A/N Regular type- story
Italicized- Thoughts
Prologue
Nami 11:00 am
The island on the horizon was a beautiful, glittering green jewel in a sea of blue. A rocky mountain range covered in dense dark green trees fanned like parentheses on the east and west sides, abutting right at the beach's edge. I longed for the shade the trees promised. As we grew closer to the islands shore, the air became heavy with humidity, and the clear blue sky offered zero relief from the sun's relentless heat.
A light floral breeze fluttered across my face and through my bright orange hair, giving just a bit of sweet relief and cooling the light sheen of sweat that had gathered at the nap of my neck.
The climate, though reminiscent of Alabasta in its heat, was a stark contrast. Instead of the vast, dry, red sand deserts of Alabasta, this island was a lush paradise with dense, dark green forests and vibrant foliage. The sand here was powdery white, washed beige and packed hard at the edge by the water lapping on the beach. I could just see myself and Robin set up on that beach with a big umbrella and lounge chairs. Soaking up the heat and sun while sipping lemonade. Glancing at the log pose I found myself disappointed that we wouldn't have time to indulge.
Looking back, my eyes eagerly traced the skyline of the mountains, my mind already racing with the excitement of getting its geography down on paper. Reluctantly, I tore my gaze from the rocky peaks to take in the rest of the island.
From my vantage point on the railing of the Going Merry, I could see a vibrant port town nestled a short distance from the small harbor. The villagers, bustling around like tiny ants from this distance, added a lively energy to the tightly packed and brightly painted buildings.
Leaping up from my perch on the railing, I couldn't help but break into a joyous jig. The thought of the stylish clothes and intricate maps I might find here filling me with excitement.
I practically bounced as I rushed over to Robin, who was reading her most recent purchase, a book called Islands of the Grand Line. She must have heard me coming as she closed the cover and turned to give me her full attention.
"Robin!" I chirped, unable to contain my excitement, "I'm going shopping when we reach the island. See what the locals are into in this corner of the Grand Line. Do you want to come!?" I bounced on my toes, hands clasped together as I gave her my best big-eye pleading look.
It had been so long since I last had a proper shopping companion, what with Vivi always being so concerned about her kingdom to pay attention to local fashions correctly and with the boys being, well, the boys.
My heart sank a little as I hoped to see the same eagerness for a trip ashore from Robin. Instead, she looked at me with her unreadable smile and fathomless blue eyes, raising her hand to block the glaring sun as she leaned forward from under her umbrella, and slightly shook her head.
"No, Miss Navigator. I think I will stay on board, finish my book, and guard the ship." She raised her book for emphasis and turned back under the shade of her umbrella, leaving me with a tinge of disappointment.
I couldn't stop the pout of disappointment flickering across my face, but turned in the hopes that Robin wouldn't see it. I sighed softly and said, "OK. But if I see anything I think you might like, I'll pick it up for you."
"That is most generous. Thank you." She looked down at the page she'd opened her book to and, without looking back up, said, "Before you leave, I have a few things I'd like to share with the crew about this island. From the look of it, it appears to be this one listed rather briefly in my book."
She then pointed at a somewhat blurry photo taken from a far-off ship that looked uncannily similar to what the coast and mountain range we were looking at might look like at night.
Seeing her wanting to share her knowledge with us warmed my heart. Even after all this time, she could still be so standoffish, so any attempt on her part to include us was worth celebrating. I flashed her a bright smile, nodded, and shouted for the others to come over.
We all sat around Robin's sunchair and listened as she briefly explained the island's history.
"If it's the island, I think it is; this is Fallnia. According to this entry, it used to be known for exporting botanicals and various different ores, gems, and lumber, but other than that, most of its history is unknown. There appears to have been a brutal war that ended that only lasted five days over eleven years ago. After that, exports stopped, and the writer of this book says they have become very isolationist and that the island now has minimal tourism."
Chopper's interest was immediately piqued by the mention of botanicals, and he eagerly began to speculate about the potential medicinal plants on the island. Sanji, equally engaged, joined in with his own ideas about the fresh fruits and vegetables he could find.
Zoro seemed curious by the mention of the war, but according to Robin, the full story was still a mystery. All that was known was that it was a nearby island, leading many to speculate that it was a battle for resources.
Robin looked back toward the island thoughtfully. Without turning back to us, she said,
"The island's history is an enigma; the gaps in the records and lack of immigration records are suspicious."
By this point, the others had been drawn away by the urgent task of docking Merry as we neared the waiting empty harbor. I stayed with Robin, both to stay in the shade of the parasol just a little longer and in the hope that Robin might share more of her thought with me.
Robin's face took on a cryptic, contemplative expression, but she quickly masked it, returning to her book. It was as if she had locked away her musings, signaling the end of our discussion about the enigmatic island. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern for her.
Over the last few months, I'd noticed that Robin kept her vulnerabilities close to her chest. I wish she felt more at ease sharing her thoughts with us.
"Well, I better get going. If I leave the boys to their own devices, they might break the ship. Are you sure you want to stay here?"
Robin nodded and gave me a warm smile. "I'll be quite fine here, Nami." She took a dainty sip from a drink Sanji had placed before her. She looked at me then, suddenly hesitant. "When you get back, if you'd like, we could use those mud masks Vivi gave you before we left Alabasta."
I started at the offer before breaking into a giant grin and nodding vigorously. I must not have hidden my disappointment as well as I'd hoped earlier.
"I'd love that!" I grabbed her hands and jumped up and down once. "Oh! Here's what we'll do. I'll grab wine while I'm ashore. Sanji will make us snacks, and we will make it a whole night!"
She laughed in agreement, and I felt lighter as I dropped her hands turned away to head off of the newly docked ship.
I wandered over to where Zoro and Sanji were finishing docking the ship. Stopping at the railing, and taking a quick survey of the area showed no immediate signs of other pirates and a miraculous lack of marines.
There were no other boats docked, actually. But then Robin said tourism had dried up.
With a smile and a shrug, I proclaimed it safe to leave the ship. With my climatact secured to my thigh and my pack slung over my shoulder, I jumped over Merry's side and landed primly next to Sanji.
His eyes immediately turned to hearts as he leaned toward me, a thick scent of clove tobacco and heavy spice following in his wake, "Oh my sweet Nami-swan~~~! May I have the honor of carrying your pack for you? Ladies shouldn't be burdened with such heavy things on their most delicate shoulders!"
Smiling, I gently passed him my pack, sighing in relief once the weight of my map charting equipment and shopping money were off my shoulders. Hanging it over his left shoulder as if it weighed nothing, we walked over to where the rest of our crew had gathered.
"Oi shitty-cook, you can carry my pack too if you're offering," Zoro shouted with a laugh.
"As if dumb, Marimo. I only handle the bags of the loveliest ladies. Not thick-headed idiots like you." A vein suddenly throbbed in Zoro's head as he leaned toward Sanji.
"Who you calling an idiot?!"
"You dumb-ass!" Sanji shouted back, leaning so their heads almost smacked against each other in anger. Their bickering was irritating, so I, as the voice of reason, reached up and grabbed both their ears, dragging them back.
"Quit it, you two! We don't need any attention this early in our trip ashore." I released them and was pleased to see them stay silent, though Zoro glared a little as he rubbed his sore ear.
Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper followed close behind us, each muffling laughter as I scolded Zoro and Sanji.
A sharp look from the chef and swordsman wiped the smiles from their faces, and they each looked off in a different direction, whistling and pretending they hadn't been laughing.
The sun beat down on us mercilessly, the air thick with humidity. Luffy, always the one with food on his mind, wondered aloud what kinds of meat this place would have while Chopper, his fur damp as he misted himself with a small squirt bottle and fanned himself with a small paper fan, tried not to melt from the oppressive heat.
"Meat! Meat! Meat! Sanji, I want meat!" Luffy is far too enthusiastic, already beginning to edge away from the Merry and toward the town. Quickly, I knocked him in the back of the head when I saw him about to start running.
"Knock it off, you moron! We can't just run off in a billion directions. We need to get supplies for the Merry. Or did you want to set off from here with nothing!"
Rubbing the knot on his head, Luffy muttered under his breath. Something about a mean witch.
"What was that?" I asked faux-sweetly with my fist raised halfway between us.
"Nothing!" he shouts and runs to the other side of Zoro, using the swordsman's much larger body to hide. Like that would stop me, I think with a small smile, eyes catching on Zoro's still red ear. Taking a breath, I put my hands on my hips and began to rattle off my plan for the trip.
"Ok, so. Sanji, you and I will head to the shopping district so you can load up on supplies. I'm going to shop around for maps of this area. Chopper, you and Usopp check for medical supplies and whatever else you think you need. Luffy, you and Zoro stay with the ship and help Robin guard it."
Our captain reacted with the sullen outrage of a child.
"But Nami~~~! I want to explore the island!" Luffy crossed his arms and scrunched his face in his best-disgruntled scowl.
"No, the last thing we need is for you and Zoro to get lost and for us to have to search for you." I held up my wrist, displaying the log pose.
"The log pose is already setting. At this rate, it'll be ready in a day, maybe less. We need to be prepared to leave before that. The Merry needs repairs, so the sooner we reach Water 7, the better!"
They seemed to grasp the situation, albeit reluctantly. Zoro and Luffy, like scolded children, began to sulk. Zoro grumbled about the buildings moving, and Luffy muttered about how he was the captain and shouldn't he make the rules.
Ignoring them, I walked ahead to catch up with Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper, chuckling as I went.
The dock led to a wood plank trail that cut through the beach. Each board was rounded from years of tides and sand and rocked slightly under every step. The trail led us through the surprisingly empty beach into thick foliage that grew so close to the path that we had to walk single-file.
Once we reached the town, we split from Usopp and Chopper. They bid farewell and headed toward what looked like a pharmacy if the bright red cross above the door was anything to go by.
Sanji and I turned to head toward the middle of town. It was a sight to behold. Rows of terracotta houses and storefronts painted in sunny yellows and earthy reds with dark clay roof shingles dotted each side of the road. Each window was framed with ivy, and overflowing window boxes filled with large, sweet-smelling flowers.
The path we walked was constructed out of worn cobblestones of varying colors. The grouped colors appeared to show pictures. A story, maybe? The trail meandered through the village. Faded images lost to time.
A dozen cart vendors peddling quick snacks and touristy trinkets crowded around the more established stores. As I looked closely, I noticed that the carts were mostly selling what was already in the stores behind them, just more in-your-face about it.
I gasped in joy as we passed a fountain with a detailed carving of a mermaid holding a clamshell high above her head. The clam erupted a shining stream of water that trickled quickly into various swirls and whirls carved around the mermaid's body before coming to rest in the pool beneath her.
I spotted sprinklers sticking up out of the sides of the path. They were a welcome sight and were strategically placed every few yards. Their cooling water was a refreshing relief as it misted Sanji and me as we walked by. Given how hot the morning was, I could not have been more grateful for the relief.
People hustled and bustled on either side of us. Packed in close enough that I saw Sanji tighten his hands on our packs, his eyes alert for pickpockets.
Men in elaborate headdresses tried to pawn cheap tourist crap, and women and children passed by hurriedly, most likely trying to get their errands done before the day became too hot.
Sanji and I walked deeper into the town, past the cute houses towards the more rugged-looking wooden buildings boasting faded signs and more steady local foot traffic. Sanji said this area would have the best supplies, given it's not mass-produced for an almost dead tourist base.
We passed various dress shops on the way, and I could only laugh and blush as Sanji waxed poetic about how I would look in this or that. He was an endless flirt, but I could see that it was slightly hollow.
Sanji used his best flirting with strangers. To him, I would always be a friend, closer to family. While we would never cross that stringent line, it was still nice to be on the receiving end of his attention now and then.
I linked my arm with Sanji's as we continued walking on, relishing the happiness the action brought to his face.
We strolled arm-in-arm past the array of shops for about a half hour, and I couldn't contain my excitement. I had already acquired a dozen reams of map paper, crafted from a slightly waterproof material that promised to yield more durable maps, and a fresh set of charcoal pencils. I'd also grabbed a new thigh rig for my climatact to hold it more securely.
The salesman recommended it be fitted to the weapon, so we decided to stop by a small fish shop for lunch during the thirty minutes it took to finish. Sanji complained the breading was too salty and greasy, but I disagreed and ate two servings, knowing it'd be my last chance to savor the deep-fried goodness for a while since Sanji always insisted on serving us only most nutritious food he could find.
After picking up my new rig and marveling at how much easier it was to move in it, we moved on to the more secluded part of the town.
I lifted my face to the sun and closed my eyes, enjoying the light breeze that had blissfully started blowing. Opening my eyes, I was once again amazed by the lovely scenery. Seeing the towering palm trees growing on either side of the path was thrilling. The whole place reminded me of Alabasta and Vivi.
And suddenly, I realized how much I missed her. While it was fantastic having Robin on board, we'd yet to form any long-lasting bond as I had with the rest of the crew. Vivi had almost been like a sister, which wasn't something that one just got over losing or was replaced quickly.
Sighing and feeling suddenly morose, I quietly allowed Sanji to pull me into a butcher shop.
As Sanji began to haggle over various types of meat, I quickly grew bored. Whishing he'd hurry up so that we had time to peek in at local bookshops for cartography materials or anything one of my crewmates might enjoy, I glanced out the large bay windows, the bartering becoming a monotonous hum. I scanned the names of various shops and caught a flash of blue in my peripheral.
Turning, I saw the perfect cowboy hat. I knew that Robin would love it. It was a vibrant royal blue with black and silver edging the brim. I walked out of the butcher without even thinking.
For some time, I had wanted to find something that would make Robin feel welcome, and what better way than getting her one of her preferred head accessories?
Exiting the butchers as Sanji's voice began to rise over what he clearly thought was an unacceptable problem with the butcher's offer, I quickly walked across the small plaza to the clothing shop.
Rushing to the small shop window, I couldn't help but admire the hat, beautifully framed by the vines creeping up the glass. My eyes then caught sight of a complete outfit hanging on a display behind the hat that perfectly complemented it. I couldn't suppress a smile as I imagined Robin's delighted reaction when I gave it to her.
As I stepped into the shop, the little bell above the door chimed softly, breaking the eerie silence that filled the cramped space. The shelves were crammed with overstocked clothing, and the floor was a chaotic jumble of shoes in every size, color, and style.
Despite the enticingly low prices I had seen on the signs outside, the shop was devoid of customers, the silence hanging heavy in the air. I made my way to the cluttered front desk and rang the small bell, the sound piercing the quiet like a gunshot.
"Hello! Is anyone here?" I hollered a little louder than I might typically have inside, in case they were way in the back. It took a few minutes and shouts before anyone came to the front.
The person who walked out, though, was not as I was expecting. She was short in stature, coming no taller than my shoulder. Her hair was a dull brown cut in a no-nonsense style at her shoulders. Her eyes were the same strange dull brown and looked listlessly past my shoulder.
Her name tag read 'Jane'. Given her bland appearance, the equally dull name fit her perfectly. She did not speak when she saw me — only standing stock-still behind the counter as if awaiting direction.
"Uh... hi," I said awkwardly. "I want to buy that blue outfit in the window, please—the one with the cowboy hat."
She bowed slightly and moved around the counter to grab my purchase and begin packaging it. Watching her walk was unnerving. Her steps were so smooth and gentle that she appeared to be floating, the long dress that flowed in stiff pleats to the floor doing little to break that illusion
I watched her curiously as she wrapped each item into its parcel of brown packaging paper before placing them in an equally brown paper bag. She did not make a sound the entire time. I was almost mesmerized by the time she passed a slip of paper indicating the price of 230 berries.
Dazzled by the low cost, I pulled a small bag of Berries from my shirt and quickly passed her the required amount. I chuckled as I thought of Sanji with my pack back in the butcher.
Like I'd keep all my money in one place. A girl needs a little self-indulgence at a moment's notice now and then.
Jane still had not said anything to me. Not even 'Thanks for shopping' before she turned away and retreated into the dark backroom.
So weird. I thought I wondered why she didn't want to talk to me. Maybe she's mute? Shrugging it off, I began walking back toward where I last saw Sanji. I was humming Bink's Sake to myself, feeling ever so pleased, as I clutched Robin's present to my chest. I had just started to sing Yohohoho aloud when two men in guard outfits crept up behind me.
Their initial grab surprised me so badly that I didn't notice I had stopped moving forward till I was already hanging over someone's unforgiving shoulder; it pressed painfully into my gut, stuttering my breath. The shock wore off quickly; however, as I drew in air to scream, a wad of fabric was jammed into my mouth and secured behind my head; my arms were wretched behind me and fastened with a rope.
I began to struggle in earnest, and one of the men, a tall man with scruffy, greying hair and pasty skin, promptly smacked me on the side of my head for my trouble. Blood welled as I felt my lip split, and the heat near my eye let me know it'd swell soon.
"Stop struggling slut. You'll be with your new Master soon enough." My captor shouted roughly, his hand swatting my bare thigh painfully.
Master? What the hell is that supposed to mean?! And who the hell are they calling a slut?!
I didn't stop struggling, though, no matter how often they cuffed me in the head, and eventually, I was able to smack my captor very hard in the mouth, splitting his lip. There. How do you like it, you bastard! His arm had loosened when I hit him and my triumph over striking him swelled as his shoulder sagged and I felt my body slide toward the ground.
But before I could successfully wiggle feel he cursed and pulled me a little farther down away from his face, arms tightening painfully.
"This bitch is wriggly. Here, Fredric, you carry her a bit."
The man holding me, the stouter of the two and balding, threw me unceremoniously to his companion. My stomach swooped painfully as a soared through the air, that fish I'd so enjoyed earlier threatening to come back up. Fredric caught me in unforgiving arms and gripped me bridal style so more of me pressed against his body.
I gagged a little as it was clear this man had not showered in quite some time. In the shuffle, my gag came loose. I tried again to scream. To let anyone know what was happening. But the man holding me quickly tightened his grip to the point of suffocation and began to run.
As he ran with me, I glanced at the shop in time to see Jane, the shop girl. I pleaded with her to help me with my tear-filled eyes, but she only turned her head away and quickly snapped the blinds in her window closed.
Tears finally began falling from my eyes as we began to round a corner, panic seeping further into my bones. Before we were out of sight, I saw Sanji walk out of the butcher shop with a significant parcel on his shoulder.
He turned sharply toward our direction, and for a second, I thought he might have seen me. But it was only my dropped packages that had caught his eye.
The last thing I saw was him bending down to grab it. Then, one of the men hit me again, and I succumbed to the overwhelming darkness, losing consciousness.
