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crocodilenjoyer · 10 months ago

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op fic recs

dont tell my professors.

A head pops up on the other side of Straw Hat; the last of the fading sunlight refracts off Roronoa’s earrings, winking at her. “Oh,” he says, sounding only mildly surprised to see her. “You’re here too.”

“What are you talking about? What’s going on?”

Roronoa grins. “Yeah. He does this.”

Nami props herself up a little higher on her already bruising elbow. Straw Hat’s got an arm wrapped around Roronoa, same as her, pinning him to his other side.

“Okay,” Nami says, feeling her third headache in as many hours beginning to creep up. “What is this?”

“How he sleeps, I guess. Been doing it since we started sailing together.”

“You’re joking.”

Roronoa shrugs.

“Well, how do we get him to let go?”

“Dunno. Haven’t figured that part out yet,” Roronoa says and then, because he’s no help at all, lays back down.

Sanji is carefully placing a cherry on top of the ice cream, his hands nimble, soft, almost—gentle. But all Zoro sees is the way the hems of his pants are still soaked in blood from an earlier skirmish with a marine ship, red seeping into the cracks on the floorboard, spattering across the kitchen floor in a slow drip, drip, drip.

Zoro stares, fascinated. He can’t bring himself to look away.

(Or, Zoro and Sanji—terrible monsters, in love)

“I don’t buy it,” Pete retorts. “Someone like you? Some cook from East Blue? You’re probably worth a couple hundred thousand bellies at best, maybe a million, if your captain’s somebody.”

Sanji tilts his head back so that it rests against the dirty wall behind him. He’s still upright, somehow, through sheer stubbornness or spite. He doesn’t look like someone who only has tonight left to live. In fact, he looks sharp. There’s no better word for it. His expression is still as peaceable as it has been since he arrived, but watching him is like watching a knife slide out of its sheath. He is, abruptly, dangerous. A tool made for cutting.

“If you knew where I’ve been, you would be terrified of me,” he says.

A catalogue of things stolen by, for, and from Princess Vivi of Alabasta with regards to a certain thief, as documented by her long-suffering captain of the guard.

“If you’re looking for Arlong, he’s inside,” she says, pointing at the monstrous building. Jinbe doesn’t look away from her, from the bruise over her eye. She can’t be older than thirteen or fourteen. Her fingers are worn red and raw. As he watches, a drop of blood drips to the ground.

A girl, with reddish hair and exhausted eyes and a ragged, forced smile, and it’s Koala but it’s not.

(Jinbe goes to check in on his brother, and finds some things that need to be set right.)

“Do you think you can bench press me?” Luffy asks, interrupting him in the middle of a crunch, and Zoro pauses and says, “yeah, sure.”

There’s a tightening feeling low in Shanks’ stomach as his gaze follows those long fingers wrap around the neck of the bottle, the candlelight lancing over a sharp cheekbone. Mihawk is terrifying before he is beautiful, but Shanks isn’t afraid of him, and Mihawk is so fucking pretty. The dim glow filtering in through the windows is beginning to tinge warm, reminding Shanks that they’re on borrowed time; he glances at the clock and decides. He reaches over before Mihawk can straighten and curls his fingers around the shell of his ear.

“Hey.”

Mihawk stills and looks at him from the corner of his eye, barely turning his head. The bottle is in his hand, and Shanks trails his fingers down Mihawk’s jaw to take the liquor from him and set it down on the table.

“Wanna bang?”

Sanji and Zoro have very different love languages.

Standards by taizi | nr, probably g | post-timeskip | gen, straw hats | 2.4k

"You aren't planning on bringing that boy in with you tomorrow night, are you? Our restaurant has certain standards."

(In which the Straw Hats set out to prove their captain meets certain standards; whether he likes it or not.)

Usopp gets his hands on a tattoo machine.

Soon after, he gets his hands all over his crew.

When they’re on the forecastle, with the helm just behind them and the figurehead casting them further in shadow, Usopp calls, “Raise the sails!”

Luffy’s gasp next to his ear is the best part of his entire day.

The sails unfold in a great rolling crash of canvas. Even the striped gaff swings out, catching the wind. The whole sloop gives a powerful lurch as if she’s eager to sprint out of port on the back of whatever gale blows along next.

And painted on the foresail, bold and bright and proud, is a grinning Jolly Roger in a yellow straw hat.

“That’s mine,” Luffy whispers, hushed and awed.

“Told you so,” Usopp says smugly.

Ever since he'd left home, people had not stopped asking Zoro about his accent.

Or, the reason Zoro was allowed to wander around alone in Wano.

He keeps moving forward at a steady pace, resisting the urge to run because how fucking embarrassing would that be, running because he missed them, and as he breaks through the treeline he shouts, “Oi, oi—what took you guys so long? It's been—”

And then he freezes, because yes, actually—something is very, very wrong.

The Sunny is anchored just off shore, close enough to see the deck but far enough away that the crew has had to take the Mini Merry to make land. Scattered across the beach in various stages of chaos—rolling around, yelling, fighting—are his crew but not his crew, so similar and yet so, so different. They look younger, fresher, and whatthefuck there, on the deck of the Sunny just peering over the railing, he catches a flash of green—his own green hair—

“Ah, fuck,” he grunts, and then immediately turns back around because no, actually, he does not want to deal with this.

It’s been a while since Sanji has gotten some action, which is the only reason why Zoro’s deplorable, barely-there attempt somehow works. Obviously.

Luffy looks again at the bitemarks that he left on Zoro’s wrist. Zoro’s usually hurt, one way or another. Sometimes it’s definitely been Luffy’s fault too, but the bitemarks feel different. They ain’t like normal bruises or cuts. There’s something about seeing the shape of his teeth in Zoro’s skin. Something about the colors, the slightly paler insides of Zoro’s wrists, and the blueness of his veins, and the dark pink color of where Luffy bit him.

Luffy unhinges his jaw and crams an entire breakfast ham down his throat. He chews reflectively a moment and then demands,

“Zoro, you wanna have a date tonight?”

Zoro answers by inhaling the rest of his orange juice through his nose and promptly spewing it everywhere.

“That a yes?”

Luffy and Zoro destroy a restaurant, end up lost, get in a bar fight with a bunch of pirates and go on their first date. Not necessarily in that order.

“Sanji! It’s lunchtime, right? Now? Soon? Now, right?”

His legs are tight around Sanji’s waist and his arms have come around Sanji’s chest and crossed, grabbing the opposite shoulders, the whole length of his chest pressed tight and close. Sanji can feel the vibration when he talks, the snap of the rubber resonating in his bones.

Luffy’s hair is tickling the back of his neck.

The whole thing is – it’s –

For a long second Sanji is frozen.

“Sanji?”

It feels –

(The Straw Hat Pirates set sail in the East Blue.)

If he gets caught stealing again, if he loses his other hand, he’ll never be a pirate. Never be anything besides a crippled beggar, pleading for scraps.

If he doesn’t steal, he’ll starve.

Despite the fluid nature of his ambition, Zoro himself rarely changes: principles, directions, appearance. And when he does, he makes sure it's under the heavy influence of both long-term irritation and a healthy dose of the nearest hard liquor.

Or, Zoro is trans, surgeries cost money, and there's little to no verified adult supervision in his life.

“God, again?!” Usopp looks down at Sanji who's sitting against a column and tilting his head back while pressing a tissue against his bleeding nose.

“Shu' ub,” Sanji growls. Or, he tries to. It sounds rather unimpressive.

“You're terrible,” Usopp says but he can't hold back the fond smile that's been blooming all over his face again and again ever since he's stepped foot on the Sunny after returning to Sabaody.

It's the big party after defeating Hody Jones. Usopp gets Sanji away from all the mermaids. (Honestly, Sanji, these nosebleeds are disgusting.)

#riko.txt #zolu #zosan #usosan #straw hat pirates #mishanks #nami #crocodile #sanji #namivivi #jinbe #zoro #fic rec #fic

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whirlybirdwhat · 4 years ago

Note

The strawhats dont know that Jimbe shares the other half of Luffys scar.

Word Count: 2,239

The Straw Hats hadn’t expected it, even as they traced inked lines on newspapers, old and faded with time, watched the news and clips of Marineford, brought by an old enemy’s hands.

They knew their captain would be scarred – saw it in the newspaper, the way his face broke with his brother’s body in his arms, saw it in bloody bandages inked with 3D2Y.

They just –

They didn’t know it would be like this.

Luffy’s scar is a red thing, a bloody thing. It’s roughly healed, clearly gone without proper care beyond the initial wrap, and it lays directly over their captain’s chest. An X, cruel and digging into his skin.

(Legends state that Joyboy, the first adventurer, carved an X on to Raftel. That the poneglyphs are his signature, the X that marks all treasure.

Below this X lies their captain’s heart, burned and flayed by the first of a dog.

It is a treasure that should have never been marked.)

He wears it openly, proudly, as if this X was not in the same place of the wound that killed his brother, as if his hand did not reach up to scratch at it, rest on it, hold it when he stared at the horizon. They have had a day to get used to but still –

Still it is a shock, fresh and unwanted.

(Scars have meaning, and scars have purpose. Zoro has two on his ankles and one on his front, two earned in learning, and one in battle. Another is on his eye, a price paid for being a student who aims to take down his teacher. Nami has scars, covered by blue ink, scars that freed her, scars that saved her. Usopp has nicks on his hand, scars in odd places from trying to repair a dying ship, from fighting his captain.

Lessons learned, purposed gained, willingly, voluntarily.

Luffy’s is nothing like that. )

It stares at them, taunts them, bright and red, a reminder that they weren’t there when Luffy was always there for all of them, wasn’t there when he needed them most, as much as it is a reminder of how Luffy’s brother died in his arms, in a war that should have never been.

(Luffy has scars – he heals fast, but not enough to cover burns from molten gold or holes from warlord’s hooks. But nothing is as vibrant as this one.)

But –

Luffy is here.

Luffy is happy. He smiles, bright and fearless, even if there are new shadows in his eyes and more quiet moments then there used to be. He is still just as strong, stronger even, if more protective of his crew. He’s Luffy – their captain, and their future king.

They weren’t there for him, and he doesn’t care if they weren’t because he’s glad they’re safe but –

Jimbe! Luff cries with joy, when they set a course for fishman island, He saved me!

Someone was.

Fishman island is a bright, happy place. The sun shines even here, and now, with Hordy and Vander Decken gone, the people shine as well. Joyful, smiling faces against scales and skin, teeth sharp or smooth, are all directed to their princess – now revealed to them – and to the pirates that saved them. There’s cruelty in corners, but not here.

Not now.

(Children run along the sea floor in Straw Hats, calling out attack names and harboring no prejudice.

Later, years later, there will be legends about a man in a straw hat, and joy written on all their faces – cruelty nowhere to be found. A beginning is here – one of hope.)

Not with Luffy lying on Jimbe’s side, bandaged and with his crew surrounding him. The party thrown by King Neptune echoes dimly in the background, melding gently with the chattering of his crew around him. Zoro sleeping on the ground by Luffy, Chopper atop of him, Usopp and Sanji murmuring together as they eat, the rest of the crew standing around, gazing at their captain who has given so much for them – who has just returned to them.

(They move in groups, now, and when Luffy left the party to talk to Jimbe the rest of them followed. It’s been far too long since they’ve been together and they are reluctant to part from each other.

Never again, they whisper, never again.)

Jimbe is new to them but not, there when they weren’t. He’s comfortable with Luffy, even if he is surprised when Luffy slumps against his side, curling under his arm to sleep away his injuries. There’s a terrible sort of fondness on his face as he looks at their Captain, one they all know is reflected on their own faces.

Luffy – he saves people. More than just in body, but in spirit, taking their dreams and shouldering them on his own until they are strong enough to carry themselves. Selfishly selfless, forcing people to rise and chase what every pirate holds dear.

A dream.

Jimbe hasn’t said his yet, but he’ll get there if Luffy has to drag him there kicking and screaming like he’s done the rest of them.

Though… his eyes hold nothing but devotion as he stares at the Straw Hat’s captain, so it’s more than likely he’ll just follow Luffy.

All the way to Raftel.

Luffy utters a quiet snore, burrowing close into Jimbe, bandages falling and revealing a reddened scar, and suddenly the Straw Hats find themselves with a purpose here.

But like in all things, Luffy is the one to make the first move. The way he has tugged on Jimbe’s kimono, has pulled it to the side, displaying the tattoo of the Sun Pirates, red and vibrant and –

A mass of scar tissue, burned and dark against blue scales, in the same shape as their captain’s.

It’s like the world goes quiet as Jimbe readjusts.

Like another weight has been added to the shoulders of those who love Straw Hat Luffy but weren’t there when he needed them most. Like chains, like nails down the throat, a horrible, awful realization that at Marineford, it hadn’t just been Ace who took a hit for their captain.

Jimbe had too.

He doesn’t talk about it, doesn’t seem to notice the way every Straw Hat has paled or gone wide eyed or slacked jawed (for those without visible skin or eyes.) He just quietly adjusts Luffy, hand ghosting over the scar on his chest, and settles back down.

Nami swallows, throat sick. “Jimbe?” She asks, knowing that he’ll answer her if no one else. “You were at Marineford, right?”

(Even in his sleep, slumbering away, Luffy winces at the name.)

Jimbe is quiet for a beat, then – “Aye. And Impel Down.”

“And afterwards,” Robin says smoothly, eyes bright with the knowledge of a historian who scoured every source for information about her captain.

Jimbe nods. “And afterwards, until Rayleigh took over.”

Everything. He was here for everything.

“Then...” Nami swallows and blinks back her tears. “You were with Luffy when A-“ His name feels forbidden. Taboo. “When his brother died.”

“Aye.” Jimbe’s words are soft as he lays a hand on Luffy’s shoulder, gently calming him from the twist his face takes, even asleep. “I was.”

Nami wants to ask what happens. She wants to know, wants to hold her captain, wants to say It’s okay, wants to know what hurt him so he will never hurt again, and Jimbe can give her these answers but –

The past doesn’t matter aboard their ship of dreams. Luffy had not listened to her story, not until she wanted to tell him herself. He had freed her from her chains, took her by the hand and led her to the horizon that she could map all her own.

Her throat closes up when she thinks about trying to learn his hurts, when he knew not to bother her own.

She can’t do that.

She can’t.

Instead, she lets her lips remain loyally closed as she watches the way Jimbe cradles their captain, as if he was the most precious thing he could think of.

(And really this man – who had conquered gods and armies and kings, yet still smiled so gently at his nakama and the sea breeze – he is.)

But Jimbe speaks anyway, and it’s not a betrayal of loyalty because he was there, when none of them were.

“I knew Ace, before Marineford.” They all hide flinches at the name. Jimbe gives them a somber gaze, and moves on. “We battled, before he joined Whitebeard’s crew and afterwards were friends. I refused to fight in Marineford for his sake, and was instead bound in Impel down, in the same cell as him. There… he told me about his little brother.” His gaze, impossibly, turns even softer. “He would just chatter on… smiling, in the face of death, as he told me about how reckless this boy was. How foolish. How loyal.” He tilts his head back up to the sky then. “He asked me to take care of his little brother.”

Nami’s heart stops. Usopp gasps. Sanji drops his plate. Chopper starts crying. Zoro’s eyes flash open for the first time.

(Under the hot sun of Alabasta, on a ship aboard a river, a man with freckles and a smile had asked, A little brother like that makes a big brother worry - Take care of him for me, okay?

They failed.)

“I failed,” Jimbe says, simply, but his words are draped in pain and agony, as his hand rises to his chest again, in a similar motion to what their captain has done, several times since they have reunited. “And that can never be forgiven.”

“But you were there,” Robin says, just as simple, her voice cracking. “And you saved our captain – didn’t you?”

Jimbe’s hand loosens its hold. “Ace had just died. We were running from Akainu and… I was holding Luffy. My own body was not enough to shield him – I failed-“

“Stop.” Zoro’s words silence the room, accept for Luffy, snoring gently into Jimbe’s side. “You were there, Jimbe.” He gets on to his knees, sword laying across his slap as Chopper is pushed to the side. “We were not. Thank you, for saving him.”

And then – Zoro, future world’s greatest swordsman, the pirate hunter, the demon – he bows, low to the ground, in a gesture of thanks.

It is brief, and quick, but Nami follows instantly, folding over in thanks as the rest of the crew does the same.

This is their crewmate – their future crewmate, from what he told Luffy – who was there when they were not, and took a blow for Luffy straight through his chest that would have otherwise been fatal.

Without Jimbe, their captain would not have had a chance to live.

What is a moment, bowed over, to something as insurmountable as that?

“I – please, do not bow to me!” Jimbe rushes to say, stuttering, eyes wide when Nami looks out. One hand is held out while the other, always protective, lays around Luffy’s shoulder. “It was my duty to do so, my responsibility, same as any of you. Luffy – he’s the man who will become King of the Pirates. To follow him is enough thanks.” His words ring loud. Ring true.

This is the man Luffy wanted on his crew for two years.

Nami can see why.

His faith – the faith that moves seas, moves mountains, changes the world, the faith in one straw hatted man – that’s the faith of all her crew,

She wasn’t sure about Jimbe.

(He had been the cause of so much of her pain – but he didn’t choose to hurt her. He would never, now.)

She is now.

Zoro, ever the leader, ever the loyal first mate, looks up and settles back down. It reminds Nami so much of Water 7, except here their entire crew is present, and here, they will not be fractured ever again.

(She will make sure that happens – by any means necessary.)

“It is our responsibility.” Zoro acknowledges. “We grew stronger over these past few years, on our captain’s orders – did you?”

His single eye pierces Jimbe, and Nami can see him swallow. But he stares back, unafraid, a true helmsman always following the course.

“Aye,” Jimbe says, and the tension is shattered by Luffy turning entirely over in his sleep, shirt shifting to display his scar, but his face entirely peaceful.

They ease back into their conversations, debts settled, crewmates thanked and now equals. It’ll be a few minutes before Luffy is up, running for adventure with them following on his heels but for now –

Now, the savior of their captains rests easy with Luffy by his side, and everything is okay.

(Later, months later, after Wano and after Whole Cake and after Emperors, Nami will see Luffy sit up at night as they all camp out in the aquarium. He will clutch his chest, and curl in on himself, deadly quiet and pale. His fingers will dig in, and dig in, and dig in, and all Nami will do is watch until –

Jimbe sits up and catches Luffy’s hand in his own, his other mirroring Luffy’s position and clutching at his own scar. He will say breathe, and Luffy will breathe, and –

Their captain will be strong, surrounded by those who were not there, and smiling, if dimly, at the one who was.

And, for once, matching scars won’t hurt as bad.)

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kaizokuou-ni-naru · 4 years ago

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The Voyage So Far: Wano (Part One)

east blue (1 | 2) || alabasta (1 | 2) || skypiea || water 7 || enies lobby || thriller bark || paramount war (1 | 2) || fishman island || punk hazard || dressrosa (1 | 2) || whole cake island || wano (1 | 2)

shirahoshi seeing the sun for the first time is really a relatively minor and understated thing, among all the chaos and revelations of reverie, but it strikes me as one of the most meaningful little moments in the arc.

i LOVE the luffy fanclub. i love that a meeting of the world leaders winds up being a who’s-who with assorted friends of one of the world’s most notorious criminals, and it brings me SO much joy to see them meeting each other and being able to connect. i feel the same way about coby and rebecca meeting.

in general, and i think i said this at marineford too, i love that the one piece world is developed and interconnected and alive enough to allow for these sorts of interactions.

fucked up that this was almost a hundred chapters ago and we still have no clue what the fuck was up with this, isn’t it?

i do find the introduction of im fascinating. up until this point we’ve had two presumed final villains- blackbeard and akainu- who were first established pretty far back at jaya and enies lobby (in robin’s flashback) respectively. meanwhile, im isn’t even seen until chapter nine hundred and something. it feels very late-game, but at the same time, their existence doesn’t contradict anything previously established, and in fact jives pretty well with a lot of information more recently revealed in dressrosa.

in any case, when in doubt i do trust oda knows what he’s doing when handling his story, and i’m very excited to see what he does with this.

wano is SO PRETTY. i mentioned this before in fishman island, but i think wano is definitely the prettiest setting in the series to date. i think it’s obvious oda was both very excited to draw it and put a lot of work and research into his depiction of it, and wow does it pay off. wano is so bursting with life and detail, and frequently looks like an ukiyo-e painting come to life, and just- wow wow wow.

i love zoro and luffy’s reunion so much... i love how happy they are to see each other. it’s only been, what, a couple weeks in-universe? but luffy is pulling the full tackle-hug like he did for sabo at dressrosa. i love them.

i really like the outfits in wano, too!! zoro’s ronin look in particular i think suits him very well, and i also love luffy’s patchy yukata and robin’s geisha getup and they’re just very cool. this also applies to the non-strawhat wano characters, for the record, and kind of ties back to what i was just saying about wano being so full of detail. it has a very specific look, and everything from the outfits to the way things like the fire and the waves are drawn folds very neatly into that aesthetic.

as i’m writing this i just finished on the paramount war posts, so with that fresh on my mind, i have to say i really like the way ace (or rather, his memory) is incorporated into wano. he’s not really a major presence- that is, the fact that he was there before luffy has no real bearing on the plot. but there are people who knew and cared about him and remember him fondly, tama and yamato, and it just really helps add to this feeling that ace was a person and his life and death had real and lasting affects.

and it adds, too, to the fact that even if it took ace way too long to realize it, he was so thoroughly loved everywhere he went.

i have a lot of thoughts on the intersection of food and heroism in one piece (i keep trying to compile a coherent meta post on the subject and mostly failing). but i’ll settle for saying that in wano luffy is a hero by his own definition, as someone who shares food with others, and i doubt he realizes that, but i think it’s really interesting.

i know luffy’s fight with kaidou is kind of controversial in fandom but i love it, personally. it feels like a logical outcome for luffy to get his ass kicked the first time he tries to go up against a yonkou singlehandedly! he got wrecked when he tried to throw down with a shichibukai the first time, too, and this is just the next logical step from that.

luffy’s always been an underdog starting from nowhere and working his way up and up and up, and i love that for him. of course he’s going to get messed up the first time he tries punching an entire order of magnitude above his weight class. and then he’s going to get up and try again, and again, and again until he wins.

the act structure of wano is really neat, i think. it helps such a long and complicated arc feel a lot more structured and less interminable than it might otherwise, and it also gives specific breaks where we can cut away to the story happening on the outside world.

honestly i really like the whole udon prison segment. it’s fun! i like it for similar reasons i like the colosseum mini-arc in dressrosa, honestly, which is that there’s no real stress because we know luffy is the scariest person there by a country mile so we can just watch him go ham, and that’s fun. it consistently cracks me up that absolutely nobody is worried luffy’s in jail. they’re all just like “yeah, he’ll be fine.” and they’re right! he’s having the time of his life!

wano’s cast is fascinating, because almost nobody is who they first appear to be. almost everyone is wearing masks, whether literal or not- fitting, for an arc structured after a kabuki play. everyone is playing roles, from hiyori to denjirou to kanjurou to yasuie, and everyone lies.

this entire sequence at orochi’s party is one of my favorites in the whole arc- in fact, it was my favorite, until we reached a certain part i’ll get to in the next post. everything from komurasaki standing up for toko and slapping orochi to denjirou “killing” her to robin getting caught by the oniwabanshu and dissolving into petals to nami calling down a massive lightning bolt to cover their escape- it’s really good.

i’ve written extensively before about the smile fruits and the themes of smile and laughter in one piece and how important the freedom to feel and express emotion is. suffice it to say that for all the atrocities orochi commits against the people of wano, it’s feeding the smile fruits to the people of ebisu town that is his greatest crime, and the revelation of just what happened to those poor people ratchets up the tragedy of wano tenfold.

i do think it’s interesting to think about how if denjirou had been just a little less committed to his role, zoro would’ve killed orochi right here. it really drives home that orochi is nothing- he’s weak, he’s cowardly, he’s just lucky and clever and cruel enough to be able to get much more powerful people to do his work for him.

it’s infuriating that someone like him has been able to hold such power over the lives of the people of wano and ruin them so thoroughly, and that’s exactly the point.

wano is the arc where oda says you Will care about the supernovas and i’m like yeah

hey, another of my all-time favorite luffy panels!! i honestly just think this one sums him up as a character in a line more than almost any other- “i’m always free.”

just look at the detail on kidd’s metal hand holy shit holy shit. on occasion certain panels jump out at me that remind me that oda really is just, a genius at drawing on a technical level, even setting aside his writing and storytelling chops, and this is one of them.

oda is really, really good at creating the sense of a darkest hour- a time when all hope seems lost. the other best example in the series is in water seven, when the crew seems to be falling to pieces, merry is marked for death, robin’s gone, and the aqua laguna is coming. here, too- nobody comes to meet the akazaya nine, and the one chance they’ve waited twenty years and staked their lives on seems in danger of slipping through their fingers-

but the point of making it so all seems lost is so that when hope does appear, it shines all the brighter, and feels all the more triumphant. it’s always darkest before the dawn, and we all know how wano has been waiting for the dawn.

#the voyage so far #arc: reverie #arc: wano kuni #one piece #opmeta #not japanese #long post

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omgsquee2001 · 5 years ago

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I’m Here Now; Nami x Sister Reader

~Nami’s POV~

_______________________________________________________________________

I sighed for about the forth time that day. I was leaning against the railing of the Thousand Sunny, looking out across the ocean, feeling the cool breeze brush though my long orange hair. I was thinking about my little sister, who was related to me by blood. Bel-Mere had rescued Nojiko, [Y/N] and I from the town that was destroyed in the midst of the battle between the pirates and the marines Bel-Mere was stationed under. Arlong and his pirates took [Y/N] away from us when he killed Bel-Mere and we never saw our beloved little sister again. To be honest, I had forgotten about my sister until Luffy, Zoro, Sanji and Usopp saved me from the clutches of Arlong. Said people were doing what they normally were. Sanji was cooking lunch for the crew, Chopper, Luffy and Usopp were playing their normal game of tag on deck, Brook was playing different songs he knew, Franky was doing his SUPPER pose, causing the three players to stop and gawk in awe and Zoro was training, like always. Robin was sitting in her lawn chair, reading her book. She looked up at me.

“Nami-San, is everything alright?” She asked. All the commotion stopped, the crew looking at me with worry behind their eyes.

“I’m fine. Just tired of being on the sea,” I said, not looking at the ravenette. “We should be reaching an island soon, then we can rest and stock up on everything we need.” I said, turning around and smiling. Robin could tell the smile was forced. Luffy smiled and started drooling.

“Meat! That means we can get more meat, right, Sanji?” He asked as the cook came out with lunch. He nodded.

“Yeah that’s right,” hearts formed in his eyes and he floated over to Robin and I. “Here you are, Nami-Swan, Robin-Chwan!” He shouted.

I smiled and took the food. I looked up to the sky. ‘I wonder, if I ever did find [Y/N], would she like to join our crew?’ I thought.

_______________________________________________________________________

~[Y/N]’s POV~

_______________________________________________________________________

I sighed and smiled, brushing off the sweat from my forehead, looking at the vast ocean that lay before my cozy home. I had just finished planting more flowers in my outside garden bed and headed inside. I washed my hands to clean them of all the dirt. I poured myself a glass of water, and then walked outside, sitting on the bench on my porch. I sighed and took a deep breath of the afternoon air. The smell of the sea calmed my racing thoughts of the things I needed to do today. The sea reminded me of my older sister, Nami. I didn’t remember much about Nami, except for the fact that she wanted to travel the world and draw sea and land charts. After the Arlong Pirates had invaded, they killed my mother and took me away from my sisters, selling me as a slave. An elderly woman bought me, but then immediately set me free, allowing me to live with her as her granddaughter. Her name was Eve. After Eve died, I still lived in her house to this day, taking care of it and the flowers I had helped her plant many years before, adding new ones once the old ones died. I saw two small figures running up to my house. I smiled. They were some neighborhood kids that I took care of when their father and mother were away. Their names were Leo and Leah, twins. Fear was evident in their brown eyes as they stopped before me. I frowned. “Leo, Leah? What is it?” I asked, standing up and kneeling before the two. Leo was the first to speak.

“[Y/N]! Pirates are here! They’re at the docks right now!” He shouted. I frowned. Our village had a history with pirates, and not a good one. Most of the pirates that came here were looking only for trouble, only coming here for me. After Eve died, I ate the Element Element Devil Fruit, allowing me to control all the elements. Water, earth, fire and air. This also came along with the sub elements. Because of this, tons of pirates came to our village looking to recruit me or to take me to sell as a slave. I was the villagers’ protector. I faced off against even the most powerful pirates and won.

“Which pirates? The Kid Pirates? The Heart Pirates? The Whitebeard Pirates?” I asked. Some of the pirates that stopped at our island village weren’t looking for trouble at all. The Whitebeard Pirates and the Heart Pirates had no interest in me or my powers. They had stopped at the village for supplies and rest. They never caused any trouble or hurt anyone. The Kid Pirates, however, were looking to recruit me for my powers. This did not sit well with me. I challenged Kid, telling him that if he won, I would go with him peacefully and with no complaints. But if I won, he would leave and never bother me or my village again. And I won. Leah looked at me.

“The Strawhat Pirates!” She shouted. My eyes widened. Now these pirates would be trouble. Everyone has heard of the notorious Strawhat Crew. They had defeated the Arlong Pirates, Don Krieg, Tin-Plate Wapol, Sir Crocodile and his Baroque Works Organization in Alabasta. They were known through out the world. And now they were coming to our island? Not on my watch! I looked at the twins.

“You two get home and stay there until I tell you it’s alright to come out, do you understand,” I asked. They nodded and rushed home. I clenched my hands into fists. I looked to the docks, staring intently at the skull and crossbones with the straw-hat. I narrowed my eyes. “Abatā(Avatar).” My eyes glowed white.

I slowly walked down to the docks. This should be a piece of cake for me. But then again, the Strawhats did manage to take down the most powerful pirates in the sea.

_______________________________________________________________________

(A little earlier

Nami’s POV)

My friends and I anchored at the docks of the small island. As we walked down, I noticed that the whole town seemed empty when we walked down the ramp, the villagers peaking out from their windows and doors, keeping them locked. I frowned and fell into step with Zoro and Robin.

“Does this village seem, afraid of us?” I asked. Robin glanced around and nodded.

“This place does have a feeling of fear and distrust.” She said quietly. A pebble was thrown at Zoro’s head. He flinched.

“Ow,” he rubbed his head. The crew stopped and he looked behind him. There were two kids. The little girl was pulling her brother back, trying to run away. The little boy picked up another pebble. Zoro glared at the kids.

“What was that for?” He asked. The boy flinched at the swordsman’s glare, but frowned, putting on a brave face and standing in front of his younger twin, trying to protect her.

“We don’t like pirates here! You’re all nothing but trouble!” He shouted. The little girl pulled his arm again. We looked at the kids in confusion.

“Leo, stop it! We don’t know that they’re actually here to cause trouble, or here for Big Sister.” She said. Leo glanced back at his sister.

“I don’t care, Leah. That’s what the other pirates did!” He said. Leah sighed. Usopp frowned.

“Other pirates?” He asked. The twins ignored the sharpshooter.

“Let’s just go and get [Y/N]. She’ll handle the situation.” Leah said and the two ran off. I suddenly froze. That name. No, it couldn’t be the same [Y/N]. Was my sister really here? My little sister? It couldn’t be. A few seconds later, the sea started to churn violently. Usopp and Chopper looked back in fear.

“Uh, guys, does the ocean normally act this wild?” Usopp asked. Sanji frowned, taking a drag from his cigar and blowing out.

“Not unless someone has the power to control the sea.” He said. Franky frowned.

“Looks like we’ll have to prepare for a not-so-supper fight.” He said. I gripped my pole. Robin positioned her arms across her chest. Zoro gripped his swords. Luffy looked clueless as ever, just looking for a place with meat. Sanji was prepared to use his kick. Brook prepared his music to make illusions. Usopp and Chopped held each other, shaking in fear. A girl, about nineteen, walked out from the narrow dirt road. Her [h/l] [h/c] hair was swaying in the wind, her eyes glowing white. My eyes widened. I recognized that hair. An image of a young girl with [e/c] eyes and [h/c] hair flashed before my eyes. Besides the glow, the girl looked just like my little sister, [Y/N]. I lowered her pole. I slowly walked up to the girl, as to not frighten her. The girl raised her hands and rocks went straight to them. Moving her fingers, the rocks circled the girl’s hands.

“[Y-Y/N]?” I whispered. The girl’s eyes widened, and she pushed her fists together. Rock formed around me, trapping me. Luffy frowned, finally getting the seriousness of the situation.

“Hey! Let go of our friend!” He shouted. I frowned. I didn’t want my friends to attack this girl, if she was indeed the [Y/N] I remembered.

“Don’t,” I said. My friends frowned, still ready to attack if necessary. “I’ll handle this.” I said, not looking at her crew. The girl frowned.

“How do you know my name?” She asked. Her voice was a mixture of her soft voice and other voices, making it sound deep and commanding. I frowned.

“Do you not remember me, little sister?” I asked quietly. My crew’s jaws fell to the ground in surprise.

“LITTLE SISTER?!” They shouted, mostly the boys, Robin’s face returned to normal, she smiled. She then realized why I had looked so down. It was because I missed my sister. [Y/N] frowned, then cupped my cheek, then ran her fingers through my long red hair. Her fingertips ran gently along my eyelids, then down my nose then along my lips, taking in all of my facial features. Tears came to [Y/N]’s eyes and the rock cage fell, releasing me. She didn’t move.

“N-Nami? Is that really you?” [Y/N] whispered. I nodded, unable to keep the tears from falling down my face.

“Y-yes, [Y/N]. It’s really me.” I pulled my sister into a hug. [Y/N] slowly wrapped her arms around me, crying.

“T-they told me you were dead! T-they said Arlong killed you all! I-I thought I had lost you, Nojiko and Bel-Mere,” [Y/N] sobbed. I cried as well. Tears of happiness and sadness. Happiness in finally finding my sister. Sadness in remembering the kind woman who had taken the three in, calling them her daughters. “I-I was so scared. S-so alone!” She kept sobbing. I smiled, tears still falling. I stroked my sister’s smooth hair. I then uttered the words that Eve had said to her when she had set [Y/N] free, causing more tears to fall.

“There’s no need to be scared any more. You’re safe. You’re free. I’m here now.”

Please feel free to reblog my stories😊😊 It will help motivate me to write more🙏🙏😊😊

#one piece #love #sister #reader insert #nami #straw hat crew #one-piece-x-reader

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genogenocrazycatman · 5 years ago

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Stillwater - Chapter 6

Stillwater [Archive of Our Own, FanFiction.Net, Mibba]

Characters: Original Female Character, Monkey D. Luffy, Rorona Zoro, Vinsmoke Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Tony Tony Chopper, Nefeltari Vivi

***

"We build as only children know to build

We made a way where there's a will

No slowing down or standing still

Innocent and reckless

"How did we get so old and never notice

How did we gain the world and lose the moment

Rise and fall, the tide surrounds us

And drowns us all"

-Hands Like Houses

***

I limped out onto the deck just in time to see a massive dolphin jump over the ship, landing in the water behind us. It created a massive wave, which Nami and the boys handled with ease, using it to push us forward.

I smiled, leaning against the banister next to Ms. Wednesday. This was a massive step up from their complete and total panic from before we hit Cactus Island.

“Looks like they’re getting the hang of it,” I commended.

“Yeah, looks like it,” she said, still seeming somewhat unsure.

“Hey Mimi!” Luffy waved. “Nami, which way now?”

“Hold on. Let me check.” Nami raised the log pose, watching the needle carefully. “Portside full,” she ordered, heading to the steering pole.

“Turning full,” the boys called back.

“Good job, boys,” I praised them.

“How’s the leg?” Sanji asked.

“Manageable,” I answered.

It was still painful, but a lot better than it had been. Getting some sleep had helped a lot. Both body and brain had had time to recuperate, and were now functioning fully, meaning that once again I was healing quickly.

My wound didn’t twinge so much with every movement as it did ache, and it was tight. I could feel the stitches holding the skin together, pulling as I moved. I was careful. I didn’t want them to open.

“How’s the hand?” Zoro added.

I raised it up. The gash was scabbed over now, dark, crusty, and itchy. It would probably be healed over in the next day or two. The injury to my thigh a few days longer, seeing as it was deeper.

“How? I saw the wire- You should’ve gotten stitches on the hand.” Wednesday was looking at my hand in shock.

“I heal quick.”

“That part of your devil fruit ability?” Sanji asked.

Usopp brought a hand to his chin. “When we first met, your ribs were broken, weren’t they? You recovered from that in days.”

It was actually about a week and a half, two weeks, before they were 100%, and that was only because they had been cracked, not fully broken. Even then that was still a lot faster than that of the average human.

“I guess that makes sense. Water has long been connected to healing,” I responded.

It wasn’t a lie. Water had always been associated with healing. People thought that water had mystical properties. Some believed that there were certain waters on the planet capable of instantly healing wounds or even reviving the dead.

I didn’t have an answer for them, well I did, but it wasn’t an answer that I wanted to give. It complicated things. I had already done that enough. The healing was one thing. There were a lot of freakish people, who could function through insane amounts of injuries and pain. There weren’t very many that could manipulate water and none, who could do it as naturally as me.

Plus I wasn’t really sure if my answer was right. I wasn’t a hundred percent sure, what the source of my regenerative abilities was. It could’ve been genetics, the result of my mother’s blood. It could’ve been that bastard’s blood too. It could have been the combination of the two.

“What do you mean you guess mean that makes sense? You don’t know?”

I just shrugged.

The only person that knew for sure was my father, and I wasn’t asking him for shit, not even an explanation of my origins or physiology.

It could’ve been my affinity for water as well. I hadn’t ever pushed it, like I probably should’ve. The water and I, it was natural easy. It always had been. It was a part of me. I never felt that I had to train it, especially since it was useless against my father.

“Never really thought about it.”

“Really?”

“I’ve had these powers as long as I can remember. I just accepted it.”

“When did you eat the devil fruit?” Wednesday asked.

“Don’t remember. Long time ago.” I quickly changed the subject. “What’s your deal?” I asked her. “I was absent for explanations, so I still have no idea why you’re actually here.”

“Mira, you hungry?” Sanji asked.

“Yeah, actually, but you don’t have to-“

“Relax, Mira, my dear. I’m more than happy to whip something up for you,” Sanji said.

“And you should sit down,” Wednesday said. “That way you don’t have to worry about pulling your stitches.” She paused. “You did need stitches, right?”

I chuckled. “Yeah, I needed stitches.”

“Which need cleaned,” Sanji reminded me. Hearts. “If you need help, I’ll be happy to assist you, my beautiful-“

“Calm down, Sanji. I already cleaned them.”

He sighed, dreamily. “Such a strong and capable-“

I shook my head, going inside.

As it turns out Wednesday, was Princess Vivi Nefeltari of Alabasta. Now, we were getting her back to her kingdom of Alabasta, where the Crocodile, one of the seven warlords of the sea was orchestrating a civil war.

I was impressed. It was clear that she cared about her kingdom and her people. Her voice was thick with emotion and her eyes shone with bright with unshed tears. She wasn’t just out for the throne. Shecared about her people. She wanted them to come together and prosper not shed each other’s blood. That was why she had put her life on the line to infiltrate Baroque Works, working her ay up the ladder until she was a frontier agent.

“I’m sorry about all of this. It’s because of me that-“

“Oh relax,” I hushed her. “We’re not here, because of you. We are here, because of our captain.”

“She’s right, Vivi. If Luffy didn’t agree to it, we wouldn’t be here. So if anything bad happens to us, it’s all Luffy’s fault.”

I snorted. “Not the point I was trying to make, Sanji.”

“Regardless, it’s a valid point. Now, eat up.”

He set down a bowl in front of me. “Crispy rice noodles with beef.”

It smelled and looked divine. I took my first bite and was in heaven.

“Sanji, you’re amazing,” I said.

Heart eyes. “Oh why thank you, my beautiful, Mira, but the truly-“

I reached over and pinched his leg.

“Oh but to be pinched by an angel!”

Well that didn’t work.

“Would you please walk me through the process?” I asked, sweetly. Not too sweetly though. I wanted him to comply, but I didn’t want to get him more worked up.

“Why, certainly,” he said, seeming to return to normal, as he went though the recipe and preparations with me.

By the time he was finished, so was I. “Thank you, Sanji.”

He went to take my bowl, but I swatted his hand away.

“You cooked. I’ll clean.”

“You’re-“

“Perfectly capable of cleaning up after myself and the rest of you for the matter. Now, scram.” I gave Sanji a slight hip check, pushing him towards the door.

It was impossible to clean, when he was around. Everything I picked up he tried to take and do for me. It was irritating, even more so, because I got everything much cleaner than he did.

I stood up and limped over to the sink.

“Ms. Stewardess, I could-“

I chuckled at Vivi. “Stewardess, huh?”

Vivi’s eyes widened in horror. “I’m sorry, I just assumed. When Nami helped you get to bed, you kept talking about all the chores you needed to do, and-”

I filled the sink and started washing. “Sorry about that. I was exhausted. I guess I do think like a stewardess.”

I had noticed a lot of household chore type things that needed done around the ship. Things needed wiped down, dusted, swept, sorted, cleaned, patched all sorts of things. I had noticed that Nami did some of them, but only for herself.

“I’m gonna have to check with Luffy and what we can do about making that official.”

I had no problem doing it. I took care of my house at home. My siblings were like a force of nature, and I was always cleaning up after them. This wouldn’t be much different. Actually, it’d be a lot easier. The ship was smaller than my house.

“You don’t have a role on the ship?”

“Not really, not in any official capacity at least. Luffy only asked me to join, because I was the first person that he had met from the Grand Line. Even then that was in Logue Town. I think he was just caught up in being in the home Gol D. Roger.”

Vivi walked over to me, picked up a towel and began drying each dish as I washed

“And you just agreed?”

“No. I’ve seen what happens to people on the Grand Line, what people become, if they even make it that far. I needed a way back home, but I didn’t want to watch him end up like the others. He reminds me of someone I once knew. I tried to help him out of a pickle, and he just kind of said I was part of the crew and brought me aboard.”

“So you’re returning to your homeland, like me?”

I nodded. “That’s part of it. Going home, making sure that Luffy doesn’t get himself killed, and admittedly, I’ve been enjoying myself. I’m the matriarch of my family, so I’ve never really left before, aside from supply runs. I always had to take care of everyone. I’ve never been this far from home. I’ve only been with them for a short while, and still I’ve seen more than I would in a life time back home. I know it sounds terrible like I’m just happy to shuck my responsibilities and sail, but that’s not it. I’m going home. I’m just enjoying the journey back.”

Logue Town was the first time I had ever been off the Grand Line. Cactus Island was the first island that I had ever been too this far out in Paradise. I usually was dropped only a week or so away from the Red Line.

Vivi was deep in thought, towel running over the already dry plate.

“Vivi,” I pulled her out of it. “I can see you’re worried, and I don’t blame you. Your nation is on the brink of a civil war, and you’ve managed to piss off one of the war lords. It’s not a favorable position to be in. I know it weighs heavy, because it’s your people at risk. You’re responsible for them.

“I also know that being the heir to the throne means that despite all the opportunity you have, your world is small. It always will be. It will be your kingdom and not much else, so you should enjoy this opportunity while you have it. You’re going to see place that you have never seen. You’re going to meet people, who you never would have met. You’re going to get to do things that you never will have gotten to do otherwise.

“I haven’t been on this ship very long. I haven’t gotten to see the true scope of their talents. I’ve only really seen them just play around and heard their stories, but Nami, is an amazing navigator, Usopp an insanely innovative and talented marksman. Sanji is the most capable cook that I have ever seen. Zoro could put demons down. And you have the future pirate king looking out for you.

“We’re going to get you home, so relax enjoy this moment, because you’ll never have this opportunity again. You can be all gloom and doom, once we get you home.”

Vivi’s motions paused. Her eyes were still set on the plate. “Thank you, Miss-“

“Mira, just Mira.”

“Thank you Mira.”

She started drying again. We finished up the dishes quickly after that.

I had just rinsed out the sink as she placed the last dish away, when Luffy called us.

“Mimi! Vivi! Come look!”

I walked out onto the deck. The others were all standing at the bow, looking at the island ahead of us.

“There’s no mistake,” Nami said, checking the pose. “Cactus Island and this island are pulling against each other. Our next stop!” Nami pointed at the island.”

“This is it, our second island on the Grand Line,” Luffy declared.

I glanced at Vivi, who was wearing a small smile. I grinned to myself, excited at the possibilities of what was to come.

***

Notes: 1.) Didn't really have a plan for this chapter. I mean I don't have a plan for most chapters, but this one just kind of flowed out on its own, but I like it.2.) My plans for a fic tend to change as I write (since I post as I go this is basically a first draft), so I tend to just go back and change things. They're usually fairly small things, so they're not too noticeable, but if you see something in the future that doesn't line up with what I've established before, I probably just went back and changed it. As I said, it's small shit, so it's not crucial that you go and reread anything for it to make sense, it's just a note. You haven't gone crazy, I just change shit constantly.

***

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***

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#teroin writes #stillwater #one piece #fanfiction

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genogenocrazycatman · 5 years ago

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Stillwater - Chapter 12

Stillwater [Archive of Our Own, FanFiction.Net, Mibba]

Characters: Original Female Character, Monkey D. Luffy, Rorona Zoro, Vinsmoke Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Tony Tony Chopper, Nefeltari Vivi

***

"We build as only children know to build

We made a way where there's a will

No slowing down or standing still

Innocent and reckless

"How did we get so old and never notice

How did we gain the world and lose the moment

Rise and fall, the tide surrounds us

And drowns us all"

-Hands Like Houses

***

“What a shame. Already over? Well that was disappointing wasn’t it?” Zoro said, sticking three swords in the ground. I had to assume they were stolen. They most certainly weren’t his. Wado, Kitetsu and Yubashiri were currently at my hip.

Bodies littered the ground around Zoro, and the people of Big Horn were staring at him in awe. Clearly, Zoro had taken all of these men out, but considering their lack of skill, I wasn’t particularly impressed. In fact, I was rather irritated.

“Right, Zoro! That was a good job, just like I told you to do! Yeah!”

“What about what I told you to do?” I asked, Usopp coming up behind him, still on the horse that Dalton had nabbed from Cocoa Weed.

I had made it to the Merry only to find the ship seemingly abandoned. I was confused at first, because I was sure that Kitetsu was there. A short search revealed the sword, its two companions, Zoro’s shoes, coat, shirt, socks and haramaki on deck, but not their owner.

I was worried. Where the hell was he? What the hell had happened? Had Wapol’s men gotten him and Carue? I was still thinking these questions over, when a thunderous sound caught my attention. There wasn’t a storm brewing. The sky was cloudy, but they were regular snow clouds. There was no sign of thunder snow. I trained my eyes on the island. An avalanche was coming down the mountain, a massive one considering I could recognize it, despite being as far away as I was. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that Sanji and Luffy were the cause of it.

They caused it. They could handle it. I wouldn’t have been able to catch up to them anyways.

I wasn’t sure how far away was far enough, but I knew that I was probably far enough away to be safe. After all, I was on the ship. Fortunately for me, and the horse the snow hadn’t reached us. It did make things more difficult, because now there were no tracks for me to look for.

I had to find Zoro, and the only idea I had was to seek out his very presence, which was faint in comparison to that damn sword.

I would’ve liked to have trained more, to have practiced, but that wasn’t an option. I closed my eyes and did everything in my power to push out that dam demon sword and to lock onto Zoro. Kitetsu was madness. It was anger and blood lust and violence, but Zoro wasn’t. Zoro was determination, pride, and honor.

The second I was able to lock onto him, I was moving again back to Big Horn, stopping only to fish a half frozen Carue out of the river.

“You,” I started, pointedly looking at Zoro. “You are supposed to be watching the Merry with Carue, and yet I found your stuff on the Merry without you and the duck half frozen in the river.”

My words snapped Zoro out of his boasting, Usopp out of his lying and Vivi out of her amazement.

“Carue!” she cried, rushing over, and hugging the duck. “Oh my goodness! What happened to you?

“He’s alive,” I told her. “Cold, but alive.”

I looked at Usopp. “You two are supposed to be in Gyasta. Why are you in Big Horn?”

“The avalanche,” he answered.

“The doctor,” I reminded him. “Nami. That didn’t just go away, and where is Dalton?” I asked, realizing that he was missing from this scenario.

“He was shot and buried under the avalanche. We have to find him.” That brought the crowd back into it, their shock becoming worry and concern for their de facto leader.

I shook my head. “Hopeless the whole lot of you.” I tossed my bag full or Zoro’s stuff at him. “Get dressed.”

I closed my eyes and once again, opened my mind, trying to sense out Dalton’s devil fruit this time instead of Zoro.

“Don’t just sit there! Do something!” someone yelled at me.

“I am,” I growled out, trying to focus. I had managed with Zoro. I could do it again. It was just frustrating that it took so long and that it required so much concentration, even though he couldn’t be that far away.

“Mira-“ Vivi said. She was treading carefully, trying not to upset me.

I put a hand up to stop her. “Got ya.” I stood up and walked over to the patch of snow, where I knew Dalton was and started digging, revealing his face after a moment.

“Yo!” I called, beckoning the others over. Immediately, they got to work, helping me dig the big man out.

“This is horrible! I don’t feel a heartbeat!” a man yelled.

“Damn it!” I swore. No way of telling how long his heart had been stopped, how much damage it had done. ‘I should’ve been faster.’

I moved to start CPR. I didn’t know what good it could really do. Even if I could keep his blood pumping, there was no doctor to try to fix the damage. There was no chance that he would make it up the mountain in this condition.

“He’s too large. A tiny girl like you isn’t strong enough to-“

I ignored the person speaking, starting the chest compressions with ease.

“No! Dalton! Please wake up! Please Dalton! You have to!” Vivi cried, taking his large hand in her much smaller one.

Everyone around us, just looked on sadly.

“Vivi. Mira,” Usopp said gently.

“No,” I said sternly. I could still feel that devil fruit. Until it disappeared, he wasn’t dead.

“You can’t die! Dalton please!”

“Don’t worry. He’s not dead.”

I glanced towards the voice, seeing Wapol’s private doctors standing there.

“The 20 MDs?!”

“He will be, if we don’t act soon. He has severe frost bite,” another said.

“We can begin treatment immediately, if you’ll let us.”

“Hey what do you know, there are doctors here. That’s funny. I thought I heard that there weren’t any in this country,” Zoro noted.

Usopp filled Zoro in. “There are a few doctors, but these guys are the 20 MDs. They work exclusively for Wapol, so that makes them bad doctors.”

“That’s right! We can’t trust any of you! Traitors! You expect us to leave Dalton with you? You surrendered to Wapol without a fight and turned your backs on us.”

“Wapol probably sent you here to kill Dalton.”

“Please, if you want to save him, just do as I say.”

“They’re cowards,” I said, still doing compressions. “That doesn’t make them bad doctors. It just means that they’re more motivated by fear than anything.” I looked up at the 20 MDs. “I don’t know your intentions. Maybe you’ve had a change of heart and are finally doing the right thing. I don’t care. You’re going to save him. If you don’t, I’m going to make the rest of what will be your short existence an absolute hell.”

“The 20 of us are still doctors. Even though we were forced against our will to serve only Wapol, we’ve always worked to advance our medical research for the benefit of all the patients in this country. It was all because of a certain quack, who taught us never to give up. We can’t afford to lose any more men like him.”

“Then quit standing there, and get to work,” I barked.

The doctors immediately got to work, one of them taking over for me. I stepped back and took a deep breath. I looked around at all the people gathered, staring.

“See about unburying one of these houses,” I ordered the crowd. “Dalton’s going to need some place warm and a bed to rest in. I’ll watch the doctors.”

They all seemed hesitant at first, but Zoro and Usopp took charge, leading the digging effort, getting the people doing something.

Vivi stayed at first, but I urged her to go check on Carue.

I wasn’t a doctor. I couldn’t say that I fully understood what it was that the 20 MDs were doing. I couldn’t trust what I was seeing, due to my limited knowledge, but neither could the others. Unlike them, I could handle this. I could watch as the doctors treated Dalton. I wasn’t close to the man. I hadn’t been out right wronged by the doctors. I had no reason to trust them sure, but I also didn’t have that need for revenge that the others did. I wasn’t like Vivi, so emotionally involved at this point, you would’ve thought that she’d dealt with Wapol’s tyranny firsthand as opposed through the stories of others.

They managed to stabilize him, just as the crowd managed to clear a path to the door of someone’s home. I helped carry Dalton, setting him on the bed in the home. The doctors were then able to perform the more delicate procedures necessary to save Dalton. It took hours, but at long last they were done. Now the only thing we could do was wait for him to wake up.

A few of the villagers came inside to wait. They watched as the doctors continued to monitor Dalton. It was a tense atmosphere, but that tension was released, when Dalton opened his eyes.

“It’s a miracle!”

“He’s awake!”

I stood there while the doctors did a few tests and once overs. Dalton wasn’t fully there yet, having just woken up, but according to the doctors everything looked good.

With Dalton awake, my watch was over. I popped off of the wall that I had been leaning against and stretched, heading out, while everyone crowded around Dalton. Once outside, I took a deep breath the freezing air helping to clear that last but of tension out of my body. Then I went looking for Vivi, Zoro and Usopp. Carue was in the house in another room, wrapped in blankets sitting near a fire.

“You’re worried about Nami, and Luffy, and Sanji and Dalton. And everything that’s going on in Alabasta.”

I followed the sound of Usopp’s voice. “Vivi, can’t you see it? You’re carrying too many burdens on your shoulders. Calm down. You don’t need to go up there at all. You know why? Cause those three are fine. That’s Luffy, and Sanji and Nami up there. I have faith in them.”

“Thanks a lot. You’re full of wisdom, Usopp,” Vivi complimented the sniper.

“No. He’s full of crap,” Zoro argued. “He’s just afraid to go up that mountain.”

I found them standing between two houses by a fence, just a few down from where Dalton was being treated. Zoro was poking Usopp, whose legs were shaking with fear, in the forehead repeatedly.

“Agh! I heard there were things like yetis and huge man-eating bunnies up there! I don’t want to get eaten!”

“Then say so at the start coward.”

I rolled my eyes, but laughed. “Zoro, leave Usopp alone. It was a nice sentiment, even if it was just because he’s scared.”

“Mira, how’s Dalton?” Vivi asked.

“He was just waking up, when I left,” I told them.

“That’s a relief,” Vivi said.

“He’s a tough one. He’ll be fine.”

The door to the house opened, and Dalton came stumbling out.

“It’s Dalton!”

“Thank goodness!”

“What is that idiot doing?” I asked.

“Can someone please tell me who this guy is?” Zoro asked.

“Dalton, please listen to reason.”

“Get out of my way. We can’t let Wapol retake the castle. We can��t.”

“So that’s where you’re heading? The castle?” Vivi asked.

“In your condition?” Usopp added.

“My country is far more important,” Dalton said. “HE CANNOT SUCCEED! I WILL NOT LET THAT HAPPEN! NOT NOW NOT EVER WAPOL MUST PERISH!”

“But you’re not strong enough to fight them in your condition sir.”

“And the rest of us are no fight for them either.”

“I’m going to settle this thing once and for all. I’ll stop Wapol, even if it kills me.”

“Got admire his determination and his dedication to his country,” I said. “But I put forth entirely too much effort in to keeping him alive to let him go and kill himself.”

Usopp moved first walking over and stepping in Dalton’s path. I watched on, curious as to what he was gonna do. Dalton was a brave warrior, something that we knew Usopp admired. It was interesting to see that his approach was. I doubted he was going to try to talk Dalton out of it. This kind of heroic endeavor was just the kind of thing that Usopp loved.

Not surprisingly, Usopp was on Dalton’s side. What as surprising was that Usopp planned to carry Dalton up the mountain.

“Oh this is gonna be sad,” I said.

“Embarrassing,” Zoro added.

It was. The thought was nice, but Usopp just wasn’t strong enough to carry Dalton. He gave it a good try though.

“Alright, go help him,” I said to Zoro. “You’re the only one, who can carry him without dragging him on the ground.”

I could lift Dalton. It would be easy. I just wasn’t tall enough to carry him without dragging his feet and considering that he had frostbite that probably wasn’t the best idea.

Zoro shook his head, walking over and lifting Dalton up on his shoulder.

“Are you gonna sit there and whine or are you coming with us?” Zoro asked Usopp.

I hurried over, catching up with them.

Usopp was yelling at Zoro about stealing his thunder, hitting and kicking him.

“Boys, play nice,” I scolded, trying to hide my amusement.

“Hey! Hold up. There’s an easier way up to the castle,” someone called out. “Instead of walking, take the rope way.”

“The rope way? That’s impossible. There hasn’t been one connected to Wapol’s castle in a while.”

“Someone must’ve just recently reconnected one, because I just saw it. There was a rope going from the castle to a big white tree outside of Gyasta.”

‘Of course, where we should’ve headed to begin with.’

We along with a number of the Drum Island residents headed to Gyasta. At the base of the rope was a gondola, which Vivi, Usopp, Zoro, Dalton, myself and roughly a dozen men crowded into. It was entirely too crowd, resulting in it being slow moving, but it was at least moving.

Dalton was seething, where he sat.

“You need to settle down. You’re just going to worsen your condition, if you keep behaving like this,” I said.

My words were ignored. He continued to rant and rave. I understood he was upset, but he was going to die, if he didn’t settle down.

I finally understood why I was ignored, when he pulled multiple sticks of dynamite out of his jacket.

“When we get up there, everyone take cover. There are going to be explosions, once I get inside.”

I was the only one still paying attention to the top of the mountain, the smoke that had started to come from it along with a few loud crashes. ‘Captain made it,’ I thought, grinning. “Dalton, when we get up there. You are going to sit down and take it easy,” I told him.

“Wapol-“ he started.

“Luffy!” I shot back. “Our captain is up there. Our navigator. Our cook. That’s what Wapol ran into, when he came up here to reclaim that castle.”

Everyone started looking up at the castle like I was.

“She’s right,” Usopp said, sounding smug. “You brought that dynamite to blow up Wapol, but there isn’t going to be any Wapol to blow up.”

“I know he doesn’t look like much, but I’m willing to put the fate of my own country in Luffy’s hands. You should have faith that he will protect yours,” Vivi said.

“But he doesn’t know-“

I smiled back at Vivi and Dalton. “That bastard ate part of our ship, tried to eat Luffy, and if he’s up there, has likely threatened Nami and Sanji.”

“Luffy’s gonna kick his ass,” Zoro said.

The people of Drum just looked at us, probably thinking that we were mad. I didn’t blame them. If I had been in their position, I’d have my doubts to. I turned, keeping my eyes trained on the mountain top.

Sure enough, a few moments later, what looked to be a much thinner Wapol rocketed overhead.

“Atta boy, Luffy,” I praised.

We made it to the top, Zoro, Usopp and I getting off and going ahead to scout out the area. We didn’t know, who else was with Wapol or even for sure if the guy that had been launched off the island even was Wapol.

Usopp, who had declared that he was going to go ahead and brave whatever dangers there would be, was cowering behind Zoro by the time we reach the top of the staircase that led from the gondola bay to the outside world.

“Hey! What the hell are you doing?” Zoro asked, swatting at Usopp, trying to get him to release his leg.

“Just watching your back.”

‘Idiots,’ I thought fondly.

The view from up here was gorgeous.

A familiar scream caused me to spin around and Zoro and Usopp to stop bickering. Luffy had rocketed himself towards us… Because of course he did.

“LUFFY!” the other two screamed in panic.

They dove out of the way of our captain. I braced myself, digging my feet into the ground as much as I could, but with the snow it was difficult. I caught Luffy around the torso, the impact caused me to slide back roughly twenty feet, before coming to a stop.

Luffy started laughing. “Nice catch, Mira!”

“Thanks, Captain,” I responded, chuckling.

“Why’d you do that, you moron?!” Zoro raged.

I set Luffy back on his feet, and stood up properly, dusting the snow off of myself.

“I didn’t recognize you,” Luffy explained. “I thought you were more of Big Mouth’s guards ready to fight. I’m surprised you came up here. Well not you Zoro, Mira, but Usopp, aren’t you usually scared of doing stuff like climbing mountains?”

“HAHAHAHA! Yeah right,” Usopp scoffed. “Whenever there’s a towering peak in front of me, I climb it, but let me tell you scaling that mountain hand over hand was no picnic.”

“Actually, we took a rope way car,” Vivi explained, causing Usopp to topple over. “Nami and Sanji are they alright?”

“Yeah! Both of them are just fine.”

“Thank goodness.”

“I knew you had it all under control.”

“So what was that you were doing on top of the castle a few minutes ago?” Zoro asked.

“Beating the crap out of the king,” Luffy said.

“Dalton,” I greeted, seeing him exit the stairwell. “You’re just in time.”

“You mean that person I saw flying through the air was actually Wapol?” Dalton asked, disbelief clear on his face. “You beat him?”

“Yep. I sure did.”

“And his two henchmen what happened to them?”

“Well the reindeer beat him up.”

“But those two? A reindeer?” Dalton was still struggling to accept it.

“Reindeer?” I asked. “Another zoan?”

“Hey Usopp, I made a new friend. You gotta meet him. Get this. He’s a reindeer.”

‘Leave it to Luffy.’

Dalton notice something in the trees. I followed his gaze to wear a little reindeer was standing. I think it was trying to hide, but it was backwards. I had thought that, when Luffy said a reindeer he had found a human that had eaten the ox ox fruit, model reindeer, but based on his appeared this appeared to be a reindeer that had eaten a human human fruit.

I wasn’t thinking about that at the time though that came later, because my first thought, which tumbled out of my mouth on its own was, “So freaking cute.”

Dalton bowed to the reindeer, thanking it for helping the country. The rest of the people of Drum finally made their way over to us. They all looked at the reindeer.

“What? What is that strange creature behind that tree?”

“It almost looks like a reindeer.”

“No. You’re wrong. It’s a monster.”

Humans. Ignorant creatures. Afraid of what they didn’t know of what they didn’t understand.

“No! Don’t shoot him!” Dalton ordered.

Something finally registered in Usopp’s head, because he screamed, eyes nearly popping out of his head. “It’s a yeti! Somebody shoot it!”

The words of the people upset the reindeer, who sped off into the forest, crying.

I spun around and knocked Usopp upside the head, at the same time as Luffy.

“You jerk face!” Luffy yelled. “He’s not a yeti, you idiot! He’s my new friend!”

“You coward! He wasn’t hurting you! Don’t go screaming fire until you know something’s a threat!”

You’d figure that after Little Garden Usopp would’ve realized that things weren’t always what they seemed, but no. Fear controlled him more than anything else.

“You scared him so bad he ran away,” Luffy continued.

“If you could kill Dorry and Broggy would you have just shot them on sight? You wouldn’t have a master then would you?”

“You’re right. You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not us that you need to say sorry to,” Luffy said.

Usopp slumped in defeat.

“I’m gonna go get him, so that you can apologize.” With that Luffy took off after the reindeer.

“I never seen Mira get this mad. Way to go Usopp,” Zoro jabbed.

“I’m not mad,” I corrected. “I’m annoyed that a crewmate of mine would behave in such a manner. I know what it’s like to be afraid. I also know what it’s like to be the thing that people are afraid of. It hurts, especially, when you know that the only reason people are still afraid of you is because they won’t give you a chance.”

I glared at the villagers, who looked appropriately sheepish.

“The doctor is here right? We need to get Dalton to her.”

“The girl’s right,” a voice called out.

The villagers gasped. “Doctor Kureha?!”

“Yeah. Good to see you too. Now be useful and get the injured guy to the medical ward.”

“I recognize you! You’re that damn old hag from before!” Zoro yelled.

You would think that seeing a woman dressed like she’s twenty, despite probably being seven times that, would be a dead giveaway that she was sensitive to the whole age thing, but apparently not to Zoro. Kureha brought her fist down on top of his head, knocking him to the ground. I could see the goose egg forming.

“You had that one coming,” I told him.

I shook my head. “Someone keep his feet from dragging,” I said, hoisting Dalton up over my shoulder.

The villagers were all still.

“I’d do what the girl says, or you’re going to be in pain like this man here,” Kureha said.

That got them all moving, lifting Dalton’s feet as we headed to the medical ward.

***

Notes:

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