A/N: Yay! I'm back again. I'm trying really hard to end this story quickly so I have more time to update other stories, so there'll be faster updates. Kinda a good thing and a bad thing. But here's a REALLY good thing! I have fan art now! Just go to my profile and there's some fan art to look at in the bottom. Enjoy:D
Chapter 15
Both Nami and Luffy looked at the orb Nami had left sitting on the table.
Bright pink.
Nami trembled; 4 days left to figure this all out and save their sorry buts. Ether that or, 4 days left to live.
They had a choice to make; ether spend the next four precious days together giving life all they had left, or trying to fix this thing and possibly wasting all the time they had left in an attempt to free themselves.
"What," Nami started with a tremble, "What do you want to do?"
"I don't know." Luffy admitted, and then helped himself and Nami up. They exchanged looks and then looked at the old man, maybe he had an answer.
The old man shrugged, "What're you looking at me for?!"
They both gave him a look and the old man slapped his fore head.
"I don't know what to do, that's your job to figure out!" the old man scowled.
"Aw…" Luffy pouted.
"Wait," Nami started, "I have an idea!"
"Well?" The old man and Luffy both asked in unison.
"If we travel back to the spot where Luffy found the orb, maybe we could find something out there." Nami explained.
"But what about the-"
"We'll be fine." Nami interrupted.
"I'm going with you." The old man told, as if he could decide anything.
"What!? You're not coming!" Luffy balked.
"You can come." Nami slapped Luffy on the back of his head.
"Damn it…" Luffy scowled at the old man, who just smirked back.
"Let's go!" Nami repeated.
"Not yet, I don't think you can come, lassie." The old man stopped her.
"And now what is it?!" She complained.
"Yer sick, Nami." Luffy pushed the old man aside. If anyone was going to tell her it'd oat to be him.
"Am not!" She defended, but it was no use. Luffy gave her a serious expression that no body could escape.
"Nami…" Luffy avoided her gaze, "You're sick and there's no cure."
Nami slapped her forehead, "Am I the only one that's NOT insane?"
"He's right." The old man pushed Luffy back out of the way, "I've never seen anything like it before."
"Like what?! I'm not sick!" Nami threw her hands into the air.
The old man stopped her by showing her the bacteria infested bruise on her right knee.
"It's just a bruise." Nami crossed her arms.
"No," the old man started, "It's an infection and it's been messing with your head. Now, I don't know how to cure it but I do know what it does." He paused, "It gives you serious head aches and pains that don't go away for a long time."
Nami gasped. Dead on.
"Will Nami die?" Luffy asked, worry in the tone of his voice.
"I'm not sure." The old man frowned at the stunned girl.
"This is all nonsense. Let's just leave! Even if I was sick, you'd need me to help take us back. I was part of all this. You can't just tell me to go away."
"Don't over do yourself!" The old man slapped her. Nami held the side of her cheek and stared at him quizzically.
Then it started again, dizziness. She couldn't hold herself up anymore, but she had to try., Like hell she was going to make Luffy worry for her again. But no use, she fainted, and because she had over done herself like the old man told her not to do.
"Should I carry her to our destination?" Luffy questioned.
"Are you dumb?" The old man scowled at him, "Of course!"
Luffy scowled back and Picked Nami back up, and then the two of them headed out of the underground home.
It wasn't long before they reached the battle seine where Luffy had fought the Lion.
"What a mess!" The old man commented, "Teenagers are so violent these days…"
Luffy grunted and their walk went on, until an hour later and they reached the small shack.
"So this is where you two have been staying?" The old man frowned, "No wonder she's sick."
"shut it!" Luffy warned as he laid Nami down inside the shack. Luffy spent the rest of the day gathering food and fire wood all by himself as the old man cared and tended to Nami's wounds.
When Luffy was finally finished with everything it was just about midnight, and he and the old man had started a fire with the wood and ate the berries Luffy picked, Seeds and all, while Nami continued to sleep. She needed it.
"So…" Luffy decided to start a conversation, "Say, we do save ourselves and go back to our original time. What'll happen to you?"
"I won't exist." The old man stated, stuffing his mouths with berries so he couldn't talk anymore. This was the subject he was trying to avoid. He was trying REALLY hard.
"Then," Luffy gazed over the moonlit ocean as the stars reflection glittered in the water, "Why are you helping us?"
The old man sighed, and then swallowed, "Because…" He paused to look back at Nami, "I see something in her- in both of you that's just telling me to help you two."
"Oh."
"Besides," The old man smirked, "You obviously need it."
Luffy frowned, "That's right we do… I don't know why, but it's so damn hard to keep this one promise I made to her."
"Hm?" The old man turned to him, "And what'd that be?"
"To keep her safe."
The old man chuckled, "That's a mighty hard promise to keep on an island like this."
"Yeah… It is." Luffy sighed miserably.
"Why are you so protective of this one girl?" The old man questioned, "I was taught to survive on yer own. Is she that special?"
"Yeah." Luffy paused before continuing, "I love her more than anything."
Little did the two know, Nami was up the whole time, pretending to sleep and ease dropping on the conversation. A smile spread on her lips.
"Bah!" The old man made a face, "Love isn't gonna help you survive through a thing!"
"Shows what you know." Luffy snickered.
TO BE CONTINUED!
A/N: Yay for fast updates! Review please!