Queen of the Pirates

The Aqua Laguna

"We weren't on time," Nami collapses to her knees, covering her face with her hands.

"Damn it," I kick the ground. "Even if we were quicker on our feet, it wouldn't have mattered. The train was already in motion."

"I'm so sorry," Paulie's voice fills my ears as he steps up to us.

"You did all you could, Paulie," I softly smile as I look at him. "Truly, thank you for everything."

"I should be thanking you, Socks, for putting yourself in danger against those government bastards earlier. Even if you need to change the way you dress."

"If I can fight to save my friends, I'll do it."

"Hey, you're Paulie-san of the Galley-La company!" the man that called out to Nami and I earlier, speaks up.

"What in the world are you doing here with those wounds!?" the man next to him calls out. Both look to be conductors for the train, one in black and the other in white, but they're not needed at the moment.

"That was a really early departure, huh?" Paulie asks.

"Yes, we'd finished loading all of the passengers," Mr. White answers.

"This sea storm is amazing," Mr. Black says. "It looks as though the Aqua Laguna is going to come any moment now."

"It's very dangerous here. Let's hurry back to the shipyard."

"I see..." Paulie hums, turning back to look at Nami silently crying. "Hey, you, it's hard to say this, but it's headed for Enies Lobby. Once the train leaves, it can't be stopped."

"You can't be so harsh with a lady," I tease.

"Are you...crying?" Paulie awkwardly messes with his goggles. "Geez, those feelings are..."

"Rational and outside your comfort zone?"

"I'm following her!" Nami bursts up with fire of rage burning deep within her.

"She's angry!" the men scream in horror.

"Hell yeah she's angry!" I pump my fists in the air as I hop around on my toes.

"I won't forgive you!" Nami continues to scream. "All of you stupid government officials!"

"What's with you all of a sudden!?" Paulie clenches his jaw.

"A woman's determination can not be mess with!" I shout.

"Lend us a boat! A huge strong boat!" Nami demands of Paulie.

"You want to take a bout out on this kind of sea!?" Paulie snaps. "Don't be stupid! You don't even know how strong Aqua Laguna is!"

"I will cross it! Akari and I can do it!"

"Well," I grimace, looking at the roughness of the sea.

"These waves are on a completely different scale than the ones you're thinking of!" Paulie argues. "The sea will be extremely rough from now on! You can't go out to sea now! You'll be going to your death!"

"But Robin is throwing her life away for our sake!"

Paulie's face drop as he must sense something about the waves of this storm that we know nothing about. In a split second he is grabbing Nami and I under one arm, and the two conductor men under the other, and rushing away from the sea surge that would lead to our deaths in the sea. Even in his injured state, he is able to get us halfway up the stairs and out of danger, but not without all of us getting soaked with seawater.