Chapter 33: Chapter 033
"He sure is enthusiastic," Sanji commented.
"Oh, Luffy? He's usually like that," Zoro said plainly. He had suffered through the excruciating pain of having his wound sewed up properly after leaving it alone for a while. That was not pleasant. At least he was looking less pale and livelier now, Sanji noted.
Sanji stood up and stretched. "Well, now that I'm full…" He ran off towards the crowd. "Time to flirt!" he yelled unashamedly.
Zoro leaned back and yawned. "Time to sleep," he said before dozing off.
In the middle of the crowd, Usopp stood on top of a tall stack of tables and yelled into a megaphone. "It is I, Captain Usopp, the proud warrior who triumphed over an officer of the Arlong Pirates! Let's all sing a song in honor of my bravery!" The drunken crowd cheered and applauded before submitting to the ludicrous request.
Usopp sure knows how to work a crowd…Sanji thought as he sat in the middle of several women who were asking if he really took out both of Arlong's best officers. He leaned his head back in bliss. He wouldn't mind staying here for a couple days himself…
Luffy walked up a hill in a mix between satisfaction at the ham melon he was currently chewing on and exasperation at the villagers that kept pulling him aside. He had already had a talk with 6 of them, each of them asking what his intentions toward Nami were. He had replied to each of them that she was his navigator and his close friend, and they had all accepted this after making the same request: take care of Nami. He had promised each one that he would.
As he reached the top of the hill he spotted Genzo in front of a grave. He walked up and stood beside him, reading the name on the grave. Bell-mère. Genzo glanced at him and nodded. He returned the gesture before speaking. "Nojiko told us about Nami's mother. She was a strong person," he said. Genzo looked back at the grave.
"She was," he agreed quietly. They were silent for a while before Genzo spoke again. "I know Nami is going with you on your journey." Luffy looked at him and nodded.
"After the lengths that you've gone for her, I feel like I can trust you," he continued. "But know this. If you ever rob Nami of her smile, I will hunt you down and kill you myself." He looked Luffy dead in the eyes as he said this, and Luffy stared back. He knew he would never take away Nami's happiness. She had been smiling right up until the end. The ship of the Straw Hat Pirates had been her home. So he didn't hesitate when he responded.
"It's Genzo, right? You have my word that I will take it upon myself to preserve Nami's smile every chance I get." Genzo kept staring at him for a few seconds, and then a grin broke out across his face.
"That's good to hear," he said, before handing Luffy a bottle of sake. They both drank contentedly and watched the sunset as Genzo laughed heartily at Luffy's stories about Nami during the time they had sailed together in East Blue. Luffy himself learned why Genzo always wore a pinwheel on his hat. That was an interesting tale.
"So, she told you her name was Nojiko?" Genzo asked in amusement.
"Yeah," Luffy answered. "I don't think she counted on me ever coming here."
Genzo continued to laugh uncontrollably. Luffy could tell the alcohol was getting to him. "You sure you should be drinking this much?" he asked, amused.
"Ah, don't worry about it! Today is an exception," he said jovially before taking another long swig of sake, emptying the bottle and tossing it into the growing pile. Luffy shrugged and continued drinking himself. An hour later, he chuckled and threw Genzo's reeking, unconscious body over his shoulder before walking back in the direction of the village.
The next morning, Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji got the Going Merry ready for their departure. Johnny and Yosaku informed them that they would return to pirate hunting, and after saying their goodbyes, set out in the small boat that Luffy and Sanji had arrived in.
Sanji looked around at the coast worriedly. "Where is Nami-san? She is coming, isn't she?"
"Don't worry. She'll come. She probably just wants to make a grand exit," Zoro said with a smirk, remembering how she had left last time.
"I hope so. She's half the reason I'm here," Sanji stated with a straight face. Luffy turned to him.
"Oh, Sanji! I finally found that ham melon! It was delicious," he said with enthusiasm.
Nojiko was arguing with the villagers over Nami's decision to leave the 93 million Belly with them when they heard a voice shout in the distance. "Set sail!"
Nami came running towards the ship, weaving through the villagers as they tried to stop her, asking why she was leaving without saying goodbye. Genzo was indignant at her audacity. After all this, she was leaving without hearing their thanks?
"Hey, what's she doing?" Usopp asked. Luffy just laughed.
"You heard her. Set sail." As the ship started to pull away from the coast, Nami weaved through the last of the villagers, which were all screaming for her to stop. She jumped from the coast high into the air, grabbed hold of the railing of the Going Merry, and flipped herself over onto the deck. She looked back at the villagers and smirked before pulling the bottom of her shirt up. Dozens of wallets fell onto the deck, and the villagers suddenly brought their hands to their pockets with horrified expressions.
"You rotten thief!" they all shouted. Nami simply smiled and waved before holding something up in her right hand. It looked like a…belt? Genzo's eyes suddenly widened and he looked down in horror before his pants fell to the ground around his ankles.
"Nami!"
Luffy laughed uncontrollably. That was a nice touch. "Are we gonna be all right?" Usopp asked.
"Get back here you thieving cat!"
"Give us back our wallets!"
"Relinquish my belt at once!"
"Thank you for everything!"
"Stay safe!"
"Come back anytime!" The shouts grew distant as the Going Merry drew further from the coast, setting out once again.
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