The Devil's Grin - A One Piece Fanfic (Snail-like Updates)

The Mark of War.

Nami was running through the woods that was on the way to Arlong Park. Her home was only an hour and a half from the Park and she knew that she was twenty minutes away when she heard a loud crashing noise to the left of her. The noise grew closer each second before it passed to the right side of her. Unsure of what had caused the noise she slowed to a jog as she approached the area where the last crash was. Smoke was now rising into the sky and voices could be heard shouting.

Someone started laughing hysterically. "Zoro you looked so funny right before the ship hit you." Nami froze as she recognized Luffy's voice. Even though Zoro had said he was coming a part of her hadn't believed him. What she had done was unforgivable, stealing their home like that. She shook her head. She had to focus. There was more important things to deal with right now.

"I shouldn't be surprised to see you where there's destruction." She said as she walked into the open area. Luffy and Zoro stopped arguing and looked at her, their faces suddenly serious.

"Oh Nami!" Sanji danced his way to her with hearts in his eyes. "I've come to rescue you, my darling!" She ignored him as she walked past him towards Zoro and Luffy. He quickly deflated and started to cry.

"What are you doing here?" She glared at Luffy. "Didn't you get my message when I left?"

"Yup." Luffy broke into a huge grin. "You said you wanted to leave the crew and that if we were meant to meet again we would."

"And?" Nami waited for him to continue. His smile made her very confused. Why was he smiling?

"Denied." He laughed. Denied. That was all he said. Then he laughed like it was a inside joke.

"What do you mean 'Denied'?" She nearly shouted.

"Your not allowed to leave the crew." He turned and gave Zoro a look. She couldn't see his face but what ever he did had surprised Zoro. He turned back to her. "Not without a good enough reason. And you don't have one." He laughed.

"Not wanting to stay with you idiots isn't enough?!" She screamed as Luffy's grin began to falter. "Then how about this?" She showed him her shoulder with Arlong's mark. "Is this reason enough? I'm already part of a pirate crew. Sorry, can't join yours."

"That's D's mark." Luffy pointed at it. Nami heart felt like it stopped as her eyes whipped down to her shoulder. Sitting there on her shoulder was Arlong's mark like it had for the last ten years. "That's not funny." She growled as she realized she was holding her breath.

"Sorry." Luffy shrugged. "I thought I saw it there." He stood up and dusted his pants off before heading out to stand in the middle of the path they were next to. "I feel like taking a nap guys. Do whatever you want for now, we might be here a while." He fell onto his back and closed his eyes.

"Your going to take a nap?!" Nami shouted as she practically stomped her way over to him. "Why don't you leave this island and take your nap somewhere else? You can have the Going Mary. I don't need it any more."

"Don't feel like it." Luffy said lazily. "Besides if I stay here I might run into Arlong. I've always wanted to fight a fishman."

Fear settled into the out of her stomach as Nami imagined how a fight between the two would end. "Your not strong enough." She whispered. Luffy opened one eye to look up at her. "If you fight Arlong you'll die."

"Then I die." There was no fear in Luffy's eye or voice. "But we won't know that till it happens." He closed his eye again and the soft sound of snoring rose from him as his chest rose and fell slowly.

"Fine!" Nami shouted. "Stay here and die if you want. Just don't drag me into this." She turned and walked away. She refused to look back at them or else she would break down and cry. Why did they have to be so stupid? Once she knew she was out of sight she began running again.