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"You're…" Rosinante pauses, panting, "the worst person to travel with. Ever."
Nao has no valid argument against his accusation. Had he not become acquainted with the natural shitshow magnet, his life would probably be a lot less stressful right now. He'd also be a lot more dead, though, so Nao figures that it balances out.
The two had fled the scene at full speed, and now they find themselves right back where they started—in the middle of the scraggly city. Nao scans their surroundings for any familiar faces and, to her relief, finds none. With her luck, though, she decides it's better to be safe than sorry. "Keep using your devil fruit ability. I don't know who's all around us right now."
Rosinante gives her a flat look. "Do you really think I'm going to be giving anything the benefit of the doubt with someone like you around? I don't think you've done anything other than raise hell whenever we've interacted, brat."
"Look! You're learning, then." Nao grins cheekily, relieved that they're away from any danger at the current moment.
The years she'd spent with Rayleigh and the subsequent months spent with Kuzan afterwards definitely weren't for naught—she'd undoubtedly learned a few handy tricks and tactics within that time—but that sure as hell doesn't mean she's eager to go to war with both the marines and the Revolutionaries today. She only has so many lives to spare.
Her eyes flit around their surroundings once again, this time looking for an appropriate place to discuss whatever the hell they're going to have to do to leave this island alive. Eventually, she catches sight of a place that's not too flashy but not too run-down, either—a small shop serving tea. It's a bit of a surprise to see a place still up and running in the midst of such carnage, but Nao sure as hell isn't complaining.
"In there." She points, and Rosinante nods, trusting that she's found a place suitable for them to speak openly.
They quietly make their way in, Rosinante having to duck under the raggedy, red squares hanging above the entrance. His flashy attire, at any other time, would have caused the two to become the center of attention at any other time, but now the town has no fear of something as measly as pirates. Their fears involve something much more horrific to them—military men with guns and an order to kill. As tragic as it is, it benefits the pair—they have no need to worry about causing a ruckus with their presence.
A painfully thin girl greets them as they enter, and though she wears a conservative kimono, it isn't difficult in the slightest to make note of how tiny her wrist has become, or how tightly the obi belt has been pulled to fit her waist. She pulls a tight smile as she leads them to an open table.
"I apologize, but until a new shipment arrives, the only thing we have left to serve here is green tea," she speaks softly, obviously afraid of angering them.
"Don't worry about it." Rosinante gives her a reassuring smile while Nao waves her hand, letting the girl know that there's no need to be so apologetic for something that's out of their control.
But Nao continues as Rosinante relaxes in his seat.
"A new shipment? Even with the town like this?"
"Yes." The girl gestures towards the other people sitting in the establishment. "As long as people are still buying and we're still purchasing from them, a tea trader will go to the end of the earth and beyond for a deal."
The persistence of traders is somewhat of an age-old joke told among inhabitants of towns such as these, and Nao remembers it well—her hometown did somewhat resemble the ruins of Flevance. Just as how the geishas will serve customers until they breathe their dying breaths, the traders will barter until their ships have been laid to rest in a watery grave.
Nao hums thoughtfully. "A tea trader, huh."
Rosinante gives her a questioning look while their waitress goes to retrieve their drinks. He chooses not to voice his confusion out loud, though—he knows better than to try to do something as futile as understanding Nao.
Without a word, the waitress comes back with their drinks, placing them quietly in front of the two before returning to her post by the entrance.
"She doesn't have much longer," Nao comments.
Rosinante grimaces at the harsh observation but makes no effort to correct her. One brief glance at their waitress makes her imminent death obvious enough. Though her uniform provides full coverage of most her body, her uncovered hands are colored with splashes of white, betraying the disease's progress.
"Is this entire town going to die eventually?" Rosinante whispers, careful to not let their conversation be overheard by the other patrons.
Nao shrugs, and Rosinante gives her a doubtful look. She's certain that he thinks that she's hiding something from him, but her little shrug really is all she has to offer. Too much has changed in terms of Flevance, and not even she could give an accurate prediction of the approaching shitshow.
"Hiding stuff isn't going to help, you know."
Nao quirks an eyebrow. "You weren't saying that back when I said too much about you-know-what."
Rosinante looks confused, and Nao gives an exasperated sigh before trying to discreetly mouth to the blond the name of the tragedy she had been referring to.
Ohara.
His lips form a perfect 'O', but before he can give an explanation as to why he isn't a hypocrite, the two of them are promptly scared out of their wits.
"I see you're still not against speaking freely about government secrets."
To the two of them, the deep, drawling voice is unmistakable.
Like children being caught doing something they shouldn't be doing, Nao and Rosinante jump at the sound of the Admiral's entrance into their conversation.
He casually makes his way past the duo's table, pretending to coincidentally settle into the booth directly behind Nao. Pulling the day's newspaper up to his face, it is almost impossible to tell him apart from the other customers occupying the shop.
"So?" Nao asks, her voice just barely louder than that of a whisper.
She ignores the nervous look that Rosinante shoots her. She knows damn well that he's worried about Saul's fate should Kuzan find him, but there's little she can do to hide his presence for long. A giant is hard enough to hide in and of himself, and even more so when said giant is probably participating in a skirmish between Revolutionaries and Marines.
"I can't imagine what Doflamingo thinks he'll gain from this town," Kuzan comments.
Nao can read between the lines. He didn't find anything of value.
Before she can provide a proper response, though, Kuzan continues to speak. "I can't imagine what the Revolutionaries think they'll gain, either."
Nao mutters a curse under her breath. She should've known better than to think she could keep something from someone like Kuzan, but she didn't think he'd catch on that quickly. And, as if reading her mind, he gives a curt shake of the head. "Keeping important things to yourself will eventually get you killed, you know."
She flinches at his critique, taken aback by the fact that he even cares enough to speak on the matter of her concealing somewhat vital information.
"I know," she says rather grimly.
Rosinante looks on at the two in silence, and Nao knows he's willing her to not expose Saul's presence just yet. And, as an apology to him for all the horrible things she's brought into his life, Nao adheres to his wishes. She keeps her mouth shut, ignoring the suspicion she knows she'll draw from Kuzan.
"Sakazuki's fleet should be docking soon. I'll go see what the bastard is up to. You guys go find the brat you brought along with you, Ros. I don't think it will be wise to have a child running around attended if the Marines are clashing with the Revolutionaries."
It's the most Nao has ever heard Kuzan speak, and she knows that it means things are more dangerous than she'd previously thought.
Both she and Rosinante nod at his order, and—at the confirmation of their agreeance—Kuzan makes his way out of the establishment. Not wanting to arouse suspicions, the pair linger after the Admiral has left, nervously stirring their respective cups of tea around. They sit in silence, with Rosinante well aware that he's betrayed his government by not revealing Saul's survival and location.
"Let's go?" Nao asks, knowing that she'll have to initiate their search for Law with Rosinante in such a stupor.
"Yeah," Rosinante replies absentmindedly.
There's no surprise on Nao's end over Rosinante's choice to protect his former comrade and friend over his loyalty to the marines—she knows he'll make the same choice in a few months with Law—but the Rosinante of now isn't the Rosinante of later. The lines between what's morally right and what's legally right are still only barely blurred for him, and this decision to not expose Saul is not one that he made lightly.
As they leave, Nao offers some words of comfort. "The marines aren't always in the right, y'know—sometimes you need to look beyond what laws dictate as right and wrong."
He gives her a weak smile, but it's far too easy to see past it.
They don't say much as they make their way through the town, this time walking much more slowly than when they'd been rushing towards the dock. Though she tries to avoid it, Nao can't help but let her eyes linger on the various vagrants and vagabonds that line the sidewalk. Her eyes scan over their faces, taking in all the desperation and fear engraved deep within their very being.
Her mind conjures a dark thought—if it weren't for her meddling, these people would all be dead, and, judging by the forlorn expressions overtaking their faces, they might be better for it. The idea that she's the one who's let these people live on in agony sends shivers down her spine.
She steps closer to Rosinante.
"Do you have any kind of plan in mind, like, at all?" Nao asks, sounding snarkier than she's intended to in her hurry to take her mind off of all the could-have-beens.
He turns around to face her, not at all taken aback by her harsh tone. He vaguely understands that she's panicked, and she is more grateful for it than he'll ever know. "I don't have a plan. It just didn't feel like it'd be the right thing to do if we told Kuzan about Saul's survival."
Nao nods understandingly, and Rosinante quirks his lips up in a weak smile. "Maybe pretending to be a pirate for so long has rubbed off on me a little."
"No way, you'd never fit in with your brother's crew," Nao snorts incredulously, thankful that he's allowed for the mood to become more jovial.
"My brother? How do you know that that's whose crew I've been with?" His eyes narrow at her, but they both know that no amount of staring will goad her into spilling all that she knows.
"Oh come on, you really think I'll crack and tell you now?"
"Tell you what?"
They jump at the sound of the newcomer to their conversation. Turning around, Nao readies herself for who she knows she'll see. She bends down to the person's height, plastering a wide smile on her face.
"Law-kun, right?"
Sorry for the longer wait guys! This chapter had me stumped, and my winter quarter just began. I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless!
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