Vigilantism

law enforcement

undertaken without legal authority

by a self-appointed group of people.

(Misdemeanor, Sentences under 1 Year)

Nami kept her eyes on the doctors door. Arlongs presence hung heavy next to her, deterring anyone who might wonder their eyes onto her. She held her face neutral. At ease. As if the black eye didn't sting. As if her arm didn't ache. Two more of Arlongs thugs clung to the entrance, scowling. The door opened. A sandy haired boy exited with a similar expression, followed by his lumbering father. Meek pre-teen, hunched, and flinching at his father's every breath as they walked out.

Dr. K followed the pair with her eyes. Under the thick bifocals the old hag almost looked sad. But just as quickly as Nami had seen it, it vanished.

"Nami Bel-"

She stood, waving. And a step in, a hand took hers in a vice grip. She felt a jolt in her spine, cold with fear. But she stayed composed, looked back.

"Love you babe." He smiled wide and toothy.

"You too-" She smiled. She held his eyes for the seemingly endless seconds he held her there, silent. He let her go. And she walked slow. Counted each pace so no one could ever say she ran away.

The door shut. And Dr. K slid the lock.

"Back again Nami." She said, while Nami sat herself on the bed.

"You know me. Such a clutz." Nami said back, looking anywhere but at the door.

"I'm sure." Dr K sighed. "I could call-"

"I fell." Nami bit. "Corner of the railing caught my eye. And my arm-" She winced trying to move it.

"Did the railing dislocate that too?" K had her arms crossed, leaning against the counter.

"If we could hurry this up." Nami kept her tone even. Staring intensely at the floor. K scoffed, and felt about the shoulder.

"You lie like all the other little boys and girls."

"I'm twenty-fiv-ah!" Nami winced, and bit her lip as her arm was set.

"I know that." Dr. K's tone was flat, unimpressed. "So young, so much more in life, just waiting." The doctor's hands danced around the eye, and went for her prescription pad. Nami scoffed, drawing the Doctors attention.

"Don't bother."

With a defeated sigh the doctor let the pad drop to the table, and sat on her stool, directly in front of Nami.

"Ms. Bellemere,-"

"I really don't need a pep talk. Or pity, or sympathy. I just need to know if my eye is going to be okay." A moment passed with the women staring each other down.

"This one seems fine." the doctor said, "No blurry vision, or doubles?"

Nami shook her head, and stopped with a wince.

"Then you'll be fine. This time." Dr K said. "But your luck will run out."

"You should call the cops for that boy." Nami deflected. Ignoring another withering chill in her spine. Dr K didn't say anything. "Unless you already did…"

The Doctor pushed her stool to the counter, hefting a heavy and open medical volume.

"He reads the books while he is with me." She placed a red nosed reindeer bookmark on the page. And closed the book. "While I make sure his arms arent broken, and that his concussions have not permanently injured his brain, and every week, like clockwork he is back. And every week-" She stopped. Her fingers fiddled with the bookmark. Half way through the book. Nami saw tears on the edge of her eyes.

"Why can't the police do anything?" Nami regretted it as soon as she'd said it. It was a stupid question really, and the leer Doctor Kureha leveled her with said as much.

"The boy's coached, and his banker father has lawyers like I've had years."

"At least he has money." She felt terrible saying it. But it was better than the orphanage. Especially this side of the Grandline. "And you."

"At least one day he will grow some balls."

…

Summer was young but strong, with the sun young in the sky. The car slowed to a stop just outside a warehouse. Nami was let out of the middle seat, without even an offered hand, despite her slung up arm. She looked longingly at her old beat up truck.

It'd been months since her chain had been loose enough for her to drive. A hand came to the small of her back with the grace of a hammer, and urged her towards the doors. The guards were no more subtle about their function since her first day, though they did a better job of hiding the guns.

Overall it didn't make much of a difference. Lougetown PD had conceded the slums to Arlong years back. Nami idly wondered if they would even respond to a call. Unlikely she decided.

"Now I trust you'll make quick work of that accounting issue, no more hiccups?" Arlong's smile never changed. His cocky loud tone never changed. But his eyes. They way he caught you just on their edge. How he could make you feel tiny.

"I'm still a hand down." she started, walking to the corner desk that held the books. They were open. "Who the hell touched them?"

"I did." Choo said coming down the stairs that led to the roof. "Doing some double checking."

Nami sifted through the loose pages, everything was out of order. She took a deep breath, and glared at Arlong.

"This will take hours to sort. If you don't trust me on books, then get someone else with a Degree. Or someone who knows how to keep shit organized!"

"Calm down." Arlong said, patting Choo on the shoulder. "He was just helping."

"But-"

"Enough." His brow furrowed. "Just be quiet and do your work. I'll let you know if i need anything else from you." he turned, heading towards the makeshift operations office.

She resigned into her chair, and took another look at the papers. Of course these were just the books she kept for show. She'd memorised most of it. Enough to keep track of the lieutenants like Choo, who'd cook the books for a fun weekend. Not that anyone would believe her over him. Just at a glance it looked like he had taken a few days' statements.

She opened her laptop, with much difficulty, and clicked on her printer. More boisterous laughter, and meaty hands slammed onto tables. Arlong was getting ambitious. Stupidly so. She glanced around the warehouse. Fabricated rooms, built of naked presswood. More and more muscle by the week. More robberies on the news.

More cash on tables. More skimming hands. More hiccups in her books. And she would be blamed. Nami fanned her shirt. When did she even have time to spend all this money she was allegedly stealing? How much tighter would he pull the leash until he was satisfied?

"Fuck Kreig!" Arlong shouted, to the roar of his men.

Stupid… Nami shook her head. If Arlong wanted to push Kriegs turf he would need more than petty cash. He'd need war-worthy capitol. Her printer was spitting out templates. And she thanked her mother she could write with her left hand as well.

But before she started that. She opened a browser, and tapped away. Pulling up local banks. Smaller, older ones. She found a few headlines a little over a year old. Drum-lake Bank, She skipped the headline and looked at the headshot of the owner. Brown hair and eyes. Touch of gray. Large man. The boy's father without a doubt. A few more clicks told her the bank was still open. On the rebound even.

Another tab, and she smirked. Thankful again she'd gotten Arlong convinced to use a VPN. She found the building, built in the previous century. A few remodels. None recently. She scanned the room again. Strong. Numbers. But they called Krieg the General for a reason.

Arlong had pistols, pipes, knives and maybe a few real weapons. A few competent officers even. A knife slammed into the table, and laughs went up from the men. She couldnt see everything, a wall just cutting her view short. Just part of the map on the table, andthe officers crowded around.

She could do nothing. Hope to slip away when the fighting came. Get in her truck and just drive until she was out of gas. She scrolled down, seeing another photo of the man. This once with his son. She could do nothing. Hope her luck came around.

A gentle cough came from behind her. She looked to see Hachi there. He was the nicest of Arlongs watchdogs. He never hit her, or yelled. Didnt flaut his gun, or skim even. She closed the browser, setting to her work. She did her best work while he was on guard.

It was the only thank you she could muster.

…

Zoro found Mid-summer to be rather pleasant for his night strolls. The air was just right. The city crowds were gone, the streets were quiet, aside from the bars of course. Of course, even in the height of his preferred season he found he could have a bad day.

He was lost, and his sword case was beginning to draw the attention of the morning crowd. With the sun not long off. This had not been a meditative stroll. He was moving, taking his life by the arm load the two miles to his new apartment, and of course it'd be the last load, on the last day of the week he had done this that he got lost. He passed a cafe, a white haired man side eyeing him over the morning paper.

The shop wasn't even open yet, and Zoro saw the stack he had cut the paper from, still sitting in its cut ties. The front page was covered with a kid's face, and Zoro paid no mind as he pushed on. He passed Baker Street, again, and hooked a left away from the coffee hordes.

He stopped in front of a local grocer, trying to remember if this was the one on his way home. He was rocked from his thoughts by the roar of a bike pulling up. Zoro rolled his eyes, barely casting a glance to the blond dismounting the harley. He did note the custom work that attached what looked like an ice chest on wheels though. He shrugged and moved on. This wasn't the store.

A few minutes later he turned the corner, left, seeing the bike, and groaning. The sign was proof enough he'd circled back. He had almost turned around when he saw the ice chest was open. And there were a few bodies huddling away from the slow yellow sunrise in the alley just off the store. Fighting.

He jogged across the street silently, hearing the grunts and groaning, and saw the blond biker, leathers and all, drop to the floor. Bags tossed to the floor, ripped. Zoro didn't see the Blond with a weapon, but the thugs had pipes and chains. They turned at the clicking of his case. And he had a sword in each hand before the case had hit the street.

"Who the hell are you?" the first thug asked, brandishing a pipe. Zoro hadnt missed the surprise though. The fear he sent through them. He licked his lips, two of them stepped back.

That's right Zoro thought. Just run and this will be easy. He took a stride toward the stalwart pipe man.

"I said-" the man started. Zoro brought the back of Wado in a rising arc, directly between the man's legs. When the thug bent over Zoro brought his knee to his face, drawing a crack and tossing him to the alley floor. Zoro twirled his swords, still aware he was outnumbered, and spared an alternating glare.

Then he heard the cars roll up with a siren, washing the alley in red and blue. The men booked it. Zoro lowered his swords, turning to see two cars, four officers, guns drawn, at him.

"Put the weapons down!" A pink haired officer shouted, his blond partner hosting a shotgun over the passenger door.

Zoro did, slowly. Decided that yes his day could get worse after all. He caught a glimpse of a store clerk, phone still clenched to his chest, a few dreads framing his dark face. Zoro insisted on sheathing them. And by the time he had finished that the Pink haired cop was on him, twisting his arms and pressing cold cuffs on his hands.

"I can explain." he muttered.

"You will get your chance sir.-"

The blonde looked over the rim of his shades, pausing his notes. "And that's it?"

"Yes sir." Zoro bit. He looked back, where the Pink officer, Coby was questioning the Biker, who sported a busted lip and was bleeding from his head.

"You're aware swords aren't street legal?"

"Like I said, i was moving. I don't own a car. And i was moving at night so-"

"Look. just." the cop sucked in his lip and shook his head. "You can stay silent. I understand you were trying to help. But you have a phone right? We are one call away, and lurking in the dark, with swords, more so brandishing them in an alley?"

"In short I fucked up." Zoro bit.

"Yeah." the guy said. "Coby will put in a good word for your cooperation I'm sure. But at best this is vigilantism. We have to take you in."

Zoro sighed on the curb, and the cop helped him up. They walked to the car, the door opening.

"Wait! Hey!" he turned seeing the biker pushing past Coby. Zoro got a better look. Blue eyes, some stubble, long hair pulled into a ponytail and when the guy was just a few paces away… curly eyebrows. "I'm telling you he was just-"

"Sanji sir." Coby caught up. "Please-"

"But he-"

The door shut and Zoro didn't hear the rest. He rubbed his wrists. The biker argued a bit more with the two cops before running a frustrated hand through his hair, and lit a cigarette. He looked past the cops, at Zoro himself.

Sorry he said. He didn't move his lips, but his eyes said it all. Zoro shrugged and closed his eyes. Leaning back on the seat.

Kuina always said he was too impulsive. The cops hadn't told him anything he didn't know. Six months a blade. And who knew how these vigilante things would pan out. Zoro felt his jaw lock.

The second car loaded the downed thug and was off shortly after. By the time they were gone, the cops had managed to placate the biker enough to get him moving. He did. Sadly picking over his groceries. The clerk helped him, with new bags, and offered a first aid kit.

As the car drove away he caught one last glance from the biker, before the store eclipsed the sight. Zoro thought about saying thank you. Afterall he tried. It made Zoro smirk. Wondering if he'd find the man shopping at the same store in eighteen plus months. And then his chest clenched and the smirk left.

"They won't be destroyed, will they?" he found himself asking. "Their family heirlooms, and-"

"I'll make a exception request Mr. Roronoa." Coby said, flicking his eyes to him in the rearview, then back to the road. He was young. Younger than Zoro if he guessed. New. He wondered how much weight his word would carry. "Sanji's statement is very positive on you And Sargeant Marco was there. He will attest to your cooperation. We won't let your good will go to waste."

Zoro nodded, but said no more. He was sure the cop meant well. But his heart had sunk at request. His leg bounced, and he stared out the window. Watching the sunrise until they turned off.

Soon enough he was dumped in a holding chair, cuffs left just on his hands. The wall clock showed it to be just past seven, and the station moved as such. Quieter then he ever imagined a police station to be. Then again he had never thought he would be here. Coby had taken his sword case into the Captains office. The door held a name but Zoro couldn't make it out from his angle.

He always imagined the stations like the stupid tv shows pictured them. Bustling criminal train, hot shot detectives kinda like Blondie cop, only with style. Wise cracks and gruff grizzled assholes. But this. Slow, almost lazy work. For knowing he was totally fucked for at least the next two years, it was almost tranqui-

A heavy thud rattled the doors. A shadow lifted from the fogged glass. The door was heaved open, and a guy was tossed through them, growling in cuffs. squirming off the ground. He had a scar under one eye, and a few injuries about him. He got to his feet just as a brickhouse past the threshold baton drawn, smoking a cigar.

Maybe it was a little like T.V.

"Knock it off Luffy." the man grit out, his partner following, obscured behind the man's shoulders.

This Luffy did not knock it off. He did try to knock the guy out though. Their heads cracked through the din of paper shuffling, and both came away bloody. Neither fell. The cop didnt even flinch.

The baton whipped the shorter man's jaw, and he flipped over himself going down. The cops moved in, and only then did Zoro see the marks this Luffy must have gotten in. bruised neck, torn pants and coat, and a black eye on the side away from Zoro. no wonder cigar guy was pissed.

"Enough!" the man roared and brought the baton down on the man, trying to rise again. Luffy muttered something and the cop shook his leg. Zoro leaned, nonchalantly, in his seat, and craned his neck a bit. The kid was biting the cops boot.

He was dumped next to Zoro. and his cuffs were hooked to the seat.

Zoro just hoped he wouldn't bite him.

"What was he doing now?" someone asked. "Smoker?"

The grizzled cop ignored him. Sinking into the desk directly next to the wall seats.

"Theft again." his partner answered. Zoro gave her a quick look.

His throat tightened. His heart stuttered and he very nearly shouted. He shook his head, blinking hard, and pushing off some imaginary fog. He looked again. His mouth was dry. His sister. Ten years older. But she wasn't-

"Tashigi." Smoker said, and Zoro saw him staring right at him. "You know green boy here?"

He looked back. She gave him a curious glance, then quirked an eyebrow. "No… why?"

The man's glare hardened. "Forget it."

"You're new." the man to his left said. Zoro gave him a glance. He was leaning his head back. Side-eying him with tired eyes. His voice was quiet.

"Here that often?" Zoro said it sarcastically, but the guy gave a lazy smile.

"What'd you do?" His voice was genuine, and he seemed interested, in spite of the blood drying on his face.

"Just, saved a guy from getting mugged."

"You're a hero." they guy said, and Smoker snorted. Zoro hoped that it wasn't the guy's real name. As if sensing his thoughts the man puffed a few clouds out, before rising, grabbing a coffee mug and left.

"That's what i thought. Guess swords changed that."

"You did it with swords? That's badass."

Zoro just nodded. He didnt know what else to do. He thought about returning the question, but he didnt know if he'd have long enough. He cast a glance back to the captain's office. And the guy spoke again. Much quieter.

"I just want to leave the whole damn city."

Luffy was staring at the doors. Past them even. With longing. Zoro knew that longing. It was the same way he longed for his father's dojo. The garden, the tea. The tranquility. He had adapted to city life. But he missed living off the land.

"Me too." he said it without much thought. Just to be polite. Make conversation.

Then Luffy locked onto his eyes with his own obsidian orbs. Zoro felt as if his soul was weighed by some cryptic god, every fiber and memory sifted through and judged. Then Luffy's eyes went soft and playful. And Zoro felt a breath release. He was starting to remember why he'd moved to the city.

"Let's run away." Luffy said. Still quiet. Instinctively Zoro looked around. Nobody seemed to have heard them. "You seem tough. Bet we make it past Smoker together."

"Tempting. But i'll pass." he replied. "I need to do my best to make sure Wado doesn't get destroyed."

"One of your swords?"

"Yeah." Zoro heard something, whipping his head to the captain's office. When nothing came of it he sighed.

"They're in there?" Luffy asked.

"Yeah."

Luffy pulled at the chain holding him to the Seat, pouting at it. Then he looked to Zoro again.

"If i get your swords. And if I were to say, run away with them?"

"Well I'd get them back." Zoro growled. This drew a bigger smile to the man's face. "Wha-"

Smoker rounded the corner, glaring, and sat down again, setting the steaming cup on the desk. Luffy was quiet. But his smile seemed to grow over the following minutes. Matching Smokers ire. Zoro considered slumping in his chair, if only to avoid the pure hate the cop sent like spears through him at Luffy.

Just when he thought Smoker might vault the desk baton in hand, the front door slammed open.

"Luffy you damned sorry excuse for a man!" Zoro threw his gaze at the man, he was dressed in a formal uniform of some kind, with way too many ribbons on his breast. Easily over six feet and barrel chested. He was staring right at Luffy. The older man broke his gaze and looked at the cigar chewing officer who matched his glare.

"Commissioner Garp. Here to illegally free your little criminal?" the cop asked, pulling on his cigar.

"Sargeant Smoker." the man chewed the name out. His eyes dipped to the cigar and back to luffy. "Unhook him you prick."

The entire floor was silent. Zoro saw Luffy, smiling. But he was rigid. Tense. Smoker took a long, slow sip from his coffee. And then a slower puff of his cigar. Unblinkingly glaring at the commissioner. Then after an eternity it seemed, he slid to his feet. His fingers lazily sorting keys while he grabbed the chain lock.

The lock fell aside, and Garps hand buried itself in Luffy's hair, dragging him towards the Captains office.

"You useless good for nothing grandson!" Luffy managed to keep his smile on, getting a glance to Zoro and a discreet thumbs up.

Zoro felt a chill in his spine as Luffy disappeared into the Captain's office. He was going to do it. The crazy bastard was going to try. Zoro knew he should tell someone. He'd played a game before. Grand theft or something with Jonny. You never got out of the police station without alot of-

He looked to Smoker, who met his eyes almost instantly. He opened his mouth, but Smoker seemed ahead of him, looking to the office, then back. And he smirked.

"Tashigi." The girl was by the door, she snapped her head up.

"Sir?"

"Go print me a copy of last night's arrests."

"On it!" She clicked her computer a few times, and a printer somewhere around the corner whirred up. She left her desk. Zoro's gut twisted. Something about that seemed... unproductive. He looked back, if the man was still smirking, the cigar hid it. But his scowl was gone.

"Luffy!" That was Garps voice. Zoro heard a punch, and Coby cried out. And then Luffy was going. Case in hand, Wado drawn, speared for the door. The officers sprung into action, but Luffy spun on them, the sword making the closest fall on their ass, and the farther back slowed. Luffy looked at him.

"Let's go!" he shouted. He had somehow gotten free of his cuffs, and he used the case to bash the first recovering officer.

Zoro watched Luffy turn again. Some part of him knew that he wouldnt pause again. That was obvious. But more so he knew that if he lost sight of Luffy, he'd never see Wado again. And in the moment he didn't think about being a fugitive, fleeing. He just thought of his little sister, and the soul in the sword that speared ever closer to freedom.

With his cuffed hands he managed to knock both blondie cop and Marco over. With a stumble he followed Luffy past the doors. The sun kissing his skin, and the warmth washing away to the too cool air conditioning.

For the first time, in a very long time, he felt his blood pump.

"This way!" he didn't think twice. He ran. Chasing the red vest from alley to alley.