Freckles
chapter 11

"Faster Freckles !" Eli yelled.

Ace was behind her trying to match the girl's speed. "Hey ! I... don't.. cheat.. like.. you..." he stammered breathing heavily.

"Yeah because being able to turn your all body into fire isn't cheating right ?"

Oh she was so happy to be able to outrun him so easily. She even took time to turn around to watch him suffer. He frowned seeing her smirk. Haha.

But her fun was soon interrupted by a loud noise coming from a forest nearby, it sounded like something big had crashed on the island.

Eli stopped. "What was that ?"

"Don't...know..." Ace was panting, his hands on his knees.

From the sound Eli could clearly picture that the thing that had crashed was coming their way dragging the whole forest with it.

"ACE ! ELI !" Luffy yelled.

A boat had just emerged from the forest, it was charging them digging a trench in the ground. Eli seized Ace's arm and thanks to her devilish speed they narrowly dodged the boat which ended crashing in a cliff not too far from them.

The boat was reduce to smithereens, but surprisingly the pirates on board seemed pretty much undamaged. A sigh of relief escaped Eli mouth seeing that Zoro was with them, obviously very much alive. Him and Sanji were casually sitting on the remains of the boat. Luffy was standing up dusting his clothes with a large grin on his face. Muffled sounds were coming from under the pile of wood, Yosaku wasn't as lucky as the others. Poor thing, traveling with monsters like them, oh wait I'll be traveling with them too, Eli thought walking toward the group.

"Oh Elisabeth ! I'm so glad to see you again !" Sanji jumped happily toward the girl with loving eyes. Coming closer he frowned. "Wait, what happened to your lovely face ?"

Eli touched her face, she had forgotten about the hit she had taken. Was it so obvious ? "A merman hit me. Anyway-"

"And you ! Why didn't you protect Elisabeth ?" Sanji was glaring at Ace.

The young man raised an eyebrow at the cook's incrimination.

Eli had to admit, she kind of enjoyed this, but it wasn't really a good time to have her revenge. She cleared her throat. "Anywayyyyy ! We have to rescue Usopp. Let's go !" She clapped repeatedly her hands to get the boys to move.

"What ? What happened to Usopp ? Where is Nami ? And Johnny ?" Luffy asked.

"USOPP IS DEAD !" Johnny had just emerged from a nearby forest. "Usopp was killed by Nami !"

The group was speechless. How could this be ? Nami may be a former crewmate but still... She had helped Eli and Ace escaped, so how could she kill Usopp ? Within the heavy silence Eli wondered if the rest of them were asking themselves the same questions.

"NAMI WOULD NEVER KILL USOPP ! WE ARE FRIENDS !" Luffy snarled.

Eli looked at him, she had never seen him so angry, his eyes were threatening, he almost looked like a beast. As a shiver ran through her body she folded her thin arms and started rubbing them absently. That wasn't right. This couldn't be...

"And just who is your friend Luffy ?"

Eli turned her drooping head around to see Nami standing in the middle of the road a few steps away from the group. She had these cold eyes again. Eli couldn't find anything to say, as the rest of the crew. They all stood there, looking at their former crewmate and friend.

"Nami ! I'm here to take you with us." Luffy stated in a determined manner. His resolve was honorable but didn't he see how cold she was, not to mention the fact that she might have killed Usopp.

"Listen. The only reason I befriended you was for the money. And now I don't need you anymore, so just leave you're an eyesore." she said sharply.

Eli was trying to see a flaw in her act, because it had to be an act ! She had seen her eyes when Arlong called her a cold blooded witch, and again she had freed Ace and her, there was no way Luffy could be wrong right ? But Luffy was young, he could have been tricked, he was just a boy after all... And why did she want them to leave that much ?

Eli was tired of this sick game she had do something, maybe pissing the girl off a bit to see how she'd react.

"You don't really look like you don't care..." Eli said walking slowly toward the girl. "Just quit the act already, it's tiring." She sighed insolently.

"You don't know me !" Nami snapped looking at the girl with fierce eyes.

"No I don't but I'm not blind, and I'm getting tired of this little game of yours." Eli frowned putting her hands on her hips.

Nami slapped her across the face. Ouch ! Eli could have dodge that but she wanted to see the girl's reaction, and it was there, remorse, she saw her bite her bottom lip before looking away. You're really a tricky one Nami.

Luffy let himself fall on the middle of the road, his hands behind his head. "I going to take a nap now."

Yosaku gawked. "SLEEP ? NOW ?"

"And you're going to sleep here ? In the middle of the road ?" Sanji asked, as confused and the bounty hunter.

"I don't want to leave this island, besides I feel a little sleepy now." Luffy said as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"DO WHAT YOU WANT AND GET YOURSELVES KILLED I DON'T CARE !" Nami shirked before running away. Oh she looked so pissed, and far from not caring.

The crew was waiting for their captain's next move. Yosaku and Johnny had left, and who could blame them, if what they saw was true, there was no reason to wait for Nami.

But that wasn't so simple, anyway Luffy didn't want to leave, so his crew had to wait for him and until then they were left with their thoughts, but Eli was tired of thinking, tired of trying to figure the pretty redhead out. She lay on the soft grass and looked at the blue sky, it always helped her clear her mind, just what she needed. A soft breeze brushed her puffy cheek, she didn't struggle when her eyelids slowly closed, and she soon fell asleep.

Eli had the strangest dream, Zoro and Sanji were fighting, each of them claiming he had the bigger boobs, then Usopp came boasting he had the greatest ones in the whole world, which led the first two to kick his ass, hard.

She sat up outright, someone's jacket falling off of her, she rubbed her eyes, and saw four pairs of eyes staring at her questioningly.

"Boobs ?" Luffy asked.

"Boobs ?" Eli was confused, was she still dreaming ?

"You said boobs." Sanji specified.

"Yep you did." Usopp added.

"Usopp ! You're alive." She pinched his cheeks, as if to see if it was really him and it was. "Hehe." she smiled happily.

This must have been a bit embarrassing for him since he stood up at once clearing his throat. "Anyhow... There must be a reason why Nami joined those mermen." he said in a serious tone.

"Give up already !"

A young woman was standing in the middle of the road. She had mid length blue hair, and tattoos covered her right arm.

"Nojiko !" Usopp looked surprised.

"Who's that ?" Luffy asked pointing a finger a the girl.

"She's Nami's elder sister." Usopp replied.

"Listen. I will tell you everything, and after you will have to leave this Island." Nojiko continued.

Luffy left for a walk, not wanting to hear about Nami's past. How could he ? That was a total mystery to Eli. Ok the boy liked when things were simple, but come on ! Wasn't he curious at all ? Obviously the rest of the crew was since they stayed and listened to Nojiko and Nami's story.

Nami and herself had been adopted by a woman named Bellemere, and they lived fairly happily even though they didn't have much money. Bellemere loved them both deeply, and they loved her back even if they were not blood related. But then came a day, a terrible day, the day Arlong's pirates came to Cocoyashi.

It happened eight years ago.

They came in the village and declared it was now theirs, and that from now on, every villagers had to pay to keep their life. 100.000 beli per adult, and 50.000 per child.

Bellemere only had 100.000 beli, and since she didn't give birth to the two girls, there were no records that they lived on the island. The villagers told the girls to leave Cocoyashi as fast as they could, that way they would be safe, and Bellemere too. But as she paid Bellemere said "That money is for my two daughters." And because of that she was killed, before her daughters' eyes.

Soon after the pirates found out that Nami, even though she was very young, was extremely skilled at drawing maps, so they took her with them.

She came back a few days later, to tell the villagers that she had joined Arlong's crew. Soon Nojiko found out that the little girl had made a pact with Arlong, she could buy Cocoyashi back for a 100 million beli.

"So please, don't get involved any more, or else her plan for the past eight years will be ruined." Nojiko concluded before walking away.

The crew was speechless. What could they say after hearing their friend's tragic past ? Eli clenched furiously her fists digging her nails in the palms of her hands.

"We have to help her." Sanji said sternly, his chivalrous instincts talking for him.

"I know but you heard Nojiko, if we get involved we might ruin what she did the past eight years !" Usopp reminded anxiously, Eli felt that for once it wasn't his cowardice that was restraining him, but the tricky situation their friend were in.

Eli stood up briskly. Damn mermen ! Nami had gone through so much, how could their friends do anything to ease her pain. Rage was boiling withing her. Frak ! She was so horrified she couldn't think clearly. She started walking up the road.

"Where are you going Twig ?" Ace asked grabbing her small shoulder.

"I... I want to talk to Nami." she stammered gritting her teeth.

"And what do you want to talk about ? You heard her sister right ?" He crossed his arms.

"I don't know Ace !" she yelled looking at him with wild eyes. "I don't know..." she repeated sadly drooping her head. She really didn't know she just felt in her boiling guts that she had to see her.

"I'll go with you then."

Five minutes later Ace and Eli arrived at Nami's house. They found a crowd gathered in the tangerine orchard, they were surrounding Nojiko who was lying on the floor, bleeding.

Eli's eyes widened, could anything be worse now. "What happened ?"

"She was shot by the marines, and they also took Nami's money." one of the villagers answered.

"Marines..." Ace muttered.

"Where are you going this time ?" Ace asked as he tried to match the girl's speed.

"Isn't it obvious Freckles ? I'm going to get Nami's treasure back." She smirked, now that she had found the perfect way to let off steam, she felt a little lighter. Running down the main street of Cocoyashi, she looked at the villagers thinking how hard these eight years must have been. The nightmare will soon be over, she thought.

Eli could see the marine ship, it was still docked at Cocoyashi. She sped up and jump on its railing.

"Who are you ?" a marine yelled.

"Good question ! But I've got a better one : where is Nami's treasure ?" Eli crossed her arms. Oh yeah she was going to enjoy this.

Ace jumped next to her. "You could have waited for me Twig." He raised an eyebrow at the girl.

She shrugged "I could..."

"You... You... You're Fire Fist Ace ! " a marine, obviously in charge of this ship, muttered pointing a shaky finger at the young man. He had whiskers, and wore a cap with mouse ears on the top. "Arrest them !" the man yelled bewildered stepping back.

Eli ran to him and grabbed his collar.

As a large number of marines were running toward her, Ace jumped in to stop them.

"Stop it here boys." He smirked, before knocking them effortlessly one after an other.

Seeing that the marines were in good hands Eli pulled the Captain Nezumi by the collar into the ship. "So tell me where the treasure is ?" A young marine rushed behind her brandishing a sword, she kicked him in the stomach her green wicked eyes never leaving Nezumi's. "Please ?" She sneered.

"Oi Freckles." Eli called. "I need your help."

As she arrived on the deck she could see that all the marines had been knocked out, or pretending to be. She smiled.

"Satisfied ?" Ace asked walking toward the girl.

"Very. Now come on, this is one hell of a treasure, I need you to help me carry it."

A low whistle escaped Ace's mouth when he entered the treasure room. There was half a dozen of big bags, Eli had opened them all only to find that they all contained gold coins, jewelry and bank notes. After closing a bag Eli throw it at the boy.

"Wait this is not hers." a weak voice said behind them. It was the Captain Nezumi apparently he had regained consciousness a bit too early.

"And ? We are pirates after all." Ace smirked.

Eli continued to throw bags at Ace thinking how much she enjoyed her new pirate's life.

"Hey wait !" It seems that the young was having a hard time holding the three large bags she had already threw, and feared that the fourth might definitely endanger his balance.

"What, don't you tell me that these muscles of yours are just for the show Freckles ?" she grinned tauntingly.

He sighed. "Let's go now, we'll come back in a minute for the rest."

to be continued