Disclaimer : I do not own Nami nor One Piece nor any other shows I mention in this fiction.
Chapter five :
The Thieving Kitten
Two months after Ashley/Nami's start.
If I can't kick fifty times, I'll do a hundred laps! Nami thought to herself as she repetitively kept kicking her hand made dummy.
During the last two months she had focused more on her studies under doctor Noko knowing already that she couldn't force her three year old body to learn some real moves yet and could only start with building up endurance, speed and strength.
After Bell-mere noticed Nami's training attitude she made it a point to look after Nami's training when said person was 'slacking off' in her opinion. Bell-mere was a slave driver when it came to training making Nami wonder is she was related to Garp.
Tough love indeed. Nami thought remembering how last night Bell-mere wouldn't let her eat until she did fifty push ups. Did she mention she hates push ups? Well she does.
A fist colliding in her head made her let out a cry of pain.
She clutched her head while comically crying "What was that for?!"
"Training is good and all but missing breakfast is a giant no-no!" Bell-mere scolded
"You're not any better!" Nami retorted "I already know you've been skipping out breakfast just to make sure Nojiko and I can eat!" she pointed out
Bell-mere crossed her arms "I'm just on a diet!"
"Ah, I am very convinced that a slender woman like you needs to show off her bones" Nami commented rolling her eyes.
"Tsk, cocky brat. How about I take over your training later?" Bell-mere asked with a smirk
Nami gulped shaking her head in refusal "No thanks mom!" she declined
"Your clothes are all dirty, now I have to clean them again for the seventh time this week" Bell-mere grumbled
"Well next time buy Nojiko a training outfit so when she outgrows them I can have something decent to train in!" Nami childishly retorted pointing at her pink shirt which was adorned with a smiley face. This outfit is so...lame!
Bell-mere's face softened "Trust me I'd do so if I could but you and Nojiko have completely different tastes."
"I want to wear something bad-ass, something cool!" Nami exclaimed doing air-quotes for emphasis "Like a long coat or a jacket or a scarf or a nice hat!" she listed off
"Stop being so childish" Bell-mere stated
Nami clicked her tongue in a bit of annoyance, I need something trademark.
"Now off to breakfast" Bell-mere ordered
"Yes moooom" Nami said in a drawl, but inwardly she was happy My old mom would have just let me not eat breakfast
"Oh, I should make you do fifty sit ups for that tone"
Did she mention she hates sit ups?
Noko chuckled in amusement seeing Nami's bandaged head "What did you tell Bell-mere now?" he questioned
"That she really did need to go on a diet" Nami answered without missing a beat flipping over the page of "Human anatomy for dummies"
"That was mean" Noko noted
"That was the point" Nami retorted
"You should stop antagonizing Bell-mere so much" Noko warned
"Why would I? It's fun getting her rile up" Nami said smiling in amusement
"Oh, just admit that you love her already" Noko said rolling his eyes
"I don't dislike her" Nami allowed
"Prideful women" Noko said shaking his head
"When are we going to dissect a fish?" Nami innocently asked
"Why would you want to dissect a fish?" Noko asked
"Maybe I can help you operate in the next surgery?" Nami asked
"I'll go buy that fish" Noko quickly said
So easy. Nami thought to herself closing her book. After spending most of the time with the doctor she knew which buttons to push in order to get what she wants and right now she wants to learn to use scalpels.
Who knows? Maybe I can apply haki to the scalpels making the scalpels stronger like in Naruto...Nami's eyes widened in realization, Haki. I knew I was forgetting something!
I have to unlock my haki. The original Nami didn't for some reason but right now I'm an adult stuck in a child's body so that means this body's spiritual power is high.
"Nami?" Noko asked just as Nami finished dissecting a fish
"Hmm?" Nami questioned placing her scalpels down, not before discreetly hiding two in her pockets.
"You're always in here, why don't you play with kids your age?" he asked
"They're annoying, immature, no main character and ultimately hanging around with kids just won't benefit me." Nami listed off
"Main character?" Noko asked raising an eyebrow at that
"Not interesting enough" Nami supplied
Noko sighed, "You have to enjoy your childhood before it's gone, when you're an adult you won't be able to do things only kids can do" he tried to reason
"I wish I could act my age doc, I really do...but unfortunately I know I can't waste my time just to have fun...at least not now. Besides I'm having so much fun studying" Nami retorted
"My point is, what exactly makes you think you can't have fun?" Noko asked
"I already said I'm having fun" Nami answered rolling her eyes
"You know what I meant" Noko sternly said
Nami let out a sigh "It's complicated, besides I don't want to be a burden to Bell-mere. If I start acting childish asking her for an allowance or to buy me stuff I know she will but she'll go on a 'diet' to make up for the money."
"I'm sure Bell-mere doesn't want you to grow up too early." Noko stated
"Doc, I already said I'm okay with this!" Nami snapped irritated, she always didn't like people who just can't let things go when it's obvious that another person wants to.
Besides she hates repeating things for no reason, don't get her wrong she's a patient person but she hates repeating things for people who she knows understood what she said the first time.
Noko looked taken aback "I was just trying to-"
"Help?" Nami cut him off, "Doc you're already helping me by teaching me these stuff. I am indebted to you already but I don't need someone constantly questioning my hobbies or the way I like to spend my time." she finished with a sigh
"And you're my student right now." Noko stated, "I want you to take today off and go have some fun"
"I don't have any money to go have some fun" Nami retorted
Man he really wanted me to go have some fun. Nami thought counting the money she received from Noko, it wasn't much but it was enough for a kid.
"I wonder if I can buy any materials with this..." she wondered out loud as she walked around the village
Well putting things together is like a puzzle which kids love to make to have fun, so this means she's having fun right? Besides she was itching to get her hands on a pair of gloves, hidden blades, hand fans, bo staff, a bat, some nails and basically a lot of things.
"Junk store" she read aloud standing in front of, well a junk store.
Shrugging she waltz in without a care "Good afternoon!" she yelled upon entering the store.
"A kid? Go away..." a man said, he appeared to be in his mid twenties. He was bald and wore a pair of sunglasses, for clothes he wore a black tuxedo.
"I have money" Nami stated
"Welcome fine customer." the man greeted with a smile making Nami sweat drop at the sudden attitude change
"I'll take a look around and see if there's something I like..." Nami informed the man as she turned towards the huge stands filed with various items, Though I doubt I'll find something useful.
I take back what I said. Nami thought walking around the village with a yo-yo in her hands, the yo-yo being the only thing she could afford, the yo-yo was sold for twenty belly
The junk shop was now her favorite store, it had every single thing she might need for her 'inventions' (read : materials needed for her stolen ideas)
Gloves, box cutter, needles, nails, bats, masks, empty bottles, wooden staff, fishing rod...the junk store had everything!
I wish I had the money to afford the things I need...Nami thought to herself a bit sad.
Now she knows how cannon!Nami felt about her poverty situation. Wanting to buy something but knowing you couldn't afford it was really a pain. She can't get a job because she's just a kid.
Maybe I could just steal the money I need. She found herself playing with the idea of stealing.
She knew it was wrong and all but she did need the money but her conscious just won't leave her alone. It's funny how I have morals about stealing when I already planned to kill people in the future. She thought to herself
Her eyes landed on a young woman or more specifically the woman's wallet which was hanging from the woman's bag. The woman herself had the bag at knee-length, perfect if someone wanted to take the wallet.
*Thump thump*
Nami gulped as her heart beat faster and sweat started dripping down her face, Come on, if I can't even steal how can I kill someone? Do you want Bell-mere to die?! She mentally yelled at herself
And that was all it took.
Her heart started beating normally as she had her usual lazy look. She casually walked towards the woman and just as she walked past the woman she extended her hand quickly yet elegantly grabbing the wallet before retracing her hand putting the wallet in her shirt.
She glanced around to see everyone was still lively going about their daily lives. With a small smirk she walked away seemingly heading towards her home but stopped mid-way making her way to a bush.
She hid behind the bush and grabbed the wallet with a grin I did it! I actually did it...the rush..it was so exciting! She thought to herself feeling ecstatic, when the feeling died down her grin went away as well.
"It's scary how easy that was..." she muttered opening the wallet
She discarded the wallet and counted the money "Hundred fifty belly..." she noted the amount with a low whistle
She smirked to herself, Morals be damned I'm not a hero, I'll do whatever it takes to achieve my goals. But I'll have to be smart about this, I'll only steal two times a week...three times if I really need the money.
She stood up pocketing her money. "Ouch..." she winced feeling something prick her finger before remembering that she stole the scalpels from Noko.
She won't delude herself saying that she's stealing all for the sake of Bell-mere, because saving Bell-mere's life just turned into a side goal along the way.
Money, fame, power...who would have thought I would start considering these three things important? But in the end having them helps me achieve my selfish goals.
"Oh, you're back" the junk store owner said as Nami re-entered the store
Nami raised an eyebrow at him "I didn't know you play shogi" she said pointing at the board in front of the man
"You don't even know me"
"Touche" Nami smiled at the man as she went around the junk store looking for something specific
Found ya. She thought in glee seeing a dagger.
Why this junk store was selling a dagger she didn't question as she grabbed it, she glanced back at the owner who was playing a game of shogi by himself "Isn't it boring playing by yourself?" she questioned after she tucked the dagger at the left side of her panties glad that she was wearing one of her big shirts today.
She looked at the man expectantly
"No one else plays shogi, so I make due with playing myself" the man answered in a drawl moving a piece
"Hmm," Nami thoughtfully said as she grabbed a wooden staff worth exactly the amount of money she had "I'm interested in learning" she stated as she placed the money for the staff in front of the man
The man paused with a thoughtful look before conjuring up a manual on playing shogi "Here" he said
Nami took it "Thanks" she thanked turning around to leave "See you around!" she said with a wave just as she reached the door
"Oh, wait." the man said
Nami paused glancing back at him "Yes?"
"The dagger's on the house." the man said with a smirk
Despite herself a smile appeared on her face "I should have known you weren't as incompetent as you seemed"
"You're just a bad thief" the man remarked
"Well I am an amateur, next time I try and steal something you won't even notice" and that was a promise, the moment the man called her out on her stealing he had asked for war.
"Yeah, yeah see you around koneko" the man said (little kitten)
Nami's smile twitch "Koneko?" she questioned
"You're going to turn into a thieving cat someday, but for now you're a thieving koneko"
That's worse than being called a cat! She huffed and left
It was after she closed the door that she realized something I didn't have the last word in the conversation...And that was odd, she always had the last word in. But, a smirk broke out on her face Someone interesting who wasn't revealed in the anime nor manga. Oda really didn't do Nami's past any justice by leaving out interesting people, though I suppose this isn't a fictional world anymore
Nami lunged her staff at the dummy, That two month of bojutsu club really paid off. She noted to herself as she moved through the forms so her body could adjust
"You're so stiff" Bell-mere commented
Nami merely grunted "I'll work on that later."
"How about now?" Bell-mere questioned with a devious smile
Nami gulped.
Let's just say at the end of the day she didn't know her body could bend that way.
Nami groaned as her back hit the bed
"Oh, stop being so moody" Bell-mere stated
Nami stayed silent too tired to speak.
She felt something being placed on her but couldn't bother to move.
"It isn't a long coat or a jacket or a scarf or a nice hat, but I hope you like it" Bell-mere said
"Huh?" Nami asked forcing herself to sit up, in her lap stood a black goggle with orange lenses "Bad-ass..." she commented in awe "Thanks mom" she thanked rather reluctantly
"You're welcome, I hope now you can stand wearing those clothes with your bad-ass goggles" Bell-mere grinned
Softly smiling "Yeah" she agreed