Me: "Welcome back guys!"
PR: "Let's make this quick, we're on spring break."
Me: "Very well. Today our disclaimer is Nami."
Nami walks into the room and sits between me and PR.
Nami: "Why am I here?"
Me: "You're disclaiming."
Nami: :shrugs: "Alright. For 100,000 berri"
PR: "My god you were right, she's like Kyouya."
Nami: "Speaking of, Shaded Truths you owe me 2,000,000
Me: "What the fuck!" I paid you that damn money back!"
Nami: "True but you didn't give me my 200% interest,"
Me: :glares: "Drop my amount owed and I won't give Sanji a copy of your room's key."
Nami is unimpressed.
Me: :sigh: "Drastic measures then."
Pulls out my laptop and pulls up my pictures folder. Nami pales as I show her my blackmail.
Nami: "Delete those! They were drunk!"
I look expectantly.
Nami: "Fine okay! You're debt free, and you own nothing in this story except you're stupid character!"
PR: "You're evil."
Me: "A guys gotta do what a guys gotta do."
Nami gets up to leave.
PR and I: "Nami."
Nami: "What!"
We hold our hands out.
"Wallets. NOW."
Nami grumbles as she reaches into her shirt and pulls out the wallets she pick pocketed from us. She throws them at us and leaves.
Chapter 7
"Oh geez," Luffy complained, still ignorant to his audience. "I'm so hungry."
The orange haired girl got over her shock and put on a devious smile.
"Oh, hey boss!" She said as she clasped her hands and walked up to him.
"Huh?" Luffy grunted as he looked from his stomach to her. "Who're you?"
The three goons from Buggy's crew all but growled at them as the girl turned and fled.
"They're all yours now boss, have fun!" she called as she got further away.
"The girls getting away!" one of the men said.
"That's all right," another chimed in. "We got her boss right here."
"You're in a lot of trouble kid," the third said as Luffy watched the object of the three's conversation dash out of sight. "You should of just let your crony fry."
"Hey, do you guys know of somewhere good I can eat?" he asked, completely ignoring their previous statements.
"Foods the least of your worries now," one of the irritated men said as he punched Luffy's hat off of his head.
Luffy gasped as he looked up to see it in the air, a split second later his fist was buried in the man's face. The blow sent him flying while the other two gasped and then Luffy held his hand out and let his hat fall into it before putting back on his head.
"You better keep your hands off my hat!" Luffy threatened with a glare.
"You bastard!" the other two yelled as they pulled daggers.
On a building overlooking the fight, the girl was climbing on the roof in order to see the results of the skirmish she caused.
"I wonder if they killed that poor guy yet," she said as if she were talking about something in the newspaper.
"Gum Gum Pistol!" Luffy shouted as he punched the last two in the face, knocking them out.
Back up on the roof, the woman looked over to see Luffy standing over the three unconscious men.
"Wow!" she said. "You're really strong."
Luffy looked over at the sound of her voice.
"Even though they both had sabers," she added as she jumped from the roof onto a balcony. "You took them out easily."
"Hey, you're the girl who set me up, who are you?"
She grinned down at him as she spoke.
"I'm a talented thief who steals strictly from pirates. My name is Nami. Hey wanna team up with me?"
"Umm," Luffy uttered as he turned away. "Thanks lady, but I'll pass."
Nami looked flabbergasted at the flat refusal before she jumped down and ran toward him.
"Hold on," she shouted. "At least think about it first!"
They both stopped as they heard Luffy's stomach sounded its displeasure.
"Oh, I forgot," Luffy said as he sank to his knees. "I'm still so hungry!"
"Oh, is that it," Nami said with a laugh. "Come with me then, I will get you some food."
"Really?" Luffy asked, already back on his feet.
Nami only stared and made unintelligible noises at his bipolar display.
"So you live in this house?" Luffy asked as he bit into a piece of bread.
Nami had taken him to one of the many empty houses, where, after a minute of searching, she found a little bit of something for him.
"What? No," she dismissed. "I'm just borrowing the place. Most of the people left this town because of Captain Buggy."
"So, you're just a petty theif," Luffy surmised as he looked at Nami, who was sitting on the table.
"How rude," she said in mock hurt. "I'll have you know that I only steal from people who deserve it, pirates. So don't compare me to some everyday scumbag."
"A thief's a thief as far as I'm concerned," Luffy told her as he finished his bread.
She looked away as she got a far off look in her eyes.
"My goal is to collect 100,000,000 berri's no matter how long it takes."
"What do you need that many berris for?" Luffy asked.
"It's a secret," she told him. "But with this chart, that 100 million seems more of a possibility now."
"Wait, a chart?" he said to himself. "So you're a navigator."
"Yeah," she winked at him. "I'm probably the best one your likely to meet."
"Wow," he beamed. "That's perfect! Just what I need."
She looked at him strangely with a raised eyebrow.
"How about you join my crew, we need a navigator," he offered.
"Really?" she asked, intrigued.
"Yeah! You can be our newest crewmember!" Luffy rejoiced.
"No," Nami deadpanned, deflating his elation. "I suppose this means you're a pirate."
"Yeah," he confirmed as he placed his hand on his hat. "I made a solemn promise to the guy that gave me this hat that I would form my own crew and become the greatest pirate ever."
He was kept from saying anymore as Nami brought both hands down on the table.
"There's nothing in the world I despise more than pirates," she told him with finality. "I only like money and tangerines."
"Come on," Luffy moaned. "Be our navigator."
"I said no," she said as she stood up and walked away.
"You're loss," Luffy sighed as he sat back down and helped himself to more bread.
Nami walked over to a window where she could look outside and see two men from Buggy's crew trying to find her.
I have to do something about them, she contemplated as they ran away.
She turned back to Luffy and adopted another grin.
"I guess I might consider joining you," she told him neutrally. "But you'd have to fill certain requirements first."
"Really?" he asked. "I'll do anything."
"Well, then I want you to come with me to make a little visit to Buggy the Pirate Clown, but first…"
Her sentence was emphasized as she picked up a bundle of rope and unwound it. She quickly worked it around his torso, binding his arms behind his back and tying it off around his wrists, leaving enough rope for her to hold like a leash.
"Why did you have to tie me up?" Luffy asked.
"It's for appearances," she assured him.
"Well alright then," he said with a smile, completely buying what she is telling him. "Let's go, I've wanted to meet some other pirates anyway, so let's get going."
"Hold you're horses." She said as his sudden movement caused her to stumble. "What's the rush?"
"What do you mean the thief got away!" Buggy screeched to a group of his men, who were cowering and holding onto eachother.
"Please forgive us Captain Buggy!" they begged.
"It's time to die!" he yelled, causing them to become more hysterical.
Before any action was taken, another crew member came up to them.
"Captain Buggy, I have news," he said. "The thief is back, and with a prisoner."
They all turned to watch as a smiling Nami waltzed into the area with an unknowing Luffy.
"That's her!" one of the crewman yelled as they came to stand mere feet in front of Buggy the Clown.
"Buggy was dressed in a red and white striped shirt, blue pants, a hat, and his most distinguishing feature was the big red nose on his face, the source of his moniker.
Nami shoved Luffy in the back, causing him to face plant into the ground. She then pulled the chart out of her waistband and strode toward Buggy.
"I've captured the thief, Captain Buggy the Clown, here's your chart back."
"Not that I don't appreciate it," Buggy said with an evil smile. "But, why the change of heart, little girl?"
Nami handed him the chart the stood back.
"I had another fight with my boss, and I just couldn't take it anymore," she explained. "So I thought I would see if I could join your crew."
Buggy narrowed his eyes at her, causing some of his crew to quake in fear.
They were quickly relieved when Buggy started to snort before laughing like the clown he dressed as.
"You're fed up huh?" he affirmed. "I must admit you're an amusing girl, I kind of like you, of course you can join my crew."
He then let out another laugh.
I did it, Nami thought to herself. I successfully infiltrated this crew, geez these pirates are gullible.
A minute later had Luffy finding himself in a small cage.
"Uh, guys, why am I in a cage?"
"What do you call yourself girl?" Buggy asked Nami as he came out from under his tent.
"Nami," she answered.
Buggy then threw his hands into the air and turned to the crew.
"Then let's have a party to celebrate our new friend, Nami," Buggy cheered causing his dozens of men to chorus their agreement.
While their party began, at the docks on the other side of town, Zoro, Gnocx, and the three stooges with them finally arrived.
"So this is where Buggy is?" Gnocx asked.
"Yeah," the three said nervously.
"This is also the direction I saw the bird take him," Zoro said as he stepped onto the dock.
"Knowing Luffy…" Gnocx started as he followed Zoro out.
"He'll be in the center of trouble," Zoro grouched as he finished the sentence.
"Alright men, it's time to load the Buggy Ball!" Buggy cried.
His men's cheering didn't ease the feeling of dread in Nami's mind.
Luffy watched from his prison as Buggy's men wheeled a cannon out of one of the tents. He also saw one of the men carrying a red cannonball with Buggy's mark on it.
"All set Captain," one of the men said after the ball was loaded and the cannon was pointed out toward the down the incline.
"What are you gonna do with that thing?" Nami asked apprehensively.
"Just observe," Buggy said, arms crossed as he stood next to her. "Light it."
The fuse was lit and his men covered their ears as the fuse dwindled to nothing.
Zoro and Gnocx both heard the resulting explosion and looked to where it was. It was a decent distance away as they hadn't gone into the town yet.
"That was some explosion," Zoro noted with a frown.
"That must have been one of the Captain's special Buggy Balls," one of the stooges said.
"Buggy Balls?" Gnocx grimaced while Zoro smirked at the ridiculous name.
Nami was speechless as she looked out at the rows of houses that were all but disintegrated.
"That was flashy," Buggy complimented himself. "With my devil fruit powers and Buggy Balls, I should have no problem conquering the grand line, right Nami?"
"Oh," Nami started out of her daze. "Of course, Captain."
"Huh?" luffy interrupted from his cage. "But it's my destiny to conquer the Grand Line."
Buggy's face twisted as he struggled to find his words.
"And then I'm gonna become the King of the Pirates."
"Shut up, idiot!" Nami yelled.
"I can see why you're sick of him, Nami," Buggy chuckled.
"Yeah, I know," she placated. "He never takes anything seriously. Thinks that life's a big game. He acts like a little kid."
"I see," Buggy conceded. "Then how about I give you a Buggy Ball to do away with your old boss."
"Huh?" Nami asked, taken aback.
"It'll be a good opportunity to prove your loyalty to your new captain," he told her with a dark look.
He then gestured to a couple of his men, who wheeled the cannon around so it pointed to Luffy's cage. Luffy only stared at the cannon, Nami, and Buggy as a ball was loaded.
"That's okay, Captain," Nami said as she laughed. "We don't have to finish him off yet, let's just get back to the welcoming party and have more fun."
Buggy slowly turned his head to her as his smirk grew sadistic.
"This is my idea of having more fun," he told her plainly.
He then set a matchbox in her hand and took a few steps back as the crew started to chant.
"Fire, fire, fire, fire, fire…."
If I don't shoot, I'll be killed. She contemplated. But if I do shoot, then I'll be no better than these pirates.
"Come on Nami, light the fuse!" Buggy commanded.
"Fire, fire, fire, fire, fire…."
Luffy only stared coolly at her, waiting for her decision.
"What's wrong, Nami, are you chickening out?" Buggy asked.
Nami just stood there as her hands started to shake.
"What's the matter?" Luffy asked. "Your hands are shaking."
Nami visibly flinched at the observation.
"That's what happens when you take on a group of pirates with half-assed resolve."
"Resolve for what?" Nami hissed. "To kill someone as if it were nothing? Is that a pirate's resolve?"
"No," Luffy stated forcefully. "You've gotta be willing to risk your own life."
Nami stood stiff as a breeze blew through her hair. She jolted as she felt the match box pulled from her grasp.
"Come on, new girl," one of Buggy's men said to her as he lit the match. "Quit being a tease. Let me show you how to light the cannon."
Nami's eyes hardened and she reached for three pieces of wood strapped to her leg, in a quick movement; they were pulled away and pieced together to form a staff, that she used to knock the man out. The crowd went deathly silent as the action Nami just took sank in.
"I'm sorry, my mistake," she cried as she bowed toward Buggy.
"Huh?" Luffy gawked at her inconsistent actions.
"I'm sorry, Captain," she repeated, still bowed.
"What the hell is the problem?" Buggy screamed. "Just shoot him!"
"So, you decided to save me?" Luffy asked.
"Don't be stupid!" Nami yelled. "I just don't want to be on the same level as these inhuman pirates."
"Oh, ok then," Luffy said "Thanks anyway."
"Pirates took the life of someone very dear to me," Nami confided. "I'll never be one of them!"
"Oh," Luffy mumbled. "I see."
He glanced toward the cannon then scream as he saw that the fuse was lit.
"Nami the fuse!"
"So you think that pirates are just inhuman filth, is that right?" Buggy asked through a glare. "Get her men!"
Four of Buggy's men lunged at the command. She swung out with her staff, but they all jumped to avoid it. She then brought it up to intercept a saber but stumbled as she lost her grip. She quickly recovered and ran around them and for the cannon.
"Water, water, water, water…" Luffy kept repeating as he looked for something to use.
Nami made it to the cannon just as the fuse was almost done. Thinking quickly, she grabbed the end of it with both hands then screamed as the lit fuse burned her hand.
"Woah," Luffy complimented. "Watch out!"
Nami turned around to see the men coming at her. She closed her eyes as she waited for the impacts. Luffy gasped as she heard a series of impacts.
"Hey now," her savior said. "It's not very nice to gang up on the poor girl."
"Zoro! Space Guy!" Luffy cheered as Nami turned around.
Zoro had taken two of his swords, still in their sheaths, and used them to smack three of the men in the face, while Gnocx had used his good arm to hit the last man in the head with the hilt of one of his swords.
"Are you hurt?" Zoro asked Nami.
"Huh?" she muttered bewildered.
"I said, are you hurt?" he repeated.
"No, I'm fine, I think," she told him.
"Luffy's in a cage," Gnocx deadpanned as they both noticed him.
Zoro's eye twitched as he took in the site of his tied up captain.
"I am so glad you guys found us," Luffy said. "Now get us out of here."
"How do you always get yourself into these situations?" Zoro asked as he ignored Buggy's crew. "First a giant bird makes off with you and now we find you trapped in a cage."
"It's an interesting story actually," Luffy said with a smile.
"And we'd be glad to hear about it," Gnocx said with absolute sarcasm. "I'll try to get him out."
"This I'd like to see," Zoro said as they both walked by Nami.
So the crew he mentioned before was… The Pirate Hunter, Zoro, and this guy, Nami thought as they walked by. What's going on here?
"So you're Zoro," Buggy said, causing Zoro to stop. "Are you hear for my bounty? If so, it's not gonna be without a fight."
"Not interested," Zoro said as he started walking again, following Gnocx who was halfway to Luffy already. "I gave that up. I'm here for my friend."
"Oh? But I'm interested though," Buggy told him, air of cockiness about him. "Killing you would bolster my reputation."
"If you try," Zoro sighed. "You'll die."
"Is that so?" Buggy laughed as he twirled a couple daggers in his hands.
Zoro looked back at him with a stoic expression.
"I tried to warn you, but oh well," he sighed.
The crowd cheered for Buggy as he licked on of his knives.
Gnocx looked back at them as he kept walking before he closed his eyes and turned back.
Five, he began in his head.
Zoro drew all of his swords and crouched.
Four
Nami stared at him as she anticipated the fight. Luffy also looked but then glanced at Gnocx as he approached.
Three, Gnocx continued as he brought the corresponding number of fingers up while still holding his sword., causing Luffy to smile knowingly before turning back to the fight.
Buggy then ran for Zoro, screaming like a mad man, while Zoro just hardened his gaze.
Two, Gnocx lowered a finger.
Buggy called out his attack as he pulled out enough knives to hold in between all the fingers of his left hand and jumped. Zoro, quick as he was, was on his other side in a flash.
One
The crowd gasped and Nami looked away as Buggy was chopped to pieces, and those pieces fell to the ground.
"Now that wasn't much of a fight, was it?" Zoro asked as he glared at Buggy's body.
"Oh wow, he's weak way to go, Zoro!" Luffy congratulated as Gnocx knelt in front of his cage. "Oh, are you gonna do a trick." Luffy nearly shouted, causing Gnocx to drop his sword and reach beyond the bars to cover his mouth with his hand.
"I'd appreciate it if as few as possible knew about me," Gnocx whispered. "But yes, I have a trick in mind but I don't know if it will work."
Luffy nodded wordlessly, goofy, seriousness in his eyes.
Before Gnocx could get to work, they both looked back at the sound of laughter. Zoro, who had made it halfway to them, stopped and looked back.
"Why are they laughing?" Luffy asked.
"Something's wrong," Gnocx narrowed his eyes as he stood.
"Their captain is lying dead on the ground and they're laughing," Nami observed, confounded.
"Hey fellas," Zoro glared as he stepped back toward them. "What's so damn funny?"
Luffy and Gnocx didn't notice Buggy's floating torso until Zoro was stabbed in the back. The swordsman shouted as he fell to his knees. He looked down and saw the end of one of Buggy's daggers sticking out his front.
"Buggy's alive," Nami shouted.
"But how?" Zoro asked as he turned on his knees.
The fours eyes widened as they saw Buggy's severed arm pull the knife out of Zoro and float back to the rest of his body.
"Chop Chop Fruit," Buggy said as his arm reattached itself to his torso. "That's the name of the devil fruit that gave me my powers. I'm a chop chop person and now I can't be felled by the sword."
"I thought devil fruits were a myth," Nami said.
"So he's a chop chop man," Luffy said. "How freaky."
"You're made of rubber," Gnocx ground out as his eyes darted between Buggy and the downed Zoro.
The tables have turned, Nami thought. If we don't do something, then they're gonna kill all four of us.
"I missed the vital organs, but that's a serious wound, looks like I win!" Buggy gloated.
"I let my guard down," Zoro said. "Stupid mistake."
"Hey!" Luffy yelled, suddenly pissed off. "Stabbing someone in the back is a cowardly move, you big red nose!"
All went deathly silent as Luffy's words echoed.
Don't call him that you idiot! Nami panicked.
"Dodge," Luffy whispered to Gnocx.
Gnocx sidestepped as he turned to question what he meant, but at the sight of a dagger flying by where he was, his eyes widened. Buggy yelled as he severed his hand and it flew, with the dagger, barely missing Gnocx, into the cage and Luffy's face. He then laughed in triumph while Nami gaped.
"Hey Buggy," the muffled call dragged their attention to the cage.
Buggy's eyes widened as he saw that Luffy had caught the knife in his mouth.
"After I get outta here, I'm gonna get kick your ass," Luffy said as he bit the knife in half.
"You kick my ass?" Buggy laughed. "Sorry to say you'll all die by my hands. You're a caged rat, a little girl, a wounded man, and a cripple."
"I wouldn't say I'm a cripple," Gnocx deadpanned as he looked at his arm in a cast.
Gnocx's statement went unheard as Luffy started to laugh.
"I refuse to die!" he shouted. "Zoro, get up!"
"What the?" Zoro asked as he looked at him.
Gnocx and Nami watched as Luffy and Zoro stared at each other.
Zoro grinned as he got what Luffy's plan was.
What just happened, Gnocx thought to himself, missing what Luffy was trying to do.
Nothing makes sense anymore, Nami thought to herself in despair. This is why I hate pirates.
Zoro stood, and was automatically assaulted by Buggy, he easily blocked the blows and took advantage of an opening to slice Buggy in half and jump by, sheathed his swords, and ran for Luffy and the cannon.
"Not so fast you," Buggy yelled as he started to go for him.
"Bind," Gnocx said to himself as he held up a hand.
An orange disc of energy appeared on the ground beneath Buggy and he stopped running.
"What the hell is this?" Buggy shouted. "I can't move."
Buggy's crew's eyes bulged as Zoro reached the cannon, he knelt in front of it and then started to push the end up, in order to flip the aim.
"I see know," Gnocx said as Luffy went starry eyed at his binding spell. "Hey, girl! Come on!"
"Huh?" Nami looked over at Gnocx. "Ok…"
She ran by Zoro and the cannon as he just managed to get it flipped. Gnocx ran up to Zoro and helped him get up, allowing Zoro to throw an arm around his shoulders.
"Ignite," he said as he started to walk with Zoro back to Luffy.
"No way! I don't want to go out like this!" Buggy cried as the fuse lit after Gnocx said his spell.
Luffy beamed as the fuse dwindled down and Nami just gaped as the cannon went off and they all turned away from the screams.
Omake
"Do you need me to hold your hand?" Gnocx asked as his eyebrow twitched.
"Shut up!" Zoro yelled with a dusting of flushed cheeks as they ran up the hill, toward where Luffy was. "It's not my fault they decided to move where they were!"
Gnocx just stared at him as they ran.
"It's more like you have a shitty sense of direction," he said.
"I do not!" Zoro yelled, growing fangs.
"Then how did you lead us back to the docks?" Gnocx asked.
"I was following that damn cloud, you asshole!" Zoro said, pointing out a cloud in the sky that looked vaguely like a mug.
"Clouds move you idiot!" Gnocx shouted.
"Well they shouldn't!" Zoro screamed back.
"I hope we find a navigator before you two get me killed."
Well there you have it, longest one yet, but not by much. I hope you enjoyed it seeing as how I'm trying to find a way to involve Gnocx without taking away from the canon. I had him light the fuse instead of Nami because it wasn't a moment that was character defining so it doesn't change anything that he did it instead. If you must complain about it, then I can't stop you. See you all next week.
~Shaded Truths~
