A/N- This chapter doesn't feel as finished to me as others that I have posted, but I've reached a month without updating, so I forced myself to finish this and get it posted. This turned out to be one of my favorite chapters, even with the feeling that I could have added more. At some point I figured I just got to stop and say good enough and move forward with the story. Happy Reading!
Also someone asked about what name this story is posted under on Ao3. My name overthere is Jewelthegeek, feel free to read this on either site!
End of the Fish-Man Empire! Nami is My Friend!
With the boys gone off to fight the fishman, Tani made her way back to Nami, who was still kneeling in the road, bleeding from her shoulder. Tani quickly came besides the crying girl, whispering as she helped her stand.
"Come one Nami, let's get you patched up. It's alright, the boys will save everyone. Let's go fix you up Nami." Tani could tell her words hadn't quite broken through to Nami, so she kept looping them as they walked down the path and back to her house in the tangerine field.
It wasn't until they were inside, Nami sitting at her small table in the kitchen while Tani cleaned the blood from her arm with a small bowl of warm water and a rag, that the orange haired girl finally broke out of her sorrowful state and seemed to come back to the present.
"-going to be fine. The boys will kick the fishman's asses, and be back in time for a feast. You know Luffy, he'll need lots of meat later-" Tani stopped talking when Nami met her eyes. As she wrapped a white cloth bandage around her arm she gave a small smile at the other girl.
"Why're you crying?" Nami mumbled.
"I'm overly empathetic. I cry all the time."
"Oh." Nami said, slightly frowning. Sending she didn't like that answer, Tani spoke kindly with a soft smile towards the girl in front of her.
"I'm upset now because my friend is upset, and I want to help but I'm not quite sure how. Do you want to talk about it?"
"Don't you already know what's going on?" Nami said, a bit more bitter than she had intended. Tani's fingers stilled for just a second before she finished tucking away the bandage and moved back.
"I do. But it's a bit odd for me to know when no one's told me, yeah? Nojiko told the boys what happened, minus Luffy. He and I left."
"Because you heard it already?"
Tani bit her lip. She was already telling others what she really knew, now was such a good opening, but she was so scared Nami wouldn't join them because of this. She would have to tell the truth, and offer to leave herself if she couldn't get over it. The boys needed Nami more than they needed her, that was for sure.
"It's more than me just seeing Nojiko tell the boys what had happened." Nami shook her head, her eyebrows scrunched together. Tani wasn't doing a good job this time explaining, she hadn't prepared as much for this conversation and she should have. Instead she was just going to have to spit it out and be clear and hope for the best.
"I saw the past too Nami, as if it were happening right in front of me. Everyone's past, but more specifically I saw the worst days of everyone's lives."
Nami stared at Tani. She didn't know how she felt about this. She didn't have enough information to tell. How much had she seen, exactly? She said days not day.
"Explain." Nami didn't mean to make it sound like a demand, but she needed to know.
"I won't tell you the past of someone else, or share your past with them. But it's like… like I'm just another person there when everything happens, but no one acknowledges my presence. I'm a ghost."
Nami was shaking her head, and Tani didn't know what else to say other than what she what she shouldn't know, couldn't know, otherwise. So she pressed on.
"I saw the day eight years ago that the fishman came. I saw Genzo returning you home, telling…" Tani paused, wondering which name would hurt less, and decided mother would be worse. "Well, telling Bellamere you had stolen a book. On navigation? I saw later, when you yelled at her, about how you hated being poor and...and..."
Nami's hand had moved up to cover her mouth in the middle of the explanation, her wet eyes blown wide. She started shaking her head and Tani paused when she noticed the other girls rising distress.
"That's impossible." Nami said.
Tani gave her a small shrug. "Nothing in this world is impossible. Would you like me to continue or-"
"Keep going."
"I watched you yell about nojiko wasn't your real sister, and you wished someone else had adopted you. I saw you run away. And I saw Bellemere send Nojiko after you, to bring you back so you could all make up."
"She was sad about making you so upset. She thought of you both as daughters, and she felt so upset at the idea that you didn't see them as family. But she knew. She knew you loved her like a mother. And she loved you like a daughter, so she started making your favorite dinner for when you came back."
"Omelets with tangerine sauce." She whispered. The tears poured faster down her face as I told her all I had seen.
"She wanted to make it up to you, about the book, about the life she was giving you."
"What else?" Nami whispered.
"I saw the day she found you."
Nami lurched forward, surprised but desperate. Her nails dig into Tanis arm. She had heard about the day, but she suspected Nojiko and Bellemere of hiding the worst of it from her.
"Tell me."
"She was dying. She was nearly unconscious, about to let herself go, seeing no reason left to hold on...when she heard a small cry. When she heard you. It gave her the strength to stand back up, and she found Nojiko, holding you, in the middle of the decimated town. The two of you had no one. And she scooped you both up and protected you, got you out of there, and brought you right back home. She came in a storm. And she begged and pleaded, telling everyone not to mind her and her wounds, to just not let the two of you die. And the town doubted her even after that. But she was stubborn.
"The town didn't think she could do it, said she was too wild and needed to be free. But she didn't want to give the two of you up, not ever. You were hers, and she would protect you both with her life."
Nami was sobbing, completely ugly crying with snot and puff red cheeks. Tani wasn't much better, and she leaned forward so the two were hugging each other for comfort.
"She loved you Nami." Tani told her, getting herself under control because there was more they had to talk about. "She loved you both so much and she would be so happy for the women you have become, and for the adventures you're going to go on."
Tani pulled back and looked very seriously at Nami, who tried to hold back her tears.
"If this is too much for you, me having seen these things, If that's what makes you decide you won't stay with everyone when they go, then I'll go Nami. They need you more than me, they'll die without you on the Grandline, you're the navigator that gets us to the end. I'm nothing compared to you Nami."
"They need you too, Baka!" Nami tried to yell, but it came out much too soft with her watery smile. "In fact, those idiots could probably use a hand right now. What do you say we go save our boys?"
Tani beamed at the women, thinking of Amelia pond from Doctor Who, and Eleven and Rory.
"Let's go save our boys." Tani agreed, and the two girls took off together to Arlong Park.
When someone glanced back and noticed us coming up the path, they did a double take before tapping the shoulder next to them and pointing back at us. From there news spread quickly and the group parted so we could get closer to the park, muttering amongst themselves about how Nami had come, and about the strange girl who was with her. I assumed that was me.
Looking in through the hole in the wall that Johnny and Yosaku were guarding, you could see the entire park, or what was left of it. From so far back I could just make out Zoro on the ground, Sanji smoking while sitting next to him, watching the building.
"Where's Luffy?" I asked, stopping in front of the duo who moved to block Nami and my path inside getting to the point.
"Inside fighting Arlong." Johnny said. He put his arm out, preventing me from going further. I tipped my head and brought my foot down onto his, jabbing Yosaku in the side as I ducked around another arm reaching to grab me, running inside the park. All around me was bits of stone, unconscious fishmen, and other odd color debris. It was a mess, but a fairly straight shot to the guys.
I flinched at the sound of glass breaking far above my head. People were shouting behind me, and in front of me I watched as Sanji raised his head, heard him asked aloud "A desk?"
Between that and the shouting behind me to watch out I easily figured out that Luffy threw Namis map making desk and it was headed my way.
Well, fuck that. I refused to look up, knowing I would freeze up if I did and just pushed my legs to go faster damn it.
Sanji was looking at me with that horrified expression you see people make in the movies, when something terrible is happening right behind the person. He was in the middle of standing up, gripping his side and struggling, but it was too late.
The sound of wood splintering went off behind me and suddenly there was a pain in the back of my right leg that made me stumble and I fell to the ground, scraping my hands against the rough surface. I caught my breath and looked to see I was close to the guys, having skidded a few feet. Sanji's face twisted in horror as he looked at me, and as he moved forward to help me I scrambled up too and limped the rest of the way. More crashing came from above me and Sanji was next to me, helping me forward while using his body to shield me from falling debris and lots and lots of papers.
Maps.
With no more falling items and once again next to Zoro we stopped. Sanji was frowning at me but was nice when he chastised me.
"Tani-san you shouldn't have come out here. Look, you're hurt." His tone switched from overly concerned to furious. "Shitty captain, he needs to be more careful!"
"I'm fine. We have to move, now. Luffys going to bring down that building in a minute." I was admittedly freaking out a bit at how little time I think we had left.
Sanji to his credit didn't freak out at all at the news. Didn't question it either. He simply flicked away the butt of his cigarette and nodded. Then he went and moved my arm around his shoulder.
"What are you doing?" I asked, pulling away.
"Helping you to safety, Tani-San."
"Oh no. We both are helping Zoro to safely."
"We can leave him."
"Sanji!" Clearly the tone of my voice, a mix between disappointment and horror, left no room for argument. But this dumb idiot boy decided to do just that.
"Leave him to me, you don't need to help."
"I won't help if you don't waste time walking me back and getting him after and we just all go together right now." I growled. He nodded and carefully lowered my arm, putting his arms under Zoros and hooking him up under his armpits, and dragged him across the concrete. I bit my lip, but honestly that was my plan when I had come out here because there really wasn't a better way to move him. Zoro looked terrible at this point, wasn't even conscious to complain about his treatment. He was shaking, his skin clammy and pale. And there was so much blood again.
I couldn't stop the tears, making it hard to see but more noise from above us brought my attention skyward, and I saw Luffy's leg stretching high above the park. I felt my heart drop out of my chest.
"Sanji." I said his name but honestly I wasn't quite sure what to follow up with.
"Ah." He said, and I glanced over and saw he too was looking at our captains foot about to come down and destroy everything.
I could hear Luffy cry out in a much more panicked tone than I expected "BATTLE AXE"
I could see the worried faces of Johnny and Yosaku, who had been holding Nami back but now they all seemed more focused on what was happening behind us. I could hear cracking, lots of it, and a rhythmic crashing sound. The last one the loudest, and a gust behind us pushed us forward the last few steps.
I pulled Sanji off to the side behind the wall, and I could see that he wanted to watch what was going on, so I shewed him away while I looked over Zoro. All his stitches had been torn, he was burning up, muttering, shaking.
A low rubble was the first hint at what was coming. It increased in volume, and that's when the ground started shaking beneath us.
"Oh no, it looks like Arlong Park is coming down!" Someone cried, which started the screams of terror.
"It's gonna collapse!"
"Everyone run for cover!"
"Big sis, we gotta go." I could hear Johnny say. I looked through the crowd and saw him trying to pull her towards us behind the wall.
"But Luffy's still inside!" She cried, resisting his pull.
"Big sis!"
The top of Arlong Park caved in on itself, and then that caved in on the next level. Namis scream of Luffy's name were overpowered by the roaring symphony of cracking stone and snapping wood and shattering glass. Most people had ducked behind the wall, the dust blowing over our heads as the sounds quieted and then stopped.
The silence that followed was just as deafening as before.
As one, the people around me moved, going over to the hole to confirm, but one look at the sky was enough. The building that had towered over them for eight years was gone.
"Arlong park has fallen." The same person who had first called out the parks collapse whispered, the first thing to break the silence.
"Big Bro." I heard Johnny whisper.
"I just wonder...what went on in there." Nami said.
"We gotta know who won!" I heard Sanji rage.
"With all that debris? It looks like…" Genzo trailed off.
I sat by Zoro, his harsh breaths a loud and starling contrast to everyone else who was holding theirs. I ducked my head down, my hair probably brushing against Zoro's bloody chest. A part of me knew he would be fine, a part of me thought that maybe this was it. How could a man survive a building collapsing on him, after all?
But then again, how could someone be made of rubber?
"Hey."
My eyes shot over and found Zoro's opened and clear eyes on me.
I don't know what but something passed between us. His body relaxed, despite the tension still in the air.
You could hear something shifting the debris, and I looked up but saw nothing over the wall. The sun shining down made it very clear to see whoever had just stood up on top of what used to be a building.
"It's Luffy!" Nami cried. I couldn't stop the smile that took over my face.
"He's just standing there. What's wrong?" I heard Usopp say, probably not even realizing he asked that a loud.
"NAMI!" A familiar voice roared, and the collective relief from everyone when he yelled had me covering my mouth to hold back a sob. My smile remained.
Luffy did it.
"YOU ARE MY FRIEND!"
I looked over at Nami. Tears poured down her face. She tired wiping them away but more fell so quickly it didn't help one bit. Pretty much exactly how I was now.
"Yeah." I could hear Nami say. She didn't have to shout it back to him. He knew.
"He really won?" Someone asked.
"He won." Genzo whispered.
"He won!" Another person confirmed.
"ARLONG PARK HAS FALLEN!" With that cry every single person broke out into crazy cheers, so loud it overwhelmed me almost immediately.
Luffy had made his way over to the happy townsfolk, who immediately started tossing their savior into the air, cheering his name over and over. Unfortunately the over excited crowd accidently dropped their savior soon after, and I almost got up to check on him but relaxed back next to Zoro when I heard our captain's laughter. I watched Nami go over and smash his hat back onto our captains head, smiling so bright it rivaled the one Luffy gave her right back.
"Okay hold it right there!" An irritating voice called out, and my happiness was replaced with rage. Some of which dissipated when I caught sight of rat marine and his swollen, bruised face. I could see him wince when he tried to laugh.
Fucking good.
"What a lucky day today is. Very nice, I saw the entire fight and I must say, good work! I can only assume that your victory here was some sort of bizarre accident."
I quickly got up, intent on moving, but the person I was going towards was by my side in an instant, offering an arm to help me walk. As Nezumi spoke, I whispered in Sanji's ear everything that happened earlier in the tangerine field, from his mistreatment of Nami, to his fighting with me, and ending with his stray shot hitting Nojiko.
"I never thought the fishman would lose to riff raff like you and your crew. However, now that Arlong is out of the picture, I'll be taking all the money I was supposed to give to him in addition to all the treasure in Arlong Park. Now drop your weapons. Colonel Nezumi of branch sixteen gets all the credahhhhh"
A livid Sanji had quickly come up behind the marine, grabbing his collar.
"You'll pay for what you've done to the girls." He snarled. Luffy helped take out the marines on the side, while I returned to Zoros side. The man had heard the fighting and was trying to get up, but I pushed him down again.
"You'll only make yourself worse, they've got it covered."
He made a disgruntled noise at me, but ultimately stayed down which I wasn't expecting. He must be pretty bad.
A few seconds later there was a pile of completely pummeled marines, with rat man- oh I guess I heard his name...with rat man on top of the pile.
"Come on you scum just try it you'll be sorry I promise you that." A delirious rat said.
"He's still talking?" Disbelief colors Sanji's voice. No one else moved to do anything about it when Nami stepped forward, her shoes clinking as she walked. She squatted down and got right in the rat marines face.
"This is for shooting Nojiko." She spoke softly, placing a hand on his shoulder as if she was offering comfort. "And also for mercilessly destroying Bellemeres Tangerine Orchard."
Rat man was confused but not for long. Nami moved back and swung her staff out, smacking the guy so hard he went flying out and into the water.
"Thanks Nami. That felt good." Nojiko said, her smile dazzling as she tipped her head and winked. Every thought but girl so pretty flew out of my head while my heart skipped a beat.
"A thousand more and we'll call it even!" Genzo cried.
Rat marine had swam back to shore, but before he could climb out, Nami was in front of him and pulled on his mustache hair as she lectured the man.
"What you're going to do is clean up after those fishman. Then you're going to help rebuild the town of Goza. And you won't lay a finger on any of the money or valuables in Arlong Park. That's the island's money now. Got it?"
"I'll do anything you say!" The rat man cried.
"And one more thing." Nami gave an extra hard tug before she shouted in the man's face. "STAY AWAY FROM MY MONEY!"
The marines got back on the ship they came from quickly, excuses about going to get supplies. When they were far enough away, the stupid rat started up again, screaming like he was in the right.
"I'll get you, you pirates! Luffy is your captain, right? We'll mark my words, rubber man. Well mark my freaking words rubber man major things are going to happen! Cause you made me angry! I swear you'll regret this! I'll get my revenge, just you wait and see!"
"Major things are going to happen?" Sanji scoffed.
"Yeah, how does he know I'm gonna be king of the pirates?"
"Hold on what next? Are we in super big trouble, or what? Hey! Hey! What do we do?"
"I don't know, ask Tani." Luffy told his sniper.
Things passed quickly after that. With Luffy's victory, everyone wanted to celebrate, and started preparing for the craziest party this island had ever seen.
I looked around the group of chattering people, searching for a man I wasn't sure I'd recognize.
More and more people were leaving to go start the party, thinning out the crowd and leaving behind half a dozen men, including the Doctor I was looking for, who seemed to be talking to himself as he stared up at the sky, a sad smile on his face.
He caught my eye and walked the few feet over to us, kneeling down and looking over Zoro with a frown.
"Please." The doctor met my watery eyes. "I know you'd like to celebrate. But first, would you help my friends?" I asked him. He didn't say anything and his expression didn't change from that frown, and I flung my head down, bowing to the man in what I hoped was a show of respect while letting out another quiet "Please."
"Of course I'll treat your friends. I'm not just going to let the saviors of this town die." The doctor scoffed. My shoulders sagged with the relief I felt.
"He was wounded before this battle, and I think they might have gotten infected. Usopp and Sanji do need help, but Zoro might be the worst off." I told him.
"What about that scrawny kid?"
"Luffy just needs food." I said bluntly. He looked at me like I was crazy but didn't say another word on the subject, instead calling over some men. Zoro grunted though and sat up, cutting off his call.
"I'm walkin."
"Sure. Okay." I said. His hard glare turned into confusion. Maybe he expected more of a fight. But I was good at getting what I wanted. And if I gave him something he would do the same for me.
"You don't have to walk alone though. Let me help?"
Slowly our little group fell behind everyone else. Zoro leaned against me to stand up, and that's when I realized maybe I'd be the one who needed help walking back to Cocoyasi. I nearly collapsed back to the ground the second I put pressure on it, surprise cutting the pain only just.
Sanji's arms came around to catch me. Who had broken ribs and blood dripping down the side of his face.
No one escaped injury I guess.
What a stupid fucking injury I got didn't even get it fighting I was taken out by a desk.
Shaking away this sort of weird jealous feeling from not getting a wound from a proper fight, I shook off Sanji's arm and looked to Zoro, who was shaking his head.
"No way. You're hurt too. I'll be fine." Even as he talked he swayed, and he struggled to reach an arm up to wipe at his forehead. I turned to Sanji.
"Would you help each other back please?"
"Ah. Anything for you Tani-san." He looked at Zoro and I could see whatever he had been about to say get stuck on his tongue. I watched him close his mouth and sort of reset himself before speaking up.
"Come on, let's get you fixed up."
He ducked under Zoro's arm, keeping it over who's shoulder and supporting the swordsman while they started walking down the road. Luffy and Usopp quickly got in front and led the way, having a great time recounting what had happened to the other while they were seperated. Sanji and Zoro bickered as they walked, but neither moved away. I brought up the rear, occasionally the boys would look back, or Luffy would come running back to check on me. I assured him I'm fine, or I'd wave at the boys, and continue walking. Limping.
Semantics.
Nami had run ahead with Nojiko, having been swept up in the towns celebration. For a second the orange haired girl had glanced back at our little rag tag group, but I gave her my best smile I could manage and waved her off.
"You're free Nami. Celebrate." I had insisted. Everyone else did the same, and her answering smile at our encouragement was so bright. She ran off, and the distance between our groups grew. We would get there eventually though.
Next thing I knew we reached the doctors house. I blinked.
Weren't we just outside the town? When did we get so close? I was so focused on putting on foot in front of the other, I didn't realize how far I'd gone.
The doctor directed Sanji to help the nearly unconscious Zoro inside the second door on the right, and then stopped the rest of our group from following after.
"I need you guys to stay out here. I'll treat your friend and be back out to patch you all up." And then he was gone.
Luffy and Usopp took a seat, the former on the floor and the latter on the couch. Sanji was back. When did he get back? Wasn't he helping Zoro?
He offered me the remaining seat with a gesture to it, and I took it without hesitating. After a moment I stood up, breathing as my vision spotted. Sometimes that just happens when you stand up too quickly.
Sanji was too close.
"-ni. Tani. Are you alright? Tani. Hey Tani-"
"I'm fine. Just stood up to fast's all"
"I think you should sit back down, Tani-"
"I will."
I was in front of the window. I watched as people, smiling with unabashed joy, ran around, setting up tables and getting out instruments, bringing raw food somewhere one way and taking steaming dishes of food back somewhere else.
My thoughts were racing inside me with all the ways we would fail if Zoro died here. Of all the ways I had failed.
Every battle we would lose. Or worse, every one we would just barely win, until we didn't.
Of his sleeping body missing on deck.
Of how he wouldn't get to meet the Sunny.
Of how he wouldn't complete his dream.
Of how much I'd miss him.
When my vision would get distorted with water, I pretended it was rain on the window.
When it got to be too obscured, I wiped away the tears running down my face, but then just kept coming.
It was some time later that pressure on my arm, firm and unyielding, pulled me out of my thoughts as if saving me from drowning. I turned my head, seeing Luffy. I was even more surprised when I saw the worry in his eyes.
"Doctors ready to check you over." He said, nodding behind us. I glanced back and saw said doctor standing in the room. Luffy and I followed him into the back room where everyone else was. There were six beds in the large room, with a few chairs and some cabinets off the one wall.
On the bed right in the middle of the room was Zoro. He looks like shit, but better than he did on the ground at Arlong park. He was pale, but not as much. He was shaking, but not as violently. His face was tense and showed that clearly he was still in pain. An I.V. drip was next to his cot, running a clear liquid into his arm.
Next to him was Sanji, looking much better than before. He was slipping in his jacket and complaining.
"Stupid Doctor. I said I was fine. He should have taken Tani-san firs-hello Tani, are you okay. Can I get you anything? Would-"
"Sanji. Shhh. Zoro's sleeping." Luffy said. The doctor besides me had to stop walking when I abruptly stopped. My head tipped as I looked at Luffy.
"Considerate if you, Captain." I said. I wasn't expecting that from Luffy.
My mouth was suddenly dry. Why was my mouth so dry?
I was on the bed now. I was laying on my stomach, so that the injury was facing up. The doctor was muttering something. I blinked a few times, trying to remember the past few seconds. Minutes?
"She is okay though… right?" Usopp's voice came from somewhere on my right.
"I feel so bad, I realized the desk wasn't going to hit her but I didn't think about the wood splintering off." Sanji sounded so sad, but worse than sad. I knew words for worse than sad. Anguished. Yes that's it. Sanji sounded anguished when he spoke.
"No sanji." I said. I didn't want him to be sad. "Not your fault. No one's fault. Never saw this one coming."
It took a few seconds, but someone snorted.
"If that's supposed to be a joke, it was good." Usopp said.
"Yup. See? I'm fi-" I cut myself off with a choked gasp, clenching down on the pillow beneath my arms. I buried my head into it too, letting out a low whine
I don't know what he did, but the entire back of my leg felt like it was actively on fire. Everything was alright in a new pain. It was excruciating, I think it was worse than the original injury itself.
"Sorry. Had to get it cleaned. Didn't want you to get an infection like your friend there, were running low on the medicine. He needed a lot. Let me get you something for the pain."
"No." I barely got out from between my clenched teeth.
There was a second of silence, I guess they weren't expecting that.
"Tani-san let them give you som-"
"You guys should go. Take Luffy and grab some food. Bring me back some in a bit?" It was an easy distraction, food would always get Luffy's attention for a bit.
"Tani-san I don't think-"
"FOOOOOOOD!" Luffy cheered. "We'll be back to check on you in a bit, guys!"
I peaked at them, not hearing their footsteps leaving. Usopp looked hesitant, while Sanji didn't seem like he was going to budge. I didn't want to do this, but I decided to go for a low shot and see if that got him moving.
"Sanji, you'll have to be the one who brings me food back. I trust you to pick out something good. Usopp, you should stay with Luffy and enjoy the party. And Sanji, eat something before you come back please."
Sanji caved with my reasoning, nodding and noodling around.
"Yes, of course you can trust me Tan-san I'll bring you back the best food I can find! Come on, morons. Let's go!" That last part was said significantly harsher and directed towards the boys.
"Sure you don't want the good stuff, girly? Only you and me now, no need to suck it up."
"Don't want it. I need to stay awake. Thanks though."
He shrugged and I saw him grab a bottle of alcohol before I felt the cool sensation of liquid on my forearm. He grabbed the needle he had been prepping when I got rid of the guys, and I turned away as he stuck me with it. I didn't flinch like I would have back in my old life. Small pains didn't bother me so much anymore.
After a few moments with whatever was in this IV, I could feel the pain ebb away. It was much more manageable now, but I knew it would flair up again as he worked to fix it. I was tense still, now from anxiety, and making it worse than it had to be.
I focused on breathing, realizing with a start that I when turning to look away from the needle I was now looking towards Zoro. I had been watching the rise and fall of his chest for so long my breaths syncing with his and I didn't even know when it happened.
Fuck I'm just so screwed aren't I. Like get it together you stupid heart.
I closed my eyes. I counted as I breathed. In for 5. Hold for 3. Out for 5. Repeat.
Repeat.
Repeat.
When Doc finished cleaning out whatever had to my leg, and stitching me up, and then bandaging the leg, it had to have only been fifteen minutes. Maybe less. He was incredibly quick, clearly he was experienced in patching people up. No surprise when you thought about Genzo and the many stiches littering his body.
He helped me flip onto my back, propping my leg up, and upon my insistence helped me sit up.
I blinked, gripping his arm tighter as the world spun.
"I feel… bad." I said.
"Bad how?" The doctor asked, his voice too far away.
"Dizzy. Light." That's all I could get out, deciding that the world spinning was going to make me sick so I shut my eyes and leaned back, just breathing. Again.
"Okay what's your blood type?"
I snorted. I was 100% sure that even if I knew my blood type in my world, that didn't match up to their blood types here.
"Don't know. Everything's different here."
Everything kept spinning, and I heard footsteps leaving. They returned fast, and something was held against my lips.
"Drink." The doctor commanded, and the tangy taste of what I could only assume was tangerine juice exploded across my tongue. I took a few sips, and carefully opened my eyes. I relaxed further when nothing started spinning again.
"That'll have to do for now. After I patch up this last one I'll go see what the party's managed to cook up and bring back food."
"No need. Sanji should be ba-"
"TANI-SAN" a loud voice called, and both the doctor and I winced, looking to Zoro who was still out cold.
"Tani-San! I brought you back-"
"Sanji! You need to be quieter please!" I said. He didn't miss a beat as he continued to my bedside to bring me a plate of food.
A pile of rice, some roasted vegetables, and a sticky bun were what he had piled onto the plate, and he even brought me a drink, a napkin, and utensils.
"I'll be off then, I'll come back to check on him later. I see Mrs brayfeild made her sticky bun. Gotta get me one of those before they're gone!"
Doc was out the door faster than I could blink. He must really like them buns.
I turned back to Sanji who shifted on his feet.
"Thank you for getting this for me, Sanji. Can I ask one more thing of you?"
"Anything for you, my deer!"
"Would you please go back to the party and watch over Luffy and Usopp tonight. I'd go but I…"
I didn't want to say that I wanted to stay, and he didn't make me say it.
"Ah. I'll go." He said. He seemed sad, and I didn't want that either. I reached out and grabbed his hand before he could turn all the way from me.
"Thank you. I worry, about all the crew. I just can't watch over all of them right now. I really appreciate you helping me with this. It puts my mind at ease."
I don't know if what I said helped him, but he seemed to take my words in carefully. He stood a bit straighter, smiled at me and nodded.
"Of course."
I let go of his hand and Sanji continued to turn away and leave. I looked down at the food in my lap, my stomach doing some crazy flips at the thought of taking a bite.
"He'll be okay." Sanji said, nearly causing me to jump and spill all the food he had just gotten me. That would have been terrible.
His footsteps had stopped. They didn't fade away, they just stopped. Which meant he was still here.
I didn't look up at him.
"I know." I said, and meant them more than he had yet to know.
I picked at the food, but eventually I stopped when my stomach gave warning, pushing the plate to the side. My mind went nuts after fifteen minutes of just sitting there. I was desperate for something, anything to distract myself from my spiraling thoughts.
I stood, pausing a moment for the spinning world to stop once more before I went back the way I had come in, hobbling along with my injured leg and wheeled IV. I was surprised to find that although it should be impossible, my wounds did heal faster in this world. The cut that should have taken three weeks to heal took five days. The bruising that refused to disappear was annoying, but it seemed that it was healing faster and faster each time new ones formed. I was curious about it all, but not stupid enough to ask just anyone. I'd wait for Chopper, he was the only doctor besides maybe Law I think I could actually trust in this dumb world. I found the bookshelf I had spotted earlier and snagged two of the best looking texts before returning to the bed.
I got up once more when it had started getting dark, turning on a lamp. I stared at it much too long, wondering what made the electricity on this island. I could feel my eyes drying and I blinked rapidly before going back to my book.
I don't know how long I had been staring at the same text on the page when I heard footsteps coming towards the room. It was completely dark out now, but I could hear the party going strong.
I watched the Doc as he stumbled in. He seemed to sway a bit to the left but straightened out. He looked happier than I had ever seen him, and when he saw I was still awake his words were stern but his smile softened them.
"Ok! You're still up? You should get some sleep! You're heeling! Go to bed!"
"I'm alright, thank you."
He grumbled as he fiddled with Zoro- I couldn't make out anything he said. After a moment he was walking right back out.
"Sleep girl, he'll be fine."
I tried to take his advice. I really did. I was exhausted, but every time I closed my eyes I'd see Zoro dying, the infection claiming his life. I'd open my eyes and see him there, reassuring myself with the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, but it was no use.
I went back to reading the uninteresting books to pass the time, but it seemed to make it just drag on. Eventually I pulled out my notebook and pen and just started doodling the night away.
The boys tried to get me to join in the towns festivities the next morning.
"He'll be okay, Tani. The doctor said he should wake up soon. Come grab some breakfast with us!" Usopp said.
"Yeah Tani, the food is really good!" Luffy said around a mouthful of sausage he had brought with him.
"I'm not really hungry, but thanks for trying to include me. Go have fun! I'll be out later." I said and waved them off.
Sanji brought me back something even though I said I wasn't hungry, and for him I did my best to eat it but once again my stomach twisted and turned and I had to stop halfway through.
Around mid day I got a visit from Nami. She appeared in the door holding two plates of food. I nearly cried. I was way too tired if a simple kindness nearly made me ball my eyes out.
"How is he?" She asked, using her fork to gesture towards the unconscious lump of a man in the bed.
"Doctor says he'll be fine. Should wake up soon." I gave a shrug with my answer and pushed some of the rice around on the plate.
"And how are you?"
"I'm fine. Doc patched me up too, doesn't even hurt much anymore."
"That's good, but It's not really what I meant."
"I'm fine, Nami." I insisted.
The sounds of utensils scraping against the plates filled the air. I ate then, just to avoid answering the question, but every bite went down like lead into my stomach.
"You know, it's okay to be worried about him. But he'll pull through, and you know that's true more than the rest of us do. So give yourself a break, Tani. Did you even sleep last night?"
Although I felt annoyed, I was seriously getting sick of people mentioning sleep to me, I knew Nami was only trying to help me. So I told her the truth, which didn't surprise her.
"You should try and take a nap now. Sleep will help, and maybe when you wake up he will too."
She gathered the plates and left me alone, drawing the curtains so it was darker and told me one last time to sleep.
I stared at the wall. I stared at a crack in the night stand. I stared at Zoro's face. I stared at this one spot on the floor where it looked like something had spilled and I wondered if it was blood or red wine.
The sounds of the party got louder outside, the room darker, and still I laid there trying to sleep. I heard footsteps come and go, something be set on a table nearby, but I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep, I appreciate that someone came to check in on us, but I really didn't want to eat, and I certainly didn't want to talk right now, and both of those things would have happened if they saw I was awake.
When the room got too dark I flipped on the low light of the lamp so I could continue to stare at different imperfections in the room.
I heard the rustling of fabric from besides me, and my eyes shot up over to him. I breathed as quietly as I could, waiting. Listening. My ears had not deceived me, and I saw his arm start to move, moving the sheets again. I was about to jump to his side, when I paused.
Was this weird? I was the only one hanging out by his bedside. Maybe he wouldn't want me here when he first got up? He was a proud man. Maybe I should go now?
"Tani?"
I didn't realize my eyes had drifted away from him, but they shot right back to him at the sound of my name.
I opened my mouth to answer, but what was I supposed to say to him?
Hello just seemed so wrong. But so did welcome back.
I swallowed any words and got up, his gaze was piercing as I slowly made my way over to stand next to him, using that time to think of what to say.
"How are you feeling?" I asked, deciding this was the best place to start.
"Fine." His grunted, followed by a rumbling sound that made him blush, which I took to assume he was hungry. He lifted the blanket off, and started climbing out of the bed.
"Hey! Hang on, where do you think you're going?" I asked, shocked to see someone who was unconscious for two days just get right up.
"I'm gonna grab some food. Ya coming?" He asked, stretching and wincing at the pain from stretching his stitches.
"Uh no-"
"Suit yourself." He shrugged and started for the door.
"Hey! Wait!"
I dashed forward and into the door frame right before he did, spreading my arms and legs to block him from leaving the room. I had to duck my head, I couldn't believe this idiot! He was nearly dead two days ago and now he wants alcohol!
"Get back into bed." I said, my voice low.
"Tani, I'm fine, I just need some food and some sake and-"
"God damn it Zoro get back in the fucking bed." I snarled at him, looking at him to convey how serious I was. Instead my voice cracked, and my snarl was more like a plea and his shock turned to surprise when he saw my face.
"Tani you're cry-"
"I cry at everything. Haven't you noticed? Get back into bed. I have food for you, and I'll go get you more and some sake. Just please, you nearly died Zoro, you've been unconscious for two days, get back in the bed at least until morning. Please."
He stared for only a few seconds longer before he nodded and did as I asked. When he was situated I handed him the plate of food someone brought earlier.
"Eat this. I'll be back in a bit with more."
I left, scrubbing at my face with my hands before exiting the building and went in search of food. There were so many people, all so happy, laughing and dancing and eating and drinking. I did my best to smile back, and managed to quickly grab some food. The guy pouring sake tried to make small talk, but was pretty drunk so I easily escaped with Zoro's drink and made my way back.
Zoro was done eating when I returned, and when given the second plate devoured that too and downed the sake. He sighed, refreshed.
"What's going on out there?" He asked me.
"They're celebrating their freedom." I told him.
He looked at me. Really hard. It was unnerving. I tried not to move in my seat as he did, but his eyes were piercing. A yawn escaped, the fourth one since I returned.
"Did you sleep?"
"What?" I was startled at his question, but then once it sort of registered what he was asking I tried to brush it off. "Of course. I slept."
"For what, an hour?" He snarked.
"That's still sleeping." I grumbled.
He grabbed my hand and then pulled, and now I was laying on his bed with him. He started moving around.
"Hey! What are you doing? You'll rip your stitches!"
"Shut up, woman. And go to sleep." Zoro said, and wrapped an arm around me.
I blushed. I didn't know what to say about this, but I didn't know if I should really be in the bed right now with him. This seemed different from last time. It was still him offering comfort, but more playful this time, last time having been comfort right after a nightmare, and this being because I couldn't sleep in the first place.
I didn't want another nightmare.
If you don't sleep you don't dream.
I think.
Still, it felt different enough that I tried squirming a little, to get out of his hold and get out of the bed.
"Careful-" He whispered, pulling me closer and making me freeze, "you'll make me rip my stitches."
I pursued my lips, and huffed, moving onto my side too, facing away from him. One, I never sleep on my back, and two, the bed was pretty small and it was easier if we both laid like this. He wrapped his arm around me, his other arm going under my neck.
I don't know how long I laid there, willing sleep to come. I listened as Zoro's breath evened out quickly and a small snoring sound filled the room.
"You'll get stronger, Zoro." I whispered to him, and hesitated for a moment. "Strong enough that your name reaches up to the heavens."
His grip on me tightened and I gasped, but he didn't say anything, and he buried his face into my hair.
Waking up I realized first that I was way too hot. Second I realized I was sleeping next to someone, and I opened my eyes just to check and yep- Zoro.
Carefully I crawled out of the bed, scribbled a note that said I'd be back later, and made my way out of the room without waking him. I went to Namis and asked to borrow her shower and some clothes first. Then I headed to the ruins of Arlong Park.
All the fishman were gone, having been taken by the marines. The only things left was a massive amount of rubble and debris, but moving around the wall to where Hachi had been days before, I found what I needed.
The last time I had been fishing was when I was eleven. I had no memory of it but I knew it happened. I tossed my backpack down where the pole I just picked up had been, and got to work.
I struggled to put bait on my hook, the pail of nasty chunks of meat nearby a half welcomed half horrified sight. I rinsed my hands in the water before taking up the pole and with a shrug I brought my arm back and cast the line.
Eventually I sat down, watching the little bobber thing with my head in my hands. Just as I was seriously getting anxious at how long this would take, the bobber dipped, giving me just enough notice to grab tightly onto the pole.
I fell backwards, my feet pressing into the ground as I attempted to real in the fish. I pushed back and hit the wall behind me, using it to stand up and finish reeling in the fish. It broke the surface and started thrashing around, and I grabbed for it. It slipped, but not into the water, instead it went into an overturned crate, and I scrambled forward to tip it over. The fish wiggled in the box for a moment, and I frowned, but shook off the slightly guilty feeling and went to catch another fish.
Hours later I had a huge pile of fish in multiple crates, I had gone to the trees nearby and snagged some broken branches in an area where someone, I'm assuming Arlong, had busted through the wall and into these trees, and I had moved some stones from the park to build a small fire pit perfect for roasting some fish.
I started the fire with matches and a crumpled piece of paper, both from my backpack. Lighters here were apparently very expensive. How dumb.
Now I grabbed the knife I had brought, and sat in front of a fish, frowning.
If I was feeding it to a shark, did I need to gut this fish? Would he be fine with it just charred? I decided that no I don't have to gut it, but seasoning is a must. So I tossed on some salt and pepper, skewered the fish on a stick, and propped it against the fire.
Half way done and in the middle of adding a variety of spices to some of the fish now, splashing made me jump and look over.
The shark was here.
"Hello again, uh…" I racked my brain but could not think if I had got his name last time. "...I didn't catch your name last time. I'm Tani."
" Charles ." The shark drawled, eyeing the fish I had prepared more than me which I considered a good thing. When in the presence of a shark you really don't want to have its full attention.
"Okay Charles. Let's get you some fish, huh?"
I grabbed the first fish and offered the stick out to the alarm, who bit down on the end entirely, wood and all.
" Delicious !"
The sharks eyes had turned to stars as he ate, tears of happiness streaming down his face. I offered him the next one with wide eyes, and he took that one with more gusto than ever.
I had to pause giving him fish to prepare more, and I was worried he would get mad. Instead he started swimming in a circle, again not the most relaxing sight, but his cheerful voice sang of how delicious he thought the meat was and how excited he was for more.
An hour later the shark was thanking me for the fish, and I thanked him for getting my friend safely where he needed to go. The shark swam away, and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
In the bottom of the crate we're still half a dozen fish, the shark having eaten his full, and I fixed up the mess I made before putting on my backpack and picking up the crate.
Just as I turned, a flash of something caught my eye. I turned back and saw-
"Ben!"
The bird landed on the edge of the crate in my hand, chirping excitedly.
" I did it, miss! Delivered the letter! It was so fun, being a spy! Do you have any more spy missions for me, miss?"
Oh my. I laughed at the birds eagerness, and set the crate down, sitting beside it.
"Can I offer you some fish before I send you off? Freshly caught, just like I promise." I reached in the crate and held it out, Ben snatching it and going to the ground to munch.
While he ate, I dug through my bag and grabbed the letter I had rewritten, and some bandages. I was worried that I might need them, walking around this rubble, so I snatched them when I grabbed the knife and matches before coming here. Maybe I should always keep these things with me, instead of returning them…
I am a pirate after all.
"I have a letter, if you'd like to deliver another. This one is even more dangerous than the one before, but not because of the information, but because of who it's for."
" Oh boy! You can count on me, miss! Where am I going?"
"So do you know how to find the chief of staff of the revolutionary army, Sabo?"
By the time I got back to town, the party was in full swing again. Food was everywhere, so were drinks, and people laughed and danced and just enjoyed each other's company.
I was sitting off to the side, leaning against a building just watching everyone celebrate when Nojiko came up and sat beside me, offering me one of the two drinks in her hand.
"Thanks." I said, taking a swig and regretting it the second it touched my tongue. This tasted like it was made by my one friend in college, who was always trying to get me drunk.
Nojiko laughed at my reaction, the sound mixing with the cheerful noise around us.
"I just came over to say thank you."
I shook my head. I was already a bit flustered by her presence, this did not help. I shook my head, stuttering out a response.
"Oh, no, that's. I mean, I didn't fight any of the fishman and-"
"No, not for that. For being Namis's friend."
I know I was blushing, but I couldn't tell you what else I felt in the moment. All my emotions were swirling together in one giant mess.
"Nami is wonderful. I'm lucky to be her friend." I replied, and this made Nojiko grin like a cat that ate the canary.
"Mmm. Is there anything else other than friendship going on between you two?"
I coughed to cover up the fact that I almost choked on my own spit. What the fuck, Nojiko! That came out of fucking nowhere!
"No. Nope. there's nothing. She's just my friend, probably my best friend, but nothing more. Not that she isnt pretty, or nice, or anything." I said, tacking on that last part in a rush.
"What about that swordsman?"
My face felt like it was on fire. I regretted sitting out here and not hiding away somewhere to eat my food now. Nojiko laughed at my reaction and before I could even say anything on that matter she waved it off.
"I'm just teasing, don't worry." We sat in silence for a moment, watching the people around us and occasionally sipping our drinks. I got the feeling she had more she wanted to say, so I waited.
"Watch out for her, yeah? It's a dangerous world and…"
"And she's your little sister. I understand." I said softly.
"Do you? I'm her big sister, I'm supposed to protect her, and all these years she's been the one protecting me, protecting this whole town. And now she's leaving.."
I reached over and grabbed the other women's hand, squeezing it.
"I know, Nojiko. I know because I'm the older sister too. And I can't make promises, no one can make that sort of promise you're looking for, but our crew protects each other. Luffy would fight to the death for her. And she isn't just leaving for no reason. She's going to follow her dream."
Nojiko stared at me hard, but eventually she smiled, nodded, and squeezed my hand back. Then her smile turned to a smirk.
"So you're seriously going to deny anything between you and the swordsman?"
I groaned and took my hand back, sipping my drink before I answered.
"My feelings on the situation don't matter when he is so dedicated to the sword he thinks love is a weakness."
"Ugh. Men." She said. She had this look on her face, like she was dropping a hint and waiting for me to pick it up. I smirked at her and leaned a bit closer like I was telling a good secret.
"Women are so much easier to date." I said.
Her eyes danced and she leaned forward too.
"Dated a few women have we?"
I made a noncommittal hum. I didn't know how to tell her though that I wasn't interested in casual hookups, something this would definitely be if it continued. It was fun to flirt through, which is how this started. Luckily I was saved by someone calling for Nojiko, and she disappeared into the crowd. I finished my drink and continued to watch until I was interrupted by another pretty face, Sanji.
"Hello, Tani-san. Glad you could join the party tonight! Are you having fun? Could I get you anything?"
I smiled at Sanji, holding up my glass. "I was going to find another drink, want to -"
Before I could ask if he'd like to accompany me on my quest, Sanji had disappeared. I blinked twice, wondering what the hell just happened. I started to get up when he appeared again, not even out of breath, with a drink in hand. A delicious looking one too.
"Your drink."
"Thanks, Sanji. But you didn't have to do that. I was going to ask if you'd like to go find one together."
At Sanji's frown, I backtracked and took the glass from him. "This is great though, it looks delicious. Do you want to sit?"
He took a seat and lit his cigarette while I sipped at the drink, it was tangy with just enough of a burn from whatever alcohol was in it.
"This is really good."
He smiled, and just looked at me.
"Can I ask you something?"
A bit nervous from how my last conversation went, my heart started pounding but I nodded anyway.
"How'd you know that Luffy was gonna do that move? Where he put his feet in the ground?"
I choked on my drink, sputtering.
"Say again?"
"That move you warned him about, it went fine. He smashed his feet into the concrete, spun around like a pinwheel, just like you said he would- except he didn't get stuck. Still, how'd you predict that unpredictable idiot?" Sanji asked. I let out my breath loudly, counting the seconds. After five I felt like I could start speaking without screaming.
"Right. I'll tell you once we've set sail again. Now if you'll excuse me." With that clipped answer I spun around and went off to look for my idiot captain. It was several confident steps forward when I realized those drinks were pretty strong and I was definitely buzzed.
By the time I found him I had cooled off and had another few drinks. Drunk me had talked myself out of yelling at the rubber brained idiot.
That was only because I knew what would be worse. I decided to go for the kill- I'm not mad I'm disappointed.
I pulled Luffy aside, allowing him to bring meat to eat as he listened. He sat down and started munching.
"Luffy."
He looked at me, and though he didn't stop or even slow his eating, his expression changed just enough. His eyes were no longer shining at the food he was consuming, his mouth no longer grinning. Though he didn't frown.
"I know that you'll do whatever you want, and as Captain you have that right, but today I gave you a warning, and Sanji said you didn't follow my advice."
"Oh yeah, well I figured that I'm stronger now than when you saw me do it so-"
I held up my hand, and he actually stopped. Somehow he talked around his food without spraying a crumb anywhere. It was a really amazing feet actually.
"I just wanted to say that I don't give you these warnings lightly. What if you were wrong, and you'd gotten stuck like before? By the time you made it back into the fight everyone would be on the ground, beaten to a pulp. You were right, and that's wonderful, but someday...I've seen us fail Luffy."
I'd never seen Luffy look more distraught, not in person at least. I'd seen him much unhappier in the anime, but I was trying to prevent that, so hopefully this will be as unhappy as he ever gets. He needed to hear this to prevent future pain.
"We dust ourselves off and train harder than ever before and we try again, but we didn't get out of that failure unharmed. It was devastating. It's everyone's worst fear. I hope I never have to see that play out in front of me again. So next time I think to warn you, I'll remind myself that you're stronger now than before. And please remind yourself that I only want to help."
"Ah, Tani."
I gave him a huge smile then, showing him that I appreciated him listening.
"You kicked ass, Luffy. I'm sorry I wasn't there to see it."
"It's alright! You can be there next time!"
"Of course!"
I left Luffy to enjoy more food and went in search of a place to sit again, and found myself in between two buildings, sitting on a small side porch with my drink. It was dark out, and I was just admiring the way all the lights looked, some even different colors, and the new atmosphere it brought. I only glanced away as someone came up and sat beside me with a grunt.
Zoro had a huge barrel of what I assume is sake and an easy grin.
"Enjoying the party?" He asked.
"Mhm. Especially these drinks. Mines mixed with tangerine juice and it is amazing."
"The sake's not bad." He offered me the cup, and I raised my eyebrow and offered mine back. We each took a sip of the others drink, and my eyes nearly started watering at the burn that traveled down my throat and filled my stomach.
"That's something." I said. Zoro let out a bark of laughter.
"Yours is pretty good, but it needs more alcohol."
"Your taste buds have been burned off by that." I jabbed at his cup. "This has plenty of alcohol."
"You're just a lightweight."
I frowned at him, making him snort.
"What, no denying it?"
"No, because I am." I said, and pouted at drink like it was the problem. Well, it was.
My friends argument for this very subject popped into my head, and my mood did a 180.
"At least it's cheaper for me to get drunk." I said happily. Now it was Zoro who was frowning. He couldn't think of a comeback for that one, and Sanji walking up ended the conversation anyway.
"Boy am I stuffed." Sanji said. He sat on the ground right across from where Zoro and I sat.
"Must be nice to enjoy good food without being the one who had to make it." I said, knowing that somehow a dessert I didn't have to bake had a certainly appeal after seven years working in a bakery.
"It is. Not that I don't like cooking, it's just nice to get a break. How'd your talk with Luffy go?"
I shrugged. "Eh. Luffy will do whatever he wants, but I asked him to take any future warnings more seriously.."
"Surprised you got through to him. He doesn't seem like someone who likes to take advice." His tone sort of dipped down as he addressed the man beside me. "How bout you Zoro?"
"I'll be okay, think all I need is a little bit of rest." He told him.
"That's good."
"Seriously, how much longer can they keep this up? It's been three days now!" Zoro said.
"Nothing wrong with that." Sanji said, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket. "Smoke em if you got em."
I choked on my drink. My eyes watered as I coughed, and Zoro smacked me on the back to help but he ended up doing it way too hard and sending me crashing forward in Sanji's arm.
"Hey Sanji!" Luffy showed up before Sanji could start yelling, and I used the captain as a distraction to scramble off of Sanji. Something grabbed my upper arm, and I looked over to see a blushing Zoro.
"Sorry." He muttered.
"Where'd you get that melon you had? I want to give it a try!" Luffy was barely understandable around the meat in his mouth. He was also holding about three legs of meat in each hand. Zoro's embarrassment faded as he scolded our idiot captain.
"It isn't polite to talk with your mouth full."
"It was raw ham melon with raw ham on top."
"Raw ham melon?" Luffy lurched forward.
"Show me where you found it." He demanded.
"I can't. The whole town is basically one giant buffet. Good luck finding it."
"He ran off." Zoro said, a bit of fondness hidden in his tone.
"Three days of stuffing his face." Sanji shook his head as he put out the cigarette.
"Now that my bellys full, it's time to dance. With the ladies!"
Instead of running off right away, Sanji offered out a hand to me.
"Maybe later, thanks though." I said with a smile. I was confident in my ability to dance appropriately to the music playing. I was a bit too drunk at this point, and if the music took over I'd be doing some embarrassing things on that dance door given the chance.
He bowed a bit and then took off towards the dance floor filled with grateful girls.
Zoro made a tsk sound.
"He gonna do that with every group of girls he sees?" He gestured to the wiggling chef with his drink.
"Yup."
"Usopp, come down."
"But what about the song! We have to keep singing Tani!"
"Just leave him, he'll pass out soon." Zoro said besides me.
Usopp sang the first few words of the song he had been singing for hours, before he leaned too far back and collapsed. He was snoring a second later.
"See?" Zoro said.
"Mhm." I hummed, and we continued to make our way through the town towards the beds in the makeshift infirmary.
I collapsed in my temporary bed, listening to him shuffling around, hearing the sound of his pants hitting the floor. I was too tired to make some kind of comment on it, and too drunk to even come up with one anyway.
I heard his bed creak and sheets rustling and then it was quiet.
"Night Zoro."
"Goodnight, Tani."
"This is the last one, right?" Usopp asked as he lifted the crate off Zoro's shoulders, who confirmed that was everything.
"Got everything?" Luffy confirmed, and Usopp called out the affirmative.
"Alright, were stocked up with everything we need. We're good to go." Sanji said as he looked over the crates of supplies.
"You know, we've only been on this island for a few days, but it feels like a lifetime." Usopp said.
"It felt like a lifetime listening to you sing Usopp is our king or whatever for three hours straight." I teased. He blushed and groaned.
"Hey, you could have jumped in and taken over any time!"
"You wouldn't let me. You said I wouldn't sing it right."
He buried his face into his hands and grumbled something. Someone calling out Zoro's name from the docks pulled my attention away from teasing Usopp, and I looked back out across the docks.
"We can't thank you enough for everything you've done for us, but we have to go back to our regular job as bounty hunters." Yosaku called out.
"So this is goodbye. I hope we get to meet again someday!" Johnny said.
"See you around." Zoro yelled to them, giving them a wave.
"Yeah! Now it's time for us to get going!" Usopp said.
"But we can't leave yet! We have to wait for Nami!" Sanji said.
"Well maybe she's not coming." Zoro said.
"What, why not? If you tried to hit on her again I swear I'll break your freakin neck." Sanji stalked over to the swordsman, yelling at him. Even though I figured that maybe sanji was just exaggerating Zoro talking with Nami, the idea of him flirting with the other girl didn't really make me feel all that great. As they argued and Usopp speculated out loud about if Nami really was going to come along.
"WHAT ABOUT ME DAMN IT?" Sanji's rage turned to Usopp, than to Luffy. "Without Nami on board I have 50% less reason to stay with you people on this stupid pirate ship." His tone changed, and he came up beside me. "You're lucky Tani-san is still here or I'd be gone."
Luffy frowned at the shouting cook, pointing at him angrily. "Hey, I'm still upset with you about the raw ham melon."
Someone shouting "WHAT!?" in the crowd cut into the argument, but we couldn't hear anything else. It was a few seconds later Nami appeared, standing on the crest of a hill looking over the gathered crowd.
Luffy was the second to notice her arrival, after all I was watching for her. Sanji ran to the railing next, a huge smile on his face. Zoro and Usopp, already by the rail, just turned to face the docks.
Seeing Nami, I wasted no time and set to work getting us ready to take off. I started making my way up the stairs, listening as people started crying out on the docks, letting everyone know Nami had arrived.
"THERE SHE IS!"
"Nami!"
"NAMI!"
"SET THE SAILS!" that last one came from the girl herself, who started running towards us.
"I don't get it. Why is she running?" Usopp asked.
"She said to set sail. Tanis already started." Luffy said, as if that was that.
"I'll help you, Tani-san!" Sanji said.
I stepped back and let Sanji help me with the sails, and saw the town start to converge, all of the trying to get in front of Namis path, everyone trying to thank her. Someone pointed out we had set off, and Genzo's voice called out over everyone, telling her she couldn't leave this way.
With the boat situated for now, we could stand by the rail and watch what was going to happen. Sanji puffed on a cigarette, and turned towards Lyffy.
"So. You sure you want to let her leave like this?"
"Not my decision." Luffy told him firmly. I smiled at him, when he saw I nodded once and turned back to watch Nami zig zag through the crowd. I watched carefully, seeing if she missed anyone, but not a single person went untouched. I couldn't believe she was getting away with this.
Nojikos offended voice yelling out her sisters name was the only warning we got, and suddenly Nami had broken through the crowd and jumped off the deck. Practically defying gravity, which to be honest I wasn't sure was actually law here, she managed to get high enough and far enough to come down on the rail, which she jumped off of and came down onto the deck where we all stood. I was half tempted to shut Usopp's jaw for him, but decided to save that move for something truly funny. Besides, this was going to be gold.
Nami slowly lifted up her baggy t-shirt. I glanced at Sanji and saw him struggling between looking and fainting.
A thud on the deck had me looking back to Nami, where more thuds followed. Wallets, mini purses, just straight up bags- dozens of these fell to the deck. When people back on shore realized what was falling, a new gasped could be heard, some appalled, some more scandalous.
I started laughing, watching people on the shore dance around, patting themselves, looking around, seeing if they were one of the ones robbed. No one escaped Cat Burglar Nami.
"Thanks a bunch!" Nami called out, kissing a bill she took out from a stolen wallet.
I was the only one who found this funny so far. Everyone on shore was shouting at Nami, somehow both pissed and a little sad to see her go. Usopp and Zoro seemed grouchy as they watched the scene.
"Great. She hasn't changed a bit."
"I'd watch my back."
Luffy and Sanji joined me in laughing.
"YOU LOUSY PICK POCKET! WE"LL MISS YOU!" Genzo cried out, but those weren't his final words to us. "BOY! REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU!"
Luffy leaned over the rail and gave a thumbs up.
"GOODBYE EVERYBODY I'LL MISS YOU TAKE CARE!" Nami called back with a final wave.
Nami stayed at the back rail until Cocoyasi disappeared in the horizon.
Sanji called us in for the first breakfast onboard the Merry after that, and I nearly wanted to run to the galley like Luffy. I was so excited to eat what Sanji had made for us, I'm sure it was going to be amazing.
All of us filled into the kitchen and were greeted with just what I expected, basically a feast. Bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, hash browns, portage, yogurt, pancakes, omelets, toast, jams, and assorted, cut up fruit were all spread out on the table. It looked incredible.
"Sanji, this is amazing" Nami voices my thoughts.
"Let's enjoy it before our captain eats it all, yeah?" I said, before sitting down and loading my plate with some bacon, toast, and hash browns.
"Wow this is delicious." Nami said.
"This is the best breakfast I ever had." I added.
"Here, you should try some of these eggs, Tani. They're so fluffy!" Usopp told me, holding out the dish.
"Oh, no thank you Usopp. I'm allergic to eggs." The clattering of dishes went down to one as everyone but Luffy stopped to look at me.
"Since when?" Nami asked.
"Always." I said with a shrug.
"I've seen you eat eggs, Tani? You made them for us before." Usopp said.
"Ah. But I was eating only the egg yolk."
Everyone was looking at me with the same look of confusion, except for Sanji.
"What?" Sanji said, a frown on his face. "why didn't you say anything sooner, I had been cooking for you for ages now Tani-swan and I didn't know! That's a big allergy."
"Oh, well it's technically only the whites I'm allergic to. The yolk is fine. And it's not so bad if it's diluted. Like a cookie, although there's a bit of egg white in it, I could still eat it and feel pretty good. But I feel very sick if I eat egg, or meringue, or chicken breaded with egg white, or egg white based sauces, you get the idea."
"Wait, if you eat eggs you get sick, Tani?" Luffy's eyes were huge as he asked.
"Yes. That's what I just said."
"That's awful. I couldn't imagine getting sick after eating food." Luffy frowned at his food like it was going to betray him.
"That's what an allergy is, Luffy."
"Have you felt sick after eating anything I made you before?" Sanji cut in, staring me down. I winced, not wanting to say the truth, and not wanting to lie to that face. Catching on he wailed. "You should have said something sooner Tani-swan! I promise I won't ever cook something for you that will make you ill again." Sanji said, his arm across his eyes as he kneeled in shame. My face was hot as I tried to tell him it was really alright, but then Zoro had to butt in.
"Your food made Tani sick, cook? Must not be that good after all."
"YOU TAKE THAT BACK YOU MOSS-HAIRED FREAK!" Sanji rounded on Zoro, foot first, and barely missed connecting with his head as Zoro ducked and drew a sword, attacking right back.
Ah, so it begins.