Disclaimer: … Is going for 250 million beri once… twice…. Sorry, not sold. Nami wants even more for it. $_$
Nami in…
Thieves Will Be Thieves
"Robin?" Chopper tugged on the hem of the archaeologist's skirt.
She smiled down at the little reindeer. "Yes, Doctor-san?"
"Will you go with me to the apothecary to get some more medical supplies?"
"Sure. Let me just check with Navigator-san."
The tall raven-haired woman looked over at the red-haired girl who was bartering with a salesman over a heap of clothes.
"Navigator-san?" she ventured. Her voice rose in volume as the man stubbornly persisted. Finally she put her hands down on the counter and leaned forward. Chopper and Robin couldn't see what was happening, but the man blushed and gulped before nodding to the fiery woman's requests.
Robin tried again, "Nami-san?"
Their crewmate turned with a satisfied smirk on her face. "What is it, Robin?"
Her gaze went to an anxious-looking Chopper. "Oh. It's fine. You can go ahead with Chopper. I'm almost done here."
A hand was offered to the small doctor and he took it gladly. Before they headed out of the shop, Robin glanced back. Some obscure instinct told her to be careful.
"Are you certain, Nami-san?"
"Yeah," she opened her purse and smiled reassuringly while waving them away.
Smiling at her nakama's antics, Robin headed to the apothecary with Chopper. Even if trouble was inevitable for the Straw Hats, she knew Nami was clever enough to handle herself just fine.
0~0~0
Nami made her way down the main street of the small port town, arms laden with shopping bags. Since she was without her usual pack mules, having forfeited their labor in favor of some decent company, she was left with carrying her own purchases.
At least, the navigator wouldn't have to hold out much longer. She was almost ready to return to the Sunny, as she informed Robin. All Nami needed was to find her favorite brand of perfume, a mixture of mikans and jasmine. Even now, her gaze traveled along the street signs that pointed into the side streets.
A local had given her an estimate of where the shop might be and Nami kept an eye out for it.
"8th… 6th… 5th…" she muttered the numbers as she passed. It had to be around there somewhere and her sense of direction was quite good.
She turned around, looking back at the line of shops behind her. Tapping her chin thoughtfully, Nami sighed, "I must have passed it…" Her gaze landed on a small sign she'd missed that read 22nd . "Huh." It was strange that the number was so out of place, but it was nothing compared to what she dealt with on a daily basis.
Compared with a reckless captain, lazy swordsman, lying sharpshooter, love struck cook, paranoid doctor, crazy shipwright, and a perverted skeleton, Nami would gladly take the misplaced sign that the local had described. The only normal one was Robin, and… well… even she was 'different', especially when she said those morbid things.
The navigator shivered, and not just from the thought of her crewmates matter of fact way in talking about death. When she entered the side street, Nami felt a sudden draft that set her a little on edge. She brushed her fingers under her shirt and was comforted by the smooth surface of her Climatact.
Yet, she didn't release a tense breath until she stepped into the bright sunlight again. Warm rays heated the stone walkways and reflected off the glass windows. Hand over her eyes, Nami searched for the perfume store.
It should be here, unless that woman had been confused. She had looked a bit senile… Nami's eyes widened when dread crept over her. Something wasn't right Her time with Arlong, and then with Luffy had taught her to be wary of danger and when it came-to run if possible.
This time, however, Nami could tell the feeling was different and not all together unfamiliar. Her body reacted with her mind in the only way it knew how.
She freed a hand from her numerous bags and struck out, hard. A satisfied smirk rose to her face when she felt her fist connect with something and heard a surprised yelp.
Nami glared down at two people. One was crumpled to the ground and another had crouched to help them up.
"Ow…" the girl groaned and held her beaten head gingerly. She took the hand offered to her and staggered to her feet.
"Um, are you okay, Marie?" the man asked with a frown. He was tall, muscular and didn't seem too bright. Nami was reminded of someone in her crew.
As she brushed off her pants and midriff-baring shirt, the girl with black hair pulled back whom must've been Marie scowled, "Of course I'm not okay! You were too late again Congo!" The large man held up his hands and tried to stutter an apology and she just rolled her eyes. "Damn witch probably saw me."
Raising her fist, Nami took a step toward the pair, "Excuse me? I'm not a witch!"
Both man and woman jumped in surprise, the former shifting to protect the later. The navigator glowered at them, but let her fist relax back at her side. It didn't take her long to realize these two were a couple not worth the trouble.
With a sigh, Nami hefted her packages and made sure everything in her purse was well accounted for.
Before she left, she shot back, "If you're going to pickpocket at least do it right." Her heels resumed the click over the stone street until the girl straightened and called back.
"What would you know?" Marie hissed combing painted nails through her hair and the Nami raised an eyebrow. "You're nothing but a common thief!"
Nami's gaze went from the furious girl to the sky. It was starting to get dark and she should head back to the Sunny. Especially before Sanji went crazy with worry. But she smelled a challenge and when said challenge could involve money, the fiery navigator would never back down.
A devilish smile quirked at the edges of her mouth. "Oh really?"
Marie turned her face and sniffed, "Yes. I'm a professional."
Behind her, the oaf known as Congo moved uncomfortably. "Uh, Marie… can we go now? This one was a bust."
"Shut up!"
"Hmm…" Nami gave them a charming smile. "Then how about a contest?"
Marie turned from hitting her companion over the head with her knapsack with a confused expression that quickly turned excited, "You're on!"
Sighing in relief, Nami put down her bags. Next time she might risk bringing one of the boys to help carry them. She rolled her shoulder and her grin got wider.
"Great. Do you live around here?"
The other girl looked suspicious before she nodded. "Here's the rules, whoever gets the most money before the sun goes down is the best thief." The navigator agreed, this was the best way to do things. "And…" Marie put up a finger and smirked knowingly. "… the mayor lives around these parts, so he's a bonus."
"Winner takes all then," Nami clarified and Marie nodded again.
Nami's eyes glinted with excitement. All that money… she hadn't indulged herself for a long time, but she was already an outlaw so who cared? Feeding Luffy cost a small fortune in itself, so she deserved a little treat and a challenge for her skills.
Congo's brow furrowed and Marie noticed. "What's wrong now?"
"Her eyes turned into beri signs," he pointed out.
They both stared at the red-haired woman who was fantasizing over her great luck. It was true and a little frightening.
A thought suddenly came to Nami and she turned to look at the big man, Congo.
"This is between us. You're um…" she pointed at him and tried to find the connection between the two.
The man smiled stupidly. "Marie's my sister."
His 'sister' elbowed him in the gut. "Don't tell the enemy that!"
She kept on hitting Congo and the navigator sighed. It was a good thing she was used to pointless fighting.
"Hey," Nami interrupted. "Where should I put my stuff?"
She mainly said it to get them to stop as she already had an idea of where to put her goods of the day.
"You can leave it with Congo."
"Yeah right."
When Nami gave them a skeptical look, Marie unhooked a couple guns from holsters on her hips. "Suit yourself. The contest begins… NOW!"
Marie took off, leaping onto a couple shipping boxes, a windowsill and vaulting onto the roof of a building before she disappeared.
Nami watched. She was in no hurry to start right away. This was her forte, the skill that kept her alive for years, and she was so going to win.
0~0~0
An hour into the competition, Nami had made good progress. Her purse was stuffed and she already had a bur lack sack two-thirds full. Carefully, she hid it away as she tracked down wealthy citizens with jingling pockets, returning to drop in her findings. The town was small, so the pickings were slim and Nami didn't know the entire geography of it like her opponent did. However, there were still plenty of loaded wallets and the navigator wasn't one to shy from tricking her quarry.
But just when Nami started to think she was in the clear she heard a familiar voice followed by a tall, slender suit clad figure.
"Robin-chwannn! Nami-swannn! Chopper!" the cook of the Straw Hat Pirates cupped his hands around his mouth and called repeatedly. He stopped at stalls to ask a vendor a question along with his incessant noise and Nami barely had enough time to duck behind a wall and a fruit stand when the man came to a halt near her.
He glanced around suspiciously, but when he found nothing addressed the shopkeeper sweeping outside.
Nami groaned. She'd recognize that mellorine layered call and that curly eyebrow anywhere. Sanji had to go get worried and go searching for not only her, but also Robin and Chopper. They must still be out. The navigator watched as the blonde cook finished his conversation and moved to the next stall, and right before her hiding place… and effectively blocking her from getting away.
She looked up at the sky for the third time in five minutes. The sun was quickly getting lower and the blue was turning to pink. Somehow, she had to draw Sanji away from her so she could finish this competition and get some money. If she could only distract him…
Ping!
It was a piece of cake, really. Quickly, Nami slinked over to a young girl around her age who looked attractive enough to catch Sanji's attention for at least a little while. With a few hurried words and the passing of beri that Nami very reluctantly gave the girl, they came to an agreement.
One shove by the navigator and the girl stood in the street directly in front of the suave cook. His eye immediately transformed into a heart and Nami had to resist pumping her fist in the air. It was only during these occasions that she was glad Sanji was such a ladies' man.
As soon as he was wooing over the smiling girl, Nami shot forward, gaze on reaching the other side of the street. Yet as she passed, her eyes lit upon the corner of a wallet sticking out of Sanji's jacket pocket.
Her excuse was she needed to win, for her pride as a former thief and for her personal budget.
Sorry, Sanji-kun, she thought as she swiped his wallet neatly and swiftly. Sometimes sacrifices need to be made.
When she reached the safety of the alley where her booty lay, Nami let out a sigh of relief. Usually, she wouldn't stoop so low as stealing from her own nakama, but… it wasn't really stealing because it came from their budget, right? She slipped the rather thin wallet into her purse.
Mindset and her treasures in tow, the navigator started to head back to the designated meeting place. It was across town so she had plenty of time to snatch up more valuables on the way. She would have continued in that manner, undisturbed if a sudden whistle of air behind her and the sound of something heavy landing on the ground hadn't made her turn in surprise.
Before Nami could react or scream, someone grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth. The big hands muffled her protests and she struggled, but halted abruptly when she saw who it was.
"Don't scream or fight," Marie's partner, Congo warned.
He shouldn't have said that.
Infuriated, the red-haired woman bit down with all her might on the offending sausages. Congo made a pained sound and his grip loosened enough for Nami to squirm free and back away. Her Climatact was primed and ready by the time the big man looked up at her with watery eyes.
"Marie was right. You are a witch."
Nami's eyes narrowed and her hands tightened around her weapon. All her treasure was behind her and she could run away, but this guy was seriously pissing her off.
"So, Marie told you to deal with me?" she asked sweetly and pretended to relax her battle stance.
Congo lowered his meaty fists hesitantly, then nodded. "You can't ruin her luck and riches. I won't let you."
She smiled, that was all she needed to hear.
Within moments, the giant Congo lay in a heap on the dusty stone, out cold. It hadn't taken Nami long. Besides being dim in the head, all that muscle meant nothing compared to her brains, she caught him by surprise. A well-aimed swing of the Climatact to his head was enough.
Gathering up her belongings again, she glanced down at her previously white blouse with a frown. She'd just purchased it today and there was already blood and dirt on it. Geez, one of the downs of being a pirate. And everyone wondered why she needed to buy new clothes all the time…
0~0~0
Courtesy of the attack on her life and the threat to her future monetary gain, Nami decided to even the score. If Marie wanted to play dirty tricks she wouldn't hesitate doing so as well. Which led her to seek the mayor of the port town that the other woman had mentioned as a bonus.
But, for once, Nami wasn't approaching the part of town he lived in to rob him, at least not to begin with. The problem ended up getting into his house. Of course, she couldn't waltz in and launch her plan… Maybe if he was outside somewhere nearby, Nami spotted the curly hair and bird hat that the citizens had mentioned describing the mayor. She smiled at the timing.
There he was outside a café, reading a newspaper and sipping coffee. A short man in a tailcoat and as odd a hat as Nami could have imagined. It was a wide-brimmed top hat with bright green feathers and blue birds popping out with yellow beaks opened wide. Obnoxious and loud were the right adjectives.
Nami ignored the statement on his head, though and ran up to the mayor. She skidded to a halt at his table and leaned over, grasping her knees and panting.
"Mayor-san! Mayor-san!" Nami breathed in great gasps.
The man glanced up with a startled expression. His round face matching his wide eyes. He dropped his paper. "Ah! What is it, young lady?"
She looked at him from her bent position and replied rapidly, "I was mugged! And I think it was by a wanted criminal!"
Fear plain on his face the mayor surveyed Nami's scrapes and bruises.
"Oh, my dear! Are you okay?"
Nami almost stumbled in her act at his slow reaction. "Yes! Do you have any marines stationed here?"
"Um, no," the man struggled to comfort the distraught woman. "They pass through for goods only, but… but we do have our own justice system."
She brightened and the mayor took a deep breath. "Now, why don't you take a seat and describe him to me? I'll have the guards sent out right away."
As she slid into the extra chair and began retelling her story and what the mugger looked like, Nami allowed herself a small victory smile.
"It's a she actually."
0~0~0
Night had nearly fallen when Marie finally staggered back into the side street where she first met that red-haired woman. It had been a terrible day and the last part of it had been spent running from the town's enforcers who had been screaming something or other about being a no-good mugger.
When Nami saw the other thief emerge from the eaves of the buildings and dragging a bulging sack her heart skipped a beat.
Judging from the girl's tattered appearance, rips in her skimpy clothes, smeared makeup and a number of cuts on her bare arms and face, her trick had been successful. It hadn't been difficult to get Marie's appearance to the mayor and the others. Her deep purple eye shadow and double pistols were hard to miss and the weapons, probably illegally owned, only provided evidence for Nami's lie.
Yet, her downtrodden expression and trudging walk spiked a pang of pity in the navigator. Though it disappeared quickly.
For all she knew, Marie could be a known criminal in these parts. Especially if she was a professional thief like she claimed and dragged along people like Congo for company.
Nami waved to alert the woman that she had made it as well.
Marie ignored her and stopped a few feet in front of the navigator, dropping the bag at her feet.
"Looks like you ran into some trouble," Nami commented casually.
Silence for several seconds until Marie glanced at her quickly. Her glare was filled with anger and spite. "You! You were the one who ratted me out!"
"What if I did?" she retorted. "I don't resort to assassination like some." Nami gazed at Marie pointedly. " I knew you'd escape."
The black-haired woman scoffed. "Huh, really?"
"I wouldn't be waiting here if I didn't."
They glared at each other for a while, both realizing how far they'd go to prove who was the best and who would get the money.
Eventually, Nami grew tired, her nakama were waiting.
She took a step to the side, unveiling not one, but two sacks overflowing with treasure and countless beri.
Marie's jaw dropped and a vein twitched visibly in her temple. Her coated eyelids blinked in shock. "You…you…"
"If anyone calls me witch again today they're asking for it," Nami threatened, fist raised.
"You… How did you get so much?" Marie practically screamed. Then her mind formed her own solution, which was just partly true. "You tricked me!"
Her hands went to her guns, but came away with air. Even then, she charged at Nami with a furious cry and the navigator's eyes widened in surprise. At the last second she dodged the girl's flailing fists, and brought her fist down on her head for the second time that day.
Down Marie went, with a pathetic moan she slumped against a wall. Her eyes were unfocused as she glared up at Nami.
"Forgot something," the navigator held up her missing pistols and let them fall with a clatter. The girl's face went pale.
"Oh, and I'll be taking this."
Along with the money Marie had stolen, Nami had somehow filched her own private stash that she kept on her person.
She inhaled shakily, "W-who are you? You're just a common thief."
Nami didn't reply, but struck a familiar pose instead, pulling her hair back on one side and grinning seductively.
"C-cat Burglar Nami…" Marie gasped.
Picking up all three bags and her own packages, Nami continued to smile. "You forgot something else. I'm not just a common thief… I'm a pirate."
With a wink and a flick of beri in her hand, the fiery woman went on her way, leaving Marie, her companion, the town and everything else behind.
It was the first time she'd actually admitted she was a pirate and, though Nami could hardly believe it, she was proud to be one. She had nakama she could trust and had discovered a new inner strength as a member of a pirate crew. Nami wouldn't have it any other way.
But, she'd never gotten to buy that perfume.
0~0~0
Author's Note: God… Nami was so hard to write about. It was no easy task to find a good situation to put her in and I'm not completely satisfied with this one. I'm sorry it's so short and took so long to get up. Who do you think Nami was referencing as all muscle and no brains? I figured since Zoro compared Tashigi to her, she deserved some revenge.
Quick question time~ First, can anyone tell me how many times Luffy has let someone else wear his straw hat? I know Nami was definitely one, but any others? (The answer will be posted in one of the next chapters.)
Second, I'd like to know how to make polls, but I need help. Please tell me if you know, I'd really appreciate it.
Good news everyone! We're one third through! Which means I'm going to give you a little gift! For every third that's finished I'll write one of my mystery stories, which are all one shots and post them here. You can see the list of titles on my profile page. Keep an eye out for when it's done. ^^ Thanks for reading and please review this installment!
Edit: I forgot to mention this last time. The next one is starring Usopp. When Usopp is cursed and can't lie for an entire day, he has to learn the truth of more things than one.
Also, the mystery story has (finally) been completed and will be posted. It's titled National Hat Day and if you're interested please, by all means, check it out. Cheers till next time!