Wolfy-tan: Ello mate! Chapter 28 is up! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece! D:

Chapter 28: The Walk to Arlong Park! Lucy's Condition Starts to Worsen!

Lucy silently walked along the path. She wouldn't get involved if Nami didn't want her to. It was as simple as that. However, Lucy also wanted Nami to come with them, so she stubbornly refused to leave the island. Now she walked along, trying to focus on other, also important, things. Like, how if Phelemor would get so out of hand that she'd have to either kill herself or make one of her crew do it. Either way, she wouldn't let Atsuke have his way. Lucy was a major factor in his plan; and if there was a slip-up in that plan, such as Lucy's death, then it would be impossible for him to execute his plan; however, Lucy also doesn't want to break her promise to Shanks, so she was torn between if she should live or die. She mulled it over with her head down until she ran into something. Something extremely buff and didn't fidget in any form when Lucy ran into it. She looked up to see two suspicious looking fish dudes.

"Sorry," she said blankly and continued walking with no sign of fear or intimidation.

"Hey, you there! Wait!" the octopus one shouted. Lucy halted and turned to them.

"Huh? You mean me?" Lucy asked.

"Who are you? And what are you doing on this island?" the octopus guy demanded.

"Why do you care?" she asked. She didn't say it in a rude way; she was just asking, which was natural...well, to her, at least.

"Well it's just that we...don't get many visitors..." the octopus stuttered, obviously slightly embarassed for outbursting randomly to her.

"Oh, well my name's Lucy," she said. "I'm just passing by."

"Passing through?" he said. "Well have a nice time!" Lucy tipped her hat and returned on her walk. She could feel the studying stare from the sting ray guy, as if trying to find some motive for her being on the island.

"Hey smartass, where're you going?" the fish guy with the eternally puckered mouth yelled.

"Hell if I know," Lucy responded. When she was out of sight, she sneezed. 'They must be talking about me behind my back,' Lucy thought. Which they were. Lucy continued walking, returning to her thoughts. 'Hopefully I will see my brothers and sister soon.'

~.~

Zoro woke up to hear Nojiko talk.

"If you go around saying that you're her friend, they'll get suspicious, making her eight years of work for nothing! Don't make it harder than it already is," Nojiko crossed her arms. "She has to do this alone; knowing people who call her 'friend' just makes it harder!"

~.~

Lucy had just reached Cocoyashi village when she saw a man leading marines. She gasped at what she saw; that man had a pinwheel on his head! It was so cool! Lucy decided to sit down. The whole time she was wondering about the pinwheel hat. Lucy grinned.

"I just thought of a new move!"

"Doctor! Doctor!" Lucy looked over to see a commotion stir up.

"Genzo, what is it?"

"Nojiko was shot!"

"By who?"

"The marines..."

"The marines?"

Lucy got up and walked over to Nami. "Hey Nami! Is everything okay...?" Nami lifted Lucy by her vest.

"WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?" Nami shouted. "STAY OUT OF MY BUSINESS!" she threw Lucy to the side and ran; anger, no...hate written all over her face. Lucy went back to sit under a tree, a sour look on her face. She started having another cough attack. It was worse than the other two she had today. 'Damn you...Atsuke...!"

~.~

"Aaaaalright," Usopp said, holding out the 'Aw' part. "Let's go meet up with Lucy." Usopp noticed Sanji just sitting there. "Sanji, what're you doing?"

"I'm appreciating happiness."

"What're you talking about?" Usopp asked. Sanji put his cigarette in his mouth.

"Nami has had to live with more suffering than any normal person," Sanji said. He lit his cigarette. "Right now I'm creating good vibes so I can send them her way." He blew out smoke.

"I bet that's not all you're thinking about, love cook," Usopp said accusingly. Sanji stood up.

"I'm trying to fight for a beautiful person. Is something wrong with that?"

"That's not right at all! It's supposed to be for Nami and all the villagers!"

"Yeah yeah."

Zoro grabbed his trusty katana, standing up. "Quit bickering. Let's go."

~.~

Lucy watched as Nami stabbed her tatoo. Lucy's eyes hardened; that was not the answer to her anger. Hurting yourself won't solve your problems so easily. Lucy knew. Lucy grabbed her wrist to prevent her from stabbing herself again. She watched as the blood flowed down her arm at an extremely fast pace. Nami turned to her, tears falling down her cheeks.

"Lucy..." Nami dropped the knife. The air was tense around them and neither spoke. Nami broke the ice.

"What do you want? You don't know anything about me. You don't know what this island has been through for the past eight years."

"No."

"This has nothing to do with you...!" Nami dug her fingers in the ground. "I told you to leave this place...!"

"You did. I just didn't listen."

"Go! Just go!" Nami sobbed again, knowing how stubborn the she-captain was. Lucy silently watched. She knew real tears when they were shed; Lucy shed a lot of them herself.

"Lucy...help me...!" Lucy could see the pain in her eyes, clear as day. She once wore those same eyes. Lucy didn't speak, but that didn't mean she didn't respond. She took her straw hat and placed it on Nami's head. She looked up in surprise.

"Of course," Lucy said, walking away. "That's what friends are for, after all." Lucy stopped walking suddenly, "HE'S GONNA PAY!" Once she was done, she continued walking, her three male crewmembers standing waiting for her. "Let's go."

"Right." the three said together. The tears wouldn't stop falling from Nami's widened eyes. All four walked down the path (epically). Once they reached it, the villagers were at the entrance.

"Step aside," Lucy said sternly. When they moved, Lucy punched the door, the door easily bursting to a million pieces.

"What the?" Arlong said.

"Now which one of you is Arlong?"

~.~

DUN DUN DUN AGAIN. Heheh sorry it took so long to update and that it was short. I had to stay after school then go to church 'cause today was a holy day. Sorry 'bout that. I still have math homework to do...FAIL. xD Peace out viewers! R&R!

THANKS FOR REVIEWING THE LAST CHAPTER:

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"A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift, above all it teaches entire trust."

-Gertrude Jekyll