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Restless
This was perfect.
Resting on the golden sandy beach was Nami soaking up the rays of the afternoon sun on the summer island while Robin stayed under a large umbrella with a book. The navigator stretched her arms above her head with a satisfied sigh. She definitely felt this was a well-deserved vacation after the near non-stop problem after problem. Since leaving Alabasta, the few islands they had stopped at before landing on this one were void of people. Which wasn't a terrible thing since the Marines weren't chasing after them thanks to their recent involvement in toppling a grand and horrid organization. The problem was surviving on the islands with giant insects, blood-thirsty beasts, and crazy weather. It was exhausting; luckily, they didn't have to stay on those islands for long. So Nami was going to make the most of the resort before their inevitable departure.
It's been nearly a week which, as told by the bit too-cheerful mayor, was how long it took for the little needle to find its next course. Yet, according to the overly ecstatic mayor, many travelers have been known to stay longer. And Nami could see why. The sight that first welcomed the exhausted pirates was the abundance of brilliant white-walled buildings sitting on the rugged hillside with paths and stairways connecting the different layers. Just before sunrise, they reached the harbor and saw the island come to life with the morning rays. The welcome was soothing and the people didn't seem to care about the straw hat wearing Jolly Roger. There was even a tour guide that led them to the main resort area fifteen minutes from the port where the pirates were assured would be safe.
During their time, Nami was more than happy spending her beri on new clothes and extra books. Robin and she spent quite a bit of time together and she got to know the mysterious archeologist better. It was nice to have someone hold a conversation for more than a few minutes. Sanji would occasionally join them to cater to their needs when he wasn't buying much-needed food. Chopper, Usopp, and Luffy would divide their time playing on the beach and in the water or running through the rows of the resort houses. Who knows what Zoro was doing. He had the habit of showing up in the most random of spots at the weirdest of times. Then just get himself lost again. He was probably spending most of his time sleeping or drinking in the pubs.
Yet it was just about time for the pirates to leave. As much as Nami wouldn't mind staying, she did notice some odd things during the stay. The biggest and probably most concerning was how empty this beautiful resort was at times. She's seen smaller towns livelier than this place. The little cafes and shops barely had more than a few people perusing the wares. The beaches, despite having dozens of lounge chairs and private buildings with flowy curtains, never had more than ten people at a time. It was the same with the lower levels that had pools, chairs under umbrellas, and outdoor bars. At least the lack of people meant the pirates were hardly bothered.
"Nami-swan! Robin dearest!"
The slightly obnoxious tone of Sanji disrupted Nami's thoughts. She sat up, seeing the pirate's chef prancing toward the two women with a wide smile on his face. He stopped between Nami and Robin, bowing with an arm crossed over his chest.
"The ship has been fully stocked and we're ready to leave."
"Thanks, Sanji. Now we just have to find the rest of the crew."
"Why the rush Nami-swan?" Sanji asked as he watched with hearts in his eyes while the navigator stood and pulled on a simple tunic dress that matched the turquoise color of the sea.
Robin answered for Nami. "Ms. Navigator seems worried."
"Worried? Worried about what?"
"This island."
She didn't elaborate further and grabbed her tote bag as she started to walk away. It was like a broken record in her head, telling her to leave. The other two followed behind with Sanji assuring her everything was going to be fine. She will be once she leaves this place. Maybe she was getting anxious because she was expecting Luffy to find himself in some sort of trouble. Or Zoro. It's usually one of the two. If Luffy starts something first, the swordsman won't be far behind. She stopped at the top of the white stone stairs to wait for the other two and took one last look at the eerily beautiful resort. Seeing peaceful places like this was a nice surprise in the terror-filled world. She jumped a little when she felt a hand on her shoulder, looking over to see Sanji with a gentle smile.
"Shall we Mademoiselle?"
The ginger nodded and the three headed up the darker grey brick path. The road was like a long vine with smaller paths branching off to the rows of houses. At the end of each row was usually a small garden with tropical flowering bushes. Nami was quite astounded to see a couple of kids running around down one of the rows with their parents watching over them.
There was a sudden loud rustling coming from the right of the three and Sanji stepped protectively in front of Nami and Robin. The tall hedge lining the stone path shook as something jumped over it and landed a few feet before the pirates. Nami quickly covered her mouth when the thing was actually a lynx looking cat with a dotted russet coat. It didn't seem to notice them as it placed a plant filled basket that was clamped in its jaw on the ground, giving its body a shake to free it from leaves and twigs.
Then it changed shape. In a fluid motion, the beast turned into a girl. She was barefoot, wearing a sleeveless turtleneck that was tucked into semi-loose pants stopping a couple of inches under her knees. On her arms with sleeves going past her elbows. Her pastel peach hair was in contrast to her olive skin. When she did finally become aware of the three people behind her, Nami noticed her eyes looked darker thanks to the blue-tinted goggles and there was a faint dusting of freckles on the visible parts of her skin. She just dipped her head toward them and then left up the stairway.
It left the three pirates staring after her in slight bewilderment at the unexpected encounter. Before anyone could say something, Luffy came bursting from the forest with a massive grin and had bits of foliage stuck in his hair. He looked around like a puppy that lost its toy. His attention turned to his three crewmates, looking beyond ecstatic. That spelled trouble.
"Have you guys seen a big cat?!"
"Why are you looking for a cat?" Nami asked even though she probably knew the answer.
"I want it to join my crew!"
The navigator facepalmed with an angry sigh. "Forget it. We're going to be leaving soon."
She quickly grabbed a hold of Luffy by his signature red shirt before he could bolt off. With their captain in tow, they three made their way down the long path where the building they took up residence was. The houses were all the same, white with blue accents. Most of them didn't look lived in. That sinking feeling Nami had suddenly got worse. She jumped when she heard Usopp and Chopper call to them from behind. They were on their way back to the temporary house after finishing some last-minute errands. Of course, there would be one person missing.
The house they were given, number 507, was like all the others except there was a pot of geraniums hanging from the overhang and a dark wooden bench to the right. The first floor was a singular room with a large kitchen to the left and a sitting room down a step. There was a little backyard with an outdoor grill and a table. Several pots of vines hung along the top of the fence. The stairs were on the right that led to the two rooms and bathroom. The boys went to gather their things in the first room while Nami and Robin went to the second door.
The room was quite spacious. The bed was large enough to fit three people comfortably and each side what a small nightstand with a wardrobe on the right side. Across from the bed was a seating area with a rounded table and two cushy seats. There was a wicker couch with light green cushions and a couple of ottomans that faced the dark cypress wood double doors overlooking the lower layers and the ocean. The balcony had a little round cafe-style table and chairs. It was especially beautiful to sit out at night to watch the sky with a chilled glass of tea or wine.
"What about this island is bothering you, Ms. Navigator?"
Nami didn't reply right away. She slowly gathered up her clothing and placed them on the bed with pale blue sheets. Maybe she really was starting to overreact. She had gotten used to the chaos that followed this crew since she started to travel with them. She was definitely better off thanks to Luffy's help in dealing with the one thing that was holding her back on her home island. Why can't they just go to an island that doesn't have any problems?
"It's...kind of hard to explain," Nami finally answered. "This island would be perfect to stay and forget everything. Yet there's something not right. Something about this place feels off."
"The lack of other people you mean."
"Yes exactly! How can a beautiful resort like this be so empty? And it's not like this place is new. Some of the houses look decades old."
"A mystery indeed."
Nami rose a hand to her face and bit the nail of her thumb. "I'll be glad to leave this place, as much as I don't really want to. We should hurry and go before it gets dark."
Robin agreed and the two finished packing their things in silence. They left the room in a relatively clean condition and left for the outdoors. The four boys were already outside waiting for them. Nami dropped the little brass key in the box on the bench just as she was told.
"Let's go! On to the next adventure!" Luffy shouted with a little jump.
Usopp and Chopper followed suit. "Yeah!"
"Why do they always have so much energy?" Nami groaned.
Sanji got mad at the three, berating them for being loud and obnoxious. Once the troublemakers were rung in, they walked back down the row path to the main road and to the harbor. Nami was half expecting some other strange person to jump from the forest. Other than a gentle breeze through the branches and the chirps of birds, the resort was quiet.
The trek that shouldn't have taken more than fifteen minutes nearly took half an hour because Luffy kept stopping at everyone shop open with food, pressing his face to the glass and slobbering over the display window. Nami left Sanji in charge of the rubber-brained captain while she and Robin continued to the port. From a distance, the Going Merry looked like it was untouched. Nami just really hopes her stash of treasure was left alone.
When Robin and Nami reached the caravel ship, the navigator didn't wait for the boys to catch up. She immediately headed to the girls' room under the storage and right to her private chest of high-quality jewels, golden artifacts, and extra beri. A sigh of relief passed her lips when everything was left as it was. Robin joined her not long after to drop off her things and settle down in one of the chairs.
Once that was done, Nami went back up to the storage room to double-check their inventory while Robin stayed below. Even if they think there will be enough food, Luffy will find a way to cut their supply in half before the day was out. She has to find a better way to protect their food supply. When she was finished with that, she headed out to the deck as the four boys made it to the ship and boarded.
Luffy decided to be different like always and launched himself onto the ship with his rubbery arms while the others used the ladder. The pirate captain immediately went to his special seat on the ram figurehead, shouting like a child and ready for a new adventure. Chopper and Usopp headed into the boy's room to drop off their stuff and Sanji went into the lounge to start making snacks and tea. Now there was only one thing left to do.
"Alright, who wants to find Zoro?"
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the resort is loosely based after Santorini, Greece but with lots of trees encircling the buildings. that's all for now. see you next time.