Chapter 41 - CH 41

Sorry. It was mine and Zoro's fault." Sanji said as he pointed his finger at Zoro.

"No, just your fault." Zoro said as Usopp looked up at Luffy.

"Luffy...you're here."

"Yep. I sure am." he said with a smile.

"I'm here too." Sanji said. Usopp got up and in his face as he started threatening to kill him. "Hey, a full recovery." "SHUT UP!" Usopp shouted.

"By the way, we heard Nami faked your death." Zoro said in a bored tone.

"Huh?" Usopp said as he blinked at that. "Oh yeah. Something strange is happening on this isl- what's he doing here?!" Usopp said he now noticed and pointed at Gin.

"Finally realized I was here huh?" Gin said.

"Now that you mention it, why are you here?" Zoro asked.

"I asked him to join us." Luffy said, earning confused looks from both of them. After a quick explanation, they both still stared.

"So you asked him to join?" Usopp said.

"Yeah. He's heading to the Grand Line as well, so why not?" Luffy said. "Getting back to the matter at hand," Zoro said. "What are we going to do about Nami? She doesn't seem to wanna leave for some reason."

"Why is she working for some fishmen anyway?" Yosaku asked.

"Not that it's any of your business," someone said. Everyone looked up the hill to see Nojiko looking at them all. "But Nami's got a good reason as to why she's working for them."

"Who's that?" Johnny asked.

"Nojiko!" Usopp said.

"Who?"

"Nami's big sister."

"No wonder she's hot!" Sanji said with hearts in his eyes. Nojiko looked at them all with slight annoyance and curiosity. "Which one of you is Luffy?" she asked.

"I'm Luffy. Hi." he said.

'So that's Luffy huh?' Nojiko thought. 'He doesn't look like he can fight, but he is cute.'

"What do you want with us?" Gin asked.

"Hey. Have a little grace when addressing a lady." Sanji said as he took a puff of his smoke.

"But he does have a point." Zoro said. "Is there something you need?"

"I need you all to leave Nami alone." Nojiko said. "If you're curious about why she's working for them, I'll tell you. But if that doesn't get you to leave, I don't know what will." While some were curious, Luffy already knew.

"I know why, so I'll pass." he said as he walked up the hill. "Where you going?" Usopp shouted.

"Just a walk." he answered back as he kept walking. As he did, Nojiko explained to the others about Nami's past, why she acts the way she does, and her deal with Arlong. To buy the village from him with one payment of 100,000,000 berris. As they talked, Luffy kept on walking until he spotted three fishmen walking his way. He was ready to say hi to Hachi, but saw that he was with Kuroobi and Chu, each with smug smiles on their faces. "Oh yeah, he's still a bad guy here." he said before he kept walking right past them.

"Hey you!" Hachi shouted.

"Me?" Luffy asked after he took a few more steps.

"Yeah you! Who are you and why are you here?"

"Why do you care?" he asked.

"It's...uh...well...we don't get many visitors." Hachi said after thinking a bit.

"I'm Luffy. I'm just going for a walk."

"A walk?!" Hachi said before he pulled out six hankys and waved them at Luffy. "Well, have a nice walk then."

"Hey asshole! Where you going?" Kuroobi barked.

"Don't know. Just a walk." Luffy said before he went walking again. While the fishmen were talking about how he wasn't afraid of them, Nojiko finished her story.

"Do you understand now?" she asked.

"So that's why she did all that." Usopp said. Sanji was all for kicking the fishmens asses, but was knocked to the ground by Nojiko.

"NO! If you attack them, they'll kill us. If Arlong thinks you're friends with Nami, then they'll get suspicious of her and everything she's done will have been for nothing. Please, just leave the island. Nothing is more difficult for Nami...then for others to call her friend."

()()()()

Back in Cocoyashi Village, a group of marines were walking through being led by a marine captain.

"Excuse me, I'm Captain Nezumi, head of the Marines 16th Branch." said the rat looking captain.

"My name is Genzo. Are you in need of our assistance?" Genzo asked.

"Yes. I need you to take me to see a woman named Nami." the Captain said with a smile.

()()()()

"Just 7 million more berris." Nami said. "Then I can buy the village from Arlong. Then...everyone can finally smile from the heart again." She sighed with a smile as she looked outside before chuckling. "Maybe Luffy might help." She couldn't help but have her mind wander to that rubber idiot.

()()()()

Luffy was walking through Cocoyashi Village until he spotted Genzo leading a group of marines through the village.

"You mind telling me what your business is with Nami?" Genzo asked.

"That need not concern you. Just take me there." Nezumi said as they walked right past Luffy and into a space between some houses. Luffy watched as they all left.

"That pinwheel is still cool." he said. He was about to continue on, but stopped in mid-step. "Wait...didn't something happen afterwards?" He thought for a moment before it dawned on him. "Oh yeah. Those marines..." was all he said before he disappeared.

()()()() "Well, time to go on one last voyage." Nami said as she walked outside her home. She stopped when she saw Genzo and a group of marines approach her. "What?"

"I'm Nezumi. Captain of the Marines 16th Branch. I'm here about your thievery."

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