"Every Strawhat is on your side"

Nami smiled gently as she walked down the path. She and Robin went on their separate ways after their talk. It's a good idea to talk to Robin. They even treated each other not as friends, not as a gang member but as sisters; sisters who can depend on each other. Having said that, makes Nami wanted to see Nojiko.

Nami gripped her hands as she analyzed the whole situation. Everything was coming crystal clear. Robin also told her some things that made her feel that she's not alone. The older woman also told her that the Strawhats are looking for the people who can help the school against the mastermind of her hellish life.

Now, what should do? Where should she start?

Knowing that she's not alone anymore made her feel somehow, secure.

She knew that she's a key to Arlong's whatever-plan-is. He won't lay a finger on her hair as long as she'll be useful to him. But the risks ends up towards her friends and her family. As long as she's willing to do anything for Arlong, he won't touch them. Yet, he broke one promise; he laid his dirty fins on her foster mother and that is something she can't forgive.

Nami opened her phone and texted Kalifa.

"Kalifa-san, please tell me Alvida-san's number."

-sent-

She waited for the reply and sat on a nearby bench. She didn't know that she arrived on a park. It was a peaceful morning.

She totally forgot that the exams will begin tomorrow onward. Nah, in her situation, she wouldn't bother with those things anymore.

Nami remembered Boa's message to Law, which she overheard it. At least Belliemere's alive.

Speaking of which, she just realized that Law knows something. Why on earth didn't she asked him about it last night?

Her phone buzzed.

"0xxxxxxx98 -Alvida. Why would you want to contact your rival's manager?" -Kalifa

Rival? Oh right. She posing as Cat Burglar. So much for all the hard work she put to being an A-pop idol. Nami ignored Kalifa's text. Instead, she saved Alvida's number then dialed it.

Each ring on her ears made her heart beats fast. She just wanna know how her foster mother is doing.

"Alvida speaking." -Alvida

"Alvida-san. How is my mother?" Nami's voice quivered. The other line seems to have taken a pause upon hearing the familiar voice.

"Oh? So you knew?" -Alvida

"Where's the motel you're staying at? I want to meet her."

"No. Don't come. If you knew the situation then you must've knew Belliemere's condition. Arlong thought that Belliemere is killed. If you come here now then the fish-men gang would suspect things." -Alvida

"A-ah. I understand. B-but, she's totally fine, right? That's all I want to know."

"Amnesia. She suffered from amnesia."

Nami didn't say anything else. Having said that directly to her makes her feel sick in the her stomach. Worried, anxiety and sadness.
Nojiko must've been worried to death. She wondered if her sister knew about the current condition.

She wanted to see her mother but she can't.

She wanted to make things right but she can't.

She can't do a damn thing.

She felt weak, helpless and alone.

Whom could she sought help from? The Strawhats? Robin reassured her earlier that they always have her back.

Looking at things again, they don't know her that much. What should she do?

"Look here, girl."

Hancock? Probably, she snatched Alvida's phone to talk to her.

"Don't you dare do anything reckless, ya hear me? We still have our own showdown in the upcoming festival. Do what you think is right and depend on someone sometimes, stupid girl. I don't want my rival being all weak here now, would I? Stick to reality and stop being such a cry baby,damn bitch."

Nami covered her mouth to seal off her sobs. Who would've thought that Boa Hancock will be the one who would lecture her in such strange ways. Maybe this is what she lacked. Someone to scold her.

"Hancock." Nami breathed in before talking. "Take care of her for me."

Nami could hear a scoffed, a somewhat-good-scoff.

"If I wouldn't have such intention then I should've taken a blind eye in the first place, stupid bitch."

"Harsh as always." Nami smiled and hang up.

She looked at the sky. Somehow, a burden has taken off from her shoulder.

Kalifa is alright and is with Paulie. Belliemere is with Hancock and Alvida.

Now, what will be Arlong's next step?

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

A person hid behind a tree while eyeing Nami sitting in the bench.

His phone rang.

"Come home NOW" The voice seems mad.

"I'm busy right now, Roronoa."

"I don't care. Just come home, Mihawk!" Then he hung up.

What the hell is with him?!

Mihawk turned his back and headed home. His mission will continue later on. After all, he can trail the girl anytime,anywhere.

x-x-x-x-x

Zoro sat on their house's couch angrily.

"Why're you so loud early in the damn morning, stupid aniki!"

Zoro glared at his sister. "Go to work. I have to talk to Mihawk, alone." He gripped his katana.

"If you're planning to challenge papa again then do it in the dojo. Don't mess up the house." Perona sighed and took a break on her mouth. "By the way, my shift in the hospital is not until 12 at noon. You can't make me go out so early in the morning. It's only 8am, damn it."

"Suit your goddamn self." Zoro barked.

"Geez. Do you have your period right now? Why're you so grumpy?" Perona said rhetorically then drink her morning juice.

"If you're staying here until then, don't get in my way." Zoro stated. Perona shivered as she looked in Zoro's demonic eyes. "I might kill you too." He looked serious.

Zoro stood up when he felt the man he waiting for came inside the house.

He attacked.

"Whoah there. What's gotten you so pumped up in the morning, Zoro?" Mihawk asked as he dodged Zoro's attack.

"You goddamnmotherfvcker killer!" Zoro cursed. Mihawk looked at his foster son with understanding eyes.

"How did you know?" Mihawk referred to his mission towards Nami. It wasn't hard to guess. Zoro is in the Strawhats and there's a rumor going around that the new girl has joined in, not too long ago. Is this Zoro's action towards protecting his nakama?

Zoro stepped back as he breathed heavily. A paper from his pocket fell out. Perona took it and gasped.

"Why did you have this?" Perona showed Zoro the paper wherein it states that Nami must be killed.

"Now I know." Mihawk said. "No wonder why Akainu was surprise to see me, not knowing anything despite that he sent me an ahead notice."

"Tell me, are you really planning to kill Nami?" Zoro shouted angrily.

Perona shook in fear. She never saw Zoro like this before. He was always grumpy, but he never showed his demonic eyes. It's a first for her.

"It's my mission, Zoro." Mihawk sighed.

"You fvcking marine dog! You really do anything for the marines?!" Zoro argued.

"Zoro! Calm down and let papa explain things!" Perona tried to pull back Zoro.

Zoro hissed as he was being pulled back by his sister. The man who wants to kill Nami is just in front of him.

"Enough of this nonsense, Zoro. I punished a lot of gangsters with a high level yet you never really care." Mihawk said calmly. "What makes this woman so different?!"

"Because I love her!" Zoro glared.

Perona and Mihawk's eyes went a bit wide in surprise. Alrighty, this guy trashed around the house because he was mad for a woman? They just witnessed another side of Zoro.

"Do you really love Nami-chan?" Mihawk walked towards Zoro. "More than your family?"

Zoro looked at Mihawk with determination in his eyes. He wouldn't want to choose between the two. Besides, Perona and Mihawk are the people who welcomed him for who he is in the first place. They accepted him for who he is whole heartedly. Though, they might not get along sometimes and often argue but he still considers them as family.

"Don't make me choose, Mihawk." Zoro said. "Answer me, are you really going to kill her?"

"It's my mission."

"Don't give me that mission crap. I'm asking you if you're really going to kill someone important to me just for the sake of your damn job." Zoro gripped his swords out of anger.

Mihawk smirked and stood in front of Zoro. Perona continued to hold Zoro's arm to halt him.

"You have a choice, Zoro. I'm standing in front of you." Mihawk dropped his humongous sword beside him. "Kill me to prevent such things happening to her."

Zoro gaped slightly and his eyes dropped. If he stabbed Mihawk then he wouldn't have to hurt Nami in any way. If he didn't then Nami will...

"Zoro..." Perona's eyes is filled with tears.

Zoro felt Perona's body is shaking and is obviously trying to hold back her tears. Why wouldn't she? Her father is in front of him, waiting for him to make the decision.

Zoro shook his head. How he wanted to cry, damn it, but that would be an unbearable sight to see. He kept his swords in the sheaths and sighed.

"Oh? So you chose your family instead of her?" Mihawk eyed Zoro.

Instead of stabbing Mihawk. Zoro landed a punch on Mihawk's cheek; a hard punch at that. Mihawk stumbled back and wiped off the blood on the edge of his lips.

"Papa!" Perona ran to assist his father and glared at Zoro. "Seriously, Zoro?!"

Mihawk patted Perona's shoulder to ease her. "It's alright." He stood up and face Zoro again.

"Ahhhhh.. That felt good." Zoro stretched his arms and sighed in relief.

Mihawk smiled. "Is that so? So you chose to have her being killed?"

"What nonsense are you talking about, stupid dad." Zoro said. "I don't want you being dead on me now or else that stupid girl over there wouldn't make me meals in the following days." He pointed at his sister.

'Dad?' Mihawk thought for a bit then laughed. "Then you don't mind Nami-chan being-"

"No. If you were to kill her then I'll protect her." Zoro said with determination. "Screw that stupid job of yours."

Mihawk smiled at his foster son. It's not the first time he was called dad by Zoro but this time, it made him feel that somehow, Zoro wanted to understand him a bit. "Ah~ We made quite a mess here in the house, didn't we?" Mihawk chuckled.

"It's your fault." Zoro looked away.

"Perona, clean things up here, will you?" Mihawk patted Perona's head and stood in the stairs. "Zoro, come with me." He turned his back while Zoro confusingly followed him from behind, leaving the girl behind.

Perona felt a tick on her forehead. Why should she be the one to clean the mess her dad and her stupid brother made?!

"I should've gone to work earlier!" Perona whined while looking for the broom in the kitchen.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Zoro entered Mihawk's office and sat on the chair while Mihawk locked the door behind him.
Mihawk closed the windows firmly then used his haki to search for some listening device or some hidden camera in the office that a spy/enemy might have sneaked in.

"If we're going to do something that contains R18+, sorry pops, I'm not into older guys." Zoro waved his hands.

"Rest assured, I'm still loyal to my wife." Mihawk chuckled at the joke.

Zoro looked at the man in front of him. How can he say that when his wife disappeared without a trace? "It's better to move on."

"And make a move on you? I never thought you're this kind of person, Zoro." Mihawk sighed.

"SHUT UP! IT WAS A JOKE!" Zoro defended himself.

Mihawk laughed.

"So? What do you want to tell me?" Zoro sat down again.

"Are you really capable of protecting someone in your own strength?" Mihawk asked.

"If it's someone important to me then I'd be willing to die for that person." Zoro answered bluntly. "Is this about Nami?"

"If you're determine to save her then I might as well say something to you."

Zoro didn't answer, he just nodded.

"Protect Nami from Akainu."

"I thought I should be protecting her from you,not the school head."

"Use your head, idiot son." Mihawk sighed. "Akainu is the one who gave me the task to harm/kill her."

Zoro gripped his hands tightly out of anger. "Why would someone who has power and authority would want to kill a new transfer student like Nami?"

"He has his own reasons."

"I know it's not a good one." Zoro glared. "Robin told us last night that Arlong might be working with Akainu. Nami is Arlong's kid. Why would he?!"

"It's true that Arlong and Akainu are partners in a plot but it doesn't mean that everything that Arlong holds are Akainu's own benefit. To Akainu, the new girl is a threat."

"Mind telling me why?" Zoro leaned in the desk intensely.

Mihawk chuckled. "That's why I brought you here, stupid son of mine."

"Then hurry up and get this over with."

"Did you know?"

"I ain't playing that trivia game right now, old man." Zoro cringed.

"I'm not. Just listen till the end, stupid algae son." Mihawk gritted his teeth for being cut off.

Zoro nodded carefully.

"Akainu plans to export the devil fruit users and expose them on the non-users. Do you realize what that means?"

"Of course, the people outside this island would react and be afraid. They'll do anything to prevent their fears from happening. Wait. If that's the case then, there will be..."

"War. Against the whole world." Mihawk finished Zoro's sentence. "Well, Akainu seems to be determine to win that war and make all the devil-fruit users be in a higher status than the non-users."

"It's pretty insane."

"The man is insane himself. Say hello to Perona's grandfather." Mihawk put out some booze in a mini fridge in the office.

"He's your old man?!" Zoro choked on his own saliva.

"That's why I can't deny his tasks on me. He'll take you and Perona in a dangerous situation, do you understand?"

"A hostage huh? Wait a damn minute." Zoro scratched his spiky hair. "Why does Nami in a dangerous situation herself?!"

"Try to understand this, alright Zoro?" Mihawk turned serious.

"Nami is Arlong's kid. Arlong and Akainu are partners. Get it?"

"Don't take me as a kid, stupid Mihawk! Of course I get it!"

Mihawk rolled his eyes. "As far as I have observed. Shanks, Sengoku and Garp are onto Nami's trail. They want to crack Akainu's plot, using Nami as a key to all those things. If they track Nami's business with Arlong, Arlong would be red handed, pointing the rest of the trails to Akainu and my old man wouldn't want that. Therefore, he must destroy the KEY to all those things, and that is your puppy love, NAMI."

"She's not my puppy love!" Zoro shouted comically. "Don't put it that way."

"Well, you were fun to tease with." Mihawk laughed and chugged down a mug of booze.

"And? Why don't you tell Shanks what you know? You can even be a witness to Akainu's case." Zoro said. "Don't tell me that you have a papa's complex." He laughed.

"Not a papa's complex but a family complex."

Zoro stopped laughing. "Ha?"

"Ya know, I really love you and Perona. You two are the only things that I ever have." Mihawk looked at him with a fatherly eyes. Zoro looked away, embarrassed.

"That's not even in our topic today."

"It is. I'm doing the task to protect you and it's your decision to stay put or protect her." Mihawk smiled. "I told you earlier right? I'M GIVING YOU A CHOICE."

Zoro stand up and chuckled. "Heh? Is that so?" He walked pass his foster father.

"Don't fight alone, stupid son. You still have your friends behind your back." Mihawk said without looking at him. Zoro smirked and went outside the office. Now he understands Nami's situation. It's offense or defense huh?

he went downstairs and was surprised to see Perona sleeping on the couch without a blanket. He gotta hand it to her. She really finished cleaning up the mess he made. He sat beside her on the couch and looked at her sleeping. She looked tired.

Zoro brushed away some strands on Perona's face. He remembered that Mihawk is always dirtying his hands to obey his father in exchange for their safety. Meanwhile, Zoro here chose to protect Nami, in which he knew that Perona will be in danger soon.

Zoro leaned towards Perona slightly and kissed he forehead then whispered to her ears. "Don't worry, I will also protect you." He smirked then went back to his room.

"P-P-P-Protect me from what?" Perona touched her forehead with a red crimson face. Oh no. They're siblings, damn it!

x-x-x-x-x-x

Nami walked inside her house. It was 10am in the morning.

A lot of things happened in the days since she first moved.

The feeling of talking to Robin gave her a bit of a mind ease.

Knowing that some strangers have your back is enough for her to stand in her own pace again.

Nami walked in the bedroom and searched for the suit case under her bed. She dragged it out and opened it.

Now, if the Strawhats are willing to accept her... then they can accept her even if she's a murderer, right?

The young woman picked up a gun that is used for sniping. She checked if there are any bullets. Then put it aside. There are also a gun with a silencer on it. Now this'll work. She kept the other gun in the suit case and pushed it back under the bed.

Who should she use it for?

Her real mission. To kill Nerfertari Vivi.

"I really should investigate about her in the school." The sound of the gun clicked echoed in the room.

.

.

.

.

.

Seriously... where should I begin?

I'm humbly sorrryyyyyyy, my dear readers for taking too long to update. (T.T)

I made a clumsy mistake... :3

Well.. I was planning to update after two days after my previous update but guess what, I forgot my password for this account.

Sorry. And here I was like trying to figure out what my password is. XD

Last night, I suddenly remembered so I tried it out earlier this morning. And I succeeded. Thank goodness.

.

.

.

Anyhow, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REVIEWS AND PRIVATE MESSAGES.

It's truly my pleasure to update my story once I read your messages to me.

I just love private messages. XD

If you have any concerns, please do PM me.

I'd love to keep in touch with the people with concerns about my stories.

In my part, I will (seriously) speed things up and hopefully, the story will be finished before 70 chapters.

A poll will start (?) in the future chapters to see if you, my beloved readers, would like Nami to pair with who/who/who in the end.

.

.

.

I guess that's all?

Please wait for my further update. Please be patience with me.

Minna, daisuki~~~~ :D

Please do Favorite/Follow/Read/Review.

[I would really appreciate it if you PM me with your guess on how the story flow would turn out, using the hints in the whole story.]