I do not own anything besides these words and the cover art.
Nami did not come back down from the betting booths, as she needed to move quickly. Sanji witnessed it all, as Zoro flipped it on Pica. The lumbering man came at him with pride and fists carved out in metal spikes, but one straight cut to the jaw and Pica flew back like he knew how to fly.
Zoro shook, but as the referee came and lifted his bloodied and broken hand, the spectators went wild. Possibly as their champion fell in the most spectacular way. Sanji charged for the mat, screaming that he knew him, and finally they let him through. Zoro collapsed down into his friend's waiting arms.
"Shit, Zoro…" Zoro looked up at him, bloodied and tired, "You look like the shit a shit would take."
Zoro chuckled and huffed as blood came from his mouth. Sanji tried to play it off, but he knew Zoro would need to recover as soon as possible. Perhaps the worse was out of the way. Sanji had his friend safe, but where was Nami?
Nami threw the two large black duffels on the counter. "I've come to collect," she said with a cold grin. Her eyes dead as the tellers begged her to not clear them out. Apparently, they kept going on about how this was not the way things happened, but Nami had no patience for it. She pulled her shirt up and showed them the shining piece tucked into her jeans. "Did you see my bag? It seems hella thin. Let's fix that."
They piled the winnings into it as she did a quick count. This was more than she ever thought she would make. It was highway robbery, but they did not call her Fair and Square Nami. No, Nami was willing to use her Cat Burglar name for one last heist. This was the one that would count. She was done with running.
As they zipped it close, Nami lifted it off and at first, the bags fell to the ground with such a force that she thought she was going to lose her arms to the weight. However, where Zoro had power when it came to every day, Nami's strength came from her ability to lift her rewards. As she lifted it again, Hachi came by her side and lifted them, with a bit of a struggle, too.
"Arlong wants to see you," he said, and Nami recognized the worry in his face. Hachi was in Arlong's close circle. With his age, Hachi was there at the beginning, when Arlong was nothing more than a two-bit thug with some muscle. But the older man witnessed the way Arlong ruled, iron fist and cruel punishments. Hachi even handled many of these executions. He was there when an orphaned child came to Arlong with a desire for nothing but money. He watched that girl grow, and somehow, Hachi felt he had a responsibility to help her. However, as he motioned to Nami to move, he worried he would not be able to play her protector for much longer.
Nami chuckled as she moved some of the winnings into her small purse. "Another trophy, my hands can hardly carry them. Too many that I can't even count it," she sang.
As she walked before him, her red pumps clicking down the darkened hallway. Hachi called after her, "Be careful of your feet, be careful of what you say."
Nami turned slightly and smirked, "Haters gonna hate. Players gonna play. But Hachi…ya got to live your life, man. Besides, I've always had good luck…" He was about to respond when Nami stopped short at the entrance to locker area where she had hugged Zoro not even an hour ago. "Can…can you wait…I just-"
"Arlong is waiting."
She stopped and placed a gentle hand on Hachi's arm. "Arlong has had me my whole life…he can wait a few more minutes. Besides, this is it. Remember…this was my last job."
He looked at her naïve and childish face. For so long he remembered her being nothing but cruel and cold, but tonight, he wanted to hug her. Better yet, he wanted to tell her to run…but that was not his job. He needed to deliver Arlong's payment in full. He watched her scribble a note down and tuck it in a locker. It burned Hachi to think that she did not understand the weight of her decision. Regardless of how heavy her bags, her trophies, her plans were…Arlong would anchor her down to him until she sank to the bottom and died without a breath of freedom. Hachi knew this and still, he led the young woman to the shark who was going to eat her alive.
Sanji took a back hallway that the stadium people told him to go. With the upset victory, there were many people ready to take Zoro's life, but more importantly, Sanji felt an unease with Zoro limping by his side. And all the while, all Zoro mumbled was about getting back to Nami, who Sanji still could not find.
Suddenly, down the hallway, a man in an awfully mismatched blue suit leaned against the wall. He was tall and dark skinned, but what Sanji focused on was the bejeweled knuckles and the visible tattoo on his chest. His silken shirt was open to reveal the image along with the stretch of muscle that looked inhuman.
"That…was some fight, huh?" the man spoke lowly. He turned and Zoro took in the grin with its row of sharpened teeth. "I heard you won more than the title. What you think about that?"
The man was toying with Zoro, and with a few cracked ribs, Zoro was in no mood to laugh. But, Zoro could hardly help it. So, with a chuckle, Zoro replied, "I bet my haters are hella sick. If you're a fan, why not come and follow me with a sign up?"
Sanji watched the man ball his hands into fists, heard the knuckles crack in the quiet hallway. "Keep on running…and I'll catch up. I'm fired up, boy…and your time's up."
"Is that a threat?" Sanji asked with a growl. "Why are you trying to flex when your fucking fashion's off?"
He stared at the two men with a fiery glare, but eventually, he softened and smirked, "Me?" The man shrugged as he put his hands in his pant pockets and walked past them. "Never…"
Sanji helped Zoro along but the man spoke again from behind them, "By the way…why are you fired up, boy? Huh? You got some bitch to warm up?"
"Watch your fucking mouth," Sanji said through gritted teeth, but Zoro bellowed a low laugh.
"Shit…go look at yourself in the mirror, and realize…you and I are on two different levels. You know how I feel? I feel damn happy. I'm on the mountain, yeah, I'm on the bay." Zoro turned and loosened himself from Sanji as he lifted his bloodied chin to the suited man. "But if you must know…I owe a girl a tattoo removal. What ya think about that?"
The man glowered at Zoro but Zoro watched him relax, slightly. He shrugged and continued down the hallway, as Zoro turned back to Sanji and spoke in a hushed and harsh tone, "I need to find Nami."
"Yeah, yeah, lover boy…I got it," Sanji said as he tried to understand the static that was shared a moment ago. He had never seen the man who was the center of so many things, but Sanji could not shake the feeling that the poorly dressed individual he just encountered was Arlong the Saw. The pierced nose was a distinct giveaway, but without Tashigi to confirm anything, he was at a loss. Perhaps he would try to ring her again once he got Zoro settled.
They finally reached the locker room, and Zoro frowned at the sight of an empty room. He steadied himself on the bench as Sanji opened his locker. As he did, a slip of paper flew down. Zoro groaned as he leaned down and picked it up.
Sanji ran to the sink to get some wet towels to wipe the blood and sweat from Zoro's wounds. He would need to get professional help, but with such precarious conditions, Sanji would try his best. He turned back to see Zoro chuckling.
"Oi, oi. What the hell is so funny? You're not exactly in any position to be laughing."
Zoro flicked the paper at Sanji who read the black cursive:
We don't need to see each other again, this is my last goodbye…Nothing more left to say, don't even apologize. Look closely, look at your pathetic self…bloody mess.
Sanji was about to shout when Zoro motioned him to flip it over, and it continued:
You think I was gonna let you get all that blood on this money? :P
I made a promise. More importantly, you made a promise…and in fear that you'd shoot up just like a can of Coca-Cola, I'm going to leave that kiss until Sanji cleans you up.
Meet me behind the building in 15 minutes. And don't worry…I'll give you more than a kiss ;P
Your Witch
Sanji rolled his eyes as he handed the note back, "Wow, Zoro. You look like a fucking mess, but at least you might get laid tonight. Good for you?"
Zoro stared at the piece of paper, "I don't give a shit about that…I just…trust her."
With that, Sanji went to work cleaning him up as the clock ticked away. Zoro watched it impatiently and wished his luck would stay with him one night more.
After what felt like an hour's walk, Nami finally stopped at the dark wooden door. As she turned the doorknob and heard Arlong inside, "You'd think she'd move a bit faster…"
Nami chuckled as she entered and motioned for Hachi to drop the bags on the desk. "Arlong. You know I only move fast when I want to. Besides, this delivery is my last one. I wanted to savor it."
Arlong turned in the chair and smiled at the girl who tested every ounce of patience he had. "Yes, Nami…we are all aware."
Nami's smile slowly faded as the door closed behind her in the poorly lit room. "Wow, Arlong. A suit? You shouldn't have dressed up just for little old me."
He pulled at his collar and smiled, "I had a meeting…and an errand to run." Arlong put his legs on the desk and tossed something to her feet. "Besides, you know I dress well for two things. Weddings. And funerals."
She smirked, trying not to show off fear. She said sarcastically, "I promise I'll be a blushing bride…but not today." However, as her quivering fingers picked up her old burner phone from the floor, Nami knew she was only catching up to the joke everyone else was in on.
"Well, then I guess you can tell me what to tell the mortician. But…is that what you're wearing to the grave?" his cold voice called out to her in the darkness, and suddenly Nami felt nothing but the chill of death all around her.
Music Inspiration/Theme: "MIC Drop" (Steve Aoki Remix ft. Desiigner)
Dangnabit, I'm on that BTS flow. Also, this song, yas boyz. Let them know. Also, learning the lyrics, a lot of it in English, I am laughing cause I legit wrote in Nami's duffle bags, just cause…this song. Haha. #visuals
Alright, ya'll better be visualizing this flawless play. This is where it all turns kiddos. We bout to get f-ed up. Seriously.
Arlong shows Nami what she had been missing all this time. The clock is ticking, and pieces are falling. Someone is not going to make it out. Will Zoro be able to save her?
To be continued…
XoXo shipfiend