Nami approached the East Gate, her face set. As she pushed through, she forced her face into an easy smile.

"Our precious cartographer's returned early! Get a big haul Nami?"

"I have, Arlong." she said while grinning, "Group of weirdos calling themselves pirates, but utterly willing to allow me on-board with perfect trust I wouldn't do anything to them."

"Hah! Humans, eh? Well, not you, Nami, but really, you were fortunate to come across pirates so trusting." the massive fishman grinned wide, "After all, fishmen would be far more cautious of betrayal, you know?"

"Of course." Nami said, "Which is why I'd never dare betray you." she walked past Arlong, heading, with hidden reluctance, to her cartography room, "I'll pass up on the 'welcome back' feast for now, the pirates had an excellent cook. They poached him from a high-class restaurant. For now, I just want to update a few of my maps, I noticed an island I didn't have the chance to see before."

"A dedicated worker, through and through. Welcome back Nami." Arlong said, putting a webbed hand on her shoulder. She froze, a shiver going down her spine, she knew the sheer power hidden inside that grip. But he didn't even leave his hand there for a full second, and the danger passed. She continued onward into the mansion, and up the stairs.

"Row! Row! Row! Row! Row!"

"Usopp, if you don't stop that, I'm tying you up again." Zoro growled, handling one of the four oars. Usopp, fortunately acknowledged as the physically weakest member of the crew, had gotten out of rowing, and had been put in charge of handling the Vivre Card Journal, keeping an eye on the movements of Nami's scrap of paper, and keep them on course.

"Poor Nami-Swan, forced to live under those horrible pirates!" Sanji mourned, "Luffy, how long until we get there?"

"Shouldn't be too long. We're less than an hour, behind her, I think. Two hours behind her at most." Luffy replied, "I wasn't expecting sleeping potion! I thought she would just get us close to the edge and knock us off! Shishishi~"

"I would have died!" Lu said, shocked.

"Nami's too gentle for that, Lu." Luffy said.

"She wasn't too gentle when she flung me into the ocean by the neck." Usopp muttered, "Not a single speck of mercy anywhere inside her."

"Don't badmouth Nami! She's obviously dealing with a lot of pressure, needing to save her village from terrifying fishmen." Sanji shook his head, "To think, that the paradise of fishman island could have such a dark side."

Luffy frowned, looking off to the side, "You don't know the half of it. But Jimbei's a good guy. And so is the Mermaid Princess-"

Sanji dropped his oar, suddenly at Luffy's chest, grabbing him by the shirt, "Mermaid princess?!"

"Um." Luffy began, surprised at the serious expression on Sanji's face.

"...I can't believe it slipped my mind, you also met Boa Hancock, didn't you!" Sanji said, his voice sounding almost haunted, "How!? How do you know both of them!?"

"Um, well, I met Hancock when Kuma- one of the Warlord's of the Sea, hit me so hard I went flying through the air for days."

"Oh my god." Usopp muttered, "How did we find you?"

"Well, he did it to all of us. We ended up on different islands, and I decided we should spend two years training before we got back together and set off for the New World."

"Oh my god." Usopp repeated, "Did we ever do anything that wasn't horribly dangerous and insane?"

"We went to a spa once." Luffy said, "It started raining edible jewels."

"You made that one up!" Usopp cried, "You had to!"

Luffy smiled.

"Damn it! Kaya will never believe a single one of my adventure stories! It'll all be even crazier than the ones I made up for her!"

"Empress Boa Hancock." Sanji all but growled, "Don't get distracted!"

"Distracted, who's the one who stopped rowing, huh?" Zoro asked.

"Shut up mosshead, this is important!" Sanji declared.

"Well, Kuma sent me flying, and I eventuallly crashed on an island on the Calm Belt, this island was called Amazon Lily."

"...You lucky bastard! Where was I sent?!"

"You didn't like to talk about it. You described it as Hell."

"Damn it!" Sanji roared, "Well, go on!"

"Well, I was found by an amazon named Marguerite, who saved me after I ate a poisonous mushroom. Oh! This was before Impel Down, so I wasn't immune to everything yet. Anyway, apparently men aren't allowed on the island, so I was to be punished. Because Marguerite helped me, Hancock was going to punish her and her friends too. She turned them all to stone, and it was only after I beat a panther and fought her sisters that she turned them back to normal. Hancock was kind of mean, before she decided to help me."

"..." Sanji didn't know what to make of that.

"Anyway, as for the Mermaid Princess, her name is Shirahoshi, and she was a big crybaby, even though she was a giant!"

"She's... giant?" Sanji asked.

"Yeah! She was huge, her eyes were bigger than my head, and her tail was almost as long as our mast!"

"But she's beautiful, right? Eye-wateringly beautiful?"

"Sure, she's cute." Luffy said, "You told me she was beautiful as the rumors, at least. You almost told us to leave you on Fishman Island!"

"Ah! I want to go!"

"Shouldn't we save Nami first? We're definitely going to go anyway!" Lu chided.

"Right! Nami-Swan's in danger!" Sanji said, getting back on his seat, "Let's go!"

"Don't sound so determined when you were the one delaying us, cook." Zoro muttered, but Sanji ignored him, focusing on rowing.

When they came within sight of the shoreline, and Arlong Park, Luffy's normally relaxed expression shifted to a constant glare, filled with utter contempt for the mansion.

The change in mood quietly diffused among the crew, they became solemn as they came closer and closer to the shoreline. "Do you want to go charging right in, Captains?" Zoro asked.

Lu nodded vigorously, "Let's beat these guys and get Nami back!"

"No."

The others looked to Luffy.

"Nami's inside the mansion right now, right?" Luffy asked Usopp, who looked back to the journal.

"Probably. That, or she's somewhere on the island directly behind the mansion."

Luffy reached out, and Usopp handed it to him. Taking the book, and holding it at an angle he watched the piece of paper's movements closely, "She's in the room." Luffy said, angry.

"We should go right in and rescue her then!"

"I'm afraid they'll try to use her as a hostage." Luffy said, "Besides, it wouldn't feel right to tear down everything with her right there. I want her to ask us for help."

"Ask us- but she can't! She's so afraid of him that she was willing to run back to him even knowing we beat him the first time!"

"She was strong enough to ask the first time. She's strong enough." Luffy said, "We're going to talk first."

"...Talk?"

"I'm going to tell Arlong to go back to Fishman Island." Luffy said, "And tell him to apologize to Jimbei! To go back to the Fishman District and try to talk some sense into them."

"...You want Arlong to... talk sense into people?"

"They idolize him there." Luffy said with a sigh, "The kids at least. It was a whole thing, that nearly got Shirahoshi killed. I slept through most of the story, but Jimbei's a good guy. If Arlong and him made up... well, either way, I'm absolutely alright with kicking his ass, if Nami wants us to. I'm going to kick his ass either way, probably!" Luffy said, "But I'm just thinking ahead here. Fishman Island was under our protection, before. I want what's best for it. After you all died... Neptune and Shirahoshi and the rest all really helped me out. They kept me from... well, I want to make things easier for them if I can. If I can force Arlong to do a little good with his life, I might as well."

Lu raised his eyebrows in surprise, before letting out a sigh, "Fine! We'll talk to them, and talk to Nami too. Usopp, take Zoro and go look for the Going Merry!"

"Aye-aye Captain." Usopp said, "Wait, are you telling us to just swim for shore? In an ocean filled with Fishmen?"

"Me and big Luffy need the boat or we'll drown!" Lu clarified.

"Why not send Sanji with us too, then?" Usopp asked.

"We need him in case the fishmen get us into the water! He's the best swimmer." Luffy announced.

"I was just going to keep him with us because I thought he would really want to see Nami's all right. Zoro and Usopp are still mad at her, right?" Lu said.

"Damn right I'm mad! She strangled me right into the ocean!"

"See?""

"Well either way, Sanji, you're with us."

At that moment, however, their discussion was interrupted by the sudden presence of a gigantic Sea Cow.

"A-A-ahhhhh!" Usopp screamed.

The other four simply turned their gazes on the creature, not appreciating how it was interrupting their rescue plan.

Mohmoo the Sea Cow roared, expecting more of a reaction, before Lu's fist sailed out, landing a solid punch directly to the center of the beast's forehead. Mohmoo was pushed back, before it growled and dove for the small ship, intent on sinking it. Sanji took off into the air, before landing on Mohmoo's head, raising his leg menacingly. "I wonder, will you taste like fish, or beef?"

It was at this point that Mohmoo realized it had made a mistake.

Zoro and Usopp were ferried to shore on the sea-beast's back, while the two captains and their cook rowed their way towards Arlong Park.

"Halt!" commanded a fishman, once they came within a hundred feet of the sea entrance. The fishman, a green-skinned rotund fellow, sneered at them, "This is Arlong's territory, you know that right? You're pretty brave to be sailing so close in such a flimsy boat."

Sanji raised a cigaretter to his lips and took a deep breath of it, before blowing smoke out in a stream, "Well Captains, you wanted to talk, right? And give Nami the chance to ask before we destroy all of this... how diplomatic are we feeling here?"

Luffy frowned, thinking, when Lu decided to answer.

"What, like out of ten?" Lu asked.

"Sure."

"Like a three."

"I can do a three." Sanji said, smirking. One moment, he was there, the next he was on the fishman's head, his shoe buried firmly in the man's hair.

"Ghuhaah!" the fishman grunted in pain, being sent skidding back through the water when Sanji kicked off his head. A shiny bald spot was left behind by his shoe.

"Start rowing!" Luffy shouted, pumping the oar.

"Got it!" Lu shouted right back, pushing it as hard as he could. The boat practically went flying over the water, the powerhouses slapping the boat out of the sea with each forward stroke, only to crash back in when they raised their oars on the back stroke. The boat careened forward, out of control, shooting toward the secondary gate. Luffy reared back a fist and with a punch not only opened the metal doors, but knocked them clean free of their hinges, sending them crashing into the water directly in front of the mansion.

Lu took over Luffy's oar, and just kept going as hard as he could. The boat shot past the entryway and slammed directly into the white stone of the mansion's front patio.

Both users of the Gum Gum fruit leaped into the air, letting the wooden boat smash into smithereens against the stone, before landing together in front of Arlong's front door. Sanji arrived soon after, emerging from the pool, carrying the now-unconscious fishman lookout over his shoulders.

"That's about a three, right?"

"Sure." Lu answered. Sanji dropped the body on the stone patio, and watched as Luffy knocked on the door.

Chew opened the door, "What the hell do you want?" the smelt-whiting fishman asked.

Luffy narrowed his eyes, "I want to speak with Arlong. Tell him it's about Jimbei. And it's about Nami."

Chew sneered, "Bringing up that man's name up is kind of dangerous around these parts. Human."

"Just tell him." Luffy ordered, and something about the tone made Chew no hesitate any further. He closed the door behind him. Soon enough, the door opened once more, and Arlong stepped out.

"Well, what do we have... here." he said, taking in the sight of the unconscious lookout, "What do you think you just did to my crewmate?"

"Go back to Fishman Island, Arlong." Luffy said, "I want you to make things up to Jimbei, and stop hurting Nami's village!"

"You talk a big talk for some random human, what's Jimbei to you?"

"He's someone I respect." Luffy said, "And he used to be your Nakama, right? What are you doing in the East Blue?"

The saw-nosed shark fishman growled, "You've got a lot of balls to speak to me like this, human. Before I rip you to shreds, though, why did you bring up my cartographer?"

Luffy grimaced, "Just tell her we want to know where our ship is. And that we want to talk to her."

Arlong stopped laughing, "Oh? And are you planning on getting revenge then? Why would I send my crew mate into the hands of someone she's wronged?"

"I promise, I'll never hurt her." Luffy said, "We just want to talk."

"...Fine. You're too dumb to lie properly. For making me laugh, I'll be merciful just this once, get out of Arlong Park."

"Fine!" Luffy shouted back, turning his back on the fishman. "Come on guys, Nami's safe."

Sanji and Lu glared at Arlong as well, but followed Luffy as he led them out of the estate.

"Crazy humans." Arlong muttered.

Luffy stopped, his hands curling into fists, "NAMI!" he roared, hard enough to shake the building, "COME BACK TO US! IF YOU NEED HELP, JUST ASK!" Arlong clapped his webbed hands over his ears and winced, glaring at the three humans, and Luffy made direct eye contact, "We're coming back tomorrow." Luffy said to Arlong, "If you know what's good for you, you'll be heading back to the Grand Line by then!"

Arlong sneered, "You talk big, for such a little fish in a small pond."

Luffy raised an eyebrow, "You don't even know how much of a hypocrite you are, do you?"

The three humans left.

A shiver went down her spine, as she watched the Monkey Brothers and Sanji reluctantly leave the park from the little room above Arlong Park. Those idiots! She cursed them in her head, how stupid could they be? To follow her all this way, to fight Arlong even after she told them it was suicide, to... offer her help... to come back... even though she betrayed... them...

She began to cry, slinking down on the cot in the room she hated more than anywhere else in the world. Even the front lawn where Belle-Mere had been shot in front of her had good memories along with the bad. But this room...

No happiness happened here. And there would be no happiness tonight.

She closed her eyes, and tried to focus on simply falling asleep, when she instinctually jumped to attention, wincing at the sound of each heavy footstep coming up the stairs to her room. Those footsteps haunted her nightmares.

Pulling the blanket off, she walked to the doorway and opened it before Arlong could push his way in, "Arlong."

"Nami. I guess those are the idiots you were telling me about? How'd they follow you?"

"I'm... not sure." she said, "I guess the sleeping potion I hit them with wasn't strong enough. I'll use a different brand next time."

"Or... you could have killed them." Arlong suggested, "While they were asleep, you know."

"I don't kill people Arlong." Nami said quietly, "Not even you would make me do that."

"Well, you've never needed to, before." Arlong said. Before looking thoughtfully at the maps around the room, "Which one is of the new island?"

"Oh, uh, that one, there. It was only a minor addition. There's nothing really on the island, but it being there at all affects the current a little."

"Mm." His eyes slid smoothly from the cartography to the cartographer, "I assume you heard that stuff on the patio."

"You'd have to be deaf not to." Nami admitted, "I didn't think they were this idiotic." she sighed, "You want me to talk to them?"

"Take a fishman with you. A strong one." Arlong said, "They beat up the lookout. Knocked him out. He wasn't a good fighter by fishman terms- but he was stronger than ten men, and they fought him in the water." he smiled evilly, "I don't want to lose you, Nami, who knows, they might decide to kidnap you, and that wouldn't do."

"Thanks... for your concern." she managed, "I'll take Hachi," Not only was he the second-strongest of the crew, he was also the easiest to get along with.

"Good. You might as well get a move on. Cause if they come back here tomorrow- I'll murder them. Chew them alive until they're not and spit them back out for Mohmoo, if they come back tomorrow." Arlong said casually, "So if you want your group of naive weirdos to keep their lives, be sure to send them off tonight."

"Poor Nami-Swan, trapped in there with that monster. It makes me furious!" Sanji muttered, his arms crossed.

"I think we should have just beat everyone up!" Lu said, "And then Nami wouldn't have to ask us- she'd know."

"Nami can live the life she wants to." Luffy said, "Well... if she's in danger, we'll go in anyway, but she's... fine. For now. I want her to ask us for help before we help her. She deserves that choice. Otherwise it's just getting forced into the crew that beat your old boss. I want her to be our navigator, but I need her to want to be our navigator too."

"Oi! Luffy, Lu, Sanji!" Usopp called, once they got a good distance from the park, and well on their way over to the town.

"Usopp!" Lu called back, "Nami hasn't come out yet. If she doesn't talk to us before tomorrow, we'll go over and beat everyone up in the morning!"

"Sounds like a plan, Captain." Zoro said, grinning, "What if the witch still doesn't want to join us?"

"She will." Luffy said, "She'll tell us before tomorrow."

"Well, if you say so." Usopp said, "Now... about the Merry."

"Did you find it?"

"Kind of." Usopp said, "But it's being guarded by three fishmen. They didn't go after us because we were pretty far away- all they saw was Mohmoo, probably, but I didn't want to fight- er! I mean, seeing as how I'm so powerful, I figured it wouldn't be fair to take care of them all single-handed, and saved them for you guys."

"Got it." Luffy said, "Lead the way then. Have you seen the village?"

"That weird upside-down one?" Usopp asked.

Lu looked interested, "An upside down village? Did everyone walk on their hands?"

"No." Zoro said, "It was abandoned. I think the fishmen did it to warn people off- we're strong enough to turn every house in a village on its head, don't mess with us. That kind of thing."

Lu deflated, "Aw. Well, what should we do until tomorrow?"

"Hmmm." Luffy looked out at the island, "Why don't you guys look for somewhere to stock up on stuff!"

"And what are you going to do?" Sanji asked, suspicious.

"I'm going to free the Merry up of those guards pretty easy. Then I'm going to take a nap on the Merry. I didn't get to sleep last night like you guys, remember?"

"We were only knocked out for a bit!" Zoro grunted.

"Shishishi!"

Hachi followed Nami down the road, heading vaguely for town. The fishman was never truly comfortable around Nami. She reminded him too much of Koala, way back when. He always felt uncomfortable with the way Arlong and the others sometimes treated her, but what was there to do? Arlong, Kuroobi, and Chew were some of his oldest friends. Close enough that he was willing to even leave Jimbei behind for them. He wasn't going to start telling them off when they bully a human- after the things he had seen done, get done to him by humans... by the Celestial Dragons and their servants... well, Arlong wasn't too bad. At least those he killed to make a point died quick, and those he tortured more-or-less deserved it.

Hachi couldn't say that about most of the humans he became familiar with while growing up.

"So, Nami, these people you stole from, why do you think they want you back?"

"They're idiots." she said, "That's the long and the short of it."

"Then us going to them and telling them to take their ship, leave their treasure, and you, behind, and get far away here and never come back... it won't work, probably?"

She sighed, "They honestly think they can beat Arlong."

"Foolish of them." Hachi commented.

"Ah! There he is!"

"We're saved!"

"Officer Hachi!"

The three fishman seemed overjoyed to see the two of them coming. Nami looked at the bundle of poorly-tied rope and the three fishman that had been captured. She could undo the knots with a moment, she knew, but whoever was doing the poor knots knew that too, and had made up for it by tying the ropes together in bizarre and haphazard ways, with dozens and dozens of knots. As it was, the three Arlong Pirates were basically tied up from head to toe.

"How the heck did you three end up like that?" Nami asked, annoyed.

"Ah! Hacchan!" Luffy said, dropping from a nearby tree, a wide smile on his face.

"Do we know each other?"

Luffy opened his mouth, before closing it again, thinking deeper. "...No! No we don't know each other."

"But you knew my name!"

"I guessed!" Luffy said, sticking out his tongue.

"Well, that was a very good guess then." the octopus fishman said, believing the lie quite easily.

Nami sighed, "You... know him from... the first attempt, right?" she asked. Time travel made her head hurt.

"Yep! He uh, well... I'll tell you later, when it's just us!"

"There's never going to be 'just us'." Nami said harshly, "I thought poisoning your food and sending you off in a lifeboat sent a clear enough message. You pirates are just prey to me. Victims for me to steal from without guilt." she said, crossing her arms, "Look, I already took all the treasure off the ship, but I left your personal possessions and your food and everything else alone. Take your ship and go."

"Come with me." Luffy said quietly, "Or ask me to help you."

"I won't! Because I don't need help!"

Luffy looked sadly at her, "Nami. I know." he glanced to Hachi, considered it, "We both know I can beat Arlong, right?"

"Maybe by fluke."

His eyebrows went down, angry, "Not by fluke! I was tougher than him- and I'm way tougher than him now. Please come back Nami, I'll tear Arlong Park down, free your town and your family! Just ask me."

She glared at him. "No one's stronger than Arlong." she said quietly.

"Nami. You were stronger than Arlong."

She froze.

"On the first attempt, we became so powerful, all of us. I saw you take on dozens of fishmen by yourself in less than a minute." Luffy looked at Hachi, and with a silent apology, exerted his Haki. Hachi fought it, for a few seconds, before finally being brought down, foam rising from his elongated mouth. Nami stared at her bodyguard. "And Nami... you know it. You believe me."

"No." she said, "No, no, no."

"Nami! Arlong isn't even a small fry! There are thousands- hundreds of thousands, of people who could beat him with one hand behind their back in this terrifying world! And you become one of them."

"Arlong is too powerful-" she repeated, almost a mantra. Because he has to be.

Belle-Mere was the strongest person in the world, to me.

And Arlong killed her like she was nothing. And it was my fault. And I betrayed her. And the village hates me. And and and and

If Arlong isn't strong, what was Belle-Mere?

An ant?!

What am I? Luffy's wrong about me.

Or the Nami from the first attempt was different than me.

She might have been strong, but I-

...

Nami shook, tears falling from her face, "I don't need your help!" she screamed.

I don't deserve it, she thought.

Luffy grit his teeth.

"I..." she sobbed, "I..." Luffy sighed, his Haki already giving him an inkling of what was about to happen.

Nami turned, and ran.

Nojiko looked at the band of pirates with a raised eyebrow. These were definitely out-of-towners. The woman walked up to the group, her eyes narrowed, "You're not from around here, are you? I hope you're not looking for trouble?" Arlong's people had collected their tribute just earlier that day, and most of the townspeople had gone back to their homes for the day, trying to rest from the stress that always came with tribute day.

Sanji, of course, was the first to respond, "Trouble! Of course not, I would never dare to bring a troubled expression to such a gentle face!" before any of them realized it, Sanji was already on Nojiko's other side, spinning slowly on one foot, "Ah! To be greeted by such a flower in this town, you've made my day!"

She smiled just a little, amused, "What the hell are you doing here, anyway?"

"Apparently, to stock up our ship." Usopp said, "Not sure how Luffy expects us to do that when that girl stole all our money."

"Stole... it wouldn't happen to be a girl with bright orange hair, perhaps?" Nojiko asked.

"How did you know?" Lu asked.

"What do you want with her?"

"We want her to join our crew as our navigator! We're pirates." Lu said with a grin, raising his pearl shield and bringing his fist to it, making a ringing sound, "And since she's the best navigator in the world, we have to have her!"

"You don't want anything to do with that girl." Nojiko said coldly, "Not for revenge, and not to go ask her join a crew of pirates. She hates pirates and besides, she's already part of Arlong's crew."

"We're here to save her." Sanji said.

Nojiko looked between them, "Why?"

"Because she's our crewmate. She helped us out already- and she doesn't want to be here." Lu said.

"She's... helped you out already?" Nojiko asked.

"Yeah! She helped us get to an island we hadn't been able to find." Lu said, "And we drank and ate together, and my older brother- well, he knows if you can trust people. And we can trust Nami."

"I beg to differ." Usopp muttered, "Pulling me by the neck like that, I'm going to yell at her, the next time we see her."

"No you won't." Sanji said, just a little threatening in his tone.

Nojiko considered them all, "Why don't you follow me. I'm not sure what we can do without money, but I'll see about stocking up your ship."

When the group arrived at the house, the moment Nojiko opened the door, she let out a sigh.

"Nami! We have guests, if you would be so kind as to start sweeping up your tantrum?"

Nami looked up from where she was sitting, surrounded in the wreckage of her and Nojiko's house. Nojiko closed the door before she could see who was on the other side.

Nojiko looked to the gathered pirates, and silenced them with a finger to her lips, "Now's probably not the best time. Wait out in the orange field for me?"

Sanji opened his mouth to object, but Lu just nodded, turning in the direction she pointed. "Come on." he ordered, and the crew went. Nojiko went back inside, to see about hearing from Nami everything that had happened.

Luffy rolled around, grumbling to himself, "I just can't sleep!" he finally announced, getting out of his hammock and heading back out to the deck of the ship. Standing on the deck, he looked out over the island. Things had gone differently... and he wasn't really sure what to do right now. He didn't like asking for details about things- he didn't much care for his crewmate's childhoods or histories. He didn't think it changed anything about them. Nami was Nami was Nami. He didn't need to know the particular why she was crying in the middle of Cocoyashi's marketplace that day, he just knew that she was crying, and Arlong had hurt her.

That was all he needed.

But now he couldn't help wondering why. What was the straw that broke the camel's back? He supposed in the end it didn't really matter. Come tomorrow morning, whether Nami asked him to or not, if Arlong doesn't leave, he will destroy Arlong Park, and offer her a place with the crew again. Convince her somehow. He wouldn't leave without her.

But it felt important that she ask him. Important that she know that she can ask. It was part of what made his Nami, Nami. The Nami he knew... could count on him. This one doesn't know that.

But he couldn't make her ask. And he wouldn't if he could.

He shook the thoughts from his head.

Whatever happened, tomorrow, Nami would be free. That was the important part.

"She's asleep." Nojiko announced, walking out into the orange field where the pirates had been hanging out, "You boys really stressed her out, you know? My little sister... well, let's just say she's not used to the idea of having friends."

"Your sister? No wonder you're so beautiful." Sanji complimented.

"We're not related by blood." Nojiko said, "But she's my sister all the same. So, pirates... why haven't you whisked her away from here already?"

"Eh!?"

Nojiko raised an eyebrow and put her hands to her hips, "Take her and go, far away from here!"

"I... don't understand." Usopp said, "You'd trust her with us?"

Nojiko smiled warmly, "She's all torn up inside right now... because she wants to go with you, she really does, but she still feels like she has a debt to this village. From what I heard from her in there, you're all idiots who would die without her constant supervision, but you're all good people. Fun people. Honest people." Nojiko sighed, "You boys can't defeat Arlong, no matter how strong your captain is, but you can escape this island. Take my sister away, and give her a life where she can be just a little bit carefree, and laugh sometimes, and I'd be more than satisfied."

Lu smiled, "Well, you're wrong about one thing, we can beat Arlong."

"No." Nojiko said, "You can't."

"Yes, we can."

"You can't."

"WE CAN!"

"Look!" Nojiko said, "Nami really likes you guys, and you can help her out, so I refuse to allow you to throw your lives away." Nojiko bit her lip, looked at the house behind her, and then at the field. "...There's nearly one-hundred million Beli buried in this field. If you take her and leave, without going near Arlong, I'll tell you where it is."

The crew was speechless at the sheer amount of the wealth.

"No." Lu said, recovering first, "Big Luffy said we were going to beat Arlong, and that's what we're going to do!"

"Not even for one-hundred million beli?" Nojiko asked, "How can you be so confident?"

"Simple, really." Zoro said, "Our captain is a veteran from the Grand Line."

"He's still just a human." Nojiko said.

"Nope." Zoro said simply, "He's a monster. Could Arlong take down an entire Marine Base with one punch?" the swordsman smiled, "Because I've seen Luffy do it."

Nojiko's eyes widened, "You're telling the truth."

"Yep!" Lu said cheerfully, "My big brother could fight Warlords of the Sea! Arlong is small fry. The only reason we haven't wrecked Arlong Park already is because he thinks it's important that Nami ask him for help."

Nojiko quieted, thinking, "...What's his name?"

"Monkey D. Luffy."

Arlong looked up from the newspaper, sneering.

"Did you say something Arlong?" Kuroobi asked, leaving the mansion with a roast pig, to feed to Mohmoo.

"The name of two of the guys that Nami tricked." Arlong said, raising the newspaper, "He and his little brother- same name, maybe, or just a mixup, are wanted by the Marines."

"Oh?" he walked over, picking up the newspaper. "Let's see... Two individuals going by the name "Monkey D. Luffy named themselves as pirates and..." his eyes widened, "Destruction of Shellstown Marine Base?" he asked, surprised, "Huh."

"...Nezumi will be stopping over in two days, won't he?" Arlong asked.

"That's when his ship is scheduled to pass by. We have the bribe set aside for him already."

"Get a message to him that if he gets here by tomorrow, I'll have two gifts for him." Arlong smiled, "We won't even need to give him the bribe. After all, the prestige with capturing two pirates with this kind of bounty will be better for his career than a few hundred thousand beli."

"You really think they won't take the hint?"

"They seemed a special kind of stupid." Arlong said, "They'll be here."

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

MONKEY D. "CANNONBALL" LUFFY THE ELDER

30,000,000 Beli

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

MONKEY D. "STRAWHAT" LUFFY THE YOUNGER

22,000,000 Beli