The brawny proprietor seemed to have singled her out for closer inspection. Over his bushy moustache, dark brown eyes held a focused intensity that any veteran shoplifter would immediately recognize as the mark of experience, and seek their ill-gotten gains elsewhere in more trusting locales.

Nami disregarded him as she strolled through the racks. However keen his instincts might be, this time they were slightly off. While the thought had occurred to her, it had been consciously discarded, owing to the fact that she was flush with cash. The fact that it had been looted from a Shichibukai further served to assure her that no mere vendor had the power to intimidate her now.

I love being rich, the young pirate thought, and grinned merrily.

The shop she was currently in offered the latest and greatest in swimwear, specifically for the ladies. Her designated companion Chopper had taken one look at all the pictures of scantily-clad females adorning the walls, not to mention the living specimens giggling and sporting potential purchases, and high-tailed it out of there fast as his furry little legs could take him. Nami had expected as much and called out to the ship's doctor to meet her back there in half an hour. He had called her a bastard and agreed to do so. That was all the assurance she needed.

Nami picked out a two-piece swimsuit with swirling patterns of turquoise and lapis lazuli on a white background. The colors strongly reminded her of the ocean, even seeming to carry the tang of freedom in their depths. An odd motif considering their current port. This city of mangroves and bubbles had the appearance of a carnival on first impression, but once you docked, it didn't take long to notice that the fair had a seriously darker underbelly.

The Saobody Archipelago was one of the last remaining bastions for slavery in the world, all sanctioned and blessed by the authority of the World Government. This was done to curry favor with the so-called World Nobles, the Tenryūbito, as her crewmate Robin had explained to her. They had both been greatly troubled to observe what looked like an outdoor slave auction being held here in the business district. The sight of a fishman among the assorted human wares had caused Nami's stomach to churn further. While having lived for years under the dominion of a bloodthirsty mer-pirate, she harbored their race no misgivings. Apparently on this island, their species was treated as a form of beast, an attitude that she had gotten quite enough of from Arlong concerning her own people. She had no desire to parrot that monster's opinions in any way.

Thinking about her penniless past was something she had resolved to avoid for a few hours, and so the navigator of the Strawhat Pirates decided now would be a good time to sample the wares. With her selection in one hand, she made her way over to one of the dressing rooms that lined the walls.

About a minute later, Cat-Burglar Nami exited the stall now dressed rather more skimpily than usual. Her toned physique and pronounced chest caused heads to turn even in this crowd, and not just from the men. The redhead allowed herself a small smile as she moved over to an alcove where a full-length mirror covered over half the wall, allowing her to see what all the fuss was about.

Oh, yes. You are a sight, you wicked, wicked girl, she exulted gleefully.

Turning from side to side, Nami examined her body tucked into the swimsuit. She had wrapped a long-sleeved shirt loosely around her waist, the rest of her clothing now lying in a bundle at her feet. Her skin glowed a healthy color even under the artificial lighting. Gathering a hank of her shoulder-length hair, she pulled it up to see how she would look, and was quick to note how one man stumbled into a rack of clothes on account of not being able to take his eyes off her. The professional thief smirked on the inside, but gave no other indication of noticing. It didn't escape her attention that even the previously suspicious salesman had grown rather red-faced and was now staring stiffly ahead from behind the counter. Every now and then his gaze flickered over to her, and then away again just as fast.

I really should be charging them all for this.

Stretching up her arms, she examined how snugly the top fit around her breasts. With the varied blues, it actually did complement her skin, especially the personalized tattoo of similar hue on her left shoulder. If these people ogling her had any idea what that mark meant, they might experience a desire of a different color. Specifically, the color green. Nami was currently sporting a bounty of 16 million belli, almost equivalent to Arlong's from back in the day. Still, she wasn't that concerned. In addition to being a slaver's paradise, Saobody had a reputation as being a layover for pirates on their way into the last leg of the Grand Line. While bounty hunters did abound, she had learned to spot their ilk through the years. Out of habit, her eyes drifted over the shoppers reflected in the mirror. Nope. They were all pretty normal sorts. Average-looking, down to a tee. None of them had any particular air of menace about them, more like indolence and…

Ice.

Pale eyes locked with her own, and she shivered violently. For a while all the commotion of the busy shop seemed to drain away, leaving her in a cone of silence. Nami felt like she was being forced by her own instincts to focus in on only that one person.

In response, the man in the mirror smiled.

He was slouched in a sedan chair right at the entrance to the alcove she was in (mercy, did I walk right by him and not notice?). The thought made goose bumps come out on her exposed skin as she examined this darkling figure with the intensity of a mouse sighting a cat. The man was young, dressed casually in dark-stained jeans and a hoodie with the black sleeves rolled up to his elbows. There was a design on the front of his shirt, but in his slumped position she couldn't make it out clearly. Tattoos went up and down his forearms and even the backs of his hands; some kind of round sun-like motif, or maybe even a Jolly Roger, though the specific type didn't leap out at her. Pirate. The word flashed through her mind, and for just a moment Nami felt all her old fear and loathing of that profession coming back, regardless of it being her own now. But the Strawhat crew was a special sort, not in it for the same things that other more vicious scalliwags were known to prefer. This right here, though… this was the real deal. The sort of pirate that mothers told their children stories about to frighten them into behaving.

A casual observer might not have picked up on any particular peril at first glance. He seemed fairly tall but rather slim. Suntanned skin looked smooth and boasted no scars or signs of battle. Leaning forward with arms propped on his knees, a speckled white fur hat of northern design perched atop his head, the guy wasn't hurting anybody or behaving oddly. But beneath the brim of that cap was a face that let you know this impression could change in an instant, boasting prominent black sideburns and a neat goatee. Those deep-set eyes had dark rings under them, indicating either lack of sleep or simple bad character. He was still smiling. There was even less warmth in that smirk than in his gaze. For some strange reason, Nami thought that this person resembled her own captain Monkey D. Luffy, at least in terms of overall appearance. Slender. Short black hair. Funny-looking hat. But there was something distinctly menacing about this version. Something sly and by no means innocent. Like it was Luffy's antithesis. Evil Luffy, she considered briefly. He didn't appear to be armed in any way, but Nami prepared herself for battle all the same, foot casually scooting over to her clothes and the Clima-Tact hidden within.

Still engaged in a staring match with this dire threat, she almost missed when a bear walked by behind her. Her attention remained focused on the immediate threat of…

A bear.

On its hind legs. Wearing a diving suit. With a sword over its shoulder.

Eyes wide, Nami spun about and gaped. There was nothing to be seen now, but neither was there any doubt in her mind as to what she had witnessed in the reflection. Unfortunately, it didn't appear as if anybody else in the store had noticed something strange. They were all going about their business while still casting furtive glances in her direction.

Astounded, she turned now to the fellow sitting just a few paces away from her. He regarded her right back. Mouth hanging open, the scantily-clad beauty could hardly get the words out. But somehow she managed.

"Did… did a bear just walk by??"

The question sounded so utterly preposterous even to her. But the man didn't seem surprised by it. He glanced over to the side, then looked back at her.

"Yes."

His voice was low, and it made her shiver all over again. But there was something about the oddly mischievous way he grinned now, combined with the ridiculous situation she had just found herself in, that caused Nami's tempestuous temperament to switch from frightened to irritated in one second flat.

"Are you waiting on somebody in particular, or are you just a pervert looking for thrills?" she demanded crossly.

In response, he flicked out a hand in her direction. "I was admiring your ink."

Nami blinked, and one hand came up to cover the mark of her homeland. Had she been wrong? Was this a bounty hunter of some kind after all?

"Blue of that shade can only be found in East Blue," he continued in easy, conversational tones. "They make it from the flesh of a certain oyster that grows in those parts."

It was getting harder and harder to determine just how much peril she might be in. More than anything Nami wished right now for some substantial backup, and she cast her eyes over to the front door in the hopes of seeing Zoro or Sanji walking in. When Providence didn't favor her so obviously, she decided to play it smart.

"My uncle's a Marine Vice-Admiral. He took me through the Red Line a few years back. That's when I got this." It wouldn't do to reveal too much to this character.

"Oh." His face hadn't betrayed one flicker of alarm or disbelief at her story. "I thought maybe you were a pirate. It is something of a professional obligation for that bunch."

Even if it had been a flimsy attempt on its face, Nami didn't like having her lies be disregarded so casually, and so she shot back, "Is that what you are?"

In response, he held up his hands palms out and wiggled his fingers at her. There was even more body art than she had realized, something written across the knuckles of one hand, but she couldn't make it out, and he had lowered them before she had any further opportunities.

To try and shore up her position, the beach babe scoffed. "Well, they look like prison tats. But that could just mean you're a pickpocket into self-mutilation."

Something in the way his lips twisted at that last comment left Nami feeling infinitely more vulnerable than before. It hadn't escaped her attention that she was dressed only in a bikini with a potentially lethal adversary before her. To cover this distress, she quickly asked, "So, if you're not waiting for anyone, are you looking for something to wear for when you hit the beach?"

"I don't swim." And with that, he stood up.

The girl tensed, but otherwise didn't react. Her Clima-Tact was close at hand if worse came to worst, and there were quite a few people watching. If he tried anything violent, the Marines would be on this place like flies to honey. They were apparently quite quick to respond to disturbances in this area, as a concession to the Tenryūbito.

Dark Luffy, as she thought of him now, crossed over and stood smiling down at her. The symbol on his chest was a Jolly Roger, though with a smiley face and odd lines all around it. For her part, Nami didn't bother to cover up or otherwise respond to his presence. She stared defiantly up at him, fairly challenging this menace to make the first move. Even if she still didn't savor battle the way some of her masculine allies seemed to, the cool-headed cartographer had developed a somewhat stiffer backbone to fighting solo than she had enjoyed in the past. She had defeated her fair share of powerful opponents since entering the Grand Line, and wasn't about to let a little thing like creepy smiles and flat dead eyes intimidate her. Even if those eyes seemed to be flaying her down to the bone.

They studied one another for a while. And then, one tattooed hand came up to hover over her left shoulder.

"Mind if I touch it?"

The idea of this creep putting his hands on her body, much less a spot that held a great degree of sentiment for her personally, almost made her knee him in the groin right then and there. But the calm logical side of her brain pointed out that he hadn't done anything overly threatening. And so, Nami decided on her own typical course of action.

She gave him her craftiest smile in return. "Think you can afford to find out? Be my guest."

Her heart was beating double time in her chest, waiting to see if he would take the bait or not. But apparently Dark Luffy wasn't inclined to backing down or resisting temptation. And without another word, he laid his fingers on her tattoo.

For some reason she had expected his skin to be cold, but it was just as warm as any other person's. Though his touch was gentle as it explored the curves of the blue design, Nami could sense that there was more strength in them than might be apparent.

None of this made the experience any less discomforting. Every nerve ending in the young woman's body was screaming at her to jerk away from his touch. She couldn't shake free of the notion that there was something obscene in the way he fingered her tattoo, even if that was the only part of her that he was examining. She knew from experience that certain people didn't have to go very far to let you know how bad they could be. Strangely, there was almost a clinical aspect to his perusal, like how it felt when Chopper gave her an examination. For all his medical acumen, the little reindeer physician still tended to stammer every time he asked her to raise her shirt to let him place a stethoscope to her back and check her breathing.

But there was never anything indecent during one of Chopper's check-ups. At least from his end. She might have teased him a little, but Nami respected her crewmate greatly, and always followed his recommendations in terms of health.

Something tells me he would have strenuously objected to what I'm doing now.

The pirate's fur-capped head suddenly leaned down. Nami flinched slightly, but all he did was take a deep breath close to her arm, then come back up and exhale slowly, eyes closed.

"Smells like oranges."

His eyelids came up, and pale orbs trained on her. He looked pretty pleased with himself. Let's see how long that lasts.

"I'm going to check out a few of the sights before heading out," Dark Luffy drawled. "Do you want to accompany me?"

Nami smiled sweetly back. Then she reached up, gripped the wrist that still held her arm and gently disengaged it.

"I'm not here for sightseeing. I've got business to take care of, and I don't think it involves you."

He didn't appear perturbed at being shot down. That same playful smirk still decorated his features, and he reached for his pocket. "Can I at least pay for the swimsuit? You did say there was a price, and I like the thought of you walking around in it."

A slight bit of panic came up in her throat, and she quickly slapped his hand before it could reach that far. "No, thanks. I wouldn't want to think about you every time I wore it."

Dark Luffy then leaned closer, until his face was right up in hers. "I think you will anyway, lovely lady."

"Excuse me."

They both turned their heads. Standing over them was the manager of the store, his handlebar moustache bristling slightly, arms crossed over his impressive chest.

"Ma'am, is this person bothering you?"

Apparently his opinion of her had changed in the last five minutes. Or maybe it was just professional obligation. Either way, Nami wasn't about to spurn this offer. Adopting a teary-eyed look of feminine vulnerability, she bent to snatch up her belongings and clutch them to her chest. "Oh, thank you so much, sir! This man just started hassling me after I came out of the booth! Could you please ask him to leave me alone?" She caused her lip to tremble in a slight pout.

It had the desired effect. The burly shopkeeper directed a menacing glare down at her companion. "Sir, I'll have to ask you to exit my store."

Dark Luffy glanced up, seeming to consider this order. He turned back to Nami, who flashed him a quick triumphant look before reverting to her damsel-in-distress mask. His eyes crinkled in definite amusement.

"Maybe I'll see you in the New World."

With that, he reached up and doffed his hat to her. This close, she could make out a few of the letters on his knuckles. It looked to be 'D-E-T', but the last one escaped her attention as he moved away from them, strolling casually towards the door. The manager turned to follow him after giving Nami a comforting glance, to which she returned one that clearly said, 'My hero!'

She watched the two men depart. When they were both well enough away not to notice, she slipped into a nearby dressing room and dumped her possessions on a bench.

Nami then opened the black leather wallet she had been hiding beneath them and proceeded to examine its contents.

To her pleasure, there was a sizeable amount of cash to be had, something she had been able to tell just by feeling it. A quick glance told her there must be about 18,000 belli. Nothing to sneer at. The young cutpurse grinned to herself as she tucked the wad of bills down into her cleavage. Well, I did warn the guy that there would be a price for getting close to me. And he offered to pay for this suit anyway! He'd probably have bought me dinner too, so there won't be a problem with that either.

Further inspection turned up what looked to be a license of some kind. It had Dark Luffy's picture on it. He was still smiling, of course. The sight of those eyes gave her the creeps even now, and she swiftly stuffed the id back in after glancing at the name.

Trafalgar Law.

Nami brought the wallet up to tap against her chin thoughtfully.

From North Blue, huh? Hmmm.

Nah, never heard of him.

She yawned and stretched luxuriously then, feeling quite pleased with herself.

When her arms came down, Nami found herself holding a human head by its moustache.

It looked at her, and she looked right back.

Every head in the store turned as a frightful scream erupted from one of the fitting rooms. They watched as the woman from earlier came bursting out, falling to the floor and kicking violently at something that rolled into the open.

"WHAT THE HELL?! WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON?!! DAMMIT, STOP KICKING MY HEAD, LADY! MOTHER OF MERCY, WHERE'S MY BODY?!!"

Several other patrons began to shriek, not just at the sight of a severed head shouting on the floor, but of a headless torso that previously belonged to the shopkeeper which was now flailing around blindly, knocking into displays and stumbling up against anyone and anything that didn't move out of its way.

Sauntering away from that display, Trafalgar Law handed back the nodachi sword to his subordinate Bepo while looking over his depleted wallet at the same time. He couldn't help but grin.

"She robbed me blind."

"Pardon, captain?" the white bear glanced at him curiously.

"Nothing."

Even through the din, he could still pick out the screams of one person in particular. It made his skin tingle in response, almost as good as the feeling of her flesh trying not to shrink away from him. Shame I never got to ask her name, he pondered thoughtfully.

"NAMI!"

From out of the crowd, what looked to be a reindeer wearing a hat came charging, its back loaded down with boxes tied on. The blue-nosed beast went racing by them, and Law turned to watch it go.

Then it stopped.

Tony-Tony Chopper looked over his shoulder. Behind him there stood a lanky youth in a white fur cap next to a bear holding a sword. He couldn't explain why, but when he looked into the eyes of that man, the reindeer-boy felt a disturbing premonition come over him.

Of a sudden the sound of Nami's panicked screaming brought him back to the present. Turning away, Chopper dashed into the store, reverting into his goliath-form in the process. The great shaggy sasquatch passed a man slumped on the floor, patting his neck and tugging his moustache in perplexity. Soon he came upon his crewmate, who was sitting huddled up shivering with her back pressed to a wall.

"Nami?" the anxious paramedic whispered as he knelt beside her, noting the signs of trauma already evident. "Nami, I'm here! What happened?"

His hand came up to touch her shoulder, and she jerked away from him. Unsure of what to do, the adolescent doctor watched his friend anxiously. He looked about, but no one seemed willing to try and explain what had happened here.

Just then, Nami brought her head up out of her arms. For the first time since he had known her, she actually looked like a teenage girl, one who had been frightened half to death.

"Nami?"

She lunged forward and hugged him then, burying her head into his broad chest and crying hysterically. Taken aback, Chopper finally settled on putting his arms around her, giving the weeping woman what comfort he could in this inexplicable situation. At seeing the extent of his teammate's distress, he vowed to himself right there that if he ever got his hands on the person responsible for this, he would make them pay.

Elsewhere, the Dark Doctor Trafalgar Law suddenly threw back his head and laughed. When his furry first-mate cast him another inquiring look, he shrugged and gave a delighted chuckle.

"No worries, Bepo. I think I just met my nemesis, is all."

FIN.