12 12. Nami and Nojiko.

Ethan using his tracking ability gained due to Cosmic awareness moved towards the direction where Nojiko was.

[ I have to make Nojiko, tell the truth about Nami to the crew somehow. I have to do things fast and train the crew to be strong, we will have to fight people like Smoker and Crocodile soon, so I want to learn to use Armament Haki before I meet Logia users like them.]

Ethan thought to himself as he walked on the road towards Nojiko's location.

After walking for a while Ethan finally felt Nojiko's presence and led the group towards her.

"Let's talk to that girl. I have a feeling that we will get answers about Nami from her."

Ethan said to the crew and walked towards Nojiko before the crew could ask the answers of the questions he didn't know how to answer.

The trio of Zoro, Usopp and Johnny followed Ethan as Ethan walked towards Nojiko.

As Ethan was walking towards Nojiko Ethan was looking at four people walking towards her, and neither one of them was familiar to her. She understood that they were outsiders and looked at them warily.

Ethan walked to Nojiko, the looked at her face and asked

"Hello I am Ethan. I was hoping if you have seen our friend Nami?"

Ethan asked to Nojiko as politely as possible.

Nojiko raised her guard against the four people at the mention of Nami. She knew Nami would never make friends given her current condition.

"I don't know anyone by that name and why are you looking for her?"

Nojiko asked to Ethan without her expression changing the slightest.

"I can tell that you are lying. I can tell when someone lies. We are her friends and we are looking for after she came to this island and we got separated,"

Ethan explained to Nojiko but she didn't believe Ethan.

[Why is talking to girls so difficult.] Ethan thought to himself after seeing Nojiko not budging an inch from her decision.

I know her, so what?. You think I will believe you, when a stranger shows up with some shady people walking behind him and tells me that you know Nami."

Nojiko says to Ethan coldly.

Ethan was confused on how to break her defense, then he had an idea.

"You must be the sister she told us about."

Ethan said and Nojiko's expression faltered a little.

"Yes, I am her sister. If you know my sister then tell me about all of you?" Nojiko said after thinking for a while and her expression was a little less cold than before. She knew that Nami will not tell about her to just anyone.

Ethan smiled and introduced all of the four people to Nojiko.

"As I said I am Ethan and I am a swordsman.

This is Roronoa Zoro , a swordsman and also a bounty hunter.

This is Usopp, a marksman

And finally Johnny, a bounty hunter."

Ethan Introduced each and everyone of them to Nojiko but he withheld the information about them being pirates.

After hearing them about being bounty hunters she was conflicted. She kept her guard up and said to them

"Follow me, This place is not safe for bounty hunters."

She started to walk to her house as the four men followed behind her.

As Ethan and the rest were following behind her Usopp asked Ethan in a small voice so that Nojiko couldn't hear what the group was talking about

"Why didn't you tell Nojiko that we are pirates and told her that we are bounty hunters?

And how did you know that she was Nami's sister?"

"Do you think she would trust pirates when a pirate has caused do much destruction in his island, that's why I didn't tell her we were pirates.

And about Nojiko being Nami's sister I just guessed seeing how protective Nojiko looked of Nami."

Ethan said to Usopp and kept following Nojiko.

After waling a while they finally reached a small house near the forests.

They went inside the house and Nojiko offered them chairs to sit and they all sat down waiting to hear about Nami.

After they sat Ethan looked at Nojiko and asked

"We were travelling in the seas with Nam when all of a sudden she ran away. I noticed that she had started acting weird after seeing Arlong's bounty poster.

I was hoping that you can tell us why she did so?"

Nojiko flinched at the mention of Arlong and after hearing Ethan she thought to herself

[She ran away after seeing Arlong's poster that means, either she scammed them taking their money and ran

Or, she wanted to keep them safe so she ran away without telling them anything.]

Nojiko decided something then looked at the four people standing in front of her.

"Nami is part of Arlong pirates, one of the Officers, and Officers are the highest ranking members of Arlong's crew."

Nojiko said to the four people standing in front of her.

[This is fine, if they are after her because she robbed them, after hearing the name of Arlong, they will run away and if they are her friends they will go back thinking she betrayed them and they will be safe from Arlong as she wanted.]

Nojiko thought to herself.

Zoro, Usopp and Johnny were shocked hearing that Nami is part of Arlong's crew.

"Che. I knew she couldn't be trusted." Zoro said while making a disgusted face.

"So she is part of Arlong's crew huh."

Usopp said while looking thoughtful.

"She is such a witch right, Everyone in the town tells her the same. Even after Arlong caused such destruction in the village Nami joined the Arlong pirates."

Nojiko said to the crew.

Ethan could sense that Nojiko was very angry inside and sad too. He was getting used to sensing people's emotion due to enhanced sensed of Cosmic awareness as well as Observation Haki.

"That's enough." Ethan said in an angry tone. He was tired of all this bullshit.

"Nojiko, I told you when people lie. I know you are telling the truth about Nami joining the Arlong pirates but you are not telling us the whole truth."

Ethan said to Nojiko in an angry tone.

Nojiko and Ethan kept staring at each other and it they were having a fierce battle just by looking at each other. Finally Nojiko sighed and remained silent for a few seconds.

She then started to talk about their childhood, how Bell-mère adopted them and how they were raised in this village. She started to tell the group how Arlong pirates came to the island causing destruction and killing people. People had to pay tribute to the Arlong pirates just to stay alive.

She also told how Bell-mère didn't have enough money to pay for all of them so she just paid for Nami and Nojiko and how Bell-mère died after paying tribute for Nami and Nojiko.

She told them about how Nami made a deal with Arlong to buy the Cocoyashi from Arlong.

After hearing the full story from Nojiko Usopp was crying and Zoro had anger on his face and Johnny was holding back his tears.

[I already knew the story but after hearing from Nojiko's mouth, it seems I had undermined what happened. I will not wait for things to how they went in the anime. I will have to take control. Sorry Luffy.]

Ethan thought to himself.

While they disturbed hearing what had happened Nami walked into the house after returning from Arlong park.

"Nojiko, I'm back. I only need two or three more trips, then I will have money needed to buy this island."

When finally saw the people inside the house she was shocked and she gaped.

"Hey Nami, how are you?" Ethan asked Nami while smirking.

"How are you people here?" Nami asked them in shock.

"You ran so of course we had to follow you here.

Why did you hide about Arlong from us?"

Ethan said to Nami .

Nami looked at Nojiko and Nojiko nodded in confirmation.

"I don't need your help. That's why. I have collected money for years since when I was a child and only a little money is left for me to buy this village. I never wanted to join you pirates. I just travelled with you because it was a advantageous for me." Nami said to Ethan looking him at disgust because he was a pirate.

"Wait, you guys are pirates, why did you lie to me?"

Nojiko said in anger when she heard from Nami that the people standing before her are pirates.

"Calm down, I am a swordsman and vice captain of the Straw hat pirates. This is Zoro, former bounty hunter and now a member of Straw hat pirates and Usopp marksman of the Straw hat pirates. And finally Johnny he is a bounty hunter and is not part of our crew."

Ethan explained to Nojiko but she was still looking at them angrily.

Ethan sighed and turned towards Nami and waved his hand. All sorts of gold bars, jewels, diamonds and rubies started to pile up in front of Nami. If sold those Nami would get millions of berries from it.

Nami looked at the riches with greed and stretched her hands towards it but then at the last moment before she touched it she retracted her hand.

"Why are you helping me, why didn't you abandon me, when I stole your ship and ran.

Why did you come all the way here looking for me and helping me again?"

Nami asked to Ethan looking confused.

"Because you are our friend. Even if you don't want to join our crew that's fine for now. But I will still help you. So don't be stubborn and hand the money to Arlong and buy the village tomorrow morning as it's evening now."

Ethan said to Nami.

Nami nodded and took the jewels and the gold bars into her room. Nojiko followed after and the crew were left in the room.

Ethan turned to Zoro and said

"Keep your guard up. I have a feeling Arlong will try something. He will not let a good navigator like Nami leave just like that." Zoro nodded after listening to Ethan.

They decided to spend the night in Nami's house. They ate the food that was made by Nojiko and slept.

In the morning they all woke up and sat down to have breakfast. Nami came out of her room with a smile in her face. She sat down and ate the food happily.

"Let's go buy an island." Ethan said with a smile and they all walked out of the house.

"Look marines are here." Usopp said after he spotted some marines walking towards them with a man with a rat like face leading them. Genzo was also walking beside them was had sullen exprerssion.

The marines walked toward the group and stood before them.

"I am Nezumi. I heard that a thief named Nami has hidden money that she has stole here somewhere. I am here to confiscate it." Nezumi said with a sly smile.

Nojiko and Nami were shocked a well as Zoro,Usopp and Jonnhy.

Ethan stepped in front of Nezumi and said " Go back. I know who sent you here. Rat of Arlong.

You never interfered when Arlong invaded the island killed people in the village and when he offered money you came here. Return back or else I will make sure you cannot go back on two legs."

"Who are you and why are you interfering in marine's work. Do you want me to label you criminals and capture you all?" Nezumi said to Ethan.

"Start looking around?"

Nezumi gave orders to the marines and the marines started looking around.

Ethan grabbed Nezumi and gave a solid right handed punch to Nezumi's face and Nezumi fell to the ground.

He started coughing blood and teeth and started rolling on the ground in pain.

"Capture this man." Nezumi shouted from the ground and marines started to run towards Ethan some with swords and some pointed their rifles towards Ethan.

Ethan activated his sharingan and looked at the marines. The marines looked afraid after seeing blood red eyes looking at them. They didn't even move one step after seeing the sharingan.

Ethan used conquerors haki at the marines and some of them fell down on the ground unconscious.

[It's not strong enough yet] Ethan thought to himself.

After seeing what happened Nezumi started to shake in fear.

He got up and ran away and turned back saying

"I will remember you. I will make you a pirate and put a bounty on your head."

After seeing their leader run away the marines carried those who were unconscious and ran away.