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Chapter 30– Drastic Action.
Utter silence. Nobody speaks, and everybody stays silent after what Nami just said. The tension is so thick that you could cut it with a knife, and I can tell Nami is incredibly nervous right now, and Nojiko has gone shockingly still. I can tell she is on the verge of erupting, having found myself there quite a few times myself, and so I stay quiet and still. I will stay out of this and let the sisters sort it out between themselves.
"So, you are going to be gone for months at a time now?" Nojiko lowers her fork to her plate, the cutlery gently landing on it, but the sound is loud and clear to our ears. I don't think I have ever seen her quite on this level before, and I have made some silly mistakes before, like the time I tried to introduce some risky stuff and put it in-.
"...That's right. I am going to be leaving for a couple months at a time, maybe even longer." Finally, Nami finds her courage and says, even under Nojiko's hard cold stare. This is like a clash between an unstoppable force and an immovable object because both of these girls are as stubborn as mules.
"...Why?" Nojiko responds. I am actually impressed and proud of her because that was a really measured response. I honestly thought she was about to flat-out refuse it, but she didn't for some reason.
"It is so I can go out and find as many islands as possible and chart them. I managed to convince Arlong that it would take multiple years if I kept going out to islands and then returning immediately after. And so I got permission to travel the entirety of the East Blue for however long I want, within reason, of course. At least, that is the official reason." Nami finishes, and I already know what she has planned.
"And the unofficial reason?" Nojiko enquires though I am pretty sure she already knows what this is about, and she is just asking directions to get it from the horse's mouth.
"I am never going to get the money if I keep spending my time both here and out there. I need to commit. I need to be out there all the time, travelling and robbing every pirate I can find along with as many stupid rich assholes." So she explains, just like I thought. She wants to be out there twenty-four-seven so she can keep stealing as much wealth as possible so she can free this island from the Arlong Pirates.
"Nami, you can't-" Nojiko immediately goes to refute and forbid Nami from doing it. But, of course, Nami had obviously thought this out before coming today and had already thought out her argument and points.
"I can't keep living like this, Nojiko! We can't! None of us! And it is only a matter of time till something goes wrong and people die! So I need to do this!" Nami shouts, getting out everything that she had thought about beforehand and bringing up what I think were some pretty good points. It's true. It is only a matter of time. Which is why I have to kill him and his ilk.
"But, how can I be sure you are safe? Even now, you check in every two weeks, and I am still worrying all of the time. So now you are going to leave for months? And I am just supposed to stay here and not know where you are or what you are doing?" Nojiko shouts back, again bringing up some good points. They are both saying reasonable things.
"I can get you a Den Den Mushi, and you can call me anytime!" Nami tries to refute that last point.
"You know we can't! We aren't allowed them on the island! If Arlong finds it, then there will be consequences!" Nojiko says, speaking true. We aren't allowed any Den Den Mushi's on the island, and only Arlong and his crew have them. It made things a bit harder for the villagers, but they adapted and got used to it.
"Then trust in Detoro!" Nami shouts, bringing Nojiko up short. She is both surprised and confused, as am I. No doubt, Nojiko, for a moment, worries that Nami knows about both me and her, which is what is really throwing her for a loop, and so do I. But that is only for a second since my reason kicks in.
Nojiko was very clear to me when she said she didn't want Nami to know about us, and so I did my absolute best to make that a reality; otherwise, my relationship with Nojiko would be in jeopardy. I know Nojiko, intimately. And I know how guilty she feels about having this relationship with Nami out there, constantly working hard.
Suppose this relationship were to be discovered, no matter how much we tried to hide it. In that case, even if Nami didn't have a problem with it, I know Nojiko would probably end it out of guilt. Nojiko cares the most about her sister, as does Nami, and I am not willing to let go of what I have found. Which is why I have never gotten too close to Nojiko whenever Nami is on the island, so she definitely doesn't know. So it must be something else.
"W-Why would you mention Detoro? What does he have to do with this?" Nojiko says, flustered, trying not to let her thoughts show on her face. She obviously thinks we have been found out, and I can already see the guilt coming up on her face. I grow worried, worrying that she is going to start apologising or something, but thankfully Nami speaks before she can say anything she will regret.
"Because he has trained me," Nami says, referencing the measures I took to ensure her safety since I couldn't leave the island with her. "I know how to use all sorts of weapons, and I have my bo staff and knife with me. Detoro has even showed me how to use guns, so trust in him. He has taught me everything I need to know." Well, I wouldn't say everything. Hell, I was figuring most of that stuff out myself.
"But, still-" Nojiko tries, but she has been effectively defeated. The two things Nojiko cares about most are, I would assume, Nami and myself. Now put your hands together, and she finds it very hard to fight against that. Nami, spotting her chance, presses her advantage.
"And this is the East Blue, the weakest sea. And the only Fishmen are the ones on this island. The rest of the pirates and assholes out there are human. I can hit, stab and shoot them, and they will go down. And, Detoro has trained me to be fast and run away. I will be fine, so don't worry." Nami says, and everything she says is correct. However, there is also a lot wrong with what she is saying as well.
Just because the East Blue is the weakest doesn't mean there are not strong people here. It just means, on the whole, there are a lot more weak people here. Plus, devil fruits are a thing, apparently, given the one time I heard mention of it from Garp just before he left. Also, she seems to think Fishmen are the end all be all in terms of strength and that they are the strongest. I should sort that out before she leaves again because that has the potential to manifest itself in a bad way later on.
"...Fine. But don't think I am happy about this. If you run into trouble, then run away. If you see someone strong, then get out of there. And you better not die, or I don't know what I will do." Nojiko forces it out, having no choice but to agree. I can already see the tears leaking out of her eyes, and Nami's are also leaking.
"Don't worry, I won't die till I am the richest woman in the world," Nami says, though I don't think that is her actual dream. Well, maybe one of them. Anyway, the two sisters stand up and quickly start hugging and crying. Women are such emotional creatures, and I don't understand them. I haven't cried since... I will only cry when somebody dies or something else on that level happens. Water won't leave my eyes otherwise, I refuse to let it.
Having cleaned my plate and a few of the surrounding ones, I stand up and move to leave the room, leaving the two girls to have their moment. I will have a chat with Nami later to warn her properly. I can't do that with Nojiko here as that will just cause her more worry, and Nami is going out there no matter what anyone says.
What troublesome girls. I am glad I have already left the room. Otherwise, they would see my smile. Plus, this way, I won't have to do the dishes and end up breaking half of them.
"Hey, I thought I would find you here." I hear behind me, and recognising the voice, I don't turn around to acknowledge them and focus on what I am doing.
*Pew* *Pew* *Pew*
I lower my revolver, having shot my three targets perfectly. Targets I crafted myself, and with three perfect bullseyes on each of them. Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, I reach down and unscrew the silencer from the end of the revolver. Specially made. I worked on it after Arlong discovered me out here testing guns I made without his knowledge.
He knew about me doing it and wanted me to continue for some reason. I think he thought any designs I made he could manufacture and sell, but I vehemently refuse to do so. This is why I immediately got around to developing a silencer for my guns, and while it took a lot of trial and error, I managed to get it done. And now, I can freely practice in the woods with Arlong none the wiser. Let's hope he thinks I stopped after he caught me.
"Here, give it a go. Show me you aren't rusty, and I will reassure Nojiko that you will be fine." I say, after unscrewing the silencer and checking that it was still in good condition. The first few ones broke after a couple of silenced shots, and I accidentally fired loud shots in the woods. Thankfully, this was during the day on one of my days off, and all the manufacturing warehouses were in full work mode, so there was more than enough noise pollution to cover it up.
"Ha, please. I am better than you are. Give it here. I'll show you how it's done." Nami says, walking past me and taking the gun from my hands. It's true. She is better than me, though I am a pretty good shot myself. I am supposed to be clumsy due to my traits, and I am, but when it comes to certain subjects, I have the precision of a surgeon. For some reason, I have selective clumsiness, which I am glad for. I am not going to question it.
*Pew* *Pew* *Pew*
I watch as Nami fires three shots as well, her shoulders relaxed and the gun raised to her eye line. I taught her well, so much so that she is better than me now. Which I can see clearly by the fact that she has also hit all three bullseyes. We weren't snipers by any means, and we don't try to be but put us within 20 meters of a target, and we will make that shot nine times out of ten. Things get a bit iffier past that, but we do alright.
"There, that enough for ya?" She says, handing me back the six-shooter with an arrogant smirk on her face. I take it back without saying anything and quickly check that the weapon is still in working order before I walk around over to my case and get to packing it away. My weapons case is enormous, and it is where I store all my weapons since I don't want anyone getting their hands on it and doing something stupid. I hide it in the woods under a big gnarled tree with lots of knots and a little hiding spot underneath it.
"No, not really. But I suppose it will do." I say, locking up my case and then turning around to face Jer. She doesn't look at all happy with my response, which is fair, I suppose, since she is a far better shot than me. And she also probably has a lot more experience, what with her going out there all the time while all I ever do is fight over and over again with the same Fishman who keeps manhandling and playing with me.
"It will do? I am better than you." Nami says, her face irritated.
"Yes, but there are others out there better than the both of us combined. And that isn't even mentioning the weapon users and people that fight with their bare fists. Because they are out there and they are dangerous. Be careful, Nami." I warn because I don't want her to die. Even if her death would free me, I have figured out workarounds, and there is no need for that. She didn't ask for this power over me. Plus, I feel that I taught her everything I could using my half-assed knowledge, and if she goes out there thinking she is strong and dies, then it will be my fault.
"Detoro, they are just humans. One shot, and they are dead. The Fishmen are here, not out there. Technically, it is more dangerous to be on the island with them than to be out there fighting weak human pirates." Nami says, which I find myself disappointed with though I already expected this. She has basically become a believer in Fishman's superiority because of Arlong and his gang running roughshod for years.
She tried everything she could to deal with them before, finally, she settled for bargaining because there was nothing else she could do. She tried her best, but it wasn't enough. It is actually kind of natural for her to believe such a thing, and I would probably as well if I didn't have a fortunate encounter as a kid and learnt just how strong people could get. Even humans.
"Nami. Fishmen are not the only thing that can hurt or kill you. There are others out there, humans included, that are just as strong or even stronger. And then there are the devil fruit users, which you must avoid at all costs." I tell her, making sure to emphasise the last part. I have never encountered a devil fruit user before, but I know they are real and exist because of a report Garp got that someone had stolen a devil fruit.
However, even if I have never seen a devil fruit user in person, I know just how dangerous they have the potential to be. Everyone knows the rumours and stories, though there are so many. Different theories state different things, such as the devil fruits being the incarnations of the sea devil, them being enchanted by sea ghosts, that they are actual magic and sorcery or even curses. Or my favourite, that Devil Fruit users housed actual devils inside them. According to the rumour, if a Devil Fruit user went near an uneaten Devil Fruit, a devil would come out of the fruit and rip the user apart.
No matter the rumour, one thing stayed synonymous throughout all of them. If you were to eat a Devil Fruit, then you would gain a power but be forever cursed by the sea to never swim again. You would never be allowed to eat another one, or you would die, and you would have your power until the day you died, at which point the fruit would reappear in the world. Also, they apparently taste very bad.
And not only that, but I know how dangerous this world can be. Before Garp left, I heard another report he got. Genocide. An entire island was Genocided. I think it was called Minion Island, and everybody there died. I don't know the details, but if something like that happened, then it could happen again. I know how dangerous things can get, but Nami doesn't. I need to make sure she does before she leaves again.
"Be serious, Detoro. Everybody knows Devil Fruits are a myth. Just like giants and dragons." Nami looks at me like I am stupid, which I am not. Except, I don't have the proof to show that I am not an idiot. I have never seen anything of the sort before, THough I know for a fact that they exist.
"They aren't a myth. In any case, there are plenty of strong people out there. Be careful. Don't rush into anything. And always scout before stealing. Don't lose your mind when you see money. I know you want it, but it's not worth your life." I try to express the seriousness of the situation, as well as instil some caution in her. However, I know that it has obviously not worked when I see the berry signs light up in Nami's eyes.
"Oh, if they exist... then they would be worth a lot. Right?" Nami asks, missing the point entirely. She is so utterly without hope and broken down, it is disappointing. She hears about mythical power-granting fruits, and she doesn't even think of eating them and gaining the ability to beat Arlong but selling it to get money to buy the island back. She really does think they are unbeatable, doesn't she?
"Nami, are you listening to me? You need to take care, okay? Always scout before stealing. Take your time, and don't rush and make bad decisions. I don't want to have to tell Nojiko that something happened to you. And I don't want you getting injured to the point that Arlong won't let you leave the island unaccompanied out of fear of you dying." I try again, but this girl is too stubborn. Sometimes it is a blessing for her, and sometimes it is a curse. Right now, it is a pain in my ass.
"For god's sake, Detoro. Calm down. I will be fine. Arlong wants me alive, and so I can't die... even if I wanted to. So relax. Nobody out there can hurt me, and I am fast enough to run away. With their treasure, of course." Nami grins, but I don't see what there is to be happy about. I don't bother myself about thinking about what she meant on that first bit, either, since that wouldn't help anyone. Still, I need to find a way to get it through this girl's thick skull.
"Nami, you are really pissing me off. I am getting tired of this shit... I am getting tired of you." I start, a plan coming to mind. I would rather not do this, but I can see no other way. I had never spoken like this to her before because I saw no need to, and I didn't want to antagonise her and have her start ordering me around and realise she had that power over me. But I know she isn't like that, and I need to make a point right now.
"W-What? Detoro, what the hell- ACK!" She choked as my hand clasped around her throat tight and lifted her up into the air. Her eyes bulge in panic and confusion, and I can tell she doesn't believe what is happening. Her legs start to kick about as I increase my strength, and her hands come up to grab my hand and try to pull it off to no effect. And then, once her brain catches up with what is happening, I feel it take effect.
A command. Stop, release me. Let me go. Nami wants me to stop, and that is already affecting me. This isn't one of the weak commands with low intent. No, she wants me to stop with all of her being, and I can feel that. And it hurts. My body starts to feel immense pain, and I can feel the command growing stronger with each second.
Nami, acting off of pure survival instinct, swung her legs up to wrap around my arm to try and pry herself free. When that doesn't work, she reaches a hand down to her thigh and unsheathes her bo staff, quickly putting it together and starting to swing it at my head. It doesn't have any effect except for making me squint my eyes when she aims the end at my eyes. My body is tense, able to withstand that attacks. I never stopped the training that Garp made me do, and when I brace myself, I can withstand a lot of damage. Unfortunately, it impedes my movement.
Realising this, she changes her target. And her staff swings down... between my legs.
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