Straw Hat's Guardian

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Let it Begin! Straw Hat's vs. The Fishmen Pirates!

It's been about just under an hour since Nojiko told Nami's story to Ussop, Sanji, and Lambo, Zoro having slept through it. And she had left practically the moment she finished telling it.

Lambo didn't blame her. He'd do the same thing in her shoes. Actually, Lambo doesn't think he'd have the guts to tell something so personal and painful to, basically, total strangers.

On the other hand, he kinda did the first time he set sail with Luffy, Zoro, and Nami after the battle against Buggy and his crew.

With all that, the trio decided to let Zoro sleep some more, and they all needed time to digest the whole thing. In a way, Bellemere reminds Lambo of them.

"Al~right.", Ussop suddenly pipes up, getting back on his feet, "Let's go meet up with Luffy as soon as possible."

With a sigh, Lambo nodded, getting back to his feet, dusting himself off as he did so. But Sanji mad no move to get up.

"Hey Sanji, what're you doing?", Ussop asks while Lambo tilts his head curiously.

"I'm appreciating happiness.", Sanji answered simply, looking absolutely relaxed.

Ussop raised a brow, looking down at the chef, confused, "Wait, what are you talking about?"

"Nami's had to live with way more suffering than any normal person.", Sanji explained as he lit a new cigarette he placed in his lips, "Right now, I'm making a lot of good vibes so I can send them her way. Isn't everything great?"

"Yeah...", Lambo said slowly, eyes slowly trailing over to the peacefully sleeping Zoro, "I think Zoro beat you to that one."

The only indication to Sanji's irritation towards the comment was a large tic mark appearing on his forehead. Ussop spoke up before Sanji retort anything.

"Hmph, bet that's not all your thinking about.", Ussop thoughtfully said, voice dripping in skepticism, "Love Cook."

Sanji got up on his feet, staring Ussop down.

"I'm trying to fight for a beautiful person.", he told them calmly, "Is something wrong with that."

Lambo shrugged, almost off handedly, not meeting the cook's eyes, "Bit fairy tale I suppose."

Sanji smirked in triumph at the small victory. Ussop, on the other hand, was more appalled.

"That's not right at all!", Ussop protested, "You're supposed to be fighting for Nami and all of the villagers."

Sanji just looked away uncaringly, "Yeah yeah."

Zoro grabbed his sword, stood up, and walked back to the road, where Ussop stood, with a sigh.

"Quick bickering.", he ordered the three.

They all turned to Zoro, who then in turned towards the direction of Cocoyashi village.

"Let's go."

...........................................................................................................................................................

It took every ounce of Lambo's entire being to not cry as he listened to everything from where he laid. The villager's cry for battle, revenge, and restitution. Nami trying to stop them, pretending everything is okay. And then Nami being left behind, broken hearted, as the villagers left for their doom, without a single care in the world.

It broke his heart to hear his crewmate haunted broken screams and cries. Cursing out Arlong with her every breathe.

It tore his insides to stay where he was as Nami began to mutilate her own arm, stabbing her Arlong tattoo with her dagger, over and over again as she continuously screams out Arlong's name in her rage. But he kept a blank face, hair shadowing over his eyes, and did nothing, listening to Nami drown in her own despair.