Authors' Note:
Con: Huh, reversed title... How is Nami supposed to exorcise anything? o.o
Darth: Darned if I know.
Con: Hahaha! You don't remember, do you? Shame on you!
Darth: It's been a while.
Con: Indeed it has, but memories started coming back to me, the more I read over them again. xD
Darth: I'll need to reread this chapter. I remember the general idea, but not the details.
Con: You should reread it all. I think I will. xD
Darth: I probably will. I remember enjoying writing this.
Con: I definitely enjoyed finishing it up. :) I had a lot of fun with it. Yes, you heard me, guys! It's actually already completed, but you have to wait for me to post them each day, or every other day! It all depends on how many reviews I get, so you better start reviewing! X)
Darth: Again, if any of you are actually out there.
Con: Some are, but others are just too lazy to review! D:
Darth: Shame on you all then.
Con: Yes! Shame on you! D: Anyways, we'll let you shameless ones get to reading. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! xD
P.S. from Con: Speaking of shameless ones... I didn't get a lot of reviews for the last one, but that's also because I barely posted it today. I'm feeling a bit down, as well as bored. So, I thought I would post another chapter to cheer myself up. Feel lucky... because you are...
Charmed
Chapter 18: She Exorcises
Luffy groaned and opened his eyes slowly. Every part of his body hurt, and he felt completely drained. His unconsciousness hadn't gotten him any rest, and in fact, he felt worse. "Well, good morning, cupcake ..." Ace teased with a smirk from where he sat beside Luffy's bed.
"What happened?" Luffy groaned, attempting to sit up.
"You got your ass handed to you is what. The little orange haired girl brought you back," Ace said, but then muttered under his breath, "It's a wonder she didn't leave your ass there."
"Oww..." Luffy said and leaned back a bit. He gasped, having difficulty breathing. He needed rest. He didn't have the strength to resist the curse anymore.
"So, you mentioned before that she can put a stop to the no sleeping curse, but how, exactly? You didn't get a wink of sleep last night, so how was she countering it?" Ace asked, looking down into his lap as he tapped his knee with a finger.
"She didn't stay with me last night..." Luffy muttered and sighed.
Ace's brow quirked up high and he asked, "I'm sorry... what?"
"She... I... have to sleep with her to be able to sleep," Luffy explained as he closed an eye.
Ace's jaw dropped, and then he exclaimed, "Eeeeh!? You have to what!?"
"Sleep with her," he said and shifted, but groaned to the pain it caused him. "You know, same bed and all that?"
Beginning to calm down, though he was still staring at Luffy, Ace then frowned deeply and said, "Oh... you mean... just sleep with her... not... not actually... um..." He moved his hand about, waiting for Luffy to make the connection himself.
"Of course..." Luffy said, looking clueless, and then he frowned at his older brother. "What were you thinking about?"
Ace chuckled nervously. "N-N-Nothing!" he said, waving his hands at him. "S-So... how does she manage that, and how the hell'd you get her to agree to sleep with you?"
"Well... I just fell asleep on top of her a few times, because her breasts touched me. I realized that they must be what puts me to sleep, and... I'm not sure how I convinced her to sleep with me..."
"Because you touched her breasts!?" Ace exclaimed, gaping at his brother again. "Whoa, whoa! Okay, start from the beginning."
Luffy explained everything from the beginning, from the first time he'd fallen asleep on her, until recently. When he finished, he looked at Ace and asked, "So... does that make any sense to you?"
Ace was just staring at Luffy with his eyebrow raised, and finally after a while, he said, "Wow... I've seen and heard about a lot of shit... but never one about a girl with magical boobs."
"Yeah..." Luffy murmured, wistfully. He could still remember how they'd looked in her different tops, and how they reacted to the different ways she moved. He shook his head. Bad train of thought, bad train of thought.
"Wow..." Ace said again, nodding and looking thoughtful.
"Yeah..." Luffy also replied again and groaned. "But... I don't think I'll be getting any sleep any time soon."
"You think?" Ace said, frowning at him softly.
"Of course," Luffy said, not noticing the sarcasm. He coughed a bit, and then he said, "Don't know how much longer I can stand this curse."
"Well, you need to figure out how to get rid of it. All the other counter spells didn't work. Though... how is it that this girl can counter it?" Ace asked, frowning deeper.
"Don't know..." Luffy said and sighed deeply. "She has some other abilities, that I mentioned, and none of them make any sense."
"No, they really don't," Ace said and sighed as well, still frowning softly. "You might want to ask Gramps about it... if you can bring yourself to talk to him."
Luffy stiffened as he quickly looked away and said stubbornly, "I'm not talking to him..."
"Right..." Ace said and closed his eyes. "I guess I could do that for you then."
"Thanks, Ace," Luffy said and smiled at his brother, beginning to relax again. He started to get out of bed and said, "I should... get something to eat."
"Ah, no need," Ace said, pushing him back down and grabbing a tray off the table. "Here, eat this and try to rest a bit."
Luffy laid back and grabbed the tray. "Thanks. Don't see why I should bother trying to rest. It's not like it's going to do me any good..."
Ace sighed deeply as he watched his brother eat and said, "No, I guess not..."
x x x x
After Luffy'd been taken away, Nami had just stayed with Merry in the stables. "He wasn't very nice today," she muttered to the horse as she brushed him, "but... I guess it's not his fault. I did tell him I hated him, and I hit him really hard."
Merry snorted, nuzzling Nami's head.
"I guess... this is how it's going to be now, huh?" she whispered with a soft sigh, burying her face into his sparse fur and neck.
"Ah, excuse me..."
Gasping in surprise to the voice, Nami quickly stood straight and looked over to see Ace standing in the doorway of the stables. "Oh... Y-You surprised me," she said and moved closer to Merry instinctively.
"Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to. I had asked where you were, but everyone said you hadn't come inside yet. I figured, you might still be here," Ace said, petting over Merry's back. "Hey, Merry. Long time no see."
Merry snickered, grinning a happy horse grin at Ace.
Ace chuckled, giving Merry's mane a ruffle before turning back to Nami, who was frowning at him, and then he asked, "I needed to talk to you... about Luffy."
Nami stiffened completely and quickly looked away. "Don't want to ..."
Ace had to scoff. Surprisingly, she reminded him quite a bit of his brother. At the very least, she gave the same response as Luffy. Both were stubborn... "Yeah, I figured you didn't, but what I have to say is important, and as his brother... I've come begging," he said, giving Nami a sheepish smile.
"What are you talking about?" Nami asked, turning her deep frown on him.
"Luffy told me about how you've been helping him sleep..."
"I am not sleeping with him!" she cried, moving to Merry's other side and away from Ace.
Merry nudged Nami with his nose, but Nami refused to acknowledge the horse's attempts.
"Look," Ace started with a deep sigh, "I understand how you would be upset with him, and believe me, he's just as upset. I know he wouldn't ask you himself, which is why I'm asking instead. He's not in the best shape, and... if he doesn't get the rest he needs, he will just get worse."
"Worse?" Nami asked quietly as her frown deepened.
"Yeah... meaning, he'll just die. What? You never wondered what might happen if a person can't sleep?" Ace asked, frowning back at her.
Nami paled, managing to move closer against Merry. Merry nudged her, urging her not to let his master die. Looking at Merry this time, she frowned softly before clutching her chest, but then blinked when she felt the charm hanging around her neck. She had actually forgotten about it. Her expression saddened as she pulled it out of the neckline of her dress and looked down at it in the palm of her hand. She closed her fingers around it and muttered something. Then after a moment, she pulled it off and handed it to Ace. "Give this to him," she said before turning back around after he took it from her.
Ace frowned softly, wondering how his brother could have fallen in love with someone who didn't care if he died, but then he asked, "What is this?"
"He gave it to me... yesterday," she said, and he started to become upset, but she continued, "It's a protection charm. I think... it will help him sleep. Just... try it," she said, her back still turned to him as she went back to Merry.
He frowned at her further, but then he just turned to leave and headed back to Luffy. Merry neighed and nodded at Nami. "Sorry, Merry, but I just can't," Nami whispered to the horse, hugging him tightly, "I hope it works..."
Merry neighed in understanding.
x x x x
Luffy looked up, when Ace entered the room."Hey, so, what'd Gramps say?" he asked and tilted his head to his brother.
Sighing deeply and closing his eyes, Ace plopped down into the chair before pulling out the charm and holding it up to him by the string. "Went to go see Nami instead and asked... if she would help you."
"You what?" Luffy exclaimed, looking angry, and he snatched it away from him. "Why would you do that!?"
"Because you need the help, Luffy!" Ace yelled back, also frowning angrily.
"Not from her! I can do this on my own!" Luffy said, and then he allowed himself to look down at the charm, dangling from the string of leather. He hated to admit it, but it stung that she apparently didn't care about his condition, and that she gave the charm back. He even felt the unmistakable sting of tears, but he stubbornly blinked those away.
"Bullshit! And it's not what you think, Luffy! She didn't just give it back," Ace said, and then he sighed to calm himself. "She said... She said it should help you sleep," he said softly, and reopened his eyes from the sigh. "Try putting it on."
Luffy lifted his glossy eyes to his brother, which Ace did not fail to notice, and then Luffy asked, "What?" So, she wasn't just giving it back to him, because she wanted nothing to do with him? He felt a little flutter in his chest, but ignored it and asked, "How's it supposed to help me sleep?"
"Don't know. Sit up and give it here. I'll put it on for you," Ace said, taking it into both his hands and widening the loop.
Luffy sat up and leaned his head forward for Ace to put the charm around his neck. Ace did so and sat back to watch to see what would happen. Luffy blinked, yawned, and then laid back onto his pillow, falling asleep instantly. Ace blinked a few times, amazed that it actually worked, and then he smiled softly. It probably only worked because the girl did care. He really hoped that this could be repaired in the end... for the sake of them both.
A hooded figure, perched on the roof across from the guild, smirked down into the window at the brothers before getting up and suddenly disappearing.
x x x x
Luffy groaned and opened his eyes. He'd fallen asleep; he'd really fallen asleep. He looked down at the charm hanging around his neck and tears welled up in his eyes. "Thank you... Nami," he whispered and smiled softly. However, he was startled, when there was a knock on the door. He looked up and called, "Who is it?"
"Ah, it's me, Luffy!" a small voice called from outside.
"Chopper?" Luffy asked and sat up. "Is that you?"
"Yeah! Can I come in? I've been told you've been injured. I just got back today," Chopper called through the door.
"Oh, sure..." Luffy said with a smile. "Come on in."
The door opened and a young boy with brown hair and dark sapphire blue eyes walked in. "Ah... you look terrible."
Luffy snorted and said, "Wish I could say the same for the other guy."
This made the young boy laugh. "Didn't go so well, huh?" he asked, setting his bag down and beginning to remove things to treat Luffy's wounds better.
"Nope," Luffy said and winced as Chopper treated his wounds.
"Aah, that's a shame. I heard you were up against Teach, though, and without a full night's sleep. It's not your fault," he said, rubbing ointment into the wounds and sewing up any cuts that were open gashes.
"Yeah... not my fault," Luffy muttered and frowned. Her fault, he thought to himself, but then he looked down at the charm. No... he couldn't blame her. He really couldn't blame anyone, but himself on this one.
"Moria really got you good, huh? I've been looking around like mad to find the counter spell, but all I could gather is that it's old magic... really old. I am trying though," Chopper explained with a soft frown.
"Heh..." Luffy chuckled and then said, "I actually managed to find a way to get around the spell."
"Eh!? How!?" Chopper cried in astonishment.
"Well..." Luffy said and sighed, "a girl... gave me this charm." He held up Nami's charm."It helps me sleep..."
"Eeh?" Chopper exclaimed softly, taking the charm into his hand. "Aah! I-It's filled with... magic I've never felt before. I might even be able to study this to find a more permanent solution. How did she...? Who is she?"
"Her name is Nami," Luffy said softly and looked away. "She's here working off a debt to the guild."
Looking up at Luffy, Chopper blinked a bit and then asked, "Someone working to pay off her debt? She seems important to you though. Why's she working to pay a debt?"
Luffy's eye twitched, and he quickly looked back at Chopper. "She isn't important at all!" he snapped, looking unreasonably angry. "She's just here, because she refused to pay for my services! That's all!"
"Eee!" Chopper screeched, backing away from him quickly in fear, and then he exclaimed, "Sorry! I didn't mean to!"
Luffy's eyes softened, and he forced himself to relax. "Sorry," he said, "it's not your fault... I didn't mean to get upset."
Seeing the change in his eyes, Chopper blinked and questioned softly, "Eh?" He then frowned softly, looking very confused. He lied?
"So," Luffy said, "how do the injuries look? Will I live?"
Chopper was still confused by Luffy's outburst, but decided to smile instead and said, "Of course, and since you're getting sleep, you should be just fine within a few days."
"Whaaat!?" Luffy said and pouted. "A few days?! Don't tell me I have to lay around for the whole time?"
"Ah... Well... yeah," Chopper replied and frowned at him deeply.
Luffy frowned. "Humph," he huffed as he folded his arms and laid back, "...I'm bored."
"Well, maybe just a day then," Chopper said with a sigh.
"Thanks," Luffy said and grinned at Chopper. "So ...how about something to eat?"
"Ah, there's this blonde guy, who's been cooking for everyone all afternoon. I'll go see what they have right now," Chopper said, getting up and packing his things.
Luffy's eye twitched again, and then he said, "I... see..."
"Anyways, be right back," Chopper said, not noticing the twitch as he left the room.
"Right..." Luffy muttered as he left. Well, if Sanji didn't know who it was for, then he should be safe.
x x x x
The next day Luffy was feeling well enough to get up. He already had a job lined up, so he went to Nami's room and knocked on her door.
Frowning softly, Nami turned to the door and called, "Who is it?"
"It's me," Luffy said through her door. "We've got a job." He sighed. Was this someone's sick idea of a joke, that he still had to be around her each day?
"Oh," she replied quietly as she lowered her head, "I'll... be out in a minute."
"Hurry up," he said with another sigh and leaned against the wall by her door.
"Right," she muttered quietly, gathering up her books and setting them back into the bookcase. She then changed into a pair of leather pants and bodice. Going to the door and opening it, she kept her head lowered and said, "Okay..."
"Come on," he said, in a disheartened voice, walking ahead of her and leading her to their next job.
She didn't immediately follow as her eyes drooped with some sadness. Nothing at all had changed. After awhile, she finally did follow after him, and then she said, "I would like my own horse."
He felt a twinge of sadness within his heart, and then he said, "Right, I have one you can use."
"Thanks," she just muttered, lowering her head again.
Luffy led her to the stables and stopped in front of a palomino mare's stall. "You can use her," he said and nodded to the horse.
Blinking up at the beautiful palomino, Nami then smiled and bowed slightly. "It's nice to meet you. I hope you don't mind."
The palomino shook her head and then also bowed. Across the stable, Merry snorted. Luffy set about getting Merry saddled and ready to go. It didn't help that the horse was being skittish and agitated.
Nami turned to Merry and smiled nervously. "I'm sorry, Merry," she said softly, but then sighed and went to saddle up the horse she'd be using.
The palomino stood absolutely still, but turned her head towards Merry and snorted, as if saying she would take care of the girl, seeing as she seemed special to him. Merry nodded and finally let Luffy finish saddling him.
Once he'd finished, Luffy led Merry out of the stable."You ready?" he asked Nami over his shoulder.
"Yeah," she replied quietly, leading the beautiful palomino outside and then mounted her.
Satisfied, Luffy turned and started off towards the location of their job. Nami followed along, wondering what the job was this time, but she wasn't about to ask him. She wanted to keep the talking to a minimum. Though, she hoped there were no dead bodies this time...
There was a man standing outside the house, waiting for Luffy to arrive. He looked up to see Luffy, followed by an orange haired girl, riding up towards him. Nami blinked down at the ridiculously dressed man, wearing a cape, large hat with a feather and goggles on it, and wearing a huge golden cross as a necklace. She then looked at Luffy, wondering who he was.
"Oi, Usopp," Luffy said and grinned, waving at his friend.
"Luffy, how've you been?" Usopp said and walked towards his friend.
"Been better," Luffy replied, shrugging.
Nami closed her eyes and sighed, turning her head away a bit as she remained atop the palomino. Usopp took a deep breath and exhaled. He'd got a pretty good hold on his nerves now that he was out of the house, but there was no telling how long that would last. "So, who's your friend?" he asked, looking curiously to Nami.
"Nami, she's working off a debt at the guild," Luffy replied curtly and matter of fact.
Nami turned to offer the long nosed man a slight smile before looking away again, but then suddenly paled as her fear rose, and she quickly looked over at Usopp. "Wait... Usopp? Usopp as in... the exorcist?" she rasped, her throat closing from her growing fear. Definitely no dead bodies, but definitely still dead people!
Usopp twitched and said, "Well... um... you could say that." He laughed nervously, glancing back at the building. "I do... handle ghosts... sometimes..."
Her eyes darted to the house then, beginning to pull a bit tighter on the reins, causing the poor palomino to back up a bit. "You... You never said... this was another exorcism!" she exclaimed, looking over at Luffy, her face lost of all color.
"Yohoho~! Is this the man you were talking about, Usopp-san!?" a tall man, wearing sunglasses, said as he came running out of the house.
"Ah, Brook! Yeah, this is Luffy!" Usopp replied, but gasped.
Just as Brook ran out and approached them, a shrill scream filled the air. Nami looked up at the window and saw a frightful sight of a little girl screaming out of the upstairs window with a distorted face. Shivering from the sight as well, Nami, however, seemed to relax completely, her lips parting. Before anyone could say another word, she swung off her horse and ran inside.
"Oi!" Luffy yelled and quickly dismounted as well. "Nami, what the hell are you doing!?" he yelled and ran into the house after her.
"Oi, Luffy!"Usopp yelled after his friend.
"Oi! Little girl, where are you going!?" a blue haired man, who seemed to be ducking behind a sofa and table and all sorts of other things, yelled at Nami as she ran passed and up the stairs, but she ignored the man.
Slowing down at the top of the stairs, her heart pounding, Nami took a step, looking around her for any signs of the ghost, while breathing heavily. So far, she didn't see anything, but then suddenly, a puff of mist came out from her mouth, and she turned into a door way. The child was standing in the middle of the room, her hair covering most of her face, though her eyes were glaring back at Nami. Turning completely to face her, Nami's breath hitched with fear, but she didn't move, just keeping her eyes on the girl.
Luffy ignored Usopp and the other two and ran up the stairs, where Nami had gone, pausing just at the top. "Oi! Nami!" he called to her, seeing her standing in front of a doorway, and so he quickly moved toward her.
Seeing Luffy there, the girl shrieked a deafening cry, forcing Nami to cover her ears, but then Nami turned and shoved Luffy away. "Go away!" she yelled over the shrill cry and then stepped into the room, the door slamming shut behind her.
"Oi!" Luffy yelled, banging his fist on the door. What the hell was going on here?
The scream had stopped the second the door slammed shut. Nami gasped, turning to the closed door and hearing Luffy on the other side, but then she turned back to the child, who was still glaring at her suspiciously. "It's okay... I'm not here to hurt you or bother you," Nami said, taking a few steps forward, but the girl took one big one back.
"Oi, who was that girl!?" the blue haired man cried, coming up the stairs with Brook.
"An idiot is who she is. Damn it!" Luffy swore as he shoved the door. "The hell is she locking me out for?"
Usopp crept up the stairs, peeking around the corner. "Is everything okay? Franky? Luffy?"
"Don't think it was her, who locked ya out," Franky said with a deep frown. "That ghost hasn't let a single one of us near, or even up the stairs until now..."
"It's all right," Nami said, finally kneeling down slowly. "That man outside, he won't hurt you either, I promise," she continued in a soothing voice, and then she pressed a hand to her chest. "My name is Nami."
"Ah... is she... speaking to the ghost?" Brook asked, approaching the door.
Luffy blinked and said, "What?"
Usopp frowned, crawling closer to the door and leaning his ear to it, listening to what was happening inside. "Yeah... she is..."
"You don't have to be afraid... not anymore," Nami said and smiled softly. "What's your name?"
The child's face seemed to relax a bit, sensing Nami's fear leaving her as well. "Melody ..." It was barely a whisper, and the voice itself seemed to echo slightly.
"Melody... That's a very beautiful name," Nami said, smiling even more. "Melody, do you like music, or your parents?" The girl nodded, and so Nami whispered, "I do too." Then she began to hum a soft tune, and the girl slowly began to approach her.
"What's she...?" Usopp started, and then he frowned. "Is she humming?"
"Let me hear," Luffy said as he shoved Usopp aside and placed his ear against the door.
Nami smiled brighter to her, holding out both her hands to her. The girl slowly approached, and very slowly reached out her hands to Nami's. What seemed like an eternity past, and then the girl finally slipped her cold hands into Nami's, but Nami didn't flinch. She closed her fingers around hers and let the girl sit in her lap. Nami then began to rock her gently as she hummed to her, cradling her in her arms.
Luffy frowned. It was the tune she always hummed to herself. What was going on in there? He didn't hear anything happening, so there was no fighting going on. Pulling away from the door, he gently knocked.
The girl jumped, turning to stare at the door with wide eyes, but Nami quickly soothed her. "Shh, it's all right, really. He won't hurt you," Nami whispered gently, and the child turned her attention back on Nami. "Shall we invite him in?"
The child looked to the door, staring for awhile, but then the door unlocked and slowly opened. Luffy took a step back, but then walked into the room. He stopped and stared at Nami sitting in the middle of the room with the ghost girl sitting on her lap.
The door then slammed shut, locking the others outside. "Oi!" Franky called, running to the door.
"See?" Nami asked, reaching up to gently tuck the girl's hair behind her ear. "He's not so bad, right?" Her voice was still soft as she cradled the girl in her lap. "It's all right now. You don't have to stay here all alone... so scared and angry, I promise."
Not so bad, huh? Luffy frowned gently. So... did she hate him or not? Did he hate her? No... he didn't believe he could bring himself to hate her. His heart beat faster as he watched the scene before him, with Nami holding the young ghost girl, just like a mother would.
The girl eyed Luffy for a long time before looking back up at Nami. She looked like an ordinary little girl, now that her hair wasn't in her face. Nami then began to hum to her again, and the child laid her head on Nami's shoulder, feeling completely relaxed with her. Rocking with her back and forth, after awhile, the girl began to cry silently, and Nami's expression softened with sadness. "It's all right now," she whispered, hugging her closer to her.
When the ghost girl started crying, Luffy took a step forward, but stopped. He didn't know what to do in this situation.
The child gasped, shifting her watery eyes to Luffy, fear filling them. "He won't hurt you ..." Nami whispered, cradling and petting over her head, but then the girl buried her face into Nami's chest, crying even more. "Shh, it's all right now," Nami whispered, more tears coming to her eyes and slowly gliding down her face. "It's all right. Don't cry," she soothed, rocking her a bit more, and then she began to hum again, though her voice quivered with her tears. After awhile, she said, "I know it's not fair... So young... You should have lived so much longer than this," she whispered, and a soft sob escaped the little girl, wrapping her arms around Nami.
Luffy swallowed the lump in his throat and knelt down next to Nami and the ghost carefully. He didn't want to frighten the girl more.
The child wailed painfully into Nami's chest, releasing her pain, her grief, her sadness, and all her fears seemed to leave her as well. Nami cradled her tightly and protectively as she cried with her and continued to rock her. She even attempted to continue humming to the child. They remained that way for some time, until the child finally stopped crying and looked up at Nami.
Reaching up her small chubby hands, she cupped Nami's cheeks, bringing Nami's forehead down to hers, and then she whispered, "Thank you ..." And without either having to do a thing, she suddenly flashed into a bright light and was gone. Nami's eyes turned sadder as she stared down into the empty place in her lap, more tears forming and falling as she rubbed her fingers together.
Luffy blinked, staring at where the girl had disappeared. He sighed and looked over at Nami, tentatively placing his hand on her shoulder. Nami didn't look at him, closing her eyes and after awhile, she sighed deeply before standing up. Turning to the door, she opened it, and without saying a word, she walked out, leaving him there. Franky blinked as she left, and then looked inside, seeing that the ghost was gone. What none of them could do, this young girl had done without using magic or any such thing.
Luffy sighed and left the room to follow her."Well... job's done," he muttered to the three there.
"Eh...what did she do?" Usopp asked and stared into the empty room.
"I don't know," Luffy said with a shrug and just headed down the stairs.
Ignoring them all, Nami mounted the palomino with her back turned to the house, waiting to go back to the guild. "Aah, a mysterious thing," Brook said, rubbing his chin with his boney thin finger and followed Luffy down with the other two.
"Yeah... Mysterious," Luffy said as he left the house, going back to Merry. "Well," he said, turning to the other three, "thanks." He then turned back around and headed back home to the guild.
"Ah, yeah..." Usopp said and waved goodbye to his friend.
Nami and the horse already started back for the guild. She didn't turn or say anything and even remained silent the whole trip back to the guild.
Once they made it back to the guild, Luffy finally tried talking to her."What did...?" he started to ask, but then he sighed. "How did you know what to do back there?"
"I didn't ..." And that was all she said as she walked back to her room.
Luffy sighed and put the two horses away by himself.
x x x x
Igaram walked into the guild, looking around for the group, that had escorted the princess to Mariejoie. As he walked around, he came up to a black haired, freckled young man and asked, "Excuse me, but could you possibly help me?"
Blinking, Ace turned to the man and smiled. "Yes, what can I help you with?"
"I'm looking for Mr. Luffy's group, and a Mr. Zoro if you know him," Igaram said.
Ace's lips quirked a bit. "Mr. Luffy?" he asked with a chuckle. "Luffy's here. I'll go and get him for you . Zoro too," he said before turning and walking away. "Just wait there ..."
"Thank you," Igaram said and waited.
Going into the kitchens and dining room, Ace looked around and finally spotted Luffy. "Oye, Luffy!"
Luffy looked up from the food he was eating and asked, "What?"
"You got a visitor. He's looking for you and Zoro. Might be a customer," Ace said, thumbing behind him.
"Oh..." Luffy said and stood up. "Does Zoro know?"
"Not yet. Why don't you go and tell him?" Ace said with a small smile before leaving.
"Right," Luffy muttered and went to look for Zoro. Now where would the perpetually sleeping man go?
Luffy found Zoro in the lounge room, sitting in the corner and snoring quite loudly. Walking up to him, Luffy nudged him with his foot to wake him. Snorting, Zoro blinked his eyes open and looked up at Luffy before frowning. "What?"
"Someone's here to see us," Luffy said and nodded towards the front hall.
"Wha...? Who?" Zoro asked, finally standing up.
"Dunno," Luffy said, starting to walk towards the main hall. "Ace didn't tell me."
"Right..." Zoro said, following along behind him.
When they made it to the front hall, Luffy's eyes widened in recognition, and he called, "Oh, captain-ossan."
"Oh... you again," Zoro muttered with a yawn. "What is it this time?"
"We have your pay," Igaram said as he looked at them. "Where are Nami-san and Robin-san?"
Luffy blinked and said, "Uh, Nami's in her room. I don't know where Robin is." He looked at Zoro. "Do you know where she is?"
Zoro blinked and looked at Luffy. "Why would I know?"
"I dunno," Luffy said and shrugged. "Just figured..."
"Well, I don't ..." Zoro said, looking away again with a frown.
"Ah," Luffy said and looked back at Igaram. "So, do you want us to come pick it up, or do you have it with you?"
"I have it right here," Igaram said. "Could the two of you possibly bring their share to the two ladies?"
"Oh," Luffy said and nodded. "Sure..."
"Right," Zoro said, looking down at the payments he handed to Luffy and then accepted his own before looking back up at the man.
"Thank you," Igaram said and bowed. "We might call on you again, should we need assistance."
"'Kay," Luffy said, watching the man walk away, and then he turned to Zoro. "I'm going to go give Nami her share. Could you give Robin hers?" he asked, handing the sack to him.
Zoro turned to frown at Luffy, but then accepted the sack and he muttered, "Yeah, sure..."
"Thanks," Luffy said and started walking to Nami's room.
"Right," Zoro muttered before walking off.
Luffy came to Nami's door and knocked on it. "Who is it?" Nami called from inside.
"It's me," Luffy said, not being able to help the frown, which formed to the sound of her voice.
Closing her eyes with a sigh, Nami looked down to the book in her lap, and then she finally said, "Come in..."
Luffy took a deep breath and opened the door. He stepped inside and just looked over to her in silence. He could see the pain so clearly in her eyes, as if they were reflecting his own. Was he just a reminder to her? Was it really so painful for her to look at him? Was this why she hated him so much?
When he only stood there in silence, she frowned softly, feeling the pain pushing to the surface and forcing tears into her eyes. She quickly looked down to her book to hide it, and asked in a voice she hoped lacked interest, "What do you want?"
He held up a bag with her share of the pay and said, "I have your pay, from the escort job."
"My pay?" she asked, frowning a bit and looking back up at him. "Doesn't that belong to your grandfather? Why did you bring it here?"
He frowned at her, feeling his own pain to the way she always looked at him, as if he was something vile. "Just take it," he said, tossing the bag to her. "If you're afraid someone will take it, just hide it." Clamping her teeth down, she then turned to the bag that had landed next to her and then up at him, but could not find anything to say in return. "It's yours," he said as he turned to leave. "You earned it."
Closing her eyes with a soft sigh, she then said, "Thank you."
He paused at the door, clutching the knob, and closed his eyes tight. "You're welcome," he said tightly and left, closing the door behind him.
Nami's eyes softened and lowered to the floor, her heart panging as she lifted up her hand to clutch it with a gasp. Luffy leaned against the door after he'd closed it, and blinked back tears. Something so small... and yet... He frowned and gasped, feeling an intense pain stab within his heart. He frowned deeper as he clutched his chest, feeling confused. What... What was that he'd felt? It hurt... so much...
To Be Continued...
Authors' Notes:
Darth: This chapter reminds me of Batman.
Con: Batman? o.o How?
Darth: You know, how Nami was comforting the little girl. It's a lot like an episode of the Justice League.
Con: *Gasps* Ooooh! Ace! :-D I remember that episode! HAHAHA!
Darth: There you go.
Con: I remember thinking it cool, how her name was Ace, and of course, I couldn't help, but to think of... well, Ace! xD
Darth: That seems to be an unlucky name.
Con: Indeed it does... Strangely, any animal we named after One Piece characters all died... I think their names were too epic for them to handle... Also, in Batman comforting little girls... I'm reminded of this weird ass Batman movie I saw, with a female Robin...
Darth: The Dark Knight Returns?
Con: That's the one... It kind of freaked me out a bit... But the part with Batman comforting the female Robin, when she was scared, was adorable...
Darth: That was an awesome movie. Both parts were.
Con: Only saw the... second one, I believe. Well, it had to be, since it ended.
Darth: The one that ends with him fighting, and beating I might add, Superman?
Con: Haha, yup! Superman freaked me on in this one... but whatever... We've gone off track again. xD We hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Until next time! :-D
Darth: See ya.