"Nami-swwaaan, would you like some desserts?" Sanji pirouetted his way to the seated navigator, placing a piece of cake in front of her.
"Thank you Sanji," Nami smiled at him, causing him to spin around in happiness.
"Hey! What about me?" Usopp protested from the side.
"Shut up, I already gave you guys tea, didn't I?" Sanji pointed an accusing finger at Usopp.
"You sexist cook!" Usopp pouted.
"Shut up! Girls will always get better treatment from me!" Sanji pirouetted his way back to Nami's side again.
Meanwhile, Luffy was seated beside the bed that Zoro was resting in.
"I see what you mean by a pervert now," Luffy remarked, grinning.
"Isn't that right... Captain? Why does it have to be him out of everyone else... in the restaurant?" Zoro said in between breaths. He seemed to be in pain as he said each word, but found the strength to smirk back at him, nevertheless.
"He's a good guy Zoro, don't be too hard on him," Luffy chuckled.
"Hmph, I'll be nicer to him... if he stops showing that pathetic face to everything that doesn't have a... sausage in between their legs," Zoro huffed.
"Sausage?" Luffy asked, opening his pants to look into it.
"Never mind! Forget I said that..." Zoro groaned. "On another note… how the hell are you such close friends with Mihawk?"
Luffy brightened at the mention of the swordsman's name, "Oh! He came to Headquarters a few times throughout my training! My trainer made me spar with him a few times then we hung out after that."
"You sparred with him?!" Zoro tried to sit up but Luffy pushed him back down.
"Stop moving! Or I'm tying you to the bed!" Luffy frowned. "And yes, I sparred with him, though I never won even once. Hawky is really strong."
"You're the weirdest Marine I've ever seen..." Zoro sighed.
"Shishishi! Hawky said the same thing too!" Luffy laughed, scratching the back of his head.
Zoro sighed, "So you told him about me?"
Luffy nodded, grinning uncontrollably.
"What did you tell him?" Zoro watched Luffy carefully.
Luffy pondered for a while, scratching his chin, "I told him that you wished to meet and defeat him to claim his title of the best. I also told him you were the best swordsman on this side of the world."
Zoro's eyes widened, "What... What did he say?"
"He asked me what you were like, I told him that you weren't at his level yet but you still had the potential to catch up to him." Luffy smiled sheepishly.
Zoro just stared wide eyed at Luffy. After fighting Mihawk first hand, he knew the vast difference in strength between them and yet Luffy still saw in him the possibility of surpassing Mihawk. He gritted his teeth, remembering the embarrassing fight he had with Mihawk. He knew all the while Mihawk was only testing him and never took the fight seriously, heck he probably even went easy on him seeing how he knew Luffy from the start.
"Why… Why do you have so much faith in me?" Zoro frowned.
Luffy stared at him for a moment, not answering the question.
"Why, Luffy?" Zoro asked again, demanding an answer.
"You think too little of yourself, Zoro." Luffy grinned. "That girl you helped back then? You willingly subjected yourself to that torture to save her even if it meant you might lose your chance to attain your dream. Not many can do that unless you have the will to live through every obstacle that life throws at you to protect your dream. You are much stronger than you think."
Luffy pointed at the swordsman, "Zoro, you have the will to become the best and Mihawk saw it in you too. My Gra- Er… Trainer always said that he would have a good judge of your character just by looking at you, though my trainer never really liked him, or any of the Seven Warlords in any case, Shishishishi."
Zoro stared slack jawed at his Captain, "And you said he had given you his support on becoming an Admiral?"
"Yep!" Luffy grinned proudly. "He told me he didn't like how the government is dealing with everything nowadays and would be glad to see someone put a twist in their ruling, Marine or not."
"He's asking you to go against the World Government?!" Zoro exclaimed before suffering a coughing fit.
Luffy pushed him down on to the bed again, "No, no! Nothing of that sort, I'm still a Marine after all. He just wants someone who wouldn't blindly follow the rules, that's all. That's why he suggested me to request these things from the Fleet Admiral!" Luffy pulled out the document that his Grandpa had given him.
Zoro read it carefully, "How are you even able... to get clearance for this? All these seems so… Well… Out of your rank…"
"That… Well… I… Er… My trainers… might have pulled a few strings…" Luffy scratched his head in embarrassment.
Zoro shook his head slowly, "Even so, I don't think any trainer... could have helped you get clearance for half of those things written there… And who is this Vice Admiral Garp? I've heard you mention him a couple of times…"
Luffy sucked in his cheeks and looked away, "Er… Ah… That… Haha… Well… I… I can't tell… And… Er… I don't know…" Luffy started whistling while shoving the document back into his coat with sweat dripping down his face.
Zoro shook his head at his Captain's inability to lie. "It's fine if you don't want to tell me… it doesn't really concern me anyway. I'm just glad I don't have to jump at any orders from any other Marine officer while I'm under you…" Zoro grinned.
Luffy sighed in relief.
"Anyway, sorry for embarrassing you… It must've sucked to see me get my ass handed… to me like that…" Zoro frowned.
Luffy shook his head quickly, "Not at all, I know how strong Mihawk is too, you just have to get stronger and beat him one day!"
Zoro grinned, "No complaints there."
Both of them laughed.
Zoro rested for the next few days and Luffy stayed by his side most of the time, making sure he doesn't get out of bed despite Zoro's protests. Sanji fit into the crew almost immediately with Nami there and he didn't mind that he was now a Marine either, stating that "If Nami-swan's a Marine, I'll definitely be one too!"
Nami herself didn't seem to mind his constant fawning though on a few occasions she did beat him up for trying to make advancements on her.
Zoro himself had already recovered well enough to move around but Luffy still insisted he stayed in bed and rest instead of training himself to death.
Luffy was watching over Zoro again when a knock sounded on the door as Nami entered, "Luffy? May I talk to you for a bit?"
"Sure, I'll be right back Zoro." Luffy gave a thumbs up which Zoro returned with a grin.
Luffy closed the door behind him as Nami led him to the back of their ship. Usopp was up at the crow's nest looking out for Nami's home town while Johnny and Yosaku were sparring with each other on the deck, shouting about defeating Mihawk and reclaiming Zoro's honour. A fragrant smell drifted from the kitchen suggesting Sanji hard at work again.
"Listen, Luffy. There's someone in my hometown that I owe a great deal of money to and right now, I have enough to pay him back."
"Ehhh? You owe someone money?!" Luffy gasped.
"Shut up, let me finish!" Nami smacked him on the head. "That guy's a pirate and he's not known to be the most honest one out there, so I would really appreciate it if you guys don't cause any trouble while you're there."
Nami pointedly glanced at Luffy, who raised both his hands in surrender, "I'll be a good boy."
"Good, once I settle this debt with him, I'll be finally be free from him, so please, don't screw this up for me." Nami grabbed him by the shoulders. "I don't need any more problems coming from him, please."
"How much do you owe this guy, Nami?" Luffy tilted his head.
Nami bit her lip, glancing away, hesitating, "... One hundred million berries…"
"A HUNDRED MILL-"
"SSSHH!" Nami covered Luffy's mouth with her hands. "Please, I waited too long and worked too hard to come this far, I don't want this to screw up…" Nami pleaded.
Luffy nodded dumbly before Nami removed her hand from his mouth.
"Will you become our navigator once you're done with him?" Luffy smiled.
Nami hesitated, stroking her left arm. She was going to say no, but she didn't know if she had a right to stay in her village after what she had put them through. She thought back on how her villagers had shouted at her to never return to the village after she revealed to them that she had joined their tormentors as a crew mate.
"I'll think about it…" Nami said finally, turning to walk away.
"Nami," Luffy called, stopping her. "That guy's a bad pirate right?"
Nami glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, "Erm… I guess so?"
"Then why don't we just go beat him up?" Luffy suggested innocently.
Nami gasped but shook her head quickly, "You can't fight him, Luffy... He's a fishman, he's really, really strong…"
"So? I'm really, really strong too!" Luffy grinned, flexing his arm to emphasize his point.
Nami shook her head, "No, Luffy, he's too strong. A fishman is born ten times stronger than a normal human… He's stronger than any of us… I know this because I've seen him fight. A number of Marines have already tried to arrest him in the past but he took them all out. I don't want you to be one of them too…" She bit her lip sadly.
"I didn't know you cared for us like that," Luffy grinned.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, I just like you guys a little better than the others I've travelled with." She poked a finger at Luffy's forehead. "Just promise me you won't do anything rash there, I'm afraid he might do something to everyone I care about if you were to interfere…"
Luffy saw the pleading look in her eyes and nodded quickly, "But I must have your word that you would join our crew officially."
"You're really mean, you know that?" Nami smiled despite herself before turning away, not answering him. She leaned against the railing as she stared out at sea, her back towards him.
"Luffy… If… If I turn out to be a pirate in the end… Would you still want me to be part of your crew and sail with you?" Nami glanced back at Luffy hesitatingly.
"Eh? You're a pirate?" Luffy stared at Nami.
"I'm saying… What if… All these while I've been travelling with you and calling myself a Marine… Only to reveal to you that I've actually been a pirate all along?"
"But you're still a good guy right?" Luffy grinned.
Nami couldn't help but smile back, "I'm a girl, you know."
"Then you're still a good girl right?" Luffy corrected himself, grinning wider.
Nami giggled before her face became sad again, turning away from him. "Perhaps… I don't know that myself…"
'I've hurt too many people to call myself a good person...'
"LAND HO! Cocoyasi village in sight!" Usopp shouted from the crow's nest. There was a scampering of feet as Johnny and Yosaku rushed to the prow of the ship to see for themselves.
"Just promise me, Luffy?" Nami glared ahead at the island.
"I'll do it if you promise me to be safe," Luffy grinned.
"That much I can do," Nami grinned back at him, walking away to join the rest.
"Er… Brother Luffy… Why are we here?" Johnny trembled slightly.
"Yeah… You didn't tell us... Sister Nami's hometown... was here…" Yosaku stuttered.
"Why? What's wrong with this place?" Usopp raised an eyebrow at them.
"There's a really dangerous pirate that's living here! If he finds out that you guys are Marines, there's no telling what he would do to you!" Johnny exclaimed, waving his arms in the air.
"His crew is full of fishmen! Each of them are stronger than any human! I've heard that the captain himself single-handedly took down five Marine ships! All by himself! His crew is full of monsters!" Yosaku shook Usopp by the shoulders.
"What's that bastard doing in Nami's hometown?!" Sanji demanded, fire in his eyes.
"He took over the island as his own quite some time ago! Nami's village should be no exception," Johnny gestured towards the town in front of them.
Nami had already departed the ship alone with the bags of treasure she had accumulated and disappeared into the village. Sanji had wanted to follow her but she had smacked him across the deck with her staff, instantly shutting down all his protests.
"We should go and kick that guy's ass for her!" Sanji yelled, his foot was on the railing, preparing to jump ship.
Luffy pulled him back on to the deck, sending him sprawling on the floor.
"Hey! What's the big idea, Captain?!" Sanji demanded, grabbing Luffy by his collar.
"Shut up," Luffy pushed his hand away, his straw hat covering his eyes. "I promised Nami that we wouldn't interfere while she's on the island, so everyone's going to stay put on this ship unless I say otherwise."
Sanji's eyes widened at those words.
"But… He's… Tch... Fine! But if Nami gets hurt, I'm blaming you!" Sanji huffed, storming back to the kitchen. Luffy stayed on the now silent deck, staring hard at the village with his arms crossed.
"Luffy, are you sure it's fine like this?" Usopp asked hesitatingly, looking at the kitchen door.
Luffy glanced back at Usopp before staring back at the village again, "Usopp, bring Johnny and Yosaku to check on Zoro, and don't come out until I say so."
Usopp nodded and scurried away with the two swordsmen, seeing the look in Luffy's eyes.
'Arlong… You better not hurt my navigator...' Luffy gritted his teeth.
Flashback
Jinbei walked along the corridors of the Marine Headquarters, answering yet another summons from the Marines. Back then, he never liked to come here due to the all too serious atmosphere, but after Garp brought Luffy here to train, it was like the whole place had lit up from the boy's limitless energy. The boy just had a talent to worm his way into everyone's hearts.
Now was his third time here since Luffy's arrival and he already found himself looking forward to seeing Luffy again. Speaking of which, that person was currently clinging onto his back, being given a piggyback ride to the meeting room. Luffy had a huge grin plastered on his face, clearly enjoying the ride.
"Jinbei! Do you think you can bring me to visit Fishman Island? I wanna see it!"
"I'd like to, Luffy, but your Grandpa will have my head if I drag you away from your training." Jinbei chuckled. He remembered the time he had somehow been convinced by Luffy to take him to visit Sabaody. They had barely reached the ship when a fuming Garp had showed up, screamed at a stunned Jinbei, punched Luffy on the head and dragged him, screaming, back to Marineford.
"What about after my training? I want to see what the other fishmen are like!" Luffy grinned, unfazed.
"Hahaha, it's a deal then, when you're a full-fledged marine, come look for me again, Luffy."Jinbei chuckled heartily.
"All fishmen must be nice like you! Shishishi!" Luffy grinned.
Jinbei sighed at that, "Unfortunately, not all fishmen are like me, Luffy…"
"Really? Oh! Is it that Hody and Arlong you always told me about?"
"Those two are a few examples, especially Arlong and his crew. Hody hasn't been active lately but Arlong is a different story. From what I heard, he's been terrorizing a few villages out in East Blue on the Conomi islands for a while now. Sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing in releasing him…" Jinbei shook his head sadly.
"So he's a bad guy?" Luffy asked, tilting his head.
Jinbei pondered that question for a while, "I wish I could answer that easily, Luffy… If I have to say, it's just that he has a twisted way of viewing things around him. It's not entirely his fault though."
Luffy scratched his head, "That's so confusing…"
Jinbei laughed, "Just take it this way Luffy, I wouldn't mind if you didn't like what he was doing and taught him a lesson about it."
"Shishishi! That, I can understand!" Luffy chuckled.
"Nojiko! I'm back!" Nami pushed open the wooden door leading to her house. Her sister was busy sorting the tangerines she just gathered into wooden crates.
"Nami! You're back!" Nojiko exclaimed, dropping the tangerines in her hands and running up to her little sister, pulling her in a tight hug.
"I'm back, sis... And I've finally done it..." Nami sobbed into Nojiko's arms.
Nojiko pulled away to stare at Nami, "You... You did?"
Nami nodded, wiping tears away from her eyes.
"But you said you needed around twenty million more? You got all that just from this trip?" Nojiko gasped.
"She did, I was surprised myself," a man wearing full black police attire walked in, his body covered with scars. A police hat rested on his head and a small pinwheel spun freely on top of it.
"Gen!" Nojiko exclaimed, surprised that he would follow Nami here.
Nami wiped the last of her tears away before punching Nojiko playfully on the arm, "you lied to me about keeping the deal secret, everyone in the village knows! The moment I told them I already have the money to free everyone, everyone was already cheering! I was expecting at least an angry mob of some sort, you know?"
"Oh, that... Well everyone wouldn't stop bugging me about why you joined the pirates until I told them the truth..." Nojiko scratched her head in embarrassment.
"Isn't it fine? It just makes the celebration afterwards even merrier! Everyone is already preparing a feast!" Gen grinned.
"What would I do without you two?" Nami sniffled, hugging the two of them.
"There, there," Nojiko patted Nami's back. "Why don't you go give that stupid pirate your good news? We'll get the money ready for you."
"I will," Nami pulled away from them, tears still dripping past her cheeks. "We'll finally be free."
"Oh, right. Nami, what about the Marine boat anchored just outside our town?" Gen asked.
"Marines?" Nojiko gasped.
"They're my friends," Nami smiled, shocking the two. "They helped me gather the rest of the money this time. If it weren't for them, I might still not have enough... In fact, had you guys not accepted me back after I bought the village from Arlong, I would have left with them to join as a Marine."
"Then we better go thank them, then!" Gen smiled, dashing back to the village.
"So you're going to be a Marine?" Nojiko watched Nami carefully.
"I don't know... The Captain offered and I can't say I'm not tempted to. They're all really nice people." Nami smiled.
Nojiko just shook her head, smiling, "Well, one thing at a time then, get yourself to Arlong first, then we'll throw a celebration right after that."
Nami nodded before sprinting out of the hut, running faster than she ever had before.
"HEY!" A voice shouted towards Luffy.
Luffy looked down to see a small rowboat heading towards them with a heavily scarred man waving at him. There was a small pinwheel on top of the hat he wore which Luffy couldn't help but smile at.
"I heard you guys helped Nami out! Can I come up?"
Luffy's grin widened and threw him a rope, pulling him up onto the ship.
"Thanks, I'm Gen, I guess you can see me as Nami's godfather. I'm the mayor of this village." Gen stuck out his hand and Luffy shook it.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Captain Monkey D. Luffy of the Straw Hat Marines. Nami sailed with us for awhile." Luffy grinned.
"I heard, she told me you helped her get the money she needed to pay off Arlong for the village?" Gen smiled.
"Pay off the village?" Luffy tilted his head questioningly. "She only told me that she was in debt with him, nothing about paying off a village…"
"Ah… I see she didn't tell you the whole story… You see, Arlo-"
"Hey, Luffy, who's this?" Sanji walked out from the kitchen, gesturing at Gen.
"Sanji, good timing, go get the rest to come out here," Luffy jerked his chin towards the men's room, ignoring Sanji's question.
"Tch, do I have to?" Sanji groaned, turning back to get the other guys.
Luffy turned back to Gen, "Before that Gen, I would like to ask one thing. What has the Marines in charge of this place done about Arlong?"
"Ah… Well, there were a few attempts to arrest him, but all of them ended in failure when their ships couldn't even reach the shore. The fishmen would just swim out to their ships and sink it without giving them a fighting chance." Gen sighed. "We do see a specific Marine ship from the sixteenth branch from time to time, but they never seem to engage the pirates."
"I see…" Luffy scratched his chin just as Sanji returned with everyone, even Zoro.
"Zoro, are you sure you should be moving around?" Luffy raised an eyebrow.
"I'm fine already, quit worrying about me," Zoro waved his hand.
Luffy shrugged, "Anyway, guys, this is Gen, he's Nami's father."
"Godfather," Gen corrected. "And I thank you Marines for taking care of her while she's out there. You have no idea how much she has to suffer for the sake of everyone in the village for the last eight years…"
"You said something about Nami buying this village?" Luffy asked, crossing his arms.
Gen nodded slowly, "Eight years ago, Arlong had taken over our island and everyone suffered because of him. He would kill and torture us at the slightest fault he finds with us, sometimes just for having the audacity to exist alongside him. Not to mention the fees that we have to pay him every month ensures we would always be barely able to scrape by. Nami's mother had been killed by him when they first came here, trying to protect Nami and her sister from them."
"THAT BASTARD! HOW DARE HE?" Sanji cried before Luffy smacked him on the head, asking Gen to continue.
"Nami had went ahead and sought out Arlong to make a deal with him: if she was able to pay him a hundred million berries in a single payment, he would leave the village and her alone. But there was also the condition that she joins his crew to draw maps for him while she's still collecting the money, and if she dared to try to escape, Arlong will slaughter the whole village."
"And she finally did it today?" Usopp asked hopefully.
"Yes, and she has you guys to thank for it, she said if it weren't for you guys, she might have needed even more time to get that amount of money. For that, we all thank you, and all of you are welcome to join the feast that we are preparing!" Gen gestured to the crowd of villagers waving at them at the harbour.
"I hope you guys have booze," Zoro grinned.
"I want meat!" Luffy punched his hands in the air.
"Heh, not bad to have someone cook for me for a change," Sanji smirked.
"Let's go then!" Usopp yelled in victory.
"We're really grateful!" Both Yosaku and Johnny cried.
Nami stood defiantly at the iron gates of Arlong Park, glaring at it. She clenched her fists, she had no reason to be afraid of this place anymore, today was the day she would free her village and herself from the fishmen's influence.
She shoved open the door and walked in proudly, her head held high.
"Oh! Nami's back!"
"Welcome back Nami!"
"So who did you betray this time?"
"How much money did you get? Was it worth backstabbing them?
"As expected of our cold-hearted Nami!"
All the fishmen cheered as she entered the pirates' base. It seemed as though all of them were in the midst of celebrating something before she entered the park.
She said nothing as she headed straight for her target, the one sitting arrogantly on his small throne as though he owned everything around around him. She gritted her teeth as he stared at her, but she refused to look away from him. Tomorrow, no, today, he will disappear from her life.
"Welcome back Nami," He smiled wickedly, revealing rows of sharp teeth. The sawshark fishman laid back on his throne, his hawaiian shirt unbuttoned to reveal his muscled chest, as if to dare anyone to challenge him in strength.
"Arlong," She breathed. "I'm back. I hope you didn't kill anyone while I was gone?"
"Of course not, Nami. You returned on time after all, I wouldn't dream of angering my precious little cartographer," Arlong sneered. "But why the hostility, Nami? Aren't we all crew mates here?"
Nami ignored his question, "You still remember the promise you made to me eight years ago, right?"
Arlong snickered, "Of course, of course, how can I ever forget, my precious Nami? Bring me one hundred million berries and you and your village will be free from me."
Nami smirked at his arrogance, he didn't know she already had it. "Good, then relinquish your control over Cocoyasi village, I have your hundred million."
Arlong's smirk dissolved into a frown almost immediately, "You said that you had another twenty million to go the last time. you're telling me you managed to get all that in just a single trip?"
"Yep, I had an overwhelmingly good haul this time, anyway, come collect it when you can, I'll be waiting for you," Nami grinned, twirling around and walking back out of the Park without a single glance back. All the while, she could feel Arlong glaring into her back, but she didn't turn back even then.
When she was finally out of sight from the park, she let herself collapse on to the floor, her whole body was shaking. She had done it, after eight long years of sweat and blood, she had finally done it. Now all she had to do was to prepare all the money and present it to him, then she can finally be free. Everyone in her village could be free.
Nami slowly got up from the ground and made a dash back home.
The celebration was still in its preparation phase when Nami reached the village. Everyone cheered and cried for her the moment she came into sight.
She received everyone's congratulations before pulling away to head back to her home.
"Nami! You better be here for the party! We can't start without you and Nojiko!" Gen shouted after her.
"I will! You can count on it!" Nami waved back.
Gen couldn't help but smile after her, it was the first time in eight years since he saw her smile like that.
"Hey Gen! I'm all done with the preparations here," Sanji approached, wearing an apron and carrying a wooden ladle in his hand.
"Thanks, sorry for having you guys help out even though you're guests." Gen scratched the back of his head.
"Don't sweat it, we don't mind at all. Well, other than that stupid marimo over there," Sanji gestured to the napping Zoro under the tree.
"It's alright, he's injured isn't he? We still have quite some time to prepare, knowing how Arlong is like." Gen scowled at the name.
"He's not going to go back on his word is he?" Usopp asked from the roof of a nearby building, helping the villagers tie up decorations on the roofs.
"Ha! I wouldn't be surprised if he did, but as ironic as this sounds, the only thing you can trust him to be honest about is money." Gen spat. "The only thing he can do now is to take the money and leave us alone."
"He'd better, if he dares to waste Nami's efforts, I'll go kick his ass!" Sanji shook his fist in the direction of Arlong Park.
"Speaking of which, where's your Captain?" Gen looked around, not seeing Luffy.
Sanji jerked his thumb to their ship, "He's reporting back to HQ, not sure about what though. Speaking of which, I'm surprised Arlong hasn't sent someone to investigate our ship..."
"Oh, don't worry about that, his patrols are usually further inland, they usually don't come into our village unless they have to." Gen grinned.
A small commotion came from the harbour and everyone turned to see a Marine ship docking.
"Marines? Are they here to arrest Arlong?" Sanji raised an eyebrow.
"The sixteenth branch," Gen narrowed his eyes. "Why are they here now?"
A company of marines departed from the ship, all armed to the teeth.
A man wearing a greyish blue button up coat stepped out in front of Gen. Had had whiskers on his face and the Marine cap he wore had mouse ears attached to the top of it.
A permanent smirk was plastered on his face, "I'm looking for Nami, where is she?"
"What's your business with her?" Gen crossed his arms.
"Chichichi, Marine business, you don't need to know. Just bring me to her." The marine demanded.
Sanji stepped out in front of Gen, biting down on his cigarette, "I'm a Marine too, and I'm demanding to know what your business with her is."
The man raised an eyebrow at Sanji, looking at him carefully, "I'm Captain Nezumi of the Marines' sixteenth branch, I'm here on reports of criminal activity. You don't seem to have any Marine insignia on you... You do know that it's a crime to impersonate as a Marine right?"
"I'm not officially one, not yet," Sanji clucked his tongue.
Nezumi smirked, "Then you're not a Marine. I'll overlook this, just this once. Now bring me to the girl."
"Follow me then," Gen sighed, leading the way to Nami's house.
"You think they're here to arrest Arlong?" Usopp slipped beside Sanji, watching the departing Marines.
"I don't know, even if they are, they don't stand a chance against fishmen…" Sanji puffed his cigarette.
Nami sat on the porch with Nojiko, the hundred million berries all bagged up inside the house, waiting for Arlong.
"I can't actually believe I did it," Nami smiled sheepishly.
Nojiko smiled as she pulled her sister into a hug, "You better believe it… You worked so hard for us."
"I know," Nami smiled. "It's just that it took so long, I never actually thought I can do it."
"We're finally free," Nojiko smiled. "You don't have to hide your feelings anymore."
Footsteps echoed down the path leading to the village, Nami wiped away her tears and stood up to face the visitors, expecting to see Arlong and his crew.
Instead, Gen came into view accompanied by a couple of Marines marching behind him.
"Gen? Who are these Marines?" Nojiko stepped in front of Nami.
Before Gen could reply, Nezumi stepped out, silencing him with a swipe of his arm, "I'm Captain Nezumi of the sixteenth branch, I'm here on reports of criminal activity."
"Criminal activity?" Nojiko echoed.
Nezumi's smirk got wider, "Indeed, I heard there was a thief in this village that stole quite a sum of money. I'm here to deal with that."
"You can't be serious!" Gen shouted at the Captain.
Nezumi frowned at Gen, "A mere villager dares to shout at a Marine Captain? Do you want me to arrest you for that?"
"Stop it!" Nami clenched her fist. "If you must know, I'm part of Arlong's crew, someone like you should know what will happen if you mess with me…"
"Chichichi, you're part of his crew? Never heard anything about that," Nezumi grinned wickedly. "I'm only here because I heard reports about your thievery, nothing else."
Nezumi adjusted his cap as a shadow fell over his eyes, "But since you stole from pirates, I decided I won't be pressing any charges against you, provided you hand over the stolen goods. After all, stolen items should be handed over to the government so that we can return them to their rightful owners."
"You bastard! Arlong has been terrorizing this island for years and you only care about some petty thievery? What kind of Marines are you?!" Nojiko yelled at him.
"Chichichi, don't you shout at me, little girl, or I'll have to arrest you as well. Men! Search the house!"
"Don't you dare!" Nami stood in front of her house, staff already in hand.
"Now, now, little girl. If you just hand over the one hundred million berries you've stolen, no one will need to get hurt." Nezumi smirked.
"How do you know she has that much?!" Gen demanded.
"Oh? Well… Chichichi, I just assumed she had that much," Nezumi grinned.
"No.. No, no, no... WAS THIS ARLONG'S IDEA?!" Nami yelled.
"Chichichi, now, now. I wouldn't say that, it's our duty as Marines to persecute thieves after all." Nezumi smirked at them.
"YOU CORRUPT BASTARDS!" Gen's face was contorted with rage.
"What kind of Marines are you!? Letting a pirate order you around?!" Nojiko had her fists clenched so hard, her knuckles had turned white.
"Tch, men! Restrain them, they're interfering with the search." Nezumi waved at the them.
Immediately, the marines swarmed them and tied their hands and feet, pushing them onto the ground with rifles pointed at them.
"YOU BASTARDS! DON'T YOU DARE!" Nami yelled after the Marines that kicked down the door to her house.
"Sir! I found suspicious looking bags!" a marine shouted over his shoulder.
"Excellent, bring them all out, we're confiscating them." Nezumi grinned.
"DON'T TOUCH THEM!" Gen yelled, trying to get up.
"Shut up!" A Marine shouted, hitting Gen across the face with the butt of his rifle.
"Chichichichi! Men! We got what we came for, let's go!" Nezumi smirked, turning away from the three kneeling villagers.
"YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS!" Nami yelled after him, trying to free herself from the ropes to no avail, the Marines only got further and further away.
Nami let her tears flow freely as she collapsed on to the ground, biting her lips so hard that she drew blood.
"Nami…" Nojiko cried.
"I'll never forgive Arlong…" Gen gritted his teeth.
"Oh, what happened here?" a mocking voice came from behind them.
All three turned to see the smirking figure of Arlong.
"YOU BASTARD!" Nami yelled at him, trying her best to wrestle her way out of her restraints. "YOU BROKE YOUR PROMISE!"
"Shahahaha! Tell me, my little cartographer, when have I broken my promise to you?" Arlong laughed wickedly.
"DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME! YOU ORDERED THOSE MARINES TO-" Arlong picked her up by her neck and glared at her.
"Tell me, Nami. When exactly have I broken my promise?" Arlong sneered, showing her the rows of sharp teeth in his mouth.
"Let go of her you bastard!" Gen struggled on the ground.
"I came here when you told me you have the money ready like I promised, but if the Marines came first and took the money before I could, then it doesn't mean squat if you had it before." Arlong grinned.
Arlong tossed Nami back on the ground, "Besides, it's only a hundred million berries, you just have to save up again." Nojiko tried to help Nami and Gen just glared hard at Arlong while still on the ground.
"In the meantime, continue working for me as my cartographer, Nami! Shahahaha! And if you dare to consider running away, I'll destroy your entire village!" Arlong turned and walked away, not even taking a glance back.
Nami's tears flowed freely pass her cheeks as she stayed prone on the ground. Gen glared hard in the direction Arlong had left, brows furrowed in rage. Nojiko had tears running down her cheeks as well, gritting her teeth so hard that her whole body was shaking with barely controlled anger.
"Gen, Nami, Nojiko! What happened?!" The three turned to see most of the villagers running up to them. They quickly freed the three from their restraints and stepped back as Gen stood with shaking limbs. Nojiko was trying her best to console the sobbing Nami.
"Everyone… We've been living in fear of Arlong for the past eight years… Every single day was torture to us, but Nami herself had sacrificed so much so that she can save us. We swore that as long as Nami fought for us, we would survive for her sake no matter what. Today was the day that we should have been free." Gen stared at all the villagers, hate clear in his eyes.
"Arlong broke his promise to us, the Marines from before had stolen all the money. With our chance of liberation gone, there is no longer hope for this island! We shall never forgive those fishmen who dared to toy with the kindness of a girl! Much less our Nami!"
All the villagers yelled in agreement, staring back at Gen with the same hatred in their eyes.
"ARM YOURSELVES MY FRIENDS! TODAY WE GO TO WAR!" Gen punched his hand in the air which the villagers returned with a yell.
"NO! Please, everyone stop!" Nami cried, standing up beside Nojiko.
She tried her best to smile with tears still streaming past her cheeks. "I'll just have to raise up the money again! You don't have to fight him! I… I have friends that can help me this time, it'll be easier than before!"
"Nami…" Nojiko cried, her hands covering her mouth.
Gen pulled Nami into a hug, "It's alright Nami, you've fought alone for us long enough. We all know working for them must have been more painful than anything else. You've fought well."
"Gen…" Nami teared.
"You don't have to stay here anymore, you can leave us now." Gen pushed Nami away gently.
"No… No!" Nami stepped back from them, pulling out a knife. "Please… Everyone, I don't want to see any of you hurt…" Nami cried, hands shaking.
"You'll die, you know?" Tears streamed freely down Nami's cheeks.
"We know," Gen stepped up to Nami, grasping the knife blade in his hands.
Nami faltered as the Gen pulled the knife away from her with a hard face, not even flinching as the knife cut into his hand. He dropped the already bloodied knife on the ground, blood flowing down his hand.
"It's alright, Nami! Our hearts are set!" one of the villagers yelled.
"TO ARMS MY FRIENDS!" Gen lead the way back to the village for everyone to pick up their weapons, the villagers following him with determined faces.
Nami collapsed on the floor, staring at the knife in front of her. The face of Arlong laughing at her came into her mind.
"ARLONG!" She cried, glaring at the tattoo that identified her as one of his crew on her left shoulder.
She picked up the knife without hesitation and stabbed down on the tattoo on her shoulder repeatedly, knowing the villagers were only marching to their deaths.
A hand reached out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from stabbing her arm anymore than she already had. She glanced up, her face marred with tears at her Captain. He stood there, his face impassive, his Marine coat fluttering in the wind.
"Have you come to arrest me too?" She cried at him. "If it weren't for you blasted Marines, this wouldn't have happened!"
She started clawing at the ground, throwing handfuls of dirt at him. "If it weren't for you! If it weren't for you! If it weren't for you… I could have never gotten that hundred million…"
She stopped throwing the dirt, resorting to crying into her hand.
"Luffy…" Nami cried, Luffy stared at her back impassively.
"Help me…" She glanced back at him, her face full of tears.
He took off his straw hat and placed it on top of her head, "Take care of that for me."
He stepped away from her, looking up at the sky and took a deep breath.
"ARLOOONG!" Luffy yelled, his eyes burning with rage.
He spun towards the rest of his crew plus Johnny and Yosaku, the word 'Justice' on his cloak prominently displayed towards Nami.
"Let's go," Luffy said simply.
"About time," the others agreed.
Luffy fished out his den den mushi and connected to Headquarters.
"Headquarters, Captain Monkey D. Luffy speaking, cancel the reinforcements I asked for. I'm beating Arlong down myself."
Luffy hung up the call without waiting for a reply, marching forward to Arlong Park with the others in tow.
All six of them reached the gate, just as the villagers were trying to come up with a way to break down the locked gate.
"Johnny, Yosaku," Luffy called out to the two bounty hunters. "Protect the villagers."
They nodded, "Leave it to us, Brother Luffy!"
"Gen," Luffy stepped up to the villagers, cracking his knuckles.
"Oh, it's you Marines…" Gen had a hard time restraining himself from yelling at them. He reminded himself that these weren't the same Marines that took Nami's money, the villagers didn't think the same way though.
"You damn marines! It's because of you that Nami's in this state!"
"Get out of our sight!"
"Damn hypocrites!"
"Relax, we're here for Nami as well," Sanji dropped his cigarette and extinguished it with his heel.
"Nami's our friend too," Usopp thumped his chest.
"I'm just here to cut up some pirates," Zoro grinned.
Luffy stepped towards the towering iron gates, furrowing his brows at the sign overhead that read "Arlong Park".
Luffy punched at the door, instantly breaking it off its hinges and sending it crashing into the park with minimal effort.
"ARLONG! I'VE COME FOR YOU!"
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and cut.that is it for this chapter guys, hope you enjoyed.in the next chapter we are see some epic fight scene so stay tuned for the next chapter,see ya.
chapter 9:Free at Last