Title: Storm
Pairing: NamiVivi
Warnings: Use of weapons.
Summary: Capturing Vivi was Nami's final mission as a bounty hunter. Her client would pay well, and the mission would ultimately save her village from the hands of Arlong. However, somewhere along the way, it seemed as if it was Nami who got captured by Vivi.
Author: Stopless [ladyquintessence Tumblr]
Beta: Atlanis Tumblr
Note: Written for the 2015 opbigbang.
Nami looked at the back of Vivi. Vivi was simply too trusting for her own good. What was to prevent Nami from stealing her ship? The assumption that a bounty hunter was not above stealing like a bandit was unfounded. Nami smirked. Whatever the case, it didn't matter to her as long as she had her bounty in sight. She was sure that the reward would be worth more than a cruise ship.
Which called for some more careful planning on her part. Earlier, she had agreed to aid Vivi. The best case scenario would be to help accomplish Vivi's goal first, then she would have a reward and a bounty to boot.
Nami began walking toward the marketplace area. She remembered the place well. When her old friend, Zoro, visited Whiskey Peak with her to capture a bounty, they started with a drinking contest which led to the residents' attempt to rob them of information. Little did the residents, or bounty hunters of Whiskey Peak knew that both Nami and Zoro would never drink into such a stupor that would give out free information.
Bounty hunters taking advantage of other bounty hunters wasn't a rarity. Which was why Nami and Zoro had given them false information regarding the location of their next bounties. At the end of their visit, it was they who had taken information from the Whiskey Peak bounty hunters.
They had even met a new ally, Luffy, too. The pirate, who had been able to hold his own even against Zoro, was well-received after aiding Zoro in battle. Nami wondered the whereabouts of Luffy and Zoro right now. They were probably still combining their forces to best the most vile of the galaxy.
The marketplace was very busy. People bustled about and chatted with store owners in order to haggle prices. A few shops allowed for bartering instead of only accepting beli.
Nami glanced upwards to the twin suns of the planet. Highnoon. She had a lot of time before having to meet back with Vivi again. She wondered if she should ask Vivi if she could be of more help. After all, what was to prevent Vivi from leaving her on this planet? Nami decided to go return to the Carue earlier than midnight.
Something that was a brilliant blue caught the corner of Nami's vision. She turned and walked up to the shop to examine it.
"Good eyes, visitor," the shopkeeper said to Nami. Nami ignored the greeting as she took the blue staff from its holding place. "Hey! If you break it, you buy it!"
"If this could be so easily broken," Nami smiled, testing out the staff's durability by attempting to bend it. It separated into three segments. However, the separation was purposeful. Nami realized that it was how the weapon functioned. It was far from broken. "Then sell it to at me the lowest price."
"This is a rare Clima-Tact staff from planet Weatheria! It's supposed to separate like that, so you can't fool me."
"Clima-Tact? Fancy name for a simple bo-staff," Nami replied. "I can get a better quality one at another store." Nami turned away.
"Wait! You won't find this anywhere else! I'll give you a discount."
Nami snuck a grin before she turned around. "Sell it to me for 50%, and we have a deal."
"You're a thief!"
"You're a business. What's the difference?"
"30."
"45."
"40."
"45, or no deal. I'll be paying by beli. Not a card. That works out for both of us, yeah?"
The shopkeeper pretended to consider it. Customers who did not pay for wares by card were favourites in the marketplace. This was because the lack of transactions records allowed for easy tax evasion. A silent rebellion against the tax-hungry officials of the planet, and a benefit to both the business and the customer.
"Deal," the shopkeeper said meekly, taking the staff back and starting to package it.
"Forget about the packaging," Nami said, putting the Beli on the table as she took the staff back. Experience had taught her that the packaging process allowed ample opportunity for swindling.
"Thanks for your business."
Nami took a moment admire the her new weapon. It would definitely prove useful in frontal combat. A pistol served her well, however there was the disadvantage of being a long-ranged fighter in a short-ranged battle. The fight between the bandits and herself earlier had proven it.
"Another steal?" a rough voice interrupted her musings. Nami turned around.
"Zoro! Small galaxy. What are you doing here?"
The man with green hair and holding two katana instead of his signature three scratched his head, looking up at the afternoon sky.
"Battled with an officer named Smoker a few days ago. Things have calmed down, but Luffy and I had barely escaped. Smoker has some kind of devil's power."
"Then you better watch out," Nami replied, beginning to walk around the market again. She glanced around for a weapons shop that sold katana as she chatted with Zoro. "I heard that a Smoker's on this planet."
"Shit."
"Just a rumor. Heard it from a bunch of bandits." Nami continued. "How's Luffy doing?"
"Recovering in the Merry," Zoro replied. "Can't believe Smoker's chased us all the way here."
"He's probably assigned at an outpost. It could be a coincidence, but who knows? And you and I both know that you fancy a gamble."
Zoro grinned. "Not gambling," he corrected. "Destiny."
"How romantic," Nami shook her head.
The era of romanticism across the galaxy was presumed to be long gone. Only the delusional or a special few still truly understood what it meant. Aligned stars that granted wishes were no longer needed in an enlightened world of science. However, sometimes, whenever Nami encountered both Zoro and Luffy, she wondered if things such as luck and destiny really existed. They both seemed to have some kind of power of will that allowed great feats even in the most dire of situations.
Nami spotted a katana shop, and gestured for Zoro to go inside it.
"Anything new with you?" Zoro asked. He opened the door for a woman with short black hair before entering the shop himself.
"Just hunting a new bounty," Nami replied, already walking away. "As always."
"Take care."