Author's Note: Hi everyone! So this chapter starts Nami's arc :) I did end up splitting it into two chapters, so there will be one more chapter before this story is finished. Thank ya'll so much for the sweet reviews and for being so patient!
To hana-ya: Thank you!
To hoshi rosethorn: I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far!
To Guest: Aw, thank you so much! I hope you enjoy the update :)
WARNINGS:
- Past Bellemere x Rocinante
- Death and sad backstories
- Mentions of non-consensual touching (AKA Arlong is a creep)
- Tattoos
When it Rains, it Pours (Part 1)
Nami's life consisted of one unfortunate occurrence after another and no matter what she did, things always seemed to get worse. Despite being gifted with powerful magic, she had no idea how to use it and was quickly reduced to a captive princess trapped under a ruthless King's thumb. When she finally escapes, Nami finds herself on the run from both her captors and an unusual group of mages who were hired to bring her back.
From a young age, Nami knew she was different. Weird things just happened around her, even when she was a baby.
According to Bellemere, her adoptive mother, the day she'd found Nami and Nojiko (her sister), it had been raining terribly, but the second she picked up a swaddled Nami…making her smile…the storm cleared. Bellemere always said it was the world congratulating her on becoming a mother, but Nami wasn't convinced.
As she grew older, Nami discovered that she could go out in the rain and not get wet and even spark electricity if the atmosphere was humid enough. She talked with Nojiko about it, but her sister had no idea. None of the 'weird things' ever happened to her.
Eventually, her abilities caught the attention of some unsavory figures and their little family was forced to flee the continent of Nami's birth. They stowed away on a ship when Nami was only six years old, traveling to their new home…a place Bellemere had been only once during her travels with the military.
They quickly learned that this new continent was very different from anything they'd been exposed to. There were different Beast Tribes and mages, which was how Nami became aware that her abilities stemmed from magic she'd been born with. Though, given what happened, Bellemere made sure Nami hid her abilities even from those they became friends with.
After all, there were unsavory characters no matter where you were.
When Nami was eight, Bellemere met someone, a strange man named Rocinante who had a son of his own. He was a funny guy, always tripping over something or teasing Law, his thirteen-year old child who was also born with magic. Their families became close and Rocinante would come visit their rundown home often.
Law usually refused to play with them but did take an interest in Nami's magic. Since his magic was also an 'unknown element', they'd practice together out in the cow pasture. It didn't take long for both Nami and Nojiko to start to see the dark-haired teen as a proper older brother.
Their quiet life continued for a whole year until soldiers came to collect Rocinante and Law one day, claiming to be from the kingdom of Cocoyashi. It was then that they learned their closest friends, who they now considered family, were actually royalty. Rocinante confessed to Bellemere that the life of a King was 'stuffy' so they'd often sneak out.
He also confessed that he'd become quite fond of Bellemere, which catapulted their small family into a whole different world.
When Nami was ten, she lived in Cocoyashi Palace alongside Nojiko and Law as the Second Princess. Rocinante married Bellemere and made her his Queen, which she took to very quickly. Under their cooperative leadership, the whole area prospered. Law begrudgingly took on the mantle of Prince, indicating he was next in line for the throne.
Those were the happiest days of Nami's life…never wanting for anything, loved by her family…it was truly wonderful. But, sadly, that happiness didn't last.
Just two years after officially becoming a princess, an Arch Demon appeared. He called himself Donquixote Doflamingo, and he was Rocinante's brother…or at least, he used to be. Her adoptive father had told them about his brother, Doffy, the mad man who almost killed their whole family. It was only through a cooperative effort with a neighboring kingdom that they'd managed to capture and execute him for his crimes.
But not even death could stop Doflamingo from returning to get revenge on his younger brother. The whole town was razed by his impish minions and Nami was forced to watch as Rocinante, her precious Father, was killed. Bellemere fought bravely to protect him, but they were simply no match for the demon.
Nojiko urged her to use her magic, but Nami couldn't…she was frozen in fear. She couldn't even move when Doflamingo took Law away, dragging her writhing brother through a portal of darkness by his neck, cackling as he did so.
They never saw Law again and the Kingdom was never the same.
Bellemere worked hard to overcome her grief and re-build, but it was so difficult. The fields had to be re-sowed from scratch, livestock had to be re-acquired, all while many of their citizens left, unwilling to stay in a 'dying' country. It was during this time that Nami found herself sneaking out of the run-down palace, desperate to make money.
She quickly discovered that her mapmaking skills were marketable so she would travel around in disguise, selling maps at exorbitant prizes. When that wasn't enough, Nami turned to thievery, stealing from merchant vessels along the docks and even bank vaults. Bellemere knew nothing of her criminal acts, but Nojiko quickly discovered it and wasted no time voicing her disapproval.
Just as quickly, Nami brushed her sister off. They were earning money to support their well-being and that of the Kingdom…her acts were justified and necessary!
When Nami was fourteen, she was caught by a crew of fishmen. Her knowledge of the Beast Tribes was slim, but she knew that the sea-faring ocean dwellers were not known for their compassion. This particular crew was made up of pirates, and their captain, a male shark-man called Arlong, took interest in Nami and her mapmaking talents.
She tried to run and even used some of her magic (which she still could not control well) in an attempt to escape, but that only alerted the beasts to her other abilities.
"A weather mage…how rare." Arlong sneered, cupping her cheeks harshly, "You belong to me now, little girl."
Arlong was a cruel master and used her as a hostage to gain an audience with Bellemere the second he discovered her status. He offered her a deal…their lives in return for large amounts of treasure. Unfortunately, the vaults were nearly empty due to their attempts to support their poverty stricken country and they could not afford Arlong's outrageous price. The guards that used to protect them had long since left, leaving them utterly defenseless.
Bellemere immediately recognized this and offered her life in exchange for Nami and Nojiko, which Arlong accepted with a terrible smirk that she would never forget.
She watched yet another parent fall on the pristine tile floor, once again stained with the blood of a loved one.
Arlong took control of Cocoyashi mere days after Bellemere's murder and set himself up as the new King. The remaining citizens were all but turned into his slaves and taxes spiked to support his ambitions. Nami and Nojiko were allowed to keep their status as Princesses only to legitimize his claim to the throne to the guilds and other countries. In reality, they were prisoners to be used as Arlong saw fit.
It was a horrible way to live, but Nami endured it until she couldn't any longer.
Four years later…
Nami cried out in pain as she was roughly thrown into her and Nojiko's shared 'room', causing her to roll a few times before coming to a stop.
"I suggest you think about your tone before addressing your Master in such a disrespectful manner." Kuroobi chided darkly while Nojiko rushed to her side, "You are lucky Arlong is so merciful despite your constant rebellion."
'Mercy…yeah right.' Nami thought angrily as the door was closed and locked behind her. Nojiko helped her to feet and huffed when she caught sight of the blood dribbling out of her mouth.
"Did he get handsy again?"
"Yeah…tried to grab my butt." Nami growled, straightening her patched skirt. Unfortunately, now that she was eighteen year old and an 'adult', Arlong's interest in her had shifted to something much more sinister. She stumbled over to the tiny bed that was hers and collapsed onto it, doing her best to hide her tears. "Nojiko…I'm not sure how much longer I can take this. I-I know we have to be good for the sake of the people but-"
She bit her lip and held in a sniffle. If things went on like this much longer, she'd have more than a few bruises and torn clothing after having a 'meal' with Arlong. Plus, they both knew that the fishman had no intention of stopping with Cocoyashi. The pirates rather enjoyed the power they'd acquired and wanted to expand to neighboring territories using Nami's detailed maps.
They had to stop him, but there was nothing they could do…not with the people's lives at stake.
"Nami…" Nojiko soothed, coming over to sit on her bed and gently scratch at her scalp, "It's okay, you won't have to endure it any longer."
She sat up, dread pooling in her belly.
"What do you mean? Tell me you didn't…"
"The people and remaining servants have already agreed to the plan." Nojiko whispered, eyeing the door where guards often lingered, wanting to get a glimpse of the disgraced and captive Princesses, "Listen to me Nami…we're getting you out of here, tonight."
"No, no, no…" She managed, hands shaking in fear, "Nojiko, you know what Arlong will do! He'll kill all of you and chase me no matter where I go." Her sister smiled, determination clear in her expression.
"We know, but it's worth the risk."
"Even if I do escape, what would I do? Where would I go?" Nami continued, standing up to pace back and forth, "You know Arlong has friends in the guilds and I can't exactly ask a Beast Tribe to help!"
"You'll be fine." Nojiko stated firmly, "There are places you can go where the people will help you. This is happening whether you like it or not, little sister, so I suggest you get ready."
At that, Nami came to a stop and began to silently cry. She didn't want any other family members to die because of her.
"I-I'm scared, Nojiko."
"I know." Her sister said quietly, drawing her to her chest, "Have courage, Nami…and think about it this way. There's no way we can stop Arlong trapped in here. This is your chance to bring an end to his tyranny."
To avenge Bellemere.
Nami knew the unspoken message her sister wanted to portray. There were strong people out there…and if she could find them, maybe there was hope for their kingdom after all.
A month later…
Zoro sat at his desk in the guild hub, going over reports from his recent missions. It'd been three years since he joined Whitegarde, one of the most proficient guilds in the human realm. There had been others who scouted him, but Zoro chose Whitegarde because of their reputation.
Unlike some guilds, they were known to take all sorts of jobs, even from commoners. Zoro suspected this had to do with the leadership of their Guild Master: Chase Smoker.
A powerful elemental mage, Smoker worked hard to maintain order and the guild's reputation. He also wasn't above dismissing members if they didn't reach his high standards, noble or otherwise. There were too many young people joining guilds just for the notoriety of it.
Of course, many of their rival guilds didn't agree with how Smoker did things. Zoro often ran into rude mages on the road that either tried to steal his job (if it was high profile) or berate them for doing 'charity work'. But annoying people or not, Zoro loved his job. He loved being a mage and getting the opportunity to help people…to show the world that even the lowest of the low could become great.
"Hey, hey, look who's back!" A familiar voice teased, causing Zoro to huff and crack a tiny smile, "It's the infamous Demon Swordsman! Guess hunting monsters is a bit too easy for you, huh?"
"They tried." Zoro answered, looking up at the playful smirk plastered on Yosaku's face. The man was a little older than him and had been one of his first friends in the guild, along with his brother. "Where's Johnny? You two went out together, right?"
"Ah, he's at the tavern." Yosaku explained while sitting himself on Zoro's desk, "Needed a bit of a drink to settle his nerves."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, it was scary, bro! While we were escorting this noble family, orcs attacked us!"
Zoro looked up at that, suddenly interested. It was no secret that some of the newer, less established orc tribes had been getting restless and bolder in recent years…some of them even emerging from the Beast Lands to attack human settlements. He'd questioned Luffy about it but the teen simply said that they were doing their best. Zoro supposed it wasn't their tribe's job to police all the other ones.
While Yosaku rambled about their 'harrowing experience', Zoro's thoughts turned to his oldest friend. He hadn't seen Luffy in about six months, not since the attacks started. The teen had been exploring the continent with Merry but was called back by Katakuri to help deal with the unrest. Secretly, Luffy informed him that the tribe run by the ancient orc Kaido had declared war on them after their Matriarch went on a rampage and destroyed a few of the other tribe's villages.
They suspected that the smaller tribes were being run out of the Beast Lands by the battles occurring and had no choice but to raid to survive.
"I'm sorry to interrupt…" A female voice said, causing Yosaku to go silent. Zoro made eye contact with Tashigi, Smoker's right hand. The woman was always very serious but also clumsy and often made amusing mistakes. "Zoro, the Guild Master requests your presence."
"For a job?"
"I believe so." Tashigi affirmed, adjusting her glasses, "Please don't keep him waiting."
While she walked away, Yosaku whistled under his breath.
"Damn, a new job so soon? You're always in high demand, brother."
"Comes with having a reputation I guess." Zoro muttered while standing to his feet, "When I get back, we should go drinking."
"Hell yeah!" Yosaku cheered before playfully bumping him on the shoulder with a closed fist, "We'll be waiting for you. Johnny wants to take a break for a while so we'll probably be free."
Zoro nodded and slipped past the wiry man, making his way towards the inner rooms of the hub. The Whitegarde's base wasn't super elaborate like many were but still boasted many offices, rooms, and amenities for its members. Zoro often stayed there when he was off duty and enjoyed the cafeteria's delicious meals. He particularly appreciated that their stable hands took good care of their charges, meaning his horse was always in optimal condition.
On his way to Smoker's office, Zoro slowed when he passed a mirror hanging in the hallway. Now twenty-one years old, he'd really filled out with muscle and looked good in the white armor provided (and required) by the guild. He placed a hand on the swords at his belt, their weight comforting to him.
He'd come a long way since his time as a slave and trained hard every day. Chief Katakuri's words always reverberated through him as he attempted to tame the demon inside, which was more difficult than he'd expected. Though Zoro now knew the demon was called Asura, the creature had yet to reveal its full power to him.
When he reached Smoker's office, Zoro knocked and heard a gruff 'Enter' from inside. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find unfamiliar people standing around, all wearing armor with sigils of different guilds.
'Inferno…Shatterdawn?' He mused, eyeing the strangers carefully. It looked like there were two from each guild, both high profile with infamous reputations. Inferno was known for their brutality in dealing with those they deemed 'evil' but also had the most members of all the guilds, meaning their resources were practically endless. Shatterdawn was a much smaller guild located far to their West. Admittedly, Zoro didn't know much about them except that they were very particular about their members.
"Good, you're here." Smoker said, pulling off his glasses to address the others in the room, "This is Zoro, one of my top ranked mages."
"So you're the shadow mage…" A blonde muttered, looking him over crudely, "Don't look like much to me." Zoro frowned at the insult.
"Now, now Bellamy…" An incredibly fat man chided, though he never lost the unnerving smile on his face, "We mustn't insult people we just met. Mr. Zoro here is going to be a great help, I'm sure."
"I'm sorry, who are you?" He put in, turning towards Smoker for an explanation.
"Zoro, this is Bellamy and Dagama from Inferno. They, along with you and these two from Shatterdawn are going to be going out on a joint job."
Zoro hummed quietly and glanced to the mages in the corner, the two from Shatterdawn. They were both dressed in dark colored armor and felt more dangerous than the two idiots from Inferno.
"Ah, forgive our rudeness." The orange-haired one with the long nose said with a sheepish grin, "My name is Kaku and this is Lucci. It's a pleasure to work with you." The one called Lucci simply nodded, his golden eyes piercing through Zoro like they could see his soul.
It made him shudder involuntarily.
"What kind of job requires so many people?" He questioned, now very curious. It wasn't often that guilds decided to work together mostly because it tended to cause conflict. Smoker put his glasses back on and held up a piece of parchment that looked like an official letter.
"A recovery mission, one that requires a lot of manpower." Smoker said before glancing down at the paper in his hands, "I'll give you the short version. I'm sure you are all familiar with Cocoyashi, correct?"
They all nodded. Everyone knew about the strange little kingdom on the coast that earned the nickname 'The Cursed Kingdom' due to the many misfortunes that befell it. Though not much was known about the devastating attack years before, they all heard about the fishman who'd suddenly taken control. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to be done due to the documentation he provided being legit and the unreasonable support he got from important government entities.
"Their 'King', Arlong contacted the guild agency requesting our best mages in locating and returning Princess Nami to Cocoyashi."
"Was she kidnapped or something?" Bellamy questioned while Dagama held a hand to his flabby chin.
"I believe the more important question is why he requested so many mages…perhaps you can enlighten us, Master?" Smoker nodded.
"Arlong's men were able to track her to the edge of The Empty, but that's where they lost her."
Suddenly, it made a lot more sense why the King was hiring so many mages. The Empty was a barren wasteland where the climate was so out of whack that no sane person would ever go there, not even the Beast Tribes. It was said that the seasons changed weekly, meaning that within days it could go from scorching hot to freezing cold. Plus, it neighbored the Beast Lands so humans generally weren't a common sight.
"You all were chosen by your respective guilds to participate in this job due to your skill sets." Smoker continued while placing the letter back on his desk, "The details are simple: find the girl, alive, and take her home."
"Wait, wait…The Empty!?" Bellamy all but screeched, suddenly looking a lot less confident, "I thought you said this would be an easy job!?" His second statement was directed towards Dagama, who'd gone pale. Smoker sighed.
"Akainu told me that you two volunteered for this so I guess he didn't really care to put the time in to choose appropriate people. If you're not up for it, we'll just split the reward between two guilds instead of three."
"N-No, no…we'll do it!" Dagama quickly put in, making Zoro roll his eyes. It was clear those two were only in it for the money (and were probably scared their Guild master would kill them if they ran away).
"Then it's settled." Smoker stated, standing to his feet, "Feel free to utilize our guest facilities while you're here…you'll leave at first light. You're dismissed."
That evening, Zoro sat at a round table located in the bar section of the hub with his new companions, sipping on his drink. Bellamy and Dagama quickly took advantage of the bar while Lucci and Kaku abstained saying they didn't want to drink the night before a big job.
"I believe it is prudent that we get to know each other." Dagama stated, finally putting his drink aside, "If we are to work well as a team, we must have knowledge of each other's talents and skills. I'll start. I am a tactician who has worked for many prodigious countries in times of war. I am also very knowledgeable about a great many things, including The Empty, though I admit I've never been there before."
"Can you fight?" Kaku asked, prompting Dagama to shrug.
"I can…though I wouldn't say it's my main strength. My companion Bellamy, on the other hand, is quite the fighter!"
"Damn straight." Bellamy put in before taking a long drink from his mug. Kaku then turned his attention to the younger man.
"What is your magic?"
"I have earth magic." The blonde explained proudly, "There ain't nobody that can get away from me! I'm like a spring!"
"That's…nice…" Kaku managed, obviously faking a smile. Dagama cleared his throat at the awkward silence and turned to Zoro.
"And you? I find it interesting that only one from Whitegarde was chosen."
"Uh, like I said, my name is Zoro." He began, putting his cup down, "I am the son of Dracule Mihawk and prince of Kuraigana, The City of Water. My magic is darkness, but I guess you guys already know that…I'm also a swordsman."
"Kuraigana…the Elvish city?" Lucci questioned, speaking for the first time. His voice was deep and serious, a perfect fit to his stoic exterior.
"Yeah, Mihawk adopted me when I was a kid and raised me as his own."
"Oh boy, we've got royalty in our midst, everyone!" Bellamy mocked, sticking his tongue out in a disgusting manner, "What's a widdle princeling doing so far from home?"
"Working." Zoro replied simply, choosing to then turn to the two from Shatterdawn (and ignore Bellamy), "What about you two?"
"Ah, both of us are assassins." Kaku said with a bright smile, causing Zoro's mouth to drop open, "Don't worry, we know the mission isn't to kill the lovely princess. I believe we were chosen for this quest because of our magic. Both of us are beast magic users."
"Oh, how rare!" Dagama exclaimed, leaning forward excitedly, "That will certainly be useful so close to the Beast Lands!"
While the rest of the group talked about the quest, Zoro's thoughts wandered. Why hadn't Smoker assigned anyone else from their guild? And why did the job make him feel so…uneasy? He found himself fingering the feather attached to his belt, suddenly feeling the desire to contact Luffy.
"-and that is, sadly, our biggest problem." Dagama stated, though Zoro only caught the last part of his sentence, "Without a proficient tracker…we may never locate the girl."
It was true. With how often the seasons changed, they needed someone experienced and who could adapt easily to unfamiliar terrain. Zoro looked up when he felt Lucci's golden eyes on him. They flicked down to the feather in his hand, causing him to clench his fist around it.
"I…may know someone." He found himself saying, relenting under Lucci's questioning stare, "Though there's no guarantee he'll be able to come."
"Who? An elf? They wouldn't lower themselves to step foot in such a 'dirty' place." Bellamy scoffed, causing Zoro to smirk.
"Not exactly."
Luffy hummed quietly to himself as he looked over the map laid out before him. It showed the recent battle locations and troop movements of their enemy as reported by him and the other scouts. Unfortunately, Kaido didn't appear to be backing down any time soon.
"You should rest." Katakuri said, placing a hand on Luffy's shoulder, "Brulee and the others will finish the map."
"I will soon." He replied, crossing his arms with a huff, "I can't believe how close he's getting to our border…"
"Kaido is making good use of his superior numbers," Katakuri explained while leaning his spear against the wooden beam that held up the war tent, "but Mama is confident we can repel them." Luffy shifted his weight onto one leg at the mention of their Matriarch. She was the whole reason they were in this mess…hopefully she would step up and help them end the conflict before more people were hurt.
"I hope so."
At Katakuri's insistence, Luffy left the war tent and was immediately met by Merry, his faithful warg. The beast had grown over the years and was now the size of a small horse, his white coat standing out against the green grass around them. Merry barked softly in greeting and wagged his tail when Luffy scratched his ears.
"Hey lefkoú, are you hungry?" He whispered, grinning when the warg immediately spun in a circle, his excitement obvious, "Come on, let's go find Sanji."
Luffy's halfling friend could almost always be found making meals in his tent, all of which were absolutely delicious. When they walked in, the blonde glanced up from his pot.
"Yo, Luffy. The Chief finally let you go?"
"Shishishi, more like he made me leave." Luffy explained while sitting down on a stool at Sanji's makeshift bar with Merry beside him, "I think he's worried I'm working too hard."
"That's probably because you are, idiot." Sanji stated firmly, taking a break from his meal prep to lean on the wooden counter, "You just returned from a fortnight of scouting…it's important to take breaks every once and a while."
Luffy giggled softly and gratefully accepted a bowl of soup from his old friend. Sanji was now significantly taller than him and his blonde hair reached to just above his shoulders (though he usually had it pulled back into a small ponytail). His tusks had also grown but still only stuck out an inch or two, nothing substantial. Thanks to him tagging along on some of Luffy's 'adventures', Sanji had four tattoos across his body that told stories of his heroism and strength.
The most visible one was located on the side of his neck: the image of a raven in flight. Sanji was gifted that after a daring rescue that required him to jump from rooftop to rooftop when a human bounty hunter dared to kidnap one of their younglings.
Luffy had also gained many tattoos since earning his first five years before and had taken to wearing armor that showed them off (so long as the weather permitted). Currently, he wore one of his favorite sets that was a dark brown color and sleeveless so his first flame tattoo could be seen. On his arms, he wore armlets just above his elbows that were gifts from Aunt Branch and fingerless gloves that he could easily slip his gauntlets over if he needed to.
His second tattoo was located around his left forearm and had been given to him when he slayed a group of four trolls that invaded their land. It consisted of four bands, representing his kills, each decorated with a different pattern. That tattoo had been done by his Uncle Oven and it was one of his favorites.
Luffy's next tattoos were all a bit smaller but equally as meaningful. Behind his right ear, he had a feather design that followed the curve of the cartilage, given to him for protecting an injured red hawk that fell in his path while hunting. And, though it wasn't as easily seen, he had a ring around his right ankle that represented his 'fleet foot' during battle.
The last tattoo he'd earned was located on his lower back and just barely wrapped around to his stomach. It was a beautiful picture of a stag's antlers (drawn in typical tribal fashion for orcs), given to him by Katakuri in honor of assisting with the annual migration of the white deer, yet another species their tribe revered. Luffy would occasionally wear outfits that showed off his midriff so people could see it.
Luffy also wore a few more pieces of symbolic jewelry including a scarlet ear cuff that joined his two hoops on his left ear. That piece in particular represented his status as prince so he would often braid his hair back so it was more visible (like his hair was now). He'd been given other ornaments but he hardly ever wore all of them.
"Are you going to leave again soon?"
"Maybe…" Luffy said after cleaning off his spoon of its delicious broth, "Papa is reluctant to send me out since Kaido might come after me."
Though he didn't regret his many accomplishments, they drew unwanted attention from Kaido and other orc Chiefs. He'd had a few close calls when he was sixteen and had almost been dragged off as a 'gift' to Kaido. According to Katakuri, they wanted his strength and skill, but Luffy would never submit himself to another Chief.
They'd have to kill him first.
"You should take some time off…maybe go see that moss-head friend of yours."
Luffy chuckled to himself at Sanji's nickname for Zoro. They'd met once a few years back and started fighting almost immediately. Katakuri described their relationship as 'oil and water' but Luffy knew they respected each other deep down.
"Yeah, maybe…" Luffy muttered, thinking it'd been a while since they'd seen each other. He supposed a break from war time might be nice. Just as the thought crossed his mind, the feather he wore around his neck began to trill, alerting him that someone was attempting to contact him. Luffy grinned, knowing only one person had the other half of the pair.
"Luffy?"
"Hey, Zoro! Sanji and I were just talking about you." Luffy answered playfully, making the halfling roll his eyes, "He thinks we should hang out sometime."
"Oh? That's nice of the crap-cook."
"Oi, who are you calling 'crap', moss-head!?" Sanji exclaimed, leaning forward slightly, "Be glad you're not here or I'd kick your nose in." Luffy laughed and passed his bowl over to Merry so the warg could lick it clean.
"So what's up?"
"Actually…I'm on a job."
"Really? That's cool." Luffy replied before leaning on his palm, "What're you guys hunting this time?"
"It's a recovery mission, actually. A Princess ran away and ended up in The Empty."
Luffy's smile fell slightly at the mention of the desolate wasteland. He'd spent a few months there during his training with Katakuri and it wasn't a pleasant place to visit. Just surviving was a challenge. If a Princess went in here all alone…she probably wouldn't last long, though it depended on what season it was when she entered.
"They put four others besides me on the mission and…well…needless to say I'm not optimistic." Zoro continued, making Luffy frown, "That's actually why I'm calling, Lu. We need a tracker and, frankly, I'd feel better with you here to watch my back. I don't trust these people…"
Sanji raised an eyebrow and turned his attention back to Luffy who was deep in thought. Of course he wanted nothing more than to rush to Zoro's side but they were also in the middle of a war and The Empty was dangerously close to Kaido's territory. Beside him, Merry whined and nudged his shoulder, snapping him back to reality.
"Give me a minute…I need to ask Papa what he thinks."
"Take your time."
"Papa?" Katakuri's adorable little son asked the second he entered the war tent. He huffed and glanced over his shoulder at the teen.
"What is it, Luffy? I thought I sent you to go rest?"
"Zoro called." The young prince said firmly, making Katakuri turn around completely, "He's on a job and needs my help. I-I…I want to go but-"
"What are the details?" Katakuri interrupted, prompting Luffy to explain what he knew. The Chief frowned at the mention of The Empty. That place was dangerous but he understood why Zoro wanted Luffy's assistance traversing it. He was probably one of the few people on the continent who'd actually spent time there. "I see. I'm sure you're aware of the risks?"
Luffy nodded and fingered the gauntlets hanging from his belt.
"Yeah, I know…which is why I'm here."
'He wants my permission.' Katakuri mused, appreciative the teen didn't just run off like most younglings his age would.
"If you wish to go, I will not stop you." Luffy's expression brightened at that. "However, I ask that you be cautious. Kaido has many formidable men and if he captures you…"
It would be very difficult to get you back.
"I'll be careful, but a-are you sure?" Luffy stuttered, stepping forward, "I mean, we're at war and-"
"We'll be fine." Katakuri brushed off with a teasing grin, "Believe it or not, your family is quite strong." Luffy laughed at that and rushed forward to hug him around his waist.
"Thank you! I'll be back as soon as I can!"
A few days after his conversation with Luffy, Zoro led his new companions into the town of Jaya. It was a far cry from 'developed city' and had its fair share of criminals, which was why it was the perfect place to meet up with their tracker. Luffy tended to scare common folk and preferred less crowded places.
"So, this guy…you've known him for a while?" Dagama questioned as he attempted to get off his horse. The man was so large they'd had to rent a draft horse to carry him. Zoro dismounted his white stallion, Oni, before answering the question.
"Yeah, I guess…we're childhood friends."
"You guess?" Bellamy echoed in a mocking fashion, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I don't think their history matters so long as he's trustworthy and will get the job done." Kaku put in cheerfully. The assassin was surprisingly good at breaking up conflict. "Did he say where we would be meeting him? In the tavern perhaps?"
"No, Luffy doesn't drink." Zoro quickly corrected, stretching his arms for a moment, "Knowing him, he'll be somewhere in the center of town making a scene."
Though his companions were skeptical, they let him go off to find Luffy while they stabled their mounts at the inn for the night. Once they had their last member, they'd set out for Cocoyashi to get a scent sample.
True to Zoro's prediction, he located Luffy at the local markets, talking to one of the vendors.
Or rather, intimidating the crap out of the man.
"W-Whatever you want, please take it! Just don't hurt me!"
"Eh, really? Thanks! You're so nice, mister." Luffy chirped before digging into the meat displayed on the counter. Zoro sighed, used to this sort of thing happening around his friend. Though he was small, he tended to intimidate people with his sharp teeth, tattoos, and massive warg companion.
"You still eat like a beast." Zoro called in amusement, prompting Luffy to look up from his impromptu meal. The orc grinned, baring his sharp teeth (and causing the meat vendor to feint from fright).
"Zoro, it's good to see you!"
He barely had any time to prepare himself as the young orc prince launched himself at him so he was clinging to his body like a monkey. Seconds later, Merry trotted up, his tail wagging hard in greeting. Zoro grinned and hugged Luffy before gently placing him down on his feet. He looked good and as strong as ever.
"I'm glad you could come." He said, causing Luffy to nod.
"Yeah, me to. Where's everybody else?"
"At the tavern." Zoro answered, motioning with his head in the direction they needed to go, "They're all a bit…odd." Luffy chuckled and closed one of his eyes in a teasing manner.
"Then we'll probably get along. Lead the way."
Lucci sipped from his mug, eyes watching the other patrons of the tavern closely. He knew the second they entered the town that it housed many criminals and though he was tempted to look through the wanted list, he knew better than to distract himself from the job.
Beside him, Kaku engaged in awkward conversation with the two from Inferno, making Lucci inwardly cringe. Though Dagama claimed to have experience, his skills wouldn't be particularly useful for their current job, and Bellamy was just an upstart braggart. Hopefully Zoro's mysterious tracker would have more to offer.
It was then that his beast side picked up something…the scent of something dangerous. He frowned, unsure what he was smelling. Kaku eyed him carefully, letting him know that he'd detected the same scent. It almost smelled like a beast of some sort, but Lucci couldn't identify it.
"We're back." Zoro said as he entered the tavern, a short teenager following behind him. Lucci's eyes widened slightly when he realized that the dangerous scent was coming from the newcomer. Though slight in stature, it was clear he was anything but a common tracker. He was adorned in tribal ornaments and tattoos that looked Orcish to Lucci's eyes.
Who was this young man?
"Yo, I'm Luffy." The kid exclaimed, raising a hand in greeting, "Zoro said you needed a tracker?"
"Please tell me this shrimp isn't coming with us." Bellamy put in snidely, looking the boy over, "He's freaking tiny!"
"I'm afraid I must agree, Mr. Zoro." Dagama added, obviously unsure about the newcomer, "I'm not sure your friend will survive the perilous journey ahead." The teen, Luffy, tilted his head slightly while Zoro sighed.
"Allow me to give a more proper introduction…this is Monkey D. Luffy, son of Charlotte Katakuri and prince of the Mitéra Sárlot tribe. You may also know him as Al-Shai tou lefkoú lýkou, or the White Wolf. My understanding is that he's pretty well known in these parts."
While Bellamy and Dagama were shocked into silence, Lucci observed the teen more closely. He wasn't familiar with the titles presented, but he did know of the Charlottes. They were one of the most infamous tribes in the Beast Lands.
'Interesting…very interesting…'
"You're the White Wolf!?" Bellamy exclaimed while standing to his feet, "Ha, I don't believe it. That beast is a massive orc who wields two maces with deadly accuracy. You're not even an orc, brat." Luffy blinked at that, appearing confused.
"But I am an orc…and Merry is-"
"Sorry, but there's no room on this team for children, so you can just go home." Bellamy continued, standing over Luffy like he was trying to intimidate him, though the teen didn't appear frightened in the least.
"Wow, he's rude." Luffy stated, turning his head to address Zoro who simply shrugged. The action angered Bellamy, causing him to bring his arm back, like he was going to attack.
"You stupid brat! I'll teach you to respect your elders!"
Seconds later, Lucci felt a strong force of some kind explode out from the teen, causing his beast side to withdraw deep into himself. His eyes widened in shock at the intimidating aura the teen produced in a split second, causing Bellamy to fall to his knees with his mouth open, unable to hold himself up in front of the beast.
Just as he felt himself recover, Luffy's expression returned to a friendly grin and the aura completely dissipated. Lucci glanced to Kaku, noting the other assassin was pale and sweating. He'd heard of this kind of thing before…where some beasts could physically control their will and force it on others. It meant that this teen, this orc, was the real deal and obviously stronger than he appeared.
"It's nice to meet you all!" Luffy exclaimed with a smile, his sharp teeth on display for all to see.
"…likewise." Lucci said firmly, meeting the teen's eyes for the first time. Now, he was a seasoned fighter and had met many powerful warriors in his time, so Lucci knew right away that their tracker would be immeasurably more useful than the Inferno mages.
"Would you care for a drink?" Kaku put in, finally fully recovered from the display of power. The teen declined but bounced over to take the seat to Zoro's right.
"Ne, ne, does this place have good food?"
Lucci silently pushed his unfinished plate over to the rambunctious prince, earning him a blinding smile.
"Thanks, mister!"
"My name is Rob Lucci."
"Monkey D. Luffy! Wow, this is good!"
The raven-haired assassin watched in amusement as the short teen tore into the meat with the brutality of an animal, making Dagama look away in disgust. Yes, he was going to enjoy working with this one.
The following morning, the group got up early and readied their mounts for the journey ahead. Though Cocoyashi was only a few day's ride, they'd have to hurry or risk losing the Princess to the dangers of that lurked in The Empty.
Zoro whispered reassurances to Oni as Merry stalked forward, frightening many of the horses.
"W-What the hell is that!?" Bellamy screeched, back-stepping as the warg shook out his snow white mane.
"This is Merry, my partner." Luffy explained while attaching a leather saddle and other straps to the canine. Now that Merry was so large, he utilized specially made equipment to make long rides easier. It also allowed Luffy to store items like food and weapons with Merry so he could lighten his own load. "Don't worry, he doesn't eat people unless I tell him to."
That didn't seem to reassure Bellamy and Dagama but the members of Shatterdawn seemed more amused than anything.
Zoro did a quick once over of their group, pleased to see that everyone had packed well for the journey. Their horses were well rested and looked ready to go. He noted inwardly that Lucci and Kaku's steeds were very muscular war horses that could no doubt go for very long distances. Their black coats and armor gave off an intimidating aura, one different from Luffy's.
"Lead the way." His old friend prompted as he mounted Merry and adjusted the charmed hood currently resting against his upper back. Zoro looked on, slightly confused when Luffy tugged a black half-mask over his mouth and nose. The orc didn't usually wear those…
It's so the bugs don't get in my mouth. Luffy's voice echoed in his head, causing him to chuckle under his breath. Zoro always forgot that the Chief trained his son in magical transference, though Luffy could only do it with those he trusted.
"Yeah, let's go."
A few days later…
Arlong paced back and forth across the throne room, hands clenched at his sides. It'd been days since he'd sent his request to the guilds…what was taking so long?
"Maybe you should take a break, Boss…" Hachi, the old fool suggested, "We can whip up some food for you and-"
"Absolutely not." Arlong growled, coming to a halt in front of his throne, "You all know very well what losing Nami means. We have to get her back as soon as possible." He would go himself if the trip wasn't so dangerous. Arlong was desperate but not desperate enough to put his life at risk in The Empty.
"W-What if she's…you know…" Hachi whispered, worry clear on his face. Arlong sighed and spun around on his heel so he was facing the eight legged fishman.
"Nami won't die so easily, Hachi. Besides, the guild agency promised me their best mages…once they arrive, she'll be back where she belongs in no time."
Arlong did his best to sound optimistic but he'd be lying if he wasn't concerned. Not necessarily about Nami's well-being, but the future of his empire. Without the stupid girl and her skills, it would be much harder to conquer the surrounding areas. That being said, she was very beautiful and he wanted nothing more than her total submission as his 'Queen' but unfortunately, she was also very stubborn.
'I'll make you regret leaving me, Nami.' He thought maliciously, ideas for her punishment flowing through his mind.
"S-Sir!" One of his subordinates exclaimed, rushing into the large room, "The mages are here!"
"Good, show them in immediately." Arlong ordered, settling down onto the throne. Soon, he'd have Nami back and his plan could continue.
Zoro dismounted from Oni once inside the courtyard of the palace and looked around, a pit forming in his stomach. Cocoyashi was worse off than he'd expected…
The castle town they passed through was barely surviving and the people looked haggard and ill, a stark contrast to the well-maintained palace. It was clear that the fishmen who ruled this place could care less about the citizens. Not far from him, Luffy pulled down his mask and frowned, subtly smelling the air.
"This place…is sick." He whispered as the others stepped onto the cobblestone of the courtyard.
"Why do you say that?" Dagama asked, obviously not as bothered by their surroundings as Zoro and Luffy, "So it's a little poor…many countries struggle with their finances nowadays."
"That's not what he meant." Lucci put in harshly, his golden eyes traveling up to the tallest tower of the structure before him, "There's a darkness here…one I can't explain."
Luffy glanced back to Lucci, surprise evident on his face for a moment before turning back to the palace with a frown.
"Zoro, I'm going to take a look around. I'll meet you later, okay?"
"Roger."
"Hey, he can't do that!" Bellamy protested while Luffy slid off Merry's back, "You can't just go 'look around' another Kingdom's castle!"
"Sure I can." The orc shot back while pulling his hood over his face, "Don't worry, I won't miss getting the scent sample. Look after Merry for me until I get back." With that, the teen rushed off towards the nearest iron fence and leapt over it with easy agility, disappearing seconds later.
"He's certainly a free spirit." Kaku stated while gathering up the reigns of his and Lucci's horses.
"Yeah, definitely." Zoro affirmed before leading the group up to the large door that led into the innards of the palace. Though they hadn't officially decided who would lead them during the mission, Zoro found himself stepping up. He doubted Bellamy or Dagama appreciated his unspoken leadership but it just came naturally to him.
Lucci and Kaku had yet to voice their opinions on the matter.
"Welcome mages!" A middle-aged fishman called, emerging from the large door, "Please, right this way…the King has been eagerly awaiting your arrival."
Luffy climbed up the side of castle wall and silently let himself in through a window that was slightly ajar. The feeling of wrongness only increased the longer he remained on the castle grounds. He glanced to his left and began to walk down the carpeted hallway, eyeing the dusty pictures on the wall.
Before turning the corner, one of them caught his eye. It was a family portrait that included a tall blonde man, a woman who Luffy assumed was his wife, and three children.
'They look happy.' He thought, cracking a tiny smile. Luffy could only assume that this was the previous royal family, meaning one of the little girls was Princess Nami as a child.
Moving on, Luffy stealthily avoided guard patrols as he explored the many winding halls. Just as he was about to check a closed door, two fishman approached, prompting him to leap up into the rafters and lay on his belly to hide himself. Though being quiet wasn't really in his nature, he didn't want to make trouble for Zoro by getting caught.
"So you really think those human mages will be able to find her?" One of them said while twirling a dagger around in his hand.
"I hope so." The other replied with a grunt, "Though between you and me, that brat's more trouble than she's worth. No matter how much Arlong punishes her, she won't submit!"
"Yeah, though he doesn't want to hurt her pretty face too much, ya know." The first one sneered, making Luffy's blood boil, "Just think how nice it would be to have a girl like that on your arm."
"Don't get any ideas, idiot. She's Arlong's pet and he'd probably kill you if you laid a hand on her without his permission."
Luffy ground his teeth together, hating the way they talked about the Princess…like she was a slave. As he suspected, bad things were occurring behind the tall walls of the castle and it was their job to drag Nami back into her own personal hell.
When the fishmen left, Luffy gently lowered himself to the ground and continued his exploration. A few minutes later, the scent of blood hit his nose, making it crinkle in disgust. It was strong, indicating someone was injured…and they were close. He followed the unpleasant scent to a locked door with no windows.
Whistling quietly to himself, Luffy glanced around to see if anyone was nearby before reaching out and crushing the door handle in his fist.
"Excuse me…" He whispered, peering into the dark and musty room. The coppery scent of blood was strong in the room and Luffy quickly identified it as coming from the occupant of the small bed on the right side of the room.
It was a lady a bit older than him…and she was severely injured.
Luffy trotted up to assess her condition but stopped when he recognized her face. This was the blue-haired woman from the painting, which meant…she was likely Nami's sister. What had they done to her?
"Oi, wake up!" Luffy hissed, gently shaking the lady's body. When she woke with a start and a pained cry, he quickly covered her mouth with his hand, muffling the sound. "Shhh…it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you." The woman breathed shallowly through her nose for a few seconds, eyes wide, but eventually relaxed against the bed, prompting Luffy to release her.
"W-Who're you?" She asked in a shaky voice before crawling away from him until her back hit the rough headboard.
"I'm Luffy. What's your name?"
"Nojiko." The woman replied, breathing finally slowing down. Luffy frowned when she winced and grabbed her arm. "S-Sorry…I'm not in the best shape right now."
"I noticed."
"So…are you going to explain why you're here or just tell me your name."
Luffy gave her the short version, informing her about the mission, The Empty, and their search for Nami. When he finished, the woman cursed under her breath.
"That idiot! Of all the places she could've gone…why didn't she go where I told her to?"
"So Nami is your sister." Luffy said, wanting clarification. Nojiko nodded.
"Yeah, that's right. We've been trapped in this hell for years now…"
Luffy helped the woman sit up, not liking how pained she appeared. It was clear she'd been beaten as she had bruises all over her arms and on her face. She also had a large cut on her arm, a broken ankle, and worst of all, it smelled like she was still bleeding, profusely. Nojiko yelped quietly when he turned her around and glanced down the back of her dress.
"Hey, what're you-"
He ignored her, too busy seething at the damage he saw. They'd obviously used a whip with glass or something similar embedded in it. She needed medical attention soon or she could die.
"I'm gonna get you out of here." Luffy said firmly before picking the dangerously light woman up. Nojiko immediately began to struggle.
"No, you can't! I-I won't leave my people!"
Luffy gazed at the injured woman in his arms and recognized her determination. Still, it wouldn't be right to just leave her there…
"At least let me treat your wounds, okay?"
Zoro resisted to roll his eyes at the pure hubris coming from the 'King'. Even the way he sat exuded arrogance and pride…like everyone else was beneath him. What also pissed him off was the finery he dressed himself in while the citizens were starving. It was clear that this 'Arlong' wasn't a good King.
"Took you all long enough." The fishman scoffed, looking them over like they were inferior beings, "For all we know, Nami could be dead by now."
"We apologize for the wait," Kaku put in, bowing slightly, "but we are here now and would be grateful if you would provide us with a scent sample from the lovely Princess."
Arlong huffed and waved for one of his men to bring forward a scrap of clothing, likely a from a dress.
"Will this suffice?"
"Maybe…I'm afraid I'm not the tracker, so I wouldn't know." Kaku continued with that fake smile of his, making Arlong glower.
"Then where the hell is your tracker? We don't have all day you know!"
"Sorry I'm late~" A familiar voice called from behind them, "Did I make it in time?" Zoro smirked and glanced over his shoulder at Luffy who was accompanied by Merry. The warg had refused to enter the building without the prince, meaning Luffy must have circled back to the front of the palace before entering.
Though he was smiling, Zoro could see that it was strained and the little droplets of blood on his trousers was concerning.
"You're the tracker?" Arlong questioned, scowling down at Luffy, "What's a brat like you doing with a warg?" At that, his friend removed his hood, revealing his many ornaments.
"He's my partner." One of Arlong's men looked frazzled and whispered something in shark man's ear.
"You're a li'uli…the White Wolf, or so my comrade tells me. I can see where you get the name from. I am honestly surprised that orcs allowed a human like you into their tribe." Luffy just shrugged, brushing off the comment.
"So was I. Now…let me see that." Kaku handed the strip of cloth to the teen who held it up to his nose and inhaled deeply. He then held it in front of Merry's nose so the warg could sniff it. "You're Arlong, right?"
"Yes, I am," The King replied, eyes narrowing slightly, "and you should watch your tone, whelp. I am royalty, after all."
"Me too." Luffy shot back, suddenly glaring at the fishman, "Sorry, but I don't see any reason to offer you my respect." Arlong bristled at the insult and his subordinates all growled under their breath.
"And why is that brat?"
Luffy didn't respond to his question in the common tongue, choosing instead to say something in Orcish that Zoro didn't understand before dropping the cloth on the floor and walking away. It was clear that Arlong had no idea what he said either, which only seemed to piss him off more.
"You'd better do your job, whelp, or you'll regret it!"
The orc prince completely ignored Arlong and walked out into the courtyard, followed closely by the rest of their group.
"What was that!? You were clearly antagonizing him!" Bellamy snarled, clearly upset.
"Yeah, because he's a gáidaros who hurts people." Luffy growled, making the blonde mage take a few steps back in fear. Zoro blinked at the unfamiliar word. The orc was pretty angry…what did he find?
"Luffy…"
"Ah, sorry Zoro." His friend said, suddenly all smiles again, "He just pisses me off. Should we head out?"
Lucci eyed their tracker as they left Cocoyashi, lingering to the back of the group. His response to King Arlong had certainly been interesting, especially when Luffy revealed he'd come into contact with Princess Nojiko, Nami's older sister. It appeared that the fishman was just as ruthless as they'd been told.
"Did you catch what he said?" Kaku whispered, urging his horse to slow down so they walked next to each other. Lucci nodded, knowing his companion was referring to whatever Luffy had growled to the King in the guttural Orcish language. Unbeknownst to the rest of their group, Lucci could speak and understand many languages of the Beast Tribes, including Orcish.
"He recited an ancient Orc saying… 'Those who feast on blood, will choke on their own.'" Kaku grimaced.
"That's quite dark, isn't it…what about that word he used to describe him? G-Gai-"
Lucci smirked at his comrade's question.
"Ah that. It roughly translates to 'ass', I believe."
Kaku barely managed to hold in a laugh.
"He's certainly amusing!" After laughing for a few seconds, Kaku's smile fell, "You don't think he'll get in the way of our true mission, do you? They seem close." Lucci's golden gaze shifted to the shadow mage who led his horse next to the white warg, their riders chatting lightheartedly as they got closer and closer to The Empty.
"Perhaps…we shall just have to take the necessary precautions to ensure that we succeed."
With that, the two Shatterdawn mages urged their horses onward so they could catch up with the rest of the group. Once they reached their destination, things would get complicated, but they were professionals.
There wasn't any obstacle they couldn't overcome for the sake of completing their assignment.
Meanwhile…
Nami huddled into a tiny ball, doing her best to keep her body from shivering. She was lucky to find a cave that offered some warmth and protection from the frigid wastes outside. Unfortunately, her thin dress didn't do much to trap heat but at least her boots were fur lined.
Admittedly, running into The Empty had been a stupid decision, but what else was she supposed to do! Arlong's flunkey's had been right on her tail and would've caught her if she hadn't crossed the border.
'Sorry, Nojiko…guess I didn't quite make it to Kuraigana.' She thought, sniffling quietly. The elven city was run by an honorable Lord, or so they'd heard, and Nojiko hoped he would take Nami in…but her pursuers came quicker than she'd expected, forcing her to change course.
Thankfully, she'd been nothing but lucky since entering The Empty. There seemed to always be resources around and Nami had yet to come across any ferocious beasts that wanted to eat her. The hardest part of surviving came with the Winter season that would hopefully end in a few days. Though she was doing okay…she'd definitely lost weight since entering the wasteland and didn't have much fat left to help keep her body warm.
'All those skills you taught me are paying off.' Nami mused, picturing Bellemere in her mind. At the time, she thought learning 'survival skills' was stupid, but now they had literally saved her life. A blast of cold air brought her back to reality. 'If only I could do something about this terrible weather…'
She'd tried, of course, to use her magic to warm the air around her, but she simply couldn't figure out how to make it work. It was frustrating to have such 'power' with no idea how to utilize it correctly.
Suddenly, a twig snapped not far from the entrance of her cave, causing Nami's head to shoot up and her heart rate to spike. Something was out there.
She staggered to her feet and grappled for her staff, the only weapon she'd managed to smuggle out of the castle. Nami's knuckles turned white when a large form appeared in the blizzard. It almost looked like the figure of a man but it was unnaturally large.
"S-Stay away…stay away from me!" Nami yelled as the form approached, prompting her to take a few steps back. When the beast emerged into the cave, revealing a large blue body and massive tusks, Nami screeched and slipped on a rock, causing her body to fall backwards.
She grunted in pain when her head hit the wall, creating black spots in her vision. Nami caught glimpse of the creature's large hand reaching for her before slipping into darkness.