One Piece: Sleepwalker & Ink
Chapter One- Addict, Ecstasy, and Nanao
The cherry red end of a cigarette catches Luffy's attention. Against the spring green color of her locks, the red stands out like a ruby in the grass. The hooded tunic is an earthen brown without sleeves, but falling past her knees. Her feet hid in long since dead, dirty without remorse sneakers. She sucks in her toxic love and remains in her curious posture. Rubber soles kiss a metal pole with her back trying squeeze between the metal bars. .
No one on this island seems to speak anything other than the local dialect of this isle. Nami, Luffy's orange haired navigator, had not even been able to decipher the name of location.
The woman seeking her thoughts perches above ground just outside the only noticeable landmark, a church. She summons Luffy-Just as each of his crewmen had before her.
Ignoring the calls of his companions, he invades her personal space and is halted by dark eyes much like his own. X-ray vision is the closest description of how he feels, as she looks him up and down.
Before he could say a word, her lips cocked the cancer stick to the side and huffs a breath of clouds, "You're not from here are you?" her tone is not rude, merely assessing.
Once again intuition gives him the edge; someone who speaks more than what her small island had offer, "Nope! I'm Monkey D. Luffy and I'm gonna be king of the pirates." He announces proudly.
Her mouth twitches in a lethargic petite smile, her sleepy eyes leave him to watch his approaching crewmen, "I see. And what, then, can I do for you Future-King-Luffy?"
The tone of the woman, with her beacon of death, is pleasant to the rubber man so he speaks frankly, "Well we're lost and none of us can speak the language on the island. We don't even know where we are!"
"Luffy!" challenges his navigator.
"Poppy Island." Responds the woman sweeping her spring hair through her fingers.
"Poppy Island?" he repeats questioningly.
"Also known as "The Opiate in the Crown" or "Addict's Refuge." Those eyes must see the confusion in his eyes because she chuckles and says, "This is an Island with a big black 'X' on it. We have no Navy and are apart of the Trade."
"What's the Trade?" asks Nami her bright eyes narrowed.
"As pirates I'm sure you've seen auction houses of the slaves or met traffickers. Maybe you've even tasted the wonders of the island, but don't know it. This is just one place, out of many, producing toxic substances called drugs." Black voids search Nami with a quiet awareness, "I am… impressed you arrived here. It's very hard to get here."
"I'll say!" Franky, the blue haired shipwright, calls loudly, "It was SUPER difficult!"
The green haired woman chuckles and turns her gaze back to Luffy, "Whatcha need?"
He holds up a badly dejected hat. The ribbon is frayed and the crown of the hat extends out like fingers of hand, "This is my treasure. It needs to be repaired."
"Treasure?" she asks extending a delicate hand. Blackened with expressive ink with small bandages from follies, her fingers gently take the straw hat. Turning it slightly she can see where the weave has been repaired many a time.
"Yes." Luffy answers.
She smiles, "We have a hat shop, back up the way. C'mon I'll take you. I know the way." From another hand she produces a syringe with honey amber liquid, "But first… it feels like night time. I gotta talk to Judas to wake up." She unceremoniously uncaps the needle and shoves it into the artery in her neck, "Don't try any meds on the island." She sniffs and pulls the needle out her eyes dilating, "Or you'll be one of the poison people." She laughs, "Like me."
Luffy only smiles and offers the lid to the needle, "You dropped your cap." He smiles offering it.
She takes it, "Thanks." And recaps the needle. She blandly shoves the needle into a hidden pocket.
"So…what do we call you?"
"Me? I am Addict." She answers.
Nami mutters, "Great, a druggy."
"That's easy. You have green hair like that toxic symbol we saw at that laby thing!" Luffy laughs warmly.
But the lips fall into a frown, "No." she motions at her body, "You see Lilith, but not me. I am Addict." She corrects and effortlessly unravels from her post, gliding past Luffy and ghosting beyond the crewmen, "Are you coming?"
"Ooops. Sorry. Yep!" he begins towards her and Addict turns her back to him heading back up the street, "But who is Lilith?"
"The owner of this body." Responds Addict over the shoulder, "The guy who owns the hat shop," she continues turning the page, "Doesn't speak the national dialect, so I'll translate for you."
"Thanks!" beams Luffy, "You're a good guy!"
Addict looks over the ridge of her green covered shoulder. Her lime colored eyelashes flit as those dark eyes consider him again, but she says nothing. Somehow, her thanks is in the silence. Her ghost like sway gives the illusion that she is haunting the street as she guides them up to a gold and red striped overhang with a scalloped edge; A trade sign with a simple widely grinning hat indicates their destination.
"I saw this when we sailed in."Comments the Chef of the Sunny, Sanji.
Dark eyes flit over to him, "This is Rigny's Milner's Shoppe." Informs Addict and with a flick over the curled handle the door opens and noise floods the like the surf at high tide, "Great, the whole lot of them are here."
The Straw Hat pirates step into to the shop startled by the elegance and detail. Sweeping metal plums bare the fruits for view. Traditional work caps like the newsboy, wide lipped sunhats, bowler caps, and cowboy hats with turned up brims. The shelves and displays on left and right were divided by gender. The left were men's from fancy tall top hats to straw cone shaped hats. The right was for women and more ornate. The shelves had extravagant tiny tricorn hats with feathers and jewels to cloth bonnets. At the back of shop was an old well-kept granite counter top with an old man perched behind reading a newspaper.
His mustache is white and curled up at the ends with matching bushy brows just above his gold-rimmed glasses. His neatly cropped snow hair hides under a brown tweed cap. A collared blue shirt poked out under his brown cable knit cardigan with sleeves that were slightly too big covering over his spotted and veined hands.
The jingling bell from overhead gives them away and his bright green eyes catch sight of their ghostly guide. A smile splits over his face and in the strange dialect of the island, begins to boisterously greet them.
Addict with the calm of steadiness of a tree, goes to the counter with Luffy's hat in hand, and leans comfortably on the polished stone. She responds in a quieter more measured tone, but is still very much speaking the same mottled patois.
The old man's expression goes from humored to business formal.
When Addict sets the destroyed straw hat on the counter, she waves a hand to indicate the Straw Hat pirates.
The old man adjusts his glasses, frowning as he does at the tattered straw. He asks something.
Addict turns to them, "He wants to know if you wouldn't rather replace it altogether."
"No." Luffy says firmly, "That hat is my treasure. It was given to me by my hero. I know he'll know if I don't give him back that hat."
Addict gives this information to the old man.
He chuckles and says something back.
"He says he made this hat back when he was living Loguetown. He was a milliner's apprentice and his work was often sold for less than his teacher's…" she hesitates as the man continues talking and examining his work, "He says a young man purchased the hat because it was best made and cheapest he could afford. He said he was going to be a the pirate king."
Luffy's grin returns in full force.
Addict cocks her head listening to the old man and add, "He says he can repair it, but it will be expensive because of how it was made. Would you still like him to repair it?"
Nami is the one who comes forward, "Whatever the cost, I'll cover it." She promises.
Luffy watches something like respect flicker in the green haired girl's eyes.
Addict speaks again to the milliner. After several minutes of what sounds like haggling, she says, "40,000 beri up front. It'll be done sometime tomorrow."
Nami fishes out the money and sets it on the counter.
The man nods to her and puts the money in the cash register and then fishes out a ticket with the amount paid and something they can't read.
Their translator rolls her eyes and holds out her hand with an annoyed tone.
He places a pen in the girl's hand as he hustles to the back of the shoppe yelling for someone in the back who answers.
She translates the few lines on the paper to read 'Hat Ticket- Straw Hat to be repaired and enforced. Please bring to retrieve hat.' Then with carelessness she tosses the pen on the platform and offers the tag to Nami.
Nami takes and reads it with a nod, "Alright." Then the tangerine haired beauty looks up with a smile, "Thanks."
Addict shrugs, "Sure."
And the group heads out the door.
The green ghost begins heading back down the hill without so much as request for payment and Luffy makes his decision right then and there to try to coax this creature to come with him.
"Hey Addy!" he calls after her.
She stops and turns to look at him.
"Can we borrow you for the day?!" he grins, "We gotta restock and none of us speak whatever is on this island."
Nami joins in, "I'm even willing to help fund your drug habit if you can help us."
Addict snorts rolling her eyes, "I don't have to be bribed. I will help you and I don't want to be paid. I fund my own self destruction."
"What a waste." Sneers Zoro's voice.
Luffy watches those coal eyes look up at the swordsman and regard him with a blank coolness.
"Excuse me?" she asks in a calm voice.
Zoro with his barrel chest thrown out and arms crossed in front speaks up again, "What a waste!" his voice is louder and more condemning, "Why give into weakness when you can train yourself to be better?"
Nami's face flushes with embarrassment and opens her mouth to reprimand him, but Addict's soft bored tone beats her.
"Some weakness can not be controlled with brute force. I find that it is better to learn to work with weakness instead of murdering my sanity to control that which I cannot."
Irritated Zoro responds, "It's a waste of your strength and any talent you haven't destroyed with your drug addiction."
"I'm a lowlife in comparison to you." She shrugs, "I can only be what I am. I will be your guide and I won't lecture you on piracy if you won't lecture me on drug addiction." And this ends the conversation with bitter feelings on both sides, but leaving a pacified taste in everyone's mouth, "So…" she looks at Luffy again, "Where do you need to go?"
Luffy looks at his Chef, "Sanji? Meat?"
The blonde haired man with a swirled eyebrow rolls his eyes at his captain, "I need to go grocery shopping. This," he pulls his own lit cigarette from between his lips and points at his captain with surprisingly manicured nails, "- is cattle's worst enemy. He goes through tons of meat. We are low on all sorts of fresh produce, alcohol," and he shoots a glare at the green haired swordsman, "And I would love to see what exotic spices this island has to offer."
"Grocery shopping." Confirms Addict with a slight lift her brows, "Anything else?"
"Uh- I wanna go shopping." Nami puts in.
Addict nods with tighten lips.
"I need to restock our basics. I'm the ships doctor." A tiny reindeer, Chopper, says, "With all of our recent battles we are running low on bandages to say the least."
To this Addict's eyes narrow, "It is possible to obtain medical supplies, but do not accept anything unless I give you the go ahead. People here are always ready to form another drug aficionado."
Chopper's nods sternly.
"Well I need more reading material. I'm reading Charles Dickinson again for the umpteenth time." The raven-haired woman with sunglasses perched on her head states, "As enjoyable as classics are, I really would like some more literature."
"Books. Okay. There's a shop just down the street. They'll have them written in the central dialect." Nods Addict, "Anything else in particular?"
No one else answers.
"Right… Book store first, food second, and finally we'll head into the center where the main shopping is." And Addict begins again down the road.
The pirates follow behind her taking in the wonder of Poppy Island. It is little wonder it is called Poppy Island. The flowers surge everywhere in magnificent multicolor fashion. The flowers are potted leading up to an ornate classically sculpted lime stone building with a banner proclaiming, "Cherry". Here, Addict leads them up the short steps into the large bookstore with books crammed everywhere. Every single decoration doubles as a bookcase, shelving books upon books upon books.
A smartly dressed woman in a business cut suit and red tie comes forward. Her hair is falling in curls with black lined eyes. Long sensual lashes flutter with striking cerulean eyes and bright red lips break into a dazzling smile with perfect white teeth.
She greets Addict with an, "Addy!" and a bunch of perplexing gibberish.
Addict humors her with a slight bow and after two or three sentences, both turn to the group.
"Everyone," Addict says formally, "This Cherry, the store owner. Cherry… I don't know everyone's name, but this-" she points to the captain, "This is Luffy and these are his crewmen. They've made a pit stop here."
"Charming." Her voice is accented and words roll of her tongue in a strange blend of languages. Her tone is light, elegant, but her words almost sound exotic.
Sanji breaks into a red gush of blood from his nose and wiggling hearts and promptly collapses from blood loss.
Alarmed, Cherry reaches out, "Are you alright, Sir?"
Sanji promptly kills over on the ground and mumbles, "With such a beauty like you worried about me, how can I be anything but alright?"
The dark haired Robin stays with blue haired Franky at the bookstore while Addict guides them quickly to the nearest medical facility.
Zoro, who charges forward with Sanji over his shoulder, glowers, "Shitty Cook!" as they enter through the clinic's automatic doors.
Luckily, the staff is not busy and a nurse comes forward instantly. She has honey colored hair rolled up in a messy bun and red cheeks. Her scrubs are pink with flowers all over them and white badge clipped to the breast pocket shows her and name under stating her name as Hannaha Luxe.
Nurse Luxe speaks rapidly and bored looking Addict answers. Then she points at Chopper and the woman nods several times. She calls over her shoulder and two dark haired men in blue scrubs come over quickly with a stretcher. They easily lift Sanji up and run him to a room while the nurse begins drilling Addict.
Addict translates the questions to Chopper who is able to give all basic health information.
The Nurse takes her leave and the group takes a seat in the waiting room.
"Does this happen a lot?" quizzes Addict in a surprisingly soft voice.
Chopper shrugs, "Just about every time he sees a pretty girl. Something happened on Okama Island and now his nose is really weak."
Luffy's gaze is locked on his potential crewman. Her expressions have changed. Her eyes are opened wider and her expressions are more innocent. She sits with her hands on either side, fingers pointed out.
"Wow. That sounds really dangerous, do you keep a lot of reserved blood on board your ship?" she chirps sweetly.
Chopper looks up at her, "Recently, yes. It can happen at anytime." But his expression is curious.
"What?" she asks and turns eyes cross-eyed, "Is there a bug on my nose?"
"No. Are you okay?" Chopper asks slowly.
She uncrosses her eyes and nods, "I'm fine, why?"
The reindeer shakes his head confused.
She shrugs back at him with a smile.
"We're gonna hafta wait on Sanji." Groans Nami, "He's the only one who knows what groceries we need. Not to mention the quantity."
"So we're grocery shopping?" asks Addict still in her chirpy voice.
"Yeah. You said you would translate for us. Remember?" laughs Nami, "None of speak… whatever the fuck this island speaks."
She blinks and looks around, "Did I? And the dialect is called Opiate."
Suddenly confused Nami says, "Yeah, you did. You didn't change your mind, did you?"
"I don't have any plans." She shrugs again, "That's fine."
Luffy grins, "I'm Luffy. I'm gonna be King of Pirates."
His crewmembers roll their eyes.
But the woman in front of him with cheerful disposition says, "Pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm Ecstasy."
Luffy grinned, "Cool."
"I think so too." She laughs.
The swordsman and the navigator exchange concerned looks, but say nothing.
"So, Mr. Future-King or should I say Young Prince? Tell me about the guy with the really bloody nose." She crosses her legs and leans back in her plastic chair.
"Oh he's our chef! He's the best one ever!" beams Luffy, "His name is Sanji and he like suits and ties and really pretty girls."
Newly named Ecstasy gives a girlish smile and decides to flip her chair with the back facing them, "Is that what got the blood going?" her fingers knit together with one elbow over the back of the seat, her body curled. There is brazen confidence that was not there minutes before.
"Yup! He saw your friend Cherry when you took us to the bookstore." Luffy laughs, "She was really pretty."
"I think so too." Agrees Ecstasy and leans forward with grin of conspiratorial delight, "Just between you and me, I'd totally go lesbian for her. She is awesome." And winks.
Luffy roars with good-natured laughter.
Those dark eyes twinkle with enchantment, "Alright then tell me about each of your crewmen."
The captain does with gay abandon. He speaks highly of each of his crewmen. Luffy makes Nami blush with pride when he talks about her cartography and earns a grunt of approval from Zoro when remarks come about his swordsmanship and goal of earning the title of 'Worlds Greatest Swordsman'. The little reindeer, Chopper, blusters with delight as Luffy tells of his superior skills as a doctor; he makes his skeleton muse with ghoulish delight as he praises the melodies that only Brook can play. He need only introduce his sniper, Sogaking Ussop, and the long nosed companion begins his own boisterous recount of his triumphs.
Ecstasy humors him, but clearly does not believe a word.
Then the Captain in the red jacket tells her of his cyborg shipwright who build his ship Sunny and of his loyal archeologist Robin who's unusual battling skills mark her as spectacular in her captain's eyes.
"You speak so well of all your comrades. They are lucky to have a commanding officer who sees their talent." Says Ecstasy at last.
Luffy grins, "I can't be the Pirate King without the best crewmen in the world."
Dark eyes flutter with a charmed smile.
Nurse Luxe returns with a wobbly Sanji. She talks to the spring green haired woman with urgency.
Ecstasy relates the information, "She says your friend lost a lot of blood and may need a second transfusion. He needs to take it easy."
"Great, we're gonna hafta put off shopping for day." Grunts Zoro rolling his eyes, "Good going Curly brow."
The blonde haired man looks up with murder in his eyes makes a quick move and falls on his back much to the nurse's distress.
Whatever the medic is saying its cracking up their translator. She giggles and assures the nurse in gentle tones.
Despite his teasing, Zoro helps haul his companion to his feet and keeps one of the blonde's arms over his shoulder to procure balance.
Nami settles the medical debt with minimal help from Ecstasy who has the nurse very calm and assured within minutes.
Out the door, they find Franky and Robin coming towards them with a couple bags of books.
"Are you alright, Cook-san?" presses the ebony haired woman.
Sanji with all the grace of a flopping fish says, "Ah, to know you worry for me, is all I need to be all right!" he assures her with heart floating all around him.
"Hey E," says Luffy catching Ecstasy's attention, "This is Robin and Franky. They are the two I told you about."
Ecstasy smiles and nods at them, "Hi, I'm Ecstasy. Your captain has told me so much about you."
Luffy sees the recognition in his crewman's faces as they notice the change in posture, facial expressions, and her tone. They play along with their Captain's attitude.
"Nice to meet you." They agree together.
"Fuck it's late." Groans Sanji staring up at the darkening sky.
"Wanna have dinner with me and Luka?" asks the translator pleasantly.
Sanji squints at her confused, but says, "We couldn't do that to you. I told you before that Luffy is the enemy of cattle, but I should have said, he's the enemy of anything edible." He seems perplexed by her cheerful disposition.
Amused she grins, "So we'll just have to cook more." She motions at herself, "I'm afraid Luka and I aren't professional cooks so it won't be fancy."
"I am professional, so I'd be happy to help." Offers Sanji, "As long as I take it easy I should be fine."
"We'll eat with you if you let us buy the food. I promise, Luffy will clean you out." Nami add.
Ecstasy shrugs yet again, "If that's what it takes."
A quick trip through town to pick up immense amounts of food and promise to return, they go to the more run down part of town. White buildings with peeling paint tower overhead, squished together with extending escape ladders and large windows with a variety of shops.
The largest window with elegant scrawl stating "Heroine Ink" with a blindfolded woman holding scales with tattoos is where they are led. The backdoor in the tiny ally way is the path they are ushered to take.
"We're above Luka's studio." Grins the green haired drug enthusiast, "She'll be done in like an hour." Up the stairs to a neat second floor with open kitchen that leads into concert living room that smells of ink with cork boards lined around the walls with detailed illustrations.
"Does your friend… do these?" breathes Sanji stumbling over to one wall to admire the intricate designs.
"Luka draws all the time. She did all of my tattoos, except one." She waved at the designs; "Luka's planning something so she's working on art like crazy." And Ecstasy waltz over to the kitchen, "I'm hungry. Let's get cook~in!" she cheers.
Sanji leaves the illustrations and group places crates and bags on the countertops. He begins organizing, "What are you gonna make? " he raises his curled brow, "I can help right? If I'm not intruding."
"If you want." Says Ecstasy lazily, "I warn you, I don't cook well. So no criticizing my limited skills."
Sanji returns her smile, "Promise."
"Alright." Nods the woman and goes to the fridge where a white board tells what they're making, "Okay, so we need to chop veggies first and then we'll go from there."
Sanji grabs a bag of onions, "How big?" he asks holding it up for her inspection.
"Like chopped. Tiny." Grins Ecstasy she looks at the others, "Make yourselves comfy."
Brook chortles, "Shall I play a tune?"
"Go for it." She cheers with a warm smile.
Brook strikes a tune and Sanji finds a cutting board and knife block with several dull knives. He spends five minutes sharpening a long abused blade. After a moment he then sharpens all the blades.
Ecstasy gets pot of water going and then tries to cut vegetables with horrible accuracy. Somehow she manages mismatched shapes and sizes. The way she moves is similar to draining peanut butter out of a jar and she is easily distracted by the conversation and laughter in the next room.
Sanji rolls his eyes, but does not comment. For several moments the laughter in the living room and sound of work in the kitchen becomes calm. However, Sanji hears the amendment before he sees the next persona. The unmeasured cuts suddenly turn pedantic and intelligent. His blue eyes nonchalantly turn to the woman beside him.
The knife in her hand is held sure and firm. The speed and form is like his own. Each potato she slices is the same as the last. He looks to her face and sees the hooded firm look to her eyes, the set jaw, and sterile expression. Her hand swipe up the slice and toss them over her shoulder without looking. Into the pot of water with a plop they announce their spectacular arrival at their destination. She suddenly is aware that she is being surveyed, those eyes glimpse up astute and vigilant.
"Hi?" she asked shortly, rubbing her arm
He swallows, "I don't really know what I'm doing. You didn't give me a recipe." Sanji returns politely.
Delicate tattooed hands set the knife on the counter and go back to the refrigerator. Fingers deftly ruffle through the pages taking a paper. The forefinger and middle finger clutch the paper oddly and she reads through the script. Her free hand rubs the arm flipping through papers distractedly.
"Like I told you, I'm a chef. All you hafta do is tell me what we're doing." Sanji says with pride.
Those dark eyes gaze at him sarcastically and the fingers offer the document, "Here. These are the basic recipes we use. Don't change them too drastically, but I ain't gonna badger you. Bread is mine, but if you wanna manage the others: fine."
Confused at the abrupt hostility he takes the paper and reads the three basic recipes. A soup made with raw ingredients in such a way as to take away any grace. The bread is rustic at best. A desert that is nothing more than fruit and peanut butter makes his brows knit. He can dress them up a bit and add sides to match, so he nods and his face takes on that special focus. He goes straight to work, but keeps an eye on his companion. The sudden aggression is strange.
She mutters a curse, rubbing her arms furiously, and then washes her hands again.
He notes, with surprise, she knows how to make bread. She does not even ask for the recipe he has. Her hands move through the process as if she has done it a million times. God, what he would not give to understand it like she does. No more flour than necessary, but it dense with seeds and nuts. She throws it into a bowl to rise and then asks if he could use assistance with anything.
Sanji gives orders and she obeys with a strange firmness that was not there moments before. Half way threw preparations she puts the oven on and throws in a flat stone. She uses her hip to shut the door and returns to Sanji.
"I'm adding two side dishes." He says firmly, "Shred that heap of lettuce and throw spinach in to make a salad. I think it will be good with the soup."
She nods and begins.
Luffy must know something happened because he bounces in and he says, "Hi!"
She stops momentary and looks at the captain, "Who are you…?" she asks.
"I'm Luffy. I'm gonna be King of the Pirates." He answers for the third time that day, "Who are you?"
Flatly she resumes working and answers, "Nanao. What are you doing here?"
"E asked us to come here for dinner."
She nods, "Kay. Where did…" she struggles for a second then says, "I meet you?"
Luffy grins, "We met Addict and she helped me find someone to fix my hat and a bookstore. Then Sanji had to go to the hospital and we met E."
She stops and looks at him.
Luffy can almost smell the difference between each one, and this one is formal, perplexed, and assessing.
Her eyes shift from him to the people in the livening room, to a point above his head in which she listened to Sanji working behind her, and then back to him, "Really…?" she asks, "Is that all I told you?"
"You didn't tell me anything. Nami said Addict was a druggy, but that's it." Luffy shrugs.
She makes a funny small smile.
The house goes strangely quiet.
"No one warned you about anything?" she asks seriously.
"Nope." He says.
She straightens, "That's a problem." She looks up at the ceiling and then says, "How many times have you introduced yourself today to this physical body?"
Instantly Robin's mind locks onto this person, 'Specifying- that is the sign of someone is cleans up after someone like Addict. She is not the same as the other two. '
"This is my third time." Luffy answers.
"Damn it." She groans, "Lemme give you a F.Y.I." she leans back and crosses her arms, "I am Nanao. I am consider an alter of patient 'Lilith' who is who you see on the outside of this body."
"What's an alter?" asks Luffy, knowing every one of his crewmen is listening. He can hear it in the jingle of Zoro's earrings and the shift of parchment as Nami shuffles through papers.
"Alters are dissociated identity states. We have obtained our own identity, experience from the main persona. We can have our own consciousness, memory, skills, emotions, worldview and view of ourselves. At least this is the textbook information. If you have introduced yourself three times, then you have met separate people who are in this body."
"Dissociative Identity Disorder." Chopper says seriously.
"What?" asks Luffy looking back at the reindeer.
"You ever heard of split personality disorder?" inquires newly christened Nanao.
"No. But I know you're not the same as Addict or Ecstasy." Luffy grins.
Nanao gave him an appraising look, "No. I'm not."
"What are you good at?" asks Luffy cheerfully.
"Work. I'm good at getting shit done. I'm a baker most of the time."
"You are a cook?" asks Sanji carefully.
"When Lilith's not here, yes." Agrees Nanao shortly. She checks the clock and grabs the dough out of the bowl. She divides it and rolls it in on itself, scoring it with one of Sanji's freshly sharpened knives. A quick glaze of watered egg goes over the bread and the dough are them hustled into oven on the stone.
"Will we get to meet Lilith?" asks Luffy excitedly when she completes the task with the dough.
Nanao shrugs, "Dunno. You might, you might not."
The door slams and a singsong voice says, "Hello all!" and a tattooed woman swinging a white hooded sweatshirt with rinestones enters.
"Hi Luka." She says despondently.
Luka's eyes are blue like a perfect sky with a yellow patterned headband holding up her light pink hair. Body held fast in a too tiny black tank top and dark blue skinny jeans she exposes the ink of her life; Brightly colored flowers crawling down her left arm with a fox chasing down to her wrist, on her right are intricate patterns, stars, skulls, a quotes of some sort, gears, claw marks, butterfly, and solid characters. Her glasses pointed are perched on her nose as she laughs at them.
"Nanao we have company!" she grins, "Who brought them?"
"Ecstasy." She says smoothly.
"Ah…E. Never thinks twice. Oh well!" She grins at them, "How are ya'll?"
The warm tone instantly dispels the confusion and annoyance. She gets many hellos back as Luka makes her way to the kitchen. Her arms wrap tightly around her friend and she turns to the blonde haired man in her kitchen, "Hi!" she says cheerfully.
Sanji makes the mistake of looking. His visible eye goes wide and his cheeks turn pink. He barely manages a stuttering, "H-h-hello." Before he turns away furiously working, "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes." He assures in a more confident voice, but remains oddly stiff.
Luka blinks at him and looks at his companions who all have their mouths on the floor.
Luffy decides he likes Luka too. He's never seen Sanji turn shy.
Luka squeezes Nanao, "Where have you lot been today?" she questions, "You left early this morning and I haven't seen you all day."
"I haven't the slightest clue." Frowns Nanao, "But I feel like there is a bug bite on my neck."
Luka turns attentive and finds the pin prick from the needle, "I see it, but that's too close to…" she stops and turns to the group, "Has she called herself Addict today?"
"Yup." Agrees Luffy, "She was the first one we met."
Luka's expression turns serious, "Stop what you're doing." She commands.
Nanoa obediently goes stiff.
Luka gives her companion a formal pat down locating two more syringes filled with a dark fluid and the used one. Up till this point, the grey long sleeve shirt seemed like an unusual, but comfortable part of the outfit. The sleeves are only up a little of the way, but Luka pushes them up, turning the tattoo arms over and locating four needled points on each arm.
"Guess Addy's been busy." Groans Nanao, "I've been wondering about the itch."
"How many grams does this make?" Luka demands.
"Hell if I know. I'm just here to make food." Nanao growls.
Luka groans and notices her guest watching them, "Sorry. On-going investigation." She offers a smile.
"I didn't realize that she wasn't supposed to have heroin." Nami states, eyebrow raising.
"Who Nanao? Nanao doesn't seek out heroin." Answers Luka confused.
"No. I meant-"
"Oh! Don't worry about it. I'm just pissed at Addict." She groans, "I've had Lilly off heroin for three months." She looks at the syringes in her hand, "And Addict decides to wake up and goes on a bender." She shakes her head.
"Can I finish?" asks Nanao curtly.
Luka nods, "Yeah, yeah. Sorry. Go for it."
Nanao rolls her eyes and goes back to work beside Sanji.
"Hey Luka!" calls Luffy cheerfully.
"Hm?" the pink haired girl answers.
"Join my crew!"