A/n: Before I say anything, remember Diara? Yeah well, I had a sudden burst of inspiration and decided to draw her. You can find her on my dA [deviantART] account under the same username and the same character name. Or just web search this art/Diara-430092202 and click the first link that appears! Just thought I'd let you know if any of you were curious as to how she looks :3
So this chapter is mostly about Nami and her badassery. I love the girl too much orz. But coming up is some good ol' ZoSan!
Thank you all for the review, favorites and follows!
Wanted to make a special mention of Collette Nicole (Guest); thank you so much for your extremely kind review! I try really really hard and your appreciation means the world to me! :')
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Love~
Chapter 17
Nami clamped a sweaty palm over her mouth as she slid down the pillar and prayed the guards didn't spot her. She closed her eyes and strained her ears to ascertain in which direction the footsteps were going or coming from. She heard two pairs of footsteps running towards her from opposite directions. They stopped almost exactly where she was hiding.
"Oi! Did you find the bitch?!"
"Where the fuck did she run off to goddamnit?!"
"Check the north corridor! Did you look upstairs?"
"I already looked under every fucking bed and behind every fucking door! Where the hell did she disappear to?!"
Nami pressed both her hands on her mouth, trying desperately not to breathe. The men were barely a few feet away and if she was found.. She heard another set of footsteps coming towards them.
"We found her! She's in the south wing, go go!"
The two men grunted and hurried off in the direction the third had mentioned. Nami's mind whirred at the sudden change in events. As far she knew, it was her they were after and they'd seen her round the corner to that corridor. So who was in the south wing? Her tired brain was already on overdrive and the question went amiss among the plans for escape.
She'd gotten in fairly easily. She'd scaled the side of the building and as her luck went, had chosen to jump through the window of the only room on the second floor that was occupied. After that things had gone downhill pretty quickly. The women in the room had screamed their pretty little heads off and within seconds the entire floor was swarming with guards. She'd just managed to jump out of the window to the balcony below, before a gunshot sounded exactly where she had been a few seconds ago. She'd run out of the room and had been running ever since. It must've been a couple of hours at least and the fatigue was finally catching upto her. Her body was crying for respite, but her mind was constantly flitting from one plan to another, sifting through the map of all the corridors she'd drawn in her head, debating which way would lead her to the top most floor.
She was snapped back from her thoughts, as the person started pacing behind the pillar.
"I know you're here. There's nowhere to run, you wench. You should be glad I saved you the trouble of getting involved with those dirt-bags. Now that it's just you and me, why don't you come out?"
Nami swore in her head and sat absolutely still. The man was barely a foot or two away from her and it would only be a few moments before he found her. She shut her eyes and forced her mind to think of a solution. Atleast a moment's distraction while she escaped. She could easily zap him and leave him incapacitated, giving her more than enough time to run away. But the south wing was where the only hidden elevator to the top floor was and it was currently swarming with guards. Even if she managed to get out from there, it was impossible for her to take out the hundred-odd men who were waiting for her at the south wing in one go without bringing the roof down, literally.
"Alright, this is getting boring. They're going to find out I lied any second now and I'd rather be someplace else when they realize I tricked them. You see, it's all about survival right? So what say you and I make a run for it? You won't have to get raped by a dozen men and I won't have to get beaten up for lying. Don't you think it's a good plan?"
Nami zoned the man out and continued to scan through her mind map. Considering what the man had said, her options were more limited than before. The guards would rendezvous there from all directions, leaving her no openings or ways to escape. So her only chance was to take down this guy and then get to the other side, before the rest of the men got there.
She opened her eyes and stared at the wallpaper for a moment. Clutching her Clima tact to her side, she allowed the thunder ball to form at the end, listening and waiting for the moment she could attack. When she heard the footsteps reach her far right, she rolled to her left, swinging her arm simultaneously and just as the man spun around to face her, she threw the thunder ball at him, yelling, "Thunder Charge!"
She took a quick breath as the man began screaming from the bolts of lightning that electrocuted him and spinning on her heel, ran towards the east wing. She had to take down several more guards before she reached the east corridor and she immediately locked herself in the first room she found. She slid to the floor, panting heavily, her body shivering from fatigue. She took a long moment to calm her body down and once her breaths were even again, she stood up and began exploring the room. There were three doors in the large, elegantly furnished room. The one to the far left led to a huge marble-tiled bathroom, the one in the middle led to a walk-in closet and the one to the far right led to a personal library.
Nami entered the library and let out a slow breath at the sight of all the volumes of books packed into mahogany shelves. She made her way across the room, scanning the shelves, drinking in the names of all the books that were both familiar and unfamiliar to her. As she reached the back of the room, she noticed that the shelves were lined with dust, betraying the fact that the books there had been untouched for a long time. Each shelf had seven rows, the lower most rows consisting of scarcely read books, the ones at eye level and that were easy to reach, consisting of frequently read books, and the topmost rows consisting of reference books and historical volumes.
The shelves to the right had a ladder leaned against it. Nami climbed the ladder and was surprised to note that one single book, a thick, leather-bound volume with gold inscriptions, seemed to be the only book that was constantly read. Curious, Nami pulled out the book and when it was halfway out, there was an audible click and a grating sound. She yelped when the shelf began to rotate, with the book she was holding being the center of axis. She groaned at the extremely clichéd book-shelf-trap-door. As soon as the shelf grated to a stop, she jumped off the ladder and spun around.
The room was made of black marble with some sort of florescent tubes that ran along the walls and floor, illuminating the room with an eerie bluish white light. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she noticed that in the center of the room was-
"Sanji-kun!"
Nami screamed, terror and despair clear in her voice, as she ran towards the unconscious man, bloody and bound and pale as death. "Oh my god! How can anyone do something so horrible?! Sanji-kun?! Can you hear me?" Her voice broke even as she desperately clawed at the cords that cut through his skin.
"Nami?"
She snapped her head up at the sound of the hoarse voice and it took her half a second to realize that the blond was still unconscious. Whipping her head around, she found a shackled and bloody Zoro and rushed to him.
"Zoro! Give me a minute, I'll get you out!"
As she worked on the metal cuffs, Zoro twisted his head around her, like he was looking for something or someone.
"Where is he?"
"He's right there, we'll get him down as soon as I let you out."
"No, not the cook, that sick perverted bastard."
Nami frowned in confusion, "Zoro did you hit your head?"
"I'm fine! Where is he! He was here!"
"Who?!"
"Zeher!"
Nami pulled off the top half of the pillory, freeing the swordsman and he groaned, cracking his neck and rubbing his wrists.
"Who is Zeher? There was no one here when I came."
"Damnit, he must've gone out. That means he'll be back, so c'mon!"
The two began undoing Sanji's bonds and Nami could see the way Zoro's hands trembled as he fumbled with the knots and how his breath caught whenever he looked at the blond's face. Any other time, it would have gotten her thinking, but now her mind was far too pre-occupied with how they were going to get out of there.
Zoro was reasonably injured and Sanji wasn't even conscious. That meant that Zoro had to carry Sanji and they would take a long time to leave. Meaning, it left them with no chance of any alternatives that consisted of making a run for it, which had originally been Nami's plan. They undid the last of his bonds and Zoro caught the blond, as he fell limply from the lack of support holding his body up. Nami winced at the purpling, bleeding gashes on his chest, a tight lump forming in her throat. As she watched, Zoro ripped his shirt with his teeth and together they bound the wounds, crimson blood immediately staining the white cloth.
Once they were done, Nami helped Zoro hoist Sanji onto Zoro's back, making sure to position him in such a way that his chest didn't press against Zoro. Then she helped the swordsman climb up the ladder and after making sure that Sanji's back wouldn't scrape against the wall when the shelf rotated, she pulled the leather-bound book. Once the shelf returned to its original position, Nami helped Zoro off and led him towards the door. She was just about to lead them out of the room when,
"My my, trying to escape are we? How naughty."
Nami and Zoro spun around, the latter baring his teeth at the speaker. Nami assumed he was Zeher, from the rage and hate radiating off Zoro's body. Had it been under any other circumstance, Nami would've taken a moment to admire what a good-looking man Zeher was. His golden hair looked soft and silky and it shone with a luster that would've drawn the woman to him, like anything gold usually drew her in. He really was a beautiful human being, with those piercing violet eyes and those perfect lips currently upturned in a haughty smirk. But, her mind was too busy whizzing through different plans and strategies, adrenaline coursing through her veins like she'd overdosed on steroids. She was completely awake and her perception of everything was crystal clear. Every movement would be caught by her sharp eyes and no sound escaped her ears. Her senses had been heightened, her brain was on overdrive and with all the energy pumping through her, she wanted to scream and run and break things.
"Well young lady, what say you and I have a little chat after you hand over what belongs to me?"
Her razor-sharp senses were already driving her closer and closer to a breakdown, but what Zeher said hit home. She grit her teeth so hard, she thought they would crack. No one, no one, spoke about her Nakama that way. "Zoro," she hissed, "get out of here now."
Zoro didn't need to be told twice. The swordsman backed out of the room and Nami followed, neither taking their eyes of Zeher. Though the man hadn't budged an inch since he had spoken, the way his violet eyes shone in that dark, eerie way was far too unnerving to take any chances. Nami knew there were guards outside and they would only have a split second to escape. She tilted the Clima tact in her hand and let the blue bubbles of cold air surround her and Zoro.
"Cool charge, Mirage tempo!"
The collected exclamations from the guards and the flash of surprise in those violet eyes, was satisfaction enough for Nami, as she grabbed Zoro and half dragged him down the corridor.
The guards had formed a wide semi-circle around them and it had taken them a few seconds to close in on the door. More than enough time to make herself and Zoro invisible and escape. She maneuvered the injured men through winding corridors that all looked the same. If she wasn't the one leading them, or if she hadn't been holding Zoro like her life depended on it, she knew they'd be lost in a minute and they'd be caught in the next.
She knew that the balcony in the east wing opened out onto a pool and that was their way out. She could hear the angry swears and shouts of the guards as they hurried around, looking for them. She knew that once they were out, she could use Thuderbolt Tempo and burn the place down. Something was biting at her at the back of her mind, like an unreachable itch, but she couldn't quite get a hold of it. She had a feeling she was forgetting something, but she didn't know what.
As Nami threw open the French windows that led to the balcony, she pulled Sanji off Zoro and the swordsman leaped into the pool. Once he had resurfaced, she somehow managed to push the cook off the railing and jumped in after him. The two dragged the soaking wet, bleeding, naked man out and dragged him to the bushes that surrounded the pool.
Panting and shivering, Nami decided that Sanji had lost way too much blood and if they didn't stop the bleeding, he would definitely die. Realizing as much, Zoro ripped his haramaki from around his waist, and slipped it on Sanji chest, the soaked fabric clinging to the man. Zoro's face was etched with shadows, his eyes dark and brooding. So when he spoke, his voice came out as a ragged, hoarse croak, "We have to get him to Amelia."
Nami shook her head. "We can't. Amoret-san is in the red-light district now."
Zoro let out what sounded like a half growl and a howl of disbelief. Nami saw the indescribable emotion that flitted across his face for a moment before he swore and took his head in his hands. She reached out to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder, but a sudden rustling sound behind her froze her in place. Zoro snapped his head up and Nami raised a finger to her lips. She spun around in a half crouch slowly, Clima tact at the ready, eyes raking across the area. There was more rustling to their left and Nami let a thunder ball form at the end of her tact. She slowly stood up, arm stretching out in order to throw the electrified sphere towards the intruder.
Just as Nami raised her arm, a young girl dashed out of the bushes and fell to her knees in front of Zoro. She was breathing hard and her neck was craned to look over her shoulder. Her burgundy eyes flitted about, as though expecting someone to jump through the bushes. Finally, seeing that no one had followed her, she turned around and sighed in relief. Raising her head, she smiled sweetly at the two and reaching towards the enormous bag slung around her shoulders, pulled out bandages and towels and five sets of dark coloured robes.
"I'm so glad to finally find you! When you left without me, I started to panic you see, I thought you'd forgotten about me, but that's impossible, right?" She tilted her head at Nami, her crimson eyes reflecting Nami's face in them and the latter nodded hurriedly, mentally slapping herself for forgetting something so important. Diara shook her head in agreement, as she bent over Sanji, wrapping up his chest in clean gauze and bandages.
"I didn't expect Zeher to go so far. He really is psychotic. He should die."
"Oi."
Diara half-raised her head to scrutinize Zoro for a moment, before going back to work. A nerve popped in Zoro's neck at being ignored.
"Oi!"
"I can hear you Zoro-san, I'm not deaf."
"Then say so in the first place bastard!"
Nami found herself laughing despite herself and it felt so good to finally relax, she could feel the exhaustion creeping through her body, pulling her eyelids down, encouraging her to sleep.
"I'm afraid, we don't have the luxury to rest Nami-san."
Nami snapped out of her daze and blushed with embarrassment. Diara finished tying up the bandages and pulled the Haramaki over them. "There, that should stop the bleeding for a while. Unfortunately the wounds are badly infected and if he isn't treated soon, he'll die." She cocked her head to side and scanned the sky. "Another unfortunate thing would be that luck isn't on our side. It's light out and that makes our chances of escaping unnoticed, fewer than if it were to be dark."
She stood up and dusted her pants. Pointing to five dark coloured robes, she nodded at Zoro and Nami. "You might want to put those on. Wrap Sanji-san in two and I'll wear this one."
As they put the robes on, Nami watched the girl. She looked hardly 15 or 16 years old, with brilliant silver hair that was shoulder length in front and cropped at the back. To match her oddly coloured hair, her eyes were a deep crimson, and her lips were a natural rosy pink. She wore a crimson flower barrette, with a white pearl in the middle, on her head. Her clothes were simple, black tights, grey ugg-boots with flaps and a loose, navy blue sweater that was two sizes too large for her and fell of one shoulder. She had a petite physique and was rather cute, like a little sister. Nami squinted at some sort of weird seal like mark on her left shoulder and realized with a start, that it probably was a tattoo or an actual seal.
"If you're wondering, I'm actually 19, but I look 15."
Zoro scoffed, and Nami swatted his arm. Diara raised an eyebrow at him. "Shall we go then? But first, Nami-san, maybe you want to take care of that." Diara pointed a slim finger towards the balcony where guards were swarming all over the place. Nami nodded and let loose thunder balls, heat balls and cold-air balls from the ends of her clima tact. When she turned and nodded, they slowly made their way out of the bushes, even as the thunder and lightning were heard, accompanied by the screams of the guards burning to a crisp.
The trio crept out of the mansion, making their way through the line of trees that surrounded the island. By the time they reached town, it was already noon. Diara would stop abruptly and stare off into space, like she was listening in on some heavenly conversation. Sometimes she would even nod or mumble to herself. One time when she nearly walked into a wall, Zoro grabbed her roughly and barked at her to stop going into a daze. Diara had simply looked at him and told him that if she didn't listen, she couldn't hear and then they would all be dead. Of course Zoro didn't understand any of it, though Nami suspected it might be a Devil fruit power.
Diara led them to an old abandoned factory and they rode the screeching lift down to the lower level. They followed the girl through the dimly lit hallways and finally reached a large room where several people were cluttered around doing various things.
"Zoro-kun! You made it! Thank goodness for that!"
"Can't say the same for curly-brow here though." Zoro motioned over his shoulder to the still unconscious Sanji. Freddy made a horrified face and ushered the two of them to the far corner of the room, where several bespectacled men spoke to them.
"Don't worry, they'll be fine. It'll take Sanji-san awhile to recover, but Zoro-san is physically fine."
"Physically fine?"
Diara looked up at Nami, a strange expression on her face. "You don't know then? Well I shouldn't be surprised really, Zoro-san just figured it out recently."
Nami frowned at the girl. She wasn't making a bit of sense. "What-"
"You need some rest. You look famished. There's some food and water and sleeping bags that I know the people here would be glad to lend you."
Nami watched the girl trudge off and she pulled the robe closer around her, grateful for the warmth. After a scrumptious meal of soft gingerbread and warm milk, Nami snuggled into the sleeping bag and sighed. She wanted to go through the plans and information she'd gathered the whole day, but the second she shut her eyes, she was fast asleep.
A/n: Don't you love Diara?! I mean she must be like one of my best OCs till date / Sorry for the random outburst... Well anyway, I just wanted to mention, because I'm sure a lot of you are wondering, Diara doesn't have any Devil fruit powers. Aah! I didn't say she didn't have any powers at all, I just said it wasn't a devil fruit power ;D
You'll find out sooner or later what her abilities are. Maybe. Hopefully. orz
Well! Thank you again for reading and do check out the drawing if you're interested~
Review, Favorite and Follow!
Love~