I do not own anything besides these words and the cover art.
"Well, Nami. It has been almost a week since you last checked in."
His voice made her grit her teeth, but she maintained a cool expression. "Been busy. Making this plan come together."
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were ready to leave me. But you wouldn't do that, would you?"
"Where would I go, Arlong?"
He chuckled, "You're right. We're the only family you got." She gripped her arm painfully at the thought. Nevertheless, he continued, "Not that you care if people are family or not, right? Unless you plan to kill me and burn down my house?"
Nami bit her lip, tasted the blood as it pooled by her teeth. "No, Arlong. I wouldn't dream of it."
His silence proved he was laughing. He enjoyed recollecting the most painful memories she had as the chain around her neck tightened at each dark thought.
"I look forward to seeing your fighter."
She grew surprised but again maintained her emotions, at least verbally. "You're coming?"
"Oh, well, not to this one. I have plans. Meetings with some other families to set up. But I hope you understand this is a key part of it all. With this, I believe we can be the new family to take over what the Snake Empress and Hawk Eyes left behind."
"Yes-"
"Let their story be a lesson to you, Nami. Enjoy this freedom you have but know you have a darkness inside you that won't be accepted outside this life. That escape is just denial. You're mine."
"Until I have enough money to buy myself a new life."
Arlong chortled, "Of course, my dear, sweet Nami. Of course."
Each word slithered through the phone like a snake and poured over her like crude oil. The sound of his voice submerged and choked her.
"I'll update you then."
"I look forward to it. I miss you, you know."
"Mmhm." Nami caught the tears falling down her face as she hung up. As soon as silence entered her ears, her sobs reverberated. She clutched her body as she slid to the floor and rocked quietly until the clock chimed. She watched it tick away for a moment, then rose and wiped her face.
Nami looked at her calendar and scowled. It had been three days since she last saw Zoro. She went to the gym multiple times, but they had no address on file for him. She drove around the surrounding area in hopes of seeing his green hair bob aimlessly down some street. Nami feared he had forgotten that his first fight was tonight. If she could not find her idiotic fighter, this was essentially the end of all her planning...all her hopes and dreams. She grabbed a towel and headed for the shower. She'd give him one more chance and hope that his own insecurities and issues would not bar him from keeping his promise to her.
She looked in the mirror and traced the barely visible mark on her neck. He owed her, and Nami would never forget to collect.
Thinking of debts, she grabbed her phone again and dialed a number by heart. It rang and a sleepy voice answered. "Nami? What-what time is-"
"Usopp! It's nearly noon. Come on, wake up!"
"Okay, okay! Stop shouting. Geez. What's up?"
"I need you to trace a number."
"Trace a number? Nami, what have you gotten yourself into this tim-", Usopp said with worry.
"I'm fine. Listen, I need to find this guy-"
Before Nami could continue, Usopp literally squealed into the phone. "Nami! Are you telling me you have a boyfriend? Wow, about time-"
"Usopp, you have five seconds to shut up before I reach through this phone and strangle you."
Silence responded on the other end.
"Great! Listen, he is my fighter. Remember? We had a bit of an argument. Look. I need to find him."
Silence.
"Usopp!"
"Oh, sorry! Geez, you said to shut up, so I was waiting for you to tell me when to talk again."
"Usopp. How are you still considered a functioning human being?"
Usopp laughed. "Well, I don't really interact with anyone else, so I guess your opinion is the only one that matters. Alright, you have the number?"
Nami suddenly turned silent.
"Nami?"
"Yeah, yeah. I heard you. So…I don't have his number. But I can get it."
Usopp took a moment and continued. "Wow, Nami, um. This plan…seems terrible. Like no planning whatsoever. How are you not dead?"
"Well, Usopp," she said with exasperation, "if that is ever going to happen, I'll be sure to not ask you to come help me."
Usopp sighed. "You know I was only joking. Look. Just get me the number, and I'll run it. Do you know where you can get it?"
"Yeah, I guess I can try the gym again. I'm sure they have records. Even if they say they don't."
"You know for someone who's stalked this guy for weeks, you're really out of your-"
"Goodbye, Usopp, I'll text you the number."
She hung up before Usopp could make her any madder…or sadder. Nami looked at the clock and frowned. She was going to make Zoro pay if it meant she had to drag him by his ears into the ring, and Nami was completely ready to do just that. The question was if Zoro would hold up.
She shook her head at the fears that rose and fought to keep her hope. She wanted to wake up, to be woken up; for her strings to be cut off and broken, for Arlong to lose control over her. Nami's one desire was to be free…and the only one who could change that was Zoro…it was just a matter of making sure he cut the right string. Once she found him, of course.
Music Inspiration/Theme: "Puppet" (Thousand Foot Krutch)