OOO
Nami is turning past corridors left and right, looking for her way to get into the building.
There! A side window with a simple lock. Perfect place to sneak in, considering the corridors are nowhere near as heavily guarded as entrances.
With a quick pick to the lock, she enters the building. This is not her first break-in, nor will it be her last, and experience taught her that the best place to look for things people don't want to get stolen was the center of the building.
She carefully and quietly starts making her way to the center, ducking past any guards or wandering drunks passing her way. Luck was on her side, as most seem to be partying on the roof or whatever scum does after terrorizing a bunch of villagers.
She hides behind a wall, hearing footsteps coming her way. "Come on! Captain Buggy is calling everyone!"
"Why?" a slurred voice follows after, "I thought we were taking it easy?"
Another voice picks up, "Some moron is picking a fight with everyone on the roof."
"So?" the same slurred voice calls back, "Can't they take care of it?"
"Nah, dude," the voices start to die out, "He's winning!"
Nami hangs her head. Fight, really? That is his master plan of distraction. Sure, it is working but still... boys. She comes out of her hiding place and made her way to the next corridor.
"Hey!" she freezes in place. "Stay here and guard the treasure room. Don't need to be scolded by the Captain."
Luckily the conversation is just out of her sight as one of the pirates stopped in front of a door grumbling, "Stay. Go. Make up your mind..."
So only her… versus one guard… time to put on the charm.
She walks up sweetly and innocently to the pirate. "Hey."
The guard looks at her, "Wha—?"
WHAM!
And a good hit to the head with a bo-staff. Her most charming feature.
She hops over the body and sees… an office. Jeez, where can a girl get some treasure? She will have to search the entire room to find the—
Oh, it's all in the closet. There is the gold lying oh-so-nicely on top of a carrier sheet. It is her lucky day!
She grabs the sheet under it and ties the four corners into a bow. She throws the load over her shoulder, ready to make her exit.
But there is a single chest on the desk. With the key still in…
A little too easy. She knows better than to trust a silver platter. There had to be some trick? She took her staff to open the chest….
…and nothing happened… it just opens.
Nami doesn't want to say that she is disappointed, but she is surprised that it was this easy. The chest lid is now wide open, showing a single map right in the middle.
Never look a sea king in the mouth…
She grabs the map and starts booking it.
She had to get out of there quietly but also quickly, no need to get any more—
"Hey, who are you?"
—attention.
She turns around slowly, banking on the natural stupidity of pirates as a cliché lie falls from her lips. "Maintenance."
The pirate looked her up and down. "Maintenance?"
"Yeah, just taking the trash out," she says casually, flexing the bag.
"Oh… okay, carry on."
Clichés didn't get that way by being ineffective, after all. The thug starts walking away himself.
…and five steps later, his brain catches up to him. "Wait! We aren't paying for a maid!"
But she was already long gone.
"STOP! THIEF!"
OOO
Luffy gives a pleased smile, very proud of himself
"WHY CAN'T YOU BASTARDS KILL HIM?" A certain clown yells a certain pair of dumbasses still trying to land a hit on a certain future King of the Pirates.
The pirates around him didn't hesitate to follow their captain's orders once he insulted the very obvious nose of their captain. Problem is, he keeps dodging all their attacks.
"He—" Luffy ducks Cabaji's side swing, "Won't—" sidestepped another, "Stand—" leans a little bit back, "Still!" Luffy jumped out of the way as another thug rams into that one.
"Don't worry, Captain!" a certain freak said, "I got this."
Everyone is quite impressed as Mohji the Beast Tamer got on Richie the Lion ready to pounce!
Only for the lion to stop in a cold sweat…
"Richie! Come on!" Mohji yells at the lion, "You're embarrassing us!"
Luffy raises a single hand slowly. He doesn't even do anything as the lion turns tail and runs, literally jumping off the roof, leaving his tamer to fend for himself.
"W-w-who are you?" Mohji forgets all about pride at that moment. "What do you want?"
Luffy can't hold back an uncharacteristically smug smile. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy, nice to meet you. And I came here to see old Big Nose himself."
The pirates hesitate at the bold claim, not expecting such an answer from some small brat, disrespecting their captain so easily. They all got ready for a second wave, ready to pummel this brat into submission.
Cabiji leads the charge, cowardly fighting with hoards of men at his side, "Don't worry, Captain, we'll take care of him!"
Luffy doesn't raise a fist as he dodges each their attacks. In fact, he doesn't even uncross his arms. Cabiji swings widely at him, each time more desperately than the last as he just moves like wind around his attacks.
One makes a straight shot only to hit his crewmember in the face, knocking him out. Cabaji comes from behind as Luffy steps on his face to dodge. That one loses control and rams right into the swordsman leaving them both down for the count.
And when Luffy makes an extra special landing on top of them they are going to stay down.
He might have just been showing off to a specific someone who is looking on, hiding behind a corner.
And impressed she is. He may be a pain to work with, but if Nami could get this guy to fight all her battles she would reach her goal in no time.
"That's it, you morons!" Buggy finally getting up himself. "If you want someone dead, then you have to do it yourself!"
Buggy isn't as dumb as he looks. Oh, he wanted to deny it with all of his being, but he knew what he saw. The dodging showed too much grace to be just reflexes, and one way or another, no normal person could scare a lion that easily. But he wasn't intimidated. He was Captain Buggy the Clown! Terror of the East Blue! Whatever apex predator scare he did on Richie wasn't about to work on him!
Buggy gets out his signature knives and starts making his way to Luffy, menacingly. The rest of his crew, whoever isn't passed out on the floor, clears out of the way, not wanting to summon their captain's wrath upon themselves. Luffy stands there, stock still for the first time. Looking so unmovable, yet remaining so elusive.
Buggy fakes a left and goes right instead, throwing his knives right at Luffy who dodges left, of course…
…right into Buggy's trap! As Buggy's other dismembered hand throw four knives right at that Straw Hat brat!
THunk. THunk. THunk. THunk.
Four knives embed themselves into Luffy's clothes, trapping him to a wall. The bastard was caught!
Nami's jaw drops, That clown guy's hand… just came off! She is still hiding behind the wall but Luffy was embedded right around the corner where she is. He must be a Devil Fruit user like Luffy! That would be the only way that he could have gotten someone like Luffy off-guard.
"Oh, no," Luffy drawls, "I'm caught."
But the Buggy Pirates are too in awe of their wonderful magnificent captain to notice. Cheers ring out at the sight of the trespasser pinned! "That's our captain!" "No one can defeat the mighty Buggy!" "He's the best, after all!"
Buggy isn't done yet though, "For a finishing touch!" He throws the last knife right at the dumb Straw Hat's head.
No! He shouldn't die! Nami could feel her body move on her own, hand already on her bo. If she could stop that blade—
"Stop."
It was like her body turned to marble. She can't… move. Why? She felt like she heard someone saying something but… that's just crazy… Her sudden stop kept her behind the wall, unseen by the hoard of pirates by just a millimeter…
"Heh," Nami's head got whiplash at hearing Luffy's voice behind the wall. But, how?! She had seen Buggy throw the knife right at his head!
It went at his head alright. Straight between his teeth. Luffy lifts his very alive head, showing a killer smile, "I swear," he breaks the knife in two with that smile, "I'm going to kick your ass."
While the rest of the crew is thoroughly terrified, Buggy feels his eye twitch, "Puhahahahah, is that right? You're hilarious! Get ready the cannon!" he points to a certain cannon with a horrible look on his clowny face, giving a good reason why clowns are both ridiculous and scary. "Just observe the awesome might of the Buggy Ball!"
Luffy shakes his head. Pirates are supposed to love freedom and adventure. Not mindless destruction. Guess he will have to beat some sense into the clown, got to prep him for what's going to come later, after all.
"Captain!" Another lackey interrupts Buggy's monologue by slamming open the door.
"What?!" Buggy is not in the mood to deal with any more lunacy.
The lackey freezes in fear, hating being the one to deliver the news… but, "Captain!" he took a deep breath, "We've been robbed!"
Buggy definitely feels a blood vessel pop at that, "WHAT! HOW COULD YOU BE SO MORONIC TO LET THIS HAPPEN?" he throws a knife near the lackey's head.
The lackey drops to the floor. "I'm sorry, Captain! It was the girl! She took the map and the treasure when everyone was coming to the roof!"
"A girl?" Buggy rounds to Luffy again, "You! You had something to do with this, don't you?" Luffy shrugs nonchalantly. "A thief, huh? Well, You should be honored! This is the flashiest way to die," Buggy laughs as he went on, "With these Buggy Balls and the power of the Devil Fruit, I should have no problem conquering the Grand Line!"
Luffy can't stop a laugh at that. You would think that someone who sailed with the Gold Roger would have a better idea of how the world is. How much can you forget after a couple of years? Or that ego of his is now as big as that nose of his. He needs some humbling.
Buggy gives a glare at the laughing moron, "Just what are you laughing at, brat?" his glaring only worse as Luffy continues to laugh.
"Oh, nothing," Luffy wipes a tear from his eye, somehow making it look casual despite his shirt still being embedded, "it's just funny thinking that you could even get past Paradise with that kind of attitude. You won't even make it past Reverse Mountain, you Big Nosed Idiot!"
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME, YOU STUPID THIEF?" Buggy is getting so hot he was almost in flames.
"I'm not a thief!" Luffy barks back, "I'm a pirate! In fact, I'm going to be King of the Pirates!"
It was dead silent at the claim, until the whole lot of pirates started laughing at the kid, "King of the Pirates?" What a moron!" "He stuck to a wall and he thinks he can get the One Piece?"
Even Buggy laughs at first until he makes the mistake of looking into Luffy's eyes. They are unmoving, blank black orbs that were just a little too familiar for his liking. He isn't liking what he is seeing in this brat.
Buggy huffs, "You're nothing but some scrawny kid."
Luffy huffs back, his hat covering his big eyes. "Go ahead, underestimate me." Somehow, despite being stuck to a wall, he doesn't seem any less capable or threatening. "You won't be the first, You won't be the last," He smiles a smile that brought small shivers down Buggy's spine, "But you will be wrong."
That did it. Now the clown was about to go down. "WHY… YOU… STUPID STRAW HAT!" he was furious, "Light the cannon!"
His crew quickly obeys, already readying a Buggy Ball.
"This is my idea of having more fun," Buggy snarls, planning to savor the sight of this particular execution.
Nami is sweating. Luffy could get out of this, he has to. This... is all his own damn fault! If he would have just listened to her plan in the first place, none of this would be happening! If he died it would have nothing to do with her. She was already too close to the fight. She had the map. She had the money. Nothing is holding her back from leaving…
He is just some pirate! He made his choices and he failed! She had nothing to do with it! She should just get up and go! Now!
…right now!
Right… Now?
She… can't move from her spot.
Her back is glued to the wall right behind Luffy.
"Do it," Nami's head snaps at the voice, it was Luffy's! He spoke so softly that no one could hear him, except her. "How far does your resolve go? You'll never get far in this world going in half-assed."
Nami's hands tremble, if that's what he means by doing it…
"And letting you die without a second thought is your idea of resolve? Is that a pirate's resolve?" she spits softly but just as firmly back.
"No." She can't see him but she could feel his grinned turn feral as he spoke again:
"You gotta be willing to risk your own life."
Nami's heart stops. A strange but familiar feeling started to spread. Just like with her... Nami's eyes darken.
To stand back and do nothing… Or risk her life for what she knew was right?
"Hurry it up, damn it!" Buggy yells at his lackey.
"On it, boss!"
Nami had never moved faster in her life. Staff out and huffing, the pirate who was preparing the cannon was on the floor before even she knew it. All eyes were on her now, the pirates and Buggy all shocked, Luffy grinning like a madman, but none were more shocked than Nami herself.
"Oh, crap," she whispers, staring at her staff and the unconscious pirate.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" Buggy screams, the sheer acidity of his anger starting to distort his face at this point.
"Sorry!" Nami quickly apologizes. But she had nothing to be sorry over. She did what she thought was right and Luffy could not be prouder of his navigator.
"Just shoot them!" Buggy screams at his crew, not caring for theatrics at this point. The pirates aim their weapons at the duo.
Luffy can't be happier but he decides enough is enough. He doesn't want to put Nami into any more danger than she has to be. He puts his bare hands on the knives and simply… move them out of the way, bending them like they were nothing but tinfoil.
The pirates hesitate at the action, but Luffy pays them no mind, he wonders how he should do this? Should he beat everyone here up here and now or try for a Haki move. Testing if he can use Conqueror's Haki was pretty boring, but so was a lame fight. Not even fighting more like trying not to accidentally kill someone, so plan three it is…
He grabs on to Nami as the pirates recover, "Gum-Gum..."
Nami breaks out into a sweat. "Not again…"
Both!
"AXE!"
And with a quick force of Haki that everyone feels, the guns drop just as Luffy brings his foot down onto the floor.
CRACK
...until the whole roof starts coming down, taking unconscious pirates and all, filling the air with smoke and silence.
It ISN'T until the crashing stops and the smoke finally settles that the image of what just happened becomes clear. The only one left standing is Luffy, still holding a frightened Nami.
Nami is absolutely astounded at the phenomenon they were still alive. She can't believe this. What the hell is this guy playing at? And what the hell was that? "YOU COULD HAVE ESCAPED THE WHOLE TIME?!"
Luffy is blessed to escape giving an explanation as a hand pops out from the rubble, connected to a pissed off clown out of the splinters. Luffy gently puts Nami down as they watch this development.
Buggy is fuming. No, not fuming. Livid. That was Conqueror's Haki. He knew that power, he had felt it firsthand. How could some nobody pirate like that use the same power as the Captain and Uncle Rayleigh had?
But he can't deny anymore that this isn't a nobody. He has at least two forms of Haki and knows how to use them. And thinking beyond the deliberate taunt towards his nose, the kid had said 'Paradise.' The only people who knew that name for the first half of the Grand Line were those that had already been there… and even then, they would only use it if they had seen the second half.
The straw hatted kid in front of him isn't some pushover. But neither is Buggy. Sure, he settled for an easy life in the East Blue, but he had sailed in the New World and witnessed gods clashing against one another. He saw the strongest that the world had to offer and survived. He would not go down so easily.
"Captain! We finally found you!" Everyone, or what is left of everyone, turns to the new presence that makes themselves known. Luffy laughs.
"Oyal! Zoro! About time you guys came! I was starting to think Zoro was in charge of the directions again."
Zoro snorts at the childish jibe. "Oh, it's easy to know where you're going; all we had to do was find the noisiest spot on the island."
Oyal bows out of respect, not because they are amused by Zoro's jibe, that would be illogical, "Forgive us, Captain, we seemed to have run into company when you so gladly ran off." Of course, they can't hold back a jibe of their own.
Luffy isn't the least bit bothered. "It's fine, it's fine. By the way, Nami says she will be our new Navigator from now on."
Nami was frantic at this point, "I never said that! What the hell is going on?"
Buggy can feel another pulse in his vein pop at the kids carelessly interacting with one another despite him being there.
"Don't ignore me, you flashy sons of bitches!" His entire crew may be down, but that is no reason to be rude to him. He is a big fucking deal!
Luffy puts a hand on the back of his head. "Ah, sorry, Uncle."
…Time stops for a moment as everyone checks their hearing because there was no way they heard what they think they just heard.
"What…did you… call…me?" Buggy grit out each word like he was pulling needles one by one out of his nose.
Luffy gives a big grin back, "Uncle! 'Cause Shanks gave me this hat and since you are his brother-friend that makes you like my uncle," he says it like it makes perfect sense. Utterly unaware of the new state of insanity the clown is experiencing, one that no clown should be forced into.
Oyal watches the event unfold before their eyes. They feel… pity for the old unknowing man.
"WHAT?" Buggy yells in rage, "That insufferable Red-Haired Bastard gave you that hat!" He stomps to Luffy, getting right in his face. Well, his nose is, at least.
"Yup. Shishishishishi," Luffy doesn't even flinch at the invitation of personal space, "he said how you always dressed up as a clown and that you were a big nose!"
"I'm going to kick his ass after I kick yours!" Buggy stomps his foot into the ground, very childishly, "It's because of that bastard I lost that treasure map and the money from this Devil Fruit! I can never forgive him!"
Luffy waves his hand, "You were just being an idiot and blaming Shanks for it for your own stupidity," he continues before Buggy could yell again. "Also, couldn't you just get one of your crew members to get the treasure for you?"
"KEEP UP, YOU MORON! THE MAP SANK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA BECAUSE WHEN I JUMPED IN TO GET IT BACK, I COULDN'T MOVE! AND THAT RED-HAIRED BASTARD DIDN'T GO AFTER IT EITHER!"
"So, you're mad that he decided to save your life instead of a treasure map? That's... pretty pathetic," Zoro helpfully adds to the conversation.
Luffy shakes his head. "Jeez, Uncle, you can be smart sometimes but you sure can be an idiot." Some humility will be good for the soul.
Buggy's face is as red as his nose as he screams, "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU FLASHY BASTARDS!" Buggy twirls his knives getting ready for a fight…that is, until something catches his eye…
"Is that…" he looks at an innocent carrier bag, "my treasure?"
Nami gasps. Her treasure! How could she have dropped the gold this whole time?! What was she thinking?!
She makes a beeline and dives right to the bag, holding it like a baby safely in her arms, "Gotcha!"
"You!" Nami takes a step back as Buggy brandishes a knife at her, "Put down my treasure!"
Nami narrows her eyes, "No!" Devil Fruit user or not, she was not going to take orders on what to do with her money. "I'm a thief and I just stole from a pirate. This treasure is mine now."
"Logical," Oyal nods.
Buggy points his knives at Oyal. "No, it's not! If you steal something that just doesn't make it yours!"
Zoro huffs, "Being lectured by a pirate, how sad."
Buggy has had enough. He makes his move. "Chop-Chop… Festival!" Buggy's body dismembers completely and starts flying everywhere.
Nami's face is pure comedy. What the hell is going on with this fruit? Just what kind of monsters are these people? She never felt so out of her depth.
"Come here, girly!" Buggy's face and hands are coming right at her!
Zoro tries cutting the body pieces but nothing is working, his body would just form back together with absolutely no damage. It was ridiculous!
Oyal looks frantically on the ground. Where are they? Where are they? There! "Luffy!" they shout.
Luffy nods, plan already in action; he stretches out his arm and grabs Buggy right by the head and hands right before they could get to Nami.
"Huh?" Buggy is stopped mid-air by… a hand?
Unbeknownst to him, Oyal just threw Luffy his feet as well.
Luffy balls head, feet, and hands together, "Bye, Uncle! Gum-Gum…" he stretches his arms back…
"Bazooka!" and sends Buggy in about the right direction like last time.
At least, he hopes so.
He turns to Oyal. They give the thumbs-up. Okay, good, he meant to do that, then.
Oyal has to admit, Luffy seems to have handled everything well. The crew is subdued, Buggy has gone off to recruit Alvida, Nami seems to have a begrudging respect that will grow into more. Overall, this arc was met with success.
Though they have to admit, as much as they do not want to see Zoro get hurt, seeing Zoro trying to lift a cement cage with Luffy in it while bleeding out would have been quite the sight. So dramatic. What loyalty issues were they worried about with Zoro, again?
"You couldn't have at least left me one enemy?" Zoro is not pleased. Twice now, Luffy had taken the spotlight of a good fight. "How am I supposed to get stronger if you keep taking out all the guys?"
Now that Luffy thinks about it, he would have loved to see Zoro kick that unicycle guy's ass, he never got to finish that fight fairly. Luffy scratches the back of his head, "Sorry, sorry, Zoro. It was an in the moment kind of deal."
"In the moment my ass! You took down like 30 guys and a building!" Zoro points out with an accounting finger.
"The swordsman was just parlor tricks."
"They had a swordsman?!"
"He wasn't even worth it, trust me!"
"We're pirates, aren't we?"
Luffy felt his heart warm at Zoro finally calling himself a pirate, "Okay, I promise you can fight in the next one! I said sorry!" he put his hands in the air to show just how sorry he is.
Nami is not amused. "CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THAT WAS ALL ABOUT?"
Oyal sighs. They suppose giving Nami the foundation of what the rest of her life has now become is the only fair.
OOO
Luffy smiles down at the cute puppy in front of him. The dog is as still as a statue, frozen in place not affected by time or space. But Luffy knows better than anyone how fast this mutt could be.
He crouches down and holds out his hand, "Shake."
The dog studies the kid in front of his, looking into his heart and soul, and then, not without hesitation, not without doubt, holds out his paw in return.
Luffy carefully, but gratefully, shakes it, trying not to look like he just won a lifetime supply of meat. The puppy carries on passively, aware of the gift he just bestowed but being dignified about the ordeal.
"What are you doing," Zoro doesn't know why Luffy wants to stop here, but... to pet a dog?
"You don't understand…" Luffy whispers. "This is a luxury few can afford."
Nami… doesn't even bother to ask what they are doing. She got her treasure and once things are… explained, she was finally able to enjoy the gold she so rightfully deserved. A Straw Hat being someone's treasure is a bit unorthodox, but unorthodox seems to be the norm with these guys.
While Oyal's explanation was nice, it never hurts to get some more. It's this thought that leads Nami to put down her treasure and sit next to Oyal, who's writing in their journal again. "So…how long have you been—?" she begins in a sickeningly sweet tone.
Oyal slams their journal shut. "Stop that."
Nami draws back a little. "Huh?"
"Stop talking like that," Oyal does not enjoy when Nami talks like that, it makes them feel… small. "You want information about us and are trying to use subtle tactics to attain it. If you are curious, please ask me upfront and I shall answer your questions to the best of my abilities. I understand that is your usual method of being a thief, but please do not speak so… artificially. To us." They are rambling… oh, Pluto, why is it so hard to convey feelings?
They haven't changed, but Nami's perception of them has. "We are still us. You just... know more about us than before." No, that didn't make any sense...
Nami sits there with a blank look on her face. She… understands what Oyal is trying to say but that doesn't change anything. "You are still pirates," she grumbles, losing her sweet voice.
Oyal sighs, a little out of relief at the normal tone, might as well get to the heart of the matter. "Pirates took someone precious to you."
Nami eyes narrow, "How did you…"
"It is a logical guess," Oyal turns to look at to their captain trying to rub the uncooperative dog's belly, "Many pirates take lives, plunder, pillage, leaving destruction in their wake…" Nami feels her hands tighten at the thought of a certain pirate that fit that description. "...but they are just fakes."
Nami looks at Oyal like they grew another head.
Oyal coughs, seeing they did not convey their meaning. "What I mean is, those pirates are just… thugs. Incorrectly using the word 'pirate' to justify their actions. Luffy knows what it really means to be a pirate and he is going to change that… for everybody."
Nami shouldn't ask. She shouldn't care… but... "What does he think it means to be a pirate?"
Oyal looks at her, right through her bandana, Nami could feel their stare.
"Freedom," they say so simply, "Freedom for everyone."
"Hey, you kids!" The group of four turns to see an old man—Oyal and Luffy recognize the mayor of Orange Town—walking over to them.
The armored man stops in front of them and looks on curiously. "Are you alright? I heard a crash over here and came to investigate." He gestures to where Buggy's hideout was, "I saw you four walking away from their base. You're not hurt, are you?" He looks at each one not seeing a visible injury till his eyes land on Chouchou's outstretched paw.
It is... strange to say the least. Chouchou isn't the most playful puppy, let alone friendly to strangers. Yet he here is acting civil, almost polite, with this kid.
"Nah, we're good," Luffy gets up from his crouched position. "We kicked their asses," he explains cheerfully.
The Mayor is taken aback by the kid's claim, obviously not believing him, "Kid, this is not something to joke about. These pirates have been terrorizing the town for weeks so forgive me for not believing some kids could have done it in an afternoon."
Luffy doesn't have the best memory but he does remember this guy. How angry he felt that his town was being ravaged by pirates and how he was still willing to fight despite not standing a chance. "Believe it or don't, I would get the Marines here soon. They're unconscious and should stay that way for a while at least."
The Mayor hesitates, almost believing the kid for a second. He knows it is crazy, but this kid... he just sounds so damn sure. It is quite the convincing act.
Oyal takes note of the interaction. It was quite fascinating how Luffy's chances of convincing with the man just shot up. In his first run, he was able to give this man the courage to fight after defeating Mohji the Beast Tamer. Oyal cannot find the proper definition of Luffy's ability to motivate without even trying. It was like there was some strange charm about him that seemed to cause people to gather around him.
The mayor studies the kid in front of him, then turns to Chouchou, seeing a convenient opportunity to change the subject. "You know, Chouchou doesn't really like strangers," he begins, going on to tell them his sad tale of how he is guarding his store, even knowing that his master will never return.
Oyal feels… pain. It is that illogical pain again. They knew the story, they've read it. But hearing it from the old man, out loud and with so much… emotion. It adds a new weight she didn't even realize was there. The dog understands that his owner will never return but his connections to his owner and this store have created an illogical duty for him to guard the store… for nothing…
Zoro gives her a disbelieving look. "Are you crying?"
"No!" Why is their voice cracking, are they dying, again?
Nami, still holding her treasure in her arms and not crying, addresses the Mayor. "Are you in charge here?"
The old man nods. "I'm Mayor Boodle." He shakes his head, grumbling to himself. "But I hardly deserve the title at this point. I can't even protect my town from pillaging."
"Illogical," Oyal cuts in dryly. They need a distraction to calm themselves, this will do. "It is not your job as a mayor to physically protect your village. If that was the case, then they would have chosen the strongest individual in your village rather than you."
Boodle shakes his head. "The Mayor is supposed to protect their village even if they are not the strongest. I don't fight battles to win battles," he points to himself, "but because they need to be fought."
They process this information, "Chances were against you from the very start—" 5% chance of him winning the battle, to be precise, "—but you kept your odds as high as they could be in the situation. I suppose it is fruitless to say the situation could be worse as it could have been better as well, but…"
"What she is trying to say," Luffy dives in, "Is that you did the best that you could in a bad situation."
Boodle fell silent at their words and Luffy takes this as their cue to start heading out, "Well, we'll be on our way then," Luffy gives Chouchou one last pat to the head and gestures to his crew.
Boodle wants to say something more but, "Mayor Boodle!" "Mayor!" "Are you alright?"
Boodle turns to see his village right behind him, "What are you doing?! Don't you know how dangerous it is to be here with those pirates!"
An older gentleman, in particular, rushes out an explanation. "That's just it, Mayor Boodle, we were so worried that you were taking so long that we came to fight beside you, but…" He points down the street where Buggy's lair used to be. "The whole base is gone!"
Boodle just stares, not really understanding, "What do you mean by gone?"
"Gone! Gone gone! As in no more!" the man tries to explain, not really understanding it himself.
Another citizen steps up when the Mayor looks no more informed. "As in, the building is nothing but splinters and all the pirates have vanished."
"Vanished?" Luffy steps up, crossing his arm defensively. "I kicked their asses! How can they be gone?"
The villagers look Luffy up and down disbelievingly, "Uh... well, we did see a lion and three other lackeys picking the unconscious ones so..."
Luffy hit his hand on his palm. "The lion! Of course, that's what I get for letting one of them getaway," he chides himself.
"The three others must be the lackeys that we picked up in the boat," Zoro says to no one in particular.
A woman heard though, "Are you three… sailors?"
Nami stiffens a bit, saying there were pirates or thieves would no doubt get them into trouble, they had to think of another—
"We're pirates," Luffy tells them nonchalantly.
The reaction is near instantaneous, from the calm, nearly cheerful villagers of Orange Town turning their aggression and fear to the unknown group of acclaimed pirates. They raise their makeshift weapons, itching for a fight. "Is that right?"
Zoro isn't worried at all, he actually has the audacity to laugh at the whole situation. Oyal, on the other hand, can feel a headache starting to form.
Nami turns on Luffy. "Moron! Why would you tell him that?"
"Because it's true!" Luffy doesn't see a reason to lie. They were proud pirates, damn it!
Zoro just laughs louder. "Don't try to reason with him, he does what he wants."
"We had better make our getaway fast," Oyal reminds them. "I calculate we have a 76% chance of getting away now." If Chouchou were here, it would be 99%, but they will have to make due.
"Stop!" But before any chase can ensue, Mayor Boodle gets between both sides, looking absolutely livid himself. "We are not going to attack them. The only one who can be mad at these kids is me!"
The citizens lower the weapons as they are told to, but only a bit. "Mayor, what are you going on about?" He isn't making any sense, did these kids hurt him personally?
The Mayor turns to the kids, walking straight up to Luffy, back straight and head down. His whole body is rigid, like it was taking everything he had in order to appear calm. Luffy's face is blank, giving no indication of any emotion, but he waits for the Mayor nonetheless.
Boodle whispers, "You nosy brats... You come into my village, destroy public property, and mess around to your heart's delight…" He takes a deep breath, finally lifting his head and looking Luffy right in the eye. "I'm sorry for doubting you! Thank you so much!"
The villagers are in a state of shock, "Huh?!"
Nami lets out a sigh of relief, glad they are not going to be chased out of town.
"Don't worry about it," Luffy laughs, putting his hand behind his head. "Old Uncle Red Nose wasn't much of a fight anyway." He was more than happy to kick that Clown's ass and get one of his best friends. Really, Luffy should be thanking him.
The Mayor turns to his village, far more left standing than he had come to expect when they were finally free. "On behalf of my village, you have my sincerest thanks for taking down the Buggy Pirates."
There is a pause as the villagers let the information sink in… till they explode in cheers, "He really is gone!" "Our village is finally rid of them!" "Goodbye, Big Nose!"
Oyal sees Luffy is wanting to go now more than ever; now they were going to be seen as heroes. Oyal would have to explain to him one of these days that heroes don't have to give their meat to other people. Sighing softly, they walk up to the Mayor and hand over a prepared envelope.
"Here you are."
Boodle looks away from his celebrating citizens at the letter. He takes it more out of politeness than anything. "What is this?"
"It is an envelope," Oyal replies as they straighten. Boodle gives them a flat look. "I ask you to open it when the time calls for it," they elaborate, raising their hand to prevent a protest. "Trust me, you will know when you are supposed to open it, just… keep it close until then."
Boodle gives them a questioning look but pockets the letter; after everything they have done for them, it was the least he could do. It was just an envelope, no harm in keeping it for now.
"Now that that is done," Luffy turns slowly around, "RUN!" and starts booking it down the street.
"Huh?" Why would they run? Nami thought they could at least stay for a while for free after the whole fiasco.
Zoro brushes by her. "You heard the Captain! Move it!"
When Nami sees Oyal booking it, she gives in and high-tails it out of there as well.
"Hey!" The villagers take notice of their heroes' retreat, "Where are you going?" "Come back!" "We are going to have a feast for you!"
"Feast?" Luffy looks back, still running. Well, maybe staying wouldn't be too bad…
"No. We have to get to Syrup Village in a reasonable time," Oyal jogs beside him, trying not to lose their breath.
Luffy pouts, "Aww... you're right." As much as a feast would be fun, Usopp was always more fun! "Have that party without us! Oh, and we are NOT heroes!" he calls back to the villagers.
Boodle shakes his head at the disappearing sight of them, "Kids..." he chuckles a bit, "No respect."
The four of them ran all the way to the dock where the ex-Buggy ship was still in port. As they start to board, Nami stops Luffy right as they are about to get on.
She can't believe she is doing this, "Are you sure you want me as your navigator?" If she is going to deal with a pirate… no, if she is going to deal with Luffy, she wants this to be straight. Luffy is no longer just another pirate she can use and throw away when times get tough anymore.
She is seriously thinking of partnering up with this moron.
Luffy's brow furrows, "Yes. Absolutely," he sounds so sure in his response.
"I'm not becoming a pirate," she reminds him, "I'm just cooperating with you till I reach my goal," she takes a breath, "But you did save my life a few times there… but I can't say that I can always return the favor if you get in trouble like that again." She can hold her own just fine but she is no fighter. Get in and get out is her usual line of work. She can't… afford to risk her life like that again.
Luffy is almost offended that she thinks someone like Buggy could ever kill him, or anyone in the East Blue for that matter. But he chooses a bit more subtlety in his dismissive comment: "You can always count on me to help you, and I know that I can count on you."
Nami just stares at him, wondering not for the first time how his mind works.
"Besides, Zoro threatened to kill me when I first met him, so really, you're already making a better impression."
Zoro sputters out a weak defense as Oyal fails to hide a smirk.
Nami lets out a small smile, refusing to feel guilty. She knows this is not going to last, so no reason to feel bad about it. She is so close. So very, very close. She is only staying for the profit. Right. Only reason. There is nothing to be sad about. Still, she... actually really likes these guys, affliction as pirates not included, but they have grown on her.
"Thanks… Captain," she lifts her bag of gold over her shoulder and finally steps into the little boat.
Luffy's smile could outshine the sun as he follows right after her, "Welcome to the crew, Nami," he responds.
His smile saddens at an invading thought. She is still trapped in another pirate crew and no matter how she despises it, she is in against her will. She never planned on staying from the start but he knows that within time she becomes more and more a part of the crew. By the time she returned to her village, she would see them as nakama. Luffy is willing to do anything to earn that trust again.
But with Nami's back to him, the sadness in his face and determination in his eyes goes unseen to her; when she turns back, his expression has returned to normal… or else he was just getting good at wearing a mask.
"Where do you want to go next, then?" Nami asks decisively; if she couldn't stay in the crew, then she would be damn sure to do her job well while she was here.
Luffy points to Oyal, who stood at attention ready to answer, "Our next destination shall be the Syrup Village in order to recruit our next member."
Zoro rolls his eyes, already taking a set in his nap spot, "Okay, the percentage stuff I can buy, but that stuff. How can stars tell you when you are going to meet a person?"
"Magic. Do you not understand simple explanations along with your lack of any sense of direction?" Oyal looks down upon the swordsman with their high and mighty attitude.
Zoro doesn't move for a second, half-thinking that this brat isn't worth the effort and the other, winning half saying to hell with pride and proceeds to pull the kid's long ponytail.
"Ouch!" Oyal grabs their head, "That is uncalled for!"
"Your face is uncalled for," Zoro retorts.
Oyal had no idea what they were going to say as they open her mouth, just to be reminded… "Wait!" causing everyone to pause, "I was to get off at that island!"
Luffy laughs at them, "Nah, you're nakama, remember?"
Oyal folds their arms, "I would accuse you of trickery but I doubt you can plan something so… so…"
Luffy gives a well-deserved smug smile, "Subtle."
Zoro looks back and forth between the two confused, "What did he do?"
Oyal calms themselves, a hand pressing against their face in exasperation. "Luffy used an age-old tactic of mob mentality to get everyone to run with him, including me."
Zoro stares at Oyal, and then at Luffy, "Wow…" and then gives Luffy a high-five, which he gladly returns, "Good job."
"Do not encourage this behavior!"
Nami ignores the little fight and actually thinks about the request. She knows their destination, a small village on the Gecko Islands to the southwest. Who did they plan to recruit from such a small village?
As they set sail and the island grew more distant, Nami notices with a slight panic that her bag of treasure was only half what was originally there. "Um, Luffy? Where's the rest of the gold?" she asks fake serenity.
Luffy sat down lazily, "Ah, that? I left it by the dog's store when you put it down for the town's people."
There was a pregnant pause on the little boat as the statement registered in Nami's mind.
The statement was documented under: Pissed. "You LEFT IT? That was worth 5 million Belly at LEAST!" she yells with that shark tooth anger of hers.
Luffy nods in agreement, "Yeah, they're not a wealthy town and they will need repairs done. Besides, you said you only stole from pirates and half of that gold looked like household jewelry and silverware," He puts his hat over his eyes as if taking a nap.
Nami feels the anger draining out of her at that reasoning, and her head sags as she gives up. She has to admit, she does feel for a town ransacked by pirates. And she did get extra from the chest on this boat…but still…
"At least tell me when you are going to do that!" she snaps.
It still hurts to lose that gold! She risked her life for that money.
Zoro, for his part, starts laughing again. A vein pops on Nami's forehead, her anger returning in full force.
"Oh, you think that's funny? I'll give you something to laugh about!" She retaliates by properly trying to throw him overboard.
Zoro is able to hold her off, but she was surprisingly stronger than he thought. "Get back!"
"That's right, Nami, don't go for his back," Oyal offers, "Aim for the neck."
"You shut it, too!" Zoro tries to kick Oyal while still holding off Nami.
Luffy can feel his smile grow as he leans comfortably back in the little boat, gazing up at the sky… "Well, for better or for worse," he mutters to himself, "looks like we finally have a navigator in our crew."
Luffy observes Nami under his hat. She is definitely getting more comfortable around them…nowhere as close as they were but…it's a start, and that was the best he could ask for.
She is used to using her old ways. Using cunning and manipulating the situation to her advantage, so all these new factors like Devil Fruits and working with pirates took her way out of her comfort zone. She grows out of it eventually but it is strange to see her so stiff again. He wants her to get to the point where she is at ease around them and not constantly looking over her shoulder.
The same goes for Oyal. He may not be the smartest, but he knows when his nakama is making progress. The problem with them is that they feel they work best when they are in control of the situation. But that is not the point. Luffy wants them to feel they don't have to be in control of a situation to be at their best. They should be at ease not because they control everything, but because they trust their crew to watch their back so that they won't have to constantly look over their calculations. It is still a work in progress.
He hears Nami laughing in the distance, not really mad at them because she has a kind heart. He hears Zoro huffing and mumbling about crazy women. He hears Oyal writing in their journal, unknowingly muttering to themselves out loud.
And with the sound of harmony surrounding him, he lets sleep overtake him.
OOO
I would like to thank The Patient One, Miep42, and MadGirl for editing!