hello again. the title comes from the Japanese proverb "tsuki ni muragumo, hana ni arashi". it pretty much means there's always misfortune even in the best of moments. seemed fitting for a show about pirates.

this is also being posted on ao3 now. thanks for reading.

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Heed the Warning

"Luffy! We don't have time for this. We need to be going soon."

"But I'm hungry!"

"There's extra food on the ship. Sanji made sure of that."

"But there's food here now. And they say it's free."

Nami did everything in her power to not bury her head in her hands. When it comes to Luffy and food, it's best not to argue. He darted from stall to stall like an excited puppy meeting new people but grumbled away at each one when the food wasn't ready. Every day Nami was on the ship, she still questioned why she was traveling with him. But every day, she was reminded why. Her life was far better despite it being headache-inducing at times. She smiled to herself and shook her head.

"Do you need help with something?"

"Oh no I was...just…"

Nami's voice trailed off when she turned and saw who was speaking to her. A scream leapt from her throat as she quickly hid behind a stack of a few crates, knocking some of the smaller ones to the ground.

Just in front of her was that woman from the cage. She wasn't wearing rags. Instead, she had a plain pair of loose capri pants, a sleeveless shirt and was barefoot. Water dripped from her hair and there were no strange markings on her skin. She appeared so normal. Was it the same woman?

"I didn't mean to scare you." The woman spoke in a clement tone like a warm summer day.

Despite the kind expression she had on her face, Nami felt like she was being stared down by a beast. She couldn't move. If she did, that woman might pounce. Her mind kept telling her she wasn't an enemy yet Nami wasn't quite sure why.

"Y-You're not...you're not going to change. A-Are you?" Nami asked with a slight quiver in her voice. "I mean...f-from the curse."

"Oh no, it's just a wolf Devil Fruit. Not a curse at all."

Nami wasn't so sure she believed that. The final performance she was a part of was very convincing. The more she studied the strange woman, the more she noticed some things. Her canines were elongated and her messy damp hair was reminiscent of fluffy wolf's fur. She stood almost as tall as Zoro with a presence much more like an animal rather than a human. To say Nami was scared and intimidated under the gaze of the person before her was an understatement. Was it really just a Devil Fruit? The woman seemed to sense Nami's unease so she smiled lightly.

"The ringleader is nothing but a conman with a silver tongue," she told the frightened Nami. "He knows how to spin his words pretty well. Everything is just one big act."

"So...you really aren't cursed?"

"Well, some say having a Devil Fruit is a curse. But not in the sense the ringleader was talking about."

That eased Nami a little bit, only a little bit yet she took a few steps away from the crates. "Everything is just an act?"

The woman nodded. "He takes advantage of those who have never traveled from their homes. It's easy for him to deceive them."

"Tell me about it," Nami muttered as her gaze turned to her captain. He was hopping up and down while waiting for food to be finished. The same could be said about Usopp and Chopper. Sanji was only convinced if the lie involved women. Zoro couldn't care less. Robin was the more difficult one to discern, but Nami highly doubted she believed anything that happened in the circus. The navigator unfortunately will admit she believed some of the more convincing nonsense at first. She felt a little foolish knowing the truth now.

"You guys should probably leave as soon as you can."

The sudden statement caused Nami to turn to ask what she meant, but when she met the teal gaze of the woman she noticed her gentle smile had vanished. Her expression was more serious which made Nami grow uneasy. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"What do...what do you mean?"

"Someone alerted the authorities of the ringleader's illicit activities. People don't like to be lied to and some decided to look into his past," she explained. Her face softened and the smile returned. "I don't think it would be a good idea for you to stick around when they arrive."

"Seriously? I guess we-" The navigator paused. Did the woman know who Nami was? "Wait, why the warning?"

The redhead cocked her head to the side a little. "You're pirates. It would be a shame for you're crew's adventures to be cut short."

Nami wasn't sure what to say. Even though the woman's expression was still kind, there was a bit of coldness in her tone. She quickly glanced over at Luffy who had moved to a different stall selling meat skewers.

"Maybe not eat too much food either. It's not very good."

Without questioning, Nami rushed over to her captain and grabbed him by the shirt collar to drag him away. The redhead's tone and warnings had raised her uneasiness sky-high. She ignored Luffy's complaining as she marched to the Going Merry. She only stopped when she reached the pier where their ship was docked.

"What's the deal Nami?" Luffy whined, munching on another skewer.

"Stop eating that!" she shouted as she slapped the skewer from his hand, ignoring his childish complaints. "We're leaving now so help me find the others."

"But there's...sho mush...moooore."

"Lu-Luffy?"

He wobbled in his spot and his eyes began to droop. Nami held him up the best she could, but his body went limp and she struggled to hold his dead weight. She called out his name several times, each time more urgent than the last. Her gaze darted toward the skewer as the cinnamon-haired woman's voice echoed in her mind.

It happened too fast. Someone had suddenly grabbed her from behind, and quickly covered her mouth with a cloth before she could scream. There was a bitter powder of sorts that she unwillingly inhaled. She struggled against her attacker, trying to break free. The more she did so, the heavier her body became. She could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears. The person holding her finally let go and she crumbled to the wooden dock.

The last thing Nami saw was Luffy passed out and tied up, surrounded by several hazy figures then her version went black.

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The cinnamon-haired woman stared in the direction the two had left in with her brows furrowed. She had to follow the plan as much as she hated it. Yet once everything was said and done, she'll be free of this mess.

"I see you've met some of our targets."

She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. The vile scent of cigar smoke, crappy perfume prostitutes wear, and stale alcohol assailed her nose. She grimaced. "You're biting off more than you can chew this time. With the pirates included, that's twelve people you want to take."

"I can count, you mutt," he spat, his calm mask dropping for a moment. He cleared his throat. "We're continuing with the plan. Make sure you're ready."

He glowered down at her before leaving with a scoff. Just a little bit longer and she'll be free. She looked back toward where the two had left, but she couldn't find them in the thinning crowds. Hopefully, they'll heed her words.

Shoving her wandering thoughts into a dusty corner of her mind, she made for her tent. It'll be easy for her to pack since she only carries a single large backpack for her belongings. She curtly nodded to some of the workers who congratulated her for a job well done as she weaved through them dismantling like she was a bird flying with the wind. Her steps had a little more meaning on this night.

When she reached her tent, she immediately gathered her things and shoved them into her bag. A couple extra sets of clothes including a pair of flats, a few journals, and a small wooden box with several vials of different poisons and their antidotes.

Her hand hovered over her leather-bound blade when she heard rustling just outside her tent. A familiar scent came and went. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing a folded piece of paper. She crouched to pick it up and her eyes narrowed in worry.

I need to speak with you. -Uya

Uya was one of the others who came along with her. She placed the note in her bag and peered outside. Workers were too busy to notice or care as she slipped from her tent and headed to the meeting place. When she and her friends arrived on the island, they agreed on a secluded spot to speak with one another if they believed something was wrong.

She followed the pastel flower-lined dirt path that led away from the circus and toward the town, keeping her head down. She veered to the right, just before entering the settlement, and hiked up through the slowly rising earth.

Uya was standing underneath a willow tree up on a hill close to a mansion's fence that belonged to one of the island's noblemen. She brushed some of the droopy branches aside and joined the other woman. The hill overlooked the harbor, close to where the trope had set up. The remaining lanterns flickered below, illuminating the skeletal remains of the circus. Many people were returning to town, tired from the festivities.

"I don't like this," Uya finally spoke, her voice harsh. "It's been months since we've been here and this is the first time the ringleader is trying to take more than his usual. There's only six of us to stop him and his followers."

She didn't reply right away, taking a few moments to enjoy the calm breeze. A sigh passed her lips before she talked. "I know. But if we don't stop these scumbags, more people are going to suffer. This is the biggest takedown we've had in a while and it's going to piss off some big names in the Underworld. We should lay low after this."

"Understood. Do you have a place to go to?"

"Not yet." Her gaze wandered over the harbor, spotting a little ship with a sheep figurehead. "But I'll figure something out."

"Big Sis..."

She looked over at Uya as she trailed off, her face downcast. Even though she was younger than most of her colleagues, she was always referred to as "Big Sis". That's what she gets for being one of the most trusted members. She placed a gentle hand on Uya's shoulder and gave her a kind smile.

"Try not to worry too much. Keep in mind all the people we've saved since we joined this stupid circus. And now we have our final orders to kill the ringleader. So let's finish this job and scatter."

Even with the reassurance, she couldn't help but notice Uya still looked perturbed. She pulled her into a hug and her eyes darkened. This job wasn't for the faint of heart. There had been close calls and times when they were too late. She stepped away from Uya and held her face between her hands.

"Leave the ringleader and his goons to me. You and the others worry about getting those he captured to safety. The pirate crew especially. As much as I hate to let the fucker poison his targets, we can't let him catch wind of us or he'll kill everyone."

"I know, but-"

She gently squished her cheeks between her palms. "This is the last time we'll have to deal with him. So put your trust in me to kill the bastard."

Uya nodded, looking less worried. "I do trust you, Big Sis. We all do."

"Then let's finish this job and take a long vacation. You guys deserve it." She let Uya go. "You go and tell the others to be ready. The hunt is about to start."

With a more confident look, Uya nodded and headed off back toward the circus grounds. The cinnamon-haired woman stayed under the willow tree for a while. She stared up at the bright, silver moon outshining the stars through the swaying branches.

She knew it was a lot to ask of her friends. They've been here for several months with little to no contact with their superiors. Admittedly, she was surprised none of her five followers ran off. But then again, they were all like her. Indebted to the syndicate that saved them. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath.

The air smelled like the sea and sweet grass. There was chittering from the night bugs and rustling of leaves, a perfect melody to accompany the steady waves of the sea. The summer night was cool and refreshing.

It was the perfect time to hunt for rotten blood.

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and yes i know, an OC with wolf powers...so original. but it has importance to the story i swear. she does have a name. you'll find out soon!