NOTE: For those who didn't notice yet, this story has a prequel already published! See in my Profile!
Thank you all for reading me and liking what I do! You are all amazing!
THE WILL
Chapter 3: A good patsy for a good Nami… or not?
Nami is good.
By that of course, she means a good thief. Like, good. Now some people may say she doesn't really have a choice. It's true. She has no choice. It's either being good or being dead. And Nami likes this living thing. So she has to be good. It's as simple as that.
But even someone as good as Nami could mess up from time to time.
Like right now, for example. Up until one minute ago, her plan was perfect. Like always. She had the map, and she was on her way to getting the gold. No problem, no one to stop her, nothing wrong whatsoever.
That is until two of that Baggy person's men found her right in front of the treasure. She tried to bullshit her way out of that mess. But those morons seemed smarter than they looked. Or greedy enough not to believe her. Which, thinking about it, shouldn't surprise her.
Which is why she ended up running for her life in the middle of that deserted town. Fortunately, Nami was good. Every unknown factor was an opportunity. Presently a kid fell from nowhere right into the street, conveniently between her and those guys.
She was quick enough to throw him under the Sea King. There was no way in hell or heaven for her to be taken like that. She had things to do!
"I leave it to you boss!" she waived happily at the poor kid, her legs carrying the running part of the plan as fast as they could.
Nami was good.
But this guy. This frail little guy, so thin he seemed ready to break at the first burst of wind, this guy was freaking strong. The first punch didn't surprise her. She had her back on the fight and it was kind of her point to have the boy punched instead of her. Nami crushed the guilt inside her belly and ran farther. But then the guys started screaming and crying about monsters and help.
She got curious.
She was turning around before the possibility of doing just so finished crossing her mind. She found the poor guy she threw to the beasts whipping the floor with those said beasts like it was nobody's business. In a matter of seconds, the pirates were reduced to a bloody pulp on the floor and the boy was fuming his fist on his hips.
"Woah…" escaped her mouth.
Indeed. Strong. Very much so.
This little plan of hers had become slightly more difficult now that she had been seen by those guys. But maybe…
Well, using someone was never Nami's favorite way of doing things. But it also had been the easiest in most situations. She couldn't let her conscience win here. As hard as it was, her goal had to go first. It was too important for her. She knew the guilt of putting someone else in harm's way will knock her out later. But it is something she has to deal with on her own. Once this is all over. And the end justifies the need.
For now, this boy is strong and she needs a sheep.
"Hey, you! You're pretty strong, aren't you? Can I talk to you for a second?"
"You! You put those guys on me! What do you want?"
He sounded angry, and okay she got it. He had every right to be. But in the end, it didn't really matter, did it? He was strong and it had been nothing to him.
Besides, she needed to focus on the most important things here. He could help her. He would help her. One way or another. Because she needed him and that was all.
She offers him her best innocent smile and carries on.
"Ah! Sorry, sorry! But you really kicked their asses so I guess all is forgiven now!"
"THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS!"
She giggled sheepishly, the tip of her tongue pointing out of her mouth in a cute way. To her surprise, it does nothing. He keeps fuming angrily without any kind of reaction to her charms. Seriously? It worked usually!
"Who are you anyway?" he asks finally.
She couldn't ask for a better occasion.
"My name is Nami! I specialize in robbing every pirate crew I can find! Do you think a strong guy like you would want to team up with me?"
Flattery could lead her anywhere with men and she knows it.
"Yada."
What?
"Hee? Why?" she whined still playing the pretty wide eyes girl card.
Her confusion wasn't a play and if part of her bled through the act, well no one had to notice.
The boy didn't bother answering and walked away, his flip-flops clacking the stoned floor in a slow steady rhythm.
Who was that guy?! No one resisted her! She was too cute! What kind of luck was that to find a moron too stupid or knuckleheaded to react to her appeal like a normal functioning man?
"Now where could I find something to eat in this town…"
!
An opening!
"Wait a minute! Don't go like that!" she called running behind him.
There was no way she was letting this guy go! Someone like him was rare enough to find and the perspective of a little peace in her travels was too good to pass through.
"If you're so hungry I can invite you! It's on me! "
That, at least, made him stop.
"Food? Where!?"
Gotcha.
See? She was good.
o-OP-o
Nami was glad there was no open restaurant in this town and she had to break into one of the houses to give this guy food. Any other alternative would have killed her wallet. This was a bottomless pit! How could someone so skinny eat so much?!
While he was stuffing his face, she took the opportunity to explain what was happening around town, about Baggy and the people of the town. She hoped she could call on his empathy to push him into helping her. It didn't work that well. He just kept eating without any care in the world. Maybe he was dumb. Most of the men she had met were generally speaking pretty dumb and easy to manipulate. Maybe he was one of them. He didn't look that intelligent after all. And he appeared immune to her pretty face. Yes, he might be dumb. Or gay. No, not even gay. Gays men were also easily manipulated, you just had to push the right button and appeal to their sensibility. She knew how to get what she wanted from any type of person no matter the gender or sexual orientation. She was that good.
"You're a thief then," he said bluntly in the middle of her explanation.
"No need to be rude!" She chastised, surprised by the lack of manners. "I only rob pirates anyway!"
He didn't seem to care.
"Doesn't matter who you're rubbing, you're still a thief," he said, patting his stomach with barely veiled satisfaction. "It's still stealing."
"I don't care. Pirates are the worst scum we can find on the sea. Disgusting and wrong on too many levels. If I can make their life harder by stealing from them, it's all good business for me. "
He blinked slowly and Nami felt like he was studying her. Which was ridiculous. The guy was dumber with every passing second.
"You met some nasty pirates didn't you?"
She felt her insides freeze with fear. How did he- No. No, it didn't matter. He couldn't know she had it hidden every time she was out of Arlong Park. He couldn't know about him.
"What's it to you?" she fumed.
He shakes his head almost sadly.
"That's too bad! I thought of asking you to join me for a moment."
She briefly wondered what he was talking about but dismissed it for the sake of her explanation. She needed to show a little bit of trust if she wanted that guy to go with her plan. She carried on, showing him the rolled map in her fist. That caught his attention splendidly.
"Do you mean you are a navigator?" he asked excitedly.
"The best," she said proudly.
"And this is a map of the Grand Line entrance?" his voice pitched higher.
Well, talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve…
"You bet it is," she said proudly.
It was, after all, one of the best things she ever stole since the beginning of her career.
For a second he seemed pretty happy. But then his smile fell and he looked at her again.
"But I can't trust you yet." he pouted.
She blinked, taken aback.
"W-what do you mean?"
"You tricked me into fighting those guys." he pointed an accusing finger at her, his pout still clearly there.
"W- I- I may have done that but- You fought them off! Besides, I didn't think so! I needed to save myself."
What to do, what to do…
"Hm," he said. "I did beat them up. They were weak. But what if it wasn't me? Someone else would have been hurt!"
That was… true. The guilt Nami always took great care to swallow up was coming back with revenge. She opened her mouth but found nothing to say.
"I- You are right."
The boy watched her a moment longer. He seemed torn and Nami couldn't help but wonder what was happening in his head.
"Ore wa Monkey D. Luffy," he said, finally set for a bright D-shaped smile. "Yoroshiku!"
Nami fought her own smile momentarily. This boy was strange.
"Alright I've decided," he said with some sort of finality in the tone of his voice. "I'll help you get rid of that Baggy person and maybe then you can join me into the sea". he said brightly.
In any other circumstances, Nami would have said something about how he wasn't supposed to make decisions like that on his own. Of how she was her own person and she had nothing to do with him even though she did ask to pair up with him for a little while. However, it was perfect for what she had in mind in order to have what she came for and maybe even more. So she smiled and started talking about a way to have what they both wanted.
"I may even go with you for a while if everything goes according to plan," she says. "I want to take Baggy's treasure. If it works you could get half of it? Fair's fair after all!"
He hummed for a moment.
She, of course, had no intention to truly let him have half of her treasure. Not at all. She needed it more anyway. But he didn't need to know that.
"Alright! I'll help you with this Baggy person!"
Maybe it was a slightly dangerous move. He was a nice guy after all and she liked him. Maybe throwing him to Baggy twice in one day was foolish. But he was strong and there was something with the way he carried himself that made her think he could take it.
Luffy held his hand in front of him, and she shook it fiercely. This was going to work out just well.
Little did she know, that deal sealed her fate and the planning of the rest of her life.
"Yay! A navigator for my Pirate crew!"
The room froze.
"What?"
"Ha! I didn't tell you!" he quickly removed his hat and promptly showed it to her like a newborn baby or something, "I am a Pirate! This hat here is the proof of my promise to someone I love very much! I promised I'd become the Pirate King one day!"
"No way."
"Huh?"
"I hate pirates! I hate nothing more than Pirates in the entire world! I will never, ever join your crew!"
Luffy blinked slowly.
"What are you talking about? You haven't joined yet. I don't know if I can trust you. I told you that!"
"It's me who should wonder if I can trust a Pirate scum like you!" she screeched, forgetting everything about acting and being nice.
He dared laugh.
She fulminated for a moment. But there was nothing she could do about that. Especially when her precarious situation reminded itself to her in the rather hard-to-miss form of two pirates under the window of the house they were currently squatting, talking rather loudly about finding her for their captain.
At least every ounce of guilt she had of using that moron for her escape route had flown out of the window with the revelation of him being a Pirate.
She sighed and took her act back together.
"I suppose there's nothing to be done about it. I said I would come with you for a while and I won't come back to my word. But you have to do what I say first."
"Ha? Why should I?"
"I have a plan for Baggy." she smiled wickedly.
Nami was good at what she did. If there was one thing she knew it was that.
In a matter of seconds, the foolish pirate was attached like a good piece of ham, the end of the rope securely in Nami's hands.
"Why are you tying me?"
"Just a bit of rope. Is it bothering you?"
He took a second, moving around in the ropes. Nami knew she had him well when he nodded happily.
"Not really."
Perfect.
o-OP-o
…
Okay so maybe she wasn't that good at what she was doing… Maybe.
In retrospect, she should have known better than to underestimate a pirate. Rookie mistake. She should have known better really.
Everything went pretty well at first. The other pirate ended up in a small cage in the middle of what seemed to be an improvised party. That Luffy guy didn't seem to mind that much. He stayed silent most of the time, his small dark eyes watching everything around him like a hawk. The other pirates around them were just as stupid and predictable as always.
Everything was moving perfectly. Until it didn't.
The Baggy ball was a surprise. And one heck of a reason to worry, to be honest. But then the boy in the cage had to open his big mouth.
"Ha? You Pirate King! Liar!" Screamed the boy. "I will be the Pirate King and No one else!"
What an Idiot!
Baggy of course made fun of him. Who wouldn't after all?
"I see… now I understand why you wanted to get rid of such an idiot."
There was nothing even remotely comforting about Baggy's voice. Nami felt a cold shiver run through her spine. That couldn't be good.
"H-hai he was always splitting things like that in the most inconvenient moments." she chuckled nervously.
Baggy laughed and she sighed in relief. That was a close one.
"I see, I see. Then in that case I will give you an occasion to get rid of that guy once and for all."
What?
Baggy laughed again, happily. Nami had a very bad feeling suddenly.
"My great canon will pulverize that idiot and get us all rid of one moron!" He looked down at her, his face twisted in something she couldn't name. Even the red nose was not enough to calm her beating heart and the rising panic. "You will prove your loyalty to me at the same time! The perfect plan!"
The canon was placed in front of the cage and Luffy stopped moving inside. Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no. There was no way for her to shoot anyone with anything! She may be a pirate thief but she was no murderer!
Panicked, she tried to talk Baggy out of his glorious idea. But unfortunately, Pirates were the worst scum on earth and this one was thirsty for blood. No argument even moved him.
Before she could do anything else to stop this whole mess, the Canon was ready and Baggy had thrown a small matchbox in her hand.
What was she supposed to do now? She couldn't kill Luffy! Around her, the pirates were encouraging her to shout. Fists in the air in a happy crowd. The idea of lightening this canon was more than she was able to endure. But if she didn't do it, those guys wouldn't hesitate to kill her.
She couldn't die. She wanted to live. Besides, without her, everyone at home wouldn't stand a chance against Arlong. She couldn't die.
But to actually shoot… to kill someone. It would be the same as becoming as vile and disgusting as those pirates she hated so much.
What was she supposed to do?
Inside the cage, Luffy was watching her. All trace of joyful insouciance was gone from his face. His eyes were firmy locked on Nami's face with an intensity she didn't know he could gather. He seemed to have understood something about his situation that he hadn't before. It made her take a step back, almost unconsciously.
"Nami…" he called slowly, "What are you gonna do now?"
"Shut up you idiot!" she shrieked quickly.
"What's the matter now?" he asked.
There was no smile on his face, no joy whatsoever. He looked so serious, it moved something inside Nami's chest.
"It's hard, isn't it? When you have actual pirates on the other side."
"Do what? Kill someone? I'm no murderer, I would never do such a thing!"
The shooting around them seemed to disappear.
"To face a pirate is to be ready to lose everything. Even your life."
She took another step back.
"Why would I do that?! I am no pirate! I will never be like those sea scums! I'd rather die!"
He hummed.
"So ka? Then why are you acting like them?" he actually moved his head to the side, like a confused puppy.
The tension on his face robbed him of anything remotely looking like the said animal, but the resemblance was still there.
"Shut up! You know nothing! I'm not!"
"But it's me inside this cage. And you are behind the canon."
He couldn't have slapped her harder had he actually touched her.
She didn't have the time to think or say anything else. Everything went to hell right before she could.
The little box was suddenly taken from her trembling hands. One of Baggy's men cackled next to her, ready to lighten the canon himself.
Before she even thought about anything she was hitting him with her staff. Nothing made sense after that.
The situation escaped her. The men around her grew angrier and angrier and there was nothing she could say or do that would change it. The canon was lightened and Baggy caught on her bullshit.
"You thought you could fool us Nami?!" boomed Baggy "That would be your last mistake! KILL HER!"
Nami panicked. On one side, there were a bunch of very angry pirates ready to tear her apart. On the other side, that boy was still in the cage and about to burst under the power of that Baggy bowl.
She had half the idea of taking the matter into her own hands. Literally, closing her hands around the wick of the canon and stopping it with them.
Two things arrived at the same time. First, the cage shook. Violently. She barely looked at it when the pirates surrounded her, swords and guns out, ready to shoot and end her little life.
"HYYAAAAA!"
She waited for the impact. She waited. And waited.
Nothing happened. The silence lasted a very long second, during which she dared slowly open her eyes.
The swords around her were stopped by...other swords.
What?
"Oi, oi, oi...is that a way to treat a lady around here?"
…
…
…
What?
"HAAAAAAAA!"
"It's him!"
"Roronoa Zoro!"
"The Pirate Hunter!"
"That's bad! That's bad! That's so, so so bad!"
Roronoa…?
"OI Pirate Hunter!" Boomed Baggy, shooting any other voice around. "Are you there for me? You want to take my head?"
"Hm?" The man stood up slowly, one sword between his teeth. "I'm here for my Captain."
Just then, the wick ended and the Buggy ball exploded right into the still moving cage.
"Oh shit!" gasped Nami. "Luffy is-"
"What? Luffy?!"
The smoke was dense and heavy. Baggy's laugh was loud and painful for her to suffer. In the middle of all the chaos, a silhouette raised from the clouds.
"Ma, ma, that was something!"
The green man sighed, his face turned to the sun.
"How did he-"
"Shihihihihi! That was fun!"
"How- how are you still alive?!" cried Nami.
The boy dared laugh harder, one hand on his hat.
"Ore was Gomu Ningen!"
….
What just happened?!
TBC.