Chapter 39

"How many days will it take to reach Armong, Nami?" Luffy asked the navigator of the ship.

He was sitting on his favorite seat on the Merry, looking at the vast ocean, hearing shanties carried by the wind and his mother from pirates, merchants and marines alike.

Nami sighed, giving up to understanding how Luffy understands that she is here. In fact, Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji were also there. All to discuss about... some things. Yosaku and Johnny had been asked to fish since they thought it was appropriate for them to not know what they were about to talk.

"Are you sure about it, Luffy?" She asked for the umpteenth time. She didn't want her friends to be killed at all.

Luffy turned around to face his friends with a big wide smile, "I'm absolutely sure!" His smile took a feral edge to it as he further said, "He has made my navigator cry, he needs to pay for it."

"But he is a fishman!" Nami retorted, even though she knew this was a losing match.

"So?" It was Zoro who asked, with his arms crossed over his chest and a feral smile like that of Luffy on his face.

Nami mentally facepalmed. Sure, Luffy and Zoro were both idiots.

"He is 100 times stronger than you all," Nami pointed out.

"Nami-san, I won't let the bastard live. How dare he made such a beautiful lady cry? He will pay for his sins!" Sanji stated, gritting his teeth, making Nami feel lucky to have such wonderful friends.

"You guys..." Nami mumbled with slightly glossy eyes.

"Hey did you forgot that Luffy and Zoro both challenged Mihawk and have lived to tell a tale?" Usopp pointed out. He was feeling that they will win this fight if Zoro and Luffy were at their side.

Nami sighed and rubbed her temples. "I seriously still don't know how that happened. And heck, Luffy challenged the Warlord and came out unscathed?! Seriously, I don't know anything about it," Nami then looked at Luffy, who was grinning wide, and said sternly, "But we won't go straight off to the fight."

"Why not?" Luffy asked cocking his head to the side.

"Well, I think we should avoid fighting if at all possible," The single sentence made the color come back in Usopp's face, who was a little bit frightened about the fight. "With what I got from Krieg's armor, I think I have enough to buy back the village," Nami said, determined to save the crew from Arlong's wrath. "The rest of the money is buried under the tangerine grove. We can dock the ship near my house, and I can get the money to hand over to Arlong."

"Okay," Luffy said understanding most of the part of the plan. "But if it doesn't work then we'll just beat them up."

"Dear Nami-swan, you look so pretty while making plans," Sanji gushed before turning to Zoro, who grunted in dissatisfaction. "What was that, you moss head?"

"Curly brows," Zoro said with a glare and then proceeded to say, "Whatever, I still think it's naive to think that we'd get away without a fight. I don't think that fish is going to keep his word at all!"

"We'll try Nami's way first," Luffy said cutting off any argument which would have arose between two, who were about to declare each other as their sworn enemy.

"Fine," Zoro relented, leaning against the railing. His chest wound wasn't hurting much anymore, but it still itched whenever he moved too much.

"I have a question," Sanji said lighting a cigarette. "Why didn't anyone take you to a doctor when you fainted?" He was curious about it. Since he can clearly see that the crew loved the youngest but what was with them when he fainted? They left him clearly to die.

Nami, Usopp and Zoro exchanged a look and looked at Luffy, who decided to look away from everyone's eyes and look straight at the vast, quiet and calm ocean.

But the question was Luffy's to answer, so Luffy scrunched his face in distaste and replied, "I hate doctors!" He had never needed one and whenever he went to one, they started looking at him like he was not... normal, except Ivankov and some other guys, only because they were used to him.

"We learnt it in a hard way that taking Luffy to a doctor is a bad news," Usopp replied Sanji's question making him raise his eyebrows and think of the possible tantrums a kid can throw regarding not seeing a doctor.

But well, that gave the idea of getting a doctor in the crew. It was important. A doctor who Luffy wouldn't be afraid of and most importantly would trust to. 

"How are we supposed to help you when something get wrong with you?" Nami asked immediately. She didn't want to see Luffy all pale again ever in her life.

"Don't worry about me," Luffy stated with his signature smile. But that wasn't enough for them right now.

"Listen Luffy, you are our captain," Zoro said in a serious voice. "What kind of crew are we if we do not know when and how to aid our captain?"

"Zoro thinks too much," Luffy said with a soft smile and jumped off his seat from Merry. "But if some thing like that happens then don't worry, I'll be up soon!"

"Come to think of it," Usopp said making a thinking gesture. "Why did you faint in the first place?" He had this question in his mind from the very first time he had seen the teen faint after Kuro's fight. That time, they all can blame to the eerie transformation (which still gave him chills) but this time nothing like that even happened.

Luffy pouted at the question but none the less replied, "First, I got the winds to get Merry safe to the other side and then when Zoro was fighting, my anger made the lightnings to crash, which further drained my energy," He replied nonchalantly, not even looking at the widened expressions of everyone.

"W-W-What?!!" Usopp shrieked, not understanding a thing!

"I thought devil fruits gave users only one type of power?" Sanji whispered with widened eyes.

"How did you control them?" Nami asked with baffled expression.

"How does lightning and wind has anything to do with rubber?" Zoro asked the next, unable to curtain his curiosity. He clearly remembers Luffy being hesitant to say anything about his powers when they first met, but he couldn't have even imagined this.

In all this, Luffy had started sweating and had put his hands on his mouth to keep quiet. He was again too late to realize that he shouldn't have said those. But he trusts his friends... But what if they run away from him due to fear?

This all indicated to the strawhats that Luffy was not lying at all, which they desperately wished that he was doing. But they clearly remembered the lightning, also the crew in the Syrup Village remembers the blood curling thunder which had announced its arrival, which had scared the shit out of some of them.

Everything was coming to piece slowly. Nami understood why she was never able to predict them 'cause they were not natural, they responded to Luffy. They were controlled by Luffy... Well that's a lot to take.

"What is your devil fruit, Luffy?" Nami asked. Her eyes were slowly filling with horror and awe. She couldn't tell what she was feeling at all.

It's not like Luffy didn't trust his crew, but it's just that he didn't want some bastards to know yet that he has returned. So, he tried lying.

"Rubber...?"

But he failed miserably under the gaze of his friends and crew, and in return got disappointed looks from his friends. He hated it, so he decided to say it but before giving them a warning.

"The name will make you the worst target of the World Government itself. Do you still wanna know?" Luffy warned in a low voice. He didn't want to make them face problem this early on, when they were not ready for the madness which would be the New World yet.

Luffy turned to look at his friends, to burst out laughing. Nami and Usopp were completely pale, as if they have seen a ghost while Sanji and Zoro were able to keep their faces calm, but inside they were a bit panicked. But he could tell each one of them wanted to know more about his powers and him.

It was Sanji who decided to break the silence. He took a drag from his cigarette, took a breath and then looked at Luffy.

"The name is going to come out sooner or later, so I don't care about it much," Sanji stated calmly. "But for my dear Nami-swan's safety I won't be asking."

"Luffy, we have swore to follow you," Zoro said calmly, getting up from where he was sitting and facing directly to Luffy. "So, it's your choice but know it that I'm with you regardless of anything."

Luffy giggled at that and let a soft smile settle on his face. He knows he can trust his crew more than anything, after all he has the best crew in the World!

"I renamed it as Hito Hito no mi: Model Nika," Luffy stated with a giggle. "It sounds better than the name the World Government gave it to hide it."

"That's way different than the Gomu Gomu no mi which you told us!" Nami pointed out, forgetting the fact that now that she knows the name she is one of the worst target of the World Government but someone looked like he remembered it.

"W-W-We ju-just became targets for the World Government!" Usopp shrieked, paling rapidly and it was then when Nami came in and realized what had just happened.

"AAAHHHH!!!" Nami screamed getting hold of the situation. "I don't wanna die young!" She cried as she feel on her knees just like Usopp and they cried together in fear of getting hunted by the World Government.

"No one knows we know it," Zoro sweat dropped and pointed it out, making Nami and Usopp realize that and quickly look at their vicinity for any marine ship, all the while Luffy couldn't control his laugh and burst out laughing.

"Don't worry my dear Nami-swan! I am going to protect you," Sanji yelled out and noodled his way to Nami to protect her from any unforeseen danger with hearts in his eyes, only to get "Pervert cook!" from Zoro. He was about to yell at the swordsman but got pounded on the deck by Nami-swan's so so smooth fists.

Luffy chuckled and swore that day that no matter what, he is gonna protect his friends from anything that they face. He wants to see them so lively always.

"WAIT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU RENAMED IT?!"

"Oops?" Luffy said with a chuckle and ran away to the kitchen to grab a snack for himself, being chased by an angry Nami and Sanji who was following Nami. Even Usopp was running after him! And Zoro... well he was leaning on the railing and watching him with a soft smile on his face.

This was one of the best days for Luffy! Playing tag with more than half of the crew!

"Shishishishishi!"

It was late night when Luffy crawled out off his hammock, after checking that everyone was indeed deep asleep. Even Zoro who had been exercising, even after hearing shouts from both Nami and Usopp was fast asleep. He had wanted to go to his mother in the early evening, but he couldn't do that with Yosaku and Johnny on board, who clearly knew that devil fruit users can't swim.

Technically, he isn't a devil fruit user, as the humans mostly say, so it doesn't affect him. And why will Mumma even hate him? She hates the beings who have gone ahead and too-

The moon shone brightly above him, making him realize that he was on the deck already. He smiled and went ahead to sit on his favorite place. The spirit of Merry appeared before him, making him greet the little ship spirit. "Hello, Merry!" 

Merry giggled and flew around him, "My greetings, little king!"

"Aww," Luffy stated with a pout. "Don't call me little king! We are nakama."

Merry tilted her head just the way Luffy was used to do. "But what shall I call you then, my little king?"

"Call me Nika or Luffy," Luffy whispered standing on the figurehead of Merry. He can see his mother waiting patiently for him.

"So be it, Nika-sama, have a good evening!" Merry said with a giggle and disappeared making Luffy pout. He didn't like to be addressed that way. It makes him feel way too old but it's okay if Merry likes to call him that.

With that thought, Luffy jumped in his mother's arms, which cradled him instantly. The warmth his mothers cold arms brought to him was indescribable. He so so loves it, because he knows that at some point, he wouldn't get it.

"Little King!" "Will you play with us tonight?"

Nika giggled. He sure wasn't sleepy so yosh! He can play all night with his little friends in the water. So, that was how Luffy passed his night playing tag with the little fishes who swam so expertly. Luffy sure needs to get his swimming lessons with Zoro, 'cause he doesn't want to cheat with his friends with his mother's help.

The early rays of sun hit the Merry and in midst woke up the cook. When Sanji woke up, he saw that Luffy was not in his hammock. He shrugged it off thinking to himself that the kid might have went ahead and raided the kitchen, since he obviously looks like the type to do that. He might scold him but he would make him snacks later before the breakfast.

But when Sanji arrived in the kitchen to find it just the way he had left, he felt a little worried. So, he quickly went off to the deck to look for his little captain. And fortunately, he found him lying on Merry's figurehead sleeping soundly. He took a breath of relief which he was holding at the sight of his captain well.

He took his steps back and went back to the boy's dorm to fetch a blanket for the teen. He didn't want to get him sick, specially when his captain hated doctors and straight off refused to see them. When he was about to place the blanket to cover the teen, he found something unusual... Luffy had sand particles clinging to his skin and hair, making some unusual markings like a tattoo.

"Don't bother," A voice came, making him flinch a bit. He turned around and glared at the moss head who caught him clearly.

"What do you mean?" Sanji asked while glaring at the swordsman.

"I meant don't bother to question him about the sand," Zoro stated coming closer and finding the patterns.

"You know about it," Sanji stated in a low voice. He didn't want to wake Luffy up at all.

"Yes, it's the seventh time he has got sand out of no where on his skin and hair," Zoro stated with a sigh. 

Zoro won't associate himself with a morning owl, but whenever he had woken up early than Luffy, he had found him with sand littered on his body, which always made some weird patterns on him. Even one time, he had asked Luffy about it and hell, he really wishes he hadn't heard the absurd answer which had came out of no where.

A yawn cut Zoro and Sanji off their thoughts and made them turn towards Luffy who was sitting up and rubbing his eyes. The sand which had covered him was slowly slipping away, making the onlookers feel that they never existed in the first place.

"Gud morning Zoro, Sanji~!" Luffy chirped with a bright sunny smile, making them reciprocate it.

"Good morning, Luffy!" Zoro and Sanji said at the same time, making each of them glare at each other and Luffy to giggle.

"I'm hungry!" Luffy said with a whine and looked at Sanji. "Sanji! Food!"

"It will be ready in an hour," Sanji said with a sigh and went ahead to the kitchen to cook.

Luffy yawned again and blinked his eyes. He had just slept for ten minutes. He felt a bit tired from playing the whole night with his little fish and sea king friends. But the night was fun and he didn't regret it.

"Go back to sleep," Zoro said, seeing that Luffy wasn't able to keep his eyes open.

"Mhm-hm," Luffy responded and made grabby hands. He has always been carried to bed by his father or brother, when he felt tired.

"What are you a baby?" Zoro grunted seeing Luffy using puppy eyes on him.

"Pwease?" Luffy said with a little whine and unknowingly or knowingly his eyes looked just like a kicked puppy. "I'm tired."

"Fine," Zoro grunted turning around to let his captain who was acting like a baby to hop on.

"Thank you, Zoro!" Luffy whispered, instantly falling asleep and giving Zoro a tick mark.

"Who the hell sleeps that fast?!" Zoro whisper yelled. Not getting an answer, he sighed and walked to the boy's dorm to settle the boy, who instantly clung to his shirt, not allowing him to leave. Zoro sighed and threw a pillow for the boy to cling with instead of his shirt. He watched Luffy snuggle into the pillow and got himself comfortable before falling still and sleeping.

He was becoming a baby sitter, wasn't he? Zoro sighed and left the dorm to do some exercise.

An hour later, Luffy was already awake and playing with Usopp, after getting a quick morning snack from Sanji.

"Breakfast is ready!" Sanji announced saving Usopp from being caught in the tag as Luffy made a beeline for the kitchen forgetting the game of tag they were playing.

"Usopp, can you wake up Yosaku and Johnny too?" Sanji asked but was beat to it, when Zoro came down from the crow's nest with Johnny and Yosaku.

It didn't take long for everyone to gather at the kitchen table. The breakfast was as jovial as it was yesterday, with Luffy attempting to get more food from others.

"We will reach Coconomi Islands by night," Nami stated breaking the little chatter which was going on. She wasn't able to get her to stop shaking and here everyone was chatting as if they were not going to fight with fishmen soon enough.

"That's too long!" Luffy whined, making Nami look up from her plate to Luffy who didn't look scared at all.

"Just one more day then," Zoro said in a way to reason with Luffy.

"Wait! I have an idea!" Luffy said, shoving his remaining food in his mouth and running off from the kitchen.

"What is it this time?" Usopp asked in a low voice. All of Luffy's ideas, which he had witnessed till now were insane. He doesn't want another insane idea coming out of no where.

"Mhhooooo!" A loud cry went off, making Usopp visibly flinch followed by the ship lurching sideways and crashing of many plates. Zoro didn't waste any moment in getting out of the deck with Sanji on tow. But the rest of them decided to peek from the door of the kitchen to the outside deck, not wanting to get caught up or were rather not given the chance to get out since the door got blocked with their heads.

"What the hell is that idiot doing now?!" Nami shouted from the door.

"I don't see how arguing with a sea king is a good idea," Usopp whimpered. Johnny and Yosaku whimpered in agreement from where they had taken refuge after seeing Luffy gesturing wildly at the sea king.

"That's Mohmoo," Nami shouted out so that Luffy could hear. "He's with Arlong!"

"Momo!" Luffy said with a feral grin. "Do you want to be my food or pull this ship and take us to this Awtong guy."

Mohmoo flinched, looking at Luffy. He couldn't even meet his eyes with him. The sea cow gave a loud moo but his voice clearly trembled. Luffy's smile turned big and wide as he heard the sea cow to agree to his demand. The sea cow lowered his head to bow to the little king, making Luffy turn around to give his crew a peace sign and a wide smile.

"He said he'll give us a ride to Nami's island," Luffy announced.

There was a moment of silence before they all finally found their voice to yell out, "WHAT?!"

"Momo will take us to Nami's village!" Luffy repeated with a huff.

"Why?" Usopp wailed. He didn't even want to be in vicinity of a sea king!

"Because it'll be faster!" Luffy reasoned with a cheer.He could have used his wind powers but he doesn't want himself to be drained while fighting the Arlong guy. Moreover, he can't control it well yet sadly.

"Luffy, he's with Arlong!" Nami tried to talk him out of it.

"So?" Luffy asked picking his nose.

"So?! So?!" Nami screeched, squeezing out her way out of the door and finally giving up. It was Luffy after all. "Fine, do what you want."

Zoro came back to the deck carrying some ropes to help Luffy tie Mohmoo up to the ship. He had gone after hearing Luffy's argument with Mohmoo of taking them to Arlong.

Luffy easily tied up the sea king to the ship and sat on its head and kept encouraging the sea cow to go faster and faster, clearly enjoying the ride.

"Is that safe?!" Usopp yelled worriedly to Zoro as they picked up a speed which made everyone grab onto something. "What if he falls?"

Everyone on the ship knew that Luffy couldn't swim and with the new revelation that devil fruit users can't swim, there was another mystery surrounding Luffy who can practically stay in water without sinking. Heck, the kid was even trying to learn to swim!

By the time, the Coconomi Islands were starting to get visible, Mohmoo looked visibly tired and out of breath, but he continued on at the same speed in his hurry to get rid of the sheer danger he felt himself in. After all, the little king never liked the ones who sided with injustice.

"AGGGHHHHHH!!!" Usopp and Nami screamed. "WE ARE GOING TO CRASH!!!!"

"I DON'T WANNA DIE!!!" Yosaku and Johnny yelled in tow, clutching each other.

"MAKE HIM STOP, LUFFY!" Zoro even yelled from his place, holding the mast of the ship.

"DAMN COW! STOP THE HELL!" Sanji shrieked the next and was starting to regret about his decision to join the crazy captain in the first place. But he wouldn't trade it for anything soon enough and he knew it. 

"Hey, you stupid cow! STOP!" Luffy shouted and the cow froze in an instant. But due to the momentum which he was going, the ship lifted from the water several feet high, making the straw hats, including Yosaku and Johnny scream for their lives. But due to some miracle, the ship settled on the sea soon enough, making them fall on their knees and cry out of the sheer fear they had just felt.

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughs freely, after all he had enjoyed the ride the most!

"SHUT UP!" The crew shouted, getting their breaths steady. It was one of the scariest ride they had ever been to! Specially the last part when they were nearly about to be thrown off the Merry but were saved only by a miracle!

"You damn, stupid cow!" Sanji shouted after getting to his legs. "How dare you hurt my dear beautiful Nami-swan!"

But the sea cow wasn't stupid enough to stay a moment longer before the crazy crew and it's captain.

"How the heck did you even convince a cow to do that?!" Usopp asked with a shout, not understanding the thing in the first place.

Luffy just giggled, ignoring Usopp's question and shouted with his hands over head, "Off to Nami's village!" 

He didn't wait for anyone and jumped off the ship, laughing gleefully. They would follow him soon enough, and he wasn't wrong when the others soon followed him, not wanting him to get into any trouble or in Zoro's case not wanting Luffy to get lost.

Nojiko was reading newspaper when she heard a knock to her door. She hated it whenever there would be a knock, because that would usually mean that Arlong's henchmen were back to ask money in place of her life.

Regardless she got up from the table and opened the door to find Nami standing before her.

"Nami!" Nojiko let out and quickly enveloped her younger sister in her arms. 

"Nojiko!" Nami whispered back and Nojiko was quick enough to hear the real smile within the words. She separated herself from her sister and looked at her smiling face. She was really smiling.

How long has it been since she had last seen her sister smiling? It had been a decade.

"We are going to get our village back today!" Nami said, getting her sister out of her trance.

Nojiko's eyes widened and her lips quivered a little. "You finally got it?" She asked in a trembling voice.

"Yep," Nami said with a brilliant smile and stepped aside to show her a group of people. "My friends helped me in my last haul."

"Friends?" Nojiko asked with shock. Nami had never made friends and even if she made them, she betrayed them. But she could feel that this group had given Nami the thing she always wanted. She couldn't express her joy at all.

"Guys, meet my older sister, Nojiko," Nami said pointing to Nojiko and making Sanji gush about how beautiful her sister looks. "And Nojiko, they are Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, Johnny and Yosaku," She said pointing each of them, making Nojiko nod to them.

"Nice to meet you all," Nojiko said with a little bow. She couldn't tell how grateful she was to them. But nonetheless there are other things to do right now. "Nami, what's your plan now?"

"They will help me carry the treasure to Arlong and then Arlong will leave for good according to our deal," Nami said with determination.

"Okay," Nojiko said. "I'll see ya soon then." She said and ran off to somewhere. Meanwhile, Nami pointed out the graves which were to be dug in order to get the treasures she had collected.

Her first thought was to go to Arlong and then tell him the place to collect the money but on second thought, she doesn't want Arlong or his henchmen coming near her house ever again. So, today she will finish it for once and all.

On the other side, Nojiko ran and ran and ran until she neared the Cocoyashi village where the villagers had gathered and were paying off their taxes.

"Everyone!" She shouted, after she saw Chew going back to Arlong's park. "Nami has done it!"

"She has finally done it!" Nojiko repeated with a big smile on her face.

"What? Are you saying it for real?" Genzo, the village chief shouted back in excitement.

"Yes, yes! She has even got friends!" Nojiko replied happily.

"I was so worried for her when she had started working for Arlong for our sake," A Grandma said wiping her tears of joy. "I'm so glad she had gotten someone."

"Me too!" Nojiko replied happily.

"Let's go to the Arlong park and see our freedom for ourselves!" Genzo cheered out making the villagers cheer back and march to the Arlong village.