Dream Seeker · one piece x reader

set sail, to stop the revolution

OR, helping a princess wasn't something you'd expect to be doing as a pirate, but oh well

A clean cold cut from a sharp edged knife.

Except it wasn't from a knife, and it wasn't a cut; it was sticks and already coloring bruises, and not at all in the definition of a clean cut.

The bells chimes from the movement, an ominous sound amongst the silence of the cold buildings. You take one look at the sprawled bodies behind you, and returned your weapons on your back.

It was merciless. Brutal.

And you've always done it this way.

Crude silence follows, as cold as the mornight air, and as icy as the unfeeling in your eyes. The moon glisten atop the buildings once more. A breathless sigh leaves your lips as you turn to face Luffy.

"How was sleep?" You greeted simply.

Luffy grins, as wide as it had ever been, and answers just as simply:

"Great!"

The princess can't find the right words to utter to save her life.

— ❐ —

"So you didn't beat them up because they offered you beer?" The aforementioned captain stuck a finger up his nose, having no right to look as serious as he did right now. Explaining things to Luffy was easy, aside from the occasional dumb questions that would be expected to come from someone like Luffy.

You rolled your eyes, leaning your weight on a barrel by a cement wall, "for the ninth time, no I didn't beat them up just because they gave me beer."

You then pondered for a second, putting a finger to your chin.

"Well, okay, maybe that was one of the reasons."

Zoro, who had mysteriously popped up alongside with Nami just a few minutes ago, plopped down to the side of the wall you were at. "Like hell it was."

"Well there you have it!" Nami, who you assumed explained everything that happened to the princess, clapped her hands with glee, "and as compensation, I'd like one billion beris!"

Crickets fill the air, with the three of you, Luffy, and Zoro chatting away behind Nami. She raises her chin, a rare prideful air for others oozing from her.

"You saw how strong these guys are."

"I can't!" The princess cuts abruptly. Her eyes fully meets Nami's, that despite sitting down, it seemed she was eye-to-eye with the navigator. "I do appreciate you saving me. Thank you." She meets your eyes then, and you nodded back to her silently.

Nami, however, wasn't pleased at all. "What? Why can't you? You're a princess! One billion shouldn't be much at all..."

The princess looks around briefly before answering Nami. "Do you know of the kingdom known as Alabasta?"

Something clicks, the wind howls quieter, stone grey walls hits your back, having since fully sat on the barrel as the conversation carried on. Luffy atop another barrel adjusts his position, leaning forward in interest of the new name. Something clicks, and you didn't like whatever it was.

Nami simply answers, "no." And the princess continues.

"It's a peaceful kingdom know as a great civilization and nation." She pauses, "well, it used to be."

"It used to be? What about now?" Nami probes. Zoro, for once, had leaned slightly forward and had been looking at the princess afar, a hand on his swords as usual.