Nami stood in the middle of the tangerine orchard, absentmindedly picking the ripe fruits off the branches and dropping them into the basket at her feet. Nojiko smiled as she watched her younger sister, but it faded when she saw the distant expression on her face. She was thinking about Luffy again.

Nojiko sighed, thinking about the day Nami had returned to Cocoyashi. The lookout had spotted a small ship in the distance, and as it got closer they realized it was Nami. Everyone had been so excited to see her return. But when she had climbed up onto the shore, she had started crying. No one could make her stop, and when Genzo had asked if it was Luffy's fault she was crying, she had punched him. It took a while to get the answer out of her, but when they did…

Strawhat was gone from this world.

Nami had stopped picking tangerines and was sitting on the ground. A small pile of tangerine peels sat next to her, and Nojiko realized she was eating. "Nami," Nojiko said sternly. "Don't eat the merchandise."

Nami looked up and laughed lightly. "Sorry."

Nojiko shook her head. "How about you help me bring this load into town? Genzo bought two bushels, and it would take me two trips by myself."

Nami nodded, kicking the peels under the tree and grabbing the basket. She placed it inside before following Nojiko and grabbing one of the larger bags. She slung it over her shoulder with ease, while Nojiko struggled under the weight.

That was another thing Nojiko had noticed. Nami was so much stronger than she was when she left. "Are you alright Nojiko?" Nami asked, noticing her sister's struggle. "Do you need any help?"

"No, I'm fine," Nojiko smiled. She wasn't about to get shown up by her little sister. But she was jealous of the new strength she had. The walk to town was exhausting for her, but Nami was laughing and walking as if she wasn't carrying anything.

People greeted them as they entered town, and Nojiko caught a glimpse of the pirate flag flapping in the breeze near the port. Nami had insisted it be hung to ward off pirates. No one objected, not wanting to upset the already distraught girl.

She hadn't been home long, only a few months, but she had more or less settled back into everyday life. But despite the smiles, she didn't seem very happy. Genzo had noticed this too, and had talked to Nojiko about it. She missed the sea, they had decided. And so it wasn't that surprising when she announced her plans to set out to sea again.

Nojiko had smiled when her sister told her, "Well, you do want to draw a map of the world. That's not going to happen if you stay here."

"But, are you going to okay on your own again?" Nami asked.

"Nami," Nojiko said sternly, slamming a hand on the table in front of her. The action used to startle her, but she barely flinched. "I was fine when you went off with Luffy the first time. Besides, I'm going to get married one day. I'm not going to be alone forever."

Nami smiled, tracing circles on the table. "I pity any man who marries you."

"HEY!" Nojiko shouted. Nami ducked under her grab and escaped the house, laughing. Nojiko let her go, knowing she was never going to catch her. She returned later with a full basket of tangerines, and set about making Bellemere's special tangerine sauce. Nojiko watched from the table, her head resting on her hand.

"Hey Nami," Nojiko started, "Your world map. How much have you finished?"

"I've mapped out the route we took to get to Raftel," Nami said. "But that's it so far. I need to map out the other three routes and then the four seas." She turned off the stove and placed the pan on the side burner to cool down. She sat across the table and laid her head on her arms.

"I've been wondering. That thing on your wrist…"

Nami held up her hand, where the log pose was strapped to it. It was pointed North right now, the islands of the four seas not having a strong enough magnetic field to turn the needle. "Compasses don't work in the Grand Line. So we have to use this to get from one island to the next."

Nojiko nodded. "I remember seeing something like this once; on the island we were born. We were from the Grand Line, so these must have been common there."

Nami nodded absentmindedly. A while later she stood and found several glass jars, filling them with the tangerine sauce she had just made. She placed them on the counter before turning back to Nojiko and stretching. "I'm going to try and get some sleep."

"Good night, Nami," Nojiko said.

Many ships that arrived in the Cocoyashi Village harbor were usually quickly driven away by the pirate flag. No one really wanted to mess with an island under the Strawhat's protection. But there were several ships that came through regularly, picking up and dropping off supplies. A cruise ship came by once a year too, because of the great views the island had.

Nami and Nojiko had made as many jars of tangerine sauce as they could, and on the day it was meant to arrive, they got up early and carted them down to the streets to sell to any tourists. They were doing well, halving their stock within the first few hours.

"Say, Miss," A young man said, as he examined one of the jars. "Why do you have a pirate flag flying in the harbour?"

"Well, that's simple," Nami smiled. "This island is under their protection." She grinned and snatched the jar he was about to slip into his bag. "So I wouldn't try any funny business."

The man coloured and pulled out his wallet. "I was going to pay for it."

"Sure you were," Nami said. "That'll be 300 beri. Like I said, this island is protected."

"Whose flag is it?" He asked, handing over the money. "It's hard to see, since there's no wind today."

"The Strawhat Pirates," Nami said, handing over a jar.

"You can't be serious," The man said. "The Pirate King? Why not Garp the Fist, or another Marine?"

"He saved this island from another pirate," Nojiko cut in. "This was before he got his first bounty. In fact, one of his crewmates is from this island. Besides, the Marines do jack shit, even when people are relying on them. We don't allow them on the island anymore."

"So there are no Strawhat Pirates here? Or Marines?"

"How would that matter?" Nami asked. "It's not like we're going to let you hurt anyone on this island. And even if you were thinking of something, there is a Strawhat on the island."

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow. "A big shot pirate would be willing to return to the weakest sea? All of the Strawhats have really large bounties. There's no one to compare to here."

"I can't visit home?" Nami asked innocently. "I mean, we were away for four years. I started to miss it here."

The man shrugged, "I guess. Thanks for the sauce." He walked on, and Nojiko burst out laughing.

"You told him that you were… And he… Oh my god! That guy's an idiot!" She was doubled over, using the table to keep herself up. Nami started laughing too, and Genzo had to ask if they were alright when they didn't stop.

The next ship that arrived was a passenger ship, carrying people to Loguetown. Nami went with them, not wanting to stay any longer. She had a goal, and she wanted to complete it in her lifetime. Only Nojiko and Genzo saw her off this time, Nojiko handing her a small branch from one of the tangerine trees. "If you plant it, it will grow." Nojiko said. "Until then, keep it in the dark."

Nami nodded, and hugged her sister before boarding. She didn't watch as the island faded behind her, standing near the bow and watching the water instead. Four months she had been home, but if she was being honest with herself, it didn't feel much like home. Sure, she had her sister, and the townspeople owed her and the rest of the Strawhats for freeing them from Arlong. But she never really fit in. While working for Arlong, they had only spoken to her if they needed to, and avoided her otherwise.

It had hurt, and even though the past was over with the pain never really left her. Luffy didn't care about her past. He wanted her because she was Nami, and not because of the skills she had. The Thousand Sunny had felt like a home, just like her house had felt like when Bellemere was still alive. She hated sleeping alone, when Vivi had shared a room with her, and then Robin. She placed a hand flat against the metal railing of the passenger ship, feeling the heat of it. The Sunny had wooden railings, but they were smoother than even the finest of metals. Franky was a very skilled man.

"Hey Lady," A small voice said, and Nami looked down at the source of the voice. A little boy, maybe four or five stood beside her, pointing at her left arm. "Did that hurt?"

"My tattoo?" Nami asked, kneeling down in front of the child.

She shook his head, "No. That." He pointed at the X on her forearm.

"No," Nami said. "Not much. Why are you asking?"

"Cause it looks like it hurt." He said simply. "My daddy had lots of scars like this, and he said that some of them hurt when he got them." The boy dragged a finger over his right arm. "He's got a really big one right here. He said he got it from Fire Fist."

"Was your daddy a Marine?" Nami asked.

The boy nodded, his eyes brightening with admiration. "He's really cool."

"He sounds cool," Nami said, making the boy smile even more. "What else has he done?"

The boy started talking, and Nami made herself comfortable against the railing as she listened to the boy prattle on about the great things his father had done. She was pretty sure he was making half of it up, as she had been to some of the battles he was talking about. After a while, he trailed off and looked at her. "Did you get in a fight to get that?" He gestured at her arm again. "Daddy got all of his from fighting."

"No. I gave this to myself."

He looked dumbfounded. "Why would you do something like that?"

"It's the same reason I got this tattoo," Nami said. "To remember."

"To remember what?"

"Now that's a secret," Nami said, reaching over and ruffling his hair.

He pouted, but brightened again when he saw someone approach. "Daddy!"

"Riley, are you bothering this nice woman?" He asked. Nami looked up, slightly startled to see that his hair was the same shade as hers.

"Don't worry," Nami said. "He's been keeping me entertained. So your name is Riley? That's a good name."

"What's yours?" He asked curiously. "Sorry if I'm being rude. You look just like my daughter."

"I'm Nami," She said. She looked up at Riley's father. "I've heard a lot about you. Did you really sail through the Calm Belt?" Nami smirked playfully, and the man shook his head and sat down beside her.

"My name is Rhett. And no, I haven't sailed through the Calm Belt. I have been to the Grand Line, though." He said. "Riley doesn't seem to understand the purpose of Reverse Mountain, and thinks you can only get into the Grand Line by crossing the Calm Belt."

"Well," Nami said, "It is possible. But you would need to coat the bottom of your ship in sea prism stone. That's really expensive, so only the ships belonging to the Admirals and Vice Admirals have that."

"How did you know that?" He asked. "That kind of information isn't given out lightly."

"I have a friend who is a Marine," Nami said. "He and my Captain were close. My Captain was the one who encouraged him to become a Marine."

"Were you a Marine too?" Rhett asked. "If you had a Captain…"

"No, I wasn't a Marine." Nami said, shaking her head. She grinned up at him. "Please don't arrest me, but I'm a pirate."

Riley stared up at her with wide eyes, "You're a pirate?!" Rhett looked shocked as well.

"Not so loud," Nami laughed. "But yes, I am. Although, I'm not really in the business anymore. Right now, I want to travel around the world, and draw maps."

Rhett was looking at her with a strange expression. "You're a pirate?"

"Hey, hold on a minute," Nami said, holding her hands up. She knew that tone. "I've never killed anyone. I swear. We weren't bloodthirsty and looked for battle. We just wanted adventure!"

Rhett shook his head slowly, "Are you still a part of that crew?"

Nami smiled sadly, "We still consider ourselves a crew, but we've gone our separate ways. It was our Captain's last request that we follow through with what we set out to do."

"Last request?" Riley repeated curiously.

"My Captain died," Nami said softly.

"Do you miss him?"

"Yeah. A lot. He helped me. In fact, he's helped every member of our crew." Nami smiled, thinking back. "He changed my life for the better, and helped me start on the road to my dream. And I'm going to fulfill my dream, for his sake."

"What is your dream?" Rhett asked.

"To draw a map of the world." Nami said. "I'm a navigator, and can pride myself with saying I safely brought my crew to R–" She broke off suddenly. "I mean, I didn't let them down, and brought them where we needed to go."

"Would I know you if you had a bounty?" Rhett asked. His tone was lighter.

"I do have a bounty," Nami said. When his eyes widened, Nami elaborated. "I don't mean to be rude. Well, that's not true. I don't hold much respect for the Marines. But, I lost respect for you guys when instead of helping my village, the Marine posted there was bribed. We lived freely, and helped our friends. Because of that, the government put bounties on our heads."

"How much is yours?" Riley asked.

"I can't tell you that. You might get scared."

"Is it really big?"

"Almost as big as Fire Fist Ace's was." She whispered cryptically. "That reminds me, Riley, didn't you say that your father fought him once?"

Rhett turned red. "It wasn't much of a fight." He said. "I ran into him, and because of my duties, I had to try and take him in."

"I take it you didn't win," Nami said bluntly.

"He didn't even use his Devil Fruit powers," Rhett sighed. "That man's really strong."

"I know," Nami said. "I once saw him take down three ships in one hit."

"You've seen him?"

"I've personally met him." Nami said, nodding. "He spent a few days on our ship, because we were heading to the same place."

"That's pretty impressive."

"It was a sad day when he died," Nami continued. "We never became close or anything, but he was a respectable man. Even more than some Marines."

"You do realize he was Gold Roger's son, right?"

"What does that matter?" Nami asked. "They aren't the same person. Ace dedicated his life to Whitebeard, and he hated having the same blood as his father. Why do you think he took the name Portgas? It was because he wanted to cut all ties with that man. Besides, what did Gold Roger ever do, except live freely?"

The question brought Rhett up short. "I've never had it phrased that way. I thought all pirates were bloodthirsty murderers who only sought to fight."

"I've read a lot about Roger," Nami said. "And from what I can tell, he's never started a fight. He's only defended the people he cares about. He and Strawhat are very similar in that regard. And Ace. You were the one to attack first, right?" Rhett had to nod. "And he left you alive. He was just protecting himself."

"Strawhat attacked Enies Lobby. He declared war on the World Government."

"You don't know the full story," Nami said. "He was already in a bad mood, with the Going Merry being unrepairable. And then Usopp left the crew. And then the World Government took Robin. He was just taking care of his own. He did it to save Robin."

"He did it to protect someone?"

"That's right. And what do Marines do when one of their own is in trouble? They leave them. My mother was a Marine, before she took me and my sister in. She was still alive when the battle was over. They left her because she would have been a burden to take back. Pirates care for watch other. When one of their crew is in danger, they will risk anything to get them back. Why do you think Whitebeard started a war for Ace? He called him son. Ace called him Father." She crossed her arms. "And then to add insult to injury, the Navy had the guts to tell the world that Ace was only with Whitebeard because he was following his father's footsteps. That's bullshit. All of it. Whitebeard knew who Ace's father was."

"But…"

"I've heard it from his mouth. 'I'm going to make Whitebeard a King'." Rhett didn't respond, lacing his fingers together and looking down. Near the end of her rant, Nami's voice had started to crack, and tears started falling. "I'm sorry," She said after a minute. "But my Captain died for us. So we could move forward. Not all pirates are like that. But it's the same thing with Marines. Not all of them are honourable."

"I became a Marine, because pirates raided my home, and killed my baby daughter." Rhett told her. "She might have been saved, if we weren't on the other side of town. She was with my parents. They didn't escape, and her body was never found. Her twin was with us though, the reason we weren't home was because she was sick."

"I'm sorry," Nami said quietly. "My mother was killed by pirates. And those same ones used me as a slave, until my Captain brought him down."

Rhett let out a harsh laugh, "I guess we both have valid reasons for hating the other side. Call it a truce?" He held out his hand.

"Sure," Nami took the hand, and shook it firmly. "Let's start again. I'm Nami, a navigator."

"Rhett, a retired Marine Captain. It's good to meet you."

Riley begged Nami for the rest of the trip to tell him stories about her adventures. She chose ones that hadn't made it to the newspapers, talking about the bravery of her crew. Riley seemed fascinated, hanging on to her every word.

"You might turn him into a pirate," Rhett commented.

"Maybe," Nami laughed. "You can't have those kinds of adventures being a Marine. You need to be free to do that."

Rhett just shook his head, as an attendant came around and started informing everyone that they were going to land in Loguetown very soon, and if that was their final destination they need to unload their belongings there.

"Are you getting off there?" Nami asked, as she shaded her eyes and stared in the direction of the island.

"Yes, but we're transferring to another ship. I'm heading home, to my home island in the Grand Line. That's where Riley was born, although he can't remember it. He was just a baby when we came over the mountain. That's where my daughters were born too."

"I remember the first time we rode up Reverse Mountain," Nami said. "It was pouring rain, and the waves were very high. We almost missed the entrance."

"Sounds like you got lucky," Rhett said.

"Weren't we ever? If it wasn't for our Captain, we would have been smashed to bits on the rocks." She paused. "If it wasn't for him, we would have been dead many times over."

"Hey! I see it!" Riley shouted, pointing through the railing and breaking the tension. Nami lifted him up so he could get a better look. "Wow!"

"It will be nice to see Clarissa again," Rhett smiled.

"Who's she?" Nami asked.

"My wife. She's meeting us in Loguetown. She went ahead of us with Natasha."

"I can't wait to see Mommy and Big Sis again," Riley said, leaning forward. Nami kept a firm grip on the squirming boy.

They landed, and Nami climbed down the ramp. Once her feet were on solid ground, she took a good look around. It hadn't changed since she had last been there. Walking though, she came to the town square, where the execution platform was standing upright again. She spotted a flash of red hair through the crowd, and spotted Rhett and Riley reuniting with a brown haired woman and an older girl with orange hair. Probably his family. Riley spotted her and waved. Nami returned the gesture and hefted her backpack over her shoulders again. It looked like it was going to rain soon, so Nami booked herself a room in a nearby hotel.

She got settled in her room and decided to use the spa, since it had been a fairly long trip trapped on a boat full of people. She liked being social, but that was way too many.

She settled herself into the warm water, leaning back and letting a pleasant sigh escape her lips. An hour later, another person joined her. Riley's sister, Natasha, if she remembered the name correctly. Closer up, Nami realized the two of them looked extremely similar. Not just the hair, but the shape and colour of her eyes as well. She settled herself down in the water, making a few small waves that sloshed over the edge of the bath.

"Hi," Nami greeted, and the other girl glanced sharply at her before looking away. "My name is Nami. Rhett said yours was Natasha?" She was still silent. "Look, not to be rude or anything, but–"

"I don't want to talk to a damned pirate," She snapped finally, cutting Nami off.

Nami sighed, "So I guess you're not as forgiving as your father then."

"Like hell! I don't know why he seems so forgiving, especially when a pirate was in front of him. What kind of witch are you?"

"I'm not a witch," Nami stated, "And I haven't done anything wrong. Now, if you're mad at the pirates who destroyed your village, then know this. It wasn't my fault. Don't take your anger out on me."

"All pirates should rot in hell," Natasha growled.

"Most pirates should rot in hell," Nami corrected, drawing Natasha's sharp brown eyes towards her again. "But not all. Most of the Arlong Pirates should, and the Sexy Foxy Pirates. And the Buggy Pirates. And the Kid Pirates. And so many more. But not all."

"You're a pirate yourself. Why would you say something like that against your own kind?"

"Because I'm not like them," Nami said, sinking lower in the water. "Hell, if we were Marines, we would have probably been rewarded with the amount of pirates we've brought down, and underground movements we've exposed. I don't know how you define a pirate, but I can assure you my crew doesn't fit that definition."

"Your crew? Were you a Captain?"

"No. But our Captain didn't really act like one anyway. He was loyal, and listened to us. I know a lot of other pirate Captains don't appreciate being criticized."

Natasha let out a laugh, before slapping a hand over her mouth and glaring. Nami laughed too, and after a while of silence, Natasha shifted closer. "So… How much of what you said true?"

"You mean the stories I told Riley? Well, all of it. I'm not very good at lying. That's Usopp's specialty."

"So you've really met Fire Fist?"

"What interest do you have in Ace?" Nami asked.

Natasha blushed and looked down, "I thought he was really hot when I first saw his wanted poster."

Nami started laughing again, "Well, he was. Both figuratively and literally. He helped us out, and then left. He was on his own mission." Nami leaned back and tilted her head towards the ceiling. "He even asked us to join Whitebeard. Lu– My Captain said no, of course."

"You had the chance to work under a powerful man, and you said no?"

"Well, we had our own goals."

"Your Captain wanted to become King of the Pirates. That's what Riley said, anyway. He said you talked a lot about him. Did you look up to him?"

"Not really," Nami said. "He treated us all as equals, so I guess he earned our respect that way. But… It was more than that. I…"

"You cared for him more than just a friend," Natasha said. When Nami looked at her, she shrugged. "I'm a twenty one year old woman. I can understand those kinds of feelings. You loved him."

Nami smiled sadly. "It's a shame to figure out those feelings after he became unreachable. Did Riley tell you that part?"

"He became unreachable? Did you split up?"

"I'm guessing he didn't say anything about that then. He died. And I realized I loved him that day." Nami drew her knees up to her chest. "I can still see him falling into the water." Tears started falling, splashing into the water. "He threw his hat to us, and told us to continue on before he hit the water. He killed Blackbeard, and saved us all."

"…Blackbeard…?" Natasha repeated quietly, feeling awkward seeing a pirate cry over someone. "Wasn't he…"

"He's the one who handed Ace over to the Marines." Nami forced out. "When Luffy found out it was him, he became so angry… I've never seen him that mad before. Even when facing down people like Arlong, and CP9. And then seeing his face in the newspapers. It broke my heart. They were brothers, even if they didn't share the same blood." Nami pressed her forehead to her knees and bit back a sob.

"…Luffy?"

"My Captain," Nami muttered. "I guess there's no point in trying to hide it anymore. I'm a Strawhat Pirate. Luffy's dead. And we split up."

Natasha fell silent, letting Nami cry. They became closer after that. Nami promised to write, and she waved as the ship carrying them to the Grand Line left port. She set off not too long after, stowing away on an upper class cruise ship.

A year later, she landed on an island. As she walked into town, she spotted a familiar face. Her own. "Natasha!" She exclaimed, and the other woman looked over at whoever called her name.

"Nami!" She returned, jumping up and darting over. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to map out the island. I didn't know you lived here!"

Natasha grinned, "Riley's going to be happy. He's talked about you a lot. A lot of his friends are jealous that he's met a pirate and they haven't."

"Well, we'll just have to change that, won't we? Do you think I could crash on your place until I head out again? This is a big island, and will take me a couple of days to completely map."

"No problem. I'm sure Dad won't mind. Follow me."

She led Nami through the bustling marketplace, pausing for a few seconds once in a while to say hi to someone she knew. Nami got a few strange looks, but she was used to it and didn't pay it any mind. Nami stopped Natasha as they passed a large memorial, "What's that?"

Natasha led her over to it, to allow the pirate to get a better look. "It's a memorial for the Marines that fought for this island. It's a list of the dead."

Nami stepped closer, her brow furrowed. She traced her hand over one of the names. "Bellemere?"

"I don't remember the fight," Natasha said. "But from what I've heard all these people died fighting here. Bellemere was one of those Marines."

"My mother's name was Bellemere," Nami said. "Genzo told me that she fought on an island, and that's where she found me and my sister… She was left for dead, but saved me and Nojiko from the remaining pirates, and we escaped the island."

"Nojiko?" Natasha said. "That name sounds familiar. So, that means this Bellemere wasn't your biological mother."

Nami shook her head. "No, but she was amazing. She named me, since I was too young to remember any family I might have had. But Nojiko was two, and remembered her name. She's the one who found me among the rubble."

"Nojiko," Natasha mused. "I think Brenda and Lenard had a daughter by that name. Hold on." Natasha pulled Nami to another stone monument across the garden and ran a finger down the list of names. "Here." She pointed to one, and Nami leaned closer to take a look. There, between the name Natalie and Norman was…

"Nojiko!" Nami exclaimed. "That's her name." She looked over at Natasha with wide eyes. "What did she look like?"

"I… I don't remember." Natasha said, startled by the frenzied look in Nami's eyes.

"Her parents then. Did either of them…" She paused, digging something out of her bag. Holding up a picture of a lavender haired girl, smiling and holding a tangerine, she asked, "Look like her?"

"She looks just like Brenda!" Natasha exclaimed. "Same hair and eye colour!"

"If that's true, then that means I'm from this island too!"

"…So…" Natasha started, and then her eyes went wide and she grabbed Nami's wrist. "On your right leg, near your knee, is there a circular birthmark? I have one, and my parents said Natalie had one identical to it too."

Nami stared at her before dropping her bag and rolling up her pant leg. It was there. That small birthmark. It was there. Natasha fell to her knees as well and rolled up her pants. Both girls stared at the marks for an undetermined amount of time, and then Natasha finally spoke. "You're… her. You're Natalie."

"I… I am, I suppose." Nami said slowly, as she stood and offered a hand to Natasha. She pulled her newly found sister to her feet, and Natasha led the way to her house.

Riley was playing outside with his friends when he saw them walk up. "Nami!" He greeted, abandoning his ball and running up to her. As he neared, he noticed her expression. "Are you okay?"

She offered a weak smile. "Yeah. I'm fine. It's been a while, hasn't it Riley." He grinned up at her. "How about you keep playing with your friends. I need to talk to your parents about something very important."

Clarissa and Rhett had greeted Nami warmly, and were very shocked to hear her and Natasha's theory. When she showed them the birthmark, and then the picture of Nojiko, Clarissa fainted. Rhett stared at Nami and Natasha, walking over to them slowly and leaning down so they were eye level. "You… You're my daughter. I thought you were dead."

"I don't want to die just yet," Nami said.

Rhett smiled and pulled his twin daughters into a tight embrace, not letting go for a full minute. When Clarissa came around, she could barely talk, stuttering on about the pirates and Marines in that battle. They called Riley in, and he seemed very excited they were siblings. "I have a big sister who's a pirate!" He laughed. "Can you take me with you on your next trip?"

"I'm not really a pirate anymore," Nami said.

Clarissa demanded she stay in town for a while, to get to know them a bit better. Nami agreed, and wrote a letter to Nojiko, telling her to get her ass down here the next chance she got. Over every meal, Clarissa demanded she tell her about her childhood.

"Now I know you were a pirate once. Are you still one?"

Nami looked over at Natasha. "Did you not tell them which crew I was a part of?"

Natasha shook her head, "I figured that was your secret."

Nami nodded, "I was a navigator," She told her mother. "I've loved maps since I was a kid, and it was my dream to travel around and draw a map of the world. I've got over half of the Grand Line so far, thanks to my crew."

"You said you had a really cool weapon, right?" Riley asked, and Clarissa paled.

"Yes, it's called the Clima-tact. My friend Usopp, the sniper on our ship, made it for me." She removed it from the holster on her leg and held out the three pieces. "It can create small weather changes depending on the settings I use. It's great for creating mirages and using that as cover. And then it's good in a fight when you can electrocute the enemies."

Clarissa calmly placed her fork on the table, and reached out for one of the pieces. "You fight using this?"

"I didn't actually do much fighting," Nami admitted. "We left that up to the Monster Trio. The best thing about this is that I can attack from a distance, so I'm out of danger. Robin can fight like that too, using her Devil Fruit powers."

"You know someone with Devil Fruit powers?" Rhett asked. "Those aren't very common."

"We had four people aboard with them," Nami explained. "The Captain, the Doctor, the Archeologist, and the Musician. Although, I think Brook's was the strangest. The one he ate made him a living skeleton."

Natasha shuttered, "How did you deal with him?"

"The same way I would deal with anyone," Nami said. "He was a pervert though. He always asks girls if he can see their panties. Him and Sanji are the worst womanizers out there. I mean, they became best friends on the day they both learned mermaids don't wear panties." Nami sighed and shook her head, twirling her fork absentmindedly. "Franky considers himself a pervert too, and I swear Luffy was asexual. He got Boa Hancock on his side and never talked about her beauty or how amazing she was, like every other male who sees her."

"The Warlord?" Rhett asked, surprised.

"Mhm," Nami nodded, accepting the Clima-tact as Clarissa handed it back. "Helped us escape Sabaody. I think she has a crush on him… She's going to be angry when she finds out…"

Her parents were shocked to learn she was a part of Strawhat Luffy's crew, and when she left, she promised Riley that she would take him on a voyage when he got older. She also planted the tangerine tree twig nest to the memorial, in honour of Bellemere and all those who lost their lives.

The idea of having living parents never really settled with her, despite the constant contact. A few years later, Nojiko wrote to her, saying she visited the island and her parents came with her back to Cocoyashi. She had finished mapping the Grand Line in seven years, returning to Senra Island and leaving her maps with Natasha.

As the two walked around town and caught up, Nami examined the new wanted posters the Mayor was pinning up outside the local tavern. One in particular caught her attention. "Usopp!"

"What?"

"It's Usopp," Nami said, pointing at the wanted poster. "He's the one who built my Clima-tact."

"That long nosed guy?" Natasha asked. "I've never seen him before. If he built your weapon, wouldn't that mean he was a part of Strawhat's crew?"

"He was," Nami laughed, shifting aside some other posters and finding another one. She held it up. "He's Sogeking." She held the two posters together and pointed out the nose.

"Wow. No offence, but he looks really lame. He doesn't look like the kinda guy who can shoot down the World Government's flag."

"He does look lame," Nami agreed. "But he's a good person. He's become a lot more confident since Kuro. I'm not really surprised. I wonder if I'll see him again."

"Who knows? Oh, and Dad told me to warn you, he's having a few of his Marine buddies over tomorrow. They're all retired, but… Marines and Pirates don't really mix."

Nami shrugged, "It's been nine years since the Strawhats were last sighted. Even if I've met one of them, there's not much they can do. There aren't any on duty Marines on this island anyway."

"Well, as long as you think you're alright."

Rhett introduced Nami to his friends with pride, and they were surprised to hear that she was alive.

"He only told us once," Calvin told Nami. "And we never asked again."

"Well, I was raised in East Blue," Nami said. "But I've been up and down the Grand Line and New World a few times. I actually met Riley first, on a passenger ship heading to Loguetown. I came to this island by chance. That's when we figured out we were related."

"You sound like an adventurer," Alex said. "What are you going to do next? Go around the Grand Line again? I haven't even done that."

"No, I'm finished in the Grand Line." Nami said. "I was thinking of going to North Blue. Trafalgar offered to take me to his home island to get started."

None of the Marines reacted to the name, and Nami was grateful for that. She said her goodbyes, left the island, and met the Warlord in Sabaody. Shakky let Nami stay with her until he showed up. He brought her to North Blue, saying he owed a favour to Rayleigh and taking her was repaying it.

She travelled from island to island, crossing into West Blue five years later. Another six years there and she moved on to South Blue. She was 43 when she finally returned to East Blue. She stood on the docks of Loguetown, gasping in shock when she heard the news that Usopp was going to be executed. She stayed for that, crying as she watched the blades pierce his body. The old woman next to her shook her head, "It's a shame that so many people waste their lives as pirates."

Nami refused to respond to that comment, leaving with the crowd. She refused to watch the burial, and after the Marines had left, placed a bundle of flowers on his grave. It wasn't very far from Roger's.

"Hey missus?" A thin voice said, and Nami looked over. "Why is ya doin' that? He was a bad pirate."

Nami stood from her crouched position. "He was my friend."

"Is ya a pirate too?"

"Not anymore," Nami said, placing a hand over her left forearm. "But I was. It's been so long since I've seen him. I was twenty one. And now I've gotten old. Luffy would have been mad to see him die. They were close."

"Who's Luffy?"

"You don't know?" Nami asked. "He's the Pirate King. Strawhat Luffy." Nami tilted her head, staring back at the grave. It was tiny, grey, and only had his name on it. She pulled the dagger she had taken to carrying around and cut an X underneath his name, dropping the blade when she finished and walking away.

She left the town that day, and went back to mapping. This was the last sea. She was almost done. Then she could go see Luffy. The kid followed her. "My mommy once said that pirates don't care about others."

"I care." Nami said simply, as she scanned the harbour for a sturdy boat.

"Where ya going?"

"Travelling."

"Can I come with ya?"

Nami looked down, examining the child for a few long seconds. She was covered in dirt, and her hair was grimy and unruly. "Don't you have family here?"

"Not no more," She said. "Momma's dead, an' Daddy left 'fore I was born."

Nami spotted a nice sized boat that she would be able to maneuver easily with only one person. "If you want to, kid. What's your name."

"Kale."

"Well, Kale. I'm Nami. Welcome aboard."

Kale proved to be a quick learner, and was quite adorable once she got cleaned up. She had dark hair and eyes as blue as Sanji's were. When Nami finished her last map, she bundled them together and returned to Windmill Village. No one paid her any mind as she climbed out, Kale in tow. Makino greeted her, looking far older than Nami remembered. Ace, her son, was absent.

"He decided to follow his namesake and become a pirate," Makino explained, as she looked through the maps Nami had brought with her. "I haven't heard from him in a long time. These are impressive."

"Thanks," Nami said. "Are you worried about him?"

Makino shook her head. "There's no proof he's gone. And I will live out the rest of my days on that belief. I've already lost one Ace, there's no point on grieving after another until I get some solid proof." She smiled, "Besides. He promised me."

"So you think you can hold on to those for me?" Nami asked. "I know there's a printing press in High Town. I'm not going to be welcomed, but you will."

"Of course," Makino said. "Do you want me to give your name? Or a dedication?"

"Put me under Natalie," Nami said. "That was my birth name. And dedicate it to…" She grabbed an extra piece of paper and scribbled something down.

Makino read it over, nodding and smiling. "I'll get this published for you. It would mean a lot to them." She left the room, placing the maps and charts in a safer place before returning. "Did you hear about…"

"Usopp? Yeah. I was there."

"He came by, about twelve years after… that." Makino told her. And Zoro's been here too. All of them have, except Brook. Someone came in place of Franky too."

"That's because he's already completed his dream," Nami said, brushing her greying hair away from her face. "He was the first one to leave a memento. The tone dial."

"The shell that sang Bink's Sake? Ace loved that." She mused. "That means you were the last one."

Nami nodded, smiling as Kale leaned against her shoulder and closed her eyes. "But I did it. Because he gave us the opportunity. I'm going to visit him tomorrow."

Makino nodded, and offered her rooms for the night. She kept an eye on Kale as Nami ventured up into the mountains. His grave hadn't changed, except for the fact there were objects scattered around and on top of it. And she recognized all of them. The tone dial. Sogeking's mask. Zoro's prized white katana. Chopper and Robin had been there. So had Franky and Sanji.

"Hi Luffy," She said quietly, sitting down in front of his grave. "I'm sorry it took so long to visit. I had to travel all around the world. But it was worth it. I met so many people, who helped me along my journey. Rayleigh told me to give you his regards. And… I met my birth parents. Did you know I had a twin sister? I didn't. And a little brother. I haven't seen them in a while, but I'm sure they're doing alright. My Dad was a Marine, so he's tough."

She ran a hand along the X in the stone, tracing her fingers in the rough grooves. "And that's not all. I met a little girl. Well, she isn't so little anymore. Her name is Kale. I never had any kids, but she's the closest thing to a daughter I'm going to get now." She laughed to herself. "I've gotten old. And I really don't know what to do with my life anymore. I suppose I'll keep taking care of Kale. She's turning out to be a great navigator. She wants to join the Navy, and I'm not going to stop her. She knows I was a pirate, and it's her goal to change the way the Navy thinks from the inside out."

She pulled her hand away and stared at his name for a long minute. "I finished the map of the world, and Makino's going to get it published for me. I put it under my birth name, because if people make the connection between me and Cat Burglar Nami, no one will appreciate it."

She was silent for a few more minutes, listening to the hum of the bugs and the twittering of birds up in the trees. "I didn't realize this until it was too late, but I love you." Tears started streaming down her face. "I love you. You inspired me to do so much. You didn't care about how ugly my past was. You cared for me. And… I loved you. I should have realized this sooner, but…" She trailed off, wiping tears from her eyes. She picked up the hat and placed it on her own head. "I suppose it started the first time you gave me your hat. When you helped me with Arlong. And I didn't respond to those feelings until… you… threw your hat to me before you died."

She leaned forward, gripping the edges of the hat. She kept talking, her words turning to gibberish after a while. Finally, she took the hat off, and stared at it. She was about to replace it when a corner of white paper caught her attention. Hidden in the ribbon was a folded photograph. It was brittle with age, but Nami carefully removed and opened it. She nearly dropped it.

It was a picture of herself. She was sitting at her desk in her room on the Thousand Sunny, a smile on her face as she drew. Nami swallowed hard. She remembered that day. She had caught Luffy peeking into her room, and had proceeded to toss him across the ship. Had he taken the picture then? He must have.

Her hands were trembling as she turned it over. The messy scrawl took a minute to read. You look prettiest when you're doing something you love. That brought a fresh wave of tears, as she fell to her knees, gripping the hat in one hand and the picture in the other. "Luffy." She said, as she regained her composure and replaced the picture and then the hat. "This… I never knew… Did you love me too?"

She would never be able to find out. She picked up Roger's locket and read the inscription, bringing on another wave of tears. Nami removed her log pose from her wrist and set it down on the grass. "Goodbye."

The last thing she did was plant the small twig she had taken off of the tree she had planted on Senra Island. Hopefully, it would grow strong.

She brought Kale to the nearest Marine outpost when she turned fifteen, and Kale couldn't stop bouncing in her seat. They docked in the harbour, and Nami had to keep a tight grip on Kale's wrist to keep her from running off.

The people were delighted to show them the way, and they arrived quickly. When the gates were in sight, Kale pulled herself free and ran ahead, staring up and looking impressed. The Marine patrolling noted her enthusiasm and greeted her. "Hello there."

"Hi!" Kale replied quickly. "I'm Kale. I want to be a Marine."

Nami caught up with her daughter, "Can we speak to the officer in charge?" She asked the young guard, who nodded and called an escort down to greet them. The office was impressive, and a massive man walked in after Nami and Kale were seated.

"I hear you want to be a Marine," He said. "I'm Lieutenant Harrison. Our Commander isn't present, but I am more than qualified to interview you."

Kale seemed nervous as he talked, and Nami laid a reassuring hand on her arm. "This is Kale, my daughter. She wants to become a navigator for the Marines."

"Is that so?" Harrison said, looking down at the blushing teenager. "Let me ask you one thing. Do you have a sense of justice?"

"I… I think so…" Kale replied shyly, and Nami smiled encouragingly. Kale perked up. "Yes. I believe in justice. I want to bring equality to the world, so that no one is left alone and helpless, and everyone has someone they can turn to for help."

"That's an excellent answer," Harrison said, nodding in approval. "You will start out doing chores for the Marines, until your skills are tested. Then you will be transferred to where we can utilize those skills the best. You say you're a navigator? Who taught you?"

"My Mom did," Kale said, looking over at Nami.

"Were you part of the Marines?" He asked, addressing Nami.

She shook her head, "I had friends in the Marines, but I was never one myself. I am a skilled navigator though, and have never let my crew down. I've travelled the world, in fact."

"Have you?"

"Wait a few years," Nami said. "And look for the atlas drawn by a Natalie. That's my handiwork."

"I will," Harrison said. He turned to Kale once more. "We should get you fitted for a uniform."

Her eyes lit up, and Nami felt a sense of pride swell in her chest. Her daughter was following her dream. She placed a hand over her tattoo, hidden under her sleeve, thinking of Bellemere. She probably felt the same way, Nami realized, as she watched Kale come out of a room wearing the blue and white of the Marine uniform. Nami knelt down in front of Kale, and held out her Clima-tact. "I taught you how to use this. So the only thing I can tell you to do now is to use it well."

Kale took it from Nami's outstretched hand and saluted, "I will make you proud, Mom. I promise."

And she did. Nami died when she was eighty four. She herself was never recognized for drawing a map of the world while she was alive. No one except Kale and Makino knew it was her. It was realized, years after Nami's death, that it was a Strawhat Pirate who created it.