Welcome
to the sequel of my first story "Unpredictable".
This continuation can be read as a stand-alone, too, but I would recommend to at least read the first chapter of its prequel.
Read. Enjoy. Please leave a review. – I'm always really looking forward to suggestions and opinions.
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Disclaimer
I do not own One Piece – So the characters aren't mine, obviously.
This story is inspired by everything I ever read or watched, so occurring similarities aren't an attempt at stealing anything. If someone feels imitated or thinks I stole something somewhere, please contact me and I'll clear up and/or correct possible misunderstandings or errors.
English isn't my first language but I tried my very best to avoid mistakes.
Please refrain from messaging me just to offer art commissions, especially if you aren't even familiar with the fandom of One Piece – I won't consider them, anyway.
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Still Unpredictable – Chapter one – A new Beginning
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The first time she gained anything remotely like consciousness, the young orange-haired woman could hardly open her eyes and was only able to make out figures blurred beyond recognition, contorted voices as well as fragments of what probably were meant to be words and sentences.
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"… Nami …?"
That was her name, wasn't it?
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"... hear me?"
Not really …
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… but was that …
… Luffy?
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" … drifting … might … later …"
Chopper?
It had to be.
But she couldn't quite grasp what either of them was trying to say before blissful darkness claimed her again.
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The second time Nami came to, her surroundings were slightly less hazy.
If she tried hard enough, the disoriented female could hear someone shuffling about to her right side.
Was that an ink-pen scribbling on paper?
Attempting to blink her eyes open she needed several tries to finally succeed to some extent and was barely able to make out a somewhat familiar room with a dark ceiling and wooden walls.
Was that … Sunny's sick bay?
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There was some kind of pressure engulfing her left hand. Steady. And warm. So pleasantly warm. But she couldn't find the strength to turn around and find out what it was, just yet.
Couldn't move any muscle really, except the ones for her eyelids apparently.
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The person to her right seemed to have noticed her state of consciousness at that moment, because in the next second a pretty excited looking reindeer doctor appeared in her field of vision and started to examine his female patient right away, looking over her vitals with practiced ease and efficiency.
Seemingly satisfied and after writing down some notes on the chart in his left hand – so it really was an ink-pen earlier – he turned his entire focus on Nami's face, using some kind of medical flashlight to test the reactions of her eyes one after the other.
"Can you hear me?" He asked next but before his weakened crewmate could even properly open her mouth to try to answer, the little medic added. "But don't strain yourself! It's enough to nod 'yes' or 'no' – Can you do that?"
Mouth closed again the young woman tried to do just that, but didn't manage more than a tiny, almost unnoticeable jerk of her head.
Frustration clouded her expression at that.
Chopper stayed optimistic though. "That's not a problem. We can go with one eye-blink as a 'yes' and two as a 'no' for now, okay?"
That was something, she actually could do, so the answer was one prolonged blinking of both eyes.
"Just like that!" The reindeer doctor encouraged, still with a very soft voice. "I have some questions I need to ask you, so I know how exactly you are doing. Is that alright?"
Another distinctly eye-blink earned her a pleased nod.
"Do you know, where you are?" Came the first medical question right away.
After taking another look about as best as her limited abilities allowed, it was a 'yes' and the crew's doctor checked off something on the chart he was still holding.
"Do you know, who I am?"
A clear 'yes' without hesitation. Another check off.
"Do you know, who you are?"
There was a brief, indecisive pause while the once more increasingly tired female tried to sort out her muddled thoughts but then a sure 'yes' followed the latest question.
Unfortunately, the black fog started to incessantly swam her vision and other senses again, causing her eyelids to droop even though she tried to fight it.
"It's alright, Nami. Go back to sleep. You'll still need a lot of rest."
With those soothing words the addressed woman slowly drifted back into a dreamless slumber.
Feeling that warm, calming presence at her left hand still, until all senses failed her again.
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… she hadn't even been able to find out what that was …
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Third time's the charm, apparently.
So when the Straw Hat's navigator woke up the next time, she was actually able to blink open her eyes right away and with much less difficulty, albeit significantly more limited than usual.
Slightly turning her head to the only noise distinguishable in the room, she saw Chopper sitting in his favorite swivel chair at his work place, reading some kind of – probably medical – book and writing down notes meticulously, yet again.
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The young woman wanted to get his attention and tried to call his name, but her vocal cords wouldn't work in the least so the only thing coming out of her throat were a couple of weak croaking sounds.
That caused the busy doctor to turn towards her, anyway, so Nami would count that as progress.
"You are awake again!" The little reindeer, rushing to her bedside now, whispered happily and relieved at the same time, before starting the process of checking her up and down as well as taking notes, once more.
After making her drink some liquid to sooth her irritated throat, his voice, still as quiet as before, switched to his professional tone.
"I need to ask you some more questions – okay?"
She nodded a 'yes' this time, a little grin stealing on her face at the accomplishment, earning her an answering smile on her furry crewmate's face.
"Do you know, where you are?" Came the first, eerily familiar question.
After looking around briefly to make sure, the orange-haired female nodded with certainty, leading to another check off on Chopper's patient chart.
"Do you know, who I am?"
Another clear yes. Another check off.
"Do you know, who you are?"
She didn't have to think twice this time, so her answering nod came instantly. The check off followed right away as well.
The little reindeer looked at her a little bit more serious before asking the next question.
"Do you remember the last time you were awake?"
Nami did pause to ponder on that, lowering her eyes in the process.
She definitely remembered … something …
… the same room … the same crewmember … almost the exact same questions …
Looking back up to the patiently waiting medic she decided on an unsure 'maybe' – nodding 'yes' and shrugging her shoulders simultaneously – the young reindeer seemed to understand her anyhow.
"So you remember something from before?"
That question was answered with a clear 'yes' again.
"That's great!" Her furry friend exclaimed excitedly, but still with that soft whisper, before writing down some more comments on his chart.
His face became unexpectedly unsure afterwards. Cautious. Contemplating if he should continue or wait a little longer, the little doctor's expression changed through different variations of uncertainty before settling on a slightly gravely, but determined one. He looked deep into his female crewmates eyes before he spoke again.
"I need to ask you one more question, Nami." The reindeer doctor started anew, really serious this time. "But you shouldn't think about it too much, okay? If you can answer with a 'yes' then that's fine. If you can't …" There was a brief, poignant pause. "If you can't answer right away, don't try to force it, will you?"
That didn't sound too difficult now, did it? But the tone of his voice … his face …
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… she was missing something here …
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Swallowing a couple of times to get rid of the lump in her throat, she nodded once.
Taking in a deep, calming breath himself, Chopper ask the question that was weighing on his mind the most at the moment.
"Do you remember anything from before? Before you woke up in here, I mean?"
She thought about that a while longer, searching her memory for anything that would fit, while lowering her eyes and furrowing her brows in concentration.
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Before she woke up in the infirmary …
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… there was … something …
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… something … … significant …
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… something … … … frightening …
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The sound of a loud bang echoed through her mind suddenly, followed by lots of pain in her lower left abdomen.
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And all at once, fragments of memories kept coming – unbidden and unceasingly. Merciless.
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A seemingly never-ending storm.
A new island.
A strange, invading feeling in her right hand.
The sound of mocking laugher that send chills down her spine immediately.
Fear.
The feeling of utter hopelessness.
Tears.
Pleas.
Broken sobs.
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New found hope and determination.
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A completely different kind of worry.
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That loud bang once more – a gunshot!
And Pain.
So much pain.
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Her left hand tried to touch the place where she remembered the intense feeling to be.
But the movement was halted immediately by the steady, warm pressure that she had felt earlier too – still there obviously – and now holding her hand more firmly in place.
Turning her head to the left side slowly –Nami came almost face to face with her captain of all people.
Half sitting on a nearby chair, half laying on the bed she occupied, his head rested sideways on the right upper arm, trademark straw hat dangling behind his back, while both his hands were holding her left one securely.
She had to blink several times to truly comprehend the picture in front of her.
"… Luffy …"
It was horribly rough and broken, barely a whisper, but the effect it had when she said his name out loud was instantaneous.
Hands tightening their hold once again, the previously sleeping pirate captain stirred out of his slumber, blinking deep black eyes open a couple of times before lifting his head up slightly to look over his arm at her drowsily.
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There was one brief moment – as their eyes met and locked initially – where neither of them moved nor made any sound.
When time seemed to stand still for the both of them.
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Until the young man's mind appeared to eventually catch up to what he – finally … finally! – saw, right in front of him.
Eyes widening in surprise, head as well as upper body raising and whipping around fully so fast he would definitely feel the backlash later – or he wouldn't, since he was made of rubber, after all – the Straw Hat's captain clung to his navigator's left hand even more strongly than before – without hurting her of course – and didn't seem to really believe what he was seeing at first.
Looking from one brown eye to the other over and over, the young emperor needed some more seconds to make absolutely sure that he wasn't dreaming again, wonder growing all over his face in the process.
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In the end, Luffy wore the warmest and most tender expression when he breathed his reply in utter relief.
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"… Nami …
… … … you are awake …"
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Hey there!
Just as promised, the first chapter of my 'new' story "Still Unpredictable'
I hope you liked it and will continue to read the rest.
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Feel free to review – I'd love a little feedback.
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Stay safe and take care.
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'Til next time.
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