Okay! I'm back with the brand new chapter..enjoy...*smirks*
Disclaimer : I do not own Nami nor One Piece nor any other shows I mention in this fiction.
Warning :Spoilers, insanity, sarcasm, fan girling, emo-brooding, innuendo's etc are prone to appear depending on my mood, you have been warned
Chapter Thirteen
I'm so stubborn, it's how I got here
So alone, feels like forever
Wanna swim away and breath the open air
But I feel so afraid, then I hear you say
~Plumb, Hang On~a
While Nami and Luffy were eagerly waiting for Shanks and the rest of the crew to return at the docks, the crazy bald tuxedo wearing Rex found himself sitting at a table for lunch with Bell-mere and Nojiko.
"Thanks again for giving us your fish" Bell-mere thanked
"Maa, it was the least I could do..." Rex trailed off seeing the bags under Bell-mere's eyes You better come back with that autograph for making me go through checking on a depressed woman Ashley
"I never told you to check up on anyone"
"Details, details..." Rex muttered
"Excuse me?" Bell-mere blinked placing the plates on the table
"Ah, just my imagination going wild about a woman." Rex shrugged
"A woman? Color me surprised." Bell-mere stated
"Yeah, she's really damn troublesome and annoying." Rex grunted
"Who is she?" Bell-mere asked feeling curious
"Ah, instead of assuming I have a lover how about you tell me about your love life?" Rex asked
"I don't exactly have a love life, too busy raising two kids." Bell-mere stated
"Well a little ginger told me she really ships you and Genzo" Rex said with a closed eye smile
"Ship?" Bell-mere asked
"It means she would like to see you two get together, it's becoming one of her one true pairing." Rex supplied greatly amused at the faint pink on Bell-mere's face
Before Bell-mere could give a witty comment another voice broke in "What's the pervert doing here?"
"You're the pervert" Rex said, his lips twitching in annoyance at Nojiko who was eyeing him wearily
"You're the one who-"
"Well there's something called-"
"No person does that when they want to-"
"No person? What are you a god or-"
"I was saying that you're less than a-"
"God? Yes, I am very aware of the fact that I'm hu-"
"KNOCK IT OFF!" Bell-mere yelled in annoyance
"It was his fault!" Nojiko exclaimed pointing a finger at Rex
"When you point at someone your four other fingers are pointing right back at you" Rex pointed out
"Stop dodging the topic!" Nojiko yelled
"Just stating facts." Rex easily said putting a cigarette in his mouth
"Well how about I tell you a fact? You're the one who scarred me for life you pe-"
"You're the one who should be ashamed for staring~" Rex slurred out lighting up his cigarette
Nojiko blushed an interesting shade of red "W-what are you doing here anyway?!" she yelled
"I'm curious about that too, how come you willingly came here without me dragging your as-, your butt." Bell-mere questioned correcting herself at the end
"I wanted to read those secret coded messages if you all don't mind." Rex stated
"Oh? What's in it for us?" Bell-mere asked
"I'll tell you the contents of the book." Rex said
"Deal" Bell-mere grinned standing up to go get a certain box with Nojiko following behind, both missing Rex's smirk I never said which book. He thought to himself
"Oi, curiosity killed the cat."
"And satisfaction brought it back to life didn't it koneko?" Rex asked looking to his side, Man, I should stop hallucinating. Maybe I should go see a doc or something? Nah.
"The Diary of an Iris." Rex snorted at the tittle "Sure she wasn't an authoress?" he asked himself as he flipped the diary open
"Dear Iris, aside from my other diary dedicated to everything I could remember about this world this is about my previous identity. Now as time flies I know I might wonder why I even wanted to waste ink and paper for this but I want me, Nami to always remember my origins. Forgetting is too good for someone like me."
Rex frowned at the last part, Idiot, at this rate you'll be piling up every burden you can get your hands on just because you feel guilty for 'stealing' Nami's existence.
"Of course like everyone else I don't remember much about the first three years of my life. My grandparents told me I was quite the troublemaker that needed to be occupied at all times thus developing my fondness for puzzles, art, tv and the like. I was told that I used to dance along to Sailor Moon and keep screaming 'Vamos a buscar, las esperas de dragon!' everything someone said 'let's go' or something along those lines. I really feel sorry for my grandparents."
Rex chuckled at that, "Dragon Ball, huh?" he muttered his eyes eager to read the next lines
"I was told that I loved helping my grandmother in the kitchen when I was four and I loved forcing my grandfather to play his guitar, I even went as far as to throw a tantrum once when the string broke. Aside from that I remember getting a burn from the oven when I didn't listen to my granny's warnings and going to the park to play. I also remember being deathly afraid of thunders, but don't fret I'm mostly over that fear. It only resurfaces occasionally so it would be best if I have some earplugs during the Skypia Arc. Ah, I'm rambling about unrelated matters."
"Aside from those I was told that I loved cartoons so much, Scooby Doo, Johny Test, Johny Bravo, Pokemon, you name it. I'd spend most of my time watching cartoons when I wasn't bugging my grandparents. At this point going to the park had become something I loathed, I detested seeing kids laughing with their parents. Sure I had my grandparents, but that wasn't the same now was it? They raised my parent so wasn't it my parent's job to raise me? To shower me with love? For my dad to build a tree house with me? To buy me ice-cream? To give me piggy back rides? To scold me? I became very insecure at this point thinking that my parents didn't want me. That I was hated."
"It's funny how our situation is so different yet at the same time the root is the same..." Rex chuckled with no sense of humor
"At five nothing remarkable happened, I just kept on with my hobbies. I'd watch some anime thinking it was cartoon, I really didn't know the difference when I was little. My grandpa got me into playing arcade games on old consoles as well when I refused to leave the house. I became a shut-in mostly until a girl befriended me and so I befriended her whole group. My grandparents were happy I was finally socializing so I went along with it."
"That explains her occasional awkwardness, must have never really fit in." Rex commented
"Everything changed when I turned six, I had noticed my grandparents acting weird and how they were unsure about my birthday gift which was odd since they would usually give me something that has to do with my hobbies. Of course I just merely assured them that I would be happy with whatever they give me. The birthday gift? A woman, not just any woman, my mother. At that time I was happy, mad, sad, confused and even dizzy. Happy that I had a mother, mad that she showed up late, sad that I had to say goodbye to my grandparents, confused on why she came back and dizzy at the way my brain was working. I was about to burst out but when the woman, my mom started crying her heart out and apologizing I did what my grandparents did when I cried, I hugged her. I forgave her, because she seemed really sorry. That's why maybe I can forgive people who show that they were really sorry for something they did, I hope that I still have this trait as Nami"
Rex skimmed through the diary detailing Ashley's school experiences, friends, relationship problems, crushes and so on until he reached the last page.
"Life's been good since I stopped cutting,"
"What? When did...I'll have to go back to read her early teen years" Rex said clicking his tongue in annoyance
"Mom's doing her secretary job and my stepdad is working on a new case, his job as a lawyer is tough work but he manages to spend time with mom and I so I'm happy."
"A happy kid isn't suicidal..." Rex dryly commented
"I mean it would be selfish of me to brood all day when other kids are orphans, being abused or starving, right? I have it better so I can't act like a brat. Aside from that...I'M IN THE BAND! Rachel, Mellie and Tammy asked me to be their lead singer! Life's never been better! Rumor has it that Jake's going to ask me out! *Insert squeal*, he was my first crush. Although he's real...tsk, if only anime boys were real."
"And that's the story of Ashley Ayame or Nami's previous life. The last thing I did was take a nap unaware that my life as Ashley was cut off short and the next time I wake up I would be someone else."
Rex blinked, then he read the last line again. Now Rex was never one to be dumbstruck but there's a first time for everything, right?
"How?" was all he could ask "How did she get here if she didn't die?" he questioned "It's impossible! Unless she died in her sleep? No, she wasn't ill. Her house fell? Tsunami? Hurricane? No, even then she would have known how she died. The memory of dying is always there." he ranted to himself
"You done?" Bell-mere asked making him jump in surprise turning around to see Bell-mere at the door with a cup
"How long were you there?" Rex asked cursing his tendency to talk to himself
"Relax, I just got here." Bell-mere answered making Rex sigh in relief not detecting any signs of lying "Are you okay? You look panicked"
"I just need to go see a doctor" Rex said
"Okay, I'll take you. You seem like you'll pass out while getting there" Bell-mere didn't offer, she ordered and Rex knew better than to argue with a woman.
"Hey Nami, maybe you should stop Luffy before he does something stupid" Yasopp said glancing at the ginger head who had her nose stuck in a book about the World Government
"Don't be a stiff Yasopp!" Shanks said with a grin slapping the man in the back before turning to Nami "I see you're still here in the village Nami" he noted, then a thought crossed his head "Why are you even here anyways?"
"I followed the sea." Nami answered in a deadpan
"And my hair is dyed" Shanks returned in a voice filled with sarcasm
Nami's eyebrows shot up in mock surprise "It isn't natural? Minus twenty points"
"Points?" Yasopp asked in confusion
"Sex appeal points" Nami supplied, seeing the men's deadpan look she questioned "Is there something wrong?"
"I don't think a little girl like you should be grading people's looks ginger" Lucky Roo commented munching on his meat as per usual
"Whether a girl or a woman she's still female, the real question is why does my sex appeal drop by twenty if my hair was dyed?" Shanks questioned
"That's our captain, always focusing on things other doesn't." Benn stated
Shanks grinned at him "Thanks!" he thanked
"Uhh, that wasn't a compliment captain" Yasopp said with a sweat drop, "Well our captain is a special kind of observant." Lucky Roo shrugged
"So?" Shanks asked turning to Nami
"Because red hair is appealing, natural red hair is to die for. It gives off a bad-boy yet playful look and most girls like bad boys. Even I find them appealing." Nami explained in a drawl as she closed her book knowing the whole crew won't let her read in peace
"Oh, I see!" Shanks said with a look of realization
"You already have a type?!" Yasopp yelled in disbelief, Does Usopp have a type already too? My son...
"How did you reach that conclusion?" Shanks asked in confusion
"The little miss said 'even I find them appealing', appealing is another word for attractive. In other words a type, which means characteristics in a person which the little miss finds alluring." Benn explained to his sometimes slow captain
Shanks took a moment to process the words before turning to Nami "How old are you again?"
"Eight." Nami answered
"I forbid romance!" Shanks declared
"I second that!" Yasopp yelled
Nami tilted her head in innocent confusion "Why do you two care anyway?"
"Cause you're our friend just like Luffy ginger." Lucky Roo answered
Nami blinked at that word, "Friend...?" she asked the word still foreign to her tongue despite she herself declaring herself a friend of Luffy's "But we don't even know each other that long..." she tried to argue
"Then how do you think someone becomes friends? Do they decide to just become friends?" Benn asked knowing that Nami would answer her honest opinion on the matter by wording it differently, of course it only works when she's confused
"It can't really be decided..." Nami started biting her lips with a frown adoring her making the four in front of her a bit surprised at seeing the insecure side of Nami "It's just formed before you know it..."
"Yes" Benn confirmed with a nod
"Wouldn't you say we're friends?" Shanks asked with a soft smile
"I guess" Nami finally answered, "I won't ever take a bullet for you though" Nami quickly said, "It's just that being friends with this crew benefits me a lot!" she informed
"Keep telling yourself that Nami" Shanks grinned
"LUFFY, PUT THAT GUN DOWN!" a random crew member yelled
"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed running around pointing the gun at everyone
"A gun isn't a toy!" Yasopp scolded as he punched the seven year old in the head taking away the gun
"Oh, well. We knew Luffy was crazy from the start, so let's toast!" another member declared
"To what exactly?" Benn asked raising an eyebrow
"Luffy's craziness, I think?" Lucky Roo offered
Nami snorted "This crew looks for an excuse to party every time" she stated
"Well we are pirates!" Shanks exclaimed with a grin already holding up some sake
"I guess..." Nami agreed taking out her own glass of sake, she brought the glass to her mouth only for it to be snatched away from her.
"No drinks for you today little miss" Benn said in amusement as he gulped down the drink
"After all that trouble I went to steal it from those idiots..." Nami pouted a bit crossing her arms
"Nami!" Luffy exclaimed as he stood in front of said girl with a huge bump in his head, "Sing that song!"
"Which song?" Nami asked raising an eyebrow
"The pirate song, you know the one you sang after I promised to not burn anymore books of yours!" Luffy said
"When did that happen?" Shanks asked in interest
"Don't you mean to ask 'who in their right mind would let Luffy near fire?'," Yasopp asked, he hoped Usopp wasn't a headache like Luffy.
"Ah, that song" Nami stated
"Which song?" Shanks, Yasopp and Lucky Roo asked.
"Nami's going to sing?!"
"She can sing?!"
"I thought geeks couldn't sing!"
Nami just shook her head in amusement at their antics before singing the start "Yo-hohoho, Yohohohoo, Yo-hohoho, Yohohohoo," The red haired pirates all shared a grin as they too sung along
"Ah, binks sake!" Yasopp said in realization
"Who taught you this song little miss?" Benn asked feeling curious
"I heard it somewhere before, a long time ago..." she added the last part to herself sighing in nostalgia
Shanks ruffled her hair as he too joined in the singing along with Luffy but Benn had a certain glint in his eyes.
Chapter End!
Zyma-nee-22 :
Oh, she's definitely going to those islands. But not just for fun of course! She's going there to do some business ;)
Manifested Earth :
Thanks for pointing it out for me! Nami totally won't be a Sakura when it comes to love, she's a bit genre savvy at romance so she knows that it would just be a bother to be a Sakura. As for the one love interest thing, I find it boring if someone sticks to only one love interest at the start, I prefer multiple love interest and then having the MC choose who he/she really want to be with, but that's just me.
Chai Tea :
Oh, yes. She's planning on meeting them, if not for her own selfish reasons/benefits.
Animeluver2818 :
Well I agree on that! But even Luffy could beat a noble considering they don't exactly fight or anything.
Zaralann :
Well, we'll see what happens. She'll definitely screw with the nobles though.
OnepieceZoroOC :
Well Luffy/Nami moments will come up in later chapters, though it might take a bit of looking underneath before the ship tease becomes obvious.
NobleFlare:
Thanks! I also dislike it when someone just puts an OC in the OP story just to have a love interest for someone while not changing things up a bit, well aside from every OC's desire to save Ace. As for Nami's power level, I'm going to balance it out but it's hard not to make someone overpowered 'cause OP is filled with overpowered characters in my opinion. But don't worry, the battles won't be dull just cuz Nami's stronger this time. I'm developing Nami to be a jack of all traits