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. Or… that's just what they want you to think.
Chapter Four: You Can't Catch Me, I'm a Rubber-Man!
For the first time in years, a man had snuck onto Amazon Lily.
The significance of the event could not be understated. The entirety of the island's domestic and foreign policy was fundamentally based on their attitude towards men; the very foundations of the society stood on the principle that 'men were not allowed.' The sheer unmitigated disaster of a man's arrival was bound to shape Amazon Lily's politics and laws for years to come, and all because of one simple rubber idiot.
Of course, many recent major global events could be summed up as 'the sheer unmitigated disaster of Luffy's (something),' but it seemed the rubber-man didn't miss a chance to cause chaos even when unconscious. And that unconscious state was now waning as the boy scratched his head.
Grey eyes blinked open with a drowsy disposition, but the first thing Luffy noticed was that he felt quite cold. From the way it felt, he arrived at two simple conclusions: first, he wasn't wearing any pants; second, he wasn't in bed on the Sunny. Now, this was not the first time the captain had come to these conclusions; the crew would never forget the Water Fountain incident after all. Luffy jerked himself up from the bed to find the source of the draft, only to see a group of women staring at him with owlish expressions.
The captain stood up with a tired gait, watching the women in confusion all the same. Silence lingered between the group and the rubber-man as neither spoke, just staring. Of course, confused by the situation, Luffy just titled his head to the left like a puppy. The Kuja women then mimicked him.
Luffy blinked. Was he looking into a mirror? The Kuja blinked in response, silence still permeating the area. Taking a closer look, Luffy realised that the women were behind bars, in some kind of cage. That was weird. Why were all these women in a cage? Was it their home or something?
It took Luffy a moment to realise that he was actually the one in the cage.
"Erm… hi." The rubber-man blurted out, unable to stop himself—the silence was disturbing him too much. He hated quiet and boring things, after all.
"IT CAN TALK?!" the women yelled, staring at Luffy as if he had decided to spontaneously combust then and there. An annoyance stirred in Luffy's stomach as he grit his teeth.
"I AM NOT AN IT!"
Another moment of pause passed between the women before they all began whispering to each other in complete fascination. Well, it was more of an attempt at a whisper; they were all quite loud, in fact. Luffy couldn't help but feel confused. What was the big deal?
"This is… amazing! Men can talk!"
"I never knew such a thing was even possible."
"WE SHOULD ASK HIM WHO HE IS!"
"Um… guys?" Luffy tried to gain their attention, his brain wracking itself as he tried to figure out what could possibly be going on.
"He doesn't seem to have breasts."
"Is anyone else wondering what those things are between his legs?"
"He has quite long hair for a man, I must say!"
"Guys, could someone tell me wha—" Luffy tried to press the issue again. These women sure were strange, and before he could continue, they had cut him off once again.
"THIS MAN IS QUITE STRANGE, DON'T YOU AGREE?!"
"I think he's trying to say something."
"The saga of 'let us hear what he has to say!'"
Luffy's patience—a trait he wasn't particularly known for—had reached its limit. "DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE MY CLOTHES ARE?"
The Amazonians watched Luffy in confusion for the briefest moment before a blonde woman near the front of the crowd stepped forward, nearly pressing herself against the bars as she held a small bundle of fabric.
"I… er… I have some here for you, if you want them," Margaret said, pointing towards Luffy's nether region with an excited yet cautious movement of her finger. "But in exchange for these clothes, could you tell us what's in that bag-like thing hanging between your legs?"
Luffy tilted his head in confusion. Bag thing? What were they talking about? He looked in the direction of her finger and his eyes widened owlishly in realisation.
"My balls?" He frowned, genuinely confused, wondering what the deal was with these women. They all quickly bombarded him with further questions, but Luffy cut them off. "You don't know what these are? They're my family jewels!"
All the women stared at Luffy's private parts in confusion, their breaths bated as they wondered what he could possibly be talking about. Margaret was the only one who managed to find her voice. "What do you mean, family jewels?"
"Isn't that obvious? They're balls made of gold!"
"BALLS OF GOLD?!" The women clambered against the bars, completely captivated by the sight of Luffy's balls, and the rubber-man jumped back in shock. Perhaps the women imagined a shine to his pelvis, judging by the way their eyes sparkled. He waited until they had recovered from the shock before Margaret passed his clothes through the bars.
Luffy quickly put them on, but then paused, staring down at his getup. The shorts were fine; in fact, they were very similar to what he normally wore. The blonde woman had mentioned something about the design of the shirt, but he hadn't been listening. Speaking of…
Covered in frills and flowers, Luffy gulped. He could feel his masculinity drain away in a matter of seconds, one of his eyes welling up with tears as a wave of depression washed over him. Franky would be ashamed. This was so lame, Nami was gonna make so much fun of him.
Before Luffy could shout about his clothes, he ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to calm himself down. His fingers moved to adjust his hat, but they simply plopped down on his scalp, the familiar feeling of his hair running through them. Shanks' hat. Where had it gone?
He turned to the crowd gathered outside his cage.
"Er… guys, do any of you know where my hat is?" His voice was innocent, genuinely trying to locate his headwear without blame. Margaret tilted her head in confusion.
"Your hat?" She paused to think. "We didn't find you with a hat."
That was the last thing Luffy wanted to hear. A deep anger rising in his chest, Luffy clenched his fists, baring his teeth as he stared up at the sky. Taking a deep breath, he yelled at the top of his lungs.
"WHOEVER'S GOT MY HAT, GIVE IT BACK!"
He seethed as he stared at the ceiling, until the sounds outside his cage made him blink in confusion. After recovering, he looked at the crowd of women who had moved back and were now pointing their bows and arrows at him. The Straw Hat boy paled. Were they playing a game?
"What are you guys doing?" The crowd ignored him and tightened the strings on their arrows, creating a noticeable creak in the air that made Luffy's eyebrow twitch. Whether it was from annoyance or nervousness, it was hard to say.
The black-haired woman leading the crowd smiled cruelly. "And there it is, man's true face. For the crime of entering Amazon Lily illegally, we sentence you to DEATH!"
Luffy began to panic, gripping the bars as he tried to reason with the women.
"Death? I just want my hat, is that so wrong?" The pout that formed on his face was cute, and one or two of the women faltered for a moment before steeling themselves against the supposed evil mind manipulation powers that all men must possess.
The woman scoffed, looking at him with disgust. "Men like you—you always want something more. Never satisfied! We shall release you from such a baseless existence!"
Luffy began waving his arms frantically through the gaps in the bars. "I'm innocent, I swear! I don't want more stuff. I just want my hat… and my navigator… oh and I guess food… a-nd a boat…"
Luffy pursed his lips, before his face turned sheepish as he grinned nervously. "I guess that was more, huh?"
The nervous chuckle that escaped his lips was foolhardy and contagious, but the women didn't laugh with him. The bows were drawn tighter, but a voice from behind the firing squad gave Luffy a bit more of the precious time he needed.
"Kikyou, just what are you doing?" The voice called out in a half-yell, causing members of the crowd to turn and lower their bows slightly, allowing Luffy to see a dark-skinned woman emerging from a nearby door as the crowd parted. The leader of the archers merely grit her teeth, furious at having her authority briefly undermined.
"Stay out of this, Belladonna! We are executing the man here and now, for the sake of the other city defenders," Kikyou snapped furiously, her eyes twitching in anger. "And for his fake happy routine. He deserves to die."
"He honestly has no idea where he is. He's an idiot, but it seems no evil one." Her explanation came in a tone that could only come from a medical professional, but Kikyou wasn't having it and grabbed the witch-doctor by the collar, nearly hoisting her off the ground.
"It matters not; the man is a danger to our princess and the island. You forget yourself, Belladonna! We are warriors; you are merely a civilian. It is our duty to destroy them!"
Kikyou was practically screaming now, letting go of Belladonna and pulling the string of her arrow as far back as it would go.
Another voice interrupted the group once again.
"Belladonna? What's going on?" The voice was tired but oh-so-familiar. Luffy turned to the doorway with an owlish blink. Standing there, wearing traditional Amazon Lily clothing, was none other than his orange-haired navigator.
Nami had been dead on her feet. The whole ordeal since acquiring her Clima-Tact had been exhausting, and they hadn't moved to execute Luffy in his sleep immediately. As such, she had taken Belladonna up on her offer of tea. The conversation, however, had not lasted long due to Nami's exhaustion, and Belladonna had offered her the chance to rest at her home.
Nami greatly appreciated the woman's kindness, knowing she had chosen the right person to befriend. The two got on swimmingly, though the navigator wasn't looking forward to breaking the woman's trust by revealing her true identity. But she couldn't look back, not when it came to reuniting with the crew.
Still, Nami had accepted the offer, though with some caution, making sure the bedroom door was locked for her own safety, and had gotten an excellent bout of sleep. She didn't know how long it had been when a series of loud yells woke her, but she still felt much better regardless. She stretched with a pleasant yawn, unlocking the door and heading down the stairs.
By the time she reached the bottom, the yells were much clearer but had mostly faded, replaced instead by Belladonna's calm voice.
"…but it seems no evil one."
"It matters not; the man is a danger to our princess and the island. You forget yourself, Belladonna! We are warriors; you are merely a civilian. It is our duty to destroy them!" Kikyou's voice was harsher than Nami had ever heard, which was saying something, given she had been nothing but horrid since the navigator had first encountered her. Her drowsy mind desperately tried to put two-and-two together as to what they were talking about as she emerged from the doorway, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"Belladonna? What's going on?" Nami inquired tiredly. But once she opened her eyes fully, Nami instantly clocked what was going on. Luffy, in a cage, fully awake, staring at her. The Amazonian warriors were pointing their deadly bows at her captain, ready to execute him on the spot. Luffy's eyes were wide with amazement at her presence, scanning her from head to toe in a way that made Nami's eye twitch. Resisting the urge to scream, Nami clapped her hands together and looked up at the sky.
'God… what did I ever do to you?' Nami thought angrily.
The navigator's mind paused blankly before memories flashed through her head.
"GUM GUM… GOLDEN RIFLE!"
'Oh yea-h…'
'Right.'
"NAMI!" Luffy's yell was joyful, which would normally bring a smile to her face, but instead, it only made the air turn cold. Why the hell had she given them her real name again? Craning her head to the left, all Nami could see was the confusion and suspicion on every archer's face. Nami avoided looking at both Belladonna and Margaret, the latter appearing the most confused of all the warriors, to the point where she lowered her bow.
"Nami… does this man… know you?" Margaret's voice was soft, showing a brief vulnerability. Nami shook her head rapidly.
"Nope! He doesn't know me!" She waved her hands in front of her face as if to shield herself from the questioning looks. Luffy, on the other hand, felt a stab in his stomach at her words, though he was unsure why.
"He did say your name, Nami," Margaret pressed, her eyes turning sad and somewhat angry as she slowly pieced things together.
"Maybe he mistook me for someone he knew?" Nami suggested with an awkward smile, but now her Usopp lies had gained Usopp-level competency. They weren't buying it anymore; Nami could tell from the way their bodies angled, ready to strike her down if something happened. Belladonna also looked at her with suspicion, and Nami might have frowned if not for her internal panic, while Luffy gawped at her in awe (which didn't particularly help her situation).
"What do you mean, Nami? I remember who you are; you should remember me, right?" Luffy's pout would have been adorable if not for the fact that he was literally sentencing his friend to death with every word, making it look quite sinister instead. In a matter of moments, realisation dawned on Luffy's face.
"Oh, I get it now!" he said, slamming his fist into his palm as if he were some kind of genius. "You must have eaten a Forget Mushroom. This is like that one kid with the horn, remember, Nami?"
A pause.
"Actually, you wouldn't remember, would you? Well, I WILL HELP YOU GET YOUR MEMORIES BACK!"
Luffy's enthusiasm made the women shuffle closer to the cell, making it remarkably clear that they might need to shoot two people.
"Well, your name is Nami." The pride in Luffy's voice was met with the angry glares of the Kuja, leaving Nami staring at her captain, completely deadpan. "You come from Cocoyashi Village in the East Blue. Your sister is Nojiko, and you're a part of my pirate crew, the Straw Hat Pirates. You like money and tangerines, and you're the best navigator in the entire world."
Nami was shaking by this point, a nervous sweat beading down her back as Kikyou eyed her with pure rage; as usual, she was the angriest of all the women. The grinding of her teeth as she waited for Nami's reaction could be heard for miles.
Well, in for a penny.
"DAMN IT, LUFFY!" Nami yelled, her Clima-Tact assembling instantly as Kikyou spun and released an arrow directly towards her head. But Nami had been ready for that.
"Mirage Tempo!" Nami quickly disappeared as the Clima-Tact sprang to life, the swing of the large pole shooting forth a breeze that briefly confused some of the Kuja. Kikyou growled, firing a spread of arrows in the hope of hitting her, but alas, none reached their mark.
"Find her and execute her!" Kikyou commanded, and the Kuja spread out to search the area. About to walk away, the black-haired woman was determined to find the orange-haired traitor (who, by the way, she had never started to trust. Definitely), until a clunk from her left caught her attention. Luffy, because of course he was, was chomping on the bars in an attempt to escape.
"Let -chomp- me -chomp- out!" The captain's bellow brought a cruel smirk to Kikyou's face as she nocked an arrow and pointed her bow. Luffy sensed the threat immediately, paling as his teeth remained caught around the bars he had begun to chew through.
"Goodbye… man," Kikyou said sadistically, drawing the arrow and preparing to loose it at the intruder's throat. Her Observation Haki chose this moment to warn her; though Kikyou was confused about what she was sensing. What was…
"THUNDERBOLT TEMPO!"
The lightning struck down with a massive crack, causing every Amazonian to turn towards the sound in fright, having never heard anything like it in their lives. When they turned, they saw Kikyou standing amidst a scorch mark on the ground, her skin blackened and charred. The mighty warrior stood there, twitching every time the remaining static crackled, discharging into the ground. Nami stood on the rooftop, holding her Clima-Tact with a glare that matched the shocked woman's, the tip sparking with yellow electricity.
The women panicked as they watched Kikyou fall to the ground, unconscious. They had never seen anything like it and could only assume she was dead.
"KIKYOU!" Sweet Pea shouted in rage, and then several women rounded on Nami, including Margaret. The blonde woman jumped and twisted in the air as Belladonna rushed to Kikyou's side, then landed on the roof of Luffy's cell with two other Amazonians. The moment they landed, three arrows screamed toward Nami, eliciting a yelp from the navigator as she rolled to avoid them, landing on the edge of the roof next to the cage.
"NOW, SWEET PEA!" Margaret's shout was full of anger, as Nami heard a loud grunt behind her. The giant spiked bat that the large woman was bringing down toward her head would strike for sure, and Nami wasn't looking forward to the damage it would cause.
"AS IF!" The shout from below was louder than any before, as Luffy's foot struck the ceiling of the cage, utterly destroying it. Margaret and the three women were forced to jump back down to the street, and a large piece of debris struck Sweet Pea, sending her tumbling to the ground.
Before Nami could look up at her captain, he had already hoisted her into his arms and started running across the rooftops with the woman over his shoulder. His voice was stupidly happy as he grinned at his navigator. "Hey, Nami!"
"AFTER THEM!" Margaret shouted, assuming de facto leadership of the warriors now that Kikyou was out of commission, as the other Kuja women began the chase. Luffy mostly ignored them, looking down at the closely held Nami as he sprinted.
"I knew he'd look after you!" Luffy chirped with a smile, tilting his head to the side to dodge an arrow he clearly heard coming his way.
"He? He who?" Nami asked in a confused tone, wondering what the hell her captain was talking about. Her brain was still somewhat asleep, after all.
Sweet Pea re-emerged directly in front of them, swinging her spiked bat down towards their heads. It seems she had been launched by Aphelandra; the large woman having spun around to rocket her friend right at them. She was persistent, the two had to give her credit for that.
"Hat!" Luffy responded simply, delivering a quick 'Gum Gum Whip' to Sweet Pea's stomach as he sidestepped past. The woman grunted in pain at the sheer force of the kick, collapsing to the ground with a yell.
"You gave your hat a gender?" Nami asked dryly, as Luffy turned right and jumped down onto the street, knocking past confused civilians as he did.
"Well, yeah, it's my hat after all. He always looks after people I give him to!" His smile was bright, and all Nami could do was roll her eyes fondly at his endearing attitude. The Amazonians chasing them hollered and yelled, drawing the attention of more women in the street. Some of them even caught on, joining the warriors to apprehend whoever they were chasing.
Nami sighed before remembering the cliff face directly ahead that she had spotted in her earlier mapping. If they kept running, they'd reach the jungle and be able to hide from the warriors more easily. It seemed they were in the clear after all!
"Who wants this last piece of meat?"
Never mind.
"MEAT!"
Before Nami could even react, Luffy angled his run and instead began blitzing towards the smell of said meat. Nami could only bash her fists against her captain's back from her position over his shoulder, in some feeble attempt to stop him, muck like one would with their dog running off during a walk.
"No! Luffy! Turn around right now!" Her bellow was louder than anything the warriors chasing them could conjure, but Luffy just ignored her and continued toward the smell of the meat. The vendor, who had been holding it out to attract people's attention, jumped as Luffy ran past, grabbing the meat in his mouth with a grin.
"TANK VU (thank you)!" Luffy yelled as he continued to run down the street, with an angry meat vendor screaming after him.
"YOU GOTTA PAY FOR THAT!" she screamed angrily, starting to chase after the two alongside the crowd of warriors, though for entirely different reasons.
Finally swallowing, Luffy spat out the bone and turned around slightly. "I'll come back and pay you when I have my treasure!"
Nami instantly grabbed his ear, squeezing it as she bellowed into it, "YOU DOLT, THAT'S MY TREASURE! PAY WITH YOUR OWN MONEY!"
Luffy pouted, looking like an adorable puppy as he did. "You should increase my allowance then."
Most women would have caved at the sight of Luffy pleading with that cute expression. Unfortunately for the rubber-brained idiot, Nami was by no means most women, and she simply gripped his ear tighter.
"You want us to go bankrupt? What you just did is exactly why I consider your allowance too large already!" Nami's exclamation was loud, and Luffy responded with another pout.
"Luffy… put me down." Her voice was angry as she glared, and all Luffy could do was twist his head around in confusion. A fist to his cheek was all he received, accompanied by her yell.
"I SAID, PUT ME DOWN!" Nami sure was scary when she was angry, and perhaps justifiably so. This idiot was going to end up killing her before they could even get off the island. Besides, she had to look after herself now. Luffy, albeit reluctantly, lowered her to the ground at her command. Then, with a comedic beat, he took off running again without her.
Nami fumed with rage, her face turning red as she was about to launch into a tirade about his allowance, before feeling a cold shiver crawl up her spine. She turned around slowly, her neck making a creaking sound like that of a door. The sight of dozens of warriors and the meat vendor made her pale.
"LUFFY, PICK ME UP! PICK ME UP!" Nami yelled instinctively in a hysterical tone, as a barrage of thunder orbs emerged from her Clima-Tact to buy her more time. One or two of the women were electrocuted, panicking at the sight of the unfamiliar lightning; but most dodged. A long, stretched arm flew through the air and wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her toward her captain. Luffy leapt over another group of Kuja who had attempted to cut him off, and Nami finally reached him, resting in his arms, bridal style.
Well, that certainly was an improvement over the way he usually carried her, Nami thought with brief amusement, though it was overshadowed by her anger at both herself and Luffy.
Weak again.
"Make up your mind already," Luffy's teasing voice caused Nami's eyebrow to twitch as she crossed her arms. Luffy seemed amused, though slightly apologetic.
"Come on, Nami, you know I would never leave you," Luffy pointed out simply, causing Nami to sigh, though with a slight, unknowing blush on her face. The sight of her captain's smile, combined with Nami's own memories, made the truth of Luffy's words seem plain as day. Her rage slowly dissipated. That idiot really could just make all her problems disappear, couldn't he?
"Meanie," she murmured half-heartedly, causing Luffy to laugh boisterously as he put her down, allowing the two to run side by side.
Continuing down the street toward the cliff face, the Kuja attempted to fire arrows at the two Straw Hats. However, thanks to Nami's quick thinking and Luffy's swift feet, the arrows never met their mark. By this point, Nami had noticed the sheer destructive force of the arrows but kept those questions to herself for now.
The two reached the stone wall that bordered the cliff face, with the Kuja catching up to them as they were forced to stop. Luffy tilted his head with a childish hum. "What do we do now?"
Nami turned to her captain and winked, letting a confident smirk cross her features. "Onwards and upwards!"
Luffy beamed back with a massive smile, nodding as his arm wrapped around Nami's waist. She sighed, bracing herself for the technique she knew was coming. Luffy peered at the top of the wall with squinted eyes before his arm shot up the side of the mountain, much to the surprise of the warriors. With a firm grip on the rock wall, Luffy made sure Nami was secure before sticking his tongue out at the pursuers mockingly. With that, the two catapulted up, and Nami just sighed.
She wouldn't be afraid this time, just exasperated.
"GUM GUM ROCKET!" The two flew toward the top of the wall as if fired from a cannon. With all the warriors far below, Luffy beamed widely, and Nami couldn't suppress the small chuckle that escaped her lips. The Kuja warriors could only gape in shock as Nami and Luffy landed atop the wall.
The captain peered over the edge and whistled, his eyes widening as he stared at the jungle below.
"That is one big fall!" His vision blurred with vertigo for a moment, and he rubbed his eyes with renewed determination. This should be fun! Though he was slightly worried about Nami's reaction. "If that's our only way out of this…"
"Oh, there is no way out…"
The foreign voice caused Luffy's face to fall instantly, but its familiarity steeled his gaze as he turned. Kikyou stood behind him, a knife pressed to Nami's neck, having already cut into her skin based on the blood that was dribbling down the blade. The woman herself was still charred and clearly in pain, but she had evidently recovered to a sufficient degree.
Three women stood on either side of Luffy, all aiming arrows at him, but they didn't capture his attention. Nami's struggle and her inability to use her Clima-Tact at that moment were all that caught his attention, eliciting a growl from the rubber-man, especially when he noticed the blood.
"Let her go. Now," Luffy seethed through gritted teeth, infuriated by Kikyou's victorious smirk that spread across her face.
"Now, now, man, you're not in any position to negotiate." Kikyou's venomous voice filled Nami's ear, causing her to shudder in both anger and fear. She attempted to break free, but another woman now gripped her arms. Luffy glared at the black-haired woman, the air rippling with dangerous energy as he did.
"How did you follow us?" Luffy's voice was deathly calm and cold, in a way Nami had heard only a few times, his hair shadowing his face and hiding his expression. With his hat still on her head, it reminded Nami a great deal of Arlong Park. Kikyou, however, laughed loudly in response.
"I may not be as skilled with the Colour of Observation, but your mind is easy to read. Once we knew where you were heading, it was easy to outmanoeuvre you. Or did you really think you could escape us in our own city?"
"Colour of Observation?" Luffy's tone wasn't even confused; or rather, he didn't show it, his voice still deathly cold. Kikyou ignored him once again; a gesture from her hand signalled the archers to move closer.
Nami peered toward the sight and froze when she saw Margaret, who had wrenched her Clima-Tact out of her hands after Kikyou restrained her. Shaken and unfocused, the blonde continuously glanced at the navigator in disappointment. A harsh regret pooled in Nami's stomach. Margaret and Belladonna had both welcomed her with open arms, and once Nami had gained their trust, she had severed it without much thought.
Nami didn't find trusting others easy—years of scarring from her past had ensured that—and yet, all she had done was prove to Margaret why.
"Margaret..." Nami whispered in regret, but Kikyou pressed the knife harder, drawing more blood and interrupting her. Nami's breathing slowed considerably, and Luffy's eyes emerged, pinpricks of sheer rage.
"Silence, traitor!" Kikyou spat, her command further incensing Luffy.
"Do not tell her what she can and can't do." His tone tone was dangerous now, and Nami frowned at Luffy, feeling both joy at his reaction and concern for the fight about to break out. Always defending her freedom, that... idiot. Despite her situation, Nami fought the smile that wanted to spread across her face. "Give Nami back."
"Oh, I don't think so, man," Kikyou retorted with a snort. With a deeper press of the knife, Nami let out a brief gasp of pain.
With that, Luffy's fists clenched, and he took a step forward, the archers now taking aim at him with worried yet angered expressions. "I'M NOT ASKING!"
Margaret, however, was faster than anyone expected. "Fire!"
The arrows shot toward Luffy from both his left and right, forcing the captain to dodge backward to avoid being skewered. His foot pressed against the ground so he could shoot forwards toward his navigator, only to meet nothing but air as the appendage tumbled off the cliff's edge. Luffy let out a noise of shocked anger, his eyes widening in focus.
He stared straight into Nami's eyes, and their souls bared themselves to each other. His body acted before he even realised what was happening, his left arm stretching forward to just… reach her. His fingers stretched, trying to grasp her in utter desperation. He... he had to save her.
He couldn't…
Not her.
She was the only person who could be his Navigator.
The only one he could possibly save. The only person on his mind.
"NAM-I!" His scream burst from his lips in utter anguish, desperation his only emotion as he stretched his right arm too, his body tumbling down the cliff and through the air. Seconds felt like hours, and hours like days, until his arms finally grasped something. One hand clasped his hat, the other grabbed something else. Nami! He had caught her!
With a hopeful smile, he reeled in both of his rubber arms. The sun blinded him, but he felt a feminine form crash into his chest with utter relief. His right arm wrapped around who he assumed was Nami, and Luffy's heart stilled with happiness. Placing his hat on his head (which he'd grasped with his other hand), he took a deep breath, drawing air into his body.
"GUM GUM BALLOON!" The inflation of his body allowed them to strike the ground harmlessly, and Luffy returned to his normal size with a happy grin. He'd escaped with his navigator—score one for Luffy!
"You alright, Nami?" Luffy asked with a smile. When he received no reply, he sat up, and the sight caused his face to fall instantly.
"You're… you're not Nami…"
Kikyou was surprised. That was her excuse for failing to capture the man. It was an off-day. That strange attack the orange-haired traitor had used on her had messed with her senses and fitness. The man's arms had only managed to take his hat off his navigator's head and grasp an entirely different person.
Margaret…
Kikyou's heart tightened with worry as she harshly pushed the navigator into another warrior, who bound Nami's hands together with a snake. For a moment, Nami said nothing; her eyes shadowed her face as she bit down on her lip. Then, she looked straight up at Kikyou with a glare so harsh that the black-haired woman could have faltered. But Kikyou retained her composure, glaring back.
"So, East Blue girl, what are we going to do with you?" Nami only intensified her glare, and Kikyou grinned with vitriol. She turned to the Kuja archers behind her with a quick gesture. "You three, search the jungle, find Margaret, and if you see the man..."
Everyone stared.
"Kill him on sight."
The three archers nodded and ran off, while the two remaining City Defenders turned toward Kikyou.
"The saga of 'what should Aphelandra and I do?'" Sweet Pea's voice was curt, her worry for Margaret evident. Kikyou's gaze shifted to the large woman, who was sporting a horrid bruise on her stomach, courtesy of Luffy.
"You are both coming with me to see the Snake Princess." After all, they couldn't keep what had happened under wraps any longer. This woman and her man… they had brought failure to the City Defenders. Kikyou glared down at Nami, seething.
"As for you, East Blue girl, I think the Snake Princess would like to meet you as well." A confident smirk graced Kikyou's lips, and Nami glared impassively back, her anger overriding any panic or fear she might feel. Margaret had her Clima-Tact, and now it was in Luffy's hands. But that also meant there was no hope of her escape. With a final sigh, she turned toward the jungle, worry etched across her features.
'Luffy… be careful.'
Margaret stood quickly, her knife flipping into her hands with deft ease as she brandished it forward, a brief flourish accompanying her glare toward Luffy. The raven-haired pirate, however, was lost in his own reverie, the loss of his navigator causing his entire happy and hyperactive behaviour to just... fade away. Luffy slowly moved to his feet, and Margaret jumped back in surprise. She looked down at her waist and saw that the strange blue pole she had taken was already in the man's hands, being gently cradled for a moment as if made of fine china, before rubbery hands attached the three parts it split into to his own waist.
When had he...
"S-stay away from me, man! Or... whatever your name is..." Her command was meek, but Luffy ignored it and approached her slowly. The clacking of his sandals sent nervous chills up her spine as she recalled his terrifying expression atop the wall.
"I need some things answered," Luffy said in a low tone, and Margaret felt weak for reasons she couldn't explain. What the hell was this man doing? The rising energy was clear to Margaret, who could feel the immense Haki emerging from him.
This man... he was a Haki time bomb, and Margaret did not want to be the spark under any circumstances. Fear gripped her heart as she desperately tried to maintain her knife-led stance, but Luffy stopped when he noticed her nervous face.
"Don't worry," Luffy said in a soft voice, his anger seeming to fade. "I just want to find my navigator and leave. I promise I'll never come back after that, but right now, I could really use your help."
Realising that the man's Haki had settled somewhat, Margaret decided that her odds of winning were basically zero. With that level of Haki, Margaret knew she wouldn't last long in a fight, if at all. Her only choice was to play along and eliminate him when his back was turned.
"Okay... ask away." Margaret was curt, her knife still drawn to protect herself if he decided to attack. Instead, Luffy smiled gleefully, snapping his fingers as if he'd just remembered what he wanted to ask.
"Right! Okay, so, um… first question, where am I?"
A moment of silence passed as Margaret just stared at him in confusion."
"You mean, you don't know where you are?" Luffy's nod only confused Margaret further, and he shrugged impassively. The blonde woman's jaw dropped slightly in shock.
"Well... you're on Amazon Lily, the kingdom of women." The man muttered to himself, as if scientifically calculating some great mystery for a thesis.
"I see. So that's why there are no guys here?" He tugged on his ear, which stretched briefly before snapping back as he let it go. Was this guy an idiot?
"YOU JUST FIGURED THAT OUT NOW?" Margaret yelled, and the man let out an innocent laugh that stirred something in her brain.
"Guess so! Second question, how do you guys normally get to and from this island? We're in the Calm Belt, right?" Margaret could only stare, her mind still reeling from her conclusions.
"You really don't know where we are, huh?" What was going on with this man? She almost burst into laughter, trying to figure out how his brain even functioned with this level of idiocy. "Are all men this dumb?"
Luffy tilted his head before holding up a finger as if to give a scientific lecture. "Well…"
"It was a rhetorical question."
"Rectonigal question?"
"Rhetorical."
"Rectangle?"
"RHE-TOR-ICAL!"
Luffy just tilted his head to the side.
"Is that some kind of food or something?" His eyes lit up eagerly, a hopeful grin spreading across his face.
"No." His face fell, and Margaret chuckled slightly at his antics, lowering her knife a little.
"Well, we have methods for getting through the Calm Belt, mostly through use of giant snakes. But most of us don't leave at all." she pointed out, which caused Luffy to snort. Clearly, the idea of staying on an island wasn't appealing to him at all.
"Well, I'd better go get some soon then. But first, I need to head back to your village!" The bright, cheery tone he used made it sound almost like a threat.
"What? WHY?!" Margaret shrieked, recalling the amount of Haki he'd shown earlier. "You've got your hat! You've got your life! What other reason is there to go back?"
Luffy simply beamed at her. "I need my navigator. I'm pretty much useless without Nami."
Margaret's heart briefly ached at the thought of the woman, an image of the brightly smiling, orange-haired girl causing her to frown. She was still… highly conflicted when thinking of someone who she regarded as her friend, and yet wasn't a Kuja Tribe member at all.
Nami had… betrayed her, right?
While Margaret was lost in thought, Luffy blinked before standing up and getting ready to leave. The moment his back was turned, Margaret saw her opportunity and aimed at Luffy with a shaky arm. All that was left was to cut his throat, and it would be over. As she prepared to strike, Luffy turned around, interrupting her.
Had he sensed her?
"That reminds me, I never asked your name!" Luffy beamed, and Margaret could only stare at him in surprise.
"M-my name is Margaret." she said quietly, staring at Luffy's trademark smile.
"Nice to meet ya! My name's Luffy!" Margaret just stared at him, baffled, as he gave a happy wave. "Well… thanks for the help. See ya!"
And with that, he ran off into the jungle, leaving Margaret standing with her dagger limply held in her hands. As still as a statue, her mind raced with a hundred thoughts. He had… trusted her. Thanked her. And then left her be. Why had he even left her alive? Why had he done that?
The sheer amount of Haki he possessed... he could have broken the island in two. So... why hadn't he hurt her?
"MARGARET!" A voice snapped the blonde from her reverie as it emerged from the treeline. Margaret regained her composure and turned around to see Nerine in the next clearing.
"I'm over here, Nerine!" At her call, her brown-haired friend emerged from the bush at the edge of the treeline, relief evident on her face as she approached.
"Margaret!" She put away her snake bow, pulling out the notepad she always carried. "Are you okay? Where's the man who kidnapped you?"
Margaret nervously looked down at her feet before pointing a delicate finger toward the river where Luffy had run off. "He… he went to the river. Said something about how he didn't have time for anything and that he needed to get off the island."
Nerine noted this in her notepad. "I see. Well, we'd best head back to the village. The Snake Princess is due any second now."
Margaret moved to follow her friend, who had taken off, but paused to look in the direction the straw-hatted man had run.
'Luffy…'
'Are you not as heartlessly evil as we thought?'
Nami did not like Kikyou.
Don't get her wrong; she respected that Kikyou was dedicated to her city and wanted to protect its occupants. Nami understood her position and even agreed with it. But...
Did she have to be such a bitch about it?
After personally escorting her through the city with Sweet Pea and Aphelandra, the black-haired woman had done nothing but barrage her with insults and even smack her around a bit. It was all completely unnecessary!
Her thoughts turned to Luffy. That idiot had fewer brain cells than a jellyfish, but he was strong and honest. And while, yes, it was some cruel trick that she, the intelligent and sophisticated navigator, had been captured by the people she had fooled while that idiot managed to get free, Nami was mostly content. After all, Luffy would tear the island to shreds before leaving without her.
Nami turned to Kikyou with a slightly vindictive smile that she wasn't entirely proud of, nor truly meant, given the implications for people like Belladonna and Margaret. But damn it, she was angry, and wouldn't that be a sight to see!
She was pulled from her train of thought by the sight of a large crowd ahead. Looking around in confusion, she noticed that the sight of a prisoner didn't seem to faze them. In fact, they all seemed remarkably focused on something else.
Nami, now behind the crowd, felt Kikyou's foot on her back, forcing her forward as she slammed into the ground.
'You rotten bitch!'
The crowd parted to make way for the falling navigator as she cursed Kikyou with every slur she could think of, even making up a few on the spot. But she was quickly silenced by another strike, though Nami refused to utter a sound of pain. She would not be giving them the satisfaction.
Nami shuffled into a crouching position, a brief haggard breath escaping her lips as she cursed the tight restraints binding her hands, making it even harder to move. Nami properly observed her surroundings now, noticing the red carpet. She couldn't help the sarcastic comment that escaped her lips, her tone so neutral that one might think she was still trying to get the Straw Hats away from Cocoyashi Village.
"Wow, all for me, ladies?"
The kick to her arm nearly sent her spiralling back to the ground, and Nami just grit her teeth. Her mind raced. Why was there a red carpet in the middle of the street? Was it for this princess?
A kick to her side—she didn't even know what for this time—elicited a yell of pain from the navigator. That kick had been... much worse than the other, striking her with far greater technique and force. The impact sent her tumbling to the side, skidding across the ground before coming to a stop, blood spilling from her lips.
"Who left this cat in my path?" asked a diva's voice, dripping with arrogance, and Nami shifted her body to get a proper look at the 'Cold-Hearted Bitch' who had just kicked her.
"Oh, you're not a cat. Who are you?" The harsh voice cut through the air, and Nami froze in a mix of fear she couldn't quite place. Why… this woman. Who was she? Tall and slender, with beautiful black hair that rested peacefully down her back, and eyes like sapphires. Her red shirt and snake-patterned skirt barely hid her legs and cleavage.
'Never mind. Make that Slutty Cold-Hearted Bitch.'
Nami wasn't one to judge normally—hell, she wasn't one to talk. Power to 'em, she'd say. But after that kick, she was just feeling particularly bitchy.
Still, something felt amiss—especially why she was feeling so worried. Her face... she had seen it before.
And then, it hit her.
"Here's Moria's private office, Namizou. There might be extra treasure in here to find!" Lola's voice was cheerful, and Nami couldn't help but grin as she thanked her. With Lola gone, Nami stared at the regal door with glee. More treasure meant a happy navigator!
As Nami entered the room, the eerie atmosphere made her roll her eyes. Now that Thriller Bark's illusion had fallen, it all just seemed a little... tacky. Besides, the portrait Moria had of himself on the wall made him look like a total tool, with the picture trying too hard to be overly scary, the onion man staring down at her.
Well, it wasn't like he could do anything about her presence! Luffy had kicked his ass so thoroughly that she wondered if he would ever recover.
So, he couldn't complain about the spoils going to the victor.
Nami pilfered through the desk, searching desperately for any gems or jewels. Inside one of the drawers, she found a dossier filled with pictures. She frowned, noticing Moria himself among the group, along with Crocodile. Given the dust on the file, it was clear Moria hadn't opened it in a while, which explained Crocodile's inclusion.
Nami looked at the third photo—the massive bear man sent chills up her spine. Images of Zoro's injured body flashed through her mind, but she quickly cast them aside. The less she thought of Kuma, the better.
The next was a serious-looking man, a massive sword in his grip, with the photo taken from some distance away. Evidently, acquiring photos of him wasn't easy.
Dracule Mihawk. Nami regarded the object of Zoro's ambition with a blank expression. The stories she'd heard from Usopp and Sanji about their encounter with him at the Baratie were horrifying—his strength seemed insurmountable. Plus, she remembered the scar Zoro had received. She quickly cast the image down as if it may cut her next.
The next was a blond-haired man with his tongue sticking out, sunglasses on his face, and a sadistic grin. No thank you, no thank you, no thank you. If they ever encounter this guy, Nami could sense it would be too soon.
Nami picked up the image of Jinbe and just... stared. It was… him.
She ran a finger across the scar on her shoulder for a moment, fighting the glare threatening to form on her face. With a sigh, the photo was put back in the file. She was happy now, that's all that mattered.
Finally, Nami's brow raised at the sheer number of photos of one woman. Beautiful, yes, but the number of photos Moria had of her was disturbing. It must be at least thirty! She could have vomited at the thought of what Moria might have done with these photos, and she quickly placed them back in the file as if they were contaminated.
She stared at the drawer for a moment.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea…
Information was power, and Nami was glad to have seen these pho-
The gleam of jewels and diamonds quickly interrupted her thoughts, and the navigator dove towards them with a squeal, like a feral animal.
Nami held her breath, staring at the Warlord in front of her. What kind of star was Luffy born under? She couldn't tell if it was the best or the worst.
They had landed on the island of one of the Seven Warlords.
'We really are Warlord magnets…' Nami thought as the woman approached her. 'Aren't we?'
Okay, I lied. Here is one more chapter. After today though, it may be a short while for the next one. Moving into a new apartment and such.
Anyway, feel free to leave a review, be that a nice one or a mean one lol.
But yeah, hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm really looking forward to where this story goes after I'm done Reduxing Search the Wind. Can't wait to write it.
This is, TheHumulisScriptor, signing out!