A/N Regular type- story
Italicized- Thoughts
Prologue - Nami
11:00 am
The island off the horizon was a beautiful, glittering green jewel in a sea of blue. The air as we got closer was heavy with humidity, with a light flora breeze that fluttered through my bright orange hair in sweet relief cooling the light sweat I had already broken out in. It was not too different from the climate of Alabasta. Only instead of the vast, dry deserts of Alabasta, this one had lush foliage and dense, dark green forests. A ways from the coast I could make out a tall mountain and I could not wait to get the geography down on paper, and from what I could see from my spot on the deck of the Going Merry, a bustling port town. From my spot near Merry's masthead, I did a little happy dance as I thought of all the stylish clothes I would buy and all the maps I would get.
As I walk down to where Robin was reading her most recent purchase, a book called Islands of the Grand Line, I begin yelling out orders to the others to move the ship more on course with the island.
"Robin!" I chirped, "I'm going to go shopping when we reach the island; do you want to come!?" I was practically bouncing with excitement. It had been so long since I last had a proper shopping companion, what with Vivi always being so concerned about her kingdom to pay attention to local fashions correctly and with the boys being, well, the boys.
However, Robin looked up at me with her unreadable smile and fathomless blue eyes, raising her hand to block the glaring sun, and slightly shook her head, "No, Miss Navigator. I believe I will stay on board, finish my book, and guard the ship." She raised her book for emphasis and turned back under the shade of her umbrella.
Disappointed, I pouted grumpily and sighed, "Ok. If I see anything I think you might like; I'll pick it up for you."
"That is most generous. Thank you. Before you leave, I have a few things I'd like to share with the crew about this island. From the look of it, it appears to be this one listed rather briefly in my book." She then pointed at a somewhat blurry photo taken from a far-off ship that looked very similar to what the coast and mountain range we were looking at might look like at night. Smiling at her, I nodded and shouted for the others to come over.
We all sat around Robin's sunchair and listened as she briefly explained to us the brief history of the island. Fallnia, she called it. She read aloud from the short passage in her book, "Most of its history is unknown, aside from a brutal war that ended rather abruptly after five days over eleven years ago." Chopper and Sanji asked various questions regarding the island and the fight, the kinds of cuisine the island was known for, and any medicinal plants native to Fallnia, but Robin did not know.
"There isn't a complete written history, and it says here that people are not likely to immigrate in or out. I wonder why." she said thoughtfully, "Not many people have passed through this island since the war. Tourism, the island's leading industry, has all but dried up." A cryptic, thoughtful look crossed her face, but she seemed to internalize it before she returned to reading her book, signaling the end of their discussion on the new island. I looked at her, a little concerned. I wish she felt comfortable sharing her thought with us. After all this time, she's still standoffish.
Still pouting over Robin's refusal to go shopping and pondering her rather hurried and lacking info on the island, I wandered over to where Zoro and Sanji had gone to start docking the ship. A quick survey of the area showed no immediate signs of other pirates and a miraculous lack of marines, actually, no other boats at all. But then Robin did say tourism had a smile and a shrug, I proclaim it safe to leave the ship. With my climatact secured to my thigh and my pack slung over my shoulder, I jumped over Merry's side and landed primly next to Sanji.
His eyes immediately turned to hearts as he leaned toward me, a thick scent of smoke and heavy spice following in his wake, "Oh my sweet Nami-swan~~~! May I have the honor of carrying your pack for you? Ladies shouldn't have the burden of such heavy things on their most delicate shoulders!"
Smiling, I gently passed him my pack, sighing in relief once the weight of my map charting equipment and shopping money were off my shoulders. Hanging it easily over his left shoulder as if it weighed nothing, we walked over to where the rest of our crew had gathered.
"Oi shitty-cook, you can carry my pack too if you're offering," Zoro shouted with a laugh.
"As if dumb Marimo. I only handle the bags of the loveliest ladies. Not thick-headed idiots like you." A vein suddenly throbbed in Zoro's head as he leaned toward Sanji.
"Who you calling an idiot?!"
"You dumb-ass!" Sanji shouted back, leaning, so their heads almost smacked against each other in anger. Their bickering was irritating, so I reached up and grabbed both their ears and dragged them back. "Quit it, you two! We don't need any attention this early in our trip ashore." I released them and was pleased to see them stay silent though Zoro glared a little as he rubbed his sore ear.
Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper followed close behind us. Luffy was already wondering aloud what kinds of meat this place would have while Chopper was trying not to melt from the oppressive heat.
"Meat! Meat! Meat! Sanji, I want meat!" Luffy is far too enthusiastic, already beginning to edge away from the Merry and toward the town. Quickly I knock him in the back of the head as I see him about to start running off.
"Knock it off, you moron! We can't just run off in a billion directions. We need to get supplies for the Merry. Or did you want to set off from here with nothing!"
Rubbing to knot on his head Luffy muttered under his breath. Something about a mean witch.
"What was that?" I asked faux-sweetly with my fist raised halfway between us. "Nothing!" he shouts and runs to the other side of Zoro. Like that would stop me, I think with a small smile. Taking a breath, I rattled off my plan for the trip.
"Ok, so. Sanji, you and I will head to the shopping district so you can load up on supplies. I'm going to shop around for maps of this area. Chopper, you and Usopp check for medical supplies and whatever else you think you might need. Luffy, you and Zoro stay with the ship and help Robin guard it."
Our captain reacted with the sullen outrage of a child,
"But Nami~~~! I want to explore the island!" Luffy crossed his arms and scrunched his face up in his best-disgruntled scowl.
"No, the last thing we need is you and Zoro getting lost and us having to search for you." Holding up my wrist, I showed them the log pose. "The log pose has already started to set. Given how fast, I can only imagine it will be ready in a day, maybe less. I want everything ready to go before that. The Merry needs repairs, so the quicker we get to Water 7, the better!"
They seemed to understand, if barely, and like reprimanded toddlers, Zoro and Luffy started to sulk, Zoro muttering something about how he wouldn't get lost if the buildings didn't move, and Luffy muttering about how he was the captain and shouldn't he make the rules. Ignoring them, I walked ahead to catch up with Sanji chuckling as I went.
The town was lovely. Rows of terracotta houses and storefronts painted in sunny yellows, and earthy reds with dark clay roof shingles dotted each side of the road, each window framed with ivy and overflowing window boxes filled with large sweet-smelling flowers. The path we walked was constructed out of worn cobblestones of varying colors. The grouped colors appeared to show pictures. A story, maybe? The trail meandered through the village. Faded images lost to time. A dozen cart vendors peddling quick snacks and touristy trinkets crowded around the more established stores. And as I looked closely, I noticed that the carts were mostly selling what was already in the stores behind them, just more in-your-face about it. I gasped in joy as we passed a fountain with an extremely detailed carving of a mermaid holding a clamshell high above her head. The clam erupted a shining stream of water that trickled quickly into various swirls and whirls carved around the mermaid's body before coming to rest in the pool beneath her.
Sprinklers interspersed every few yards shot off cooling water every couple of minutes. The spray misted Sanji and me, which was wonderfully refreshing. Given how hot the morning was turning out to be, I could not have been more grateful for the relief. People hustled and bustled on either side of us. Men in elaborate headdresses tried to pawn cheap tourist crap, women and children passing by hurriedly, most likely trying to get their errands done before the day became too hot.
Sanji and I walked on, deeper into the town. Past the cute houses towards the more rugged-looking wooden buildings boasting faded signs and more steady local foot traffic. Sanji said this area would have the best supplies, given it's not mass-produced for an almost dead tourist base. We passed various dress shops on the way, and I could only laugh and blush as Sanji waxed poetic about how I would look in this or that. He was an endless flirt, but I could see that it was slightly hollow. Sanji used his best flirting with strangers. To him, I would always be a friend, closer to family. As such, I knew we could never cross that very stringent line, but it was nice to be on the receiving end of a bit of attention now and then. I linked my arm with Sanji's as we continued to walk on. I enjoyed the happiness that the action brought to his face.
We passed various shops as we walked. I'd already purchased a dozen reams of map paper of a slightly waterproof material that was sure to make longer-lasting maps and a new package of charcoal pencils. I'd also grabbed a new thigh rig for my climatact to hold it more securely. The salesman recommended it be fitted to the weapon, so we decided to stop by a small fish shop for lunch during the hour it took to finish. Sanji complained the breading was too salty and greasy, but I disagreed and ate two servings, knowing it'd be my last chance to savor the deep-fried goodness for a while since Sanji always insisted on serving us only most nutritious food he could find. An hour later after picking up my new rig and marveling at how much easier it was to move in it we moved on to the more secluded part of the town.
I lifted my face to the sun and closed my eyes, enjoying the light breeze that had blissfully started blowing. Opening my eyes, I was once again amazed by the lovely scenery. It was thrilling to see the towering palm trees growing on either side of the path. The whole place reminded me of Alabasta and Vivi. And suddenly I realized how much I missed her. While it was fantastic having Robin on board, we'd yet to form any long-lasting bond as I had with the rest of the crew. Vivi had almost been like a sister, and that wasn't something that one just got over losing or was replaced quickly. Sighing and feeling suddenly morose, I quietly allowed Sanji to pull me into a butcher shop. As Sanji began to haggle over various types of meat, I quickly grew bored. Hoping to catch a peek at any local bookshops for cartography materials or anything one of my crewmates might enjoy, I glanced out the large bay windows, and as I was scanning the names of various shops, I caught a flash of blue in my peripheral.
Turning, I saw the perfect cowboy hat. I knew that Robin would love it. It was a vibrant royal blue with black and silver edging the brim. I walked out of the butcher without even thinking. For some time, I had wanted to find something that would make Robin feel welcome, and what better way than getting her one of her preferred head accessories? Exiting the butchers as Sanji's voice began to rise over what he clearly thought was an unacceptable problem with what the butcher was offering, I quickly walked across the small plaza to the clothing shop. I stood in front of the small window admiring the hat as it sat framed by the vines growing up along the glass. Looking at the left-hand side, I noticed a whole outfit that went with the hat, and I felt ever so pleased with myself as I imagined her reaction to receiving it.
As I walked into the shop, the little bell overhead rang softly. The inside was cramped. Overstocked clothing hung from every shelf, and the floor was almost overflowing with shoes of every size, color, and style. The shop should have been jam-packed given the relatively low prices I saw on the signs on my way; however, it was dead silent inside. I walked toward the cluttered front desk and quickly tapped the small bell near the register.
"Hello! Is anyone here?" I hollered a little louder than I might typically have inside, in case they were way in the back or something. It took a few minutes and shouts before anyone came to the front. The person who walked out, though, was not as I was expecting. She was short in stature, coming no taller than my shoulder. Her hair was a dull brown cut in a no-nonsense style at her shoulders. Her eyes were the same strange dull brown and looked listlessly past my shoulder. Her name tag read 'Jane .' Given how bland her appearance was, the equally dull name fit her perfectly. She did not speak when she saw me — only standing stock-still behind the counter as if awaiting direction.
"Uh.. hi," I said awkwardly, "I want to buy that blue outfit in the window, please. The one with the cowboy hat." She bowed slightly and moved around the counter to grab it and begin packaging my purchase. Watching her walk was unnerving. Her steps were so smooth and gentle that she appeared to be floating, the long dress that flowed in stiff pleats to the floor doing little to break that illusion. I watched her curiously as she wrapped each item into its parcel of brown packaging paper before placing them in an equally brown paper bag. She did not make a sound the entire time. I was almost mesmerized by the time she passed a slip of paper indicating the price of 230 berries. I was dazzled by the low cost. I pulled a small bag of Berries from my shirt and quickly passed her the required amount. I chuckled as I thought of Sanji with my pack back in the butcher. Like I'd keep all my money in one place. A girl needs a little self-indulgence at a moment's notice now and then.
Jane still had not said anything to me. Not even 'Thanks for shopping,' before she turned away and retreated into the dark backroom.
So weird. I thought I wondered why she didn't want to talk to me. Maybe she's mute? Shrugging it off, I began walking back toward where I last saw Sanji.
I was humming Bink's Sake to myself, feeling ever so pleased, as I clutched Robin's present to my chest. I had just started to sing Yohohoho aloud when two men in guard outfits crept up behind me.
Their initial grab surprised me so badly that I didn't notice I had stopped moving forward till I was already hanging over someone's unforgiving shoulder; it pressed painfully into my gut, stuttering my breath. The shock wore off quickly; however, as I drew in air to scream, a wad of fabric was jammed into my mouth and secured behind my head; my arms were wretched behind me and fastened with a rope. I began to struggle in earnest, and one of the men, a tall man with scruffy greying hair and pasty skin, promptly smacked me on the side of my head for my trouble, blood welled as I felt my lip split, and the heat near my eye let me know it'd swell soon.
"Stop struggling slut. You'll be with your new Master soon enough." My captor shouted roughly, his hand swatting my bare thigh painfully.
Master? What the hell has that supposed to mean?! And who the hell are they calling a slut?! I didn't stop struggling, though, no matter how often they cuffed me in the head, and eventually, I was able to smack my captor very hard in the mouth, splitting his lip. He cursed and pulled me a little farther down away from his face.
"This bitch is wriggly. Here, Fredric, you carry her a bit." The man holding me, the stouter of the two and balding, threw me unceremoniously to his companion, who gripped me bridal style, so more of me pressed against his body. I gagged a little as it was clear this man had not showered in quite some time. In the shuffle, my gag came loose. I tried again to scream. To let anyone know what was happening. But my kidnapper, Fredric apparently, quickly tightened his grip to the point of suffocation and began to run. As he ran with me, I glanced at the shop in time to see Jane, the shop girl, I pleaded with her to help me with my tear-filled eyes, but she only turned her head away and quickly snapped the blinds in her window closed.
Tears finally began falling from my eyes as we began to round a corner, panic seeping further into my bones. Before we were out of sight, I saw Sanji walk out of the butcher shop with a significant parcel on his shoulder. He turned sharply toward our direction, and for a second, I thought he might have seen me. But it was only my dropped packages that had caught his eye. The last thing I saw was him bending down to grab it. Then one of the men hit me again, and I lost consciousness.