."
She hoped for all of their sake's that it would be. She was just as weary and in need of a break as the rest of them. She wasn't going to risk their ship for a minute of rest, however, and as tired as the others were, she knew they wouldn't want that either. If nothing else, the weather had quieted enough to drop anchor some distance away from the island, and maybe get a proper night's sleep.
It didn't take long to sail a wide arch around to the other side of the island. The strip of land was so small it only took them maybe ten minutes to get around it, and the other side proved to be worth it. The rock sloped down on that side, creating a small "beach" of crumbled stone. It was low enough to make use of the mini Merry, and would allow them a safe means to get on to the island.
Nami watched the lights of the first floor window as they passed. The entire first floor of the building had been illuminated, so that the light was visible even as they came around the other side of the building. None of the other floors that towered above them were lit. Nami's apprehension grew has they drew closer to the island. Would the people inside be friend or foe?
Nami had been associated with pirates since she was a little girl, she knew the reputation pirates had with most people. At one point, before she had met Luffy and the others, she had felt the same way about pirates. She knew her crew was not comprised of the same ambitious and blood thirsty pirates that Arlong's crew had been, but to most people that distinction was nonexistent. Pirates were pirates.
Nami couldn't blame the people in this building if they didn't want pirates on their land, but she hoped for everyone's sake that they would be civil enough to let the Straw Hats on to their island at the very least. It would be trouble if they had to pack up so soon.
"Franky, get the mini Merry ready for us. We'll drop anchor a little ways out and use the Merry to get to shore," she instructed.
"Sure thing, Sis!" Franky said.
"Hey! Do you think they'll have meat?! Do you think they'd make meat for us?" Luffy clapped excitedly.
"You just ate," Sanji reminded him, his teeth biting down on his cigarette in annoyance.
Nami ignored the others. She was watching the windows of the building carefully. From this distance, she could hardly make anything out. The rain was still sprinkling down, even if the worst of it had passed. Though she couldn't see to tell for sure, she felt like there was someone watching them from the windows. She could almost see a figure silhouetted against the light, but she couldn't be sure if that figure was actually a person or just a piece of furniture.
"What's wrong, Nami?" Usopp asked, startling Nami out of her thoughts.
"Nothing," she responded quickly. Too quickly. Usopp gave her a confused look.
"It's nothing," she said again, slower. "I'm just wondering how well we'll be received."
Usopp nodded, seeming to understand. "Well, just think. What's the worst that could happen? We have to head back to the ship?"
When he put it that way, her concerns seemed so silly.
"You're right," she smiled, turning away from the island. "Let's go get ready. Once Franky has the mini Merry ready to go, Luffy's not going to wait."
Usopp laughed in agreement, heading towards his factory to gather whatever it was he felt he would need. Nami followed him for a moment, splitting off towards the girls' room for a change of clothes. She turned back just one more time, her eyes seeking out that same silhouette. She watched it for only a second more before shaking it off and turning away.
They waited under a drizzle of rainfall for the last of the crew to be carted ashore. The mini Merry was only built to move a few of them at a time, and fitting the whole crew in there would have been maddening and dangerous. So they made smaller trips, Franky escorting them from the ship to the island in groups of two or three, and then turning back to gather the next group. It took longer, and it was hard to keep Luffy from shooting off like a rocket towards the tall building, but it was the only option.
Franky pulled the last group ashore, and moored the mini Merry to a sturdy looking rock using a stretch of rope. Without the flat wall of rock to slam against, the water on this side of the island proved much less of a threat to the little water craft. Luffy became uncontrollable, bouncing and fidgeting, talking about food and adventure while he tried to reach the building first. Chopper, who had been trying to hold their captain at bay while in heavy point, lost a grip on the rubber man. Luffy went rushing towards the building in a fit of excitement.
Nami eyed the building nervously. Of course Luffy wanted to check it out, it looked like a comically large haunted house. Creepy, scary places like this were, unfortunately, right up on the list of her captain's favorite places to explore. From up close, the light illuminating the windows seemed to flicker, indicating a fire inside. Nami had to admit, with the chill of the rain and the sea soaking through her clothes and into her bones, a fire sounded awfully tempting. However, the idea of entering the creepiest house Nami had ever seen did not.
A warm hand clamped down on her shoulder. It was trembling slightly.
"Do we really have to go in there?" Usopp asked her in a low voice. "This place gives me the creeps."
"Me too," Nami admitted, glad that Usopp shared her opinion on the matter.
Usopp was the only other person on the crew that seemed to contain a healthy level of fear. Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy didn't know the meaning of the word, and were often in the thickest parts of the worst situations by choice. Franky took everything in stride, and Robin had a morbid sense of curiosity and humor that made her fearless. Brook was already dead, so life threatening situations hardly fazed him, and Chopper was naïve enough to believe anything Luffy told him. That left Nami and Usopp to be the only sensible ones on the crew. She was thankful that at least Usopp would hear her fears and understand them.
"Maybe we should turn around now, take the mini Merry back to the ship. There's no way the others would even notice, look at them." Usopp gestured to their friends. The crew's cheerful chatter was a stark contrast to the mysterious, rundown old building in the middle of the sea.
"We can't," Nami argued softly. "What if something happens to them and they need our help?"
"Do you realize who you're talking about?" Usopp asked incredulously.
Nami sighed, and patted the warm hand that was still on her shoulder. It was still trembling. "Come on, Usopp," she said. "I'll be there too."
Usopp whimpered, but she knew he'd come along. He was braver than he let on. He felt the same healthy fear as she did, but he was always there when things were at their worst. He was there for them at Enies Lobby, even when he'd sworn he was leaving the crew. He was the one that had her back the most back on Thriller Bark, back when zombies were chasing after them and when she was attacked by an invisible pervert.
She shuddered. Usopp wasn't a coward, and it made her feel better to have him by her side.
They approached the building, following Luffy's lead to the front door. It was covered by an entrance canopy. The door might have once been a rich red color, but it had been worn down from the constant weathering of the sun and the sea, and had faded to an ugly rose instead. On it, letters had been peeled or torn off by the wind until only a few were visible.
H – O – half a T – L were what remained.
"Hotel?" Chopper guessed in a small voice. "This is a hotel?"
"It doesn't look like any hotel I want to stay in," Zoro scoffed, kicking at a piece of debris that littered the front of the building.
"Me either," Usopp agreed. "It looks like it's falling apart."
"Totally, Bro," Franky agreed. He surveyed the building with the discerning eye of a professional. "I'm not even sure how it's still standing."
"Maybe it's magic," Robin smiled mysteriously.
"Robin!" Usopp moaned. "Why do you have to say things like that?"
"Come on, guys!" Luffy cried. He was already standing by the front door of the hotel, bouncing excitedly while he waited for his nakama to catch up.
The door towered over them, spanning almost the entire height of the first floor. It was impractically large, and slightly intimidating. Nami could feel Usopp beside her, trembling anew as they drew closer. She had to suppress a shiver herself. Everything about the hotel gave her the creeps, and the sooner they could get out of here, the better. She would take a week in that storm over even an hour in this place.
"Come on, come on, come on." Luffy was chanting impatiently, hand itching to reach for the doorknob, when the door did him a favor and creaked open on its own.
"I didn't do it," Luffy said quickly, stepping away from the door as if to prove his innocence. "It opened by itself."
"We saw that, dumbass." Sanji growled.
The door swung inwards, revealing a young, blonde haired woman. She beamed at them, her smile stretching her face almost unnaturally wide. Silence settled between them.
Robin was the first to speak. "Hello," she said casually, the way she did even when she was uneasy. The mask of unconcern settled easily on her face. "We're sorry to interrupt your evening."
"Not at all," the woman replied cheerfully. "Did you get lost in the storm?"
There was something off about the woman. Though she appeared to be young, her mannerisms and the way she carried herself seemed too old fashioned for a person that couldn't be older than Robin. Her smile wrinkled her cheeks, and her teeth were unnaturally white and straight. Her eyes were large, bright, but devoid of emotion. Her expression looked almost frozen except for when she spoke.
"Not lost." Robin spared a smile for Nami. "But we have been traveling through it for some time, and we're a little weary."
"Oh my!" the woman exclaimed. "Then by all means you must come in for a rest."
"We don't intend to stay long," Robin added.
The woman's smile fell, just a fraction. It was almost unnoticeable, but Nami caught it. Before she could put much thought into it, however, the woman smiled with renewed brightness.
"Well, you must stay for a meal at least, we insist!" the woman said.
Robin and Nami exchanged a glance, and Nami could see the archaeologist had noticed something off about the woman as well. Before either of them got the chance to voice their concerns, however, Luffy had already shot off past the woman, drool forming at the corners of his mouth at the mention of food.
Sanji sighed at his captain's idiocy, and stepped forward from the group.
"My lady." Sanji bowed deeply to the woman. "You are an angel sent from the heavens in our time of need. If there is anyway a gentleman such as myself can repay your kindness, I would be most honored to do it."
Before the woman could make her reply, Sanji was forced into the hotel by a swift kick from Zoro.
"Hurry it up, cook. The rest of us want to get out of the rain," the swordsman groused, stepping over the cook's sprawled form.
The woman looked entirely unfazed by both Sanji's flirtations and Zoro's display of violence, a smile still stretched across her face as she welcomed them in. Robin sent Nami one last significant look before she followed Franky inside, a look warned her to keep her guard up.
Nami took a deep breath as she stared into the hotel beyond the doorway. She could see the flickering of firelight casting dancing shadows over her nakama. Their smiles were easier and more free flowing at the moment than she had seen them in days, and though Nami knew there was something wrong about this situation, she knew for their sake she would have to step inside. Every muscle in her body seemed to tense as she made her first step, but she grit her teeth in determination and forced herself to take another.
She made the mistake of casting one more suspicious glance as the woman as she passed her. She beamed at Nami, making her freeze momentarily in front of the door. The woman's figure reminded her exactly of the silhouette that had been watching their approach from the first floor window. Had this woman stood still for so long, waiting for them to arrive?
A chill of unease ran down Nami's spine.
"Hey, Nami…"
A hand settled on her shoulder, warmer than the chill air around them and comforting in it's familiarity. It eased her uncertainty and she looked away from the woman to her friend gratefully.
"Everything okay?" Usopp asked.
"It's fine," she said, smiling back at him. "Sorry."
She spared the smiling woman one last glance before following the others into the hotel, trying to ignore the sensation of being watched as she did so.
The inside of the hotel seemed much brighter and better cared for than the outside. The furniture and decorations of the main lobby were several decades outdated, but the chairs looked plush and comfortable, and there was a fire blazing in a large stone fireplace. The heat was most welcome after the chill of the rain and the sea spray.
Chopper was the first to rush to the fireplace. "Finally," he said, sighing with contentment. "A chance to dry out my fur!"
"Don't burn yourself," Zoro warned, watching warily as Chopper leaned further over the hearth.
"Yohoho! Let me join you Chopper! I'm soaked to the bone! Ah, skull joke!"
Luffy laughed tucking himself down next to Chopper. "Good one, Brook!"
"Luffy!" Sanji hissed, just barely managing to catch his captain by the collar of his shirt as his balance teetered closer to the fire.
Luffy chuckled. "Thanks, Sanji!"
"Luffy," Robin called. She stood by one of the larger armchairs in the room. "Perhaps you'd like to try sitting on this? It's quite springy."
Her diversion worked, and Luffy quickly made a game of seeing how high he could bounce.
While the others settled around the fire or watched Luffy's game, Nami hung back, taking in the details of the room. Though outdated and gaudy, the decorations of the room were clean and cared for. Given the appearance of the outside of the building, Nami expected the inside to be filled with broken furniture and covered in a thick layer of dust, but that was not the case. Once upon a time, this place might have been quite impressive: the taste of the interior design suggested an expensive palette. However, given the hotel's location and the rundown, broken appearance of the outside, Nami didn't think this place had seen any guests in years.
"My name is Elizabeth and I will be your hostess for this evening," the smiling woman announced, startling them with her sudden arrival. Nami had been so distracted by the furnishings she hadn't even heard the front door close.
"If you'll come this way, we'll have a meal prepared for you shortly." Elizabeth gestured to a doorway off to the side of the main lobby.
"Yay, food!" Luffy cried, following the woman's direction.
"Wait!" Nami called, reaching after him and just barely managing to catch the string that kept his hat looped around his neck.
Luffy halted in his tracks, turning a curious eye back to his navigator.
"We don't have any money," Nami said.
It was a lie, of course. She always made sure they had some money set aside for emergencies and supplies. She wasn't about to hand any of that over for one meal, however, not when they had food on the ship and a competent cook of their own. The idea had been to rest for a bit on the island, not pay for a meal in some strange hotel.
Elizabeth's smile never faded. "Of course the meal will be free of charge," she explained cheerfully. "We don't get many guests here, and we want to make sure those that manage to find their way here are fully cared for."
"Even without pay?" Robin asked, her tone incredulous. "I have a hard time believing that."
Elizabeth turned the full effect of her stare on Robin, and for one moment her eerie smile fell.
"Is it so hard to believe we just want to help people on their journeys?" She asked.
The room was silent for a moment, the atmosphere tense and thick as Robin and the woman continued to stare at each other. Nami swallowed, there was something dangerous burning in Robin's brown and blue eyes, but the moment her friend blinked, it was gone.
"I suppose there is no problem then," Robin said, her voice cool and neutral.
Elizabeth's smile reappeared in a flash. "Then if you'll follow me, I'll see to it that our chefs prepare you a full course meal."
Luffy cheered and followed as fast as his feet would carry him, and the others followed behind him. Robin stood in her place for a moment, glaring at the doorway Elizabeth had just disappeared through before shaking her head and following after their captain.
"That was intense," Usopp said, sliding up beside Nami.
"Yeah," Nami agreed. Her eyes followed Robin as she went, but the archaeologist didn't seem to have any other objections for the moment.
"Still, a free meal?" Usopp said. "You must be happy."
"Yeah," Nami agreed again. She was too distracted to offer anything more. There was something strange here, and it made her uneasy. But Usopp was right. A free meal would keep Luffy full for a little while, and save them both food and money. "Yeah," she said again, this time with more enthusiasm.
Usopp shared a smile with her before they both followed the others into the other room.
The long dining table was lined with a row of candles, which helped to light the room along with another massive fireplace. However the candles had to be removed, on Franky's insisting, or else Luffy would burn the whole building down. Though the fire blazed brightly, there was something about the firelight that gave a creepy atmosphere to the room. Maybe Nami was just spoiled by the electrical lights Franky had put in the galley, or maybe it was the dark wood of the table and the dark red carpeting below their feet that seemed to grab at the shadows and stretch them further. It didn't have the usual cheery atmosphere that their dinner tables held.
Though the storm clouds were thick and evening was coming on fast, the lack of windows in the dining room was disconcerting. There wasn't much time to dwell on it though. Dinner was served to them almost the moment they sat down, which was strange since they had only just arrived. Surely there wasn't time to prepare a meal for nine.
The moment the plates hit the table, however, the fight to protect their food from Luffy's wandering hands was on. Nami lost her train of thought in the battle to protect her soup, and the rest of the troubles seemed to fade away as soon as she took the first bite of her meal. The food was delicious, impressive enough to rival Sanji's.
"Mademoiselle," Sanji called to Elizabeth. Apart from being the hostess she also seemed to be the waitress. Nami wasn't surprised. A place like this in the middle of nowhere must have been short on staff.
"The food is simply divine," Sanji said, once he had their hostess' attention. He was practically melting in his seat under her smile. "I would love to have a word with the chef about this. You know, I'm a cook myself."
"Oh, I'm very sorry, our chefs will be going home soon" Elizabeth said.
"Going… home?" Sanji asked.
"Yes," Elizabeth beamed down at him. "But I'm sure tomorrow they would love to talk with you. Maybe you could help them prepare!"
"Yes!" Sanji agreed, dancing in his seat. All traces of confusion were gone from his eyes, only his passionate love for the blonde woman remained.
Nami felt her own confusion fading away as well, and for the first time since they had landed on this small island, she let herself relax. The tension drained from her muscles as she settled into her chair. It was worded strangely, considering this was the only building on this tiny rock of an island. But perhaps the others employed at this hotel simply rented out rooms here to stay in. "Going home" could be as simple as going upstairs. Nami decided not to worry too much about the meaning behind Elizabeth's words, instead turning her attention back to their delicious meal.
The dishes seemed never ending. Even when one was emptied, another, heaped with steaming meats and vegetables, appeared in its place. It was a meal perfect for someone like Luffy who could eat endlessly without a care, and perfect for the rest of them who could eat in peace, assured that even if Luffy stole from them there would be more to come. They had gotten used to eating quickly in between dangerous situations, so a full sized meal eaten in peace was exactly what they needed.
The once quiet meal quickly turned into a typical Straw Hat event, if not slightly more reserved than usual. Brook had brought his violin with him, and played them tunes while the rowdier members of their crew began to dance and sing in horrible, off key voices. Nami laughed and clapped along, cheering on their performance as Luffy and Usopp danced arm-in-arm and sang in harmony. Even Robin, who was still sending suspicious looks Elizabeth's way, was convinced to dance with Franky for a song.
"This is great!" Usopp laughed, dropping into the seat next to Nami. He was out of breath, but wore a lazy, contented smile.
"Yeah." Nami smiled, glancing around the room. Zoro was allowing Chopper to lead him in some kind of dance, and Sanji had traded places with Franky for a chance to dance with Robin. All of them wore brilliant smiles and looked at ease for the first time in days.
"You did a good job leading us here," Usopp said.
Nami paused. Did she lead them here? She tried to remember. Hadn't they come across this place by accident? She glanced at her wrist, where her log pose sat. The needle was pointing somewhere west-northwest, and didn't look at all like it was registering the island's magnetic field. The log pose hadn't led them here… Didn't they find this place by accident?
"Usopp, I didn't lead us here," she said.
"You didn't?" Usopp looked confused for a moment before he shrugged. "Oh well, I'm glad we came here anyway."
"Yeah." Nami smiled again. "Me too."
It was hours before the Straw Hats started to run out of energy and things began to quiet down. The fire had died outin the fireplace, and the room was dark save for the dim glowing of the embers. The dancing had stopped, and Brook had changed his music from upbeat sea shanties to gentle lullabies.
"Perhaps you are ready to retire for the night?" Elizabeth asked. It was as if she had melted from the wall. Where no one had stood before, she was suddenly there without a sound. The dim glow from the fireplace lit the wide smile on her face and added a warm glow to her eyes.
"We don't have any money," Nami protested weakly. Truthfully, she wanted nothing more than to fall into a thick, comfortable mattress and sleep for the rest of the night. She wasn't keen on the idea of returning to the ship, where the storm's waves would hardly give her a moment's rest. But the idea of shelling out money for a hotel had always been written as a fierce 'no' in her book. As tired as she was, she stuck by the book.
"Of course there would be no charge," Elizabeth said. "We simply want to see you well rested."
There it was again, the itching feeling in the back of Nami's mind that something was definitely wrong here. She just couldn't put her finger on what. It pricked at her mind, like there was something she wasn't supposed to forget, but try as she might she couldn't remember. She was too tired to think about it anymore.
"Yes," Robin spoke, shifting a half-sleeping Chopper in her lap. "I think we are ready to retire for the night."
"Splendid!" Elizabeth said. "Then if you'll all follow me, I'll show you to your rooms."
They did as their hostess said, too tired to do anything else but follow her. All of them were ready to fall asleep. Usopp even stumbled a few times, tripping over his feet as he dozed while walking. Luffy might have already been asleep.
Elizabeth led them back into the main lobby and then off through another doorway, one that led down into a long hallway. About half way down, she stopped in front of an ornately carved wooden door.
"Here you are, Miss Navigator," Elizabeth said, turning to face Nami. "This will be your room for the night."
Nami pushed the door open and peeked inside. The room was light and airy, decorated in whites and creams with accents of pale orange. A lush white carpet lined the floor and matching drapes hung in front of the windows, thick enough to block out even the brightest sunlight. One side of the room led off to a small washroom area. Nami almost cried at the idea of having her own washroom. At the moment, however, she only had eyes for one thing: A large, four-poster bed in the center of the room. It looked unbelievably comfortable, and Nami wanted nothing more than to sink into the bed's thick blankets and sleep for a hundred years.
"Pleasant dreams," Elizabeth said, sparing Nami one last smile. "Now if the rest of you will follow me…"
Nami let the rest of the sentence drown out as she entered the room, the door falling shut behind her. She immediately bee-lined for the bed, letting her body free fall onto the mattress and soaking up the impossible comfort. The sheets gave off a familiar, tangy fragrance that reminded her of fresh tangerines from the grove back on Cocoyashi. Nami inhaled deeply, the smell putting her very soul at ease.
Nami kicked off her shoes in a hurry, climbing into the bed properly and burying herself under the scented sheets. She could feel her consciousness fading the moment her head hit the pillows, and she gladly let it pull her away into sleep.