Nami stared at the straw hat boy across from her with a combination of horror and disgust. Even Arlong had better table manners than this kid, and she had seen him eat a tuna raw. Bit it in half with one bite, and yet it was still less repulsive than the scene before her.

Not exactly something she liked admitting. Any credit to that fish faced asshole was too much in her opinion.

"So, you said your name was Luffy, right?" she asked him, as more and more food entered his mouth, making his cheeks balloon so much it would make a squirrel jealous. Just where was he putting it all?

Luffy made a sound of confirmation, before choking on a bone. He beat his chest furiously trying to get it to go down, before deciding water was the best way to go. Taking big gulps, downing the glass in seconds, he let out a relieved sigh as the bone finally dislodged itself and he could breathe again.

And if he could breathe, he could eat.

Nami groaned as she watched this, wondering if she had made a mistake. She needed this guy's help to save her friend, but so far, he just seemed like an idiot. Then again, so did Nick. Perhaps it takes an idiot to save an idiot.

Seeing as the boy was too preoccupied to hold a civil discussion, Nami turned to look out the window, in the direction she knew the pirates were located. She could see smoke rising in the air, most likely from that huge explosion from earlier. Was Nick even still alive?

The thought of him being dead left a sour taste in her mouth, and made her stomach churn. It shouldn't, considering she barely knew the guy, but still her stomach tied itself in knots. Maybe because he was willing to sacrifice himself for her with a goddamned smile on his face, just like…

Just like Bell-mére.

Was that it? Was that why she was so hung up on this? Because the last time she saw him, and the last time she saw her, they were both smiling, letting her know it would be alright? That everything would be ok?

Because it wasn't! It wasn't ok at all! Nami was sick and tired of people sacrificing themselves for her. How many more people would die because of her weakness?

After her mother died, all she could think about was how to honor her death. No, that wasn't completely true. It was more to honor the life she gave to her and her sister, Nojiko. Without Bell-mére, they would have died on whatever island they came from.

Bell-mére always said that it was them that saved her, that they were the reason she found the will to live. But Nami, even now, had a hard time believing it. Nojiko and her were a burden, a never ending expenditure. Food, clothes, housing and so much more, Nami knew she owed that woman a debt she could never repay.

Which was another thing she couldn't stand, being in someone's debt. Because of what she felt she owed her mother, Nami had joined the very pirates that killed her in order to try and buy back her village from them, and her eight long years of suffering began.

And now she felt she owed Nick, something she shouldn't as she had saved him from the Marines when they first met, but that took no great sacrifice on her part.

Well, besides the smell that is.

But he was willing to die so she could escape. While they both saved each other, the value of the rescue was totally different. She had to deal with an eye watering, fly killing stench, and he… Well she didn't know exactly what he had to deal with, but she could guess. Pirates weren't known for their kindness or mercy, especially if you've been caught stealing from them.

Perhaps it was the unknown that really bothered her. Not knowing his fate, if he was alive or dead, or what they could have done to him. What they could still be doing to him. It allowed her mind to wander to increasingly violent scenarios, and her foot began to tap in nervous agitation.

"Hey, are you ok?" questioned a voice.

"Huh?" she asked, forgetting for a moment the boy was there. He was staring at her with a bone sticking out of his mouth, gently nibbling on it. What the hell was he, a dog?

"You're crying," he stated simply. Nami's eyes widened, and she promptly rubbed them, finding that they were indeed wet. She could even feel the remnants of her tears as they streaked down her face. When did that happen?

"Yeah, yeah, it's nothing. Just some dust in my eye," she responded, once all the tears had been removed. Luffy said nothing, he just kept staring at her.

"So, like I was saying earlier, there's something I wanted to ask you," Nami said, back in business mode. Luffy stared at her for a moment, before chomping down the bone he was chewing on, "Oh yeah? What's that?"

"First, how did you make your arms stretch like that earlier?" she asked. Luffy seemed to perk up slightly at the question, "That? That was just my Gum Gum powers," he said as he idly shoveled more food into his mouth.

"Gum Gum powers?" she asked, while at the same time wondering how he could still be eating. Luffy had already eaten enough for five men, and he was still going. At least he wasn't inhaling it like a starved wolf anymore, but she still had to wonder at where it was all going.

"Uh huh. I ate the Gum Gum Fruit, and now I'm a rubberman, see," he said, as he pulled his cheeks in one direction, stretching it a couple feet. Nami could only stare flabbergasted.

Devil fruits were real? She had heard the stories of course, from random sailors to the fishmen who kept her enslaved, but she didn't really believe it. Until now, she had never met anyone who had powers, so part of her thought that maybe they were all lying to her. She wouldn't put it past Arlong afterall.

"So it's true… Devil fruits really do exist," she muttered to herself. Luffy only stared as she mumbled to herself, thinking about how weird she was.

"In that case, you might just stand a chance. Listen, I need to ask you for a favor," Nami stated, a small note of desperation in her voice. Something that Luffy picked up on. And since she fed him, he could at least hear her out.

"A favor?"

"Yeah. You see, a friend of mine was captured by Buggy. I want to save him, but I'm not strong enough to do it on my own. If you help me, I'll owe you one. How does that sound?"

Luffy cocked his head to the side, and closed his eyes in concentration. It looked like it hurt. "Owe me what?" he asked after a few moments, causing Nami to sigh. This guy clearly wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, was he?

"Whatever you want. You need something stolen, I'm your girl. Just don't get any funny ideas, got it?" she warned. He didn't look like the type that would try and take advantage of her, but you never knew. The stupid ones could be harder to predict than the smart ones.

"Hm… No thanks," he said, before he stood up getting ready to leave. Nami panicked for a moment, "Wait a minute!"

Luffy stopped in front of the door, turning back to Nami with a look of annoyance on his face, "What now? I don't need you to steal anything for me."

Nami glared at him for a moment. For some reason she took it as a personal insult to her skills. Whether or not he meant it that way was irrelevant. Everybody wanted something, she just needed to figure out what he wanted.

"Are you telling me you don't want anything? Money, jewels, information? There's really nothing that you want?"

"It's not that I don't want anything. It's just that what I want can't be stolen."

"Oh, and what's that?"

Luffy gained a gleam in his eyes, as he told her his dream with a conviction Nami had rarely heard before. In fact, she's not sure she has ever heard someone with as much belief as him.

"I'm going to find Roger's treasure, the One Piece, and become King of the Pirates."

The beautiful cat burglar could only stare in shock. The One Piece? Really? The greatest treasure in the world, the one that spawned the age of piracy, and the one that countless other pirates have sought after for years, this scrawny nobody wants to find it?

Nami didn't know if he was delusional or if he was just that stupid, but there was one thing she was sure of.

"So that means you're a pirate?" she asked, eyes colder than ice.

"Yeah huh," he responded cheerfully, not able to read the room even a little. Nami clenched her fists, as they trembled with rage, her mind returning once again to that fateful day. The day when everything changed. The day she met Arlong. The day Bell-mére…

She shook her head to clear her mind. It wasn't the time to dwell on the past. She needed to be here in the present, she needed to keep a clear head.

"And how many do you have in your crew? Or is it just you?" she asked quietly, her rage dropping from a boil to a simmer.

Luffy gave her a big grin, "Two so far. I just recruited an awesome swordsman who uses three swords. Cool huh? Now I just need a musician and I'll be all set. Say, do you know how to play music?"

"Hell no!" Nami screamed, taking Luffy aback. He wasn't sure why asking that upset her so much. Maybe she had an awful singing voice, like Ace. He was pretty sensitive about it too. Yeah that must be it.

"I hate pirates. The only things I care about are money and tangerines," she continued, breathing heavily. She eyeballed the straw hat wearing pirate with anger, who only continued to look confused.

"I thought you said you wanted me to save your friend. Doesn't that mean you care about him too?" Luffy asked, bringing Nami up short. That was… true enough, she supposed. She certainly didn't want him to die, not like this, not by clowns.

"That's… I just owe him one ok? Don't look into it too much," she finally said, having calmed down. "Sure, whatever you say," said Luffy, not caring one way or the other.

Nami sighed, before an idea came to her mind. If he wanted to find the One Piece, that means he would need to go to the Grand Line, and wouldn't you know it, she just happened to obtain a map on how to do just that. That was her leverage, that was what he wanted.

"If you're after the One Piece, that means you're going to the Grand Line, right?" she asked, just to confirm. And to lead the conversation in the direction she wanted.

"Yeah, that's right," he said, somehow finding an apple and eating it whole. Nami shivered at the sight and the glutton's appetite. Did his stomach even have a bottom? Or was it also made of rubber, so it can stretch as far as he wanted it to.

"Well, it just so happens that I have a map TO the Grand Line. I'd be willing to take you there, if you help me out," she said coyly. She knew she had him by the excited twinkle in his eye. Hook, line and sinker.

"Whoa, really!?" Luffy exclaimed. He was laughing to himself, glee written all over his face. "That means you can read maps right?"

"Uh, yeah. I can do more than just read them. In fact, you won't find a better navigator around, guaranteed," she stated proudly, standing with a smug certainty. It wasn't arrogance talking either, she really was the best, hands down.

Ok, she was a little conceited, but it was also true. She was the best, and she knew it.

"Alright! I got a navigator!" Luffy yelled joyfully, hands raised in triumph.

"It's only temporary! Hey are you listening to me!?"

***Line Break***

Nick groaned as he slowly walked down the alley. He was using the wall for support, using the hand that wasn't broken from punching a cannon, and leaving bloody handprints along the way. Man he had a lot of blood. Too bad most of it was on the outside now. That probably wasn't a good thing.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Oh well, nothing he could do about it now. Now he needed to get away from those circus freaks before they invited him to another party, because their last one sucked. It sucked hard.

He let out a grunt of pain as he stumbled over something. Was that a hand buried under a bunch of rubble? How did that get there? You know what, he didn't want to know. It wasn't his business, and he had better things to do right now.

Like not dying, but that was looking less and less likely as time went on. Every step was made on shaky legs, every breath came out ragged, and everytime he blinked, the world started spinning. Man he was fucked up. It reminded him of Tijuana.

But that's a story for another time.

Ignoring that, Nick finally exited the back alleys of the town, coming to a large open square. Well that was unfortunate. The walls were really helping him not fall on his face. Oh well, he would just have to nut up and crawl if he had to.

"Alright Nick, you can do this. One foot in front of the other. How hard can it be? Easy peasy," Nick said, trying to hype himself up. It worked to a certain extent. His first step, while shaky, was solid enough to keep him on his feet.

His second step was much the same. So was his third, his fourth, his fifth, etc. But eventually, the sheer exhaustion caught up with him. Every step took several seconds before the next, his knees wobbling like he was in freezing weather.

Sweat dripped down his brow as he soldiered on, the mantra of "Just one more" a continuous hum in the back of his mind. All his concentration was on taking the next step and nothing else.

He was nearly across the courtyard when he finally slipped up. His foot landed at an awkward angle, and he collapsed to the ground. His breathing was rough and uneven as he lay on the ground, eyes closed, heart pounding like a hummingbird. He knew he had to get up, but the ground was just so comfortable. He could just lay there and forget all his troubles.

He could, but he wouldn't. Nick knew he needed to get up, as it was only a matter of time before they caught up to him. He sincerely doubted the bomb was enough to finish them off, so he had to keep moving.

Opening his eyes, his breathing once again steady, he found himself in front of a store. Not just any store, a pet food store. For some reason, that sounded familiar, but Nick couldn't quite place the reason.

He didn't even remember coming near the store. He was so concentrated on taking another step, that he was barely paying attention to where he was going. He should probably work on that.

Nick crawled toward the store, which was thankfully only a few feet in front of him, and used the porch to haul himself up. He managed to stand for a moment, before falling right back down on his ass.

Well at least he wasn't face down booty up anymore, so that was a plus. No need to give those clowns any ideas, he saw Buggy's bedroom. But that was still a problem. He needed to move, he just couldn't. He was spent, completely and utterly.

Looking out at the courtyard, he couldn't help but admire the simple beauty of it. The cobblestone street, the colorful, rustic architecture, the long faced dog staring at him.

What, when did that get there? Was he really so unaware of his surroundings that he failed to notice a dog he collapsed near? Turns out, yes, yes he was.

The dog kept staring at him, not blinking. If Nick was honest with himself, it was kinda creepy. "Uh, hey boy. You don't mind if I rest here for a moment, do you?"

The dog stared at him for a few more seconds, before turning around and gazing out at the courtyard, seemingly deciding that Nick wasn't a threat. Guess that means he had his approval, at least for now.

But Nick could swear that dog looked familiar. It was on the tip of his fog covered mind. Any second now, and it would come to him. Yes, any moment, he would gain that flash of inspiration that jogged his shitty memory.

…Any second now.

…Or not.

Nick groaned as he lay against a support beam, his eyes closing in exhaustion, "Maybe just a quick nap." He knew he shouldn't, knew he needed to get away, but he was just too tired. The whole day had been too much for him, and he was done with a capital D.

Besides, what was the worst that could happen? That was his challenge to Murphy as he zonked out. A challenge that would be happily accepted.

***Line Break***

Nami was a cautious woman by heart, something she had to be to survive her line of work. Stealing from pirates and influential assholes came with more than a little risk, so her stealth game was on point. She was like a kunoichi, beautiful and deadly in equal measures.

Her newest companion however, was more akin to a bull hopped up on drugs, rampaging through a china shop. He had no sense of self preservation whatsoever. Everytime they rounded a corner, Nami would check to see if the coast was clear, while the rubber idiot just waltzed out into the open.

Was he trying to get them killed? Did eating a Devil Fruit destroy all common sense, or was he just naturally a reckless fool? Regardless, he was driving her insane, and not just from his lack of self preservation, it was also from-

"Are we there yet?"

His incessant whining. Was he really a pirate? From her own experience, pirates didn't tend to complain this much. Well, at least not until she stole their treasure that is. Then they complained a lot.

"Almost. Just have some patience, would you?" she whispered/hissed at him. This was going to be a long day, she could just feel it. Actually, it's already been a long day, he was just making it longer.

"Fine…" Luffy moaned out. He didn't see why he couldn't just charge in there and kick this Buggy guy's ass already. Didn't she want to save her friend? Doesn't she know that the longer they take the more likely it is that he would die? Whatever, girls were weird.

Nami sighed as Luffy seemed to shut his mouth for the time being. Good, now if everything went according to plan, they would be able to ambush the Buggy Pirates. He would keep them distracted, while she snuck in and rescued her friend. That was the plan anyway, and as long as they don't get caught, they should be able to-

"Hey Luffy," a deep voice interrupted her chain of thought. Are you kidding? The moment Luffy shut his trap was the moment they got caught? Should she have just let him start screaming then? Would that have kept them hidden?

The both of them looked behind them to see a pair of individuals. An imposing man in a white shirt, dark green pants that were almost black, and a forest green haramaki belt holding three black swords. His hair was also a light shade of green and he had three earrings in his left ear.

The man next to him was the complete opposite. He was older, with curly white hair and a yellow flannel button up shirt. His shorts were black and barely came to his knees. On his feet were a pair of sandals, and he wore a pair of round glasses on his face. But his most distinctive feature was his armor. It was made of cured leather, but shaped in a way that made it look like he was wearing whiskey barrels for protection. He was also holding a spear in one hand.

Nami herself started to panic, sweat coming down her forehead as she stared at the newcomers. The older gentleman had a similar expression on his face. Neither of them knew what to do in this situation, and so resorted to staring.

Luffy however, had no such qualms, "Zoro! You made it," he exclaimed with a cheer. Nami gave her companion a look. Did these two know each other? It certainly seemed like it by Luffy's happy expression, quite the opposite to what the man named Zoro looked like. He looked like someone put salt in his coffee.

Wait a minute… Zoro? Nami could have sworn she heard that name before, but where?

"No thanks to you. What the hell were you thinking?" Zoro asked gruffly, his eyes squinted in annoyance. It was a similar look Nami had when dealing with the rubber man.

"I was thinking about breakfast. My bad," Luffy explained with a laugh.

"Dumbass," Zoro sighed, hand rubbing his face in irritation. He then turned his gaze toward Nami, who stiffened at the sudden attention. His eyes narrowed with suspicion, "And who are you?"

Nami gulped a bit, slightly intimidated by the green haired man. She opened her mouth to speak, more than likely to tell him off, but a certain straw hat wearing individual beat her to it.

"This is Nami, she's our new navigator."

"Oh yeah?" Zoro responded, eyes gaining a speculative look.

"Temporary navigator," Nami corrected, which went completely ignored by the other two as they started to bicker about which one of them was worse with directions. Was this her life now, surrounded by idiots on all sides? Did she do something wrong? Was she being punished for a past life?

Watching them for a bit, her memory suddenly sparked to life, "Wait a minute? Are you Roronoa Zoro, the Pirate Hunter? Why would you join a pirate crew?"

The two of them stopped their bickering, turning to face her. The man in question gave a huff of annoyance, "It's a long story. And I never called myself that. I needed food, so I started collecting bounties, simple as that."

"I see," she responded. It wasn't like it was a terrible reason to become a bounty hunter, though most of the ones she met were in it believing they could get rich quick. Or they just thought they were hot shit. Those ones tended to die pretty quickly, so Nami could appreciate his simple reasoning.

She then turned to the other person, the one who had been ignored until now, "And who are you?"

Said man stood a little straighter, "My name is Boodle, and I'm the mayor of this town."

"That explains the pompous posturing," thought Nami. "So, how did you two meet?" she asked, not letting her thoughts show. No need to make another enemy, she had enough of them in this town as it is.

"Oh, well, I was with the rest of the town, hiding in the forest, when this young man stumbled into our encampment. I thought for sure it was one of those scoundrels with Buggy, and that we were done for. Thankfully, that wasn't the case, and it was only a lost and confused stranger."

"Hey wait a minute," started Zoro, only to be cut off by Nami.

"I see. And then you brought him into town?"

"That's right, young lady. I was just about to charge in and face Buggy myself, so it wasn't any real trouble."

Zoro's eye twitched as they continued to converse, completely ignoring him. So far, he wasn't sure about their new navigator, but he wasn't the Captain. All he could do was keep an eye on her and make sure she wasn't up to anything. Something about her just rubbed him the wrong way, his gut telling him she would be trouble, and a man always listens to his gut.

Something that might explain his sense of direction.

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud crash, coming from the center of town. They could see in the distance, a dust cloud riding in the air. Something had to have happened.

"W-what was that?" Nami stammered. Everyone's gazes were fixed on the direction of the noise, with Zoro and Luffy having a hardened look in their eyes. Well, Zoro did anyway. Luffy's was more blank but it was more serious than before.

"Those damn pirates. I won't stand for them destroying my town any longer. You hear that Buggy! I'm coming for you!" Boodle yelled as he charged toward the noise. The others could only stare flabbergasted as he raced ahead.

"We have to stop him! They'll kill him for sure," Nami stated, giving the other two a firm look. Luffy and Zoro gave each other a look, before shrugging their shoulders.

"Why not? I could use a good fight anyway."

"Shishishi, let's go!"

The three of them darted off after the mayor, intent on saving him. Or at the very least beating someone up, which would in turn, save the mayor.

They caught up to him fairly quickly. He was old and it wasn't that far. Boodle was standing at the entrance of the courtyard, and across from them to the left, was a cloud of dust and debris coming from a building with a large hole in it.

But that wasn't what caught their attention. No, that was reserved for the big ass lion right dab in the center of the courtyard.

"Is that a lion!? What's a lion doing in the middle of town?" Nami screamed. Luffy and Zoro only stared at the scene, while Boodle glared in anger, "That's one of Buggy's circus animals, under the control of Beast Tamer Mohji."

That made sense, at least to Nami. Afterall, she did run into a bear while on his boat. A bear that was on fire the last time she saw it. A bear that was rightly angry at Nick for setting it ablaze.

They didn't have time for this, they needed to find her friend, and quickly. If one of their top members was here, even if she couldn't see him, that means there was less back at their headquarters. It was the perfect time to strike.

But before Nami could voice her opinion, Zoro cut her off, "What's that under its paw?"

Nami's voice died in her throat as she, along with Luffy and Boodle, squinted their eyes to see what Zoro was talking about. Underneath the lion's paw was a struggling figure, biting and clawing at the beast above it.

"It looks like a little dog," said Luffy.

"Chouchou!" screamed Boodle.

"Chouchou?" thought everyone else.

"You know that dog old guy?" asked Luffy in his usual carefree and disrespectful manner. The mayor was gritting his teeth and shaking in rage. It was obvious he knew the animal and cared for it a great deal.

"That's Chouchou. He belonged to a friend of mine before he died. Now he sits there and guards the pet store. It's his treasure."

"I see," said Luffy, his hand going up to hold his hat. An action that meant little to Boodle or Nami, but Zoro had a good idea what his Captain was thinking about, having been told the story of how he obtained that hat. It also meant there was a good chance of him getting involved, which didn't bother the swordsman at all. He needed the exercise.

Suddenly, Chouchou managed to wiggle just enough to be able to bite the oversized lion. It roared in pain and anger, the little dog having a much stronger bite than one would expect, given its size.

"Yeah, you go doggy!" yelled Luffy in excitement. Nami rolled her eyes. Boys sure do love their violence. Not like her. She was a delicate, gentle soul, that wouldn't hurt a fly. Its death would be swift and painless after all.

The lion growled in anger as it raised its paw into the air. Chouchou, refusing to let go, was raised with it. With a roar, the lion swung its paw, and despite the impressive jaw strength of the brave little dog, it was sent flying, smashing into a building.

"Chouchou, no!" yelled Boodle. Nami covered her mouth in horror. It was hard to watch, the things pirates did to innocent people. Or in this case, innocent dogs. Just another reason to hate them.

"Damn you! You'll pay for that!" yelled Boodle, before he charged the lion, raising his spear as he did so.

"Wait a minute!" shouted Nami. He couldn't beat that thing. At least she didn't think he could. If he went in there now, he was just going to throw his life away.

"Huh, didn't think the old man had it in him," commented Zoro.

"Aren't you going to stop him?" asked Nami, turning her gaze toward him.

"Why should I? He's made up his mind. I won't stand between another man and his battle," Zoro stated firmly. Nami growled at him before she turned to the last remaining person who could help.

"Luffy?"

But said pirate was only staring at the scene, an actual serious expression on his face. Something she hasn't seen before. But he also wasn't moving, he was just watching.

Nami clenched her fists. What did she expect? They were pirates after all. Why would they care if some random old man died?

"Stay away from Chouchou!" yelled the mayor, pulling Nami out of her thoughts. She watched as he thrust his shoddy weapon at the lion, who merely jumped back and avoided the attack. It shouldn't surprise her that the lion was so agile, given that the bear could do backflips, but it still did. Giant animals should not be capable of that!

The lion growled at the mayor, before letting out a massive roar, one that stole whatever bravado the mayor was feeling, as he fell right onto his ass, shaking with fear.

"What's wrong Ritchie?" questioned a voice from inside the pet shop.

The group turned to see who it was, noticing a silhouette hidden by the dust. Slowly it emerged to reveal a person, or at least something that looked like a person.

Standing on the pet shop's porch was a man wearing blue pants and a yellow sash. But that was where the normal attire ended. On his feet were shoes shaped like an animal's paws, and his torso was covered in a fur vest. But only his chest, leaving his midriff bare. His hair was white, shaped like an animal's ears, making it look like he has four ears, and he has a short white beard.

"Who's this clown?" questioned Zoro. Nami couldn't have put it better herself. The weirdo definitely looked like he belonged with Buggy.

The weirdo stepped out of the pet store, holding a whip in his hand, dragging something as he exited. With each step he took, the sound of whatever it was being dragged got louder, until they could make out a body. But not just any body, it was one that Nami immediately recognized.

"Nick!"