Chapter 14: Fly freeNotes:
I just want to say a massive thank you for all the support I've received so far for this story, I appreciate every single person who has taken time to read this.
As a child Nami had learned to stand tall even in the face of defeat. She had smiled as she sold her soul for a chance to save her village, it was a lesson she had learned too young, smile even when it hurts.
Though she was no longer a child, she was a straw-hat, a warrior of the seas, someone who had stared death in the face countless times and walked away with her head held high, she would not break even when she knew it was the end.
In her last moments she thought of her mother all those years ago, though they had never shared blood they were born of the exact same will. They both had a fire inside that would burn bright enough to protect those they cared about, even if it meant they would die for it. Bell-mere had faced death with her head held high and love for her daughters in her heart now Nami would sell her life for her crew.
Nami knew that many had lost their lives in the ambush that led her here, but selfishly Nami hoped that her Nakama had made it out, not for herself, but for her Captain who would have to live with the events that had transpired here. It was for her Captain she had fought capture, kicking, scratching and biting at any person who came near her, but never screaming she would not leave her crew with the memory. As she raged and fought Blackbeard laughed, the sound making her sick to her stomach, he took joy in her plight even as her teeth stole a finger from one of his crew, their blood mingling with her own.
Even as she raged she was dragged, further into the thick forest, forced to clamber over uneven ground for what seemed like hours, until finally she was brought to the top of a cliff edge. Nami's brain calculated that this was one of the highest points of the island, overlooking the surrounding forest where Nami could make out smoke and small figures fighting on in the distance. It was the perfect place for her plight to be noticed and heard, an obvious trap for what remained of her crew, after-all the Straw hats were known to be possessive of their own.
Blackbeards breath ghosted over her back as she was halted, his grip holding her out, shaking her over the sheer drop below, one she knew would bring her end.
The rival captain laughed his face alight with a hunger for blood, his hands holding her firm, he was the complete opposite of her own Captain, her home. Where Luffy's laugh brought joy and hope, Blackbeards made Nami want to rip her ears from her face in order to never hear the haunting noise again.
"Now then little bird, chirp for your captain, there's a good girl." Blackbeard's voice crawled down her spine, regardless of her fear Nami's mouth remained closed. Her crew had sacrificed it all for their captain to meet his goals, Nami would not be the reason they faulted at the last hurdle, no, she would remain silent and die with pride like her mother before her.
"Hahaha, oh I like you little bird... but silence was never an option." With a huff she was launched to the side, her bandaged head colliding with the floor as it broke her landing. She let out a whimper despite herself, looking up her vision swayed as multiple Blackbeards stomped towards her sword in hand, his jeering crew closed in around her the laughs echoing off to the forest.
As the town celebrated the defeat of Arlong and his band of pirates Nami smiled and cheered along with them, but inside she was worried. Her captain had not been seen since the fall of Arlong and Nami was concerned. She had never known Luffy to miss out on food, even injured the boy would ignore any pain to gorge himself on meat. The small glimpse she had of Luffy since the battle had felt off, but in her joy at finally being free of her prison Nami hadn't questioned it. Now with time Nami was almost desperate to seek out the captain who had brought her such joy, to be able to see him and promise herself to his crew.
The young Captain had never pestered Nami into joining, allowing her to tag along as a friend but now free of her shackles Nami realised all she wanted was to sail the seas discovering all that their was to discover and create the most comprehensive map of the world that anyone had ever seen. She only wanted to make her dreams come true with Luffy at her side, her first friend and her Captain.
As such while she partied she surveyed what was going on around her, tracking her future crew as they navigated post fight, she watched as Sanji stood guard as he cooked, flawlessly stopping anyone from entering the ship, distracting Usopp as he tried to enter to grab one of his weapons to show off, pushing Nami off to her sister when she tried to see the Captain. She saw his posture change as Zoro arrived, placing a plate in his hands and shooing him towards the ship. She noticed as Zoro stormed from the Merry his aura dark and foreboding doing nothing to put her mind at ease.
Something was wrong and Nami was determined to get to her Captain and ensure he was okay, and who was one curly browed Chef to the queen of manipulation and the greatest Cat burglar Coco Village had ever known.
Nojiko was easily persuaded to join Nami's plight, her sister always happy to help Nami in her schemes and brazen under the influence of the towns best wine she was happy to snag herself a puppy dog love cook.
Nami watched as her sister took pleasure in taking advantage of Sanji's nature coyly teasing the chef keeping him busy with requests for things the Chef would have to run off and grab, like a orange from her mothers orange tree that she would 'just love' to try baked into a tart by the chef's 'talented hands'. It made Nami gag to watch the ever eager to please chef trip over himself in his eagerness to please, was this guy for real? At least his giving nature would come in use in the future.
As Sanji ran out of view Nami gave a quick glance to the crews sniper finding Usopp telling tall tales to a group of gathered villagers, Nami smirked to herself, it was too easy for her to enter the Merry unnoticed.
As she stepped on to the deck she called out gently to her Captain, warning him of her presence as she made her way to his quarters, as she stood in the still open doorway her just healed heart cracked.
Luffy was curled up on the floor sobs lurching through his small body, it was wrong, a stark difference to how her Captain should be, this was Luffy the bringer of hope and joy, but even as Nami blinked the sight remained, her captain was drowning in what could only be grief. Nami knew what loss felt like, what it looked like, she had mourned her mother along with her freedom all those years ago, had watched so many people loose everything to Arlong, and now her captain the very person who had brought her freedom with his seemingly endless strength was suffering.
Nami's curiosity fled at the sight, she didn't need to know what happened, all she needed to know was how to stop Luffy's suffering.
Her legs stumbled forward before her brain could catch up, she ran to her captain, falling at his side and bringing his shaking body into her arms. They stayed there, Nami providing the warmth and comfort she had once craved alone in her didn't push for answers, for she knew there was none for this deep of grief her Luffy was feeling, instead she offered her silent support. A strong pillar of resilience, regardless of the cause Nami was there for him, and she would remain at his side.
As Luffy's sobs gave way to quiet snores, Nami remained. As they lay together on the floor the navigator made a promise, she would be there if Luffy ever wanted to talk about it, but she would never dig for answers, he was her Captain and she would never ask for more then he was willing to give.
Nami listened to the party raging on outside, thankful that the boy in her arms had brought peace to her home village, as she joined her captain in the sleepy abyss she held him close chasing the demons away for the night.
It was hours later that Sanji having finally appeased Nojiko's seemingly endless requests stumbled upon them, he couldn't be angry at his Nami-swan for her trickery as he watched the two small figures curled around each other in sleep, instead he covered the two in a blanket and turned to chase down the last missing crewmate.
Sanji found the swordsman surrounded by the rubble of what was once Arlong park. The green haired marimo was knelt bathed in the light of the moon screaming to the heavens, his sword at his side as he raged at the sky. Sanji had never before felt all the oxygen leave his lungs, but as the swordsman bathed in his rage the chef looked on breathless.
"I made a promise to my captain, and I will not break it, never again!" Zoro called to the heavens. "You want to challenge us? Well you can try because we will be stronger than what you can dream of!" Zoro rose to his feet glaring to the sky's above. "You hear me, I will be the right hand of theKING OF THE PIRATES AND YOU WILL NOT STOP US!"
The winds rose at Zoro's declaration, the rubble swirling around him to frame him against the destruction he had wrought. The moons light glazed of his sword making it glisten in the dark, and Sanji could swear he could hear the waves roaring in the distance. Sanji felt like the the gods were accepting the swordsmans challenge, daring him to rage brighter to burn as bright as the Sun.
Sanji watched on mesmerised as Zoro stood in his element daring fate herself to try to pry him from his captains side.
As the winds calmed, the chef found his breath, and slowly he approached his crewmate, he could see Zoro's chest rising and falling with the effort to calm his raging heart. Sanji searching for something to hide behind lit a cigarette the drag and pull protecting his carefully crafted walls.
"You know screaming at the skies seems like a waste of energy, I thought you were more the fight your demons kind of guy." Sanji drawled coming to a stop in front of the swordsman.
As Zoro regarded the tall blond he felt the ghostly pang of loss in his chest, shaking himself he focused on the present, his Captain had wished to keep the crew's innocence to keep them from the truth and now he would protect his captains secret as he would the crews very lives, but just because he was agreeing to Luffy's wish didn't mean he wouldn't push the crew to grow.
Grunting Zoro sheathed his sword. "This is only the beginning. The Grandline is known as the pirate graveyard, and we need to get stronger, to be able to protect the Captains back."He glanced over the chef, noting how his lean muscles moved, strong in a way that was so different from Zoro but still he had been impressed by how the chef had made short work of the henchmen Arlong had sent after them, but he knew it wouldn't be enough.
"I don't think we did to badly, even with your wound you managed to send that Sushi packing." Sanji nodded to Zoro's bandaged chest, his eyes lingering a moment to long.
"It's not enough!" Zoro grunted causing Sanji to look up his eyes meeting Zoro's own desperate orbs. "Tell me Curls, do you think you could take on Arlong?"
Sanji shuffled, unsure, his own fight had taken a lot out of him.
"How about Mihawk, could you stand against him?" Zoro challenged. "The grandline is full of monsters just like him, and we are still children to them. We'd need blind luck to survive. Look Luffy is strong, we both know that, but he needs help. He needs people who can stand at his side and hold him back if it gets to much" The swordsman took a grounding breath. "He needs us, Curls. So lets make a pact, me and you, we'll get stronger together, and we won't stop till we can stand above all the monsters in the world"
Flustered at the fire in Zoro's eyes Sanji could only nod, he conceded they had a long way to go, he knew what monsters the world hid, heck he had been raised by some of the worst. Something in his heart sensed that Zoro could push him like no other, together they would grow and make sure they were strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with their Captain, a trio of monsters that could take down the demons of the world, maybe one day he'd be strong enough to face his own demons.
Zoro smiled, his teeth clashing together in wild joy that showed a hunger for power, one that they would hunt together.
Hours later found the Strawhats back on board the Merry, Usopp passed out from the festivities while Sanji slept away the wrought emotions of that day.
Nami slept on peacefully on the captains floor a pillow in the place of her rubbery captain.
Luffy had dragged himself from Nami's gentle touch feeling unworthy of the kind-hearted navigator's comfort. Leaving the girl sleeping he carefully made his way to the deck, a yearning in his heart to see the stars, to see that the universe was still there, vast around him. As he lay there gazing at the sky, his heart skipped a beat when he felt Zoro settle beside him, dread and fear clenching his heart in it's iron grip, until he heard the words that shocked him.
"Thank you, Captain." Zoro muttered breaking the silence, his own eyes glued to his Captains face watching it fall as the words hit him.
"W-w-what?" Luffy stuttered his eyes blinking over to his swordsman, searching for answers. Zoro had run the moment he had heard the truth he had fled, Luffy's worst nightmares becoming reality.
"You said you failed me, but the way I see it I failed you." Zoro's eyes burned with passion. "I made you a promise to never loose again, but I wasn't strong enough and I died for my failure."
"No" Luffy's word was firm cutting across Zoro's reasoning. How could his swordsman think such, did he not realise how important he was? Looking into Zoro's eyes Luffy realised the truth, the captain would never be book smart, but he understood people and he knew his crew. A small giggle escaped the boys lips as he realised, he hadn't fled Luffy, no he had felt angry that he thought he'd failed. Zoro could never fail him, the world wasn't fair and people didn't play by the rules, the government had placed to many pieces in the way, the best of pirates couldn't of survived, and Luffy knew, they had been the best!
"You were so strong Zoro, you are strong, but no one can take on the world alone. It wasn't fair, and you gave us time, if you hadn't then I never would have made it to the treasure, I wouldn't be here now without you."
"But I lost." Zoro's eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"They cheated, we didn't know what game we were playing, but this time we do, we can change make our own rules!" Luffy's eyes burned with a fire a red glint in his iris'.
Zoro nodded accepting the fire in his captains eyes, he wrapped his arm around the boy who had come back to save him, who had lost so much but was still fighting for his crew. This kid who had taught him what it was to care, who had taken an orphaned swordsman who had never known love and given him a family. He would protect this, protect them all. "This time I'm going to be stronger; I will make sure all our dreams come true!"
Luffy smiled moving closer to lay his head in Zoro's lap, happy tears running silently down his face, his swordsman was back. He giggled wetly joy bursting from his chest. "I know you will Zoro, and this time we will be ready!"
As Nami said her goodbyes to the village she was unaware of a conversation taking place between her Captain and the sheriff of the town; Genzo obtaining a promise from the young captain to protect Nami with his own life should the need arise, and Luffy providing his flag as a sign of protection, claiming Nami's homeland as his. He made the Sheriff promise that he would wait until the time came that the Strawhats were strong enough to take on the world, but when it happened, they would raise the flag high, proudly supporting the pirates who had helped them when the government had forsaken them.
Genzo agreed with a smile, never would he have thought himself going against the structure of the world, but after years of bowing to Arlongs rule the sheriff could see that just because it was the law did not mean it was right. The government was corrupt, and it was a deep seeded rot that was leaking throughout the world, rumours that he would have once ignored about countries burned down overnight by marines and even whispers of a nationwide slaughter of expecting mothers, murdered without a second thought in a hunt that was only talked about in only hushed voiced. Deep down Genzo knew this young boy carried the winds of change and he brought a hope for a better future, one that Genzo would be willing to risk his life for.
It was with this in mind the village waved them off, Luffy stood tall waving goodbye to Nami's home village a place that had wrought pain in both lifetimes, but also a place that had birthed hope.
He stood tall Zoro's arm offering silent support as it was thrown across his shoulders, Usopp was grinning as he called out for the village to never forget the adventures of 'Captain Usopp!', Sanji smoking on the deck, stealing glances at his captain and first mate when they weren't looking. Nami grinned as she landed on the deck, home at last, free to make her mark on the world with a hunger for adventure.
As the pirates surrounded her Nami could only see one escape, she sent a prayer to her Captain, thanking him for giving her freedom, for giving her adventures and the only home she had ever truly loved. It had been everything that the little thief from Coco village could ever ask for, and she wouldn't trade a second.
As they approached Nami allowed a smile to come to her face, wobbling she rose to her feet, rolling her shoulders back to stand tall, she was Nami the greatest navigator on the seas, even as her brain swayed with the concussion hitting hard she knew her path.
"You wanted me to sing, huh, to bring my captain running, well, I will never again be something for a filthy pirate to use!" Nami threw a grin and a wink Blackbeards way before throwing herself over the edge of the cliff, taking flight for the last time.
She willed herself to stay silent as she fell but tired brain could no longer control her body and her screams echoed throughout the forest bringing pain to those she left behind.
Notes: