Romance Dawn (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

LUFFY WATCHED some of them, Sanji, Nami and Usopp, complain abput the soaking wet clothes of theirs. He didn't say anything but the drenched clothes of his were actually annoying him as well. It kept on sticking to his skin, not to mention the cold touch it gives off, plus the shivers he received because of the occasional winds. After proposing an idea and started climbing off the ship, their navigator was just in time to grab his arm and not let him go anywhere.

"What? I'm going to look for shops." he grunted. "I'm pretty sure Wonderland has tons of stuff around to waddle with."

Robin spoke. "Maybe it would be best if we stick together for now, Luffy."

"Why is that?"

"Maybe because we're in an unfamiliar place?" Sanji blew off some smoke. "And besides, if someone sees you, I reckon you'd be in big trouble. The last time I checked, Wonderland has pretty absurd rules on how people should dress."

Giving up, Luffy sighed and dropped his body on the floor. He kept a straight face as Nami explained what they could do. While of those were happening, he wondered how a person like her, whom had spent most of her lifetime in a secluded tower, manages to act proud with her skills. Nami had been inside her tower for how long, yet she had demonstrated plenty of things that actually helped every single one of them. Luffy curved his lip upwards at the thought of how many books have that girl read out of boredom.

"...capisce, Luffy?" that certain girl glanced at him.

Pretending to have listened to her blabbing, Luffy raised both thumbs up. "Roger!"

The only ones who would remain in the ship was Franky, for he still had to mend the few damages the whirlpool had caused to the 'Thousand Sunny', Usopp, who was too scared to wonder off and would rather stay soaked than the former choice, and Brook, who offered to be a source of entertainment to the two. They waved at the others farewell as he went off inside to start his job. The others, well, they leaped off the ship and waited for the last person to land on the ground before walking off.

"Zoro!" Nami scolded, annoyed. The swordsman was miraculously walking off to a different direction than theirs. Luckily, Chopper, in his Walk Point, had caught him before he got too far.

Sanji clicked his tongue loud enough to be heard by him. "What a dumbass."

"Did you say something, huh, Ero-Cook?"

"Oh yeah, Moss Head, I did say something!" Sanji blurted out. "I said you are a dumbass, and I intended it for you to be heard."

"What the fuck do you want with me?!"

Before they could grab each other, Nami had hit them on the back of their heads, accompanied by another yell.

Luffy laughed at them. It was funny how their combatant and cook always get into pointless arguments. And Nami, who would always step into their quarrels, was just as funny enough as them. He noticed how her wavy orange hair jumped up and down as she walked. They were not cut straight, though. It gladdened him that Nami didn't get Usopp to do her a more decent haircut than the one he purposefully did when they were stranded in the desert for some time. Confused at what he was thinking about, Luffy shook his head.

"You good?" Nami asked.

Luffy nodded and flashed a bright smile. "Yeah, you?"

"Never better," he received a smile back. He had to admit, though, she looked prettier when she smiles.

After minutes (or hours, according theur lazy swordsman) they reached the town. Luckily. They went inside a boutique which had the sign 'BOO-TIQUE' at the top. Nami was the first to enter, followed by Robin, then Sanji and Chopper, with Zoro reluctantly. The girls were in awe as they looked around what the shop had offered. They went on to grab whatever they wanted, fit them on, and pay for it. Luckily though, Nami still had enough Beris with her to pay for all those.