A Force Against Inertia
By Dixxy Mouri
Chapter 09
Dinner was served and the lights dimmed.
They had been trapped there for, based on a calendar Sanji had seen, four weeks. They'd been kidnapped February 1, and now it was February 28. Four weeks of torture, experiments, crying, shitty, food, being cold, being half naked or entirely naked against their will, zero privacy, and for Sanji, no cigarettes (although by now he begrudgingly admitted his cravings were all but completely gone).
A month. They'd been Tesla's guinea pigs for a month.
And yet, somehow, Nami got the awful feeling that they hadn't seen all of the tests these scientists wanted to run. Some of it, she realized, may not hurt, but she also realized that much of it probably would hurt. A lot. She shuddered and whimpered at the idea – she really didn't like being in pain (she knew very few people who did) and it wasn't even like this was serving a purpose. She wasn't exactly taking a hit for one of her friends – that she could handle. But this?
Sanji looked a bit shaken too from his place across the room. She wondered if he'd tried to resist and ended up in the Tank again, maybe even for a few minutes – she somehow doubted Tesla would make good on his threat to leave them there for a whole hour at this stage. Either way, the blond looked frazzled. He saw her looking at him. Their eyes locked before they turned back to their food.
"What a time for Luffy to be a dumbass," said Nami.
"Yeah, really," said Sanji. He put his bowl on the floor and lied back. "How did your day go?"
"Shitty," Nami said irritably.
"I guess that's going to be the only real answer here for a while, huh?"
"Probably."
Nami dropped her bowl to the floor and laid down, turning her back to Sanji to sleep. She shuddered. Today had been quiet – just shots, food, and pills. She and Sanji hadn't said much to each other – mostly just small talk about waiting for Luffy to come rescue them. Talking about how Luffy was going to destroy this boat and everyone on it. Luffy wouldn't abandon them. He would punish every last person who did this to them.
Of course he would. He had to.
She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. She was tired. Spending the day waiting around and staring at Sanji was emotionally draining. Nami wasn't sure why she was tired, but she was exhausted and just wanted to sleep. If only her body would let her sleep. Her head was a mess and her stomach was in knots. She wanted to start crying.
Again.
Is this all we can do anymore? Cry and feel sorry for ourselves? The thought depressed her. Tesla kept them under tight lock and key, usually seastone. They weren't bound with seastone while in the cell anymore, but the scientists had started carrying seastone with them to subdue them until they could get the restraints on.
And then they were strapped to tables for hours and hours. They'd have their blood drawn. They were given shots. They were rarely given lunch anymore and there was barely any nutrition in what food they were given for breakfast and dinner. Nami was hungry, but didn't dare complain about the food in front of Sanji, knowing he'd gone through a far more dire starvation as a child.
"Nami-san, are you . . . I guess you're not alright but you're shaking."
Nami sniffled. She hadn't noticed. "I just wanna go home."
That was what finally made her start crying that evening. Fuck being a pirate, fuck her map, she just wanted to go back to Cocoyashi Village and sob into Bellemere's arms – it was in her dreams almost every night. Cocoyashi Village was probably on the other side of the world, and Bellemere was dead – she wouldn't see Nojiko or Genzo ever, ever again.
Nami was alone.
She felt something beside her on the bench and felt a hand on her shoulder. Sanji softly spoke, squeezing her gently. "You can cry, Nami-san. I don't mind. Remember, I've been crying, too." Nami turned her head, barely able to tell that tears were falling down his cheeks as well. Sanji wasn't sobbing, but sure enough he was crying. She twisted and sat up, watching Sanji's hand fall to his knee.
I'm an idiot. Sanji-kun probably misses his home, too – the Baratie, North Blue . . .
Nami leaned forward, resting her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes as Sanji wrapped his arms around her – they were shaky, but there was no malice or coolness in his arms. It was human contact that didn't hurt. It was only a month ago she took it for granted, but now she craved it. And Sanji was the only person who could provide it.
"Yes. We're going to do this," he said. "We just need to wait a little longer."
Nami nodded. "Don't let me go." She clenched her eyes shut tighter. "I'm afraid."
"Me too."
"To one month."
"To one month."
Tesla and Curie clinked their wine glasses together as they gazed out at the ocean on the deck of the Newton. It had been one month since they had acquired 0543 and 0544 and they had survived the whole month in relatively good health. This time, it seemed, they had done something right with the 05 series.
Perhaps it wouldn't be long before they found the results they sought.
"This is an excellent wine, Captain," said Curie. "Your taste is impeccable."
"Thank you, Curie." He took a sip from his glass. It was, indeed, impeccable. It was sweet and light and pleasant to swallow – not as harsh on the throat as what the crew liked to drink. He imagined it would go wonderfully with a fine cheese spread, but it had been some time since they had procured any from port.
In fact . . .
"We should try to seek port soon," said Tesla.
"Well, I've been told it may be a while before we reach port," said his first mate. She cleared her throat, looking into her wine glass. "There is an island one week from here as the crow flies, but the crew has set course for a different island a month away in the opposite direction, sir."
"For what purpose?" asked Tesla.
"They are afraid of a legend in the area of that other island, sir."
Tesla's wine glass shattered on the deck.
"They're afraid of something that is not there?" he asked, his voice growing tense.
"The island is supposed to be haunted, sir."
Tesla barely heard the end of the sentence before he stormed off the deck in search of the incompetent buffoons he called the ship's navigator and helmsan. Curie sighed and rubbed her temples. Truly, if the crew wanted to avoid Dr. Tesla's ire, they should not believe in such childish fairy tales. It would only serve them in the long run.
The lights went on.
Sanji opened his eyes and saw the top of Nami's head just below his nose. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath – even after all this time, somehow, she still smelled a little like tangerines. He tightened his embrace around her and felt her grip him a little tighter, too. He stayed quiet for a few minutes, enjoying the peace of the moment.
They'd fallen asleep holding each other. When they got too tired, and neither wanted to let the other go, they'd moved themselves to the center of the room for the night. It had been nice, quiet, comforting, and almost relaxing, even in the middle of the floor – not that their benches were much more comfortable.
Sanji closed his eyes again. Maybe the scientists would leave them alone today. He liked the idea of going back to sleep. A pit formed in his stomach. Not likely. It wouldn't be long before Tesla sent his cronies to the cell to feed them, drag them out, and put them through yet another day of being poked and prodded until they were done.
Nami murmured something in her sleep and gripped his shirt a little tighter. He didn't want to wake her. Let her have a few more moments of peace while she slept. He tried to go back to sleep himself. He wanted to forget where he was for a little while longer. He wanted Luffy to burst through the door, yelling their names and angrily screaming he was going to kick Tesla's ass (if not outright kill him). He'd even be okay if Zoro helped him out – he didn't care. He'd be happy to see the swordsman.
Because it would mean he was going home.
The sound of the door clicking open shattered the quiet, and he felt Nami tremble in his arms.
Author's Notes
Comment/review away.
Dixxy