Its Chapter 3 Everyone!
Hope you've enjoyed Dark Days so far! If you have any questions sont be afraid to ask.
Disclamer: I do not own One Piece.
The Drive down to Portland had been dragging on for about an hour and fifteen minutes, but according to Luffy they would arrive in twenty minutes. Not much conversation had been shared during this time for each was lost in thought. Sanji sighed lightly before breaking the silence, "Luffy... who's Harlot Girl?" he asked trying to start a conversation. Luffy frowned "Harlot Girl?" he asked confused. "Yeah the one you and that mechanic were talking about." He said. Luffy chuckled, "Oh, you mean Nami? She's a Weapons Supplier, kinda picky about her customers though..." he muttered. "She runs a Weapon's Shed in Portland with Usopp. He's a bit of a Scaredy Cat but one hell of a Weapon Artist; he designs and constructs his own weapons."
Luffy sighed, "To bad Nami sells 'em all. He'd love to keep 'em, but that's how they make money; they create and sell weapons, I travel around doing shit for people who can't be bothered to do it themselves. That how the world turns these days: do what you can and survive, or... just wait around and die I guess." Luffy said shrugging. Sanji nodded, "So, why do you call her Harlot Girl?" he asked. Luffy stayed silent for a few moments, "You know what? I have no idea... just what Paulie calls her. She's not really a Harlot. By the way... unless you have a death wish, I advise you not to call her that to her face." He said staring at them with no trace of humour etched into his face. Sanji nodded, "Sure thing."
By now they had entered the outskirts of the city and the roads began to get a little more crowded. "Is every city like this?" asked Sanji, "I was told that most of the cities in North America were destroyed... but by the looks of things most have been rebuilt." He muttered looking around at the buildings towering above them. "No. You've been lucky." said Luffy solemnly, "Seattle and Portland are two of only thirteen cities still inhabitable in North America. Each remaining city was given a number, for example Seattle is the Fifth city and Portland is the Sixth. Everything else has been destroyed." He said keeping an eye on the pedestrians crossing the road. "The small towns included." He muttered. Finally he turned into one of the side roads and parked on the side of the street.
He glanced out the window and nodded, "Yep, this is it." he muttered grabbing his bag and Straw Hat, placing it on his head before stepping out of the car. Opening the trunk, he took out the two bags handing them to Sanji and Zoro who had by then stepped out of the car and were looking around. Closing the trunk he turned to face the building. Sighing deeply, he crossed over to the store. "Let's go." He muttered. The store was two stories tall and was painted black. The doorway was glass and a display window next to it showed a whole range of small or big guns as well as weapons that Zoro and Sanji didn't even know the names of.
The sign above the door said Nami's Weapon Shed and was painted in large Black letters on a white board. All in all, a seemingly normal store apart from the fact that it sold weapons to anyone with or without licence... but no one needed to know that. Luffy was about to open the door but paused for a second and chuckled, "I think we're defiantly in the right place." He said walking in. Zoro looked around to see why Luffy laughed before spotting a small sign taped to the inside of the door, "Cash only, anyone who can't pay cash will be kicked out soon after paying a fine of $300." he read out loud for Sanji to hear as well.
He frowned, "Ok then, weird place." Zoro and Sanji walked inside and a small bell tinkled once the door closed again. Luffy was already sitting on the counter next to the register fiddling with one of his guns. A voice sounded from behind a closed doorway, "Sorry I'll be with you in a moment!" soon after a woman walked through with short ginger hair reaching about the base of her neck and light brown eyes. Now Zoro could see why the mechanic called her a Harlot Girl, especially with the black miniskirt and light blue tank top that clung to her form.
"Hello. What can I..." her sentence was cut short when she looked up. Luffy grinned at her, "Long time no see Nami. Oh, Paulie sends his regards." he said. She seemed to become speechless before soon regaining her composure and walking over. Without any notice she suddenly punched Luffy in the face. Luffy blinked twice; "Ow..." he muttered lamely, rubbing his cheek while getting off the counter to stand in front of Nami. Sanji stifled a laugh; even when standing up straight, he only came up to her nose... its official; Luffy's short. Nami sighed before hugging Luffy tightly, "That was for not coming to visit sooner and making me worry. I haven't seen you for months! Where have you been!" she yelled ruffling his hair since his Straw Hat had slipped off his head when she punched him and was now hanging around his neck by a string.
"Sorry Nami. I've been on business, it's a long story." He said after she released him. "Well then you can tell me over lunch; go upstairs, I'll come up in a moment after I close the shop." She said walking over to the door. She stopped in front of Zoro and Sanji, "Oh, sorry I didn't see you there. What can I do for you?" she asked. Luffy called out from behind her, "Don't worry Nami, they're with me." He said. Nami nodded, "Ok then, just follow Luffy. He knows where he's going." She smiled walking towards the door. Zoro nodded and followed Luffy to the doorway next to the counter while dragging Sanji along behind him since he was too preoccupied with trying to stifle a nose bleed. "Pervert..."
Nami walked in carrying three small bowls piled high with spaghetti and placed them on the table with the other two she had already carried in. "Dinners up!" She said smiling, "Ok then everyone dig in!" she said grabbing a plate for herself and putting one in the free space between her and Luffy. "Thank you for letting us stay while you fix Luffy's Knuckle Dusters." said Sanji carefully spooning some spaghetti into his mouth. Nami smiled, "Your welcome any time," she said. "Luffy's like my own kid. He and his friends are welcome here." she grinned. She looked around then sighed, "Usopp come out already! You're food is getting cold!" she yelled.
A small clatter sounded from the roof and one of the panels was lifted. Someone jumped down and slipped the panel back in place before turning around and rubbing his shoulder nervously. He looked about twenty and had mousy brown hair with blue eyes and wore a long-sleeve black shirt and a pair of long jeans that were smudged with paint and oil. Luffy stopped eating and chuckled, "Don't worry Usopp, these guys are harmless! Trust me!" he said grinning widely. Usopp smiled lightly and walked over, sitting down in the free seat. The two Alliance members had a feeling they had just been insulted...
"Usopp is a mute so he can't talk, but he's really nice. Plus he's the best Weapons Artist in the world!" said Luffy smiling. Ussop pouted and Luffy smirked, "Sure you are! You are the one person I know that can build a gun out of scrap metal and still make it work in under a minute!" he said. Usopp grinned and then began eating while Luffy kept the conversation going. Sanji and Zoro watched them quietly, "Its amazing isn't it?" said Nami smiling fondly. Zoro nodded, "How does he manage to understand what Usopp's saying?" he asked as Usopp and Luffy began laughing.
Nami sighed, "Truthfully I have no idea, not even I can talk to Usopp like that and I've known him for eight years. Luffy is just really good at reading people and understanding them." She shrugged and looked at the two of them. "It's strange really, usually Luffy works on his jobs alone... makes me wonder what he saw in you two." Sanji laughed and shook his hands, "No no, that's not why we're here. The Alliance sent us with him." He chuckled. Nami gazed at them blankly "Let me tell you something... Once the Pope asked Luffy to bring along one of his priests as an escort to retrieve some old relic of some sort, do you know what Luffy did?" she asked. Sanji shook his head and Zoro frowned, "No." He said.
"Well Luffy, being the idiot that he is, pulled out one of his guns and fired a warning shot next to the Pope's head and said 'Go to Hell old man.' Nice, hu?" she smiled. "So the only reason you are here, is because Luffy chose you." Nami grinned and went back to her spaghetti.
Dinner soon ended and Nami was about to gather up the plates when Sanji stopped her. "No, let me. The least I can do is help out around here since your letting us stay." He insisted. Nami smiled, "Ok then. The kitchen is right through that door there." she said. Sanji nodded and carried out the plates. "Thanks for the meal. It was a nice change from the rations they give you at base." said Zoro. Nami nodded, "Your welcome. I think it's about time we all head off to sleep. Its late and you all look tired." she said standing from the table. "I have already prepared a room, I hope you three don't mind sharing it though; we only have one spare room. I set up some matrasses on the floor already so it should be ok." Nami motioned for them to follow and lead them down the hall.
She opened the door at the end and flipped the light on, waving them inside. As she had said, there were two mattresses on the floor and one bed in the corner of the room. Luffy walked over to the mattress furthest away from the door and put his stuff down. "Thanks Nami." He said before yawning. "Yeah yeah, don't worry about it." she said. "Sleep well you guys. Bathroom is right next door. Just shout if you need anything." She said closing the door behind her as she walked out. Sanji and Zoro looked at the bed then at each other, "...flip you for it?" asked Sanji taking out a coin from his pocket. Zoro nodded, "Tails."
Sanji flipped the coin, watching it fly into the air before landing in his palm and clamping his hand over it. He lifted his hand and groaned, "Shit..." Zoro snorted and walked over to the bed before lying down and sighing contently. "Yeah yeah, rub it in why don't you?" muttered Sanji lying down under the covers of his mattress. Barely five minutes had passed before Nami and Usopp could hear three sets of snores from where they were sitting in the Living Room. Nami sighed swallowing her last mouthful of tea, "I hope he'll be ok tonight..."
Drum Roll Please!
(Don't ask me why I want one,I just felt like saying that...)
Anyway! Hope you enjoyed, Reviews are always appreciated!