Angel of Death Fruit
Book One: Deadline
By Dixxy Mouri
Chapter 16 - ????
"Ne, Nami-san. . ."
Inexplicably, Nami was standing on the deck of the Baratie, and she could feel someone holding her from behind – not a bad hold, but a loose enough embrace to not feel threatened, and tight enough to feel warm inside. The sun was shinning and the sea gulls were flying overhead in the bright blue sky, the sounds of happy restaurant goers enjoying themselves for the evening behind her. The arms were clothed in the unmistakable black fabric and yellow buttons of Sanjo's favorite suit jacket. What? How did I get here? "Sanji-kun? Is that you?"
"Nami-san. . ."
Nami pulled out of the embrace and turned around. . .
. . . only now she was in Cocoyashi Village in the middle of the night, the streets lit up with party decorations and smelling vaguely of barbecue. This is the party we had after Arlong Park fell. . . but how. . .? She looked around in confusion. Hadn't she just heard Sanji's voice? "Sanji? Sanji-kun, where are you!?"
Nami's eyes vaguely caught a glimpse of the cook down the street, wearing his favorite suit and blue-striped shirt. He looked back briefly at her, then started walking away from her. Nami started to run after him. "Sanji-kun! Wait up! What's wrong?!" But the more she ran, the more it felt like she was only getting farther away from Sanji.
"SANJI-KUN!"
As she finally reached the end of the street, she wasn't in Cocoyashi Village anymore. Now it looked a lot more like Logue Town with its shops and streets, and a vision of the scaffolding where the last Pirate King, Gold Roger, had met his end. It was also where Luffy had nearly met his at the hands of that crazy clown pirate, Buggy. It wasn't quite night, but the sky was a dismal gray as rain began to pour down from the heavens.
Sitting on the scaffolding of the execution site was Sanji, his blond hair dripping wet from the rain. "Sanji-kun! What are you doing up there!?" Nami ran to the base of the structure and started to climb. The cook proceeded to stand, and she couldn't see him over the top. "Sanji! What are you doing? I need to save you!"
When she reached the top of the structure, it was no longer Logue Town that she could see – now it was the middle of the night in Whiskey Peak, the cactus hills high above the town, seeming much higher than normal. "Sanji-kun!? Where are you!? Answer me!" She looked around in a panic. "SANJI-KUN! SANJI-KUN!" Nami felt her heart begin to race out of control.
"Of course!" she said, an idea striking her. "Sanji-kun and Usopp were passed out drunk in that bar!" Skillfully, Nami made her way back down the building and saw the bar the Straw Hats had celebrated their entrance to the Grand Line in. The door was open, and she saw Sanji smoking a cigarette inside. Nami darted towards the door.
But what should have been the hard floor of the bar was soft mud. The bars of Whiskey Peak turned into a thick, green jungle screaming with life. "Little Garden? But how? What. . . what's going on!? Where's Sanji-kun!?" She crossed her arms, noticing a sudden lack of a shirt and the faint smell of melted wax. She yelped in surprise as Sanji's black coat was draped over her shoulders. "Sanji-kun!"
Another spin had her standing in the snow, still clutching Sanji's jacket over her almost fully exposed chest. Tall, cylindrical mountains were in the distance, almost swallowed in a flurry of pink cherry blossoms. And amidst the soft pink petals falling around her was a trail cutting through the snow. "Sanji-kun?"
Sure enough, a dark suited figure was making its way towards the mountains – the blond hair was unmistakable. Despite not being appropriately dressed at all for the weather of Drum, Nami began to run through the snow. She had to get to Sanji before it was too late, but he was still out of her grasp.
Three steps later and the snow vanished in a burst of heat. Now Nami was wearing that ridiculous dancer's outfit Sanji had picked out for her in Arabasta. . . which is exactly where she was now. The exotic buildings lining the sandy streets and bright skies over head warmed Nami, who still had Sanji's jacket. Most surprising of all was the presence of Princess Vivi and Carue, standing directly in front of her.
"Vivi!" She ran to her friend, who simply smiled and pointed down a street, a pair of sunglasses with yellow lenses and thick, black frames in her hand. She dropped them into Nami's hands, and the navigator closed her fingers around the gift. She nodded at Nami, and gave her a gentle push towards the infamous Mr. Prince himself, who was still out of her reach.
Nami fell to the ground, but instead of gravel and sand, she was kneeling in the grass near a tree stump. She sat up as a gentle wind flipped through pages of a book about Liar Norland. Her eyes turned to the house with the ridiculous fairy tale castle front and its closing door. "Now wait just a minute! Sanji-kun! What's going on?"
She opened the door and ran through, finding herself on the deck of the Going Merry, where it sat in the middle of Upper Yard. "This is so – SANJI-KUN!" She could see the cook lying face down on the deck, his body charred and hardly moving. Stumbling, Nami moved forward, beginning to cry as she fell to her knees just short of Sanji's body.
Her knees felt crisp grass, and she could hear the deafening roar of Foxy's crew from the stands surrounding an enclosed field. A ball attached to a head strap was lying in the middle of the field, and Sanji was walking away from it. "SANJI-KUN! WAIT JUST A – WHAT'S GOING ON!?" She rushed towards him, but tripped and fell over the ball.
She landed with a splash and found herself in the water by Water 7's sea train station, and during the Aqua Laguna no less. Gasping, wet, and frustrated, she looked around. He had to be around there somewhere. Why was he avoiding her? Breathing heavily as she got progressively wetter and wetter, she struggled to her feet. She watched the Puffing Tom chug away, Sanji hanging onto the caboose. "This isn't funny! Sanji-kun!" She started to run for the train, stopping short at the edge of the platform. Frustrated, she clenched her eyes and fists shut.
But the rain stopped, and she could sense it was a lot lighter outside. She opened her eyes and saw herself facing the Tower of Justice. Sitting on the edge of the balcony was Sanji, his legs crossed and his hands lighting another cigarette. "This is ridiculous. . . SANJI-KUN! CAN YOU HEAR ME!?" Sanji didn't respond, and something pushed the small of Nami's back, and she fell forward, screaming.
But the fall was slow, and Nami felt the world – and what remained of her clothing – begin to disappear. Everything looked blue, and now it was just her, sinking as if she were underwater. She closed her eyes, and opened them to see Sanji directly across from her. She gasped, almost ready to slap him for looking at her naked, but realized he seemed to be equally naked and completely relaxed. There was none of his Love Cook "mellorine" act – he was just looked calm. He held her hands and smiled.
"Nami-san. . . why are you chasing me?"
"What?"
"You've been chasing after me, is there something you need?" he asked simply. He let go of one hand to touch her cheek. Nami swallowed, her eyes wide as she looked at him, his blond hair floating around his head but his left eye still obscured. "What is it you need? A drink? A meal? Perhaps you'd like to go shopping?"
Nami felt a lump in her stomach. "No."
Sanji smiled. "Then what do you want?"
Her bottom lip quivered. "You."
"You want me?" Sanji asked, still somewhat casually.
"Yes."
He gently took her chin, grinning. "Why do you want me?"
"Because. . . I. . ."
???? pm
Nami woke up suddenly, gasping as she looked around her surroundings. She was lying on a bed in a plain room. She was probably still in building where they were looking for Sanji. How did I get here? She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood, looking around. She spotted a door and checked it – locked.
"Damn it," she said. Nami patted herself down – her ClimaTact was gone. However, she smiled to see that her lock-picking kit had been untouched. She grinned – the idiots who locked her in there didn't search her thoroughly enough. Quickly, she started to work on the lock. There was no telling how long she'd been out – she had to find Sanji as quickly as possible, otherwise he was going to die.
If he hasn't already. . . NO! No, I can't give up! Not now!
The lock easily opened after a few seconds of work and Nami easily walked out. She was in a hallway with no windows – without the sun or the moon or a clock, she had no way of knowing what time it was. She swallowed. What if it was already after midnight? She stopped herself and shook her head – no! She refused to believe that!
Taking a deep breath, she looked down each direction of the hallway. One way led to a dead end with no doors, making her decision much easier. The other way didn't have a visible end in sight. Hopefully, Sanji was somewhere down that hallway. I hope I'm not too late. Sanji-kun, hang on! Just a little bit more!
Nami reached a stairwall, which she looked up. It went very high. Faintly, Nami could hear the sounds of voices upwards – one of them sounded like Elizabeth Stoker's. What is she saying!? I can't hear what she's saying! But maybe Sanjj-kun is up these stairs! If that's the case, maybe I'm not too late! Nami began to fly up the stairs.
". . . just . . . more. . ."
What's that mean!?
". . . almost time. . . kiss. . ."
Nami's eyes brightened. She hasn't kissed him yet!
And then she heard the chiming of a grandfather clock. It's going to strike an hour! But what hour is it about to strike? Oh please be eight or nine or ten or even eleven o'clock. . . just please don't strike midnight! Not sure how she managed to do it, she start to go up the stairs even faster than before.
Two chimes.
Sanji-kun!
Three.
I won't leave you!
Four.
I'm coming to save you!
Five.
Nami reached the top of the stairs and began to follow the sound of Stoker's voice.
Six. Seven.
C'mon, c'mon, stop chiming soon!
Eight.
Nami could see a light coming from a door at the far end of the hall.
Nine.
DAMN IT! LEGS! MOVE FASTER!
Ten.
Nami was within the final stretch.
Eleven.
STOP CHIMING!
Nami burst through the door and fell to her knees, looking up to see Sanji – his hands chained above his head, but still alive and surprised to see her. "Sanji-kun! Sanji-kun!" she cried. But then she noticed Elizabeth Stoker standing next to him, holding him by the tie, and grinning at her with glinting white teeth. Sanji's eyes were wide – he was terrified.
I've never seen him that sacred before. . .
Oh no. . .
Twelve.
Elizabeth Stoker pulled Sanji's face to hers and planted her lips over his.
Author's Notes
Just wait for the next chapter.
-Dixxy