Author's Note: Hmm … I haven't really been in the mood to write … However … I had this one semi done … so I decided to finish it off … I dunno how long it will take me to come out with something else … but

since I'm not wanting to write … I'm hitting a lot of writer's block … So, I may take a break until I get in the mood to write again … Oh, and by the way, I updated chapter 4 of From The Darkness about a week ago ...

Anyways, enjoy! XD

P.S. I didn't have time to edit it ... So, I will do it later ... if I remember ...

The Vanity Princess

Chapter 4: Not The Same

Once they were back in her room, Nami sat Luffy down and then sat down beside him, grabbing the book from the upper bookshelf above her bed. Opening it to the page, she then slipped her glass on and found her spot, "All right, here we go."

Luffy brought his legs up to sit cross legged onto the bed after slipping his feet out of his sandals with a small smile on his face, "Since he's teaching Usopp how to fight … I wonder if he will fight in the war that's gonna come! Do you think the princess will ask him to come help fight with her?"

Nami blinked, looking up at him, surprised he actually remember all that stuff, "Um, I don't know. I guess we'll have to keep reading and find out."

"Hey, Nami?"

"Yeah?"

"Mm, I think I know why he doesn't like the color orange …"

"Oh …?"

"Yeah, because … I'm beginning to think he doesn't like the princess …"

"Ah? What does the color orange have to do with the princess?"

"Because your hair color is orange …"

Staring at him for a few seconds, her head then tilted to the side, "But I'm not actually in the story …"

"Mm, true … Well maybe she has orange hair too … I mean the actual princess."

"I actually didn't think about it like that …"

"You see!? You really are the pretty princess, Nami!" Luffy exclaimed, his grin creasing all the way up, even past his ears and causing his eyes to close. The he opened them again, "Maybe it will say his hair color too! Maybe it'll be black like mine! That would be cool-ah but I don't hate you, Nami …" He said, frowning all of a sudden.

Cheeks suddenly reddening considerably, Nami stared at Luffy for the longest time about what he'd just said. But then she started thinking over the story. Luffy's character had been talking about getting his heart shattered, and he seemed to despise the castle where the princess called her home. He was obviously talking about someone he once loved, "Oh no …"

"Ah? Nami?" Luffy asked, turning his head in her direction, "What's wrong? Did you lose the place where we left off!? Will you be able to find it again!?" He exclaimed, suddenly in a panic.

"O-Of course I can!" She yelled back, but her cheeks had not cooled, "And I didn't lose the page … I just … It's nothing … I'm sure it's nothing, and I'm reading too much into it …" She had meant that last part to herself, but Luffy's brow lifted up high as he tilted his head to the side.

"But you're supposed to read it all the way through … Nami, you are gonna read it all the way through, right!? I wanna know the end, Nami! I wanna know the end!" He exclaimed, beginning to panic again.

"Will you cool it!?" She yelled, flicking his forehead.

"O-w!" He whined, covering his forehead with his hands as a tear bungeed from his eye, "Nami that hurts!"

Sighing deeply and drooping, she then opened her eyes to stare down at the book. It was supposed to be an action book … not a romance … She frowned deeply, but then opened it up to continue reading it, "Okay, here I go …"

After several hours of training, Usopp finally got the hang of how to wield a sword properly. As they carried the table and some of the chairs back to Usopp's home, he exclaimed his excitement of what he learned that day, "It's a lot easier than I first thought! I mean it's coming so easily and naturally now!"

"Yes, you are indeed a natural. I think you will learn faster than I expected." Luffy said, trying not to trip as they carried the table.

"Ah, you really think so!? That's so great to hear. I had been hoping I could learn. I was actually afraid that I'd not been able to do it …"

"You should have more confidence in yourself, Usopp. There's so much that I think you could do, if you really set your mind to it." Luffy replied, smiling at him over the table.

"Thank you, Luffy. That really means a lot to me." Usopp replied, smiling wider.

"Of course, it's my duty as your friend to believe in you, but not only that, I do believe in you, Usopp." Luffy said, just as they made it to the house.

"Thank you." Usopp seemed truly moved by his friend's words, and he expressed it through his smile.

"Oh, Usopp, you're home! You're not hurt, are you!?" His wife Kaya exclaimed as they made it back to Usopp's home.

"Of course not, Kaya." Usopp replied, setting the table down to turn and smile to his pregnant wife.

"I would never hurt him, Kaya! You know that!" Luffy said, grinning to the woman as she came up to kiss his cheek in greeting.

"Oh, I know, but accidents do happen, you know." She said, smiling up at Luffy.

"Ah, yes, there is that. I was careful. I assure you. His safety is important to me as well." Luffy and Usopp lifted the table back up to carefully carry it inside.

"Yes, and that's all I really ask of you, Luffy." She replied, smiling brightly to him, "And this new table is just gorgeous! You are a very talented carpenter."

"Why, thank you, Kaya. I do try my best." Luffy replied with a chuckle as they pulled the table through the door. Setting it on the floor, upside down, they then began to put the legs on before setting it up with the chairs they had brought first.

"Oh, it all looks perfect. Thank you so much, Luffy."

"It's no problem, Kaya!" Luffy grinned at the heavily pregnant woman with a chuckle.

After waving goodbye, Luffy then made his way back home.

"Good … That was all boring … When's it going to get to the good stuff, Nami!? When's the war!?" Luffy whined with a pout.

"Will you just shut up and let me read." She said in annoyance, pursing her lips back at him.

"Can't we just skip to the war, Nami?"

"No …"

"Eeh!? Why not!?"

"Because I said so … I'm reading this for the first time too! We're not skipping ahead!"

"Eeeh …? Killjoy …"

"Will you shut up and let me read, damn it!"

"Mm … fine …"

"My lady, I have returned."

"Lord Sanji," The princess said, slowly and gracefully making her way to him, her expression never leaving her worry behind, "have the men gathered?"

"Yes, my lady. About two thousand strong … but it's not nearly enough."

"What do you mean?" She asked, frowning deeply.

"Arlong has close to five thousand men … That's more than half, my lady …" Lord Sanji said, frowning at her only slightly, but softly.

Her face fell at his words and swallowed hard. Closing her eyes gently, she then lowered her head to the ground, "We … We need him …"

"N-Need … him?" Lord Sanji stood up straighter, but then friend, "Wha-What do you mean?"

Turning around slowly, she stood with her back to him for awhile before taking steps forward, "I will go first thing tomorrow morning …"

"Wa-Wait a minute, my lady-Nami!" However, she didn't stop, but kept going until she rounded a corner. Sanji watched after her with a concern frown, but then just looked down towards the ground. 'To see him …?'

xxxx

"Today was a great lesson, Usopp! I'll see you again tomorrow!" Luffy waved after his friend from his gate, and then he lowered his arm with a gentle smile. After awhile, he closed his eyes and then turned to go back into his house. However, the sound of horse's hooves in the distance stopped him from going inside.

"Mmm?" Usopp questioned, looking up to see some horsemen headed down the road. Frowning at them, he then stepped aside to let them pass, watching them as they did. They were headed straight for Luffy's. Frowning a little deeper, he then took off running back to his friend's to make sure everything was okay. Coming out a little more away from his house, he had a hard frown on his face as his eyes bore into a particular figure. The horses stopped just outside of his gate and only two people dismounted.

He stopped, not going nay further as he stood firm in his yard. Usopp stopped just a few feet away, gaping softly at all the royal men and horses. What was going on? The armored man, who dismounted, opened the gate for the slender figure wearing a hooded robe. However, Luffy knew exactly who it was. His eyes hardened even further, turning as cold as ice before words exited his lips, "What're you doing here?" His voice was rough and low, almost to a dangerous degree.

A slender hand came out from the robe to pull back the hood and reveal the princess' beautiful face. Luffy's breath sucked into his lungs, not mentally prepared for her extraordinary beauty, and long beautiful orange hair. She had changed so much … His teeth clenched down painfully and his eyes twitched. Taking a few steps forward, Nami gazed back at him with a very soft frown on her beautiful face. She was also not prepared to see his again after so long, his handsome face, dark hair, and hardened muscles, which were drenched in sweat from what seemed to be a recent work out of some kind. She could see his sword sheathed at his side, training perhaps? However, it saddened her to see it so cold and harsh, "I need to speak with you …" Her voice exited her rosy lips in a soft and silken tone.

"Oh, see Nami! It really is us!" Luffy exclaimed, beginning to laugh in his exuberance. "We're the hero and princess! That's so cool! That's so funny that she has the same hair color as you! And then his hair is dark like mine!"

Sweat formed on her brow as she laughed nervously with twitching lips, "Y-Yeah … imagine that … Ha … haha …"

"And she's beautiful like you too! That's so cool!"

Her cheeks immediately erupted into a massive blush, "Oh … well … um …"

"Ah, but … handsome sounds weird to me …" He tilted his head with a pout, "I'm just me …" But then he grinned, patting his own stomach hard, "But I do have muscles!"

Nami's eyes inadvertently lowered down to his hard packed abs, and her blush deepened, quickly looking away, "Oh, right … yeah … C-Can we just … get on with the story?"

"Ah? Nami, you okay?" He asked, looking confused and tilting his head to the other side, but his eyes remained unfocused up ahead.

"Yup! Just peachy! I'm gonna keep reading now …"

"Okay!" He grinned again.

"Well, I don't want to speak with you … Get off my land …" He practically growled, taking a step forward, which caused the armored man to jolt a little forward.

Luffy's eyes slowly blinked over to the armored man, but then shifted back to her, "Please, Luffy … Just … hear me out." Nami pleaded with her expression saddening.

"Go back to your castle …" He said, turning his back to her and walking back to his cabin.

"Luffy, please!" She pleaded, taking more steps forward, but halted when he turned back around, taking a few towards her in his growing anger.

"I said get out of here!"

Throwing off his helmet, Sanji hastily walked up to his princess, "You watch how you talk to her masjesty-"

"You!" Luffy suddenly exclaimed in a harsh tone, pointing at Sanji with a nasty smirk "Don't talk to me … I don't know you …"

Sanji bore his teeth, somewhat of a growl exiting from his throat. Stepping forward ahead of Sanji, the princess refused to give up, "Luffy, please … My kingdom depends on this … Just let me talk to you … just for a little bit."

"I said get off my land … Or I will make you do it …" Luffy seethed, baring his teeth in a cold scowl.

Matching his scowl, Sanji also took another step forward, "You will watch how you talk to her …"

"And you won't talk to me again … or I will give you a better reason to hide that left eye of yours behind that well combed, blonde hair …" Luffy seethed dangerously, glaring at Sanji with a dark smirk.

"Eeh!? He has blonde hair, and it covers his eye like Sanji's does!?" Luffy exclaimed, his jaw having dropped.

However, Nami just laugh nervously, "No, of course not! But this insult doesn't match Sanji at all … So, I just made up my own …" But then her eyes looked shifty as she leaned forward, "But don't tell him I said that."

Luffy snickered and whispered loudly, "Shishishi! Okay, I won't." Then he grinned, "Hoo, you made me look cool, Nami! But he's kinda mean …" He said, pursing his lips.

"He does seem a little mean." Nami said, also pursing her lips.

"I wonder why he hates her so much …" Luffy said, with a thoughtful frown.

"I don't know … Let me keep reading and maybe we will find out."

"Okay!"

"Arlong has formed an army of five thousand strong, and he's headed here right now!" She blurted out quickly, not leaving until she had her word in.

Clenching his teeth down hard, Luffy then slowly shifted his eyes to hers. Gasping loudly as his heart hitched in his chest, Usopp took a step forward, "An army!? Is there to be a war!?" He exclaimed in his growing panic as he looked to Luffy, "Luffy …!?"

Sucking his teeth, Luffy then quickly looked over at Usopp, and the princess gasped, turning to look at him, "You go on home, Usopp. It's nothing … This is nothing …"

"But Luffy … if there's a war coming to our kingdom … We'll be caught up in the middle of it! I want to fight! I want to protect my family!" Usopp said, frowning deeply as he stepped forward, causing Luffy to immediately walk up to him.

"Now wait a minute, Usopp! Y-You just barely started training!" He said, looking extremely worried about his friend's decision.

"It doesn't matter … You said I'm pretty good … I want to fight … I want to fight if you will …" Usopp said, looking extremely determined.

"If we can meet Arlong before he gets here … and hold him off … We might be able to prevent him from every reaching the city's gates or this village. They would all be safe … and none of them would have to suffer or die …" Nami said, taking slow and graceful steps towards him, "We've only been able to gather two thousand men … We need you, Luffy …"

Growling a bit as he stared towards Usopp and baring his teeth, Luffy then whirled around to face her, "All right … Fine … I'll do it … but I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for them …"

She smiled at him softly, making her look even more beautiful than she was, "That's all I really want, Luffy. Thank you so much." She whispered softly, taking another step towards him, but he took one back.

"I'll make sure to bring Zoro. Now get the hell out of here." Luffy said, nodding his head towards their horses.

"Zoro … How is Zoro?" She asked quietly, frowning softly.

"You don't get to ask about him. I said to get the hell out of here, and I mean now …" He retorted in a harsh and cold tone.

Her expression saddened, and he was sure he saw tears surface, but he didn't care as his expression remained like that of cold marble, "It was … good to see you again … Luffy …" She whispered softly before quickly turning to her horse and mounting it, Sanji following after her to mount his own horse. "We'll see you first thing in the morning," and then they were gone.

Watching after them, his expression never faltering, Luffy then cursed under his breath, kicking his fence and causing it to shatter, "Damn it …!"

"L-Luffy …" Usopp said, frowning at his friend softly, "Are you all right …? I-I didn't know you knew the princess."

"I don't! Not anymore …" He bellowed, turning back towards his house, but Usopp stopped him.

"Wait, Luffy! I want to go!"

Halting immediately, Luffy stood there for the longest time before turning to look at him, "I can't let you do this, Usopp … It's much too dangerous and we're greatly outnumbered …"

"It doesn't matter! I want to fight to protect my family! One extra man could make a difference! Because you're greatly outnumbered, you could use all the men you could get!" Usopp said with determination as he stepped up to the fence, gripping it hard, "Let me do this, Luffy … As long as I'm by your side … I just know I can do this …"

Sighing deeply in his troubled thoughts and still shaken up from seeing her after so many years, Luffy fell forward completely, catching himself on his fence, "Usopp … I don't know how this war will turn up. I don't even know if Zoro and I will come back alive … Your wife needs you … Usopp. She's going to bear your child soon. You can't ask this of me …"

"I would rather be sure I was there to prevent her from harm and die … rather than doing nothing … and watching her die … knowing that I could have made a difference …" Usopp whispered, tears already beginning to flood his eyes, "Please, Luffy … if our friendship ever meant anything to you … you would let me do this."

"It's because of our friendship that I can't bring myself to allow this, Usopp!" He exclaimed, pushing against the fence hard, causing the entire thing to shake.

"Luffy … please … as a man, I must protect my family. It's just like you fighting and protecting us …"

"But I have nothing to live for anymore!" He bellowed angrily, pushing against the fence again, the wood creaking under the pressure of his grip against it.

Gasping softly, Usopp took a step back, gaping at his friend softly, "Luffy …?"

"I have nothing … Usopp … No one will miss me when I'm gone … I won't leave anyone behind … No one will mourn my death … You have your wife and child you leave behind … Please … think about this … Talk to your wife … before making such a decision … Please …?" Luffy said in a quiet voice, all the while staring down at the fence he gripped so tightly.

"Mmm …" Luffy suddenly hummed in a bit of a growl, looking thoughtful and rubbing his chin.

"Mm?" Nami questioned, looking up at him.

"He's kind of a whiny baby … I dunno if I like this hero … He says he has nothing … and no one will mourn his death … but that's not true. Usopp and Zoro would mourn his death … He would leave them behind … and I bet the princess would too …" Then he tilted his head, looking completely serious as he asked, "Nami … you'd mourn my death, right?"

Sucking in her breath sharply, Nami gaped at Luffy, thinking suddenly about losing Luffy, and tears stung her eyes bitterly, "I-I … Of course I would, Luffy …"

At hearing the sharp intake of breath and the quiver in her voice, his head turned slightly towards her, but his eyes stared blindly to just the side of her. Then he blinked slowly, shifting his eyes more to the side and away from her, "I'd mourn yours too, Nami …" He said so quietly and softly that her heart panged, "Why does he think no one cares about him?"

"I-I don't know …" She replied quietly, just staring at him.

"Mm, he's stupid …" Luffy said with a determined nod, "He needs to quit cryin' about what happened in his past and start looking to the future! He's a hero! He's gotta move forward, but he's movin' backward! Everyone else is gonna leave him behind! I wouldn't wanna be left behind … I'm always gonna move forward!" Luffy said, frowning deeply, and Nami knew that he was talking about his blindness. Even despite being blind, he still wants to move forward. However, to Nami … it seemed like he might have been trying to convince himself of this as well.

"That's right, Luffy …." She said softly with a smile, "Just gotta keep moving forward."

"Mm!" He hummed determinedly with a vigorous nod.

"And now I'm gonna keep reading forward." She said, smiling wider.

"Mm! Mm!" He hummed and nodded twice to each hum.

"Luffy … that isn't true at all. You would leave people behind … and people will miss you if you're gone. There are so many here in the village who would miss and mourn you, and there is also your good friend Zoro … And there's me, Luffy … Are we no one to you …?" Usopp said softly, frowning down at his friend sadly.

"No!" Luffy exclaimed, lifting his head to show the pain across his face, "No … you … you are someone … I'm sorry, Usopp … I-I didn't mean it like that."

"Ha! See!? Even Usopp knows it!" Luffy exclaimed with a grin, "How come he doesn't?"

"I don't know … Let me keep going."

"Mmkay!"

"The princess looks like she would care t-"

"She doesn't care about me!" He suddenly cried harshly, his face twisting into such hate and animosity.

Taking a step back, Usopp gaped down at his friend in bewilderment, "I-I'm sorry … I didn't mean to upset you."

Deflating completely, Luffy just sighed and shook his head, "No, I'm sorry … I-I didn't mean to yell at you like that … I'm just … I just …" Releasing a breath, he just shook his head harder, "Please, Usopp … Just … talk to your wife … Come back to me tomorrow with your final decision …" Luffy said before turning and walking back towards his house. Usopp watched after him and then turned and walked home.

"Mmm …" Luffy growled again with his arms crossed and eyes closed.

Looking up at him, Nami frowned a bit, "What now?"

"He thinks she doesn't care about him …" He spoke in a soft voice full of thought.

Nami could only blink at him, "Eh …?"

"Wow … this guy really is an idiot …" Luffy mumbled quietly, staring off ahead of him.

"He's not the only one …" She muttered under her breath while narrowing her eyes and turning her head to the side.

"Oi …" He said, turning in her direction to pout at her, "I'm serious."

Sighing loudly with a nod, she then said, "All right, let's hear it."

"I said it … He thinks she doesn't care … but she does!" He said, pouting further.

"What makes you say that?" She asked, tilting her head at him with narrowed eyes.

"Because … I can tell … The way she talks to him and stuff …" He said with a nod, his eyes having closed again.

"Eh?" She questioned, looking back down at the book.

"She was sad … and she was pleading … She didn't get angry with him … It was almost like she understood … or something … I dunno …" But then he frowned seriously, "He made her cry … and he didn't care … I didn't like that …"

Keeping her eyes on him, she then smiled softly at him, "Is that another reason you think she cared?"

"I don't think … I know it …" His serious frown had not faltered as he attempted to look at her.

Not being able to help herself, she could only gape at him in surprise at how serious he was about the whole thing. After awhile, she cleared her throat before looking back down at the book with a slight flush, "All right, well … should I keep reading?"

"Mm …" Luffy said, still looking serious, but then he suddenly began to sweat and his brow twitched, "I … I need to go to the bathroom!"

"Eeh!?" She exclaimed, dropping the book to help him to his feet, "Why didn't you say something earlier!?"

"Because! It was getting really good!"

"You should have said you had to go anyways! We could have just continued it afterwards!"

"But it was good! I didn't wanna! But now I really gotta go!"

"Damn it!" Nami cursed, throwing the door open and hoping someone was around. Glancing from side to side, she didn't see anyone, and she cursed again, beginning to sweat and look nervous, "O-i!" Frowning deeply when no one came out, she then guided Luffy towards the back, praying that someone would show up sooner or later. When she turned the corner, she saw Usopp approaching them with a frown, and she almost broke down in tears, "Oh thank God! He needs to use the bathroom!"

"Ah!" Usopp said, rushing to Luffy's said to grab his arm, "Come on, I'll take ya!"

"Ah, thanks Usopp!" Luffy said, grinning at his friend.

"Sure, of course!"

Nami drooped against the cabin wall, releasing a relieved breath. She had been afraid she'd have had to take Luffy to the bathroom. Watching after them and seeing Luffy trip up a bit, she then frowned sadly again. She really hated seeing her captain this way. Closing her eyes slowly, she then sighed softly and deeply.

'Please let him be able to see again …'

To Be Continued …

Author's Note: Maaw~! Luffy's so cute! XD He was all serious too~! Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this! I really liked when he asked Nami if she would mourn him ... I dunno why ... It was just sweet ...

especially when he told her he'd mourn her ... Anyways, thanks for reading! XD