Luffy and Ace walked through the forest to get to the coast, the one on the opposite side of the main village. This coast had real waves, not the soft sloshing waves at their home's beach. The two didn't go completely in the water because they'd get trapped and would die in the water. They just made some blankets and laid them down at the edge of the water where the foam touched before the water is sucked back into the next incoming wave.
Seagulls also came here, and pelicans as well. No one but the nymphs knew about this place, and it was a long uphill walk to get there. They both took off their shoes and put their small feet in the wake.
There was a peaceful silence as Ace looked at the sky and Luffy looked at the sea.
"Ace? Has a nymph ever left here?" Luffy asked suddenly. "Like, left the island to go somewhere else?"
"I don't think so. I don't see why they would. We drown in the ocean and the rest of the world is flooded with humans. Why do you ask?"
"I was just curious. If any of us could have an adventure and then come back… It sounds neat," Luffy replied honestly.
"I know you've always wanted to go on an adventure, but who's to say you cant have an adventure here? And how would you even get anywhere? You don't know how to sail a boat, and all of the pirates that come and go would never take you and treat you right," Ace told her, noticing her sad demeanor when he said that. "What brought this on?"
Luffy took her time coming up with an answer. "When we were on the sheephead ship, it felt good to be there. It felt like it could be home, y'know? But I know it's not like I can sail away on it anyways. I'm just having silly thoughts… They'll pass, but I'll think of them for now." Then she asked, "Am I weird, Ace? Does no one else think like this?"
Ace also took a long time to answer. "I don't think you are weird, just different. Not in a bad way. I think you're just more open minded, but I hope that doesn't come around the hurt you. What's the real reason you are asking this stuff?"
"I have a secret, but I don't want you to tell anyone. It won't matter in a couple days anyway. Promise, okay?" Ace looked a little suspicious. "Please?"
"I promise I won't tell anyone. But it's making me worried. Just say it already," he said, though not unkindly.
"I have a crush on someone… and he's not a nymph," Luffy said, curling up and hiding her face in her knees. "There's something wrong with me… isn't there?" Luffy asked miserably. "I wish he was a nymph because I really like him and he likes me. And I know it will never work out."
Ace didn't know what to say. "Oh Luffy… Can I ask who it is?" Ace was secretly terrified for Luffy, but she was distraught over it, and he was going to help her. He wasn't going to scream at her not to feel that way. That'd probably make it worse.
"Roronoa Zoro… a pirate… I have a crush on a human pirate…" Luffy sniffled once. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
"...Does he like you back?" Ace asked, feeling like he was walking on eggshells. Luffy nodded slowly.
"I sorta went over last night because I couldn't sleep and I wanted to fight, but we just ended up talking and eating cake. And he kissed me. Then I left after that because I didn't want you to know… but I've never been able to keep secrets from you. I'm just hoping you won't hate me or think I'm broken or something," she mumbled the last part.
"I could never hate you, Luffy. Ever. Even if you left with them and never came back, I wouldn't hate you. And I know you can't control who you have feelings for… I had a crush on Marco for a long time. Makino was the only one who knew, and she tried to 'help' me not like him anymore. But no matter what I did, I still loved him.
"At least the person likes you back, Luffy. I know that doesn't help, but you know you aren't just chasing after someone who doesn't love you like you love them," Ace finished, embarrassed about confessing this. But he knew Luffy needed to hear it.
"I never knew… and if I did leave, I'd never leave forever," Luffy said, looking straight into Ace's eyes. "I'd come back, no matter what, to see you and tell you everything that happened. But I know deep down, no one would want me on that ship. They're all afraid of me, and I'm afraid of them."
Ace hugged her. "When are they leaving?"
"Three days, I think," Luffy told him. "I know it hasn't been long since I met him, and we didn't start off on a good note, but I think he really does like me. He kissed me and was kind and didnt do anything I didn't want him to. He doesn't seem like a bad pirate… And you can tell they aren't horrible people based on their ship," Luffy said with a laugh.
"What do you think the others would do? Would I be in trouble?" Luffy asked nervously.
"I don't know. I have a feeling that it wouldn't be good, Luffy. The only reason I'd tell you to bury your feelings is for your own wellbeing. I'm sure, if someone really loved you, they'd leave you be if it was for your safety," Ace hypothesized gently.
"...Do you regret not being able to be together with Marco? And now you have to see him all the time? Is it hard?" Luffy questioned. She felt bad for her brother.
"Every time I see him I regret pushing my feelings away because I know now I'd never be able to confess, and he'd never want to be with me. I don't know if that makes it harder for or for me to see him every day and not be able to be with him compared to you never seeing Zoro again," Ace answered truthfully. It really was hard for him to be around Marco all the time and not be with him how he had wanted to be… still secretly wanted to be.
"Okay… I'll just wait for the three days. If he's gonna leave anyway, might as well enjoy his company, right? Is that the right thing to do?" Luffy asked desperately. He wanted Ace to say it was the right thing to do, but that's not what he said.
"I don't know the right or wrong way to go about this, Luffy. Just do what you feel is right. And don't worry, I'll protect you."
The rest of the time they stayed at the beach was quiet and peaceful, both of them just listening to the waves they couldn't play in. They spent a little over two hours at the beach before leaving and heading back to their area. Luffy's thoughts were occupied by Zoro.
Luffy and Ace walked down the market street, wanting some candy from the candy shop. It was difficult recreating candy because they all ended up tasting the same; plain sugar, no flavoring. It was nice they could create desert dishes, though.
While they got closer to the candy store, Luffy heard a woman pleading. She automatically assumed it was a human, and would usually just pass by, but this time, she felt different for some reason. The sounds were coming from an alleyway, and she abruptly turned, surprising Ace.
"What are you doing?" he asked curiously. He followed her to the scene. An orange haired woman, with many shopping bags around her, was being restrained by three men. She was crying out for help, punctuated by swear words and offensive insults. But she couldn't get out of the grip.
It was clear these men werent from the island for they didn't react when the small nymph came over. She glared at them, but they just laughed at her, asking why a little kid was here. Luffy did not like this, and walked over to brutally kick one of the men's shin. He fell to the ground with a cry of pain. One of them men kept their hold on Zoro's friend, and the other went towards Luffy.
Ace was fighting back the instinct to rush in and protect Luffy. But he didn't because he knew she would be irritated and insulted if he did.
The second the man not hurting the redhead woman tried to grab Luffy, but his hand was laid on the dirty ground, his stump of a forearm bleeding copiously. Zoro's friend hadn't seen her transform her hand because the female nymph had been too fast for her human eyes.
The other man made a break for it, but Luffy let Ace go have his fun with the last man. Luffy considered banishing the two men in front of her, but they ran off, screaming in fear, picking up the severed hand on their way. She hoped they'd be traumatized and leave quickly since there were those that looked similar to Luffy all around most of the island.
Ace came back, smirking. "Have fun?" Luffy asked in a teasing voice.
"Yup," then he looked at the redhead trying not to cry. "Why'd you save her?" he asked.
"She is one of Zoro's friends… I think. Pretty sure. I think this one is the one obsessed with money and treasure," Luffy explained. "Let's go," she said, not giving Nami a second look, but Nami wanted to thank Luffy somehow.
"Luffy, Ace… will you have dinner with me and the crew? I want to- to thank you," she stuttered, still shaken by what had just happened with those men. Luffy looked to Ace, wondering what she should do.
"You decide."
Luffy bit her bottom lip momentarily but then nodded. Dinner was a few hours from then, though. Well, for nymphs it was. She thought humans had it at the same time, but she could be wrong. Nami gave a big smile at Luffy saying yes.
Luffy put her hand behind her back, creating a pen but acting like she'd pulled it out of a pocket. She wrote on the wall "What time?" But she left the words there, trying her best to not reveal any of her powers.
"Five should be good," Nami replied. "My name is Nami by the way. Sorry for not introducing myself sooner." Nami smiled at her and Zoro, saying she'd see them in a few hours, and took her bags to leave.
"Hey, Ace. I have a fun idea!" Luffy suddenly said. Ace asked what it was, but Luffy just smiled and ran towards the harbor, candy store forgotten.
Nami arrived on the ship and brought all her bags to the women's room. Then she went to the deck and found Robin, telling her what had happened. She gave a surprised expression. That sounded like nothing the books said about nymphs nature.
But, then again, Luffy was having an affair with Zoro, so things must be somewhat different for her now.
"She broke a man's shin and chopped another one's hand off somehow. Then her brother went after the other one. I don't know what happened to that one." Nami then looked scared for a moment.
"I'm so sorry that happened. It must have been very scary. Good thing Luffy was there," Robin said. Nami nodded and gave a small smile. She agreed. It was very scary. She could predict what would have happened to her if no one had intervened. She hoped, if those men stick around, they wont do anything stupid and piss the nymphs off.
Zoro heard Luffy's name and immediately left the weight he'd been lifting to go see why they were talking about Luffy. "What about Luffy?" he asked. He tried not to have the hardness in his voice about them saying her name. What had they been talking about...?
"Luffy and her brother saved Nami from some thugs. Apparently both of them are coming over for dinner," Robin explained. She smiled at Zoro's blush, though not knowing the cause.
Zoro blushed because both him and Luffy would be in the room where things got somewhat heated. On the benches, too. He wondered what she had told Ace. How much he knew, since he and Luffy seemed really close. He guessed he might see at dinner.
But he would end up learning what the nymph knew earlier than that.
