Hey, all!

Oh my God... It's been so long since I've posted anything on here! I really need to get back into things, don't I? There's just been a lot going on, family troubles, I've discovered a new hobby (binge-watching) so all the shows that I've been watching has gotten me distracted, I have my own book that I've been writing, and then lastly... INSPIRATION. I've had 0% of that lately... I feel so bad about it, too. Do you guys even remember my books (because I'm starting to forget... That's a really bad thing... I might have a little reading that I need to do...)?

Anyways! I hope that you guys haven't been too angry at me for not posting anything in a while. For any of you that read Serendipity here, if you could, it would be a really big help to me if you could post a few requests in the comment section in that story, please! That would be amazing because I LITERALLY have no inspiration at the moment.

Back to this book, though. Still I'm not an imaginative person and I'm one of the most lazy people that has ever walked the Earth, I've had this chapter written for a... I don't know... a few months (sorry) and just have never gotten around to posting it. But, anywho! Here you are! Maybe this is where it'll start to get exciting for all of you.

Love yah, bye! (Whoa... Why did I say 'love yah'... This just got really awkward and personal. I hope none of you were mentally scarred by that.) I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please comment and tell me what you guys think! :D

It was night time. Law stared up at the sky as the raindrops rolled off the top of the shade above him. It had finally stopped raining. He stood under the cloth cover that sheltered him and the tiny hotel's small steps that led onto the sidewalk. The black-haired man looked across the wet street to see Luffy leaning up against his fancy, black car.

Luffy put his hand down from his lips and lifted his head up a bit, letting smoke drift up from his mouth into the cold, damp air. The young man was staring up at the large, bright casino in front of him. Laughter, lights, and smoke drained from every open corner of the flashy building. Law looked both ways before walking across the street towards the young man.

"Hey," Law called out to him when he stopped in front of the young man.

"Hey…" Luffy whispered back.

Law paused, feeling a bit awkward that Luffy was so quiet. He had never been like this before. He looked up at the casino. "So this is the place where your friends are?" Law asked him.

"Yeah…" the young man breathed.

There was a long silence once again.

"What's wrong, Luffy?" Law finally questioned lightly.

Luffy put his head down, letting his long, shaggy, black bangs fall in front of his eyes, water spilling from the brim of his tan fedora. He stared down at the cigarette between his fingers, tapping on it to let the gray ash fall to the dark stone below him. "Haven't seen my friends in so many years, Law…. An' the last thing that I ever did say to 'em was that I was leaving for D. You wouldn't 'ave imagined the horror that their faces had! My own friends… They feared me, an' it was obvious, Law." Luffy looked up at the building again. "I suppose I'm just frightened to go on in an' see 'em again… That's all."

Law nodded. "I see…."

Luffy stood up, placing his cigarette back between his teeth. "But I can't let myself be dragged down by such regretful feelings. That ain't who I am! This is for my brother, an' no one else!" The young, black-haired man stuck his hands into his pockets and gestured with his head for Law to come closer to him. "C'mon, Law. Zoro's back in the room knocked out cold. He's had a long day o' drivin', so it's just you an' I now."

Law nodded and walked on into the casino beside Luffy. The moment they entered the building, he saw thousands of people cheering at the gambling tables, ordering drinks, men trying to pick up ladies with their suave attitudes, and all of the others were sitting with their friends at the tables listening to the entertainers singing and performing. Smoke billowed up a foot above their heads, clouding the chandeliers and the second level of the casino.

The black-haired man was already swept away by all the commotion. It was so wretched, how noisy it was in this putrid place. He hated it more than anything. It was the worst place that he had ever been to, by far. Law was almost pushed away from his companion about four or five times by crowds of people. He was so horrified that most of the men that passed by didn't care to bump into him while they didn't dare lay a single finger on Luffy. Maybe they recognized him? However, he doubted it.

Finally, they had made it out of the crowd of gamblers and out into the dimly-lit room where entertainers were performing. Luffy pulled out a chair at one of the empty tables and took a seat. "How yah doin', buddy?" Luffy asked him with a playful smirk.

"Just dandy!" Law lied, forcing a smile. He could tell that Luffy had seen straight through it from the way he snickered at him. Law frowned and looked away. "This place…it's disgusting! I hate it here…."

Luffy grinned at him, nudging his arm. "Oh? Don't be such a drag! This place is great!"

"In what way?" Law muttered.

"It's so bright and beautiful!"

"Oh? It is? My eyesight must have been clouded by the huge billows of smoke in the air…" Law grumbled.

Luffy gestured to the singers. "The music is gorgeous!"

"I'm sorry. I can't hear them over the sounds of the people screaming in my ear," Law muttered in annoyance.

The young man sighed with a soft smile. "You jus' don't know 'ow to stop, don't chyou?"

Suddenly, a blond-haired man ran up to the two men's table. He had a cigarette clenched in his teeth, an apron on, and the most insane eyebrows one would ever see. "Welcome to the Pinwheel. Would you two gentlemen like a drink?" His accent sounded French and his tone was the most impatient one that Luffy had ever heard.

Luffy grinned at him, put a finger on the brim of his fedora and dipped his head at him. He turned to Law and asked him, "Anything you'd like, Mr. Blue?"

Law was about to snap at him but thought better of it. No, not in front of people. He shall remain calm. He grabbed the drink menu and looked it over before looking up at the blond.

Law opened his mouth to order, but Luffy suddenly interrupted him. "We'd like your finest drink in the house, please."

"Of course, monsieur," the blond nodded, bowing to him. He straightened up and told them, "That will come out as they are ready."

Luffy lifted up his hand halfway as if to say 'good-bye' while the blond waiter walked away from their table. "He's a nice man. I like him!"

"'Course yah do…" Law muttered, "You like everyone."

The young man let out a loud, short laugh, "Ha! Thanks for the compliment, pal!" Luffy took his cigarette between two fingers and let out the smoke.

Law rolled his eyes at him. "Sure… Whatever."

Suddenly, all of the men in the casino stopped whatever they were doing to cheer for someone who began to walk down the stairs from the second story. Luffy and Law turned around to see the person that everyone was staring at. She was a beautiful, young woman. She had a light, perfect complexion and short, strawberry orange hair that formed in curls that would brush across her cheeks. Her dress was vibrant orange that sparkled in all of the lights that shined upon her. Luffy narrowed his eyes at the sight of her, slowly placing his cigarette back between his lips.

"Nami…" Luffy muttered, looking away.

Law turned to the young man and blinked at him. "Who?"

"She's an old friend o' mine. Name's Nami. She owns this place with her – and my former – comrade, Usopp," Luffy explained, lowering his head so that his fedora shadowed out his eyes.

Law raised an eyebrow, turning back to her. "Her? You're kidding!" Law snickered. "She's a beauty, she is!"

Luffy looked back up, taking his cigarette in between his fingers and blowing out another cloud of smoke. "No, she's a devil…."

A long-nosed, dark-skinned man in a fine suit came running up to her. He grabbed her shoulder and whispered something in her ear, pointing at Luffy and Law's table. Nami gasped, her eyes widening when she saw Luffy. Luffy rose out of his chair, dipping his head at her with a smirk. "Luffy?" Law whispered as he sprang to his feet.

"They've spotted us. All we can do now, Law, is act cool. There's no way in hell that they're just gonna ignore us…" Luffy said, without breaking his smile.

Nami adjusted her tan fur scarf before marching over to him with a walk that screamed of her wealth, power, and popularity, her beautiful, sparkling, white dress flowing gorgeously as she walked towards him. While the other men in the casino just saw a stunning woman passing by them, Luffy only saw a raging demon storming towards him, intense red fire boiling and burning behind her. It made him want to scream in the most high-pitched voice that he could manage, running far, far away. If he were to be captured by the mafia in the process, he would jump for joy. At least then he would have a one hundred percent chance of never seeing the monster right in front of him ever again.

"Luffy!" Nami snapped in rage, "Is that you, Luffy?"

"Who else could be this handsome, beautiful?" the young man replied, trying his best to keep his cool, even winking at her.

Nami's face turned bright red, her teeth clenching hard together. She let out an annoyed huff and began to walk away, muttering, "Follow me…!"

Luffy smiled at her. "O' course!"

He and Law started to walk after the young woman. Nami suddenly whipped around, pointing at the black-haired man. "No! I don't want one of your disgusting thugs coming with me! Just you, Luffy, and only you!"

"Nami, calm down, love! He's my bodyguard. He has to go everywhere with me. It's his job," Luffy told her.

Nami gritted her teeth together again. "What happened to that green-haired idiot that followed you around everywhere? Wasn't he your bodyguard? Where is he?"

"Sleeping. He was driving here all day. Poor man needs the rest," the young man said.

"He already sleeps all the time, though…" Law muttered, getting a small kick from Luffy, his boss' smile never dimming.

"Fine… Just come with me…" Nami finally gave in.

The orange-haired woman led them through the building all the way to the back to a nice, small room that was isolated from everyone else. Law let in a large breath. He had never enjoyed smoke. He had always considered smoking as unhealthy and bad for the lungs. He was a doctor, after all. He would know. But no one in this country – or anywhere – wanted to believe him, so… he wasn't very popular.

When Luffy turned around to try and look at Nami, he saw her face straight up in his, her expression of fury burning in her eyes. "Why the hell are you here? I thought that Usopp and I told you years ago that we never wanted to see you again! We want no part in your gang's murderous ways. You kill and assassinate people for a living!"

"Yeah? So?" Luffy replied.

Nami backed away from the young man. "You disgust me. Years ago, I thought that I understood you. I thought that I knew you! I was honored to be your friend, Luffy! I thought that you were a wonderful person, I enjoyed your company. I loved talking to you, telling my feelings to you, and I might have even—" Nami stopped, looking up at her former friend. Feelings of pain and anger twisted and churned in her eyes, never coming to a conclusion on which to feel. "Luffy. I thought that you were a kind person, but now I know that you are just another one of those sick bastards!"

"No, Nami. I think that you should know that's not what my gang is—"

"Shut the hell up!" Nami sprang forward and struck Luffy across the face with the back of her hand. She stood frozen for a while, her hand still raised in the air from where it had hit the young, black-haired man, breathing loud and heavy. "My life was ruined by you sonsabitches! You won't see me taking any shit from any of you monsters any time soon!"

"Nami. I'm not like who you think I am," Luffy tried gently.

"No! You are. I know this because you're friends with this 'Boss' of yours. He's like all of you but worse!" Nami growled, lowering her palm. "He's the cowardly one: going about ordering all his pawns to do his every bidding, killing whomever the hell they please, while he just sits back on his throne doing nothing!"

"He's not like that."

"Yes! He is! And don't you dare try to say otherwise, because I'm…not…stupid!" Nami walked away, sitting down on one of the red couches behind her. "You're looking for him, aren't you, Luffy?" she asked more calmly.

"Yes. My brother is in trouble with the mafia and he's the only one that can help at this moment," Luffy told her. "He and 'is men come o'er to casinos to relax once an' a while. Thought he might o' come for a little fun or two here at you and Usopp's."

"Oh. Yes. Yes, he's been here a lot," Nami told him, "Him and all of his thugs… Your 'Boss' does nothing but sit and eat with his girlfriend, their bodyguard hovering over them at every single moment!"

"Oh! So you've met him, I see?" Luffy exclaimed with a grin.

"Met him? Oh yes. However, I only came over to him and his 'friends' to see how they were enjoying the place," the orange-haired woman said. "I never sat down to have a heart-to-heart talk about our feelings and life, if that's what you're referring to."

Luffy smirked at her. "But you saw him?"

"Of course I saw him!" Nami snapped. "I own this joint, Luffy! Nothing happens in here that doesn't get past me. Nothing."

"Exactly," the young man replied, "That's why I need your help."

Nami frowned and looked away. "What do you need?"

"The Boss' associates, did they say anything about where they would be going next or where they are?" Luffy asked her.

The orange-haired woman scowled at him. She paused for a while before nodding. "They never told me anything…"

"Don't lie, Nami! They had to have at least spilled something."

"They didn't tell me anything. But they told someone else," Nami said. "The blond at the bar that smokes, the one in charge of the drinks and food. His name is Sanji. He's a foreigner all the way from the beautiful country of France! Sanji's a good man, a good friend, unlike you… He never betrayed—"

"All right!" Nami jumped at Luffy's sudden scream. "Look, Nami. I didn't come here to reminisce or complain. I came here to find a way to save my brother, not for you, Nami. Now, I want you to give me some answers, not yell at me." Law watched their tense conversation with wide eyes, perfectly fine with standing a safe distance away from them. He was not going to risk getting into their discussion when they sounded just seconds away from beginning to throw stuff at one another. After all, he was a doctor. Luffy reached down and grabbed Nami's shoulder firmly. "I'm not the same boy that you once knew, Nami. I'm different. So, I suggest that you don't make me angry, because, trust me, you don't want to see me when I am…"

Nami sat frozen in fear and shock, shivering when he released the grip that he had had on her shoulder. "O-okay…!" she whispered.

"Now…!" Luffy's smile returned as he readjusted the black glove on his hand. "Where can we find this 'Sanji' man?"