𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 ➳ 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚 (one piece fanfic)

Chapter 56 : the beginning

Her breath was heavy as she turned the helm of the boat, her eyes set on the horizon. If she concentrated hard enough, she could imagine their betrayed shouts cursing her from behind. They would never forgive them for fleeing with their boats, and stealing their treasures, and just like that she had definitely cut off the only friends she had made in a long time. 

She shook her head, her short orange hair wiping her face as she did so—she wouldn't allow herself to delve into useless dreams. Not when her goal was finally so near.

The gold accumulated in her pockets felt particularly heavy in that moment. But she didn't mind the heaviness as it was a reminder of the price she had to pay for freedom.

The saltiness of the sea she was so used to, had become bitter to her mouth. She hated pirates, yet here she was, committing acts worse than them.

She was broken out of her thoughts when a butterfly gently fluttered in the hand she extended and morphed into a newspaper. "It's been a while," she found herself smiling in excitement, stopping all else to open the paper. As usual, she skipped through the governmental stuff to find the pages dedicated to the pirates. 

She couldn't help the pure delight bursting from her when she saw the latest news about her favorite person, she carefully read the bold section, "Paper Angel's latest exploit: destroying a marine base that had been oppressing the island."

Nami swooned over the picture of Konan bringing her sword down on the Marine Captain, the bodies of his subordinates lying on the ground around.

As she read the content in silence, a hint of envy reared its ugly head. "If only-" she didn't dare finish the sentence, not willing to voice out her despicable thoughts. But she knew, how much she yearned for that power, the power to live freely as she wanted, to protect those she cared for, without having to bow her head and lick the feet of the powerful, all in a desperate attempt to extend her life and the island's. 

If she had that power, she would never have been stuck like a slave at the mercy of the more powerful...

She craved power like humans desired the sun, she would accept the scorching pain for a chance at controlling her fate.

Nami admired Konan. When she was stuck in that tiny room, drawing, over and over the same maps with only light the tiny stream of sunlight, the news of the valiant woman pirate making her way through the seas, saving people was all that brought joy to her. And maybe, just maybe, she clung to the hope that maybe that angel would stumble upon her island and save her. But after a year passed, and two, she was still under Arlong's feet, servant to his every whim and fits.

No one would come save her, she wasn't some princess whose prince would come scurrying along. She had to save herself.

When the shore finally came into view, a mixture of pain, relief, and hope began to bloom in her chest. The giant establishment of pirates was looming in the distance, her neck ached in phantom pain—her invisible but indestructible chains. 

But soon she told herself, soon she would free them, free herself. She wouldn't have to draw maps till her hands bled and her eyes stung, she wouldn't have to play the role of the traitor, faking a smile while she betrayed people, not anymore.

As she set foot on the ground, the fire of hope that had been extinguished all those years ago began to burn again. Every breath she inhaled, the weight of those chains became heavier, each step she took in the damned building's direction burned her throat, yet she continued walking.

When she finally arrived in front of the gates, she took a deep breath in, stretched her smile till her mouth hurt, and pushed the gates to her own personal hell.

The rowdy pirates were there, as usual, they weren't suffocating and dying, no matter how much she wished for it.

"Welcome back! Our dear navigator," he welcomed back, voice gritty and unpleasant. His mouth was wide open, his teeth glinting dangerously in the sun.

Nami looked up at the looming man, she tried to avoid looking at his sharp teeth that could cut her neck with one bite, or the muscular hands that could snap her neck in an instant. "I'm back," she answered, clenching her fists to stop their trembling. Now was not the time to be a coward, the act had just begun and she was determined to be the hero of it.

_____________________

She had failed. Miserably.

As she stood amongst the empty houses whose owners had marched straight to their death, she felt angry. Angry at herself for believing his too-good-to-be-true promise, angry at him for lying and cruelly leading her on, angry at the world for allowing him to live on. But more than anything, she was angry at her lack of power, she was useless, powerless, a toy to be swung around by the more powerful. 

How loudly he must be laughing, thinking of the silly girl who fought in vain for her freedom. She had been in the palm of his hand all along.

Her tattoo burned on her shoulder, the mark of her obedience was bright on her skin, and as she gripped at it, it was so ugly to her eyes. It was no better than a slave brand mark. Her eyes fell on the bloodied knife before her, and as she brought down upon her own skin, she felt the scorching pain. A punishment for her foolishness. A way to clean herself of the mark she loathed.

Her skin tore apart, while the blood gushed down, yet she continued, till she felt the tip clang against her bone, yet she didn't stop, if she could tear her arm apart, she would. She wanted to regain control over life, in the only way she still could.

A hand tightly gripped her wrist, its fingers gently wrapping around her skin. And she hated him for stopping her, and she loved him for putting an end to her folly.

"Why are you here?" she asked lowly, her facade was shattered, she didn't have the strength in her to continue. "You'll die." She didn't look at him, she was ashamed, ashamed and desperate.

As he pressed his hat down on her head, perhaps to hide the ugly tears running down her cheeks, or as a promise, she felt the warmth embrace her. And for once she didn't feel alone in her fight.

Through the blurriness, his tiny back seemed strong, and determined. She couldn't help but latch unto that bright promise, the only thread keeping her from drowning. And finally, she realized what pulled her toward him—he had what she never could have, the courage to face his fears.

That was her captain, Luffy. A promise of freedom, joy and excitement—the beginning of a journey that would mark History.

_________________________

good news : I've more or less chosen the arcs I want Konan to be in ! 

bad news : it's going to take a while for me to re-read/watch the arcs (or I'll just use fandom wiki? but it won't be enough...) either way, I'm not looking forward to that 〒▽〒

next arc : probably alabasta