Chapter XI – Catharsis

We're nearly there, lads and lasses. After I don't know how many years since I started this fic, we're nearly at the end. Isn't that great? To be perfectly honest with you, I don't know. After having the thought of it in the back of my mind, it kinda feels wrong to end it because to someone, somewhere, it's not gonna be satisfying. But that's the way all fictions goes, right? Someone will always complain, you can't please everyone and that shouldn't even be your aim. Thus I'm going to try to settle with less. If there is only one person around here who really enjoyed the story up to this point, I am truly happy and the joy I brought to you means the world to me.

And because I still have like 4,3k characters left for these notes, I'd like to thank some people (in some cases, again) because while likes and favs and kudos are great, the biggest show of appreciation for a writer is if you left a comment. But don't worry if you didn't, we're still cool.

In no particular order:

EastBlue on - I don't know if you're still around, but your kind words and encouragement were some of the main reasons I continued writing this. When it comes down to the wire and we're talking about one single person liking this story as a whole, I hope it is you.

DWatson on Ao3 - I can vividly remember this one rainy day I was sitting in the library and didn't know what to do with myself, but then I read your comment and holy shit, it nearly made me tear up. So much for being a manly man, right? Even though I never heard of you after that comment, I thank you dearly for it and do hope that you find the rest of the story to your liking.

Renillion on - Don't know what to say, mate, we kinda got out of touch somewhere along the line, but I enjoyed our conversations very much and I hope you're doing well.

PintedPatrich on Ao3 - You're another one of these people who managed to really warm my heart with your appreciative words, and another one that I hope will like this chapter. Nobody suffers forever, right? Not even Sanji.

Alaznesweeran on tumblr and Ao3 - Hey, what can I say? I dearly hope you know how much I appreciate your every word regarding my stories. All the best to you. That and I do hope that you'll come out with some more stories of your own as I always enjoyed reading them.

luteolousMonkey on Ao3 - You were basically the last person I had contact with when it came to my fics and our small conversation and your encouragement helped me cope with all the bullshit that's going on within the One Piece fandom. It is very, very much appreciated and my hope is that you'll find some delight in this new chapter. See you around, I hope.

Saorii D. Nightray on - Well, I honestly do think that your comment is the reason I really put my mind into writing Chapter XI and actually started writing something. I don't know what else to say but thank you.

the_SicknessxD_96 on Ao3 - You know how there's sometimes people who jump into your life, do one really impressive thing or say something that really moves you and then you never hear from them again? As is the same with others on this list I don't know if you're still around, but if you are: This one's for you. And even if you're not, this is the internet. Maybe you'll find it some day, mate. I can't thank you enough for your words.

And to everyone else who ever left a comment or did somehow interact with this fic and didn't hate it: Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost – Stopping by Woods an a Snowy Evening

'Too much' didn't even start to catch the absolute gravity of the current situation. To say the least, it was easy for her to imagine the world crumbling into pieces again, just like it happened many years ago. There she was, thinking that her life was good if only for different reasons until all of it went downhill again.

We are where you're at home.

Picture home.

I love you. I will always love you.

The words resounded in her head, loud enough to deafen the angry voices outside. The guests were mad and enraged words were exchanged between them and .. well, mostly Zoro. Her spouse's father, that didn't surprise her, was the loudest of them all. His words didn't even manage the scratch the surface of her perception, his red face was bound to be a sidenote of little interest in whatever way she would remember this day. There were more important things to care about. To think about.

At first, her gaze caught Cassian's face. Fair, noble and composed, his kind eyes fixed to the ground. He remained the exact same man that she got to know throughout their relationship, the shadow of a sad smile on his slender lips. These exact same lips that had kissed her, declared his love for her and, finally, asked for her hand in marriage seemed to know what was about to happen, prepared to accept every possible outcome with dignity.

Picture home.

She thought about these words once again, now more aware than ever what they actually meant. This mansion wasn't home, no matter how much she wanted to force it. This family wasn't home, no matter how friendly and welcoming they had been. And .. Cassian wasn't home.

No matter how much she had tried to feel at home in his arms, no matter how beautiful the days were, his gestures, his words. She saw the open sea in her dreams, she embraced it in her heart. Cassian had been a safe harbour when she was in dire need of one and now that she finally realised it, she felt like an utterly horrible person. In her past, when she was still a slave to Arlong's wishes, she took advantage of many people, but she was always able to drown her feelings of guilt with the knowledge that it was for the greater good. For her people.

This time, it was different. The way she saw it now, Cassian had been made a victim of her need for safety. Deep down, he might even have always known.

And the worst part? He won't even be mad at me. He won't shout at me. He won't say that he never wants to see my stupid face again. I wish that we could just fight our way out of here.

The thought of it made her smile. An honest smile, the first one that went over her lips since the cermony had started. Usually, her first impulse in the face of danger was to retreat behind someone's back, actually trying to plan on how to fight back. It was unintentionally funny how her thinking had changed. But mere seconds later, the thought vanished and so did her smile. Nami shuddered as a mighty gust of wind crashed into the mansion and managed to blow one of the heavy wooden doors open, just long enough for everyone to easily guess the storm's strength. Long enough to send an eerie howling through these halls. Long enough for a white cat to sneak in, that nobody but her seemed to pay any mind to, as the guests were too busy with closing the door again, putting their strength against the tempest.

Nami's eyes searched for Cassian again, the sight of him nearly overwhelming her with guilt. Guilt that she always felt when she was sleeping in his arms. How could she possibly tell him that her heart always longed for the open sea, for her crew?

Don't start lying to yourself now. It doesn't matter what you say to him, if this is indeed farewell, it matters how you will remember yourself. Excuses, white lies, kind words .. what's it going to be, girl?

To her, it felt like running in circles. She had always been proud of the sharpness of her mind, her intellect, but there seemed to be no way of stopping it. The look on his face said more than a thousand words, her guilt over having used him came next and, finally, she asked herself the same question over and over again. What's it going to be, girl?

Nami might have actually been able to find a solution to this problem, just given enough time. But her problems didn't stop there. When she finally found enough strength within her to remove her gaze from Cassian's face, it wandered off to the other man. Was he the reason that she could just not allow her to embrace the safety of marriage, the opportunity for a bright – if a little unexciting – future?

No. She answered the question decidedly. There were a great many things that this blonde idiot could be accused with, as he was a man of many flaws, but it wasn't his fault that even after all these years, her heart still knew his name. On the good days, it only hummed it like a melody, but on days such as this, it was shouting it. Under different circumstances, she would have dropped literally everything to return to the sea. With her family, him at her side. Unfortunately, she didn't find herself under the influence of different circumstances. This day was supposed to be her wedding day and not the day that she betrayed the love and trust her husband-to-be had offered her for the past years.

Conscience could be a beast. When at first she hoped that the weight of her guilt would lighten up the moment she didn't have to see Cassian's face, it happened to be even worse when confronted with these eyes that were as deep and blue as the open sea, swollen from hidden tears, his hair that once had been the colour of the sun. Without a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth, he almost seemed naked to her. A child, not a man to crash into a wedding to steal another one's wife, even though she could hardly believe that any of these events were planned. The same way that nobody could control the weather, no one was able to change or even influence the winds of fate.

Under different circumstances .. all of you ..

Again, her gaze wandered off, maybe aimlessly, maybe unconsciously willing to look into a face that would not force the guilt of the entire world upon her shoulders. Seemingly everyone present had taken one side or the other. Her former crew, of course, wanted nothing more than to leave for the sea again to enjoy the endless blue and the adventures it offered. Together, the same family they used to be. To achieve this, even Zoro had spoken up to take the cook's side. Sometimes, it was life's turn to imitate art. In a great many books she read, even in some of the stage plays she had seen, there were these incredibly rare moments when a character with established, sometimes even comic relief traits, broke out of his usual habits. Many times, it meant that these characters took a situation more seriously than before. It actually surprised her that the man cared as much as the others did. If not more. His words alone didn't understate the involvement of the others, though.

Hearing Bink's Sake after all these years again nearly made her think that Brook was still with them, wanting the best for his newfound family even from beyond the grave, proving that not even the veil that separated the living and the dead was strong enough to keep the memories of a loved one at bay. It must have been Robin's idea, her ability to read people's true intentions made her border on being a clairevoyante. That and she wasn't the kind of woman that would rudely interrupt a ceremony such as this with a temper. What Nami didn't know was how exactly she persuaded the band to disrupt the ceremony, but, all things considered, it did hardly matter. Even without the song, without the singing, without her feeling at home for the first time in ages, someone would have spoken up, and other voices would have followed. It made things all the more difficult. Again, she thought about how every single person in this room seemed to have taken either one side or the other. What was worse was that both sides were actually right about something.

Her friends did not have strong feelings about Cassian, at least as far as she knew. To them, he wasn't Cassian, he wasn't the heir of a venerable family, the good man she had come to accept as her husband. No, to them, he was just her husband-to-be, just another obstacle that had to be overcome until they could leave this harbour once and for all. But to her, even though she finally began to realise that he wasn't the man she was still truly, madly and deeply in love with, he was still so much more. It wasn't just the safety he offered her when her when she was in dire need of it, not the generous and amicable way he treated the servants or how welcoming he was towards her friends, he was even better than that. And with every passing second another thought about him crossed her mind. Cassian insisted on finding a perfect place for her greatest treasure, her tangerine trees, personally. He didn't care about getting soaked in the rain or figuratively burning under the brightest sun, the only thing that mattered to him was that these trees were important to her. That was even before she told him why she held them so dearly. It only seemed to be adding insult to injury that even now he was trying to calm his father down. Even in an hour as dark as this one, he held on to the selflessness that was so rare within aristocratic families, a trait that she genuinely admired with all her heart. It was her bad luck again that she just had to be honest to herself once in a while, and this meant that she had to admit to herself that this pure admiration of some, if not most of his character traits, did only mean that she admired him. Not that she loved him.

If anyone's got an ace in the hole, I'd be more than willing to use it.

The chances for this wish to come true were as slim as one might imagine. One by one, her former crew members had left their seats with differing intentions. Usopp, Franky and Chopper tried their best to be voices of reason, but they were shouted down by Cassian's increasingly angry father. She didn't get anything, but there was talk about disowning him flying around. Robin was quietly talking to Zoro, probably to calm him down. Sometimes, when things didn't go their way just fast enough, he'd resort to violence. Engaged in combat with the marines or other pirates, this could be a very welcome sight, but not here, not today. Luffy, though, seemed to be more confused and aimless than before. To him, things were pretty clear. The captain knew that she wanted to return to the seas with them and he probably did not yet grasp the gravity of such a decision. If everything went according to him, she'd just have told Cassian that she did not want to marry him and they'd have left the mansion together. Sometimes, just sometimes, she wished that she could act with the same recklessness. Once again, her eyes grazed Sanji. Maybe he was the sole reason that she was never ready to let herself fall in love with Cassian? Was this even the right time to think about it? Even if not, she couldn't help herself but to contemplate the man who's gaze was fixed to the very floor she was standing on. He was the only former crewmate that she didn't have any contact with over the past years, but that did not mean that she was unaware of what was going on with his life. Magazines all over the four Blues covered the rise of this man, a cook, they wrote, gifted by the very Gods themselves. He prepared food for nobility as high as kings and commoners alike, and from every corner of the world, his dishes were praised as poetry served on a plate. The glamorous magazines only covered his ascent and one had to have a look at the less credible, indeed nearly pulpy magazines to get any knowledge regarding the fall of this star. Informations they provided were vague at best and absolutely unbelievable for the rest of the time, but they might have held some truth. An ongoing struggle with alcohol addiction and a taste for womanising went a long way to make his popularity with the aristocrats suffer.

I wonder if he really managed to smooth-talk his way into the bed of a princess or a queen.

This idea didn't come from nowhere as she had read that in some corners of the earth, this gifted cook was regarded as a persona non grata. She quickly shook her head. Maybe there'd be a time to think, to talk about these matters. But not today. There were other problems in dire need to be handled first, one of them actually was .. Sanji. Nami wouldn't lie to herself and say that his words, their words did not move her heart, but she did not know if she was actually ready to jump off a marriage directly into a relationship with a man she hadn't seen for close to seven years. The memories of him were, even at the best of times, vivid, but she had asked herself on more than one occasion if she was just in love with the thought of a man from her past. Now that he was standing before her, everything was so .. different. Complicated. Maybe the two of them had to get to know each other once again. Then, she could make a decision. Possibly one that he might not approve of, but that was the way of these kinds of things. What that would lead to, she could not say. Quite frankly, Nami didn't even want to think about the many possible outcomes. Would they still be able to serve on the same ship, follow the same dreams? Would they break apart again, this time for good? Would it actually be her damn fault, because she might not want to be with their cook?

Nami took a deep breath and averted her gaze from the cook, desperately trying to find someone .. someone uninvested. And for the first time in what felt like hours, she met the eyes of the clergyman who solely arrived for the marriage. Nami would have understood a wide variety of expressions in the face of what was probably a very busy man, but not .. a kind and complacent smile on his face that extended to his eyes. The priest seemed to be giving not a single care in the world as he was kneeling down, petting the white stray cat that walked in when the door was blown open by the storm. It was quite an interesting sight to see: While nearly every other person present was engaged in some form of verbal dispute as of the most recent developments, the priest familiarised himself with an animal and was absentmindedly looking at her.

Absolutely wonderful. There is only a single person in this entire hall who has not taken a site and .. it's not gonna help me in the least.

As Nami was about to look away, the clergyman's mind seemed to finally have decided to return to this world. He still smiled the same smile, yet his eyes had gained more focus. As he went back into a standing position, he stroked the cat's head one last time.

"Don't worry about him, we're old friends." She didn't know if these words were meant to confuse her even more and decided to simply ignore them. Taking a small step into his direction, the dam she put up around her inner turmoil began to leak as little tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. Deeply embarassed by this apparent weakness, she immediately regretted having approached him. Yet as he rose, she realised that her regrets came too late. What was she even supposed to say, to ask him? A new direction in life? Nami thought that she was supposed to be old enough to find her own way and by the looks of it, this man was about her age. How could he possibly know anything?

"Tell me about the burden you bear, my child." His voice alone took her aback. Contrasting his looks, it was surrounded by the air of wisdom that belied this youthful appearance. Maybe, just maybe, she wasn't all wrong about looking for help in her desperate situation. Yet her voice failed her, somehow, she wanted to tell him everything. About her past, their shared past, the divide and the thoughts that plagued her in this very moment, but her tongue betrayed these efforts and not even a whisper passed over her lips. Interestingly enough, she somehow had the feeling that there was no need for her to wrap the burden she carried in her heart and in her memories into words. Whatever it was that she needed to be said, maybe her expression explained more than enough on its own. The priest inclined his head slightly to the side whilst still smiling at her.

"I do understand the conflict that is raging within you, child. It was always stability you have been looking for, isn't that right?" Nami felt the cat brushing against her leg as he spoke and it sent a shiver down here spine. What in the name of everything holy was she doing here? The future she had been carefully building for the last years was crumbling everything around her and she listened to the words of someone who seemed to be living so far off from the average human that he was talking to cats. Even though, his words rang true in her head, but that wasn't something that she was unaware of. Ever since the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates came to an end, she was looking for anything that would even promise the smallest sliver of stability in life.

"My dear, dear child .. how can you seek stability when life itself is only change? Could it be that you might have actually been looking for the wrong kind? Life is everything that happens around you. Every moment of every minute of every hour of every day. It is subject to change and the only time that it stops shifting is when your heartbeat forever grows still." He gesticulated towards the windows and as her eyes were sluggishly following his waving hand, she realised that the storm had passed the island over and the rays of a brilliant sun were already piercing the glass again.

"Change, Nami. These mighty walls might have protected you against the storm, but could you really say that they offered stability or just .. shelter, a place to hide from the winds and the rain? I heavily doubt that you were thinking of a lair, a prison of sorts, when the word flashed before your inner eye. The kind of stability you yearn for lives only within you and within the people you choose to be with. Be well aware, sweet child: My old friend introduced me to the very vital information that while one storm has passed, another one is already on the rise. Terrible, powerful and strengthened by aeons and .. memories. Be swift and sure, for this light you see, this warmth you feel, it is indeed hope. But if you don't nourish it, it shall expire and with it, your dreams."

Has he gone absolutely mad or .. could it be that he's the real deal? I don't know about that, it's probably not important in any way, shape or form. The priest has a point, and if there is indeed another storm on the horizon, I .. I know with whom I want to face it. With my family. My true family.

"Did you manage to talk some sense into her, Father?!" Little by little, her mind left the shell it was hiding in, ready and willing to take on the difficult task of .. of breaking Cassian's heart.

"Oh, but I do hope so", and as Nami and the priest shared a last glance, whatever conviction he might have seen in her face seemed to satisfy him. Kneeling down for a moment, he picked up the stray cat and whispered a few words in its ear, words that only Nami and the cat itself could hear. "Shall we then, brother? I wouldn't want to miss the grande finale, especially after all these years of waiting." And, just like that with the cat still on his arms, the priest went straight for the door and left the hall, leaving the door open as if to allow the rays of the sun to further conquer the mansion .. her selfimposed prison.

Even Cassian's father was left speecheless, if only for a moment. Without giving him the chance to explode into enraged words and maybe deeds again, Nami finally made her move and took the wind from his sails with ease.

"I'm sorry", she began, struggling to find and sustain the right volume for everyone to hear her and without having to shout. Now that the beautiful bride had spoken, even the children went silent. All eyes were on her. Quick and painless, just like one would do it with a patch. Better to end something with a scare than enduring a scare without an end.

Her eyes met Cassians and she repeated herself, tears running down her face. "I am so incredibly sorry. But I .. I can't marry you. Not today, not ever." And there it was, finally out, finally being spoken to him and not to herself. People gasped all around her, seemingly not being able to process this information. It was good for her, since no one had yet found his voice to shout her down.

"Cassian .. it .. forgive me, if you find it in your heart. You have given so much to me and I will never be able to repay it. The warmth and safety you provided me with when no one else would .. I can't even start to count all the things you've given to me just out of the goodness of your heart. It's all my fault, Cassian. I mistook the safety I felt for love. Or .. or at least for something which could grow into love. It .. did not. It was never meant to be. Not while the sea is calling my name. Not while I still dream. Cassian, I'm so incredibly sorry .. but I don't see you in my dreams. I need to return to the open waters. Not .. not for another man .. or with another man. For myself and my family. There is so much more that I need to tell you, but .. today, something that should never have begun will end."

As the last word left her mouth, time slowed down to a crawl. Something more than adrenaline seemed to be heightening her senses to unknown degrees, and yet she still struggled to perceive everything that happened around her. Cassian didn't even move as he was listening, only his soft smile flickered when he fully began to understand the gravity of her words. Sanji, who was still standing only a few meters away from her, sobbed nearly without sound when he realised that while she would return to the crew, she did not intend to return to his arms and Nami immediately felt deeply sorry for that. After she had broken the promise of marriage, she just couldn't force herself to make another one, even moreso to another man. It has just been too long and she knew that there was still a change of simply being in love with the memory of a man she might have never really known.

She could see tears of joy in the eyes of her others. Chopper, Luffy and Franky where smiling from ear to ear, Usopp kissed his Kaya and while carefully caressing her belly and only then did she realise that the new informations he had received might mean that he was becoming a father soon. Even the normally so emotionally distances Nico Robin whiped a single tear from the corner of her eye. And Zoro? He just sat there, arms crossed in front of his chest and his single healthy eye closed. Has he fallen asleep? quickly crossed her mind.

"You impudent woman! Cassian gave you everything and you're spitting in his face!" She had already expected the furious voice of Cassian's father. Even in the past, without knowing who she really was, his parents were already suspicious of their marriage, and even though she could very well understand why, it still managed to hurt her feelings from time to time. After all, Cassian was the scion of an aristocratic and venerable family. Young, intelligent and good looking, he was the perfect material for marriage when it came to other families of the same social standing, yet he decided to ask for the hand of a woman without a past, the same woman that was now leaving him. It was as if to add insult to injury that he still continued to defend her.

"Enough of that, father." It was more than obvious to everyone that Cassian was struggling to keep his composure, yet his words carried enough weight with them that the voices of many enraged complainers fell silent. "Nami might not be my betrothed anymore, much less my wife, but she and her friends are still my guests", he forced himself to cough into his fist, averting his gaze from the surrounding people just for a moment to collect himself before he continued.

"And because of this, I will not suffer anymore insults aimed at her or her .. family. Yes, a promise has been broken and it .. it ..", he swallowed and coughed again, increasingly struggling against the fate that had befallen his wedding. But he did not break. "It pains me deeply to let you go. To let you go, Nami, and it might still hurt in years and years to come. But it was never and will never be my wish to put you in chains." He addressed his father once more.

"Can't you feel her fire? Her wild spirit, longing for adventure? This and only this is the reason I fell for her. Because she was .. no, she is the antithesis to everything I grew up with and wanted to get rid off in my youth. Through her, I had a taste of pure freedom and I will never forget that. I will not allow anyone to tarnish these feelings. Not you, not mother, not any of your guests."

These words only seemed to enrage his father even further. Not only did the honour of his family suffer because a no good piece of a woman backed out of marrying his son in the last second, no, now even his soon showed his true colours in disobedience. From this point on, everything could have happened. And it did, kind of. Though not in a reasonable way that one might have expected.

The heavy wooden door was thrown open again and the abruptness of it sent a shiver down Nami's spine. Were it really just here heightened senses that felt the urgency that filled the air when the door was opened? It took only a second for the door to reveal a young man, maybe a servant of the house, gasping for breath and supporting his upper body against the doorframe. After endless seconds he managed to get his message across, even though it was obvious that he struggled through every word that left his mouth, his voice always on the verge of breaking.

"Ha-Ha .. HARBOUR! Monster!" These were his only words before he collapsed out of exhaustion and they didn't fail to get a response from the crowd. Nami knew that many guests here had never faced a sea king or other giant creatures that lived in the sea, even when they travelled from island to island. An imposing army of bodyguards or even soldiers were usually at hand to deal with any threat whatsoever. Not this time, though. The island they were currently on was a thriving port and merchants from all the four Blues travelled here because the trade routes were secured by the Marines. They probably weren't as heavily fortified as everything that was even close to the Holy Land Mary Geoise, but one could get the picture. Rarely did someone hire bodyguards around these parts, as that would have been a waste of money. Pirates were a rare sight and no one had witnessed anything larger than a whale in a hundred years.

"A monster?! Let's see it!" Nami had to forcefully supress a broad smile when she heard those words. Some things in this world never changed. One of them was her captain. Luffy had already left his seat and minute by minute, the past years vanished from his face. With every friend that spoke up, his youthful energy returned. With every family member that rejoined the crew, a little more of the old Luffy was to be seen in his face.

It really has been too long. Are we finally allowed to act?

And by the gods or any other power that might have existed outside of what humanity saw as natural, they were. Within seconds, old instincts took over and forced them onto their feet. "Take care, my love. We'll be waiting for you." Nami looked to the side and saw how Kaya and Usopp exchanging one last kiss. Chopper was the first one of them to reach the door. "If the monster is attacking the harbour, people might have been hurt! We need to hurry!" The little reindeer would never, ever change. And this was a good thing as he united both Dr. Hiluluk's idealism with Dr. Kureha's skill, he'd never leave a cry for help unanswered, no matter the cost. Franky, Luffy and Zoro followed closely behind him. It was obvious that Franky wanted to save some of the ships anchoring because they somehow had to leave this island, Luffy being Luffy didn't really think that far in the future and really just wanted to see another monster. Zoro .. Zoro was itching for a fight. Nami didn't know nor did she really care how long he had to go without having the opportunity to put his once superior skills to the test against an equally imposing enemy. She turned around and locked eyes with Cassian. There was still much more she could have told him, but remaining here any longer had the potential of hurting him even more. Her lips formed a silent 'Goodbye' and the last thing she saw of him was his smile. He was not content with this situation and might never be, yet he was a big enough man to know that sometimes, if you wanted two people to be happy, they'd need to be happy apart from one another. When Nami was about to turn towards the door, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. One of them didn't move and wasn't filled with the same energy and joy as the others.

What I said must have hurt him .. oh, Sanji-kun ..

She had to supress the urge of just going straight toward him, taking his hand and leading him outside. Both of them needed time, they needed to get to know each other again and only then could they decide how life would be going on. The former bride feared that the moment she touched him, her mind would lose the battle with her heart and she might just kiss him on the spot. She didn't want it to start like that, especially not in front of Cassian. To her luck, Zoro didn't care too much about his physical well-being and grabbed him borderline-violently by the shoulder, carrying him with them whilst spouting his usual insults at him.

The reformed crew only needed close to fifteen minutes to reach the harbour, yet it was almost too late to save anything or anyone. Whatever this monster was, the only thing it left was destruction. Many a proud ship had recently been sunk, almost all buildings in the nearest vicinity of the water had been razed to the ground. They were lucky to run into a group of survivors in hiding. Running head first into adventure did mostly work out for them, but it was nothing but tempting fate to take this thing head on after it destroyed most of the harbour area in less than an hour. Nami noted to herself that all the destruction stood in stark contrast with the absolutely marvellous and radiant sun that had conquered the firmament after the storm went by. She knew that it probably meant little and less, yet she felt stronger just because of its powerful presence.

"It was terrible, I tell you! We have to leave this place and find safety in the surrounding areas, maybe the woods!" One of the survivors was shouting at them. A hardened old sailor he was, yet his body was shaking as if he suffered from hypothermia. "It came over us like the storm that preceded it, groaning with a voice as deep as the sea and within minutes, it crushed and tore apart every armed ship! Some fools tried to fight it, bringing their cannons into position, their rifles, their pistols! It was no good, I'm telling you! No good! There is no hope to defeat that thing! We need to hide!"

Zoro was grinding his teeth behind them, his hands lying on his hips where his swords should have been. "You got your Clima-Tact, Nami? Usopp, you got your Kabuto at hand?" The question was posed in vain. None of them was armed and Franky's cola reserves seemed to be running dangerously low. Chopper went through his pockets and produced a single rumbleball. "I doubt that three minutes of my monster form will be enough to beat down whatever it is that laid waste to the area. Still, it might be our best shot." Nami nodded and .. felt useless. Without her Clima-tact, she was nearly as weak as a normal human being. She wouldn't let these feelings stop their advance, though.

"Okay guys, we have three minutes of Chopper's monster form and Robin's abilities. Franky, will you be able to fight?" The look on his face was enough of an answer.

"Sorry sis" he began. "But unless it's starting to rain Cola, I won't even be able to hold up for even half a minute." That was a disheartening information. Even their Monster Trio remained silent. Zoro was probably still in good shape, but without having his swords at hand, who knew how much of a menace he could be to whatever they were about to face? Luffy, even though he worked as a bouncer, wasn't anywhere near the tip top physical condition he was when their adventures ended many years ago. And Sanji? After seeing how depressed he was when they they left the mansion and seeing him now, Nami feared that he might not be in a position to fight at all. That left only Luffy, Zoro and Robin in any condition to seriously fight and Chopper had a time limit that they couldn't afford to waste unless it was for a certain win. All things considered, they fought worse odds. On the downside, neither she nor her crewmates did not against what kind of monster they were going up against. It was an unfortunate occurance that this was not the only downside she saw. With every passing minute, a strange feeling in her stomach grew worse and worse, up to the point that she felt like vomiting. If the others felt the same, they did not show it. Zoro was as stoic as ever and even Luffy showed his usual seriousness before a fight. Sanji again .. he seemed to be getting worse. After they had pointed the survivors into a direction of relative safety, he sat down and supported his head on with his arms, blonde hair covering the rest of his face. Was there something more that was distracting him? It surprised her even more that he didn't have a cigarette between his lips.

There is something more to him than what happened at my .. almost-wedding. I wonder if he feels it, too.

She didn't have to wait for an answer. While still staring at the ground, he raised his voice a little. It hurt Nami to hear just how .. off he sounded. Neither passion nor conviction were found within his words or voice, just plain resignation.

"Luffy .. marimo, Usopp .. can't you sense it? Have you already forgotten? It's only been a few years and this cursed aura isn't haunting your dreams every night?!" Towards the end of it , he grew louder. Not in a furious way, but in an increasingly desperate tone.

"Just stand back if you're not feeling man enough to take it on, weakling." Zoro always found the right words at the right time. To hurt someone and crush whatever confidence they had left. Under different circumstances, she would have stood up to him and protected Sanji against these unfair accusations, but right now, while he was watching? It could have done more harm than good.

"Incoming! Move!" She didn't even have time to be shocked to see this age old nightmare once again. It moved too quickly for its seize, was too strong for the lankiness of its limbs and .. too old to be alive. The deep sea was the host of numerous forms of monsters. Gigantic sea kings, the terrible kraken and an indefinite amount of other monstrosities. But even taking these into consideration, their enemy stood out. While the outward appearance mimicked that of a giant frog or toad, it mattered most what was lying underneath. Nami would never forget this face sculpted in the very forges of Hell itself. It nearly took her a second too long to realise that she shouldn't be thinking about all of this right now. The ruin the crew had covered behind was no more, crumbling to dust after only a single swing of these very same arms that once tore the legendary Straw Hat Pirates apart. She tried to shake off the ringing in her ears and the sand in her eyes, but to little avail. From what she was able to see, Luffy and Zoro were already engaged in a mortal mêlée with their towering Nemesis.

"Cook-san! Cinquante fleurs!" What happened? Her sight was still blurred and Nami had to struggle to get back to her feet. Deaf and half-blind, she tried her best to fall back while her captain and the swordsman took the heat. Precious moments passed by before she was able to see again and when she could, her heart skipped several beats. Franky, Usopp and Chopper – now in his Heavy Point form – were strenously pulling away from a pile of rubble and stones, aided by Nico Robin's devil fruit and countless arms sprouting from everywhere.

"I've got him, still breathing!" At least that was a reason for relief. Nami supported herself against a still standing wall and had trouble catching her breath. What a terrible way to start a fight. The monster had gotten the jump on them and the only two people fighting it weren't a match for it many years back, when they were still in their prime.

"Sanji! Listen: Luffy and Zoro need you now! You've got to keep that .. that thing busy until we've figured something out!"

Usopp's voice. He's right. We can't rely on their brute strength alone anymore. Not that it didn't help us back then. Please, there has to be a way! If we can't defeat this beast, all the tears were in vain! The broken hearts, the dreams of things to come, all in vain! It won't happen! It mustn't happen!

"Let go of me! I've still got an old score to settle with this beast!" The cook was barely on his feet and visibly had to force the fight on himself, but his words betrayed his feelings. No matter how much he tried to be his old self again, he was still without passion. It did not stop him from joining the fray, but his efforts were for naught. Even Nami was able to follow his movements as he engaged the beast, landing futile kicks all over the monster's armoured body. The same thing happened that happened back during their first fight with it: No matter if it was Luffy's devil fruit enhanced attacks, Zoro's raw strength or Sanji's kicks, it shrugged it all off without visible effort. She didn't know what made the devil's skin so resilient. Maybe it was age and the pressure of the deep sea, maybe it was spellforged, maybe a fallen god or all of the above. Nothing they did managed to slow down its rampage and more and more ruins turned to dust as the Monster Trio dodged the wild swings of its arms.

Please, please, please! Don't let me be useless anymore! I can't stand it! My Clima-tact, just anything! Give me a weapon, don't let them die before my eyes! Please!

The impact of something large right next to her made her cower and raise her hands to protect her face, only when that large something began to cough did she lower her defenses and rushed to its side, trying to shield the man with her own body. As the dust settled, Nami felt like she was going to suffocate. His voice was just so weak, nothing about it could have reminded her of the man she once knew.

".. forgive me, Nami-san. I .. am not .. strong enough to .. protect you. Never .. been .." She wanted to cry, wanted to tell him that he was an idiot and that he had saved her countless times before. But there were no words left in her mouth, no tears left to cry. Maybe this time, just this once, she had to be the one to save him.

But how?! If even Luffy and Zoro can't hurt that beast, what am I supposed to do?! Tell me!

Great deeds and greater people were forged in fire, on the anvil of that was strife. Desperation more often than not managed to break men and women alike, but what happened when the same desperation was forced to fight against an equally unstoppable conviction?

"Isn't it a thing of beauty?" A voice right beside them asked.

"Friendship, love. One unbreakable shield against the coming darkness." It continued, but Nami didn't care.

"Bonds once broken, now reforged in defiance of fate." By now, the voice seemed to be coming from inside her head, yet she did not care. Sanji was unconscious and whatever was about to come, she would protect him.

"You are not weak, sweet child. You are longing for a weapon to defend your loved ones, but don't you see that you have so much more at hand? Behold, the Origin of All that is Good and Mother to Us All is keenly watching your steps."

She did not understand. She did not care. None of them would be taken away this day, not if she could help it. Looking down on Sanji's bruised face, she lowered her head and breathed soft kisses on his forehead, his cheeks and finally, wihout hesitation, on his lips. Whatever would happen today, no matter how much they would have to suffer, she just felt that this was important and even if it was only for a moment, she forgot all the terror around them. Her fighting friends, their Nemesis, buildings that were crushed by forces not from this world.

It's only Sanji-kun, myself and this beautiful sun above us. If these are our last moments, I can .. finally say that I am happy. I am truly happy, my love.

"I'm afraid that I am in no condition to continue the fight, Nami-san." He is awake now. Of course he is, because everything that is happening here is purely my imagination.

"Your mind is as sharp and wonderful as ever, Nami-san, but this time, you're only half-right. Indeed, this is happening in your imagination. But not only yours, it's happening in mine, too. I'm astounded that Observation Haki could work like that. My dear Nami-san .. look at the sun. It is almost as brilliant as you are."

I've never heard of Haki working like that either, Sanji-kun. Are you sure that I'm not dreaming?

"Very sure, but I could be wrong. Look at me, I'm unconscious. But I might yet be of a little use to you, if that is your wish."

You idiot! You know that I'd do anything to help!

"I know, Nami-san. That is one of the reasons that make me love you. Listen carefully because time is short. Do you remember the time my heart spent within your bosom, my love?"

I do, but how could that possibly help us? Though, thinking about it, maybe this past connection might be the reason we're able to talk right now .. if we're actually talking.

"My beloved Nami-san is so smart! Yes, that might actually be the reason!"

Go on, time might be moving slower in this .. trance we're in, but I've no doubt that it's still moving. Our friends are fighting!

"I know, and you .. you might join them, if you like. With .. more or less me at your side."

Didn't you listen, Sanji-kun? I'm unarmed! No Clima-tact, no clever tactics or strategies. I'm not strong enough to even put a dent in this thing if even Luffy, Zoro and you couldn't make it!

"You are so much stronger than you think you are, my beloved Nami-san. When your beautiful body was given into my aegis, I had to take a very deep dive with it to recover Kin'emon's body. We never talked about that because I was scared that you would beat me, but your body is capable to do a lot more than you're giving yourself credit for."

What do you mean by that? What happened when you dived for his body?!

"At first, I only had to swim and even back then, your body managed the pressure of the deep water without aching. Then .. well, I kicked the shark that was chewing on his torso, but that's not even the most important thing."

What is it?! I don't know how much time we have left, Sanji-kun!

"Your body, Nami-san, withstood the strain that my Blue Walk put on it without failing. You were swimming as fast as a fishman and your muscles weren't even sore after it. Granted, it wasn't for a long time, but you've got what it takes to help them finish this beast."

How could swimming as quickly as that help us now?! Sanji-kun, if you have a plan, you might want to come out with it right now!

A plan he had. A stupid one, but at that time, it was their best shot. For a moment after leaving the trance, she felt alone again. Cold. Like waking up from a wonderful dream, Sanji was still unconscious, his head resting on her legs. It shocked her that she was still able to hear his voice, but only for a moment.

Don't you worry, my love. I'll be with you all the way to the very end.

Nami was incredibly relieved that the breathing of his physical body was going steady again. Nonetheless, she carefully put her hands beneath his head and softly let it down on the ground. For their plan to work, she needed to be standing.

May I humbly request one last kiss from Nami-san?

That comment made her smile against her will. Some things would never change, and that was a good thing. Yet her answer was:

"No. In the future, you might be able to request kisses from .. from your Nami-san. But for a very long time, it will better not be a last one. Alright now, what .. how do I have to do it?"

She worked herself into a standing position and looked down on her body. She was still wearing her dress and as beautiful as it might look, it was absolutely not made to withstand a fight. Determined as she was, Nami bowed down again and tore the lower end of the dress apart as to gain freedom of movement for her perfect long legs before standing up again. She wasn't even surprised that she could see the silhoutte of Sanji's body standing close to her when she concentrated on it. It was a weird day, weird things were to be expected.

The first step is the most important one. The silhoutte knelt down next to her and put his hand on her now exposed leg, seemingly caressing it. If anyone but her could have seen this, there'd be a lot of things to explain when all of this was over. Luckily for the both of them, her friends were still fighting. Even Usopp and Robin had joined in, she remarked, as stones were thrown against their foe and from every possible and impossible angle arms were sprouting. On the beast itself, on the stones that Usopp threw at it. To no avail, but it bought them time and a little respite for Luffy and Zoro who undeniably had gotten the worst of the fighting. They were covered in countless bruises and scratches, both panting like wild animals. But still not broken. The whole damn island would break before these two would.

As I said, the first step is the most important one for it to work. You need to find something inside yourself that you react very strongly to. Rage, hatred, passion, love. Everything would do, the feeling just needs to be strong enough.

Something that she felt strongly or passionate about? In theory, it should have been easy enough. If not for the fact that she had tried to bury all these wonderful memories for a long time now, so deeply that it felt like graverobbery to summon them before her inner eye. But as with a lot of other things in life, the solution was standing .. and fighting right before her very eyes.

Seeing the Straw Hats reunited again, fighting together. For their dreams, for their future. Luffy's shouting and unshakable conviction even in the face of an enemy that seemed invulnerable to everything they could throw at it. Zoro's silent stoicism while the took hit after hit from lanky arms that would have crushed a lesser man into dust. Robin's effort to back up the others, taking the force out of strikes and swings with sprouting arms and flowers, Usopp desperately trying to live up to his dream, his promise. As he always did. Chopper and Franky were in hiding again as the time to use the Rumbleball had not yet come and Franky's reserves ran out. They didn't want to be in the way. And finally .. her blonde cook. Even though his unconscious body was still lying on the ground, she could still feel the warmth of his lips on hers. And even though he wasn't really touching her right now, she could still feel him. These people were all that she needed.

She even felt his hands on her shoulders as if he was about to massage them, putting the silhoutte of his right leg next to hers.

You're doing wonderful, my love. And now that you're having a grasp on these emotions, let me assist you in guiding them to where they are needed.

His right hand left her shoulder and she somehow felt the tip of his finger running down her neck, softly caressing the skin along her spine – because as a specter or whatever he was, he didn't seem to care about the silk that was still covering parts of her back – and came to a hold when his hand reached her hips. He just couldn't help himself and brushed over her butt.

"Hands off the goods, mister. For now." Even in a situation as tense as that, she couldn't suppress a smile, and though she wasn't looking at his face, not even the face of his spectre, she was able to vividly imagine his disappointment. Nevertheless, his hand finally continued its journey and gently brushed over her thigh until it reached her lower leg.

This is were the magic happens, Nami-san. Under different circumstances, it would be a little more complicated to get it to work, but now that I'm with you, I think we might be able to skip that part. Please, Nami-san, my love: Allow me to be the spark that starts and feeds your fire.

Once again, she smiled.

"You always were."

It took only seconds until she felt a pleasant and comfortable heat radiating from the spectre's leg and while in the past she had shied away from this heat .. his heat, she finally embraced it. Putting her right hand on her left shoulder, on the hand that she still felt, she gave herself to the flame. And under this wonderfully blue and clear sky, her fire was the sun's equal. With every moment passing, she gave in a little more to the power that was flowing through her entire body, not just her leg. Every draw of air she inhaled made her feel like she was breathing a living flame. Nami felt unstoppable now that she had a glimpse of the Monster Trio's might at her own disposal.

I will be with you until this is over, my love. Let's send this beast back to where it belongs. Together.

She nodded, filled to the brim with newfound confidence and threw her head around to where Franky and Chopper were taking cover.

"Chopper, keep your rumbleball close at hand, Franky, throw Chopper into the air for a monster plunging attack when I'm giving you the sign!"

"Your leg's burning!", was the first thing the little reindeer doctor shouted.

"Yeah, I think it's part of my new style, don't you like it?"

"Suits you, sis, but what sign?!"

"You won't miss it, just keep your eyes on me! We only have one shot, timing is of the essence!" With these words on her lips, she finally moved towards the fray. Finally being allowed to act, to take part. To do her part. The giant toad was still effortlessly keeping the combined powers of Luffy, Zoro, Robin and Usopp at bay and sooner or later, their strength and endurance would have failed them.

That's not going to happen. That is never going to happen again.

"That new look suits you, navigator-san." Robin greeted her, her arms crossed in front of her chest. Even though she was breathing heavily, there was a wide smile on her face. Maybe she knew more about what was happening here?

"I need all of you to provide me with an opening, just long enough to cook this beast from the inside! Luffy, Zoro, Usupp! Remember that it was keeping another face under that skin?! Maybe it'll show that one again once I boiled it enough! Chopper drop down on it in his monster form, but once that's gone, it's all up to you and this thing better not still be standing then!"

"Understood, let's try it your way." Both Luffy and Zoro seemed to be mobilising their last reserves to get going, but they managed it and within the next second, countless arms began to sprout on the beast's arm, accompanied by a rain of aethereal flowers. Robin had already begun and Zoro answered her efforts at once. His muscles began to swell until they reached the size of a gorilla's and with this additional strength, the combined efforts of the archaeologist and the swordsman wrestled the creature's arm to the ground. The captain didn't keep them waiting and moved as fast as a human lightning bolt, entangling the monster's other arm with his rubber body and giving his everything to keep it nailed to the ground. By now, Usopp had left the position from which he was throwing rocks and went to support his captain. Even without the monstrous power of the other two or a devil fruit enhanced body, he was still an able warrior and every single bit helped.

It was her turn now and she began to move towards their Nemesis without a fear in the world. What was there to fear when all your friends were there to help you, to support you? What was there to fear when the person you loved shared every step with you? Nothing.

Nami set on to a sprint for the last few metres before she launched herself at the beast, somehow perfectly mimicking one of Sanji's jumping kicks. Both were shouting at the top of their lungs.

BACK TO THE PIT WITH YOU!

"BACK TO THE PIT WITH YOU!"

As her burning foot finally came into contact with the beast's sturdy armour, she didn't know if it was working. For an endlessly long second, she didn't know if all her efforts were, indeed, done in vain. The relief came in the form of sizzling. Roasting flesh underneath a hardened shell. It grew louder and louder the longer her leg was connected to the beast and even an unnameable evil that has aged for countless aeons couldn't withstand this pain forever.

Its cry of anguish was bloodcurdling, ear-splitting and the most wonderful sound in the world. Fume was coming out of the single slit in the armour and being invigorated by pain, it broke both of its arms free, tearing the second skin apart and revealing the ugly, vaguely human face underneath it. It did not expect the giant fist that came crashing down from the sky, muffling the anguished cry and throwing the large body into the direction of the open sea, back to the oceanic depths it supposedly came from.

After this first strike, their counter offensive began. Whatever strength the Straw Hats had left in their bruised and exhausted bodies, they used it. Whatever makeshift weapon they found, they used it. Every opening, every fault it made, they used it and punished it heavily for it until the beast was finally forced back into the ocean.

Beautifully done, my love. I think that the time has come for me to join you in person.

"After all the work's done, right?", she asked seemingly no one in particular, but only Zoro looked at her with a raised brow.

And indeed, the cook joined them in no time after their special bond went to slumber. He was still shaky on his legs and blood ran down his confused face, but he was alive. It was to his utmost surprise that Nami rushed to his side and supported him. This wasn't a moment for pride or manliness, nor for fear of touch.

"It's not over. Thing's still here." She heard Zoro murmuring, already bracing himself for a last stand as the beast crawled back from the depths, now in turn using its last strength to find revenge. Yet none of them was swayed by that as they were all too busy .. blinking tears from their eyes.

A storm might shroud the world in darkness and blind the eyes of mortal men, fog might obscure it and in the fairy tales of old women, demons, devils, monsters and ghost ships inhabited these blind spots to the mortal eye. But not all of those with a monstrous appearance were evil. And not all ghost ships carried an evil intent with them.

"Nevermind. It's over."

As the beast was halfway out of the water, it couldn't have expected anything like that. A .. lion, or a sun or a flower or all of these things combined crashed into its back. The shock from this sudden impact made the beast scream out in anguish once again, but this time it threw up on them. Bones, hundreds, thousands of bones were its last gift before it returned to the sea. This time, though, for good.

"I'd like a glass of milk, please .."