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[lordofthesea]

[He sees her sitting in the bar. Just like that. And maybe it's not her but it is. He can tell. A shock grips his spine, grits his teeth so that they hum against one another and his hands clench. He recongizes it and hates it. But more importantly. It's her. Sitting there. As if she has any business even still being alive.]

[He comes up behind her in a slow even step, looking around for any of the other impudent humans that had been with her. That had destroyed his crew, his park, his dream. There is only her, though, sitting alone and as he comes up right to her back he restrains himself from knocking her from her seat and sending her sprawling across the hardwood floor.

Just like he used to.]

Comments

Tis only a flesh wound!

[lordofthesea]

[He looks different somehow. DOesn't matter. There's something stirring. Something in the focused look in his eyes. Tch. It doesn't matter. He's not--

The world greys, narrows, centers on that damn face and and then a fist punches straight through his brain. Breath stops. Heart stops. Everything twists and cracks and he wants to sink into darkness.]

Forces his eyes open. On the ground. Clawing at it. Foam dripping between his teeth. Breath shuddering against his ribs. Black around his vision. Not beaten. Not yet.

Not...yet....]

This is my "You're late, captain" icon. Also keyw-- wait, never mind.

[mikangirl]

[Nami had kind of greyed out in there somewhere-- mindful of Luffy's arrival and therefore relieved and not afraid at all that Arlong would actually succeed in killing her. She's ashamed too, for her own reasons.

She's on the verge of passing out when his grip loosens suddenly and she falls with him. Air. Nami erupts into painful coughing, raising an arm to try and push herself away from Arlong. Not very successfully, given there are black spots in front of her eyes and her limbs feel like rubber.]

Oh no....you don't....

[lordofthesea]

[He sees her wriggling like a predator spots movement in the water. The action. Nothing else. Grabs onto her leg tightly with all the strength he has left.

Won't give up.

Won't lose again.

To a human.

To him]

Oh yes I do. :|

[straw_hat]

[The second Nami is down, he runs over to help her sit upright. He really wishes Chopper was here, but for now, he can get Nami to safety. He won't shake her, just.

Gently move her back and forth.]

Oi, Nami! Can you hear me? Na-- [He cuts off when he sees his hand reach for Nami's leg. OH NO YOU DON'T. He puts Armament haki in his leg, making it like steel. And then.

Stomps on it. Can you tell he's pissed?] SHE'S MY NAKAMA!!!!

Oh yes he does. B|

[mikangirl]

[Luffy stop shaking her back and forth she'll be fine in a minute and--

--you know what, she barely registers Arlong touched her, Luffy stomped on him so fast. My hero.

Cough. She'll now succeed in rolling away from his outflung hand, voice croaky.] 'm okay.

[But you know, feel free to keep hitting him.]

That plan...was not thought out well ...at all

[lordofthesea]

[There is no way

that a human foot

can hurt

that much.

Bones crack but he keeps the scream in through sheer force of will.]

[One thing is certain...

He is not strong enough.]

Hey! Poorly thought out plans are Luffy's forte! >:|

[straw_hat]

[No, you're not strong enough, so just stay there. He turns back to Nami, still a bit concerned.]

You sure? You don't sound that great. [He keeps one hand imbued with Armament just in case Arlong tries anything else.]

As his hard done by navigator I can attest to this.

[mikangirl]

Mm. [Hand waving at him, don't worry about it. It just hurts to talk a little, that's all. Her gaze sweeps across Arlong, and the mess Luffy made of his arm.

Vast power difference now, isn't there?

And she still couldn't deal with it on her own. She sighs.]

Let's just get out of here.

[lordofthesea]

[He registers that they are leaving. Or, at least, that Nami wants to go. Fine. Let them leave for now. But first...

[He pushes himself up with all the strength he has, the light moving to pinpricks in his eyes, until he is sitting upright, arms folded, injured hand hidden.]

[They will leave but he refuses to let them see him crushed and defeated.]

Not if he has one drop of blood left in his body.]

[straw_hat]

[He nods, helping her stand up.] Okay.

[He sense Arlong moving, and immediately whips around, standing front of Nami to protect her from further harm. He glares at him, but doesn't see any major threat coming from him.]

C'mon, Nami. [He'd rather get you to Chopper quickly than fight him again.]

[mikangirl]

[She wonders if she should say something to Arlong. Some final words. But honestly, her throat hurts like hell, and...

...he doesn't deserve that much acknowledgement from her. What's done is done.

Nami turns for the splintered door and doesn't look back.]

[straw_hat]

[He finally turns his back to Arlong, following Nami out. Geez, he'd really like to give Arlong a piece of his mind for that.

He'll give you his bit for you in a minute.] D'you need to see Chopper?

[mikangirl]

No. [It's immediate, if hoarse, and Nami's expression flattens. She'd rather none of them saw the bruises Arlong left, to be perfectly honest.] I'm fine, Luffy.

[Except for the part where she panicked. She knows she did, now.]

[straw_hat]

Okay. [He puts his hands on his hips, just a little bit miffed now.]

Geez, how come you couldn't just kick his ass!? [HEY, YOU SAID YOU WERE FINE...]

[mikangirl]

[Oh gee thanks, Captain. B| That stings, but she only darts an annoyed look his way, too bruised for anything else. Besides, he's right.]

He had a hostage.

[straw_hat]

You could've saved both of you! [Crossing his arms, Nami what is wrong with you!]

You're strong, you can do it.

[mikangirl]

[...

She can't refute that. All it would have taken was a little forethought. A little precision. She could have taken him out without even touching that little girl. If she'd been fast enough. If she'd been... she could've done any number of things.

Hindsight. But Arlong threatened a child, just like...]


I panicked.

[straw_hat]

[He knows Nami very well. She barely panics for anything, and when she actually panics and doesn't just freak out from adventure, he knows it had to have been something bad. So for now, he doesn't speak and just gently pats her on the head, rubbing it a little.]

'S okay now.

[mikangirl]

It's not okay. [If he knows her well, he'd have expected this part, too, scowling in annoyance. It's self-directed, for once. ...mostly.] You're right. I can wipe the floor with Arlong now. I could have dealt with him before he took a damn hostage. So why can't I?

[straw_hat]

[Well, he figured this would happen. He intertwines his fingers, holing the back of his head in his hands. He's not lecturing or scolding, just stating the facts.]

'Cause you're still scared. He got his ass kicked, and wasn't a threat to you anymore.

But that was us, not you. You're still worried what happened before will happen again, with you or someone else. You know him better than us, that's why you would.

[mikangirl]

It won't happen with me. It won't ever happen...

[Back to the child, again.

Before Arlong had picked the little girl up, Nami had been deliberating with herself whether or not to just outright kill him. He'd threatened Cocoyashi.

"How many times have you tried to kill me, Nami?"

She would have succeeded this time. Easily. And that scared her again. For entirely different reasons. And so she hesitated.

...Luffy's right, of course. She just can't deal with Arlong rationally.]

[straw_hat]

[He just gives her a side glance, and then looks back to the sky.]

Whether it does or not, we'll be there for you.

Nami, it's not a bad thing to not want to kill someone. Sure, you may want Arlong dead, but that doesn't mean you want to be the one to kill him. I'm not sure if it's because you don't want to be a killer, or you're scared to try. Either way, it's okay. Standing up to him like you did... that was brave.