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 Five: Love Is Oil and Water, and Rash Decisions
The nation of the Kuja, according to records, had existed for about 500 years. The castle they had constructed mirrored their might and power. Home to centuries of great empresses who ascended to their thrones through strength and capability, the castle was a tall structure with a large stone courtyard in front. The courtyard was accessed through a large oak door, made from a rich green wood that experts have yet to identify. Behind the door was a long catwalk that stretched towards the throne room, where large scarlet pillars lined either side of the walkway. In the room, light purple curtains hung from the walls and ceiling, contrasting with the dark pink carpet that rested on the floor with spectacular grace.
Nami was in awe of it all. The palace in Alabasta had been larger and far older—something Nami was sure Robin appreciated—but Alubarna's castle had been quite a clinical structure. It was built for purpose and function, without being overly grandiose, matching the values of the Nefertari family.
In contrast, this palace was quite the opposite. The lavish design and winding structure seemed to worship the person within, reflecting a beauty the nation prided itself on and relied upon for its societal function. The building was beautiful, but quite impractical from the logistical perspective of running a nation.
Although, Nami wasn't sure any form of governance existed here. The Snake Princess was incompetent at best and, at worst…
Well, let's just say 'whiny bitch infant with the body of a supermodel' came to mind.
Nami had watched this Warlord parade up and down, observing her gait, facial expressions, and attitude with a keen eye. While Nami didn't like what she saw (as evidenced by her glare), there was something she found quite odd.
A sense of familiarity lingered at the edge of her mind, teasing her but never fully revealing itself.
That said, these thoughts had not come easily to Nami. The pain from the Princess's kick would make the word 'migraine' blush, and although much of it had subsided, her ears still rang. Alongside Kikyou's endless bragging about capturing the intruder (which Hancock had acknowledged with a genuine yet lacklustre thanks), Nami hadn't had much capacity for thought in the time that had just passed.
All of this had culminated in a fierce anger that may have hindered her critical thinking. Nami was fuming. She half-wished she had her Clima-Tact to attack Kikyou and the Snake Princess then and there, but alas, she was unarmed and bound. The forced silence wasn't helping her anger either. Nami almost looked forward to the interrogation, just for the chance to speak.
"Welcome back Snake Princess," a mild, soft voice called from nearby, offering a welcome change from the bitchy ambience Nami had been enduring. Hancock turned to regard the woman with a bored, self-absorbed expression, literally looking down on her due to her height.
"Thank you for taking care of the palace while I was away… er…" The Princess' hesitation was clear; she had forgotten the woman's name. However, the new arrival didn't seem to mind.
"My name is Enishida." There was a notable pause, though not an intentional one from the newly introduced woman. "I'm your head servant."
Hancock's eyes dawned in realisation, a bashful smile crossing her face as she bit down on her lip. "I… I'm sorry…"
Her stuttering brought the room's occupants to their knees, gazing up at her with sparkling eyes, which elicited a chuckle from the Snake Princess as her expression returned to neutrality. "OH, SNAKE PRINCESS! SUCH BEAUTY!"
Nami sighed to herself, taking the opportunity to mutter, "Definitely an island of lesbians, huh?"
Not that she minded. Should make it far easier to escape.
The questioning looks she received from Kikyou did make her feel better, though just a little bit. Nami focused on Enishida, who rose from her knees holding a small box on a tray.
"Snake Princess, I thought you might want to enjoy your spoils of war. So, I polished the finest gem acquired until the shine was just perfect. It is yours, my empress." The bow Enishida gave could have sent her forehead crashing into the floor below, Nami thought. Well, scarcely thought—her mind was mostly occupied with the box's contents.
Hancock opened the lid to reveal the brilliant light of an emerald, its divine countenance resting on a satin pillow. Nami almost screamed.
In fact, she did.
"TREASURE!" Nami's eyes morphed into belli signs as she thrashed against her restraints, only to be pulled back by an absent-minded Kikyou, who was also staring at the Empress like everyone else. The loving gaze would have made anyone nauseous.
"AWWWW!" the women crooned, holding their hands together with eyes in the shapes of hearts, "THE SHINE OF THIS GEM IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE BEAUTY OF THE PRINCESS' SMILE!"
Silence settled over the room as Hancock picked up the emerald with a delicate move of her hand, regarding it for a moment with a curious, puppy-like expression.
Until that silence broke with the Snake Princess tossing the gem over her shoulder with a snort, leaving a distraught Nami watching in agony as it bounced its way down to the courtyard. In Nami's opinion, Hancock's words seemed to chase angrily after the gem, the navigator already personifying her lost treasure. "Please! Such a poor decoration is not worth the beauty I exude!"
The tears pooling in Nami's eyes could not be faked as the convoy was forced to move along. It wasn't long before it stopped again, a strange sight catching the Princess' eye.
"Enishida, what is that?" Her question was bizarrely hostile given what Nami was looking at—a statue built in honour of the very woman prattling on and on. Enishida quickly jumped in front of Hancock to explain, a large smile gracing her features.
"Well, my lady, that is a gift from the village children. They worked extremely hard on it, to the point they even coloured it. When I saw them carrying it so carefully into the castle, my heart melted. They looked so sweet Snake Princess; like us, they have great love for you. I thought-"
The smile that spread across Nami's face was soft. The Amazonians, from Belladonna to these children, had proven that some were full of an impossible amount of love and care. Nami wasn't one to judge a group of people by a few actors anyway, but this kingdom was showing its true face through its people.
"So, this is me… made out of clay?" Nami thought Hancock sounded quite mystified from her tone and was happy to see that the woman wasn't completely without compassion. She was more than done dealing with evil Warlords at this point.
"Yes, my lady. I would be very careful touching it, it's very…"
The last words caught in Enishida's mouth as Hancock pressed her palm to the clay statue, sending it crashing into the ground, shattering into a thousand pieces. Nami had been mistaken; it wasn't mystique she had sensed in the woman's voice but abhorrent disbelief. Hancock's words grated against the feelings the statue had conjured earlier, the cold-water-like shock sending a wave of anger through the navigator.
"Do not bring such worthless items before me again. And clean up this mess at once!" The Snake Princess took off down the hallway, and all Nami could do was stare, the conclusions she had been reaching washing away in her storm-like anger.
"You ungrateful bitch." Her words came out quieter than she would have liked, though understandable given the strike she had taken earlier. Kikyou kicked her in the back for her troubles, anger rippling through the black-haired City Defender along with… something else.
"Mind your tongue, East Blue Girl. You may have proved your strength at the prison, but I will remove your tongue if necessary." Her words came out as a swift order accompanied by a glare the navigator could not interpret. Nami sighed, grudgingly following the command and snapping her jaw shut. The convoy moved slowly behind Hancock, careful not to interrupt or disturb the Snake Princess in any way.
At the end of the hallway sat a podium with pink curtains. Hancock's snake, which Nami had been keeping a cautious eye on for a while, slithered expertly onto the stand before twisting and curling to form the shape of a throne. From that point, it seemed content to remain in that arrangement, even as Hancock approached and sat upon it with a blazing yet bored attitude.
"Enishida, fetch me some Hakashu, now!" Her command was met with an instant response as a servant ran off, while Hancock folded one leg over the other and settled to relax. Nami was forced to her knees by Kikyou, in what she considered the most pleasant movement against her since her capture. The restraint Kikyou was displaying was… interesting.
The woman turned to look up at Hancock.
"Excuse me… Snake Princess." Kikyou seemed nervous, even timid—something Nami had not yet heard in her voice. She was quite enjoying this new version of the woman, if only because it was a nice change of pace.
The Warlord opened one eye in annoyance to regard what she now saw as an interruption. "Yes, Kikyou?"
"I was… under the assumption that you wished to interrogate the prisoner? She proved herself quite strong and could reveal vulnerabilities in our defences." The City Defender gestured to Nami, and the navigator had to restrain herself from biting the woman's finger off, despite the odd compliment she had given. It's not like she wouldn't have deserved it. Hancock emitted a mixture of a scoff and a seethe, flicking her head back in a way that allowed her hair to tousle across the back of her snake throne.
"I plan to do so when I am thoroughly comfortable!" The snide comment still sent the servants swooning, gushing over her beauty and wisdom. Nami was stunned by the behaviour she had seen so far, but the Princess's routine and that of the women had grown old enough to force an eye roll.
Looking at Enishida, Hancock glared with a stiff expression. "I said I wanted some Hakashu."
The head servant nodded nervously, looking around for the servant who had run off. Another voice cut in, echoing across the room and capturing everyone's attention. "I thyink I wyill have syome as well."
The Straw Hat Pirate turned around to see a familiar, short old woman. She recognised her as the one who had outed Luffy as a man; had the other women called her Elder Nyon? The muttering of her name across the room confirmed Nami's recollection in a matter of seconds.
But while the women in the room seemed reverent, Hancock merely sighed, leaning further back into her chair (if that was even possible) and giving the old woman a lazy glare. "What do you want, you old crone? If you recall correctly, this is my room. Why are you here?"
The grin that crossed Nyon's face was devious, and Nami's opinion of the old woman was improving. After all, if anyone could make this annoying diva that annoyed, they must be one brilliant customer. "Cyan't I come and see my beloved pryncess?"
Hancock, by all standards, was not amused; she sat up with a deadly expression, not even regarding Nyon with her gaze. "Remove her from my sight, immediately!"
Though the guards hesitated, the old woman spoke before they could even hope to restrain her. Quite frankly, Nami liked this woman's style. "WAIT, HANCOCK!"
A scoff rang through the room.
"It's 'Snake Princess.'" If Hancock wasn't a Warlord, Nami would have made a greater attempt to throttle her at that moment. Self-preservation notwithstanding, it wasn't the restraints that restrained Nami's vigour. She couldn't quite explain it, but something was familiar. Since she couldn't quite put her finger on it, Nami assumed it was simply another feeling of anger at seeing yet another stuck-up Warlord.
Hancock's correction elicited a growl from the old woman, who finally conceded with a cough and a low bow. "Excuse me 'Snake Pryncess'"
Nami thought Hancock seemed to enjoy torturing the woman, judging by the way she smiled. "There. Now isn't that better?"
The old woman didn't share any positive feeling towards the outcome, instead standing back up with a firm grip on her snake staff, her eyes dancing with a passionate fire. "There's a gyovernment ship anchored in the waters near here, isn't thyere? You hyave been ordered to assemble as part of your arrangement, and the ship is thyere to escort you, is it nyot?"
Hancock seemed to be half-listening before nodding in confirmation. "Yes, it is an invitation to war…"
Nami tried to make sense of the dialogue. From what she could tell, the World Government was ordering Hancock to war as part of her Warlord status. But war against whom? Had she missed something since Sabaody? Had something happened? Thoughts of Enies Lobby raged through her mind, recalling their own declaration of war. Was the rest of the crew alright?
The worry in the pit of her stomach was making it hard to think.
"But why did you nyot go then? You myust go with them!" Nyon seemed to plead, and frankly, Nami had been wondering that herself. It was a bit strange to see a Warlord refuse the World Government in such a manner. Hell, even Crocodile had been forced to at least make an effort to pretend. "As lyong as you cooperate, the treaty will be upheld. And with your powers, your life would nyever be in danger."
The logical reasoning seemed to fall on deaf ears as Hancock instead pouted, holding her hand to her mouth, eyes wide and brows furrowed. "But… I'm so scared…"
The entire room seemed to swoon, even Elder Nyon, with hearts visible in the older woman's eyes. "Oh, she looks like a puppy!"
Nami would have face-palmed if her hands were free, but luckily, Elder Nyon snapped out of it, stamping her snake staff against the marble floor. "No! I can nyot falter nyow!"
The short elder took a deep breath before regaining her composure. "Listen Snake Pryncess, your status as a Wyorlord protects this country. Lyong ago, the Calm Belt was our greatest defyence, protecting us from foreign invyaders. But now, the gyovernment has developed new technyology that allows their ships to cross the sea. Lyosing your status would be the wyorst possible outcome for this country!"
By the end of her rant, her yelling had started to hurt Nami's ears, but all Hancock could do was roll her eyes and take a sip of the drink that had finally been delivered. "It seems to me that you are the only one who is afraid here."
"I am ready to die at any myoment," Nyon said with a scoff, befitting of a woman her age and of her liveliness as she pulled a crystal ball from the arm of her coat, "but that does nyot apply to the children on this island. See their fyate Princess, through MY MYAGICAL 200% ACCURATE FYORTUNE TELLING!"
'200% accurate? How would that even work?' Nami's sarcastic thought was cut off by Elder Nyon's dancing and chanting as she moved around the ball, seemingly calling on the old spirits of Amazon Lily to reveal the future. For a moment, both the navigator and the Snake Princess wore identical annoyed expressions as the old woman danced with more fervour around her crystal ball. With a flash of ink dotted on the glass surface, Nyon turned around and revealed her prophecy.
"You see, GYET GYOING!" The old woman gestured towards the message on the crystal ball, words that read 'MOVE IT!'
The entire room fell silent as Nami stared deadpan, though she at least appreciated the old bat's sentiment.
Hancock was… less amused.
"SUCH INSOLENCE!" Her yell practically shook the walls as she shot up from her snake throne, throwing her glass aside and shattering it into hundreds of pieces. "RESTRAIN HER AT ONCE!"
This time, the guards did not hesitate, grabbing Elder Nyon by the arms and lifting her off the floor, despite her pleas. With a determined gait, the Warlord walked toward Elder Nyon, a bored glare of disgust on her face.
"Who do you think you are?" The Snake Princess made sure to flip her hair back once more. "Your era came to end a long time ago, Gloriosa!"
Nyon seemed to pale at her former name, and Nami couldn't help but wonder about the history behind it. What exactly was the relationship between Nyon and the Snake Princess?
"Four decades ago, you left the island to chase your desires and personal notoriety. This kingdom is mine." Hancock straightened her back and, in what Nami thought was ridiculous to the point of being nearly funny, looked so far down on Nyon that she ended up looking upwards instead. "You betrayed the Kuja! You betrayed this nation! You surrendered your title and authority as a result!"
Hancock lifted Nyon by her hair, the old woman thrashing in pain and a desire to escape, but still shouting back at the Warlord.
"And thyat is why I live in a secluded corner of the vyillage! To hide my sha-OWWW!" Nyon let out a yell as Hancock lifted her higher before slamming her to the ground, storming towards the window while dragging the elder behind her.
"Then perhaps you should have stayed there…" The smirk on Hancock's face made Nami seethe with unmitigated anger. "You see, Gloriosa, I shall always be forgiven for my misdeeds. I can kick puppies and kittens, and I can throw an old woman like you out the window. I could even destroy this kingdom and all its people through my decision, and I would be forgiven for it. And do you know why?"
Right by the window, Hancock pulled Nyon high enough so that they could engage in level eye contact, all for the sake of the old woman's torment. Nami, meanwhile, shook with anger at the display, lost in her own memories.
"Read my lips, Gloriosa. Because…"
"I… AM… BEAUTIFUL!"
"Bullshit."
Hancock turned on her feet in surprise at the voice, as if it were a trick of the air and not real. But lo and behold, Nami was glaring at her with deep, sated anger. Kikyou attempted to demand an apology from her amidst the displeased jeers and shouts of the servants, but all Nami could do was focus on Hancock. The Snake Princess took a step back in shock, dropping Nyon, who scrambled away to safety.
"I beg your pardon?" Hancock asked, eyes wide, fists slowly clenching as her brain began to process everything. But all Nami did was grit her teeth further, and as we know, once the navigator got fired up, she rarely backed down.
"BULLSHIT!" Her yell reduced everyone in the room to stunned silence, to the point one could hear the pin drop. "YOU'RE SACRIFICING A KINGDOM FOR WHAT? BECAUSE YOU'RE TOO LAZY TO GET OFF YOUR ASS? GET YOUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT!"
Hancock began to walk slowly towards Nami, but the orange-haired woman didn't seem to care, continuing to give the Snake Princess a piece of her mind. "LEADERS ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THEIR PEOPLE! ITS NOT SOME WHIMSICAL THING, IT'S THE VERY PURPOSE OF YOUR EXISTENCE!"
I can't just sit around and do nothing. As royalty, it's important that I protect my people with everything I have!
The memories enraged Nami further, to the point that her teeth could have cracked and shattered right then and there.
"I KNEW A PRINCESS WHO TAUGHT ME ALL THAT ONCE, AND SHE IS A THOUSAND TIMES MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN YOU COULD EVER TRY TO BE!"
Hancock was gritting her teeth now, enamel grinding together as her fists clenched to the point that they could draw blood. No one in the room could tell who was angrier, Nami or Hancock. No one could bring themselves to protest the verbal onslaught; the words were simply too shocking. Nami lost herself further in memory and fervour.
Authority is something you wear over your clothes. There is no such thing as a naked king. So, I thank you now as a citizen and as a father. Thank you.
"AND MAYBE IF YOU LET A LITTLE AIR OUT THAT BALLOON YOU CALL A BRAIN, YOU'D REALISE THAT ELDER NYON IS RIGHT, AND THAT SHE'D PROBABLY MAKE A BETTER LEADER THAN YOU ANY DAY OF THE WEEK! AFTER ALL, LEAVING A COUNTRY IS NOTHING COMPARED TO ALLOWING THE CHILDREN OF THIS NATION TO DIE! YOU'RE JUS-"
The slap that Nami received might as well have echoed across the entire island, to the point where Kikyou even winced at the thought of the pain that must have shot through Nami's cheek. Anyone with a hint of Observation could tell that the Snake Princess had poured a lot of Haki into that strike.
Hancock stood angrily above the navigator, casting a shadow as Nami, who had yet to turn her head, seethed in agony while blood dripped to the floor.
"Know your place, peasant!" Hancock could barely get the words out, picking Nami up by the throat as she glared, shaking in what everyone assumed was anger. But as the navigator turned her head to glare venomously into Hancock's eyes, she saw it.
It didn't erase her anger—no chance at that—but Nami saw into Hancock's eyes all the same. For a brief moment, reaching a state of clarity in all her observations.
Nami saw fear.
It was small and faded quickly, both with Nami's anger and hatred for the woman, as well as the general pain of being choked. But it stunned the navigator enough that Hancock faced no resistance as she spoke. "I was going to interrogate you later this afternoon… but now you've gotten me quite angry. As soon as I've changed into some new clothes, you will tell me why you are on this island, or else you shall be fed to the Sea Kings…"
Nami didn't reply, continuing her glare as she basked in her dislike for the Warlord while processing what she had seen. It was like looking into a mirror that saw into the past, a reflection of someone else Nami once knew—or rather, had once pretended to be.
"Kikyou," Hancock turned to the City Defender with a confident smile, "keep this peasant guarded in the corner. I shall return shortly."
With a lazy flick of her wrist, the Snake Princess practically threw Nami backward into Kikyou's waiting arms, which twisted Nami's arms painfully behind her back, enough to elicit a wince from the Straw Hat Pirate. Kikyou nodded towards the fleeing Warlord with respect. "It will be done, my lady."
With a final bow from Kikyou, Nami was led to the corner of the room and thrown into it like a bag of rubbish. Collapsing in a heap on the floor, all the navigator could think about was her rage and what she had seen.
Seeing Hancock so callously throw away the lives of everyone on her island had set Nami off, especially considering everything Vivi and her father had gone through for Alabasta. The humility and grace they had shown—all of it—Hancock had completely disregarded everything Vivi stood for. And since Vivi was Nami's first female friend, well, that was something the navigator couldn't stand for.
Besides, perhaps more importantly, the idea that Hancock would condemn every child and innocent on the island was simply… disgusting.
And yet, Nami couldn't shake the fear she had seen in the Warlord's eyes. It had been so familiar, so like her own when Nami had needed to wear a mask. When Nami had nothing but her trauma to guide her. And perhaps it still guided her, somewhat, in the form of scars—but those scars were so etched into her skin that Nami could see them on someone else without fail.
Hancock wore a mask, just as she had. And while that didn't excuse her actions (even in that world without hope, Nami would never have condemned the villagers of Cocoyashi like that), Nami thought that maybe… maybe there was more to the Warlord than met the eye.
The navigator still thought the Snake Princess was a bitch, though (Nami had to silence the quiet voice in her head that fondly stated she was a bitch as well).
Nami looked down at the snakes that served as her handcuffs and growled. They itched like nothing else, and the slap Hancock had given her still stung to the point it felt as if she had just been slapped. It had only been four minutes, and Nami couldn't stand it any longer.
Though with Kikyou talking to other servants, she was at least being left alone. Nyon had wisely disappeared, and the relief Nami felt at the old woman escaping unscathed was palpable. While, yes, the navigator was in a huge amount of trouble, she felt satisfied that she had aided the elderly woman to some degree. However, despite this positive thought, Nami still groaned.
How the hell was she going to get out of this? Her Clima-Tact was with Luffy, and she was bound by her hands, by an unconventional method no less. If they were normal handcuffs, she could easily break free, but snakes? She had never dealt with that before. Speaking of, she also had to figure out a way to get past Hancock's pet snake, which had been left to guard her.
Damn it, how long was Luffy going to take? Once he got here, he could easily beat up the guards, and then he'd walk up to her with that wide, goofy grin of his and say-
"Hey Nami!"
Nami jumped in shock, her head whipping around to see her captain crouching right beside her with that big, stupid grin of his. The one that always made Nami smile in response. If she could raise a hand to her numb face, she would know it had done exactly that.
"Whatcha doing over here?" Luffy tilted his head like a puppy, confused about how Nami had ended up in the situation she was in.
"Luffy! You're here!" Nami began, until a confused thought struck her. "Wait, where's Hancock's snake?"
The look of confusion she received in response would have made her laugh if her face didn't hurt. It didn't take long for Luffy's eyes to widen in realisation. "Oh-h, that snake thingy. Yeah, I kicked its ass after I climbed up here. You should have seen, Nami, I was really sneaky like Usopp, so I managed to get all the way up here!"
The captain picked his nose, and Nami rolled her eyes in a moment of disgusted fondness. "Oh, just get me out of here."
Luffy easily removed her bindings, and as the navigator tried to stand, she instead tumbled back onto her ass, head spinning. She had been hit one too many times, it seemed. Through her blurred vision, she saw Luffy staring at her with a furrowed brow, and Nami felt the need to explain. "I think you'll need to carry me."
"Huh? How come?" he inquired, eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out if Nami was attempting to scam him and put him further in debt. As Nami turned her head to show him the impact of Hancock's slap and the blood it had drawn, Luffy's expression hardened into steel.
"Who did that to you?" His whisper was angry, and Nami could tell he had been restraining a shout. He raised a hand to inspect her face further, and the navigator obliged, ignoring the slight sting it caused. Regardless, they couldn't waste time with Luffy getting angry. They needed to get the hell out of here.
Perhaps they could hijack that marine ship?
"It doesn't matter, Luffy, she's gone. Kikyou didn't help, though…" Nami gestured with her head toward the City Defender before another thought occurred to her. "Wait, where's my Clima-Tact?"
Luffy blinked at her for a moment, calming down slightly as he slapped a hand to his waist, the familiar clink of her Clima-Tact catching Nami's gaze. Luffy wore it on his waist, just as she did, and Nami fought back the blush that wanted to emerge on her cheeks. Luffy complimented the crew often, but the subtle things he did made Nami even more elated. Such as noticing the exact way she held her Clima-Tact and mirroring it perfectly.
Nami took the weapon eagerly, however, preferring it to be at her own side. As she did so, she made her intentions clear to the rubber-man. "Alright, pick me up, and let's get go-"
"GUM GUM PISTOL!"
Nami sighed before looking up in inevitable dread as she spied the Kikyou-shaped hole in the far wall, Luffy's fist retracting to his side as he glared.
"IF ANY OF YOU HURT MY NAVIGATOR AGAIN, THERE'LL BE MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM!"
At this point, Nami would take the victory of Kikyou getting some justice. Luffy was likely going to cause a ruckus anyway. All the other servants stared in both horror and amazement at the spot where Kikyou had been, as well as at Luffy himself.
"Would you just get me out of here already!" Nami chided in a tutting voice, an edge of panic in her tone, as Luffy sprang into action. The Straw Hat Captain picked Nami up swiftly, making her dizzy given her injured state, and ran out of the room. Violent and vitriolic shouts thundered behind them as they dashed through the corridor.
As her vision cleared somewhat, Nami spied an approaching T-junction with worry, given Luffy's sense of direction. "GO RIGHT, GO RIGHT!"
Luffy let out a hum. "Your right or my right?"
A fist lightly crashed into the top of his head. "THEY'RE THE SAME RIGHT IDIOT!"
Nodding in understanding, Luffy pushed off the wall at the last second to retain his speed, heading right as Nami had instructed. With the sound of footsteps echoing behind them, Luffy darted around another corner to hastily ascend the steps. Nami practically had to grab her captain by the ear to correct him.
"No, Luffy, go down! DOWN!" She tugged on his earlobe for emphasis, but all Luffy did was look at her before winking.
"That's what they'll be expecting!" Nami let go of his ear, which snapped back and made his head briefly wobble. "Once we're high up, we can find a way to sneak over the wall and out of the village, instead of running through the streets and getting caught again!"
Nami gawped, staring at him with a gaze of suspicion that was half-faked. "Who are you, and what have you done with my blissfully scatterbrained captain?"
A pout emerged on his rubbery face as he mirrored Nami from earlier that day. "Meanie!" Nami chortled as they ascended another flight. The sound of footsteps had grown much quieter, confirming that they had not been followed. In fact, the sound of a bell made Nami think their absence was being investigated, but no matter, they were pretty much in the clear.
Luffy reached the final flight of stairs, arriving at the top floor and slowing to a walk. He glanced around the corridor with an owlish expression before turning to Nami with what was an attempt at a thoughtful expression. "We need a place to hide for a while. Somewhere they won't suspect."
Before Nami could quip at the look on his face, Luffy's eyes landed on a large blue door, a smile now gracing his lips as he approached.
"Perfect!" He nodded to Nami as he gently pushed on the door. However, the sound of two voices around the corner made them balk, and they quickly shut the door quietly behind them. After waiting a moment, the captain and navigator sighed in relief when no one else entered the room. Taking a moment to turn around and properly take in their surroundings, Nami noticed the thin steam and the temperature. The sound of running water and the sauna-like properties of the room were actually quite soothing for her headache, enough that she gestured for Luffy to put her down.
Her captain obliged, lowering Nami to a standing position on the wet floor. His voice emerged in a half-whisper, which he had obviously tried to make a full whisper but failed—because, well… he was Luffy. "I think we're safe now."
Nami nodded in confirmation as Luffy walked further from the door, his curiosity taking over as he passed through the small, light blue tiled archway that led to the source of heat, water, and steam. Nami, basking in the comfort of the room's atmosphere, peered at him in an attempt to get him to stay still. "Luffy. What are yo-"
"Marigold? Sandersonia? Is that you?" The familiar voice reached the navigator's ears from the foggy area, causing Luffy to take a step back in shock. And, because of course he did, Luffy's foot slammed down onto a bar of soap, which quickly slipped out from under his sole across the floor. Attempting to right himself, Luffy tumbled ungracefully forward, failing in the process and grabbing Nami's forearm for support.
The navigator hadn't expected him to do so, and she was sent tumbling after him, the two crashing down into some shallow, soapy water. After pulling their heads from the water, the two looked up and paled. Confirming what Nami had heard, a tall, slender woman stood in the middle of the watery area. She was just as shocked as they were, her head tilted back slightly to gaze at them, her bare back on full display.
Water glistened off the large red mark that stood out against her beauty, and it didn't take long for Hancock to come to terms with what had just happened. Her secret now revealed, the Warlord's eyes narrowed with venom as she swung around in pure, unmitigated anger. Shielding her chest from the eyes of her new enemies, she quickly submerged herself in deeper water to hide her body.
"You… YOU SAW IT!" Her voice emerged as a hiss, fittingly like that of a snake, her tone so venomous that it wouldn't be shocking if she shed her skin right there and revealed herself as a cobra. Nami was quick to recover, clearly doing so before Luffy, who was likely still trying to figure out what was going on.
"What? We didn't see anything, did we Luffy?" The navigator couldn't stop the awkward, sheepish chuckle that escaped her lips, but she received no response from her captain. Nami looked down at the Straw Hat Captain and saw that he was peering right at Hancock with unblinking eyes. The orange-haired woman adopted a look of confusion.
What the hell was wrong with him? But Luffy just stayed exactly where he was, a perplexed expression lining his features as he kept his gaze fixed. Nami tried once again to salvage the situation. "We didn't see anything… RIGHT, LUFFY?"
Once again, she was ignored. Hancock's glare could have frozen every inch of water there as she shuffled further away, the silence now dominating the room's atmosphere. Until Luffy decided to break it, of course.
"Hey lady, you've got a really weird rash on your back. Have you seen a doctor about that?"
Nami's eyes went as wide as dinner plates. In fact, so did Hancock's. Nami could have burst out laughing, tears streaming down her face, as it reminded her of the shock she'd felt when Luffy punched Laboon's eye. But she was used to the idiot's antics by now.
Acting quickly upon seeing the angry vein appear on the Warlord's forehead, Nami picked Luffy up out of the water and tried to drag him toward the door. But it seemed Hancock's shock had turned into righteous fury by now.
"SANDERSONIA! MARIGOLD!" Her bellow was akin to that of a banshee, and the door burst open instantly. Two large women emerged, and their sheer size alone would prevent Luffy and Nami from escaping through the door. Nami released Luffy, realising the effort was futile, and the captain's head hit the floor with a dull thunk.
"Meanie Nami!" The groan that emerged from his lips didn't amuse Nami this time, however.
"NOT NOW LUFFY!" Her Clima-Tact quickly assembled in her grasp, but the two sisters were far faster than her. The green-haired woman kicked forward, her size allowing her to reach Nami with little movement, sending the blue staff clattering against the wall. The hostility towards Nami caused Luffy to burst to his feet, but he was quickly restrained by the orange-haired woman. His arms were held in place as a large snake emerged from what felt like the shadows almost instantly, wrapping around Luffy's rubber legs and trapping him. Nami followed shortly, the green-haired woman holding her as if she were about to be sacrificed on an altar by Hancock.
The Snake Princess, now wearing a bathrobe of pure white, stepped forward in unabated fury. "You dare!"
Luffy squirmed, protesting as he thrashed about on the floor. "We just saw your back. What's the big deal?!"
"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!"
Hancock held her hands forward in an odd shape, a pink light emerging between them in the form of a heart-shaped ray that enveloped both Luffy and Nami. "MERO MERO MELLOW!"
"NAMI, WATCH OUT! IT'S A SLOW SLOW BEAM!" Luffy's yell was thoughtful, if not painfully stupid, as Nami groaned in exhaustion, looking at her captain and almost forgetting about the attack. It had been a long day after all.
"Luffy! It's not that you dolt!" Her anger was well placed, given Luffy's thrashing movements on the floor had slowed to an almost comic fashion, his attempts to stand now hindered by what he assumed was Foxy's attack.
"N~O~~N~A~M~I~~I'~M~~G~O~I~N~G~~S~L~O~W!" His voice was highly exaggerated as Nami grit her teeth at the sight of her captain acting like a complete dunce before she began yelling profanities at him. The two were so caught up in their usual spiel that they didn't notice Hancock's confused face, practically stone itself.
"Why… why aren't you two… stone?" Her voice cut through the playacting of the two Straw Hats, who blinked once before turning to the Warlord in confusion.
"Stone?" The duo was in complete unison, right down to the head tilt that Luffy normally performed when he didn't understand something. Hancock shook with rage before noticing something far more distressing. Sandersonia, her brave sister who never faltered, was sweating nervously. Hancock saw that her sister's eyes were wide, and her breaths were coming in rasps; and she raised a brow.
"Sandersonia… is something wrong?" Her question was nervous, causing her sister to nod and stagger slightly, almost releasing Nami.
"The woman… she appears to be resistant to you." Sandersonia looked down at her older sister, careful not to appear as though she were looking down on her, ensuring her expression was full of humility. "Her desires, they very well could be suppressed by her rage. But… she may possess some dormant Haki."
Hancock's brow furrowed deeper. The use of Haki to counteract the effects of Devil Fruits, especially one like hers, was an extremely advanced technique. For someone to pull it off by accident, they must possess great will and luck. And within the girl, she could sense a willpower of great strength. Marigold, however, seemed even more perturbed with her own prisoner.
"The man… his resistance to your Devil Fruit was not through any Haki…" At that, the Snake Princess fell utterly silent. Here she had two people who could resist her charms, resist her power. The girl—well, that sort of Haki usage was a threat—but the man?
She didn't even want to think about it.
"Call the guards." Hancock said firmly, glaring at the two in front of her. "Tell them to take these rats down to the coliseum. I believe it is time our people received some entertainment."
The two sisters nodded, yelling down the hallway. Shortly after, a group of warriors took hold of Luffy and Nami with harsh grips, dragging them away. Nami concluded that dignity was to be found in defeat.
Luffy…
Not so much.
"YOU ASSHOLES! LET GO OF ME! I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS, YOU HEAR ME?!" His shouts weren't deterred by the guards' attempts to silence him, though Nami herself made no protests. Instead, she was lost in thought, taking the opportunity to rest, given the events of her day.
'What the fuck is Haki?'
It was an hour later when the two Straw Hats found themselves dragged helplessly up a stone flight of stairs, Luffy honestly relieved that something was finally happening. The guards, who had been their previous escorts, roughly flung them onto the main stone platform at the centre of a pit of spikes before leaving them there. The two were still bound and tied by snakes that had wrapped themselves around their arms.
High above on a distant, raised podium sat Boa Hancock, resting on her beloved snake with a tension in her body that hadn't existed the last time she'd done so. Regardless, she was still enjoying the misery of her new enemies, revelling in the loud cheers of the crowd directed at her. This, however, did not stop her mind from wandering. The boy…
He had resisted her without Haki. A fact so evidently clear to her, given that the girl herself had used that particular method at the same time.
Her happy smile slowly faded, shadows gathering at her feet as the world around her began to fade. Her distress, however, was noticed by Marigold, whose brow furrowed in concern.
"Sister… what's wrong?" the large woman asked, though she regretted it as soon as she glanced at Hancock properly. She knew what was wrong, and it had been foolish of her to ask. Fear ruled her black-haired sister more than anything else; it did so for all of them, but Hancock was the one who took it most to heart.
You all are nothing if not for your beauty. And… if not for me!
Both Hancock and Marigold tortured themselves over the same memories and could only watch the two prisoners interact to abate the tide of darkness in their minds.
"Great idea, Luffy!" Nami's voice was angry, understandably so, before it shifted to a surprisingly accurate impression of her captain, if not slightly more nasal. "'Oh yeah, Nami. Let's hide in the palace. What could possibly go wrong… if not everything? Oh, never mind, I never think ahead! Sorry again, Nami!'"
Luffy's face took on a shark-like appearance as he bit back, capping off his retort with an outstretched tongue. "HEY! You were the one who agreed with me, you meanie! You're the one who is supposed to think ahead for me!"
It hadn't even been a second on the platform before Nami and Luffy had started bickering. Though the situation was dire, the navigator was happy to be reunited with her captain. She deliberately sighed with anger to mask her small smile, one that, realistically, Luffy likely knew she was making given the way he chuckled fondly.
They may be captured by one of the Seven Warlords, but they were together. And that was something the two would never allow to change.
"I'm… sorry I got you stuck in this mess." Luffy's voice was surprisingly subdued, his head downcast as he glanced at Nami with a soft frown, one that the navigator knew was apologising for more than just Amazon Lily.
Nami's face softened, knowing he must have been holding that in for a while. She and Luffy knew each other well, perhaps better than anyone else. Anyone who said Luffy had doubts would be a liar and didn't know him at all. He just didn't focus on them, always looking ahead and lighting the way for everyone around him. It was telling how much the recent days had impacted him that he would look back, if only briefly.
It wasn't about himself, though that was likely an element as he questioned his strength. Of course he would, even if he didn't need to. But Nami knew it was mainly about herself and the others. And how they felt, even though deep down, Luffy knew how she felt. Sometimes, well, he needed a navigator to steer him back on course and remind him.
"Idiot." She scoffed so fondly that she would have laughed at herself if she could. "If getting into messes was enough to drive me away, we wouldn't have left Orange Town."
And with that, the bright smile on Luffy's face returned as he roared with laughter, eliciting a warm feeling in her stomach. The two exchanged a mental high-five, given that their hands and feet were bound.
From far above, in one of the stand's higher rows, Margaret watched with interest. Her head ached with memories that refused to leave.
"Margaret…"
"Nice to meet ya! My name's Luffy!"
"It matters not; the man is a danger to our princess and the island […] It is our duty to destroy them!"
Confusion filled Margaret, conflicting thoughts and emotions clashing like a storm in her head. On one hand… Nami had betrayed them, and Luffy was a man. They had injured Kikyou and Sweet Pea. All were grounds for her hatred and contempt… right?
But Nami had shown her soul through her eyes, both in her friendship and genuine regret. And Luffy, he had trusted her. Even when she had intended to kill him, he had shown her gratitude instead. Someone with the power of a king lowered himself to that of a humble pirate and thanked her with infinite sincerity.
This execution…
It didn't feel right.
"Margaret." The voice beside her was weak but still filled with a willpower she greatly admired. "The Snake Princess does not know about your involvement in bringing the man into the village. All the villagers present have been sworn to secrecy."
Kikyou was wrapped in bandages, her jaw in some kind of brace due to how hard Luffy had struck her. However, she showed little contempt for the strikes against her. On Amazon Lily, strength was respected, even if it came from a traitorous woman and a man. In fact, Kikyou was having her own internal debate, one that was causing more turmoil than her injuries ever could.
"T-thank you, Kikyou…"
Kikyou managed a small smile, though it was hindered by her injury. "Do not thank me. I would hate for someone who I thought of as a sister to get punished."
"KIKYOU! MARGARET!" At the sound of the call, the two Kuja turned to the approaching Sweet Pea and Aphelandra, making sure there was enough space on the bench for them to sit.
"How are you, Kikyou?" Aphelandra asked as she sat between them, looking at her friend's injuries with evident worry on her face. Kikyou rolled her eyes but managed a small smile once again.
"I am fine, thank you, Aphelandra. Belladonna said I would recover in a week or so."
"The saga of 'you have endured a lot of punishment.'" Sweet Pea cut in, sitting next to Margaret while looking at the black-haired City Defender.
Silence reigned over the group for a moment as they worried about how Kikyou would react. But Kikyou just nodded slowly, turning back to the centre of the arena.
"Speaking of…"
Margaret's expression turned sad, still remembering the kindness of both Nami and Luffy. The arena quickly went silent upon Hancock standing up, gazing at their Snake Princess (as well as at the prisoners) in an entranced manner.
"Now, let me ask you, man!" Hancock bellowed for the entire stadium to hear, casually disregarding Nami's glare at her lack of inclusion. "How, and for what purpose, did you come to my island?"
Luffy blinked for a moment, not to buy himself time to think about his answer—since he didn't think when he opened his mouth anyway. "I'm not really sure how I got here either! One second, I'm fighting this paw-paw man, the next, I'm here on this weird island!"
A sneer escaped Hancock's lips. "Liar!"
"He's not lying. You should know better than anyone about your colleague, Kum-" Nami couldn't finish as Hancock's words and well-placed glare cut her off.
"Good little girls should speak only when spoken to!" Nami glared back in defiance. "You must have a purpose for being here, correct?"
The Snake Princess' eyes shifted to Luffy, who blinked owlishly as if to say, 'me?' in the ensuing silence. He eventually figured out he was being asked a question. "Oh, right! Well, if it's a purpose you want, then… I want a ship!"
Nami would have winced at the crowd's outrage if she wasn't already getting used to this weird island by now, while Luffy continued to speak despite their reactions. "I need to get out of here and find my crew as quickly as possible, and if you could give me that, I'd be really grateful!"
"LIAR!" The crowd's outrage grew louder, as others chimed in with protests over Hancock being referred to as 'you' and of the man's ignorance in general. In response to all this, Margaret felt her hands clench, recalling her own memories to find the truth.
"Well, I'd better go get some soon then. But first, I need to head back to your village!"
"I need my navigator. I'm pretty much useless without Nami."
"He's telling the truth…" Margaret whispered, which Kikyou caught, the black-haired woman staring at her in shock.
"How insolent!" Hancock's yell filled the stadium. "You do not have the right to order me to do anything. You will never leave this island alive!"
At that, Margaret couldn't stand to hear it any longer. With her body acting on its own, she stood up, and Kikyou attempted to stop her with a meek protest that was uncommon for her.
"Please, Snake Princess! Wait!" Her call garnered everyone's attention, the arena falling silent as even Luffy and Nami stared in shock. Especially when Margaret leapt from the stands into the arena, turning to face Hancock.
"T-they aren't lying!" Margaret's yell was shy yet full of passion as she stared up at her idol. The crowd began to mutter as Margaret knelt on the floor, bowing her head in supplication.
"Please, Snake Princess… I know these two! They mean this kingdom no harm; they are not that kind of people!" The crowd was taken aback, while Nami and Luffy simply beamed at the blonde-haired woman. Nami felt tears forming in her eyes at the sign of Margaret's forgiveness, though not enough to start falling. Still, they voiced their agreement without fail.
"Yeah, she's right!"
"We don't mean any harm! Not to you or this island! We just want to go home!"
Hancock looked toward Margaret with an expression of cynicism.
"Are you not one of the City Defenders?" Her voice was curt as she stared down, and Margaret nodded in response with a respectful expression.
"My name is Margaret, Snake Princess." Margaret remained on her knees, both unwilling and unable to rise.
"The moment that man entered our country, where men are forbidden, his death was certain. Why do you plead for his life? Why do you defend two who you have been commanded to kill?" Hancock's doubtful glare hurt Margaret more than any physical injury, and she sighed, beginning to shake.
"Snake Princess… I feel responsible. The reason he found our village was… because I led him here!" Margaret's explanation was nervously delivered, and the crowd gasped, murmuring among themselves at the revelation. Sweet Pea and Aphelandra moved to spring to their feet, but someone else held them down, albeit lightly due to physical incapacity.
And with a weakened step and jump, Kikyou stood before Luffy and Nami, then knelt beside Luffy and Hancock couldn't hide their shock, but it was Nami whose eyes widened in disbelief. To see someone she regarded with contempt, who felt the same towards her, stand before her left Nami's mind racing in confusion.
"Snake Princess, I hold just as much guilt as Margaret. It was I who failed to capture the man; it was I who did not act on my suspicions of the girl. And it was I who chose to hide both the man's breach of the island and Margaret's actions from you…" Kikyou's words came forward through grit teeth. An admission of guilt, especially from someone as devoted as her, was never easy. Yet, it was a testament to her true character that she knelt just as Margaret did, her forehead hitting the floor, eyes wrenching shut in pain, her fist clenching. "And yet… I also cannot help but think of these two as those worthy of my respect. Despite their crimes, my heart and mind cannot help it. They have shown their strength, Snake Princess, and … I… I cannot…"
Kikyou had thrown herself into the fire at this point, struggling to verbalise her inner thoughts and feelings. Taking a deep breath, she looked directly into Hancock's eyes with a pleading expression. For Margaret's sake… and for the sake of the two behind her.
They fought with strength for one another. Was that not what she did for Margaret to cover her guilt? Was that not a founding principle of their island? And if Margaret was willing to lay down her life for the two, then how could Kikyou deny Margaret the trust she had always given her? Why would she start doubting Margaret now?
Nami, meanwhile, continued to stare at the black-haired woman, her opinions shifting as she listened to her words.
"I ask that you recognize their character through the strength I have seen, Snake Princess, and recognise Margaret's innocence in bringing the man to the village."
Hancock paused for a moment, taken aback by the speech. Kikyou was one of her most loyal followers, without fault. And yet…
No, it was as it always was.
The Warlord gritted her teeth in utter fury, her face shadowed by her hair as she gestured to Nami. "And her? What of the woman?"
Nami merely growled, having finally found her voice after Kikyou's passionate plea. "I found the village on my own. These two have nothing to do with my infiltration, even their supposed failures!"
Both Kikyou and Margaret turned their heads slightly to look at the navigator in shock, but the orange-haired woman could only adopt a cat-like grin before winking at them. Luffy laughed at the entire exchange, looking at the two Kuja with a smile that, in its purity, simply confirmed what they had expressed to Hancock.
"Guess you two were nice after all!" His grin practically exuded light, and the two women managed to smile at him, Kikyou doing so after his continued words. "Sorry for punching you. But hey, you're pretty strong!"
Hancock did not share in this joy, moving forward in the silence of the crowd. Every step she took echoed throughout the arena, as if earthquakes were nipping at her heels. Nami and Luffy watched nervously as her descent finally ended when she reached the bottom of the staircase.
The Snake Princess approached her two Kuja warriors calmly. Margaret was a bundle of nerves, while Kikyou kept her head bowed in reverence. Hancock placed gentle hands under both Margaret's and Kikyou's chins, the latter wincing due to her prior jaw injury, as the Warlord looked them both in the eyes.
"Margaret, Kikyou. Your honesty and loyalty is evident." Hancock's voice was sweet, accompanied by a sweeter smile, and Margaret felt a blush worm its way onto her cheeks as she stared into the dark blue eyes of her princess. Kikyou, however, was, for once, not enamoured, merely accepting what was about to happen. "Tell me, you two, do you want forgiveness?"
Margaret's head perked up as she stuttered her shy reply, while Kikyou remained silent, her head bowed in complete credence. "Y-yes…"
Nami and Luffy watched the scene with relief, though the former had a bad feeling in her stomach. That look in Hancock's eyes. The fear. Nami recognised it as once her own, and her stomach twisted in worry. Something… wasn't right.
"Stand up." Hancock commanded sweetly, and the two Kuja obeyed instantly. Luffy smiled widely, while Nami's eyes widened in horror as she looked into Hancock's. She knew.
Luffy, not having paid attention to Hancock, widened his eyes as he saw the Warlord's hands twist into that familiar shape from before.
"W-wait." Nami was unable to finish, as Hancock had already shot forth that heart-shaped ray at the two Kuja warriors—one horrified, the other passive.
"MERO MERO MELLOW!"
And in the blink of an eye, both Margaret and Kikyou had been reduced to stone.
The crowd gasped, and both Sweet Pea and Aphelandra sobbed openly. Kikyou had spared them, looking after them as always. And now, she and Margaret were gone. Never to be talked to, hugged, or smiled at again.
Luffy and Nami's reactions were different from those of the crowd.
"What the…?"
"OH, YOU FUCKING BITCH!"
Luffy instantly whipped his head toward Nami's angry face, while Hancock simply turned around, ignoring them both as she made her way back to her personal seat with a sense of joy.
"Hey…" Hancock reached the staircase.
"Hey…" Now, she ascended the steps.
"HEY!" The Snake Princess stopped, turning to look down at Luffy, whose face matched the fury of his navigator's. "HEY, WHY DID YOU DO THAT TO THEM?!"
"Punishment for aiding you, for failure, and for… disloyalty," Hancock replied as if she were asked about the weather, flicking her hair to fall upon her back casually. Luffy's eyes widened considerably as he stuttered in disbelief.
"Because… of me…"
"IF IT'S OUR FAULT, LET US TAKE THE BLAME! TURN THEM BACK TO NORMAL!" Nami's bellow was angry as Hancock sat back down upon Salome, who bore a large bump on his head courtesy of the rubber-man, who was now the one shouting.
"Turn them back to normal!" Luffy was blinded by rage at this point, and Hancock glared back at the man and his navigator with equal venom.
"Who do you think you are, ordering me around!" Enough of this. Hancock had reached her limit. "Bring forth Bacura!"
"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO TURN THEM BACK!" Luffy's yell filled the arena once again, enough to make one or two crowd members shift uncomfortably in fear. Hancock, however, ignored him once again and reached down to grab something from the floor.
"This is the island of Amazon Lily," Hancock drawled, throwing the object she had grasped at Nami's feet. "Where if you are strong, you are beautiful. Kikyou died in the name of your strength, so let us find out if she died for nothing."
Nami looked at the Clima-Tact that had been thrown to her, and, on cue, the snakes that had been binding the two Straw Hats slithered away, finally allowing them to stand. But all Nami could do was think of Hancock's words as she picked up her weather staff, gripping it tightly in her clenched fists.
Kikyou…
She had died believing in Nami, respecting a strength Nami wasn't even sure was there. But if Kikyou could die believing in her, why shouldn't she be able to believe in herself? The navigator's expression hardened as a giant panther entered the ring, accompanied by Hancock's explanation, but Nami didn't listen.
Hancock had turned them to stone, so there might be a way to turn them back again. Nami glared up at the Snake Empress with pure aggression in her eyes, hating everything. Because she recognised the distorted mirror that was Boa Hancock and how far the Warlord had fallen. She hated the sympathy that wormed its way into her heart, despite the woman's actions. She hated looking at Hancock and seeing everything she suspected she had once hated about herself. Nami did not know what had set the black-haired Kuja leader on the path she found herself on—she couldn't even begin to imagine—but she hated the woman's weakness. Perhaps that was also a reflection of the anger toward her own weakness she had felt under Arlong, and the shape of that weakness now—lesser and different, but still present.
Because she hated looking at this stupid, stuck-up diva princess and being reminded of what her life might have been without Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates.
And so, Nami didn't flinch. O Oh, she was terrified of Bacura and wanted to cower and hide. But more than her fear, she had faith. Something she knew Hancock did not have. Perhaps had never possessed. But Nami had faith in her captain—faith that he would destroy this stupid panther and anyone else.
And she wouldn't back down this time.
So, as Luffy shouted and Bacura approached, Nami held her ground, glaring up at Hancock, who almost… recoiled under her gaze. She could hear the crowd laughing and jeering, but it was barely a muted sound, and the orange-haired woman felt righteous anger flood through her system.
Perhaps Luffy felt similarly, as his Straw Hat landed on her head before he turned and slugged Bacura in the face, sending the cat flying. She knew the action was not one of comfort. Because this time, it almost felt like… acknowledgement? Or perhaps…
Yeah.
Luffy was proud of her Nami blushed at the idea, both for conscious and subconscious reasons—because perhaps this was his way of saying she was worthy to wear the Straw Hat.
And that felt like fire in Nami's veins.
The loud howl that echoed throughout the arena snapped Nami from her fervour as the panther flew to the left and crashed into the stone stands with an almighty crunch. Spectators jumped away from the large cat, then turned to the two pirates at the centre of the arena in surprise, to the point that some began to shake. All eyes in the stadium watched Luffy and Nami, mostly focusing on the former since he was the one who had just punched the giant panther. But some also noted the latter's lack of outward fear.
Luffy looked at every single member of the crowd, a furious expression lining his features. "There's something wrong with all of you! Your friends have just been turned to stone by that woman. WHY ARE YOU ALL LAUGHING LIKE CHILDREN?!"
The crowd, stunned for a moment, quickly broke out into yells.
"The savage is shouting at us!"
"What an unbelievably barbaric creature!"
"We feel sorry for those two, but there's nothing wrong with what the Snake Princess did!"
"They were wrong for their acts of treason!"
"And you call me the savage!" Luffy muttered, subdued in his anger, a billow of smoke blowing from his nostrils. "You guys are really… er…"
Nami sighed, before her face broke out into a small, fond smile. "Hypocritical?"
"Yeah, that one!"
Hancock chuckled at Luffy's protests, which garnered both his and Nami's attention. It seemed the Snake Princess wished to impart some wisdom upon them. "No matter what I do, I will always be forgiven. Do you wish to know the reason?"
"No." "No."
Hancock ignored them. "Indeed! It is… because I am… beautiful!"
The crowd of Kuja warriors (with the exception of the still-distraught Sweet Pea and Aphelandra) immediately began to swoon, swaying from side to side with hearts in their eyes. Hancock looked down at both Luffy and Nami with a seductive grin.
"You think so too, right?" Hancock asked them both, as Luffy looked up at her with a glare.
"God, you piss me off!" The crowd stared at Luffy's reaction in utter shock as Hancock played it off, dramatically fainting onto her snake throne and groaning in an almost-fake agony.
"This man cannot be swayed by my charms?" Hancock's question was meant to elicit a reaction, but all Luffy and Nami did was continue to glare at her. An unfamiliar feeling ran up her spine as the truth was laid bare. Neither of them preened, neither swooned; they both just looked at her with honest hatred.
Honest…
Luffy walked forward slightly and stopped next to the determined Nami, and Hancock felt something stir in her stomach. A twinge of rage surged as Luffy gave Nami a small glance before continuing his glare. These two… they were ready to go down fighting together, that much was evident by their battle stances. Something about their close relationship… irked Hancock.
"I cannot bear this man to exist." Hancock's murmur emerged as a painful whisper.
It was Elder Nyon, however, who watched while trapped in her own memory. So many times, she had seen this.
"You idiot, why do I have to be the one to patch you up after you charged headfirst into danger… again, mind you! I should leave you to die on this split island, you split brain!"
"BWAHAHAHA! I've been kicking a lot of ass though, haven't I?"
"Oh, hey Gloriosa, fancy seeing you her—"
POW. BANG. CRASH.
"You idiot! No one is supposed to know we're here, Mr 'Pirate Kings Are Smart!'"
"Wow! To think we'd run into some old woman in the middle of the Calm Belt!" SMACK. "Ow!"
"That's the least I'll do. You have five seconds before I arrest you properly this time…"
And once… she had experienced it herself, so very long ago…
A fist collided with a head.
"You idiot! I should throttle you to death! I have half a right mind to join Newgate in his spiels against your supposed authority!"
"You utter bit— I mean, meanie! I should kill you right here and now! NO, DON'T HIT ME!"
Nyon shook her head and sighed.
"Love is always oil and water, and never a hurricane, eh?" The sad smile in memory of her own past was present but noticed by none. All she could do was watch these two at the centre of the ring and remember the best times as a result. Meanwhile, Hancock pointed forward and gave her command.
"Sandersonia! Marigold! TAKE THEIR HEADS!" Her yell filled the arena as the two larger women leapt high into the air towards the two Straw Hat Pirates, obeying without question. With a gentle tap, the two Snake Sisters landed right in front of Nami and Luffy.
"Worry not, sister!" the two chorused in unison. "We shall deal with this disrespectful man!"
The two sisters were just as keen to kill the man as their sister; after all, they knew what his lack of attraction was doing to her. To make their sister feel safe; to make her feel in control, they would do anything.
And thus, the two began to change. Nami could only blink in disbelief as Sandersonia's skin brightened, morphing into a sickening green colour. Marigold also changed, transforming into a tone far paler than she had been before. Their teeth quickly transformed into fangs, sharp and as long as swords. Where there had been legs, now there were large tails, which slowly moved to encircle the two pirates.
The crowd roared in excitement, chanting the word "execute" like a pack of rabid hounds hunting for quarry.
"Huh… looks like they've got Devil Fruit powers too!" Luffy's comment was as useful as it was obvious, and Nami rolled her eyes, drowning her nervousness with the feeling of the hat on her head.
"No! You think?" Her sarcasm was easily recognised by the captain as the snakes continued to encircle them, Nami allowing a forced smile to cross her face. She would not panic, not now. "Any ideas?"
Luffy just shrugged in a remarkably simple action. "Nope! I never think this far ahead. But we've gotten this far, so… kick ass and ask questions later?"
Nami spun her Clima-Tact with a cat-like grin as she looked at their opponents. "Better not to ask at all." This was the first step in getting stronger. For Luffy, and quite frankly, for herself. For her crew. For Kikyou and Margaret.
Never again!
With lightning sparking at the end of the Clima-Tact and a rubbery body stretching in an attempt to limber up, Hancock smiled sinisterly, raising her hand as the whole crowd roared in excitement.
"Begin!"
And there is Chapter 5! I had so much fun writing this one, and I hope you all had fun reading it as well.
Added some head-canons for Gloriosa, such as accidentally meeting Roger and Rouge, but there's nothing to say she couldn't have done that in the time period between the God Valley Incident and rescuing Hancock. Got rid of the Search the Wind headcanon of Rouge being Roger's navigator (which as cool as it was from a LuNa perspective), isn't really accurate. So, I made it less about the Captain/Navigator parallel and more about the Angry Control Freak/High Maintainance Idiot; which tbf, fit a lot of the canon romances Oda does.
I'm also doing the Hancock characterisation differently in this one, and being more true to her nature as a victim and not just hating. As much as I don't like the character of Hancock from a personal perspective (i.e. I love to hate/well written character I dislike personally), she has a lot of depth and I want to make sure that is expressed in this story unlike its predecessor (as much as Search the Wind got right, I thought this particular aspect wasn't one of them).
So yeah, hope you enjoyed the read!
Anywho...
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Water: Yeah, don't blame you for that one. But glad to see you review now! Thank you for the kind words, it means a lot. And it makes me happy to know you think they're in character, as it is what I aim for. Hope those opinions remain with this chapter too!
Andy Rahman: Here it is, as asked. Hope it was what you were hoping for!
Nami4Life (1): Hey, it's good to see you again (remember ya from Ripples to Waves). The original is pretty famous by old fanfiction standards, so that is likely. But I get what you mean about reading so many. There's this one story about Dragon's backstory (CP0 member, these guys called the Rackham Pirates, Dragon was actually Uranus) that I think got deleted or I've lost, but it fucks me up because it was my favourite One Piece fic. You'll have to see where Nami goes, but it is certainly gearing up!
Nami4Life (2): Good to hear you remember the original, it deserves every credit over mine quite frankly. I'm not against Nami being stronger either, you just have to be careful when doing so. I feel, to make Nami stronger, you really have to make her go through serious character development (in a way that should be commented in story by people). Because, Nami's battles are with the weather, and she excells in a shonen manga without being fight focused. A character being able to fight shouldn't determine their worth. Not that I am saying you think that, I'm just writing down my thoughts.
One thing I want to make really clear to people though, is that I do not believe Nami being stronger makes her better. Nami is Nami, no matter how strong she is punch-fight wise. I do not want any reader to think I am under the thought that Nami's character is being improved by making her stronger. What I do want to aim for though, is realism. And Nami is pretty much the Straw Hat that cares the most for Luffy, and "Zoro would suck Luffy's dick if he ordered it" memes aside, I honestly put her loyalty on the same level as Zoro's. As such, unlike in canon, if she has an actual actionable opportunity to help Luffy with Ace in the way he helped her with Cocoyashi, she's literally going to do anything. No spoilers ofc, but that's just how Nami is.
Nami4Life (3): As it goes on Amazon Lily: "Penis discovered, life privilages revoked". Though I wonder if the Kuja would be accepting of the New Kama, or if they are transphobic lmfao. Like, when they say "no men", do they mean sex or gender? Tis curious.
Nami4Life (4): Okay, as much as I love the compliment, I just want to be very clear. The Haki Bomb thing, the ginger cat/cat burglar thing; those are all from the original Search the Wind. I am not claiming those as my own considering again, what I'm doing is a Redux. That said, I do fully claim the Nami kick thing 100%, that wasn't in the original. Hope this chapter met expectations!
naedinefebruary2.0: HOLY PEAK ANOTHER AI MESSAGE (the report button ain't enough, I want 'em dead)
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Search the Wind:
s/6495693/5/Search-the-wind
Anyway. that's the chapter. Once again, really hope you all enjoyed it.
Make sure to read and review (except the AI ones, they can sugma), it really does speed chapter production up if nothing else.
This is, TheHumulisScriptor, signing out!