Chapter 44 - Bounty

Second Chapter of the day!

RECAP of previous chapter: Bam bam, making child. Other than that, a soft romance where Coby cherished Nojiko, made her feel loved. If you skipped, you didn't miss anything except my exceptional lemon writing.

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--xLOVEx--

The next morning, Coby woke up early, the first light of dawn casting a soft glow through the window. Nojiko was still asleep, her form curled up against him, the peacefulness of her face a stark contrast to the whirlwind of emotions from the night before. He looked down at her naked form, her chest rising and falling with each breath, and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Quietly, he extricated himself from the bed, ensuring not to disturb her rest.

As Coby stepped out of the room, he found Nami waiting for him in the living area, a mug of coffee in her hand. She extended it towards him. Taking the mug, Coby nodded in thanks. "You could have come to me, you know," she remarked, as the warmth of the coffee seeped into his hands.

Nami pouted slightly, a hint of wistfulness in her voice. "The agreement was to have a baby, not cuddle." Her words were light, but Coby could sense the underlying complexity of her emotions.

Coby chuckled softly, a reassuring sound in the quiet morning. "She needed it," he replied, his gaze meeting Nami's. 

Nami sighed, the sound carrying a blend of acceptance and concern. "I know." Her agreement to share Coby with Nojiko was not made lightly; it was a proof of the depth of her love for her sister and the trust she placed in Coby.

Coby then asked, "Are we leaving today?" Nami hummed in affirmation, "Yes."

Getting up, Coby stretched his muscles, still feeling the events of the previous night. "Let's wait for Nojiko to wake up so we can say our goodbyes. Then we can leave." His voice carried a sense of duty and respect for the commitment they had made.

As they waited, Nojiko eventually emerged, her demeanor a blend of contentment and a hint of sadness. Their farewells were a mix of emotions—gratitude, promise, and a touch of sorrow for the separation that lay ahead.

Leaving Nami's house, Coby and Nami made their way to the village. There, a crowd had gathered by the sea, villagers waving goodbye to the departing pirates. The air was filled with cheers and well-wishes, a community's appreciation for the freedom and hope the Straw Hat crew had brought to them.

In the midst of the heartfelt farewells, a sudden question arose from the crowd, "Where's Nami?" All eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for the orange-haired navigator.

Suddenly, Nami appeared, running from afar. As she reached the coast, she leaped towards the ship, Coby by her side. Their landing on the deck was met with cheers from the crew, a celebration of their return.

Nami stood up, smirking at the villagers gathered by the shore. With a swift movement, she opened her t-shirt, revealing the fruits of her "exquisite" skills. Tens of wallets and watches tumbled out, a quick demonstration of her unmatched thieving skills. The villagers gasped and laughed.

As the ship began to sail away, the Straw Hat crew waved back at the villagers. The sea beckoned them forward, the promise of new adventures and challenges on the horizon.

In the open sea, as the Merry Go bobbed gently on the waves, a News Coo landed abruptly, fluttering its wings with urgency. Nami, keen to catch up on the latest news, walked over to purchase the gazette from it, but her mood soured instantly. "You're charging too much!" She protested, her voice sharp with annoyance. "Did you raise the price again? If you do it once more, I'm not buying from you anymore."

Usopp, seated at the side and engrossed in developing his new weapon, glanced up at the commotion. "Why do you make so much fuss about a newspaper or two? They're cheap, right? And if you're not happy with the price, maybe you shouldn't buy them."

Nami sighed heavily, frustration clear in her voice. "If you read one every day, it's good for the brain. But this is extortion!" She flicked a coin to the News Coo begrudgingly, snatching the newspaper from its beak.

Usopp hummed thoughtfully, setting aside his tools. "You're done saving for money, right?" he asked, trying to understand her perspective.

"Don't be stupid. Now that Arlong is gone, it's time for me to save money for myself. I don't want to be a penniless pirate," Nami retorted.

Usopp tried to calm her down, "Stop shouting. I'm trying to develop an ultimate killer weapon. The Pepper Sauce Star. Anyone who gets it in their eyes..." he started to explain, but his sentence was cut short as Luffy landed next to him abruptly.

"Won't stand a chance!" Usopp finished, wincing as the sauce spilled onto his own eyes due to Luffy's sudden appearance. As Usopp cried out in pain, fires practically billowing from his eyes, Luffy turned his attention to Coby, who was seated casually on the rails.

"Coby doesn't let me have any tangerines," Luffy whined, his voice tinged with a mock pout.

Nami looked at Coby, her expression softening into a loving gaze. "Thank you, Coby," she said, gratitude clear in her tone.

Coby, with a playful grin, blew a kiss in her direction. "Not a problem."

Opening the newspaper, Nami started to read aloud to the crew. "The world sure is in turmoil. There was another coup d'état in Vira, and the civil war in Alabasta is getting heated." As she flipped through the pages, two papers fluttered down from the newspaper, drawing the attention of everyone on the deck.

Coby, lounging nearby, watched the papers fall with a knowing smirk. He had a hunch about what they were. Luffy, seated next to Nami, picked up the papers, his curiosity piqued. "Huh? Ads?" he asked, holding them up.

But the mood on the deck shifted dramatically as the crew recognized what Luffy held in his hands. Two wanted posters lay on the deck, causing a stir among them. One poster featured Luffy, under the name Monkey D. Luffy, with the title 'Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates' and a bounty of 35,000,000. The other was of a pirate with pink hair and pink eyes, looking ahead arrogantly, a smirk on his face. It was Coby, labeled as 'Coby the Copy Ninja', with a bounty of 25,000,000!

Luffy, holding his wanted poster, laughed heartily. "HAHAHA! WE'RE WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE!! THEY SAY WE'RE WORTH 60 MILLION BERRIES! WOOHOO" His excitement was palpable, his grin wide and carefree as he waved the poster in the air.

Coby, on the other hand, was leaning against Nami calmly, who was visibly agitated. "As usual, you have no idea how serious this is. The Navy is hunting you, Luffy, Coby! At that price, HQ must be in it too. The toughest Bounty hunters will come after you at this rate," she fumed, her brows furrowed in concern.

Coby, with a reassuring smirk, pulled Nami onto his lap and sat her down. "Don't worry, Nami." He then turned to Zoro, who was sharpening his swords. "Oi Zoro, who was the strongest Pirate Hunter in East Blue?"

Zoro glanced up and smirked, "I was."

Coby nodded, "And can you take Luffy?"

Zoro shook his head, "Probably not if he's serious. Then there's you."

Coby's smirk grew, "You shouldn't worry. Despite the big reward, there aren't many Pirate Hunters in the seas. Not only is there no bond between them, as most work solo, they are all greedy and refuse to hire people. Our only concern is the Marine, but they wouldn't send higher-ranking marine to newbies like us."

Nami, her expression softening, nodded. Coby was right. She worried for nothing.

Usopp, who had been quietly listening, held up Luffy's wanted poster. "Look, I'm wanted all over the world," he said with a dramatic flair.

Sanji, who had been sulking nearby, glanced over and saw the back of Usopp's head at the back of Luffy's picture. His face twisted even further, "Why does Coby have a poster when I don't?" (Bounty Poster in comments)

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