I really have nothing to say but, I hope I spelled the names in this chapter right. I am also aware that I have spelled Koko village the wrong way. I spelt it Coco, but, it's Koko. Sorry about that. I'll fix it in this chapter. Another point, I can't remember what age Nami is in One Piece when Arlong comes to town, but, in this story she is about seven. k? Groovy.

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Chapter 19: Truth… or lie?

Flashback

"Nami. You can't keep doing this. It's not right." a little girl with light blue hair reprimanded another girl that sat beside her, this one had ginger hair.

"I know Nojiko, but, I don't want to ask Bellemere to buy things for me" The orange haired girl replied. Nojiko sighed and reached out to hug her sister.

"Nami… it's a bit of paper. I'm sure Bellemere wouldn't mind if you asked for her to buy you some paper. You love doing maps so much, I think she would be really proud of you." Nojiko said. Nami nodded.

"I guess…" and she sighed and looked at the book of paper in her hands. Nojiko let her sister go and sat back, "Sometimes…" and she trailed off.

"Sometimes what?" Nojiko urged.

"Sometimes… I wish Bellemere had just left us. She wouldn't have to go through all of this." she muttered. Nojiko sighed.

"Oh Nami. It's not nice to say things like that. But… she would have been richer…"

"Girls!" a male voice said behind them. Nami and Nojiko jumped off the little ledge they were sitting on and spun around. The town mayor, Genzo, was standing right behind them, a frown on his face and his pinwheel spinning.

"Genzo." both girls squeaked. Nami hid the paper behind her back.

"Bellemere would not be the same without you." the mayor said. Both girls bowed their heads, "She loves you two like her own. When she was a soldier and rescued you from that building before it collapsed after the war, and then brought you to our village, you were the ones she wanted us to look after… not herself. She would do anything for you." and the tall man sighed.

"But… she has no money with us around!" Nami blurted.

"Money isn't everything Nami." Genzo replied and then kneeled beside the little girl and placed his hand on her shoulder, "You are the most important thing to Bellemere… both of you. Don't ever doubt that." Both girls nodded and smiled shakily up at the mayor.

"Nami! Nojiko!" Bellemere's voice echoed back to the girls. They perked up and Genzo stood up again and stepped back.

"Have a nice lunch girls." he said and walked away.

"Thanks!" Nami called and then the two ran for their house in the tangerine grove. A tall woman wearing a light blue shirt and a pair of jeans was standing at the door, looking around. She had red hair that was tied back in a ponytail and she looked around as the girls ran towards her.

"There you are." and she smiled. Both girls collided with her legs and hugged her tightly, "Well, Nami, this is different. This morning you told me you weren't going to talk to me ever again."

"I know. I'm sorry!" Nami cried, pressing her face against the tall woman's leg.

"Oh. It's alright. Now, I went down and paid for that paper, but, you will have to go back and apologise to the shopkeeper." and Nami stiffened.

"Do I really have to?" she asked. Bellemere nodded and Nami pouted.

"Ok. I'll go down this afternoon." she said. Bellemere smiled and placed a hand on the little girl's head. She placed the other on Nojiko's.

"Come on. Time for lunch." and she steered them inside.

----

Nami walked alone to the little corner shop where she had stolen the paper from. She bit her lip nervously as she approached it, for, she had no idea what she was going to say. No idea where to even start.

"Ah, this looks like a good place to settle in." a weird voice she had never heard before said from beside her. Nami looked over and saw four very tall, and very muscly men standing in front of a four story abandoned house. Nami narrowed her eyes and then squeaked when the front most one looked at her. She ran towards the shop and ducked inside.

"Ah, Nami." the shopkeeper said, a wry smile on his face.

"Hello. I'm sorry I stole your paper." she said quickly, "Do you know those men?"

"Huh? What men?" the shop keeper asked, coming out from behind the counter. Nami went back to the door and pointed across the road towards the building… but there was nothing there. The shopkeeper blinked and then placed a hand on Nami's head.

"Thankyou for apologising. It must have been hard for you. Those men that you saw must have left though." he replied and walked back to his counter. Nami stayed at the window, watching the building and she swore she could see movement through one of the windows.

----

A week passed before Nami saw the men again. She was walking down that same road when one of the men she had seen, the one with spiked hair, came out of the building.

"It's him again…" she muttered and hid behind a tree in the street. The man walked right past her towards Genzo's house which was at the head of the town, in front of the opening to the tangerine grove. Nami watched him for a few minutes and then hurried quietly after him.

She tailed him all the way to Genzo's house and then hid behind a small stone wall as the spiky haired weirdo knocked on the mayor's door.

"Who are you?" Genzo asked as he answered the door.

"I'm Hachi, and my boss wishes to see you." spiky head replied.

"Your boss? I have no interest in speaking to him… whoever he is." Genzo replied and was about to shut the door when Hachi placed his foot in the crack and stopped it from closing.

"Arlong said you would do that, and he told me to do this." and Nami screamed as Hachi hit Genzo over the head and knocked him to the ground. Hachi spun around and Nami bolted across the street, behind a house and into the tangerine grove.

"Hey!" she heard Hachi yell but she kept running.

"Bellemere!" she called as the house began to come into view. One of her sandals slipped and she nearly tripped over, her arms windmilling to keep her balance. Nami regained her balance and then kept running.

"Bellemere!" she called again. The woman who had adopted her burst out of the side door and looked around until she saw Nami running towards her.

"What is it?" she asked when Nami had reached her.

"Genzo! Some guy called Hachi hit him and knocked him out. He said he wanted to take him to his boss… Arlong, I think he said the guy's name was!" Nami cried, her voice shaking from panic. Bellemere frowned.

"Hit Genzo? We'll have to see about this. Stay here with Nojiko. Do not, I repeat, do not come down to the town. Stay right here." and Bellemere went back into the house and grabbed a wooden broom handle before walking out and into the grove.

Nami watched her go, hopping from one foot to the other as she tried to decide what she should do.

"Nami?" Nojiko's voice asked from inside. Nami blinked, grit her teeth and then hurried back through the grove. Nojiko popped her head out from the house and looked around. She couldn't see anything so she went back inside to continue with her painting.

----

Nami watched from the cover of the trees as Bellemere explored the mayor's house. She walked back out and Nami ducked back further into the leaves. Her foster mother looked around and then hurried down the street.

Nami snuck out and then hid behind the stone wall she had hid behind before, only instead of having her back to the street like before, she was now facing it. Bellemere paused beside the building Nami had seen the men go into and looked up.

She gripped her broom handle and moved towards the front door. Nami bit her lip and watched anxiously. Bellemere opened the door and disappeared inside. Nami jumped up from her hiding place and ran down the street, her sandals clicking as she did so. She hurried up to the side of the house and looked around.

"A window." she muttered brightly as she saw the glass and then she ran over to it. It was high though. She jumped up, trying to grab the ledge, but it was still too high. Nami frowned angrily and put her hands on her hips and looked around the alley.

Her eyes came to rest on a small wooden crate and she hurried over and picked it up. Nami heaved the box to back under the window and then jumped up onto it. Now she was able to see through the window. Inside, she could see Genzo tied up in a corner of a dark and dirty room. She gasped silently.

"Poor Genzo…" she whispered. There was a crash and then a loud commotion and Nami bit her lip again, worried that Bellemere had been hurt. The noise died down and Nami waited anxiously and then gasped aloud when she saw Bellemere get thrown into the room.

Genzo looked up and then his eyes widened as he saw Bellemere lying near him. Nami blinked back angry tears and watched as a large man entered the room. She remembered this one. He had been the one who had looked at her that day.

"Yuck… he looks ugly." she whispered as the man walked in. He was wearing a hoodie with the front zip undone, revealing a tanned chest and bulging muscles, sandals, shorts, and had a wicked smile. He bent down over Bellemere's body and then picked her up by the throat.

Nami couldn't hear anything… but she didn't want to. What that man was doing to her foster mother was bad enough. He slapped her and knocked her across the room. Bellemere attempted to fight back, but her strength was giving out on her.

"Stop it." Nami whispered, leaning against the window as the man hit her again.

"Stop it!" she said louder, "STOP!" and she gasped at her outburst, tears running down her face as the man in the room did indeed stop, and then he turned and saw the window. Nami jumped down from the crate she had been standing on and ran.

She could hear someone burst through a door behind her and she tried to force her legs to go a little faster, but, they just wouldn't move. A pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist and she was hoisted into the air.

"Let me go!" she screamed until a hand was pressed over her mouth and her voice was muffled.

"Got her Kuroobi!" the man who was holding her said. Nami was turned around and she saw that it was the Hachi guy.

"Arlong will be pleased to see you." he said and then chuckled darkly before wrapping his arm around her and walking back down the street. What Nami found a little disturbing, apart from the smell this guy gave off, was that no one had heard her scream, and no one had come to help.

She couldn't understand why. Her town was supposed to look after each other. Nami struggled, and twisted, and turned, but she couldn't break free. Hachi took her back into the house and Nami saw that guy again.

"Here boss. It's that little girl." Hachi said, holding Nami out towards the biggest looking man that Nami had seen through the window. The little girl tried to talk but, Hachi's hand was still across her mouth.

Opening her mouth wide, she bit deeply into the hand and then found herself dropped to the floor. Why hadn't she done that sooner? The little girl made for the door, but, it was slammed closed in front of her by a tall, very skinny man with blonde hair and very pink cheeks.

"I want to leave." she demanded. The man before her raised an eyebrow as the one behind her laughed.

"So, thought you could sneak up on us then child?" the one behind her asked. Nami spun around and saw Bellemere watching her carefully from the corner beside Genzo.

"Someone from the town will come and help us." Nami said sternly, her hands shaking even though they were balled into fists. The larder man chuckled and kneeled down in front of her.

"Will they? I don't think so. They are all too afraid. You see, Kuroobi and Choo there, have been paying little visits to everyone in this pathetic place. No one will come dear girl." and he reached out a hand and cupped her chin with it. Nami slapped it away angrily.

"You're lying." she replied, her small voice even smaller when compared to the booming laugh the man in front of her let out.

"Am I? And how do you know I am?"

"Because… everyone in this town is really brave and they wouldn't back away from a bully like you." Nami replied. Arlong laughed again.

"I'm sure. Koko village is under my control now, and there is nothing you can do about it my little friend." and he stood straight. Nami's body rose slightly with anger but then she bit her lip and her eyes watered.

"Leave the child alone." Genzo's voice said from across the room. Arlong turned.

"You be quiet mr mayor. Unless you say yes to what I have asked, you have no say." he replied. Genzo frowned.

"I said you cannot be mayor of this village, and it still stands."

"Then, as I said, you still have no say."

"You're a coward." Bellemere growled. Arlong laughed.

"You're a fool… especially seeing as how you waltzed in here without permission." he replied. Bellemere frowned.

"Please… leave them alone." Nami whispered. Arlong looked down at her.

"What? Why should I do that? You have nothing to offer me." he replied. Nami shook her head, her body shaking with suppressed sobs and anger at the same time.

"I can pay you!" she yelled and Arlong paused. Bellemere blinked and Genzo frowned.

"Nami!" the mayor reprimanded. Nami ignored him.

"I don't have a lot of money but I can earn it for you!" she explained, her eyes tightly closed. Arlong raised and eyebrow.

"Alright." he agreed and then kneeled down in front of her again, "How about I set a price then?" he asked. Nami nodded.

"But, you can't hurt them."

"Of course. Now, how about we say… a fair hmm, four million dollars?" he asked and then smiled at the shock that overcame Nami's face.

"But… I can't… that's impossible." she replied. Arlong chuckled.

"Then the deal is off?" he asked, sounding as though he were having the time of his life.

"No. But, that's too much money."

"Well, how about we say, two million, and you work for me until you pay that off?" he asked. Nami blinked and then bowed her head.

"Nami! You don't have to do anything you don't want to." Bellemere called. Arlong raised an eyebrow as Nami chewed on her bottom lip.

"I have to Bellemere… I can save you." the girl replied, "I'll work for you… Arlong."

"Very good. The child knows a bargain when she sees one." and Arlong stood and nodded to Choo, who grabbed Nami and lifted her off the ground.

"But! Bellemere and Genzo and everyone else in this town are to be free as soon as I pay my debt." Nami said. Arlong paused and then smiled at her.

"Of course. Shall we shake on it?" he asked. Nami held out her hand and Arlong placed his over it, the long fingers and wide palm dwarfing the little girl's.

8 years pass

A young girl of about 15 leant on the counter of a small shop. She wore a tight, form fighting sleeveless black shirt and had a short, yellow mini skirt. She smiled at the man who was watching her intently.

"Hi, could I please look at that expensive outfit in the window?" she asked sweetly. The man paused and Nami smiled. He nodded.

"Wait here miss." he replied and then hurried around the counter and towards the far end of the shop. As soon as he was out of sight, Nami leapt over the counter, typed a few keys and pressed the enter button on the cash register.

It opened silently and Nami sighed. She had been afraid it would make that annoying 'ping' noise. With hands as quick as spiders, she grabbed all the money from the till and stashed it into a green bag that she had been holding.

Once all the money was gone, she closed the register again, and it printed out a receipt. Nami snatched it, jumped back over the counter and then waited patiently for the man to return.

Wow, that took me fifteen seconds to do. A new personal best. Nami congratulated herself. The man reappeared, holding a navy blue suit and a navy blue scarf. He came back to the counter and laid the objects on it for her. Nami looked at them for a few moments and then shook her head.

"No. I don't like the way it looks." she said and then smiled sweetly again, "Thankyou for getting it out for me." and she walked away. The man blinked and then sighed.

"That's the fifth customer who's denied this today." he muttered as he moved to take the suit back to the dummy in the window.

Nami walked out of the store and smiled to herself.

"Good haul." she said aloud as she lifted the bag in her hand up and down a few times, "Weighs a bit." and she waved to a car that was down the road. It drove towards her and Nami put her free hand on her hip as she waited. It stopped before her and Nami opened the door and slid into the back seat.

"You don't have to park so far away Kuroobi." she said as she closed the door.

"It's called being cautious little girl." the man in the front seat reminded her. Nami rolled her eyes.

"So, what are you doing here? I could have called a cab you know." she said, idly picking at her nails.

"Arlong wants you home. He has some news for you." Kuroobi replied as he drove the car back onto the road. Nami blinked.

"Some news?" she asked. Kuroobi nodded. Nami shrugged.

I guess I'm going home. She thought.

They got back to Koko village just on dark and Nami stepped out of the car to see Arlong standing there. He watched her as she walked across the road towards him, her face expressionless.

"So what is it?" she asked. Arlong sighed.

"Bellemere… has died." he replied. Nami's eyes widened and her heart missed a beat, "I'm sorry Nami. She died last night… we don't know why." But Nami knew why. The rotten conditions that the woman had been put in, they were the only explanation.

"What about Genzo? Is he alright?" Nami asked, trying to keep the quaver out of her voice.

"He's fine. But, because of this recent development, we need a new hostage. We found her." and Nami's eyes widened again.

Nojiko… She thought. They couldn't have gotten her! She grit her teeth and glared at the leering face before her.

"I will get that money. And when I do, they will be free." and she stalked into the house and upstairs to her little room. She opened the door and walked inside and then closed it behind her.

Tears began streaming down her face and her body shook with the shock of it all. She had expected to free Bellemere before anything happened to her. This was unfair… and wrong… and Arlong was a bastard! Oh how she wished to smash him, and pound his face in.

Nami lay down on her bed and covered her face with her pillow and cried. Cried, until she fell asleep.

End Flashback

----

Luffy leaned the back of his head against the wall and tugged experimentally at the rope that was binding his legs and wrists together.

"Well this sucks." he commented and then sighed. He wondered how Zoro and everyone else was doing… and he thought about Nami, and what she had said. Problem was, Luffy knew she was lying.

Everything that she had said to him in that little room had been one big lie. He tugged again but the ropes were no more willing to let go than the last twenty times he had done that. The door in front of him opened slowly and Luffy looked up at the face that peeked in at him.

"Luffy… I have a plan."

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And there you have it. I have changed Nami's story around a fair bit, but, it is an AU so, meh. Hope it was alright though. Looks like this story is gonna go over twenty chappies. wow. That's pretty incredible, for me anyway. Well, see you all in the next chapter.