Naruto saw the moment Nami resigned herself to taking all of the consequences onto herself. Her expression shuttered, the former overwhelmingly relieved and accomplished look disappearing into quiet despair. He hurt for her. There was no time to meet up before she made her deal, no time to warn her, just no time. The clones she had would be too revealing under these conditions and he wanted as few tricks of his as possible revealed before the inevitable fights. He still intended to save all the villages Arlong had under his rule and knew that would destroy Nami's plan, but he also knew he hadn't wanted it to come to this kind of place.
A place where the crew Nami joined ended in blows with the pirates before she could secure her victory.
He hoped Usopp, Zoro and Johnny would get here quickly. Before Nami did something stupid. He, Chabo and Nojiko only got back so fast because they weren't needed to secure hostages and look for stragglers. Well, he was securing hostages and looking for stragglers with clones, these fishmen were physically way stronger than their ropes could manage, thank everything for sealing techniques, but that was beside the point. It looked like one straggler was still missing, if he got here to inform Arlong.
Nami extracted herself from among the villagers and stepped in front of them. "What do you need, Arlong."
Her voice was… Naruto didn't know how she could sound so coldly furious and wretched and calm. Nobody dared breathe too loud lest the moment shatter into relentless violence.
To be honest, Naruto was sorely tempted to escalate right now but- but the village. They were all basically hostages. It reminded him of not-so-long-ago when he joined the newly minted Straw Hat Pirates. Except this time the opponents were stronger, faster, and capable of pursuing their hostages even if he got them away from the immediate threat area, and that would leave him unable to protect them. Downside of so many clones was how thin his chakra was spread, and the time it took to replenish wasn't worth it here.
Besides, Cocoyashi had a bigger population compared to Wheat Village. It just- wouldn't work.
He was trying everything he could to convince himself it was a bad idea.
Arlong grinned. It was not a nice smile, not at all. There was no joy in it. Just a shark smelling blood.
"If you're not giving up those who hurt my people, I need maps, Nami. Come back with me and your village stays safe!"
Immediately the village tried to react in protest, Naruto with them. Nami held up a hand, and she took one more step towards the man who exploited her for eight entire years. No way was he letting this happen, but he didn't want to disrupt Nami's authority over her decisions more than necessary.
"How many?"
The grin sharpened more. "The entire East Blue, for starters. Islands, ocean floor and currents, common weather patterns."
Nami's form was stiff as a bowstring as she breathed steadily, heavily controlled. Her head bowed the slightest bit, teeth grinding together. Naruto knew, knew, that it was at least a year more work on her shoulders, and the indefinite amount of time didn't leave her any hope of having the freedom she craved.
"Fine. The East Blue," she agreed. "So long as you and yours don't step near Cocoyashi or harm it in any way for any reason!"
Arlong held out his hand and Nami's expression twisted further.
"It's a deal. Pleasure doing business with you, Nami."
She reached out for the hand that was thrice the size of hers, selling herself to servitude for the safety of everyone else. No. No.
"HOLD IT!"
Two voices, yelling in chorus. One was the scarred dude Nami hugged. The other was… Usopp. He was stationed a ways away near the road that led out of the village towards the shore and forest. He had Zoro and Johnny with him. And the four fishmen that attacked them at the shore, tied up, sore, and unconscious from the fight. Zoro was, impressively, holding them all at swordpoint.
"LET NAMI GO OR WE KEEP THESE ONES!"
Naruto could hug them for the timing! He looked at Nami and-
She had a terrified look on her face. He saw the decisions flashing across her expression, of whether to throw her friends in danger or include them in the village as a whole. The realization she couldn't do either. Just deal with their decisions.
"NO! Let them go! I'll be fine!" she yelled, voice cracking. "Just leave this island and never come back!"
The scarred man, the seeming leader of the village, stepped up and stared her in the eye. "That's where you're mistaken, Nami. You haven't been fine for years, and we're done with letting these fishmen control us. Release my daughter at once, Arlong!"
The Pirate Captain had been silent until now, the unnerving smile turned into a grimace, but the glare he had in his eye was renewed.
"Well now, I was trying to be generous here, but you've forced my hand. Arlong Pirates, aim."
Guns were drawn and loaded at the villagers in an instant. Nojiko covered Chabo with her body but she was one of the closest people to the guns, having rushed forward when Nami was reached for. Gen also had a gun aimed at him. They were aimed at seven people as a whole, but targets could be switched fast. Naruto tensed, ready to summon clones for everyone's defense, but knew from experience that bullets would mostly fly through his clones instead of stopping them. Any move here was risky.
"Now that we both have hostages, I propose a trade," Arlong intoned. "One of my men for one villager. Nami stays."
There were cries of fear and anger. That left three people to be shot at freely. Naruto could confidently save three, he was sure. But the shark had a hand on Nami's shoulder. Right atop her tattoo, as if reaffirming his claim. He hated Arlong.
He hated even more when the fishman gave a signal and a bullet was fired before any of them could react.
Nojiko cried out.
"NO!"
That was Naruto, Nami and the scarred man, and Naruto was already rushing towards the blue haired woman who clutched her shoulder. He crossed fingers and quickly assigned the resulting clones to distract the shooters and get as many out of range as he could. Chaos descended. Fishmen started attacking and Naruto defended and kept an extra close eye out for Nojiko and the scarred man. Usopp tried to shoot some of the guns out of their hands but fishmen were strong.
"Chabo, don't!" Nojiko shouted.
Naruto whipped his head up from amongst the fighting to see the boy charge at Arlong, getting intercepted by a fishman and suddenly Arlong too had a hostage. Two if you counted Nami. The people froze. A scream and yelling to stop from Zoro and Usopp's direction startled everyone.
Fishmen froze too. One of theirs had a sword stabbed through an arm, and Zoro looked ready to cut through the entire thing if the fighting continued.
Over half the villagers had fled and were hiding or running away into the forest, fleeing in too many directions to pursue. Many had a clone with them to help keep people safe. The few who were actively in the village also had protection in the form of clones. That only left Chabo and Nami.
Naruto suppressed a grin to not give anything away.
Arlong chuckled lowly. Like many things with this man, it wasn't a good thing.
"Seems we're at an impasse-" he started, but then Chabo disappeared into smoke in their hands and a clone was in his place.
Nami was still there, under Arlong's hand. Naruto cursed under his breath as a wave of dizziness swamped him for a second. A clone had poofed trying to switch with her… and it felt like trying it with a trained ninja…
Oh. He remembered now. There was a reason kawarimi wasn't widely used against opponents, or people and living things in general. Naruto was an exception with his insane chakra levels and usage of clones for the deed, but even then it was iffy, even with civilians. It was good to know Naruto would probably suffer heavy injury or die if attempting to switch with Nami, or Luffy and Zoro for that matter, but right now he really, really wished it had worked.
At least Arlong wasn't willing to hurt Nami as a hostage even if pushed too far because he needed her.
He hoped. He very much hoped. But Naruto had to take charge. A clone boldly stepped forward.
"Now we're at an impasse," the clone said lightly, hiding danger beneath his tone.
The fishman holding the hostage-swapped-clone squeezed the clone tight in frustrated anger, putting rib-breaking strength into it with a snarl. The clone let out a grunt before poofing. Arlong's killing intent was nothing to scoff at, but Naruto had felt worse. Orochimaru was- he ignored the returning memory, even as he realized killing intent felt fundamentally different here. Not as present. More like an inkling.
"Who… are you, human scum?"
The clone shifted into a more serious stance, glaring. "Uzumaki Naruto. Nami's friend."
Nami's face screamed idiot at him, but Naruto ignored it because he had a plan and he knew with a hundred percent certainty Nami wouldn't like it. Arlong clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed, but also interested. That was good.
"Friend, eh? You've made some interesting friends, Nami," Arlong tightened his grip enough that Nami winced and all the Narutos scowled in sync. "Tell me, Naruto, why I shouldn't raze this village to the ground for what you and your companions have done to my men?"
"Dude, we still have hostages, be careful how you talk," Naruto snarked. "Nevermind that Cocoyashi was against us fighting your crew. This is our fight and ours alone. If you give Nami back safely, we give back your men!"
Teeth were grit, hands in fists and ready to fly. There were only four fishmen and Naruto had a small army, and a Zoro. They didn't need to know two more capable fighters were on the way, or that Zoro was very injured while Naruto's clones would be too busy protecting to fight back properly. Most of Usopp's arsenal would probably be useless against the tough scaly flesh.
"I take it you kill them if I refuse," the fishman scoffed. "If you do, nothing will stop me from taking this village back under control!"
"Not if we kill one at a time!" Zoro called out. "Which one first?"
Arlong's presence spiked in sudden hostility, and Naruto realized the villagers were still very much in danger. He needed to get the pirates focused on him. He could do this! Channel his inner Sasuke and Shika!
The clone relaxed his stance a little. "What he said. But… We might get out of this without killing anyone off. I propose a trade."
Shark teeth clicked together menacingly and Arlong scoffed. Naruto tilted his head down with a grin, bangs shadowing his eyes.
"Does a wooden slab ring any bells?"
The beri dropped for Nami and her eyes widened in horror. Arlong was still, considering.
C'mon, take the bait, fishie!
"You're saying you can procure more of those."
With a flourish, the real Naruto stepped forward and took out a piece of practice paper where he'd figured out the tweaks he'd need to make. He then added a flare of chakra into it and out poofed a big rock he'd tested it on. It was around the same size as Nami's bag of savings.
"Better yet, I make 'em myself!" he smirked. "You bet I can make them do more than merely store things in mint condition! Say, keep hostages from breaking ropes?"
Arlong narrowed his eyes some more, focusing on the actual Naruto now that he'd sort of revealed himself. "And you would give these to me with the hostages in exchange for the village and Nami. What makes you vermin think-"
Naruto pointed straight at Nami. "I'd take her place. A sealing master for a cartographer."
Not that I'm a master yet… probably.
Several gasps and curses popped up around them. Arlong merely stared impassively, for a long moment that sent shivers down his spine, before… bursting into laughter.
"Shahahaha! You may be vermin but you have guts! Fine! For now I'll accept this as enough. Now, call off your doppelgangers and LET MY MEN GO!"
Naruto nodded and ignored Nami shifting in his peripheral vision and turned to the villagers who looked like they'd sucked a lemon, or were about to burst with all the injustice they'd been forced through. He summoned his determination forth and the clones started ushering the ones left further away. Then he started retreating towards Zoro and Usopp. Zoro stoic, Usopp aghast.
"What are you thinking?" Usopp's whisper was more of a hiss, and his voice quivered.
Now that he was closer Naruto saw his knees tremble. The ninja felt a pang of guilt for putting them all in this situation, but he did have a plan. Sort of. Maybe. He went with his gut.
So instead of addressing Usopp right this instant in front of hostages they were returning he crouched down to said hostages and summoned four more clones, one for each hostage. Zoro's eyes were unreadable, but he shifted accordingly as the clones and Naruto started removing leg restraints so the hostages could walk. Good, because Naruto had worried he'd object and insist they take them all on now. He saw the benefits in taking the fight away from other people too.
"You'll pay for this," one mouthy fishman growled, wincing as Zoro's sword cut a little line at the base of his throat.
"Let me make this clear," Zoro said, pressing a teeny tiny bit further. "If you hurt Naruto, we come after you with full strength."
Naruto smirked, feeling warm. The thing was, he believed that. Just as he thought it wouldn't be very needed, since they were going to storm the place anyway. Preferably without villagers in the crossfire. The clones took kunai out and started leading the hostages with the sharp edge pressed against their spines or between their ribs. Zoro started going with them, but the real Naruto held him back for a second.
"I'm gonna play the annoying captive," he said quietly. "Might give them a few seals as demonstration of usefulness. I'll get out if it gets dangerous, but I'm there for intel and as a distraction."
Zoro nodded and went to ensure the hostages walked quietly.
"Naru-"
"I can do this Usopp!" he said, giving him a reassuring grin.
Then he rushed ahead of the hostages, making sure to keep in Arlong's view the entire time. A few clones stepped into the straight line between them and the Arlong Pirates.
"We're coming closer to get Nami. Once we have a hold of her, every clone here dispels, okay?"
"Why you-!" one of the three men with Arlong yelled.
Except he cut off when his captain lifted a hand for silence. Then he let out a 'tsk' and adopted an almost bored tone of voice.
"That's fine. Work quickly, our patience isn't endless."
Nami was unceremoniously shoved forward once more, but she froze there. Shaking. The clones rushed to her side and started pulling her with them. The next moments were tense. The only sounds were footsteps on gravel as the hostage exchange occurred. Finally, Nami was safely by Usopp's side, and Zoro stepped back from the former hostages… and Naruto. After relaying his threat in the most non-threatening tone of voice, but one of the scariest glares Naruto had ever seen.
"Remember. You hurt him, we hurt you, capiche?" and he retreated to stay between the village and the current threat.
Then Naruto released his technique, all of his clones proofing into chakra smoke. He shook off the more disorienting memories quickly.
And he stared up at Arlong. The look in his eyes was pure hatred. Naruto intimately knew what hateful looks were like, and that was definitely it.
The others who had the look had a taste of his pranks, maybe he should up his ante on this one?
"Restrain him," Arlong said.
Yup, get pranked suckers, Naruto thought viciously as he let his hands be manhandled behind his back. Later.
They tied them behind him roughly, a little needlessly rough… or smart, if they were testing if he was a clone.
"Hey, what about us? The brat did something to the ropes!"
"There's a piece of paper at the back, he removed them from the legs."
Swiftly the papers were ripped off and ropes stretched to limits and broke, fishmen shaking out their stiff and bruised limbs. They'd already treated a few nasty cuts so they wouldn't bleed out. One of them, a fishman with a giant lower jaw and loads of teeth, stepped menacingly towards Naruto.
"Mart," Arlong snapped, then placed a giant hand on Naruto's head, who barely kept himself from dashing away. "You, brat. Unless we tell you to, do. Not. Move."
Naruto snorted out a frustrated breath. "Sure. Can we get going?"
He got unceremoniously picked up and thrown over a shoulder, and he almost kicked their teeth in. Shame he didn't, honestly. But he was playing the long con. For now. He couldn't wait to be annoying.
The fishmen talked something or other amongst themselves and Arlong declared something along the lines of 'we kill the kid if you come close to our base' blah blah blah, but Naruto couldn't listen properly because Nami was looking at him and in his position, looking at the village as the fishmen started walking away, he couldn't look elsewhere. She was… Nami looked shattered. Furious and shattered. Mouthed his name, desperately looking at him.
And suddenly he remembered she told him about this kind of scene. A kid making a sacrifice for loved ones. A living hell for eight years straight.
He grit his teeth a little in frustration before grinning brightly at her, trying to tell her without words that he got this.
It's not gonna be like last time, Nami. I won't let it!
xXXx
Nami didn't want to think about everything that had gone wrong in the past twenty minutes.
It felt like so much longer. She could feel herself shaking. With fear, anger, shame or straight up sorrow she didn't care to distinguish, she just knew the kid she'd foolishly allowed to help was now within Arlong's clutches, by his own choice but through her weakness. Was this how Gen had felt? Nojiko? She'd thought of that so many times before, but never before did she sympathize with such intensity.
Someone touched her shoulder, right over the cursed tattoo, and she whirled around to snarl in their face. Only to falter as her eyes met Nojiko's tearful ones.
"I'm sorry this happened," she said, mouth ready to add more but she just shook her head instead and went for a hug.
Nami stayed still. She didn't deserve this closeness after all of this flailing around while their lives were on her shoulders. Her eyes strayed to Chabo who was hovering nearby, seeming conflicted. She knew the feeling.
Naruto you idiot, she cried in her thoughts. I would've been fine!
But she knew that was a lie.
"Those monsters!" someone from Cocoyashi said. "That brave boy saved us!"
Mutterings and cries started up with voices that only just had cheered for their freedom, and Nami felt like an utter failure. She let them down. She let Naruto down, and he'd been trying to warn her.
Wait, did he, were there still clones-?
Her sudden hopes were dashed when her hand found the bottom of her bag empty. No kunai to be found. No Naruto to yell at and apologize to. No nothing. Nami had nothing. Her efforts, her plans, her pain, her tears… they were for nothing.
Nojiko pulled back and wiped her eyes, sparing a look at her before crouching by Chabo to see what he had to say. Nami… couldn't focus. Her ears were ringing. The world had stopped keeping her with it's movements, and she drifted so she wouldn't have to think.
"Oi," a sharp voice cut through the fog, a voice she'd come to know as Zoro being serious. "Get your head in the game, navigator, Naruto can't buy us infinite time."
Nami stilled, turning towards him and actually snarling this time, because she was done, couldn't he see!? It was done. And she failed.
"There's nothing to be done. It's over! We go there, he dies and we die, and then no one can stop them!"
She couldn't bring anyone else down with her, she'd just go over there and offer herself to them, help Naruto escape and accept any punishment because she deserved it. If her 'crew' accepted her pessimism as being done trying to save Naruto then she could do it and none of her friends and family had to die for this-
Zoro stared her down, unimpressed. "We will. Naruto is crafty, he can hold his own."
"You don't know them like I do-!" she stopped as something caught her attention.
Cocoyashi was gathering again. Shouting at each other. Talking about impossible plans. Like Zoro.
"It's never going to stop," an angry yell piped up. "They will remember us, and expand their territory, like it's their mission. We need to do something!"
"You're correct," said Gen, and he'd called her his daughter, hadn't he? "But we can't charge recklessly, that way lies madness and that Naruto kid's swift death."
"They didn't catch our weapon storage, did they?"
Nami's heart lurched as she realized they were serious about taking on Arlong Park.
"No, it's all up and ready."
"How do we get close without detection? Or another hostage situation?"
No no nonono- "Are you out of your minds!?"
Kind, resolute, pitying and grateful eyes looked at her.
"Nami, you know we can't live like this anymore."
"Those who want to run will run, those who wish to fight will fight!"
"Still, the kid being there is a problem."
Nami stepped closer, bringing placating hands up. "Yes, let's not be hasty- I- I think I could find a way to bribe-"
"If it involves trading your skills for him again, no. No, we're done with letting them use you!"
The arguments and ideas for violence and traps flowed between them more and more rapidly and Nami couldn't get a word in. Her inner storm was brewing louder and louder with each dismissed attempt to make them reconsider.
A shadow fell over them.
"-flyyYIING!" Luffy's cheerful voice grew louder and louder.
"WE'RE FALLING!" someone screamed in terror.
Nami looked up and was surprised to see a boat falling down towards the side of the village.
"OUT OF THE WAY!" Zoro barked, and she felt herself get yanked just as other villagers dispersed in panic.
Within moments the boat crashed down and slid through trees that tumbled down like a domino effect, clipping the side of a building and sending out clouds of dust as an almighty crash sound indicated a sudden stop. Nobody dared breathe.
"That was SO COOL!" a boy with a Straw Hat jumped up into the fast clearing cloud with arms up in a cheer.
Typical Luffy, introducing himself to her home and now property by crashing into it. She didn't want to see him. Naruto told her they'd come, but she hadn't wanted to believe it because now everything was more complicated and she… she had to, could, should plan…
I missed him, her heart whispered. I don't want to lose them.
"Sanji," Yosaku wheezed out between coughs. "I'm never trusting your ideas again."
"We got here fast, that was the point."
Their voices were muffled behind the shifting of dirt and trees from their trail of destruction. Luckily none of the buildings were hit badly.
Luffy was still laughing.
"Shishishi! Oh, hey Naruto, what didja say- aww, did he go poof again?"
Nami didn't know whether to laugh or cry as she once again got her hopes up for no results. Of course their clone would be gone now too. That knucklehead, couldn't he have kept the kunai ones here? No one knew about those, they would have been a safe means of communication, and he dismissed it just like that!
"Yo, Luffy!" Zoro called out. "We got a situation."
Dust cleared just as Luffy bounced out of it, with a grin. "Zoro! Did you find- Nami!"
She didn't look at him.
"Nami-swan~! Look, I decided to come with you!"
He shouldn't have, she brought nothing but trouble.
"Yosakuuu, don't die!" Johnny cried from somewhere.
So dumb. They were so dumb. This entire day was a nightmare, and this crew was dumb.
"Why did you follow me?" she ground out.
Luffy's sandals entered her field of vision where she glared downward.
"You're part of my crew," he said simply.
"I said I'd come along until this partnership stopped being useful. It has! Go back and leave me alone."
She risked looking at his face. It was always hard to tell what he was thinking, but this time he clearly was thinking. His mouth opened, and she knew she wouldn't like whatever came out of it.
"But you don't want to leave us."
…Ghhh, she did though, she did! Because if she didn't she would see them all die. Her muscles twitched with a need to do something, mind still thinking of useless plans and the extremely precarious place everyone was in.
Zoro sighed.
"There's no time for this. Naruto purposefully got himself kidnapped by Along Pirates."
Everyone but those present for the exchange boggled at him.
"He WHAT!?" Luffy and Yosaku screeched, the latter jumping up from the smashed up boat while Luffy stopped panicking almost immediately.
"Oh, wait, it's on purpose? Guess that's fine then."
"It's so not!" Johnny moaned.
Sanji looked like he sucked on a lemon. "Tch… that brat is being idiotic…"
"Hey, Naruto is awesome! It was either him or Nami and he gave himself up!" Chabo yelled from where he was hiding behind Nojiko.
The sour look was replaced by something more admiring as he coughed. "As I was saying, he did well enough."
Nami didn't appreciate it. She appreciated exactly none of this lighthearted banter as though nothing was wrong while Arlong was planning. And she was powerless in front of him. Like always. And the village was gearing up for war with him. The storm was boiling over.
"I- I choose to believe in Naruto!" Usopp's falsely confident voice joined the discussion, walking closer. "He can get us the current information and Nami can give more specifics, right Na- grk!"
She'd grabbed the sharpshooter's collar and started shaking him back and forth. "Are. You. Mad? The answer is NO, DON'T KICK THE SLEEPING SHARK!"
A familiar scarred arm pulled her away and she realized she was breathing harshly, and her emotions were even more in turmoil.
"Nami…" Gen said, voice gruff. "Nami, let us fight our own battles for once."
He patted her shoulder and she whipped around to stare at his grim but warm smile.
"You've made great friends. I'm glad."
Then he turned away towards what was quickly becoming a war council and Nami felt like she was being torn in two. She could see them all broken and bloody on the marsh surrounding Arlong Park if they went through with all this. Even going to trade herself for Naruto wouldn't work anymore, they were too- too determined. She was losing ground on any argument. This had to be preventable, it had to, somehow, she needed to be-
…Who was she kidding? There was only one way this would end. It would be war. And they would lose. They knew it and they'd do it anyway, because everyone was tired.
She was so, so tired…
"Marines! The marines have landed!"
"Are they here to help? Finally…"
"Huh, they're going towards the tangerine grove. Weird."
And her exhaustion both multiplied and got shoved so hard to the back of her head she had mental whiplash as she tried to figure out this new angle. What were the marines thinking?
Before she knew it she was running. Nojiko's familiar footfalls followed. It had been a long time since they raced each other in these streets, but Nami was the one who had more practice by now and pulled ahead more. There were others running too but she didn't look back. If they harmed Bellemere's tangerines, if they were here for the reason she feared…
There was a whiskered marine commander, and other marines. With weapons. And some with shovels.
"What do you think you're doing?" she heard herself ask, distant in a worrying way.
The mousey looking short man had a downright slimy look on his face as he turned, a sadistic smile spreading his lips.
"Arlong Pirate Nami, I presume? You're under arrest," he said. "Oh, and your belongings are confiscated."
She… had the sudden urge to laugh uncontrollably. Everything about this situation was so uncontrollable, unhinged, and she had been played the whole time. By her captor. Because that's what captives did. Got played.
Her arm drifted towards her shoulder, nails digging deep into flesh above the mark she hated with every fiber of her being. And suddenly her despair turned into rage. At everything. The marines, for allowing Arlong to reign. At her home for throwing their lives away. At herself for not doing anything to stop it. At Arlong for putting her in this situation in the first place!
"You'll be coming with us," the man said, smug as a punch to the face.
No, she would not.
"No she won't," Luffy stepped in front of her, like with Kuro and his blades. "You have the wrong name too! Nami's a Straw Hat Pirate!"
No, she was-
She couldn't-
She wanted-
"That's obstruction of justice. You wanna get arrested too, boy?"
A puffed out snort. "You can't."
Like it was a fact. The sky is blue, grass is green, weather is predictable, and Luffy would protect her. But she didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve to be used by her. Rage still suffused her being like a hot, humid day, but she couldn't move or say anything as the events unfolded in front of her. The marine, Captain Nezumi, was still talking and people obscured her sight by stepping up front ready to defend her.
Like Naruto had insisted they would. Like he had done.
Enough.
She shoved herself past the crowd of friends and family in front of her, taking out her staff, and whipped it across the marine's face. He fell like a sack of potatoes. Other marines around her tried to shoot her but she had friends and they did defend her. They could defend her from this.
Her tattoo shoulder was bleeding a little from how much she pressed with her nails and she'd have a deep bruise. She didn't think they'd be able to protect her from that.
But she had no choice anymore.
"Luffy," she said and realized her voice was strangled because she was crying. "I tricked you. And you know nothing. Why aren't you leaving me alone?"
A scrunch under sandals.
"I don't care. You're my navigator. My friend. I won't leave my crew behind."
The last of her reservations started crumbling and she hiccupped while trying to force down a sob.
"Then. If you really are my friend… Help me."
He came a step closer. Something was pressed on her head, and she registered straws and the rim of a precious treasure, and her heart thumped as she realized just how much her friendship meant to him. How hard he was willing to fight for her.
Because he really, really would, she realized as he stepped away to the rest of her crew. Next to her family. In front of her village. And he raised his hands and shouted it to the world.
"OF COURSE I WILL!"
xXXx
HA! I got this down within two months, whoo! Didn't do much editing after but that's not rly how I have fun with writing anyway so it'll have to do. Events are a little different but some lines can't be erased that simply. Wow has it been a bit of a rollercoaster writing Nami's pov here. She's hurting so much. Luffy is so difficult to get on paper, did you know? Half the time I've no clue what I'm doing with him and then moments like these happen. Welp.
Thanks for reading!