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novemberhope · 9 months ago

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So... I did a thing and decided to write Neri into the live action timeline. This takes place somewhere shortly before they meet Usopp. So far, it's just Luffy, Nami and Zoro on the crew as well as Neri whom they just have met.

It's kind of from Neri's POV and the reason she's calling them by their titles rather than their names when thinking about them is that she still does not trust them. I think she will start to trust Luffy first because really how can you not?

tw: assault (Neri gets assaulted here but is saved before anything bad can happen) English is not my first language so sorry if the writing feels weird, I haven't written a story in english in a while

"Stop inviting random people onto our ship. Especially if there's nothing they can contribute." "But… she's nice… and I wanted to help her… I'm sure she'll find a place in our crew!" "For the last time, we are not a crew!" The swordsman's words hurt and Neri, not waiting for the captain's answer, slowly moved away from the door. Sure, it had been nice of the rubber boy to help her out when she was on the run from her pursuers. Still, she shouldn't have come with them. This wasn't her place to be, this wasn't her home. The moment these people would learn who - or rather, what - she really was, she would end up being sold again. She would never be safe on a ship where she could come in contact with water so easily. The ship was still at the harbor. This was as good a time as any to leave the ship. She felt sad for the captain to had so nicely offered her a place in his crew, but it was too dangerous. And while rubber boy had been nothing but kind to her, the other two hadn't been as friendly. They clearly didn't trust her. And really, who could blame them? She hadn't been able to tell them anything without giving away her real species, so of course they didn't trust her. And once they knew… mermaids brought in the big cash, especially here in the East Blue, where they were so rare - it would only get her back to where she had fled from. After everything that had happened, after losing everyone she cared about, she wanted a home, a family, a place where she belonged. But this was not it. This could never be it. "Hey, where are you going?" the red-headed navigator asked when Neri slowly tried to climb off the ship. "I… have something… I mean… there's something I need to do", she stammered. She didn't want to say she was leaving - even that didn't feel safe anymore. Just disappear, she told herself. They barely know you. They will move on and you can… Well, that was the thing, the only place she probably would be safe was Fishman Island but it was all the way out there on the Grandline, the Pirate's Graveyard… and to get there, she would have to get on a ship - the very thing she couldn't do because on a ship, she would come in contact with water sooner or later and then everyone would know… "Well, suit yourself," the navigator said with a shrug. "Just be aware, we'll be heading out soon. If you're not back by then…" Neri nodded. She wouldn't be back by then and she figured the navigator knew that. Quickly, she left the ship and started to walk across the harbor, pushing past people. It was a small island but the harbor was still pretty busy during this time of the day. There were people loading the ships, sailors were coming and going, children playing in the middle of all this, running around and causing people to stumble, and passengers impatiently waiting to board one of the bigger ships. It was almost too much noise to handle but Neri kept on walking. For a moment, she thought someone had called her name - maybe the captain? It sounded like him. He had saved her the other day and invited her to join them and she had actually liked him. Still, it wasn't meant to be. Surely, he would understand that she had made her decision. She kept on walking without looking back.

Leaving the harbor, it got even more crowded. There was a market nearby and people all went into this direction, pushing Neri with them. She started to feel anxious. It was too loud, too crowded, too many people just shoving her out for their way when she wasn't walking fast enough. But walking on land was still something she was getting used too. Under the sea, things were not like this - not this crowded, not this loud, not this harsh. Nearby, some men were starting to yell at each other. This brought back unpleasant memories from getting yelled at herself while being imprisoned. Quickly, Neri stepped sideways into the shadows. It was the entry to a side alley with huge, unpleasant smelling dumpsters lining the brick walls on both sides. It was quieter here, the further she kept walking, so she went on, ignoring the unpleasant smell. Maybe this alley would take her away from all the noise and all the people. Sure, she still had no place to go, but anything was better than here right now. But suddenly, she was no longer alone. Behind her, voices got louder and louder. They were talking to each other, it seemed. She stopped and leaned against a wall that belonged to a tall rundown warehouse building. Maybe they would walk past her, minding their own business. Unfortunately, as she had already learned, humans rarely did. These ones were no exception. They were adult males, three of them, with bottles in their hands, obviously already - or still - drunk at this time of the day. Neither of them looked too pleasant. Neri shrank back and just hoped and prayed they would walk past without noticing her. They nearly did. But then one of them turned his head and suddenly stopped. "Look at this," he said. "A little lady…" Quickly, Neri turned, and, avoiding eye contact, tried to keep walking. Unfortunately, she was immediately grabbed and yanked back. "Hey little lady, not so fast," the guy from before said. "Let's have a proper look at you, alright?" "No thank you," Neri muttered and started to run. Unfortunately, she immediately was grabbed. One of the guys was firmly holding her with her arms behind her back while the other two were leering at her. "Please let me go!" "Please let me go!" they mocked her. "There's no chance we're letting you get away, sweetheart. You're too pretty!" Neri started to panic. She tried to kick them, but they only laughed at her attempts to get free. One of them roughly yanked at her hair for trying to kick him. "Be nice," he warned her. "Or we'll show you just how nasty we can get!" "You're already nasty!" she replied, still struggeling. Was this really how it all would end? Were all humans like this? Other than the rubbery captain and his two friends, they all had treated her like shit. Ever since she had been caught and dragged on land, it had gotten worse and worse. "Let's show her just how nasty we can get," one of them laughed. They were all grabbing her now. She screamed and kicked and bit one of them in the arm, but that only resulted in her getting slapped in the face. Neri screamed again when she was thrown onto the dirty ground like a piece of trash. Then someone was over her - and then he wasn't anymore.

"And just what are you going to show her?" another voice asked. It was the swordsman's voice and Neri breathed a sign of relief. At the same time she was wondering how he got here and why he was here. She had thought the navigator had understood that she had left for good. "How is that any of your business?" one of the guys sneered. "Let's knock this freak out", the second one said. "Ummm, have you looked at him? He's carrying three swords," the third one said, slowly stepping back. "So what?" The first one rolled his eyes. "He can only use one at a time anyway." Next thing they knew, all three of them were bleeding. Their bottles were on the ground. And the swordsman was holding two of his swords. "I can get the third one out, too," he said. The first guy looked like he thought it would be a good idea to get into a fight, but luckily, the other two started dragging him away. Neri hastily got onto her feet. She wanted to turn and run away too but her legs were shaking. "Next time I'll see you, I'll cut off your hands," the swordsman called after them. They weren't even looking back. He turned his attention towards Neri. "And what are you doing? Why aren't you on the ship?" "I was… leaving?" She thought that had been quite clear and besides, neither he and the navigator had been too impressed when their captain had invited her to join them. "Oh yeah? Well next time, you run that by Luffy first. He still thinks you're on the crew." She threw him a look. "I thought you're not a crew?" "Well, Luffy thinks we are… and for now, we have some common goals, so… didn't you say you want to reach the Grandline too?" Yes, she wanted to get to Fishman Island - maybe there she would finally be save again… "Yes, but… I'm just a random person your captain picked up on the street," she said. "I heard you talking. And I mean, you're not wrong…" He grimaced. "Yeah, well, I'm trying to prevent Luffy from adding every weirdo we come across to this so-called crew. If you prove yourself to not be a weirdo… you're welcome to join as long as you pull your weight on board." Not a weirdo… well, from a human perspective, she definitely was weird. But maybe, just maybe… she could hide that a little longer until they were on the Grandline at least?

Looking down the dirty and dark alley, she realized that she needed a place to stay and people to rely on. This wasn't her world. She had to rely on someone else, even if it was only temporary. "I'll try not to be burden," she replied. "I've never been at sea before." Well, on a boat, she silently added. The swordsman turned and started walking and she hurried along to keep up with him. "How did you find me, anyway?" she wanted to know. "I didn't," he replied. "I was actually trying to take a shortcut. The streets on this island are just really confusing." "Are they?" she wondered, following him out of the alley. There was, after all, only one main road leading from the harbor in the direction of the market. "Are they not?" He looked back at her. "I mean, I can't even see the ocean from here." She didn't know if she should giggle or not. For someone wielding three swords, he was surprisingly clueless when it came to directions. "That's because you're looking in the wrong direction," she said, deciding to surpress the giggles for now. "The ocean's over there." Irritated, he looked around. Yes, there was the ocean, and it wasn't even that far away. The deep blue color could clearly be spotted from where they were standing. "Like I said, it's confusing," he grumbled. Finally, he walked in the right direction and she followed him, slightly amused. And maybe… her new crewmates weren't that perfect either? So perhaps she wouldn't feel completely out of place all the time…

The ship came into view and it looked ready to sail. It was a small one and there had already been talk about getting a bigger one. Luffy, the captain, was waving at them. "There you are! Come on, let's go!" Quicky, they climbed on board. "I'm sorry," Neri said to Luffy, feeling she should at least say something to explain the delay. "I was just…" "Got everything sorted out?" Luffy asked her, grinning. "Well, then I guess we're all set. Let's get going!" "Set the sails!" the navigator shouted at them. And soon, they were out at sea, the island behind them getting smaller and smaller. In front of them, the ocean shimmered in the deepest blue, spreading far and wide before them. It was a marvelous sight and Neri, leaning over the railing, with the wind in her long hair, suddenly felt very calm and at peace with her situation for the first time since she had been captured. Maybe, just maybe, everything would turn out okay?