Chapter 5: "Rover, no!"
I don't know why, but I just realized I wrote the whole story from Nami's POV. Whoops?
Anyway, this is the last chapter of "Five Times the World Was Whole". I meant for it to be 5 different one-shots, but I ended up really liking Rover. Please read thru author's note at the end of this chapter. I would really appreciate some feedback.
Sorry about the delay, I had to take the SAT on Saturday and it really stressed me out so I couldn't focus to write at all and I was sick after that so I just didn't even try to force myself to write.
Nami coughed through the thickening air, her lungs straining. She wandered through the maze of green, desperately trying to locate her nakama.
They had landed at a seemingly uninhabited island, overrun by a massive jungle. Luffy and Rover had vanished the moment the ship was within safe jumping distance to land. Unfortunately, Rover had recently finished growing, which meant he could jump muchfarther than he used to. His shoulder alone reached up to just above Luffy's thigh, and his lean body was constructed of powerful muscles. His teeth and jaws were so long and strong, Rover had to be especially careful about play-biting. Nami swore he had some bloodhound in him. Rover's keen sense of smell rivaled Chopper's. He had taken easily to the training as well, and Chopper was confident Rover could protect himself now.
It looked like it was time to put that to the test.
About halfway into the island, Nami realized that she- she- was hopelessly lost. It took her by surprise, especially when she noticed that her nakama had vanished as well.
She had tried to trace her steps, but she hadn't recognized any of the jungle she had passed. After a while- and a few directional changes-Nami realized something that made her blood run cold.
The plants were moving. Moving. Like they'd gotten up and walked around.
Not five minutes after she had figured that out, she saw some stranger blue and red flowers appearing along her path on the undergrowth. The air felt thicker and she struggled to breathe through the weight.
Nami coughed harshly and wrapped one arm around the aching bottom of her rib cage. If she didn't find her nakama and get off this island soon, they'd all wind up suffocating to death.
Nami spun on her heel when she heard a rustle behind her, quick followed with a loud snap.
"Robin? Minna?" Nami asked hesitantly.
A hiss from her left answered her and Nami shrieked in surprise when she turned around. A massive yellow flower, bigger than she was tall, with teeth was six feet away from her. It stretched its coiled stem to reach her and Nami ducked, unable to reach her Clima-tact in time.
A fierce snarl exploded from the undergrowth next to her and Nami looked up to see Rover tear out of the brush and leap at the flower, paws extended and fangs flashing angrily. Rover sunk his teeth into the stem just behind the flower-head and dug his nails into the thick green skin when the plant thrashed and screeched. Luffy was next to appear, sending the flower crawling away with one powerful punch.
"Nami!" Luffy exclaimed in relief, running over to her with Rover.
"Good boy!" Luffy praised, petting Rover's head, and helped Nami to her feet.
"Luffy~" Nami said, getting the unsuspecting Captain's attention. Luffy turned to look at her… and was greeted with a fist to the head.
"WHY DID YOU RUN OFF, BAKA?! WE'RE IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE OF YOU!" Nami shouted.
"Hai…." Luffy answered meekly, but then he looked puzzled, "What situation?"
Nami twitched and hit him over the head again for good measure, "The others are lost. I have no idea where anyone is… oh, and we're ON A MAN EATING ISLAND!"
"Shishishi! The others are fine, Nami. Chopper found us a while ago and went to look for Zoro and Sanji. Robin's at the ship with Franky and Usopp, and Rover already found Brook and led him back to the Sunny-go." Luffy laughed unworriedly.
Nami paused, and patted the dog's head, "I suppose this island can't fool a sense of smell like Rover's or Chopper's." Nami sighed, "Let's go find the others."
Luffy stood up, still smiling, "Rover, find Chopper!" Luffy commanded, and the dog sniffed the air and took off with Luffy dragging Nami along just behind.
It didn't take long to track Chopper down- he had found Zoro and Sanji and was looking for Luffy again. "Yo." Luffy greeted and changed direction slightly, following Rover and Chopper to the Thousand Sunny.
Their ship came into sight quickly, and the group broke into a run, eager to be on familiar… ground? "They're back!" Nami heard Brook call to the others, who popped up and peered over the edge of the ship, crying out in relief and waving.
"Why does this feel like how all of our 'adventures' end?" Nami grumbled to Zoro, who shrugged. Of course.
"Rover! No!" Luffy's shout echoed around the ship and the rest of the crew sat bolt upright in their places around and in the ship. Luffy never told Rover 'no'. This was… serious.
The next shout made their blood run cold:
"Not Nami's map! Drop it!"
"Poor dog."
"Oh, boy…"
"That's super not good."
"I'm afraid we might not have a dog much longer…"
"Yohoho! Rover should've stuck to bones!"
"Oy! Drop Nami-swan's beautiful map you mangy mutt!"
"AHHH! DON'T KILL HIM, NAMI! SOMEONE GET A DOCTOR FOR ROVER!"
"…"
"Ah, Nami?"
"…"
"Rover, drop it quick! Stop"
"…"
Splash.
Luffy stared as the rest of the crew came out in deck. Rover had slipped trying to stop on Luffy's command and slammed into the railing, but he had flipped straight over it and tumbled into the ocean below… Nami's map still in his jaws.
Silence fell over the deck, and everyone edged slowly away from Nami. Rover whined around the map. The dog was a strong swimmer, but he wanted to be on the ship right now.
"Oy… Franky! Lower the platform!" Usopp hissed to the shipwright under his breath. Franky nodded and ran over to a small switch. A small slot opened up on the side of the ship and a little platform slid out of it and lowered down the side of the ship. Luffy jumped down on to it, careful to watch his balance, and pulled Rover on to it, working the map out of the wet dog's jaws while Franky raised the platform.
"Ahhhh…. Nami?" Luffy tentatively held the map out. It wasn't torn, but it was soaked with dog slobber and sea water, and had changed to a dark yellow color. Nami snatched the map away from him and inspected it closely.
Unfortunately… Rover, excited as he was, took it as a game of keep away, and snatched the map out of Nami's hands with a happy bark, already back to skidding around the ship on slippery paws.
"Rover! No! Bad dog!" Luffy shouted, but he- like the rest of the crew- was finding it hard not to laugh at the dog's puppy-like enthusiasm. Especially with the stunned look at Nami's face.
"Luffy~" Nami said in a sickly sweet tone.
Luffy froze and paled, and the crew could almost see the battle between the urge to run and wondering if it would be better to get it over with.
Rover and Usopp made the decision for him.
Rover dashed back around to the stock-still group, accidentally brushing against and knocking over Nami.
"RUN FOR IT!" Usopp yelled and the crew scattered, trying to catch Rover while avoiding an angry Nami.
"Rover! No not the kitchen!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Rover!" Nine voices chorused, "No!"
I am a sucker for Rover. So here's what I wanted to ask:
I was wondering if anyone wanted me to make this into its own FanFiction. I know I have other stories to write, but I'm much less stressed out now (Yay!) because I was just worried over the SAT, and now that I've taken it, all I can do is wait for my grade. To be honest, it still probably won't be updated rapidly. I want to work more on "Relapse" and my other already posted stories, but this is probably the last FanFiction idea I'll have for a while, so I'm curious if anyone wants me to write one about Rover. It would be told from Luffy's POV, and start from somewhere just before the find Rover… to I don't really know where I'd end it, but you get the idea. I think it would be fun and I dohave a general plot in mind, but I don't want to just start writing if no one cares so…
I'd appreciate some feedback on that, so please R&R or something. :)
Hope you enjoyed!