This fic' started off as a 5k word one shot idea, and in the space of less than 48hrs it snowballed into a possible 100-150k word idea. I will be working on my other fic's along side this one, but this is using up the majority of my brain space at the moment.

Nami's outfit from the 771 colour spread kinda influenced her outfit in this (with stuff added to it). That, and Sabo & Kaola's look…

As usual, I apologize for any typo's. I did ask for a beta, but no one volunteered, so this is kinda hot off the press!

Eiichiro Oda owns One Piece.

Items of Worth

The intimidatingly tall buildings in Alubarna were constructed of stone, and most were rendered for their protection. The limestone stone city was always subject to intense solar heating, and it's architecture reflected and radiated that heat at an uncomfortable degree. Over time, the sun had baked the buildings, causing their rendering to crack and crumble. To the delight of many thievies, most of the buildings were left in a state of disrepair, leaving them with plenty of hand and footholds for an easy escape after their plunder of the markets.

The Alubarna bazaar was a wretched place. A complicated network of back streets just beyond the shadow of the Royal Palace. It was confounding, and almost inescapable for anyone who was not a native, and still a fairly confusing maze for those that were. Despite its proximity to the palace, the Royal Guard never ventured into the markets.

Tightly packed stalls lined both sides of the narrow streets. You could find almost anything in this feverish emporium, it was one of the many reasons it had become an oasis for the nefarious. The outer market was reserved for honest trade, selling produce like hard bread, livestock, dried fruit and colourful spices. The inner market was a different story entirely, and even Nami did not know the full extent of what was on offer there. Her interest ended with the shining jewels, shimmering metals that caught her gaze every time she passed.

An array of earthy coloured tarps sparsely covered the winding streets of the bazaar trying to block out the baking sun, but unfortunately helping to trap in its blistering heat. Nami could feel her ivory cotton blouse beginning to stick to her skin. She cursed her leather corset out loud, and then the hooded cloak that she was wearing. The swelter was making her feel more irritable than usual, dizzy, and slightly claustrophobic in her own clothes. Her feet boiled in her brown leather boots, and even her short layered skirt offered no relief from the heat. The humid air licked at her bare thighs, adding to her broiling haze.

Nami screwed up her orange hair, then trapped it underneath the thick leather band at the back of her head that was holding her tawny goggles in place. She then cocooned herself in the fabric of her russet cloak, protecting all that was beneath as she walked deeper into the bazaar.

She pushed through the shambling crowd, eager to do business and be on her way as soon as possible. The body heat from the surrounding horde smothered her as she passed, urging her to shove her way forward and break free from the sea of people.

"Sorry," she said, quickly helping to stabilise an elderly woman after almost knocking her over.

Nami's voice cracked as she spoke. Her throat felt dry as she struggled to swallow, then tasted salt from her skin as she licked her lips to moisten them. All were signs of a desperate hunger for fluid, some of which she had lost since landing on the arid tundra just outside the royal city, but most of her dehydration was due to a heavy night of drinking with a close friend.

As Nami continued to make her way to a particular merchant's stall, she felt so parched it made her half tempted to consume her loot. But, since she knew that in these parts its value was ten times that of its weight in gold, she painfully abstained.

"Thief!" she heard someone shout out nearby. Nami turned her head to see a tall man dressed in white linens pointing deep into the crowd, it was impossible to tell exactly who he was accusing. No one else seemed to take notice, perhaps no one else heard. People gossiped as they walked, stall holders hollered out their daily personal deals, and customers haggled loudly over prices. The cacophony of sound from within bazaar would have immediately drowned out the marketer's squawk, and he did not give chase to the shop lifter for fear of having his stall sacked in his absence. Theft was commonplace here. It was a pickpocket's dream and a pilferer's paradise, something which Nami had noted the first time she passed under its canvas threshold, many years ago. Besides the lack of law enforcement, the market was too busy for most merchants to notice if a meagre amount of their produce vanished from off their stall, and it was far too cramped for a victim to realise when a clever thief's hand stealthily groped their person, searching for a coin purse.

No one had ever managed to pick Nami's pocket, not without her wanting them too. The bazaar was never too bustling for Nami to not notice the petty theft that took place around her, and sometimes it made her wistful of a stint in her life when she was not such an honest thief, or a treacherous merchant.

Though they were now sticking uncomfortably to her face, Nami was grateful she still wearing her goggles. As she approached the stall she was looking for she passed through an area of the bazaar that was not covered by tarps, and the beaming sun seemed intent on blinding her as it was shining down, baking the streets below.

Desperate to get out of its rays, she quickly ducked beneath the foot of lavender fabric hanging in front of the stall she wanted, then cleared her throat as she entered the sundries shop.

"Be with ye in a minute." She heard a man utter to her once she was inside.

Nami tilted her face towards the canvas above her head, allowing her hood to fall so she could appreciate the ever so slight drop in temperature around her head.

She busied herself until the merchant was ready, examining all the containers and trinkets that were locked inside glass cabinets. The display cases were lightly dusted with sand and had a sprinkling of sunlight cast on the stock as it rained through small gaps in the woven fabric roof, like a children's night lamp projecting the stars onto their bedroom wall. Nami had to use her cloak to clean some of the units, and constantly had to shift her position in order to cast a shadow to enable her to get a decent view of the goods inside.

The stall really did sell a little bit of everything, from soothing balms and perfumes, to poison darts and great swords. Nami didn't need anything thought, not today. Only belli, and something to quench her thirst.

Nami dropped her head for a moment to let the air hit the back of her neck, then ran her hand across the moist skin of her nape. Summer on a summer island was not her preferred climate, especially in such heavy attire.

The merchants current customer quickly turned on his heel to leave, his red mantle whipped at Nami's legs as he strode past her at a hurried pace, shouting obscenities as he exited.

"How can I help ye?" the bulbous merchant then asked her in a nasal tone, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. His dark skin was clammy, and sweat clung to the age lines of his face.

"How much are you willing to pay for these?" Nami asked as she reached her left hand beneath her cloak to pull out three small phials between the slender fingers.

"Is that-" the man's breath caught in his throat as he stared with wide eyes at the containers of liquid Nami was holding up before him. "Two thousand," he quickly offered, interlacing his fingers so he couldn't eagerly reach out for them, and trying to feign disinterest. It was already too late for that.

"Hmm," Nami pondered out loud, loosening the tie at the neck of her cloak to reveal the line of her bountiful cleavage. "Not good enough." she simpered, leaning forward a little to ensure she got his attention.

The sweat trickled from store owners bald head, and down the side his weathered face. "Three thousand," he breathed in an exasperated tone, as his eyes found their way to her chest.

"These are purified cloud tears, straight from Weatheria!" she sneered. Nami had a choleric disposition at the best of times, and the heat within the store was brutally testing the limits of her patience.

"Five thousand. Each. That's all they are worth," he croaked.

"Do you think I am some sort of idiot?" Nami asked as she reluctantly placed her index finger under the merchant's dank chin, and lifted his head to meet her deadly glare. "If you lie to me again, I will break your neck."

Nami meant every word of that threat. She knew there were other traders that she could deal with, but it was far too torrid for her to want to waste more of her time on Sandy Island. So, she pushed her cloak aside to reveal a weapon on her left hip, hoping it would let the merchant know just how serious she was.

"Th-thirty thousand," he stammered, taking a step back and wiping his clammy palms against his hips.

"Each!" she demanded. Nami knew that was too much, but the merchant did not argue. He frantically nodded his head before he turned, fumbling to open his safe.

Nami cast her eyes around the stall once its owner had finished fiddling with the depository's dial and began counting out her money. She was tempted by some of the salves that were in stock, but she knew she could purchase them for a far better price elsewhere.

Just as she had gotten tired with perusing, a shabby looking book caught her eye. The faded golden letters on its spine were what really grabbed her attention. The text was that of an ancient language, one she did not know but could have sworn she'd seen before, indecipherable runes known to only an elite few. Nami picked up the book, and ran her hand over its tattered powder blue cover. Sections of it had peeled and crumbled away where it had been scratched and folded over the years. She opened it carefully, but it was so old its binding had turned to dust, and the tome came apart in her hands.

"How much for the book?" she asked, quickly closing it so none of its pages fell out.

"Hmm?" the merchant grunted. "Oh that," his dreary tone of voice expressed his disregard for the tome. "that's been here since I opened. If ye promise to bring more cloud tears, then ye can have that fer free." he offered, then motioned to the pile of belli sat on his counter.

"Deal." Nami smiled, expertly keeping the extent of her excitement from her features.

She pulled out a small tote which was concealed at the small of her back, just beneath her corset. Nami put all of her money into it, fixed it into position, then handed over the three phials.

"Thank ye," the man smiled, showing her a yellowed toothy grin with couple of gaps between his teeth as he did.

Nami nodded, then carefully strapped the book to her person, before lifting her hood and making her way back into the crowds of the bazaar.

The day grew warmer as the morning stretched on, and there was now a stench that saturated the humid atmosphere. Rancid bodily odours mixed with a potent agglomeration of perfumes, the smell of slaughtered meat that was hanging from display hooks, and the heavy aroma of exotic spices. All adding to Nami's hazy discomfort and laying the foundations for what was becoming a cracking headache.

Nami knew she was dehydrated, but to what extent she wasn't sure. She felt tired, a little confused, and the air burned the back of her dry throat with every inhalation of breath. She needed to get back to her ship, and fast. Thankfully, finding her way was one of Nami's greatest skills. Though many found it difficult, she could easily navigate the Alubarna bazaar, and be out of it in no time.

She pushed through the crowd, trying to ignore everything on her way. Things caught her eye as she passed, but not even the dazzling stones in the jewellery boutique could stop Nami from exiting the markets.

Nami closed her eyes, and took a deep breath once she was back onto the open streets of Alubarna. The sun still seemed determined to cook her alive, and she could still hear the hustle and bustle of the bazaar, but that wretched, humid atmosphere was now behind her, and she soon felt a little less suffocated in the open air.

Some caged chickens squawked loudly as Nami passed by, drawing her attention to the price list just outside. She refused to pay the extortionate price for water, but decided that one hundred and fifty belli for a flagon of goats milk was a reasonable price, and much better than what the bazaar was asking. She purchased one and drank it all immediately. It was not enough to completely quench her thirst, but it certainly helped.

She continued to made her way across the city, and once Nami reached the edge of the plateau, she cautiously set about the daunting task of descending the giant stone staircase that led down to the desert where her ship, the Kazaguruma, was waiting for her. Nami knew that it would be easy for her to fall in her light headed state, and she now had to be extra careful because there was somewhere she wanted to go. Ohara. Nami had a contact there who she knew would be delighted by the tome she had just acquired, even if the person hid their emotions very well.

The scorched sand of the Alubarna desert shimmered in the fierce rays of the sun, creating a welcomed protective mirage around her ship. Still, it seemed one man had managed to get past that illusion.

As Nami approached, she could make out the figure of a dark haired man, basking in the sun on top of her bronze coloured ship. His hat shaded his face from the sun, but she immediately knew who it was.

"Urgh." Nami animately sighed. "What are you doing here?" She asked, knowing full well that trouble was ahead of her.

I hope that was too much! I really wanted people to experience the heat of that sweltering desert city, and feel sorry for Nami for having to traipse through it in her leather gear :D

*Kazaguruma means pinwheel, or windmill in Japanese.

This is a Law x Nami fic, or at least it will be when he shows up. As I said, this idea of this world stemmed from a steamy 5k word one shot idea I had, then it snowballed in the space of 48hrs, and my brain built an entire story around that one scene.

The fic' in general will be centred around Nami, with members of the Strawhat Crew (and other pirates and marines) showing from time to time, until they're constantly in it midway through. I think I'll be updating the summary as I go along, don't want to give too much away too early. It is set in a slightly different One Piece world, but one I feel people who don't really enjoy AU will still appreciate since it is very close to the canon verse.

This fic' will also be free of spoilers of OP events :)

I am still working on my other stories. I'm part way through the next chapter of Carnival Night, I have started the sequel to Late Night Call, and I am working on a LawNa geisha fic', but I might not publish any of that now until this is nearing its end.

Mikans and Stolen Hearts, Galactic Grand Line, and Trafalgar Family are all one shot dumps for random, space AU & domestic material, respectively; and have no release schedule.

So yea, I really hope you enjoyed this fic', and reviews are greatly appreciated! I welcome general thoughts, to constructive criticism :)

1st Jan 2015