Nine ----
It was another several days before we stopped at another island. An island that was I was particularly black about. There was little song before the dock was reached. By then all of them had wordlessly gotten used to seeing me without the piccolo. And they had gotten used to hearing me hum through the night and sing small verses. Dancing, even, in the light of the moon.
Nami had decided, after seeing me and the way I looked, she was going to take me into town and make me get new cloths. Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp would do what they will. Sanji was going to stay with the ship, there were no food items we much needed.
Nami took me to a small shop called Ship Wreck Sashes. There were simple clothes there that I though were fitting and would be good on the water. But she was leaning more for the extravagant shirts and pants. I refused to even put on half of what she was showing me.
Only after about a half and hour did she give in when Zoro came to find us. He waited in the shop next to the door and I kept an eye on him, listening to his and the song of the shop mingle together. The song of this town was like no other I had ever heard. And yet it was my every memory. It reminded me of Anex mostly.
"Nami," I said as she was looking over a blue shirt.
"Yeah?" Nami never looked up.
"Where are we?" She doesn't take more than a second to answer
"A little town called Pyson. Why?" I shake my head and look toward the door. That name evoked something in me.
"The song is just familiar." She looks at me and smiles slightly.
"Don't worry, there's a family here, they keep the island in check. No one will get to rowdy around here." I nod.
"I know, there's no upbeat in the song." She smiles and looks back at the shirt.
"How about this one?" I look at the article she was holding in her hands and tilt my head. It had only on arm hole on the right side. Cut so that it would run down the chest sideways from the right shoulder and end just under the armpit. It was a nice Caribbean blue. I smile a little.
"I think you're starting to get it finally, Nami." She smiles and then moves to the pants. This was a little easier. We found a brown skirt that would be fine, coming up one to the top of my knees. We leave a little after. I had changed into the new clothes and Nami took the liberty to get rid of the others quickly. The blue tank top and black shorts were left in the shop for the owner to deposit away.
Walking back down the road with Nami and Zoro to my right it was obvious that they were in need do time alone. I smile and wordlessly slip away. Nami gave me a crazed look and smiles back. I smile again as I walked down an adjacent road tugging wordlessly at the new skirt. I was shedding every thing Atlas gave me apparently.
I walk down the street and into the woods the covered the middle of the island. Jumping into a tree I slip into a peaceful nap. I woke in a sweat, I had dreamt of a sad world. It was sad. I dreamt of the small town that I had long forgotten, it was several years ago that I had left it, and I didn't want to remember. The things that remembering brought to me, made me shiver. I hold myself tight and look around. The trees were darkening rapidly now.
I jump down from the tree, locating the low tone song and then quickly push the song away, it was like throwing fire on the blaze of my memories. I walk the sort way down into the path and stop as the town came into view ahead. There were three ships docked in the harbor… Ours, one I didn't recognize and the small merchant ship that shook the ground under my bare feet.
A song drifts into my ears. A song I hadn't heard in the weeks I had been with Luffy, Nami and Zoro. I walk slowly back into the town, knowing Luffy would be expecting me back at the ship for dinner. I didn't want to see him; I would break if I did. I was strong enough to admit that to myself now.
I walked deliberately and painstakingly slow. Listening to ever slight variation, undertone and harmony to the town's song. And then I physically heard it. Gloria's laugh. They rounded a corner, and I stopped in my tracks. Gloria, her arm strung through his and Manic on her other side walking like a butler with a knife in his back. Atlas' face was twisted in a false pleasure. Anex walked behind them, her arms crossed and a glare on her face. And then all at once, Luffy burst through them. He laughs and grabs his hat running down the street yelling a quick sorry behind him to them. It happened all at once. The bile rose in my throat and my vision got blurry, a look of recognition came over Atlas' face as Luffy spotted me and started toward me at the edge of the town. The next second my knees buckle and Luffy stops running, confused, and Atlas' beings to run toward me.
I land on the ground, my palm splitting open on the rocks and the bile rushing over it. The songs, all at once, were making my head pound. Atlas' worry shooting through all of them, then, as she caught on, Anex's paralleling it, after a second Luffy's added to it. Gloria's rage when she spots me and Manic's happiness and then worry as he to caught on to what was happening as Atlas' removes himself from Gloria's grasp.