"Alright, everyone!" Nami called to the boys scattered around the ship. "Come to the kitchen. It's time to make a plan for when we reach the island." The girl turned and went into the room, sitting on the sofa and waiting for the others to come in. They couldn't be far from their destination, a couple of days at most. The winds were at their backs, and they hadn't had any bad weather since the storm.
The storm...
Nami still remembered what she felt that night. Everyone... The sound of footsteps interrupted her. The redhead looked up and saw the three boys entering the kitchen, with soft smiles on their lips. Yes... She still remembered.
"Sanji! Will you make us something to eat? Please!" Luffy pleaded, sitting down on the sofa next to the redhead and putting his feet up on the table. He rested his head against the back of the chair. "Maybe a nap before lunch?"
Sanji walked to the stove without asking: "You got it, Luffy."
The boy in the straw hat smiled at him. "Thanks, Sanji!" Luffy opened his eyes and saw the chef take some meat out of the refrigerator, licking his lips. Sanji's cooking was the best. He wished the blond boy was a pirate with him. Not only was it the most delicious food he'd ever tasted, but he just liked it. He was his friend, and that was as good as any other reason.
Zoro approached the wine rack and took a bottle of sake from one of the diamond-shaped shelves, uncorking it without a word. He drew his katanas from their haramaki and placed them beside the rack before sitting with his back against the refrigerator. The swordsman sat in silence, sipping his drink as he waited for Nami to begin.
Seeing that the three were willing to listen, the orange-haired girl did just that: "Very well. First, the island isn't very big, so we'll have to find a safe place to anchor the ship."
"How do you know where it is?" Sanji asked curiously, watching the meat sizzle in his frying pan. Nami had been leading them straight there, so she must know where it was. Had she been there before?
"It wasn't for lack of trying, really," the redhead replied sarcastically. "I'd spent months looking for something that would help me find it. I'd heard rumors that Crazy Treasure kept a bunch somewhere in the East Blue." She paused as if remembering something before speaking again: "But that was all it was, rumors... Then I met Carina."
The chef perked up at the name. It sounded like a woman... He cleared his dry throat. "And who is this Carina? A friend?... A lover...?" Sanji winced as the redhead's shoe hit the back of his neck.
"Keep your mind off things, Sanji," Nami scolded him.
The blond man lowered his head to the meat he was cooking and pouted. "Yes, ma'am."
Satisfied, the girl resumed the conversation. "She's not even a friend. Really, just a business acquaintance, more than anything," she gestured as she said the word "business." "We've known each other for a while, but honestly, I don't even know how she found out or why she told me." They never really talked, except for a few superficial interactions over the past year.
However, the last time she saw her was different... The girl came with an offer to join. Nami refused at the time because it was so sudden and unusual for them, but the girl wouldn't be swayed. She offered her free information about Mad Treasure Island just to hear her out, and the orange-haired girl accepted. Suffice it to say, Carina was surprised when she still refused, but she did. She left her there, with the new information in hand, and immediately started sailing to see if the purple-haired girl's words had been true. And they had been.
To this day, she couldn't think of a single good reason why Carina would be so eager to team up with her. Well... she could think of several reasons, but... She shook her head. Nami had rejected her back then because she knew she couldn't trust her. It probably wouldn't have ended well if she had accepted. "Anyway, enough of that," she smiled mischievously. "We have a plan to make."
A snore came from his left, and he turned, a mark slowly forming on his forehead at what he saw. A second snore from the refrigerator drew the orange's attention, and another mark formed right next to the first: "WAKE UP, YOU DAMN IDIOTS! THIS IS IMPORTANT!"
"Is that it?!" Luffy shouted from the crow's nest, squinting to peer into the distance. It was hard to make out, but it looked like there was an island out there! Had they finally made it?
Nami, Sanji, and Zoro ran to the bow of the Going Merry, peering out to see what the boy with the straw hat was talking about. Sure enough, as they stared at the ship's figurehead, they could see a small island in the distance, barely visible.
Nami's heart raced. She didn't know how much treasure lay on the island, but if the reputation the Mad Treasure had built wasn't just a rumor... it was possible she could leave with enough money to buy her village's freedom. The redhead took a deep breath. "That's all." It was hard to contain the hope she felt in her heart, but she needed to. The island might be empty, for all she knew. There was no need to get her hopes up just yet.
Zoro smiled as he rested his palms on the blades stored in his abdominal warmer. He wanted to fight, and it seemed the time was drawing near.
"Nami-Swannn!" Sanji exclaimed. "I really want to steal some treasure from you! If I steal enough... Maybe you'll bless me with a ki-". He groaned as the girl's fist slammed into his head.
"In your dreams," Nami said with an expressionless face.
The three heads looked upwards as they heard laughter and shouts of joy.
Nami gasped as she watched Luffy's figure soar through the air and plummet into the water. "Luffy! Come back here! We have a plan!" she shouted to the boy, who was swimming toward his destination. "Very fast," she added. "Very fast."
"Wait, Luffy!" Zoro shouted, making sure his katanas were securely fastened in his belly warmer. The green warrior took a couple of steps back before sprinting up onto the figurehead and diving into the water to follow his future captain.
"Zoro! What the hell!" the redhead squealed as she saw another one of her idiots jump into the water. She groaned in midair. Why did they always have to be like this? Nami sighed, turning to go down to the main deck, and yet she couldn't help but smile at her friends. She didn't think she loved them any other way... What a strange thought.
Sanji slid smoothly down the railing and stopped Nami in her tracks. "So... now it's just you and me, my Na-".
"Now's not the time, Sanji," she said, ignoring the boy, who lowered his head in disappointment. He needed time to calm down and decide what to do. Once they got closer to the island, he could find a place to anchor. He hoped Sanji wouldn't try to abandon ship like the other two; he needed him. The girl turned and smiled at the pouting blond chef. She didn't think she should worry about him going anywhere. "Hello, Sanji," she said.
The chef perked up and looked to see Nami smiling at him.
"If you manage to steal more treasures from me than I can steal from myself... maybe we can talk about that kiss." The redhead winked at him and walked away. She didn't need to see his reaction; she already had an idea of what it would be like. Poor thing... No one was going to steal more treasures than her.
...
Hi everyone, what do you think of the story so far? The book has over 300 chapters. If you'd like to download the complete book, it's available on my Ko-fi page. Here's the link: 👉 🤩 ko-fi.com/winterstar01 🤩