Omni-Piece: Without Ben

Another One-Shot Chapter

EXTRA! Water 7: Not Alone (Nami's POV) 2/?

The sun hung low over Water 7, casting long shadows that stretched across the cobblestones of the city. Nami stood in the midst of it, her hands resting on the railing as she gazed down at the canals that wound through the city like veins. The air smelled of salt and the faint scent of the sea, but her thoughts were far away, tangled in the knot of emotions she couldn't untangle.

Usopp… She couldn't get the image of him, beaten and bruised, out of her mind. She had seen a lot of things in her time on this ship—cruelty, violence, destruction—but seeing him like that… it shook something deep inside her.

It wasn't just the physical pain, the swollen face, the bloodstained clothes. It was the way he had looked at her when she found him, the way he hadn't been able to speak, the way his eyes screamed for understanding. Usopp wasn't a fighter. He wasn't meant to face that kind of violence. And yet, there he was.

She should've seen it coming. She knew what Franky and his crew were capable of. She knew what they'd done. But she never thought they'd go this far, not with one of their own.

The tears that had threatened to spill when she first saw him… she swallowed them. She couldn't break down like that. She couldn't fall apart. Not now. Not when they were in the middle of something bigger. Something that could shatter the crew if they let it.

"Oi, Nami, are you alright?" Luffy's voice broke through her thoughts, the usual cheerfulness in his tone cutting through the tension like a knife.

She didn't turn, just kept looking out over the water. "I'm fine, Luffy. Just thinking."

"About Usopp?"

Nami bit her lip. "Yeah." She exhaled a deep breath, trying to calm the emotions that roiled inside her. "I just… I don't know what to do. He's always been there for us, always been so full of energy, so ready to jump in, no matter the cost. But now… now he's hurt, and I just—"

Luffy's footsteps came closer, and before she could say anything more, she felt his presence beside her. She didn't look at him, but she could feel the sincerity radiating off him.

"You don't have to figure everything out right now," Luffy said quietly. "Usopp's strong. He's hurt, yeah, but he'll come back from this. He's one of us."

Nami's throat tightened at the simple truth in Luffy's words. He's one of us.

She hadn't needed him to say it. She already knew that. But hearing it, especially after what they'd just been through, it helped. It made her feel… a little lighter.

"I know," Nami murmured. "I just—he's always been there, even when we didn't deserve it. He's not like the others. He's not a fighter like Zoro or Sanji, but he's still one of the strongest people I know."

Luffy grinned, his usual goofy grin that always made her feel like everything would be alright in the end. "He's stronger than you think. Usopp's tough. He's got a heart bigger than any of us."

Nami smiled faintly, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She was grateful for Luffy's words, but she couldn't shake the image of Usopp, broken and hurt. She couldn't forget what it had cost him to stand up for what he believed in.

She let out a breath, pushing the lingering unease deep down. They would figure this out. They always did.

"I just hope he doesn't pull any more stupid stunts like that," she muttered, half to herself.

Luffy's laugh rang out, easy and carefree, just like always. "We'll stop him if he does. Don't worry about it!"

Nami chuckled, the sound shaky. "I'll hold you to that."

They stood in silence for a few moments, the sounds of Water 7's bustling streets filtering through the air. The canal's soft gurgling and the distant chatter of the townspeople felt almost out of place, given everything that had happened, but Nami found comfort in the noise. It was life. It was real. It was something they could all hang onto.

As they walked back toward the Going Merry, Nami felt a weight lift off her chest. They still had their crew. They still had each other.

But she couldn't forget the ache she felt for Usopp. She couldn't forget the way he looked at her when he was lying there, broken, in need of the very thing he'd always given—support, care, understanding.

We're in this together, she thought. No one's ever alone. Not anymore.

When they reached the ship, the crew was already bustling about, preparing for whatever came next. The mood was lighter than it had been before, but Nami could still feel the strain. They were all still holding it together, but just barely. They were all a little broken. But they would fix each other.

And maybe… just maybe… Usopp would fix himself, too.

As she turned to walk up the ramp onto the Merry, she felt a quiet sense of resolve. Usopp was one of them. He would find his way back. They all would.

But for now, they needed to be strong for each other.

And Nami knew that they could do that.

=TO BE CONTINUED!=