Chapter 3: The Stalker

"The love that lasts the longest is the love that is never returned."
-William Somerset Maugham

...

The next day.

"So... are you gonna join my crew now?"

Ayame declined immediately after giving him the look. Each time he closed in his distance, she'd back away in a flash.

Nami decided to ask the girl. "So, Ayame... Why did you choose to work as a blacksmith?" she questioned, taking a sip of her drink. "Wasn't there something else than that type of work?"

Ayame finished her food, wiped her mouth with a napkin. "No." She answered slowly, trying to place her dish in the sink. But Sanji swiped the plate away and did the dishes himself. "But I wanted to travel a bit. Like, Logue Town..."

Interested, Luffy had to ask. "What about Logue Town?"

For a moment, Ayame wanted to dismiss his question, but her mouth opened and words followed after it. "Gold Roger. He was phenomenal."

"Yeah, I listened to stories of Gold Roger from Shanks. He was a free man - that's why I'm going to be King of the Pirates!" Luffy smiled, reminiscing about the stories he heard about the Pirate King. It inspired him even more when Ayame mentioned Roger.

"You?" She looked at him up and down, and then she shrugged. "Good luck." But the words came out nasty that Usopp nudged her. Be nice, he mouthed. "I'm not rude, I'm honest." She whispered in defense. Pirate King was a grand title, and she didn't see it in their captain.

"Tell me, Ayame, how did you guys become friends?" Sanji questioned, eyeing Usopp and her. "I find it hard to believe that Usopp can make any friends that are girls."

"HEY!" Usopp slapped his arm, offended while the older man shrugged him off. "Kaya counts too, ya know! Besides, I have millions of-"

Nami rolled her eyes at her nakama in a playful manner. "Imaginary friends don't count, Usopp." She smiled as he sputter an incoherent remark.

Ayame looked at them with her blank stare. "Long story short: I was in a shipwreck - no different to this. Usopp found me, took me in, then he got into some trouble. I saved him and we declared friendship in the sunset that day..."

Most of them sweat drop at her short and matter-of-fact explanation. "That... was very vague. And was that sarcasm in the ending?" Usopp muttered, hoping she was more expressive in their friendship. He scratched the back of his head, trying to rid himself of that sad feeling. But he knew Ayame, she wasn't one to brag.

Luffy grinned, and spoke, "It makes total sense! I like the sunset part!" His crew sweat dropped again. "Then you became a blacksmith, right?"

"Apprentice..." She corrected flatly. "I deliver weapons or cutlery or other things. I never worked on anything."

"Please tell me that Rikku's son isn't your boyfriend!" Sanji rushed to her side.

Ayame's eye twitched, remembering Rikku jr. and putting him in a position where he was courting her. He would be too cliché, romantic, and clingy. The thought of it sent shivers to her spine.

"He isn't."

Nami whacked him on the head. "Stop pestering Ayame's status, Sanji-"

"HEY PIRATES!" Shouted a man outside the ship, presumably a marine by the sound of his classy voice. "I'M NOT HERE TO ARREST NOVICES! I'M HERE FOR A GIRL NAMED AYAME! IF YOU HAVE HER, BRING HER OUT! IF YOU HAVE HER AND YOU DON'T HAND HER OVER, I WILL ARREST YOU!" There was a smack. "I-I MEAN, IF YOU ARE TAKING HER HOSTAGE, I WILL ARREST YOU!"

Zoro shot an evil eye at the girl as he stood up, finally speaking. "Guess we gotta return her." He lowered his voice and looked out the window, seeing a funny-looking man in his 20's; black buzz cut hair, dark eyes rimmed with 3 prominent eyelashes on his bottom waterline, high cheek bones. He wore a white martial art garb with his marine coat over his outfit.

"Hold it!" Usopp went by Ayame's aid and blocked Zoro from her.

The swordsman glared at the petite girl as she stared back at him watching him carefully after her only ally used himself as shield. "She's obviously being searched. Better return her than deal with the marines."

"Just hold on a sec!" Sanji said, hoping this was some terrible mistake. "This could be another Ayame, right?" He turned to the girl.

"No." She answered simply.

Nami turned to her, and said: "Why would they want a blacksmith? No offense, but a delivery boy isn't that important." The navigator saw the disturbed look on her face. This was when Nami knew something was up.

Ayame looked over to Usopp and he nodded. "Maybe you should tell them." Ayame said, and everyone turned to him, waiting.

Usopp cleared his throat. "That man's been keeping tabs on Ayame. He's been trying to get Rikku to jail for some illegal smuggling to Revolutionaries. And he's also..." He trailed dramatically, "Ayame's stalker!" he shouted with vim and vigor as everyone sweat dropped and gaped, with the exception of Luffy.

"Don't put it that way!" She hissed, kicking his shin. In which he toppled over, holding his ankle.

The captain laughed hysterically at the thought. "Seriously? That's funny!" he continued laughing as Zoro hesitantly sat back down, taken back. "Since when?"

Usopp vouched for Ayame and started the story while she discreetly sneaked a few glance out the window. She knew he'd never leave without being seen or having a search-party on the ship. "Ayame and I found him floating in the ocean one afternoon. I told Ayame to save him - but apparently, she can't swim - Well, I mean, she refused to swim-" He squinted his eyes at her.

"He was a marine." She defended herself. "And I just ate that day. It's hazardous to swim after eating - I could've easily drown." She stated in a matter-of-fact voice while taking sneak peeks by the door.

"Yeah, you were eating a box of donuts that you obviously refused to share with me, fatso!" Usopp sneered at the memory and then he composed himself. "Anyway, I jumped in and saved him. We thought he was dead, but after awhile, he shot back to life. And the first person he saw was-"

Nami face-palmed, and answered, "Ayame. And let me guess, he shouted his undying love to her when she didn't even want anything to do with him?"

Usopp looked astounded, and replied, "That's exactly it! Not to mention she kicked him right back into the ocean..."

"It was self defence."

"Yeah? Well, I thought you were trying to save the donuts more than him."

"He was going to make it soggy too."

"Food is the only way to fill your empty soul, ya jerk." They bickered at each other like siblings. One more enthusiastic than the other. "You know, I could've drowned too!"

"Sticks don't drown."

Usopp forced all the air out of his throat as his mandible dropped to the floor. Burn.

"Would you like ice water for that burn?" She smiled, taunting him.

"Pfft... ahah-AHAHAHA!" Nami started, which made the men look at her strangely. Of course, they didn't know whether or not they should join in with her oddly frivolous laughter. Toppling over, she held her stomach and laughed. "That's hilarious! I can imagine her blank face changing into a face of disgust - You two must be really good friends, Usopp! I like her! She's funny!"

The boy scratched the back of his head, glaring at Ayame for a bit. Then he sighed. "She's nonchalant and honest. She's the type of friend who will save you after you mess up even after saying she wouldn't save you. And she saved me plenty of times. Not only that, she's good at finding information. She's like some-sort of ninja. A ninja-friend."

Ayame rolled her eyes at Usopp's childish delusion.

"So that's why you've been dressed up as a boy and wearing that mask." Sanji smiled, crossing his arms. "You're avoiding him."

She nodded.

"All right, I've made my decision! Ayame's-"

"AYAME, MY DARLING!"

A/N:

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