Two is Company
Luffy, in an act of desperation, manages to save Nami from being separated on Sabaody; and now joins him on Amazon Lily and beyond. Impel Down, Marineford; none are ready for this company of two.
This story is a Redux of the work Search the Wind by Shadowonthewall6. Link can be found in the post-script.
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. I also don't own Jujutsu Kaisen (not relevant to this chapter, just wanting to absolve myself of the ending's crimes)
Chapter Six: Bad Habit Sharing
"EXECUTE!"
The word filled Luffy's ears completely as he stood in the arena's centre with Nami, the chant of death reverberating from the stands like a drumbeat. The two Snake Sisters towered above the two Straw Hats, their snake forms clearly threatening, despite Luffy not being personally intimidated. Sandersonia and Marigold were laughing to the point it almost drowned out the noise of the crowd, just waiting for the two prisoners to make the first move.
"Do you think I should swallow them whole?" Sandersonia suggested, her tongue hissing through her maw, while Marigold merely shook her head disapprovingly.
"As if you could believe I would leave much to eat after I strangle them to death!" The orange-haired serpent smirked at the sight of Luffy remaining still, interpreting his stance as a sign of fear—until Luffy began to speak.
"Hey, can we wait a second?" His request was casual, as if he were asking to borrow a pen. The two Snake Sisters, of course, misinterpreted his request.
"You can't beg your way out of this, you fool!" Her jeer emerged alongside a chuckle, a cruel tone that reflected her absolute intent to kill on behalf of her sister. If nothing else, Luffy could at least respect that her desire to kill him was her own, and not something she was being forced to do. Still, the rubber-man had more important priorities.
"It's not that!" Luffy tried to explain, turning around to walk towards the two statues as the eyes of the two snakes widened. "I just want to get these two out of the way first." Marigold fumed in response.
"How dare…" Her voice was subdued at first before it emerged as a yell. The Kuja sister grasped her spear in rage with a flourish, "HOW DARE YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON ME!"
The giant King Cobra swung the mighty blade towards Luffy's retreating neck, only for the weapon's metal to be blocked and struck by a crackling ball of electricity. "Thunder Ball!" Electricity discharged through the spear until it reached Marigold's left arm to ground itself, halting her attack as she recoiled in pain with a scream. Sandersonia's tail whipped out instantly, catching her sister before she could hit the floor. Golden eyes peered in rage at the orange-haired navigator, who twirled her Clima-Tact with a smirk.
"You girls better stay out of this!" Nami stuck out her tongue and pulled down her left eyelid as Luffy approached the two stone statues. The glares she received from the Snake Sisters did nothing but fuel Nami, widening her smirk in mockery.
"Fool!" Sandersonia spat, mocking the navigator's confidence. "You honestly believe that you can defeat us?"
"Ya got that right!" Nami clicked her fingers in a gesture towards the green-haired sister, her face brimming with cheeky confidence. The navigator, mostly distracting them so Luffy could relocate the two statues, turned around, relieved to see that her captain had placed them quickly but gently on one of the lower levels. The two were placed in a standing position, and the Straw Hat Captain looked at them with subdued contemplation for a moment.
"I'll fix this, you two. I promise…" And with that, Luffy jumped atop the platform to reach the primary arena once again, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Right, now they're safe, I can focus on kicking your asses!"
His statement did nothing but incense the crowd, who, after a brief moment of stunned silence, burst into hysterical laughter, their amusement palpable. Nami couldn't help but frown at the sound, noticing the same laughter coming from the two Snake Sisters as well. These Kuja women were painfully arrogant, and that was going to come back to bite them. Kikyou had been arrogant, and she had learnt her lesson.
Once again, Nami twirled her Clima-Tact with a determined expression as she thought of the Kuja warrior who had stood up for her. No matter what, Nami was going to see both her and Margaret cured. Luffy, on the other hand, was confused by the laughter his statement had elicited.
"I… I can do that right?" His question was innocent in a reflection of his genuine confusion, and Marigold's laughter was further incensed.
"Of course you can…" Her bellow echoed to the far ends of the arena, causing the crowd to cheer once she had finished speaking. "IF YOU HAVEN'T LOST THE WILL TO LIVE!"
Luffy just fished for bogeys in his nose, shrugging, as he didn't really give Marigold's bluster the time of day. "Nah, I won't die yet. I've still gotta find the One Piece." This merely elicited louder laughter from the two sisters.
"You? Finding the One Piece?" Sandersonia giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "Wow, men really are funny, aren't they?"
Before Nami could fire back a response to their words, feeling moderately incensed on behalf of her captain, Luffy was already shouting. "Shut up! I am gonna beat you guys. I am gonna get Nami and me out of here… and then, I AM gonna be King of the Pirates!"
Whether they interpreted it as bravery or stupidity, the two sisters were momentarily stunned, staring at the man's resolve with partially widened eyes before they regained their composure, likely sensing the crowd's restlessness.
"Well then, "Pirate King", I warn you and your friend. You two better not end this execution early by falling into the spikes below!" Marigold's announcement was merely met with bored, disinterested nods from the two Straw Hats; and from high above on her throne, Boa Hancock finally reached the point of boredom. And that would not do.
"MARIGOLD!" Her voice echoed from behind the two serpents, forcing them to stand at attention instinctively. "I GROW IMPATIENT! KILL THEM ALREADY!"
Marigold grinned widely, shaking her shoulder for a moment to limber up before gripping her polearm with renewed tightness. "It will be done, Sister!"
Hancock, satisfied with the response, leaned further back into her snake chair. Oh, she was going to enjoy this. Marigold spun her spear, causing a brief billowing wind to form before striking the ground hard where Luffy stood. The Straw Hat Captain leapt away from the blow, landing swiftly back on the arena floor like a spring. Marigold spun her spear once again to deliver five consecutive slicing blows in Luffy's direction, who rolled, leapt, and crouched to avoid each one in what almost looked like a dance.
"TAKE THAT, AND THAT, AND THIS!" Marigold's yell between each of her strikes was futile, as Luffy dodged each stroke of her blade, though not exactly easily. For one of the blade's strikes, he narrowly missed the polearm, some strands of hair falling to the ground as the captain narrowed his eyes at the sight. The final strike of Marigold's blade was avoided with a leap into the air, Luffy vaulting over the Snake Sister's head in a simple acrobatic movement.
Marigold turned to keep an eye on him, gripping her polearm tighter as she realised the prisoner wasn't entirely incompetent. 'Not bad, little man…'
Meanwhile, Sandersonia had also begun her attack on Nami. The large serpent brought her fist down onto the navigator, who quickly rolled out of the way. The ground shook lightly from the force, and Nami balked for a moment before steeling her resolve. From what she could tell, the sisters were tough—unnaturally so, given they were Devil Fruit users. She would need to come up with something far more powerful than usual if she was going to help take them down.
But in the meantime, she needed a way to defend herself. She thought back to when she had deflected Eneru's attack, but that had been lightning. Could she replicate that for a physical attack? Nami tugged at her collar briefly, the humid air of Amazon Lily doing her no favours in helping her think.
Nami wouldn't know unless she tried, as Sandersonia looked at the sparking Clima-Tact with a mocking expression. "You think you can defend yourself with such a pathetic spark?"
Nami smirked. "I don't know, let's find out!" With that, she twirled her Clima-Tact in a fluid and graceful arc. Thunder Balls erupted from the staff's end, leaving streaks of light in their wake as Nami grabbed the other two parts of the staff tightly in her other hand. The air shimmered with heat as the navigator released several Heat Balls around her person, warming the rising currents that collided with the Cool Balls she released in a similar fashion.
The two currents of air collided, the Cyclone Tempo forming around her like a cage and whipping the air into a whirlwind, her orange hair dancing in the force of the wind. The tension from the electric particles of her Thunder Balls swirling around her faster and faster set her skin alight, given how attuned she was to the weather. The mist around her ionised, tiny sparks flickering in and out of existence.
Sandersonia recklessly launched another attack since Nami was no longer moving, her fist careening through the air as Nami thrust the final part of her Clima-Tact forward, driving the Thunder Balls into the swirling winds. The lightning within surged, crackling against the ground and air like a living creature as Sandersonia slammed her fist into the storm Nami had created around herself.
"THUNDER CAGE!" The serpent screamed as the electrical winds burned and cut into her arm, the force of the cyclone throwing her arm and body backwards. She hadn't predicted the attack any more than Nami, who hadn't known what would happen when she struck it. The storm dissipated, Sandersonia's screams of pain echoing as the crowd watched in awe.
Nami smiled as she tried to calm the painful tingling in her skin from her close proximity to the storm, having practically cast herself into a thundercloud. Nami threw one of the Clima-Tact's pieces above her head, and as it returned, she slammed the other two pieces on either side, reassembling the weapon into its staff form.
Sandersonia, though taken aback by the attack, seemed mostly fine, if slightly in pain, and Nami knew she needed something far more powerful. Sandersonia would be more cautious now, which should buy her time for something else. Once again, the humid air blistered against Nami's skin, and for a moment, she almost missed what was a brilliant thought.
Ah, now that was an idea.
Luffy flew behind Marigold, who turned around to face him before pursing her lips and launching a strange purple spit toward the soaring captain. A rubbery hand shot down toward the railing, pulling Luffy out of the way just in time, as the substance had nearly struck his head.
"Poison?" Luffy muttered in annoyance, recalling Crocodile's poison and how much of a pain it had been to deal with. "I better be more careful…"
Marigold merely smirked in confidence, ignoring what was going on with Sandersonia and the girl as she focused on the man. "One of the deadliest poisons in the world. Oh well, too bad for you."
Another blob of poisonous spit flew towards Luffy, forcing the captain to dodge once again, leaping backwards as he twisted around the purple substance. Luffy growled, growing annoyed at being forced to constantly dodge. "Man, you're lame. Can't you do anything else?"
With that, Luffy dodged another blob, strafing to avoid it as he flipped onto his hands, his feet clapping together as they shot right at Marigold. The snake simply held up her palm to block, smirking as the attack careened towards her.
"GUM GUM SPEAR!"
The attack bounced off Marigold's palm as Luffy balked, his eyes widening in shock as he was blasted backwards, ricocheting from the force. Marigold's tail lashed out, slamming Luffy into the ground as he flew backwards, the rubber man coming to a stop against the railing as he clutched his stomach.
"Ow…" His groan was audible to the audience, who laughed at the sight. "That hurt… hang on, that hurt? But… I'm made of rubber! That shouldn't have hurt!"
Before all that, Nami prepared one of her more powerful strikes, positioning the thunder cloud as she rolled out of the way of Sandersonia's fist. As she came to a stop, Nami stood upright, smirking as a fist flew in her direction.
This time, with deft hands and greater understanding, Nami formed her defensive technique once again. "Thunder Cage!"
Nami's confident smile quickly vanished as Sandersonia's tail breached the cage and smacked her right in the face, drawing blood as Nami flew backwards, the winds breaking apart upon Sandersonia's attack striking her jaw. Blood poured from her lips, but Nami didn't have time to question how the hell that had happened. She twisted the Clima-Tact as planned now that the Snake Sister was exposed.
"A lightning strike from my left…"
The cloud she had left sparked, and Nami smiled, not processing what Sandersonia had said until it was too late. "Now, Thunder Lance Tempo!"
Sandersonia dodged with her eyes closed, while the navigator processed what had occurred, her eyes as wide as dinner plates. Nami glanced toward Luffy and saw him rolling on the ground, whining in pain from Marigold's blunt attack.
'What the hell is going on? That shouldn't have hurt Luffy. And to break through my Thunder Cage… Plus, the way she dodged my Thunder Lance Tempo like that… it's familiar…'
Nami was lost in thought, briefly losing track of Sandersonia.
'Just what kind of powers do these two possess?'
A shadow loomed over her, and Nami's eyes widened as she moved her Clima-Tact in response. But perhaps she was too late.
"Goodbye…" With that, Sandersonia's fist crashed down onto the navigator.
On the other side of the arena, Marigold struck down with her polearm once again. Luffy rolled out of the way before jumping upwards, soaring high into the sky as he tried to figure out what had just happened to him. "Did I lose my rubber powers or something?"
He pulled his cheeks to check, and lo and behold, they stretched under the force. Luffy mumbled in confusion. "Guess not. Then, why do their attacks hurt me?" Shrugging, Luffy prepared himself for the next round of fighting until a tail lashed out at him from behind, wrapping around him and holding him in place.
"Come on Mari, I want to play with the man too. The girl over there ran out of tricks…" Sandersonia's hiss rang in Luffy's ears as he struggled, his eyes turning toward the sight of Nami's body lying on the ground in a crumpled heap. His eyes widened in horror.
She… wasn't moving.
Enraged, Luffy pushed against Sandersonia's tail with more force, and though he freed himself somewhat, he was still trapped. "NAMI!"
No response.
"NAMI, GET UP!"
Luffy now turned his rage to Sandersonia, given Nami's body was still lying there unmoving. He had freed his arms, even though his legs were still trapped, and his fists clenched in fury. "GUM GUM GATLING!"
The multitude of fists blasted in Sandersonia's direction as the woman smirked and squeezed her tail even tighter around his legs. Luffy's arms fell short of their target as the rubber-man let out an ear-splitting scream, a sound that made some members of the crowd recoil as it combined with the rumbling from above the arena.
"IT HURTS! WHY DOES IT HURT?" Luffy continued to scream, confused and in pain. This feeling… it felt so familiar. But where?
Ashigara Dokkoi Shove!
"Th-at axe guy!" Luffy barely choked out, remembering the events at Sabaody. "The one fr-om the Ar-chi-pel-ago, he was li-ke th-at too. It's n-ot a de-vi-l fru-it?"
Another yell emerged from his lips as the air whirled around the arena, Sandersonia squeezing her tail tighter. Luffy felt a weariness that hadn't been present before, his mind growing unfocused from the pain. He felt like his legs were going to snap any second.
The sight of Nami on the floor snapped him out of his pain.
Take good care of her, boy!
"I… pr-om-is-ed." His struggle slowly twisted back into rage as he glared at Sandersonia, who lowered her tail so the rubber-man could look her in the eye. "You h-urt Na-mi?"
Sandersonia scoffed. "She was an easy kill." Her taunt caused Luffy's eyes to narrow into pinpricks as his teeth slammed together in anger. "It was disappointing as well. I thought she displayed Haki earlier, that she was the bigger threat. But it turns out she was pathetic, just like you. Few can master the power, and it seems neither of you are among that few. That is why you are weak!"
Luffy panted. The air around him… it was so hot. Why was it so hot? The extremely moist air was nearly unbearable, and Luffy had to shake his head to clear it.
"Left fist…"
Sandersonia's murmur preceded Luffy's punch toward her head, the captain's eyes widening in surprise as the snake pre-emptively dodged. "She.. predicted my attack?"
Luffy was lifted further into the air by Sandersonia's tail before her words cut through the unbearably hot, moist air. "Snake Drop"
The tail plummeted downward, smashing Luffy into the floor with a horrendously loud crash. The stadium erupted into cheers when the dust cleared, and Luffy could be seen lying in a crater on the floor, bruised and broken. But the man staggered to his feet, briefly tipping to one side before righting himself.
No matter how bad he felt, it was good to be out of Sandersonia's grasp. The sight of Nami on the ground steeled his resolve as his foot slammed into the ground, propelling him toward his navigator in a sprint. However, he was quickly intercepted by the familiar, large green serpent.
"Not so fast!" Sandersonia sing-songed, and Luffy scowled in return as his hands curled into fists.
"Out of my way!" Luffy's command tore through the air, and upon noticing that she did not, in fact, move, the rubber man leapt into the air. "NOW, GUM GUM GATLING!"
His roar accompanied his barrage of fists, which flew through the hot, steam-filled air toward Sandersonia, who simply chuckled in response. "Snake Dance."
Her calm words mirrored her movements, which flowed like a dance, weaving her between each strike from his Gatling. The snake mocked and jeered, amused by the man's efforts. "You're far too easy to read. I've already grasped your movements."
It reached the point where the snake placed her arms behind her head, eliciting a seething anger from the Straw Hat Captain as he attacked with renewed vigour.
"Better be careful…" The voice hissed from behind him, and Luffy's eyes widened far too late. Marigold's tail impacted his stomach with a sickening crunch. "SNAKE STICK!"
Luffy rolled backwards on the ground, disoriented and dizzy from the ordeal. Opening his eyes with a groan, he spied Margaret and Kikyou below him, the rubber-man likely to collide with them.
"Shit." His curse was soft but determined as he kicked off the wall, avoiding damaging his two new friends. A smile graced his face, though not for long, as two tails raced toward him in perfect unison.
"TWIN SNAKE TAIL SLAM!" Their chorus was all Luffy heard before the pain of their impact took over his thoughts. Closing his eyes, Luffy attempted to gasp for air but found the unbearable, worsening heat made it hard to breathe. This pain… it was like nothing he had ever felt. Nami and Garp had struck him before for stupidity and training, and while those punches hurt, they didn't hurt like the strikes of the Snake Sisters.
Luffy slowly fell toward the spikes the strike had sent him flying into, willing his body to move as he refused to give up. But his body struggled to respond as the spikes drew closer.
"AND NOW! CATATUMBO STRIKE!"
The sound of Nami's voice was quickly drowned out by the loudest and most horrific thunderclap Luffy had ever heard, perhaps only surpassed by the strike he'd heard in Loguetown. But hearing Nami's voice, even briefly, was enough for his body to kick into action.
Luffy's arms stretched toward the railing, and he pulled himself back to the arena to see exactly what was going on. The cloud above was awesomely horrifying in Luffy's opinion, with a red tint that shot forth endless bolts of lightning in a continuous pattern. One or two bolts struck him, but he didn't even notice, simply staring at the beautiful light show before him with wide, awed eyes.
The Snake Sisters, caught in the centre, screamed as they were barraged by endless bolts of lightning. It wasn't just one strike; it was a continuous stream that wouldn't end, tearing through their bodies in a manner they had never experienced before. Even their Haki was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of strikes. The crowd, of course, was terrified, most of them never having seen anything like that before. The static electricity in the air and their worry for the Snake Sisters understandably made most of them scream.
Alas, the attack eventually died down, leaving the two Snake Sisters at the centre of the now-blackened area, charred and sparking with latent electricity. Nami appeared from her invisible state, but Luffy…
It was almost as if he had known she was there, leaning on the railing next to him. The captain turned to her with a massive smile as Marigold and Sandersonia fell to lean on their hands, Hancock shouting words that neither bothered to hear.
"NAMI!" Luffy's beam accompanied his vaulting over the railing as he wrapped his arms around his navigator and pressed her into his chest. "I thought that snake woman hurt you for sure!"
Nami blushed slightly at the embrace, though she couldn't begin to comprehend why. Regardless, she offered a grin in return. "Come on, Luffy, did you forget that I can make mirages?"
Luffy tilted his head, pouting as he tried to come up with an excuse. "No… I just… didn't remember."
Nami laughed as he released her before patting him on the head fondly. "Yeah, that's called forgetting, numbskull!"
"Meanie!"
"But it doesn't matter. We're together now, and that's how we'll stand a better chance. My Catatumbo Strike is great for a new move, maybe my best one yet, but there wasn't enough moisture in the air to sustain it as long as I wanted, and it takes way too long to set up. We'll need a different strategy."
Hancock, meanwhile, stared at the two, enraged. That attack—she had never seen anything like it. A storm, in the Calm Belt… and localised to the arena, no less? That girl, she didn't know what kind of power she had, but she had underestimated her. Even without Haki, she could dish out dangerous attacks, given that Marigold and Sandersonia were still struggling to get upright.
The Snake Princess had no doubts the two would recover; her sisters were tough, and Zoan Devil Fruits enhanced one's durability and recovery. She wasn't worried. One attack that couldn't be accomplished again was of no concern to her or her sisters. Slipping into a state of greater confidence, Hancock felt the need to rebuke their chatter. "Impossible."
The two pirates turned to see her smiling from her high pedestal, her sapphire eyes twinkling with amusement. "You two are all talk. A man with a Paramecia and a witch with a magic staff. How amusing I find your confidence."
What she didn't expect, however, was Luffy's angry response.
"YOU'RE THE WITCH HERE!" His bellow practically made her collapse against Salome, as the woman once again gasped in disbelief. Hancock could practically hear the man's teeth grinding from where she sat, and her subjects responded in outrage.
"HE INSULTED THE PRINCESS AGAIN!"
"UNFORGIVEABLE!"
"SILENCE HIM MARIGOLD!"
"KILL HIM SANDERSONIA!"
Only three Kuja remained silent: one was Elder Nyon, and the other two were Sweet Pea and Aphelandra. All three watched as Luffy endlessly rebuked the Snake Princess and protected Margaret and Kikyou despite their stone states. The two City Defenders, in particular, quivered with emotion, a newfound feeling of gratitude toward Luffy and Nami growing in their hearts. Kikyou and Margaret were all the two had, and they weren't ready to say goodbye.
Hancock did not share such sentiments.
"SONIA! MARI! END THIS MAN'S LIFE ALREADY!" Her thundering roar showcased the strength of her anger, the two Snake Sisters having recovered, though they still seemed somewhat shaken.
"SO, I DON'T HAVE TO HEAR…"
Luffy and Nami glared at the Warlord.
"HIS FILTHY TALK AGAIN!"
The crowd roared in agreement, cries for blood pouring from their lips. Sandersonia looked at Nami with an intrigued yet mocking expression.
"It seems you can't pull off that attack again. It was our mistake in letting our guard down, but rest assured, it won't happen again. We were going to have fun with you, but after that, we'll gladly expedite our sister's orders…"
"Playtime is over..." Marigold announced, gripping her polearm tighter as Sandersonia flicked her head in agreement. They had underestimated the woman and paid the price. It was time to take her out of the equation before she did something else unexpected.
Sandersonia's tail slithered over the edge of the arena, wrapping around an object. With a simple movement, Margaret's stone form was pulled toward Sandersonia.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Luffy yelled in anger as Margaret was shaken like a rattle at the end of a tail.
Nami had quick, similar protests, her voice rising several octaves in panic. "Put her down!"
"She saved my life! Put her down, now!" The Straw Hat Captain didn't understand why the two were doing this. Margaret had nothing to do with their fight, after all.
The green-haired Snake Sister turned to Luffy with a grin, tossing Margaret up once before catching her. "Then, I'll break her!"
"If she saved your life, she's a criminal too…" Marigold confirmed, smiling villainously at the two pirates. Their threat to their sister's well-being could not be tolerated any longer, and they would suffer for it.
Sandersonia shared similar sentiments. "Too bad for her really. But it's your fault it must be this way."
"STOP SCREWING WITH ME!" Luffy's shout accompanied his sprint towards Sandersonia. "THIS FIGHT IS BETWEEN YOU AND ME, NOT HER!" Unfortunately, Luffy was intercepted by Marigold, who struck him backward with her tail. The captain gripped his jaw in pain as he fell onto the charred, tiled floor.
"Luffy!" Nami's yell was full of concern as she ran towards her captain, only to feel Marigold's tail coil around her, lifting her into the air. The navigator squirmed as Luffy managed to get to his feet, with Marigold retreating before he could realise what was happening. The two Snake Sisters stood on either side of the arena, with Luffy at the centre.
"NAMI!" Luffy instantly turned toward the sight of his navigator, who intended to shout a reply before Marigold's tail coiled tighter around her. A horrified scream erupted from the orange-haired girl's mouth, a sound Luffy had heard only a few times, but never so prevalent or clear. The captain shivered, ready to sprint toward Nami until Sandersonia interrupted him by tapping the stone of Margaret with her finger.
"Ah ah ah!"
"Let go of them!" Luffy's yell was filled with anger, but hints of desperation were beginning to break through his tone. Sandersonia chuckled in response.
"Come on, Straw Hat, you can only save one of them." Her taunt was cruel, perhaps unnecessarily so, but all bets were off when it came to the marks on their backs.
"So, will it be the navigator you so desperately wish to escape with, or the warrior who saved your life?" Marigold added to Luffy's agony as the captain glanced between the two girls in frustration.
"LET THEM GO!" His repeated words were said to no effect, much to his frustration. "I'M NOT GONNA CHOOSE! THIS ISN'T FAIR!"
The two Snake Sisters laughed, cruelly and emptily, as if his words had struck a chord.
"Life's not fair." Sandersonia's tone was utterly bitter.
"Things happen sometimes that we don't like." Marigold's tone was regretful, her words full of hatred, perhaps directed at herself. "And you have to stick with them."
Luffy could hear their emotion, feel it in the air. The melancholy expressions he could see in their eyes did not match the stony visage they held on to their faces.
"Sometimes you just have to live with the scars."
"And sometimes you can't save everyone… you can't even save yourself…"
And once again, their expressions morphed into ones of sinister amusement.
"You have no hopes of fighting both of us."
"You're out of your league!"
"You may be able to stop one of us if you tried… really hard. But the question is who you will save, isn't it? Because the second you choose one, the other will die!"
Luffy's eyes widened, a desperate, pleading gaze pouring from his face as his knees buckled in weakness.
"Please… please, stop it…" His pleas fell on deaf ears.
"She admired the three of you!" Nami bellowed, amidst her torture and pain, tears swimming in her eyes. "All of these women do! Is this how yo—"
Nami's speech was cut off as Marigold squeezed her tail tighter, causing Nami to scream in pain once again. But what hurt her more was Luffy's face, now one of utter hopelessness, so similar to Sabaody. She had made a promise to herself, to Luffy, and yet here she was, staring into the same expression that now haunted her every waking moment.
No, she wouldn't take this lying down. Not again.
Never again.
"Luffy, just save Margaret!" Nami gasped, Marigold squeezing her tighter but unable to stop Nami from speaking, no matter how hard she tried. "I'll be fine. Even if I die, it's my choice, okay?!"
She would spare him the choice. She would spare him that responsibility.
"NO, NAMI! DON'T YOU DARE! PLEASE, YOU TWO, JUST PLEASE LET THEM GO!" Luffy screamed in rage, eyes watering.
"Either you save one of them…" Sandersonia whispered.
"Or they both die…" Marigold finished, tightening her choke on Nami until the woman could no longer breathe, her scream emerging as a breathless movement of her jaw. Luffy's gaze was blurred and unfocused. He couldn't… he wasn't…
"Stop it…" His voice was so weak. So unlike him.
Zoro looked up at the Warlord, no fear in his eyes for himself, even as he barely clung to his own life.
"Stop it…"
Brook went out with laughter and a joke before being cast into the loneliness that Luffy knew would be nothing but traumatic. Unfair. So very unfair.
"I… can't lose anyone else…"
Usopp's scream was without hope, completely and utterly without faith. He disappeared like that…
Sanji, enraged and passionate, ran at the Warlord without hope for himself. His cry of "DAMN IT" was the last thing that could be heard, unable to protect those he cared about once again.
Fading… fading… always fading…
"Let them go…"
Franky, strong as steel and hard as iron, could do nothing as the palm struck him down. Would he never see him smile and dance again?
Chopper had twisted himself into a monster, the one title he hated more than anything. All for naught, all for nothing…
And Robin… she was already gone. Did she think he failed her? Did she know they all worried for her, even now? Please, please, tell me she knows…
"Stop… just, stop…"
Sandersonia and Marigold's tails rose high, the crowd neither cheering nor showing nearly enough grief or sympathy. Sweet Pea and Aphelandra's wails barely reached Luffy through his own internal collapse.
"CHOOSE, STRAW HAT!" the Snake Sisters yelled as their tails came crashing down, and Luffy made eye contact with Nami. She was determined to survive, and perhaps she would. Luffy had endless faith in her— more than anyone else.
But that voice, the one he ignored in the back of his head, spoke to him.
What if she didn't?
Haki?
"I… told… you…"
"… TO STOOOOPPP!"
The blast of wind that burst from him as he yelled in defiance kicked up a gust as great as Nami's entire storm earlier. The ground cracked and shuddered at the yell, the stands shaking at the pressure that had just been unleashed upon their faculties. The large serpent women froze in horror as the wind hit them, their eyes widening in disbelief. The wind lashed out at Hancock herself, who recoiled into the back of her snake throne, the gust blasting her hair back like a sea of snakes.
Every body in the arena suddenly became utterly still. The coliseum had fallen into a state of complete silence, to the point that one could hear the dust swirling across the ground. The wind eventually died down to a stillness, but the silence lingered regardless.
And then, it happened.
One woman. Two more. Five over there. Kuja citizens and warriors began to collapse in the stands, slumping in their seats. Some fell backwards, resting against the cold stone; others fell forwards, barely supported by their own body weight before collapsing; and some fell onto the shoulders of their concerned companions. But all were stunned. The small remainder of the crowd that managed to stay conscious broke into a panic, as their friends were dropping like flies. An air of nervousness travelled through the entire audience, the power Luffy had demonstrated unsettling them to their core.
The two Snake Sisters paused exactly where they were, with both Nami and Margaret dangling upside down just an inch from the floor. Marigold was frozen, her posture slack enough that Nami squirmed her way out of the hold, taking huge gasps of air in relief. Sandersonia, surprisingly, placed Margaret gently on the floor.
Luffy didn't hesitate for a second before sprinting over to Nami, who was still lying on the floor in a daze. The woman was too shaken to move, both from her emotional preparation for a potential death and the physical strain of being unable to breathe. The navigator shuddered on the floor as Luffy reached her, immediately noticing her strange shaking. Crouching down with perhaps the most care he had ever shown in his life, Luffy placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Nami?" His whisper was accompanied by a crack in his voice, his emotional stress not yet fully vanished. The sound of her name shook the orange-haired woman from her trance, and she froze. Slowly, she turned her head toward her captain.
"L-L-Luffy?" Her voice was hoarse and hesitant, but so very, very alive. Luffy grinned in reply, his trademark smile enough for Nami to shoot up and embrace him. Luffy was hardly surprised; he had been about to hug her himself. The two emotionally resonated as they held each other in their arms, as they were uniquely able to do.
A pause lingered in the air.
"I would have survived that, ya know?" Nami's murmur brought a smile to Luffy's face, her embrace settling his heart to its normal state. Just as much as she had hugged him for herself, Luffy knew she had also hugged him to help him. He stood to his feet gently, so as not to make her feel worse given they were still clinging to one another.
"Yeah, but Old Man Pinwheel would have killed me…" His voice briefly cracked with emotion, but after a deep breath, taking in her scent (tangerines and the wind, old paper and ink), Luffy fully settled. The two released each other, and though Nami had a blush on her cheeks, she hardly noticed. The sight of everyone in the stands burned a million questions in her mind given their unconscious states, but neither she nor Luffy cared. They both ran to Margaret in concern.
They slid to their knees next to the statue, examining her for any cracks. Nami, much to her amused annoyance, had to push Luffy to the side when his analysis proved more distracting than helpful. Eventually, Nami breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that the woman had no cracks, prompting Luffy to break out into a face-splitting grin.
"Alright, not a scratch! Looks like you guys listened in the end. Thanks!" His words were completely honest, but all Marigold and Sandersonia could do was stare at him in shock.
"The power he possesses. Does… he have any idea?" The snake duo practically spoke in unison, their minds reduced to disbelief. A second passed before they broke into their own muttered chatter.
"I've only ever seen our sister use the Haki of a Conqueror… why can this street rat use it?" Sandersonia had lost the plot at this point, dazed enough to warrant holding her palm against her forehead.
"This boy… he has the quality of a king… the ability to stand above all others…" Marigold could have fallen to her knees herself, if she currently had knees.
Hancock was no less perturbed. She bit her thumb in caution, looking down at the beaming Luffy with a newfound stirring in her stomach. "He has the Conqueror's Haki… just like me. How could that be?! This man… he's not just some brat…"
More curious shouts emerged from the crowd, at least from those who weren't unconscious.
"How does he know THAT?"
"The chances… they're one in a million!"
"This man… it's not possible!"
Luffy ignored the whispers and refocused on the large snakes, shrugging, assuming it wasn't important. "You guys are really noisy, what the hell are you talking about anyway?"
Nami, however, was less dismissive. That word again—Haki. It wasn't just limited to the people of this island. They had said she possessed it, and now Luffy possessed some special kind as well. What the hell was going on?
She was half-tempted to demand answers from the Snake Sisters then and there.
"He can't control it?" Sandersonia questioned in disbelief and perhaps a bit of relief.
"Such power left unchecked… it could be devastating!" Marigold hissed in panic. Luffy ignored their comments, preparing for the next bout of fighting. And Nami, for once, agreed with him, also preparing by stretching, trying to recover from Marigold's hold earlier. She could get her answers once this whole thing was over.
"You guys are pretty strong. So, let's continue this fight and finish it up!" Luffy announced with a cocksure smirk, cracking his knuckles in confidence. Nami nearly hit him on the back of the head, but after her near-death experience, she just… wouldn't. She had been ready to die.
No, that wasn't it.
She had been ready to live, to survive no matter what. She had put everything on the line to make sure she would never see that expression on Luffy's face again. And that would be the case as long as she could help it.
No more running; she would try to uphold that, at the very least. So, instead, Nami stepped in next to her captain, nervous but ready. She adjusted the Straw Hat that still rested on her head in a very Luffy-esque fashion, causing the captain to beam widely.
"You know what they say, limitation is the highest form of battery!" Luffy laughed, and Nami's eyebrow twitched, her fist slamming atop his head.
"It's 'imitation is the highest form of flattery', idiot!" Luffy just laughed boisterously, and Nami shook her head fondly in return.
"ENOUGH OF THIS FOOLISHNESS!" Luffy and Nami snapped out of their banter to see the infuriated Snake Princess standing atop the platform from which she had been watching. "Mari! Sonia! You have nothing to fear from that man! Get rid of him and his witch!"
Luffy instantly paled, wrapping his arms around Nami to restrain her, in anticipation of the reaction he knew was coming. The orange-haired woman let out a squawk in protest, intending to march up the stairs to smack the irritating diva across the face.
"I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT A WITCH I CAN BE! LET ME AT HER! I'LL RIP HER TO SHREDS!" Her bellows were so loud that Luffy wanted to cover his ears, but he remained steadfast. Arms and legs thrashed as Luffy held her back, and eventually she settled, given the Snake Sisters turned to their prey, licking their lips.
"She's right, Mari!" Sandersonia hissed eagerly. "There's nothing to fear."
"Without control, Conqueror's Haki is little more than added enthusiasm," Marigold blustered in agreement, standing straighter.
Luffy held up a palm, as if he were a referee who had just blown a whistle. "But first, I need to move her. I don't want her to break!"
The sisters looked past Luffy to see where his body faced—Margaret, still stone on the floor. Sandersonia grinned cruelly once again.
"My, my, you seem to be extremely calm." Her comment was meant to sound offhanded, but lingering injuries and events made it sound more manic. "You still don't understand the situation. That statue… DOESN'T MATTER ONE BIT!" With that loud yell, Sandersonia's tail lashed out toward Margaret. Luffy, having taken the statue in his arms, braced himself while remaining still. The tail struck his ribs with a 'thunk,' loud enough to echo around the entire stadium.
"Luffy!" Nami's concerned yell was met with a groan from the ebony-haired teen, who staggered forward as Sandersonia's tail slithered back toward its master.
"Why… why would you defend that statue?" Sandersonia queried, puzzled beyond comprehension. "When it means you'll take an attack in its place?"
Luffy let out a loud cough of pain, his winded state passing as he looked up at the two serpents. They had already begun to dehumanise Margaret, no longer considering her a person. "She has nothing to do with our fight… DOES SHE?"
His exclamation made Nami smile fondly, the soft smile she sometimes directed his way subconsciously when no one was looking. The crowd fell silent at the outburst, but their eyes still trailed to the Snake Princess, who looked extremely frustrated and bored.
"Very well..." the woman drawled, her deep blue eyes looking away from the battlefield. "Allow him to move the statue!"
"Big sister…" Sandersonia murmured, turning to her captain in shock. Hancock, however, merely let an evil smile spread across her features.
"We will let the man fight to his heart's content. And then… WE WILL REMOVE IT WITHOUT MERCY!" Hancock's passionate order made Marigold smile, the crowd roaring so loudly it felt like they could shake the ground (despite there being fewer of them now).
While the sisters and Hancock were talking, Luffy had already begun lowering Margaret back down toward Kikyou. Nami stood beside him, looking down at the statue of the other woman with a worried expression. She was fine as well; that was good. Luffy's face was full of sympathy as he gently placed Margaret on the floor beside her fellow Kuja statue. "Sorry about this. I promise, just wait a little longer."
"Once we've beaten these two, we'll find a way to turn you both back to normal," Nami agreed. It was only fair they put their lives on the line for those who had done so for them.
"Done saying your goodbyes yet?" The hiss came from behind them, and they turned to see Marigold and Sandersonia gearing up for battle.
"Are you prepared for your defeat?" Marigold asked with a bloodthirsty smile. After all, this had gone on far longer than other executions. Luffy smacked his fist against his other hand.
"I've told you before." His retort was childish, yet somehow managed to sound confident and suave at the same time. "You're the ones who are getting beaten up."
Nami shook her head with a roll of her eyes. While, yes, he was correct, they should really hurry up and beat these two already. Luffy had a lot of tricks left in his arsenal, though—this Nami knew—so she wasn't particularly worried about their chances of defeating these two snakes. But still, they couldn't just run headfirst into the fight. A strategy was needed, given the strange techniques the two had shown.
"Insolent as ever…" Sandersonia hissed in amusement, the man continuing to prove a valuable source of entertainment. But it was Marigold who acted first. The orange-haired viper spat forward with her usual purple poison. Luffy tensed, preparing to dodge when, all of a sudden, he was shoved aside as Nami stepped forward with her three Clima-Tact parts in hand, all working under her fluid control.
"Thunder Cage!" As she shouted her command, a shield of electricity formed around both her and Luffy, the poison slamming into the defence and almost immediately evaporating. Luffy, while in awe of Nami's cool technique, noticed the lightning dispel the poison before a lightbulb went off in his head.
"Psst, hey Nami!" His voice came out as a whisper in her ear, or rather, Luffy's attempt at a whisper. "I need you to make the biggest Thunder Ball you can!"
Nami raised her brow, confused about what Luffy was doing, but acquiesced, nonetheless. Nodding, the Thunder Cage dissipated as Nami ramped up the output of the lightning piece of her Clima-Tact.
"Thunder Ball." The giant ball of lightning formed in front of her, and Marigold growled at the sight, spitting another blob of poison toward the two pirates. The ball intercepted the attack, evaporating it once again. But Luffy was by no means done. The raven-haired teen rushed around the crackling sphere of lightning, charging forward toward the orange-haired Snake Sister.
Stretching his right arm back, it twisted into a coil as he flung it within the confines of the Thunder Ball. The spark surged through Luffy's body, but, of course, he felt nothing. Another poisonous blob of spit was fired his way, but Luffy flung his arm forward in anticipation. The lightning-charged fist barrelled forward, a spark still dancing on Luffy's arm. The surge of electricity smashed the poison into pieces and continued forward toward Marigold.
"GUM GUM THOR RIFLE!" Luffy's arm uncoiled, spinning with added force and velocity as it smashed into Marigold's stomach, discharging electricity through her body for good measure. The golden viper shrieked in pain from both the punch and the lightning, stumbling backward while the crowd of Kuja let out cries of anxious concern. Sandersonia caught her sister before she could fall, turning to Luffy with a rage-contorted face.
"You… foolish monster!" Her tail lashed forward at the Straw Hat Captain, fast enough that Luffy failed to dodge the appendage as it struck his stomach, sending him flying backward and choking. Luckily for the rubber-man, Nami was waiting below, catching him in her arms. Luffy panted in exhaustion but still beamed at Nami regardless.
"One down, one to go…" His celebration didn't last long, however, as a voice interjected in annoyance.
"Please…" Luffy paled at the familiar voice, his head rising to look properly. "I'm not down yet…" Marigold then lurched back up with a resounding 'crack' before smirking at the two pirates, continuing her taunting.
"Lucky hit… but you're already beaten."
Luffy frowned in confusion, about to retort that he had no idea what she was blathering about, when a stream of purple gas began to flood the arena from where Nami's Thunder Cage had been. Stumbling out of Nami's grip, Luffy coughed loudly as poison filled his lungs, making it awfully hard to breathe. The navigator soon echoed his wheezes, straining to take in oxygen as she choked on the gas. A loud laugh caused her to look up at Marigold, whose chortles could have echoed across the island.
"Fools! My poison isn't just contact-based. It also has fumes that cause your body to shut down—in agony, I might add!" The yellow viper announced happily, while Luffy swayed from side to side, spluttering on the air he was breathing in.
"Looks like the poison is already in effect," Sandersonia pointed out with a chuckle, her tail lashing forward and striking Luffy through the poisonous cloud. The black-haired teen recoiled in pain as he was slammed into the ground. "It won't be long now!"
Sandersonia's cackle was cut off by a sharp wind, the burst of power dispersing the gas and forcing it to rest above the spike pit instead. "CYCLONE TEMPO!"
The Snake Sisters lurched back in surprise before casting their gaze to Nami standing in the centre of the arena. The navigator caught the pieces of the Clima-Tact that had caused the gust and began tossing them up and down in her languid grip.
"Nice try, but I'm a master of the weather. But do try better next time." Nami's voice was sly as she threw a wink at the two enraged serpents, while Luffy stood up from the floor with a grin and a cackle of his own. Nami was always stronger than she gave herself credit for, and Luffy would happily spend the rest of his life reminding her of that. His head snapped in her direction as she approached. "Alright, Luffy. I've got a plan!"
The navigator leaned over and whispered in his ear, and as she continued, his grin grew wider and wider. The sight of his hat atop his navigator's head made him beam even more, and Luffy stood up fully as Nami finished reciting her idea. A chuckle burst from his lips. "Yeah, that'll work."
The two seemed awfully conspiratorial with one another, their light smiles and giggles, mischievous expressions matched only by their delighted gazes. As Zoro would often point out, when Luffy and Nami got into fervours like these, where they giggled and conspired, everyone should duck for cover immediately. They brought out the worst in each other at times, or rather, amplified their absolute worst traits in one another. Luffy became a little nastier and meaner, while Nami grew more chaotic and mentally unhinged.
Basically, no one should, under any circumstances, let Luffy and Nami conspire on their own during times of competition. They knew each other too well and thus mirrored each other in a weird, creepy way. And while this fight wasn't a competition, the jeers from the Snake Sisters and the crowd certainly made it feel that way.
Luffy got into his battle stance with a mocking grin, one leg in front of the other and one fist pointing forward, the other to the side. Nami grinned manically, spinning the Clima-Tact, which had once again been assembled into its staff form.
"What are they planning?" Marigold murmured, watching the two with curiosity. Sandersonia, however, seemed put off by their change in attitude. It was a little creepy, actually. They needed to be ready for anything.
The two quickly showed her why her concern was warranted.
"Cool Charge!" The Cool Ball emerged from the tip of her Clima-Tact, and the sisters watched curiously. What could the witch possibly be doing?
"NOW! MIRAGE TEMPO: FATA MORGANA!" At Nami's shout, the Cool Ball launched forward, and Luffy was engulfed by the cool breeze before suddenly disappearing. It didn't take long before the sight of him reformed. But this time, there was more than one Luffy.
The middle Luffy was the same grinning idiot from before, but the other four weren't. One was Luffy as a child, as if suffering the side effects of Third Gear. Another was a rather overweight Luffy—an all too familiar sight—but he grinned like a madman, nonetheless. The other two Luffys were overly muscular, one incredibly tall and the other slim.
"Oh yeah!" Kid Luffy cried happily.
"Looks like you're seeing double, huh?" Tall Luffy mocked with his lower lip jutted out.
"Or maybe triple?" Fat Luffy turned around and slapped his backside in mockery, a mean expression on his face.
"In fact, wouldn't it be more like seeing… er… what are the four and five ones again?" the muscular Luffy asked, scratching his head in confusion.
"And if you thought one of me was tough…" the normal Luffy boasted, crossing his arms with a mocking grin on his face.
"LET'S SEE HOW YOU DO WITH FIVE!" And with that, the group of Luffys charged forward with a yell.
"C-clones?" Marigold gasped; her eyes wide with awe as she looked around in confusion.
"Don't be fooled, Mari!" Sandersonia exclaimed, her teeth gritted in frustration. "The weather witch uses mirages; only one of them must be real!"
The normal Luffy made a phony, almost pouty face at Marigold, jumping next to her for a moment before retreating. "Aww, you gonna cry cuz you can't figure out the baby weather stuff?"
Marigold and Sandersonia could have destroyed the entire arena then and there. There was no way they were going to let this idiotic man patronise them! As they lost their cool and control, they heard Nami giggle, a sly smile appearing on her face.
"Luffy's right, of course!" She stuck her tongue out like a cat, jeering at them as if to provoke an attack. "But the million-berri question is…"
"WHICH ONE OF US IS IT?" the Luffys mocked and jeered, some giving the furious Snake Sisters the finger before launching toward them. "NOW GUM GUM GATLING!"
The endless storm of fists was a sight to see, with the entire crowd screaming in concern as the barrage of limbs became impossible to track. Panicked, Sandersonia tried to use her Observation Haki to figure out what was going on. Not that it would be effective anyway, but her fury from being mocked by the rubber-man made it basically useless.
"Left… right… the attacks are… coming from everywhere!" Sandersonia's fear was getting the better of her, but Marigold had already figured out a solution.
"Do not worry, Sonia!" Her yell reached her sister in time. While most of the fists collided with the Snake Sisters, only the muscular Luffy made contact, his fists bouncing off Marigold. Luffy fell backward, swearing like a sailor as Marigold grinned in glee. "The Colour of Armament is too strong for any illusion to fool!"
The mirages slowly faded until only the muscular Luffy remained. Then, the muscles disappeared, and the real Luffy stood up from the dust. Nami's smile and bold nature had faded by this point, as their plan had failed.
"Sorry, Luffy…" Her tone was full of regret as she adjusted the Straw Hat on her head. "I just…"
"No!" Luffy cut her off with a hand outstretched in front of her face, a smirk on his lips. "It could work. Time to go up a Gear."
Nami tilted her head in confusion before realising he meant the statement quite literally. With a smirk of her own, Nami nodded, casting another 'Cool Charge' as instructed. This time, however, she tripled the output, understanding the fundamentals of Luffy's planned technique.
"Mirage Tempo: Fata Morgana!" Her tone was full of confidence, and once again, five Luffys stood before the Snake Sisters. The two Kuja watched in confusion as the five mirages of the man got into an odd position—a horse stance with one fist on the floor and the other on one knee.
"SECOND GEAR!" At their yell, the rubber-man's legs buckled, acting as pumps that extended to his ankles. His skin turned a light red, and Luffy slipped into the familiar feeling of his breathing and heartbeat hitching for a moment before the latter picked up double time. Steam leaked from his every pore, billowing upward in defiance of the cool air of the mirage, yet still conforming to the triple-strength mirage.
"Now…" The normal Luffy stood with a smirk on his face.
"LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN STILL KEEP UP!" All five Luffys chorused together as they disappeared into five separate blurs. Each one dashed around the arena, ricocheting off walls, stands, and seats, but always bouncing back to the stadium. The crowd gasped and murmured, wondering what could possibly be going on, as the Snake Sisters attempted to keep track of at least one Luffy, let alone five.
"So… fast…" Marigold was panicking now, clutching her polearm closer as her grip whitened from the sheer strength of her hold.
"Impossible…" Sandersonia muttered, perhaps to reassure herself. "This is impossible! My Colour of Observation can't keep up with him!"
The five blurs continued to bounce to and fro, waiting for the right moment to attack.
"NOW GUM GUM JET…"
"Left!" Sandersonia yelled as the fat Luffy appeared in the air next to her. Her tail quickly rose and struck her opponent, only for the appendage to pass through as the mirage dissipated. Her eyes widened in horror. "A mirage?!"
"PISTOL!" A voice bellowed from behind the Snake Sister. The sheer force of the attack sent her head slamming forward with a horrific 'CRACK.' Her head slammed into the ground, blood seeping from her mouth as her vision swam and the sounds around her became muffled. Marigold's panicked screams went unheard before a Jet Whip sent her spiralling to the side as well.
Whatever was happening now, it was no contest. If they didn't act soon, the man would kill them.
"RUN RUN RUN, AS FAST AS YOU CAN!" Luffy's taunt filled the air as her hearing returned, the sound ringing across the entire stadium. "YOU CAN'T CATCH ME, I'M A RUBBER-MAN!"
Nami watched Luffy with a smile, leaning back to relax, intending to let him finish up. It was pretty much over, in her opinion, at least. She watched as Sandersonia grit her teeth with rage, rising to her full height.
"If he won't hold back, then NEITHER WILL I!" Her roar shook the arena, and the crowd recoiled in fear as they felt the presence of her power. "SNAKE HAIR POSSESSION: EIGHT BRANCH GREAT SNAKE!"
At her words, her hair rose and twisted around. Green locks coiled and turned, morphing into eight giant green serpents. One of the green snakes snarled and launched itself at one of the blurs. However, the blur quickly dodged the attack and continued hopping around the arena like a grasshopper. The hair snake that smashed the ground shattered the tiles of the charred arena to pieces. Nami gazed in shock as Luffy continued to dodge.
'This is just like that guy from CP9!'
"Luffy, it may look weird, but it's still hair. You should be able to break it!" Nami shouted, providing her captain with insight she gained from the Enies Lobby incident.
Meanwhile, Sandersonia was panicking, to quite a large degree. 'Why can't I keep up with him?! I can predict his movements, but he's just too fast!'
"THUNDERBOLT… TEMPO!" Sandersonia attempted to jerk away from the sound of the voice, but it was too late. The lightning struck her from above, eliciting a scream as the electricity tore through every cell in her body. The green-haired snake turned to glare at Nami, who pulled down her eyelid and stuck her tongue out. Just before the Kuja warrior could react, she was interrupted again.
"GUM GUM JET MISSILE!" Luffy's voice bellowed from behind her as two hands gripped her shoulders before a body slammed into her spine at impossible speeds. Tears wormed their way from Sandersonia's eyes as the pain tore through her back. If this continued, she was going to die! She looked up to see the child mirage grinning at her.
"So, you're the real one!" Marigold shouted in rage at the sight of her sister being struck, appearing beside the rubber-boy with a snarl. The child Luffy twisted in the air, stretching his arms backward as he did so.
"NOW, GUM GUM JET…" the child shouted with a big grin on his face, while Marigold predicted the blow with her Observation Haki, holding out her palms in front of her.
"It's useless!" A confident smirk crossed her face. "You cannot break through my Haki!"
"BAZOOKA!"
Arrogance never pays…
Luffy's arms blitzed towards Marigold, and the force of his palms slammed into Marigold's own. A huge blast of wind roared from the point of impact, and the gold serpent attempted to brace herself. But no matter how hard she tried; the sheer force of the almighty attack pushed her backward. Marigold tumbled backward, hitting the steps behind her with a pained groan, hands shaking in trauma and pain.
The crowd, of course, screamed loudly in outrage. The child Luffy landed next to Nami, grinning like an idiot.
"Oi, Nami! You see how awesome we are?" His shout was accompanied by his massive grin, and Nami responded with her own wide smile and a nod. Their hands clapped together in mid-air as Luffy morphed back into his normal shape, their high-five echoing throughout the arena despite the crowd's cries.
Before Nami could reply, a voice cut her off. Again. "SONIA! MARI!" The two pirates looked at the furious Hancock upon her snake throne, the Warlord gritting her teeth in disappointed rage.
"WHY ARE YOU STILL PLAYING AROUND? GET SERIOUS AND KILL THEM NOW!" The two serpent women struggled to get up, clearly injured by the way their limbs shook. Yet, they still bowed low to the floor, offering their apologies.
"Sorry sister!"
"We shall not fail you again!"
Someone, however, wasn't having any of that.
"WHY ARE YOU TREATING YOUR OWN SISTERS LIKE SHIT?!" Nami's voice rang through the arena, snapping both Marigold and Sandersonia out of their daze. Hancock was taken aback by the navigator's bold yell, stunned. "THEY'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR YOU DOWN HERE AGAINST US, WHILE YOU'VE BEEN UP THERE SITTING YOUR UGLY ASS ON YOUR SNAKE!"
Blinded by rage, Nami continued. Luffy glanced at her from the corner of his eye before humming to himself. He knew Nami missed her sister, perhaps even more so now that Robin wasn't here. A sad frown crossed his face, despite the continued shouting. "IF YOU THINK YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THEM, THEN COME ON DOWN HERE AND PROVE IT!"
Nami's glare was passionate, enough to stun the crowd into silence once again. Perhaps one or two of them even considered what she was actually saying. Nami gripped her Clima-Tact, swinging the pole forward as a small ball of thunder launched toward the Snake Princess. However, before it could reach its target, it was stopped by Marigold's fist.
"How dare you raise your unworthy weapon against our sister!" Her bellow was angry and full of fury, with Sandersonia sharing her rage as she lashed out at the navigator with her tail. Just before the tail could strike, Nami was swept off her feet and carried out of the way. Nami sighed, placing her hand to her forehead, relaxing in Luffy's arms for a moment. She didn't need to open her eyes to know it was her captain.
She had lost her cool…
The raven-haired pirate gently placed her on her feet before looking up at the serpents with a growl. Sandersonia and Marigold quickly slithered into position, so that they could surround the two pirates.
"NOW, WE END THIS!" the two yelled in unison once again. Sandersonia's hair stood up once more, forming eight serpents.
"SNAKE HAIR POSSESSION: EIGHT BRANCH GREAT SNAKE!" The hair snakes hissed at their targets as Marigold licked her lips in anticipation. She produced a lighter to create a spark, then allowed the bright, fierce flame to engulf her entire body.
"SNAKE HAIR POSSESSION: SALAMANDER!" Marigold roared as the flame raged around her, snakes of flame forming from her hair.
"What? She's on fire?!"
The two Snake Sisters smiled as the crowd cheered at the ultimate attack they were witnessing. They ignored the bluster of their fellow Kuja and focused solely on Luffy and Nami. "THERE IS NO ESCAPE!"
The snakes descended upon them, but Luffy and Nami reacted without fail.
"Thunder Charge!" Nami shouted, lifting her Clima-Tact high above her head. The staff's end began to spark, electricity spinning like a vortex.
"Gum Gum…" Luffy drawled, jumping up and spinning so his legs faced upward. As he reached the spot directly above Nami, he stretched his arms downward. The Clima-Tact made contact with his arms, and a charge of electricity coursed through his body. The hair serpents quickly descended on Luffy, but he was much faster.
"JET THOR STAMP GATLING!" Luffy's legs became a blur as they struck upward at the descending hair serpents. The sheer force of the lightning, combined with Luffy's attack, instantly broke the hair, just as Nami had predicted. The two snakes stared in shock as their hair went limp and lifeless.
"That's not all!" Luffy shouted, shifting the momentum of his kicks outward into two strikes in perpendicular directions, careening horizontally until they slammed into the stomachs of the Snake Sisters. The two screamed in agony as they fell forward, collapsing into each other. Marigold's contact with Sandersonia quickly set her alight, and the green-haired woman recoiled as her entire body burst into flames.
"DAMMIT! SONIA! MOVE AWAY!" Marigold pushed her away to free her from the flames, but Sandersonia was in such pain, evident from her shrieking wails, that she fell to the floor. The flaming serpent was shocked when she felt herself being dragged toward her tumbling sister.
"Looks like you two are beaten!" a voice called from below. Marigold looked down in rage to see the orange-haired witch smirking up at her, standing next to two tied serpent tails.
"NO! WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?!" Marigold's shrieks were ignored by Nami, who turned to see Luffy standing nearby, no longer under the effects of Second Gear. She practically skipped toward him with a delighted smile before slamming his Straw Hat onto his head. Luffy buckled for a moment before looking up at her from under the brim of his hat with a massive smile. Nami sighed fondly, and the two exchanged a high-five.
"Next time, let's go all out from the beginning!"
"Awww, but that's no fun!"
"SISTER SONIA! WATCH OUT!" Marigold's cries briefly caught their attention as they glanced in her direction. "The trench of spikes! IT'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU! QUICK, GRAB HOLD OF THE RAILING!"
Her panic briefly made Nami feel bad until the navigator remembered that they had nearly killed Margaret—and her, for that matter. Still, Sandersonia did as instructed while she toppled backward, grabbing hold of the railing just in time.
"So close…" the green viper breathed, sighing in relief for a moment.
High above the arena, Hancock seethed with rage. The two pests had just defeated her own sisters in combat. And while Hancock could certainly kill them herself if she wanted, the fact was that the execution had failed. The two had proven their innocence through their strength. Her pride would never recover from this defeat.
"How… humiliating!" she managed through gritted teeth, her nails digging into her chair in rage. Salome groaned in displeasure, the pain his mistress caused palpable. Upon noticing, Hancock briefly relented but still allowed her rage to boil. The feeling would have overwhelmed her if she hadn't noticed Sandersonia. Her sapphire eyes widened in horror.
No…
Instantly, Hancock felt the world open up around her, as if a dark pit had emerged to swallow her whole. It may as well have done. Sandersonia's back was exposed, and the Kuja would see the mark that lay upon it. Panic stirred in her lungs as Hancock wrenched her eyes shut, suddenly finding it hard to breathe as her heart thundered in her chest. No… no… this couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening!
What was going to become of her? What about her sisters? The Kuja would realise the story behind the mark was a lie, that the curse had been made up. Would they be banished for their sins? Their crime of being slaves?
Their fault… her fault. All her fault!
Tears welled up behind her shut eyes as her arms wrapped around herself in a feeble attempt to stifle her panic. No, she couldn't be found out. She was their ruler, their princess. No, they would burn her, hate her, and… they would harm her. They would cast her out, and she would be controlled again.
Hancock braced herself for the outrage of the crowd.
"What is that man doing on Sonia's back?"
"Is he going to kill her?"
"NO, SONIA!"
Hancock's eyes snapped open, and she gasped. The man… the man they had sentenced to death, who had mocked and persecuted them… he was now holding onto Sonia, obscuring the mark on her back. She… no, what was he… this wasn't…
"You monster!" Sandersonia yelled, gazing up at the pirate clinging to her back as she attempted to shake him off.
"Don't move…" Luffy whispered to her, still clinging on. Sandersonia was far too enraged to listen and turned to face her sister. Briefly, her eyes fell upon the orange-haired witch, who was leaning against the railing and staring at her with a sad, sympathetic smile. If Sandersonia had been in a better state of mind, she would have realised how… comforted that smile made her feel. But alas, she was enraged.
"MARI! KILL THIS IMPUDENT BASTARD! NOW!"
But Mari did not move, instead staring at her in shock and horror. Why...?
"MARI?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
"I… I can't…" Marigold barely gasped out, Sandersonia's eyes widening. "Because… right now…"
"That man is protecting us!"
The angry crowd fell silent at Marigold's words, finally taking a moment to properly gaze at where Luffy was coiled. The truth swept through the crowd like a wave of panic.
"Sandersonia's back… is exposed…"
"The Gorgon's Eye is being obscured by that man…"
"IF WE SEE IT, WE'LL ALL BE TURNED TO STONE!"
Sandersonia gasped for air, the panic that had been welling up in her dissipating to make way for relief and confusion. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared up at the rubber-man.
"Why…"
We would rather die than reveal the secret that lies on our backs. And that secret is one that you two will now take to the grave!
"Just because you want to kill me…" Luffy began, and from the railing, Nami's smile grew even fonder as he smiled softly at Sandersonia. "Doesn't mean I want to kill you. So, stay still, okay?"
Tears leaked from Sonia's eyes as she was forced to stifle her sobs, looking away from Luffy in shame, trying to hold in her relief.
"Thank you… thank you so much!" she barely managed to get the words out through gritted teeth, her voice strained by her efforts to hold back her tears.
"THE SHOW IS OVER!" Hancock's booming voice echoed across the stadium. "BEFORE THE GORGON EYE IS EXPOSED, CLEAR OUT OF THE ARENA!" The rush of feet drowned out everything else for a moment as the stands emptied, the remaining Kuja dashing for the exits while carrying their unconscious friends. Luffy gazed at two of Margaret's friends, who stared at him for a moment longer along with another black-haired woman, but they rushed out before he could figure out what their deal was.
Sandersonia tensed as she felt Luffy's weight shift from her back, involuntarily seizing with panic. "Alright, they're gone now… you can stand up again."
But the Snake Sister didn't move, frozen in place as her brain tried to regain control of her body. The man and woman… they… they had saved her. She would not be removed from Amazon Lily, all because of them. Stunned, she barely reacted as Luffy leaped from her shoulder, landing beside his navigator with a wide, room-lighting smile.
The orange-haired woman shook her head, flicking his forehead in a fond gesture. The two looked into each other's eyes, and for the briefest moment, only a second, they held a silent conversation—just as Luffy and Zoro always did. Just as Nami had always been jealous of.
Nami's heartbeat accelerated, her veins feeling like plumes of lava as she continued to stare into her captain's eyes. A million words were exchanged in that single millisecond, but to Nami, it felt like it lasted forever. She might understand his heart more than anyone in the crew, but his head? That was Zoro's territory.
And for a moment, Nami had stolen it like the thief she so gloriously was. Her heart still thundering, she desperately tried to grasp for more. Nami had always been greedy, but for the sake of others. Only after Arlong did she add herself to the equation. But now… now it was just for herself. Perhaps, for the first time, truly for herself.
For a single, reality-shattering instance, she had stolen her captain, taking more pieces of him to understand and know than any other member of the crew. Yet, exhilarated as she was, the more she tried to hold onto it, the more it faded, until Nami was left with nothing but her captain's dark, greyish eyes, peering at her as they always did, practically unreadable.
Nami could have cried right there, mourning the loss. Hell, she had to take a breath to steady her heartbeat and come to terms with what had just happened, with whatever her thought process had been.
What the hell was that?
Collecting herself, she let a soft smile cross her face as she stepped beside him. "You dork…"
"Oi, ya meanie!"
Elder Nyon stepped forward from her place at the top of one of the stands, looking down at Hancock's podium. The Snake Princess was panting, clutching her head to stave off a migraine. This man… she didn't understand him. He wasn't… this wasn't right.
Hancock allowed herself to fall backward onto Salome with a subdued whimper. She covered her eyes as she sat, completely motionless except for the occasional drops of water that fell from her face. Hancock had broken. Nyon shook her head.
"Though you may fool this kyingdom, you cyannot keep decyeiving yourself forever… Snake Pryincess." Granny Nyon's words were soft, motherly. "For whyat you sisters hyave on your backs…"
Nyon's voice faltered as she stared at Hancock and the sisters in utter pity. The Warlord didn't move from her spot for quite some time.
Broken, just as the Celestial Dragons had left her…
The orange sky faded into night, albeit very slowly. The cobbled white streets of Weatheria darkened to a grey hue, as the setting sun could no longer shine its light fully onto the Sky Island. And as this light faded, a silhouette skipped across the horizon.
The silhouette turned out to be an old man with a long white beard and a blue robe cascading down his body. He calmly walked down the street, humming a happy tune. So far, his day had been quite excellent. He had enjoyed his lunch at the café and even managed to sell rain 'magic' to some locals in the desert, not only bringing in profit but also helping some people in the process.
He chortled happily at his successes, walking along jubilantly until he came to an abrupt stop. For standing in front of him was a very large man—over 20 feet tall and as wide as a carriage!
He wore a long black cloak, patterned with a white circle with lines radiating from it. The old man shivered slightly, an unwelcome sensation travelling up his spine.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" the old man greeted, as the larger stranger turned to him. "Nice to meet you, my friend. I don't believe we've met!"
The large man turned to him; eyes hidden under a sack-like hat decorated with paw prints. "No, we have not. But I do need your assistance."
The old man tilted his head to the side, prompting the large man to elaborate.
"Have you ever been to the Calm Belt?" That question elicited a wave of sadness in the old man, who lowered his eyes.
"Alas, this island can only travel where the wind takes us. So, none of us have ever been there."
"What if I could change that by sending you there?"
The old man's eyes widened in shock. Surely, he couldn't be serious...
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey… you could do that?" The giant nodded, a soft smile on his face. It was a kind smile, one the old man quite liked, making him feel much more comfortable. A small paw-shaped air bubble formed in the giant's hands.
"I will send you there… but in return, you must promise to help a friend of mine…" His tone was clear, honest, and kind. The old man nodded happily, smiling at the kind stranger. It seemed a fair trade to him.
"I promise. We've all wanted to traverse the Calm Belt for so long. We'll do anything!" The giant smiled at his honesty and nodded.
"Very well then… we shall begin." With that, the giant threw the paw-bubble to the ground. The moment it made contact, it expanded instantly, enveloping the island and shifting it. The earth rumbled beneath the old man's feet, and he would have fallen if not for the giant's steadying hand.
"Find the one known as the Weather Witch," the giant stranger explained, turning and walking away before the old wizard could even thank him. The stranger disappeared, his voice echoing on the wind.
"When you wish to leave the Calm Belt, activate that transponder snail, and I shall return to aid you."
The old man looked down to see a bronze transponder snail at his feet, which he gently picked up and pocketed.
What a kind fellow…
Chapter 6 is here.
For a brief bit (in regards to Luffy and Nami , I took some inspiration from the fic NamiSopp LuffOro: The Game of Games; which I highly recommend everyone reads as it's super awesome. Give it a look!
As a note, Search the Wind used to do omakes/cover stories. I plan on doing so as well, but I will just say I plan on making the omakes that Search the Wind did just actual parts of the story. I am not really a believer in actual proper plot points being omakes/stories, and they should really just be bonus content that may lead to something else/expand the world.
Not doing them for this one though as I'm a bit hungover.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
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Saramus92: Thank you very much! Hope you enjoyed this one then.
Doc of 102 (1): You'll have to see about Hancock and Nami becoming friends, let me assure you, it will be a very interesting dynamic though. Impel Down and Marineford are going to be... odd, that much is what I will reveal. And will change a lot about both their dynamic, and the individual characters. Nami being there is going to change all of it though. The butterfly effect for this story is gonna be crazy.
Doc of 102 (2): Nami will receive plenty of POV monologues and thoughts about everything seen in these arcs, don't worry!
Andy Rahman: Here it is, as requested!
ogatokusatsu: Yep, noticied this error when you pointed it out, thank you. Should be all fixed now!
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Thank you very much for reading this chapter. It is appreciated! Don't forget to leave a review of love or hate if you're keen, as I will make sure to respond to them all.
This is, TheHumulisScriptor, signing out!
