Romance Dawn (One Piece/Titanic cross-over) Chapter 1: Ocean Breeze

The Romance Dawn. Said to be unsinkable, strong, sturdy, and above all, beautiful. From Foosha Village all the way to Alabasta, but on a ship like this, we were sure we could make it. I stood looking out over the ocean, letting the salty breeze ruffle my hair, we'd left about an hour ago, and I was still fascinated with the waves, the seagulls, everything about the joy of being on sea. This was my first time being on a ship, but I've admired their beauty all my life.

"Nami!" My name woke me up from my fantasy, oi vey, it was my perfect older sister, Nojiko. "You know you shouldn't be out here, Mom wants to talk to you."

I sighed, took my last breath of ocean air, and followed that prissy, blue-haired flame inside. I hated my sister. I hated her hair that looked like frosting on a cupcake, I hated the way her shoes went clack, clack, clack, when she walked, but most of all, I hated that she was favored by everyone, and I was just some boyish, pathetic, background character. I did remember prancing around on the beach when I was little, wearing nothing but my underwear, or picking fights with older boys that I could actually win, and I hoped that in Alabasta, people would just accept me for who I was.

"Nami, sit down," my mother said once we were in the common room. I did as she asked, but I was still tense, and I knew she had nothing good to say. "Now, I need to talk to you," she started, sitting up tall like a proper noble woman should. She cleared her throat, "You know we are going to Alabasta to start a new life, now, this is when I need you to start acting like a lady."

I hated when she said that, 'start acting like a lady,' yeah right. "But I don't want to be a lady, Mom, I want to be me!" I protested.

"That's enough of that nonsense! My daughter will not continue to act like some pig! You will do what you are told, dress the way you are told, and for God's sake, stop slouching!"

I rolled my eyes and scooted to the back of my chair, which didn't seem to please her completely.

She sighed angrily, as if she was giving up. "I left a new gown on your bed, I want you to wear it tonight."

And with that she got up and walked into her room.

I could tell that there was more that she wasn't telling me, something that she wanted to keep from me for just a little bit longer. I sat there for awhile, thinking about what she had said to me. Well, I was seventeen now, probably by the time we reached our destination, I would start my own life and she wouldn't be there to tell me what to do. I needed some way to get away from this, just for the moment, so I got up and left the room to escape the vibe.

This new dress she wanted me to wear, yeah, it was on my bed, but I still didn't get why she wanted me to wear it, it seemed way to formal to wear just to a dinner party. Red satin, with a white fringe on the bottom and a very detailed bow on the back. I sighed at her obsessing that every little thing had to be perfect, including me. I didn't want to argue with her anymore, so I wore the dress to dinner.

"Nami, sit down! Where the hell have you been?" My mother started right up again as I entered the dining room and found my seat at our table. Oh joy. It wasn't a huge party, Mother, Nojiko, Genzou, and a couple people I didn't even recognize, but still, I was a little suspicous and not completely relaxed.

"There she is! Our happy bride!" One of the guys chimed.

What? Happy bride? What in the world was that supposed to mean? I cocked an eyebrow at my Mother, who was smiling now, too.

"Oh, Nami," she started. "I meant to tell you this earlier, but you didn't let me."

I cast her and Nojiko a worried glance, everybody was staring at me now, all with smiles. 'What the hell is going on?!' I wanted to scream.

"Once we're in Alabasta, you're going to get married!" She finished.

Now if that wasn't a mental kick to the stomach, I don't know what is. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't speak, I could hardly even move, my hands felt weak, and I just let my eyebrows knot together and my jaw drop.

"Who?" I asked, barely in a whisper. "Who am I going to marry?"

But everyone had forgotten about me now, laughing, drinking wine, and stuffing their faces like the pigs they were. I sat there watching them, unable to move. Tears started welling up behind my eyes, stinging them and blurring my vision. I let them fall down my cheeks, but nobody noticed. And nobody cared.

I couldn't take this anymore, I needed to get away, so without thinking, I threw my wine glass on the floor, causing it to shatter into a million tiny pieces and stain the lush carpeting with a deep purple tint. I slapped my hands down on the table and stood up. I could think of about a million nasty things to say and about a thousand dirty words, but I said nothing. I looked at everybody's flustered, pitiful faces and then, I ran away.

"Nami!" I heard my mother call after me, but I didn't look back, I just high-tailed it out of there. I couldn't take that weight of what everyone had said to me.

I had no idea where I was going, but I ran out to the deck, where it was dark, and quiet, and almost nobody was out here. Except him. What an idiot. What was he doing out here anyway? He turned and looked at me with black, heartless eyes and imediately, I hated him. I ran past him and purposely stepped on his foot. What a jerk. Probably best that I forget that I ever even seen him.

I stood on the back of the ship and gazed into that swirling, black water. It was probably pretty cold. Perfect. I'd rather drown myself than marry some Alabastian guy I didn't even know. I stradled the fence that kept people from falling off the ship, which is exactly what I wanted. I let out all of my emotion, practically sreaming with tears streaming down my face. I loosened my grip on the fence. Oh God, I was really going to do it, I was going to jump. I quickly made a list of people I hated; almost everyone. And a list of people I wanted to bless; almost no one. I thought about my life as it flashed before my eyes, all my childhood memories, my loved ones, everything from my earliest memory up until now. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and...

1,

2,

3,

I let go. I was falling fast, right over the enormous, rotating jet that would kill me for sure. My death. I'd never planned it out like this, but I guess I had no choice now. All of a sudden, everything slowed down. Why? That was weird, it almost felt like something-or someone, was grabbing me. I opened my eyes. I was suspended by something, just a few feet above the water. I looked up. What I saw was unbelievable. Someone had caught me, but who? His, or her, arms were stretched to a level that was humainly impossible. Was I already dead? Dreaming? Was this person an angel?

"I can't let you do that!" Shouted a male's voice, but I didn't recognize it. He pulled me up, obviously struggling with my weight, and then I saw who it was. It was that jerk with the heartless eyes.

"You don't understand my pain! What I've been through!" I shouted at him. He placed me on the ledge of the deck, still not letting go of my waist. I watched his arms contract back into a semi-normal degree, fascinated with his ability. "What are you?" I gasped, completely breath-taken.

"Oh, I'm a rubberman," he smiled. "I ate the cursed gum-gum fruit. My name is Monkey D. Luffy, what's yours?"

"I'm Nami. Well, help me up," I said, admitting that I wanted to live for just a little bit longer.

He attempted to lift me over the fence, but it was slippery, and I almost fell back into what I'd just come from. I screamed, but held on to him tightly, and before I knew it, I was falling onto the deck. I accidentally pulled him on top of me, and his body was a little to close to mine for comfort.

"Hey, what's going on here?" The first mate came out onto the deck, getting the wrong message from our position. Luffy got off of me, adjusted his hat, and tried to act casual.

"Leave this young lady alone, I wouldn't mess around anymore if I were you," said the first mate, grabbing Luffy's shirt.

I stood up on unstable legs and glanced at them akwardly. Ben, I think his name was, let Luffy go, and I just stood there, wow, this was an akward moment.

Luffy smiled at me and walked away, leaving me standing there, alone. Monkey D. Luffy, his name rang in my head as if I'd known it for years. I wouldn't say I liked him, but maybe I didn't hate him so much after all.