Sorry for the slight delay but I'm in NYC and just moving around all the time.

So yeah this IS my first story and I'm feeling really accomplished that I'm actually dedicated to something for once. Now this chapter should start the actual story line.

Ch3

The crew looked at Nami then the direction that her eyes were focused on but saw nothing in front or around her. Apparently the figure had disappeared just as suddenly as she appeared on the rocks. Usopp looked at Chopper with a confused expression before sticking his index finger to the side of his head and twirling it implying to the small reindeer that she must be crazy. A blood vessel formed on Sanji's forehead as he stomped his foot down on the marksman's head for making fun of his beloved Nami-swan.

"Uhh, exactly who are you talking to," questioned Zoro.

Nami looked back at them with a terrified expression only to be countered by their confused ones. "You guys didn't see her?"

They all shook their heads in reply. Nami leaned on the banister while cupping her own cheek shaking her head. "I know what I saw," she whispered, "I have a bad feeling about this…and why does Luffy and his strange episode keep coming up in my mind?"

She turned to Chopper and signaled him to come over to her. As he approached her she bent down to his height to whisper in his ear.

"This morning I visited Luffy and he didn't look so good plus he was also turning in his bed and once yelled out in his sleep," she explained, "Can you, by chance, go down and check up on him and maybe stay there because I'm worried about him."

The little doctor nodded before running down under deck and out of site.

"Are you trying to protect him from me?" asked an unknown voice.

Nami looked up and around the surrounding area and saw nobody. The crew didn't seem to have heard anything as the continued on at their stations. She looked back out to sea and saw the woman again standing on another rock but this time she didn't scream.

"What do you mean?" the Navigator whispered.

"I am here for your captain and you don't want that do you?"

This time she was sure that the voice was coming from inside her own head, but how? "I won't let you take him away." she responded coldly.

"There's nothing you can do though." said the voice as the figure vanished into the fog again. Nami searched the water for her but could not see through the thick wall of gray but something moved in her peripheral vision right next to the ship. Nami turned to see the girl perfectly balanced on the ship's railing with her hands close to her sides and head slightly downcasted. She let out a small laugh before disappearing again but this time she was heard by everyone.

"Who just laughed?" asked Franky.

"That sounded sooo creepy!" said Usopp peeking down from behind the walls of the crow's nest.

Little footsteps were heard coming from downstairs as Chopper ran up on to the deck screaming. "Guy's, there was this scary laugh I heard while I was with Luffy but the weird thing is I heard it in my mind!"

"Whoa wait, How could you hear it if we heard it too but we were way up on deck?" asked Zoro.

"It seems that we aren't alone on these waters after all," remarked Robin as she pointed toward the front of the boat. The crew followed her finger to the bow of the ship and saw the white figure that Nami had said she saw a few minutes ago. The young woman stood on Sunny's head and gracefully jumped onto the ship.

"Ahh! Another beautiful woman lost at sea comes on this ship to join me!" chirped Sanji with heart-eyes. Unfortunately for the cook the she was obviously not here for him. She lifted her arm slowly as Sanji's body rose into the air and then whipped her arm to the side sending him into the banister. Even if he loved him getting hurt at the simple flick of a wrist, Zoro went to help the broken hearted guy up.

"Who are you," questioned Nami.

Her only reply was another cold laugh as she raised her hands and positioned her fingers to somewhat make each hand resemble a spider. Suddenly everyone felt their bodies stiffen as they were each somehow pulled from their locations on the deck and forced into a line in front of the woman as if she was… controlling them.

"I'm in control," said the voice in their minds. Each of them unwillingly turned to another: Zoro facing Sanji, Robin with Franky, and Chopper against Usopp. Only Nami was left in the middle alone as each pair was suddenly forced into battle with each other.

"What the hell!" yelled Zoro receiving a blow in the gut from one of Sanji's kicks.

"Aghh! I can't stop!" cried Chopper now in his larger form trying to crush Usopp into the ground.

Nami watched the girl utilize her fingers as if she was…pulling on strings.

"So you're supposed to be some sort of puppeteer or something, right?' asked Nami with a smirk.

The girl turned her heads to the navigator. Even though she wore a veil she was obviously glaring at the other. "So, you think you know everything don't you," she countered, "but you've only seen the beginning." She flattened her hands and fingers and then balled them into fists making the other 6 members fall to the ground, unable to move. Nami watched in horror as all her friends writhe on the ground in pain.

"What did you….?" Nami began to ask as she turned back to the mysterious puppeteer but she was gone again. Since she had disappeared the hold on her body had lifted and she quickly ran to her nakama's side.

"Damn, it felt like my bones were going to break and I couldn't breathe at all," coughed Zoro.

"Same here," said Usopp gasping for air, "but I think I'm starting to feel better now."

"I didn't feel anything on my body but my head was about to explode!" said Franky.

"Count yourselves lucky, I just thought it would be fun to mess with his friends," came the voice. Nami looked up to see the woman standing at the top of the stairs leading below deck. Her eyes widened in shock to see what she was carrying.

In her arms, Luffy's body hung limp with the girl's arms carelessly cradling him. Her arm supported his neck in such away so that his face was turned towards them. The rest of the crew looked up from the floor and gasped at the sight of their captain in the enemies hands. He was still clothed the same as they left him during the night but around his neck was a bluish green collar which was quickly identified as sea-stone. Yet, the most noticeable thing about Luffy's appearance was that his eyes were open.

He seemed to be unconscious still; he probably never woke up since Nami left his side. She stared into his half-lidded eyes searching for any sign of life but it seemed he was lost of spirit which was highly unusual for the naturally hyper captain. His vacant stare was like a black abyss sending chills up Nami's spine. Her heart tightened at the sight of his vulnerable appearance but she was helpless.

"No" whispered Nami.

"Waiting on this damn island for this one," said the voice in all their minds, "now it's a matter of time until he breaks."

The fog moved into the space in between the crew and their captain. Nami ran to where the puppeteer was standing but she was gone and so was Luffy. She fell to her knees on the spot staring into the fog. She gripped the place over her heart as tears began to form in her eyes. She could feel it now, an empty feeling in her heart that only happened when she lost Bellemere… a person she loved. It was true, once their gone you'll feel the pain.

"This can't be happening," she cried. Her heart grew in rage suddenly as she balled her fists in her own hair. "I won't let that bitch take you."

Please review! Other than on the story itself can I get some feedback on the actual writing just to see if I need to work on a few things like the flow of words and if I need to elaborate on stuff more. That would be greatly appreciated.

Also, before I write the next chapter, there are two different stories that branch off from this point

(1) an interesting fantasy based story that has a dramatic climax with an out of the ordinary secret of Luffy's that ties in with his personality

(2)a realistic story that could have happened in his unknown past that hurts his present

I can't really decide even if I'm leaning towards the first one more but I can't get started on the 4th chapter cuz I really need help deciding and need some feedback on the writing techniques. I'm sort of wondering if anyone's caught on the symbolism in here.