Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
EPISODE 7 : THE GIRL WITH THE SAWFISH TATTOO ( Under The Tangerine Grove )
THE LAND BENEATH Estrella's feet is barren and hard, remnants of shriveled ash and rubble molding underneath her every step.
Nami lives in a village, only the village is no more. Houses are flipped upside down, doors falling off their hinges, so much splintered wood littering around the trail.
Estrella walks at a slower pace, allowing herself time to scan the outskirts of where their navigator grew up. She tries to picture the ashen houses when they might've been a warm gold and inviting memory of budding nostalgia, but she can't.
Even the smell of tangerines she's become to accustomed to over the past few weeks seems to evade her senses, hidden away in some far corner of her mind. The longer Nami is away, the more Estrella begins to doubt if she ever truly knew the woman at all.
"Never seen that before," Zoro mutters as they pass by a roofless house, its foundations suspended in an upside-down motion.
Usopp takes a few steps back, until he and Estrella are side by side.
"Maybe I should head back," He says shakily. "Make sure the Merry's secure."
The brunette gives him a light shove, urging him forward. "The Merry's fine."
"Arlong did this." Luffy grits out, straw hat half-pulled over his eyes.
Estrella silently watches the rest of the crew. Her feet feel rooted to the ground, a familiarity of losing all she loves washing over her. Perhaps Nami, too, must sacrifice herself for the sake of her people.
( She wonders now whether she is making the right choice ).
From the depths of the sack slung around Sanji's shoulder comes a nagging and grating voice to pitch in his two cents, leaving behind a clench in Estrella's jaw.
"Hey, shit-hat!" The muffled sound rings through the silence. "I think we can all agree that Arlong's a bad fish. But why don't we quit lollygagging and get my body back?"
A hollow laugh escapes Estrella's dry lips. As if they ever plan to do that.
"Pipe down in there." Sanji barks in annoyance, shoving his hands further into his suit pockets.
"Or what? You gonna whip me up a soufflé?" Buggy jeers, and the sack shakes with his laughter.
"How 'bout you take him for a while?" The blonde mutters to Usopp, who scrunches his eyebrows.
