𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 • Roronoa Zoro

chapter twenty

The Conomi Islands. Where Nami grew up, not that you'd be able to tell.

As she walked through the village, Miura could tell that this place was once beautiful, but had met the same fate that Solitude Island had: Pirates.

This was Miura's least favourite part of travelling the East Blue, when she'd come across a village that was obviously occupied by pirates. Everyone was miserable and nothing looked the same as it did before. It reminded her too much of Solitude Island, of her parents.

One house was even flipped over completely, with the strength that only a fishman or a devil fruit eater could muster. It was obvious they were in the right place. Arlong was close.

"Never seen that before," Zoro said.

"What could have done this?" Sanji asked.

"Maybe I should head back, make sure the Merry's secure," Usopp said.

"Arlong did this," Luffy said.

"Hey, shit-hat!" Buggy's voice said from the bag, "I think we can all agree that Arlong's a bad fish. But why don't we quit lollygagging and get my body back?"

"Pipe down in there," Sanji demanded.

"Or what? You gonna whip me up a soufflé?"

Sanji turned to Usopp. "How about you take him for a while?"

"Ooh," Usopp said, backing away, "New guy carries the clown head."

Miura couldn't handle it. She felt tears forming in her eyes, choking them back.

Zoro looked in her direction, longing to give her some sort of reassurance. He'd just almost confessed his feelings for her and, by the look on her face, she knew, and she didn't feel the same. So, when Sanji put his arm around her shoulders and whispered to her that everything would be okay, he did nothing, just looking at the ground.

They came across a large group of people, possibly the entire village, with some sort of cop stood in front of them.

"Everyone! Please!" He yelled. "Please! Everyone. We don't have much time, and we're short again this month."

One man poured coins into the box the cop was holding. "Is it enough?"

The cop defeatedly shook his head as another woman spoke up. "Do we have time to get some more?"

"No," a familiar voice came from the back of the crowd, and they dispersed to reveal Nami, "You don't." She walked towards the cop, another woman with bright blue hair now stood behind him.

"You've got a lot of nerve showing your face here," she said. She seemed to be the only one not afraid of Nami, even spitting at her feet before walking away.

Nami said nothing, turning to the cop. "Got something for me?" He handed her the box and she opened it. "You're short."

"Nami, please," he begged, "This is all we have. Arlong has blew us dry."

"Then find more blood."

The crowd dispersed, back to what was left of their homes, and Nami's eyes landed on the group, her old 'crew'. She stormed over, the expression on her face completely unrecognisable.

"Luffy? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Luffy said.

"This is where I belong."

"I don't believe that. This is not you."

"No. This isn't the me you want me to be."

"Nami... if you need our help-"

"No, I don't need any of you. Arlong wanted the map, and I conned you into getting it for me. And you bought it. I was never part of your stupid crew."

"You don't mean that."

"Take the rest of these clowns and sail away from here, I never want to see you again."

With that, Nami stormed off. Sanji sighed, his arm dropping from Miura's arm.

Usopp chuckled nervously. "Woah, okay. That went about as bad as it could. So, back to the boat before the fishmen find us? Sail the hell out of here? Okay."

"There's something else going on here," Sanji said.

"I think she was very clear she wants us to leave," Zoro said.

"You don't know women. They never say what they mean."

"That's presumptuous," Miura said.

"Tell me again why the cook gets to have a say," Zoro said.

"Don't you guys get it?" Usopp asked, "She's one of them. She's a bad guy. The villagers are terrified of her."

Miura looked at Luffy, who seemed to be thinking the same thing as her.

"Not all of them," Miura said.

"Hey!" Luffy yelled, grabbing the attention of the cop, "Scar guy!" He stepped out of his house. "Who was that lady? You know, the one with the cool hair?"

"Who wants to know?" The cop asked.

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy. I'm a pirate-"

"Hunter," Zoro interrupted, "Pirate hunter. We're here to collect Arlong's bounty."

"You?" The cop asked, "I've seen men twice your size and with twice your number go into Arlong Park, none of them ever came back."

"We just want to talk to her." Luffy smiled.

"Trust me. You don't. But if it'll get you out of my town, try the house down that road, on the edge of the tangerine grove."