Me- wow, it's been a long time since I've written the continuation of this story. College really does take its toll, but thank god, this semester is almost done. Anyway, lately I haven't been as into one piece as I was, but that won't stop me from writing this story, I'll finish it no matter how long it takes me. Today I felt like writing a bit, even though I don't exactly feel very good at the moment. Anyway, today's chapter they reach the island that Nami had run too, and mind you, Nami still is feeling hateful towards Leif considering her background, and the reason that she left her country to pursue a career as a pirate. Nami doesn't know her story but don't worry you'll see what'll happen. Enjoy!
Chapter 15: retrieving Nami!
It had taken a bit for the straw hats to reach their destination, and along the way the crew had been separated once they reached Nami's home. Leif and Luffy was the first group with the remaining three stranded together to deal with the incessant bickering of a certain blond and marimo.
"This is all your fault!" Sanji snapped at the swordsman who merely yawned and gave a glare toward the blond.
"How do you figure it was my fault, ya stupid cook!?" Zoro snapped back with just as much anger as Sanji had thrown at him.
"I don't need a reason, but now my beloved Leif-chan isn't here, and I blame you." Sanji said as he dropped to the floor anima style.
"get over yourself, we should just find them and get Nami, ya stupid cook." Zoro spoke with a bit of venom in his voice.
"Shut up ya stupid marimo." Sanji stood with a bit of malice as he got into the swordsman's face.
"Who's going to make me, clearly not some prissy cook." Zoro snapped back as a voice snapped them out of there little battle.
"Stop fighting will you, we need to find the captain and Leif; they can't be that far." Usopp yelled before cowering once the attention went on him.
"Sigh. Usopp's right." Zoro spoke despite his pride.
"For once I agree with the marimo." Sanji said as the group began to walk around to search for the two.
Meanwhile...
"Luffy, wait up!" Leif called as she ran after her rather excitable captain.
"Leif, hurry, we need to find, Nami." Luffy yelled to her as she inwardly sighed.
"Hold up, we need to plan this out first; Nami didn't seem to happy with me when she left, so I feel like I'm to blame." Leif confided in her captain whom despite his rather childish nature, he had his moments of maturity no matter how small a moment it was.
"Leif, it's not your fault; I'm your captain and I say so." Luffy laughed as Leif looked up at him and ran into him, embracing him which caused Luffy to look at her with curiosity. Luffy had grown use to Leif's hugs and he didn't mind them much anymore. Leif whispered a small 'Thank you' as she pulled away from her captain. Leif felt a bit nostalgic when she had hugged her captain, because when she was on the boat tending to Zoro's wounds, she had experienced a similar embrace except for the fact that Zoro had initiated it. Leif began to drop her hands to her sides as she noticed orange hair within a crowd of people. The brunette was admittedly nervous, but she let them go as she ran to catch up to the person to Luffy's confusion. He didn't know why Leif had suddenly ran off, but then the thought hit him as he began to follow the brunette, knowing exactly where she was headed.
"Nami!" called the girl as the one she called had stiffened. Leif noticed and gently smiled as she placed her hand on her shoulder, only for the girl to knock it away.
"Nami?" The brunette questioned as the girl in question, turned around to glare at the girl.
"don't touch me." She merely said as Leif tried to read into her emotions to see if there was a deeper meaning to her actions.
"Nami, you don't mean that, we're friends, we're nakama. You'd never mean that." Leif spoke as placed a hand on her shoulder once more, but before she could even feel the fabric of Nami's shirt, her wrist had been grabbed rather harshly as she felt the grip on her wrist squeeze as hard as the person could.
"Oi, what are you doing to, Leif!? questioned the captain as he drew closer to the scene; just in time for the stranger to drop her wrist, leaving a red mark visible; upon which Nami inwardly cringed. She didn't know that she had squeezed her wrist that hard. She let her hate for pirates mix in with the disapproval of Leif, a princess, joining them, and she ended up hurting one of her friends despite not wanting to admit it at this present time.
"Luffy, she didn't hurt me; we were talking things over." Leif spoke as she hid her wrist behind her back to ease the suspicion of her captain. Nami saw this and couldn't believe that Leif merely shook off the mark as if it were nothing. Nami had her problems, but just the way Leif pulled that off as if it happened to her before was almost unreal. Nami began to think that maybe there was something more too her façade.
"Nami, why'd you leave?" Luffy questioned as Leif took a step behind him to check out her wrist and rub the red flesh.
"Leave me alone; I hate pirates." Nami snapped as she ran off; the guilt making its way through her body. She did hate pirates, but she was beginning to think not all of them were bad.
"Nami!" Leif called her as attempted to run after her, only to be stopped by a certain swordsman whom had finally found them.
"Zoro, you didn't get lost." Luffy laughed as Leif covered her mouth to try to prevent the laughter that was begging to escape, which revealed her red wrist.
"Leif, what happened to your wrist?" questioned Usopp as Zoro began to argue with Sanji and Luffy whom were to busy teasing him to pay attention to Usopp and Leif.
"It's fine, I'm really clumsy and fell on it, it's no big deal." Leif lied. She didn't want the crew to think badly of Nami. She could sense that the girl already felt guilt for what she had done.
"I don't believe you, but I won't question it, any further. " Usopp said as Leif smiled at her crew member.
"Usopp, we will get Nami back right?" Leif questioned her long-nosed companion as she looked at the sky.
"As long as we keep trying, did you see her?" Usopp questioned.
"I did, but she didn't seem to happy to see me; I could tell something's wrong, and I won't stop till I find out what." Leif admitted as they suddenly heard a scream.
"No time to lose, let's go!" Leif yelled as Usopp was ready to leave the group.
"No ya don't, we stick together." Leif glared at Usopp whom sighed at the unlikely hood that he couldn't runaway or hide from this one. Leif had her sweet moments, but she was sure as hell not so sweet when she was mad.
end of chapter 15
Me- yes, it's a bit short, and yes a lot of the scenes are altered but I won't be leaving the most memorable moments out. I feel that Leif wasn't herself this chapter, and the other's seemed a bit occ to me, but I can always edit it if you guys think that the characters are out of character, or that my character is out of character. And I would like some feedback on the Nami and Leif scene. Obviously I gave Nami inner turmoil that she was going through, and because of the anger she felt, she back lashed on Leif despite not wanting to, at least not as bad as she did. Anyway, please tell me what you think, and summer is almost here, which means I might have a bit more time to write, but I also have to be in a certain mood, and when I get in the writing mood, I usually write 4,000 word type chapters. It depends, because I've recently gone back to my teen titans obsession, and I really want to write a romantic one-shot song-fic to a song by Marianas trench, and I may write that today, but then again, I want to get a good night's sleep, cause I've been pretty sick this week, and I have talent show coming up soon, and I want to rock my performance. I also want to send Thank you's to my readers, followers, the ones who have favorite this story, and of course my reviewers. I love you guys; you guys have stuck with my stories even when it takes me a long time to update, and I'm truly grateful to have readers like you guys. Hopefully chapter 16 will be underway, and that one I want to make the longest chapter, because this is a major arch and I have to add the best moment in the arch, along with fight scenes with added Leif in there, and will Chou reappear to fight Leif? Perhaps. The question is, what do you guys think is going to happen.