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Denial	By : Confession68 Category: +M to R > One Piece Views: 6703 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Author�s Note: I
hope you all enjoy this chapter! XD Please review! Enjoy! XD

Denial

Chapter 8: Cold

Desini mindlessly sifted through the many costumes in the
store. She finally found one that caused some kind of reaction from her. She
picked it up, and then walked to the dressing rooms. She put it on and then
looked at herself in the mirror.

It was a black dress with some red in the sleeves and down
the middle. The sleeves draped down past her hands. Then she slowly put the
mask on over her eyes. She stared at her reflection for awhile. Then she
removed the mask and began to undress. She gathered the dress and mask and
walked out. She grabbed some matching shoes and then went to the man to pay.
She had already bought a costume for Jin. She made her way out and began the
walk back to the hotel.

She sighed to herself. As soon as she got to the hotel she
went upstairs to their room. She walked in and hung up her dress as well as his
costume in the closet. She set the masks down on the nightstand and then sat
down. Jin was standing by the window. Desini leaned back and just watched him.
He had changed so much over the past month. She missed the man she first met.
His memory loss was beginning to wear on him. He no longer had a sense of
humor. He no longer smiled. He no longer laughed.

After awhile, he finally turned to her. She didn�t say
anything she only stared at him, and he only stared back. She sighed. �I got
both costumes.� she finally said. He nodded. �The festival takes place in three
days. There will be dancing�� she said quietly.

He furrowed his brows at that. �Dancing�?� he asked.

�Un, dancing...We could use it to
get close enough to them without causing suspicion.� she said. He stared at her
for a long while before finally nodding. �I will teach you.� she said as she got
up. She walked up to him and held out her hand to him.

�You know how to dance�?� he asked with his brows still
furrowed.

She felt herself blush. �Un�we
weren�t your ordinary every day bounty hunters. We learned
different trades�different things�to better our hunting�and disguises.� she
explained.

Nodding, he took her hand. She showed him where to put his
hands and how to position himself. Then she began instructing him on the dance
steps. He was surprisingly good. She looked up at his face. He looked determined.
It only took him a few hours to master the steps. Then she taught him a different
dance that was easy enough to learn.

�This is all you need to learn. We won�t need to dance
long.� she explained. He only nodded. She was lucky if she could get more than
just a hand full of words out of him now. She had hopped that hunting these
pirates might make him happy�It hasn�t� �Jin�?� she called quietly as she
looked up at him. He looked down at her. She stared into his face for awhile.
He only stared back at her. It was as if there was nothing in his eyes. �Forget
it�� she whispered as she walked away from him.

�Are you hungry�?� she asked as she picked up the den-den mushi.

�No�� he replied. She had expected that answer. He hadn�t
been eating well either. She slowly put the den-den mushi
down.

She would give anything to get anything out of him. A
smile�a laugh�more than just five words a day. It had been like this since the
morning he had cried. That had been half a week ago. They had tracked the Straw-hat�s
every day since that day. They had found out about their personalities and
interests. It hadn�t been easy. They had to make sure not to get spotted.

He had almost no emotion at all. They only emotion he had
shown�was hate. He seemed cold and distant.

She had no idea what had caused such a change. She hoped it
wasn�t because of her. However, she had been too afraid to ask. She turned
toward him. He was again staring out the window. That was all he did most of
the day. She frowned. She couldn�t take it anymore. She walked back over to
him. �Jin�� she called again. He turned to her. �Jin�about�what�s happening to
you�I�wanted to know�is it something I did�?� she asked quietly.

�No�� he replied and then turned away.

Not being able to take it any longer, tears began to stream
down her face. She walked up to him quickly and turned him to her. �Jin, what
is wrong?! Please, tell me! I want to help�Why are you acting like this? Why
aren�t you happy? You used to be happy�You used to laugh�Why are
you so�?� she couldn�t finish her sentence.

Then her expression turned surprised. He was showing the
first sign of a different emotion in days. He was looking at her in confusion.
�What are you talking about?� he asked. She slowly smiled. His confusion
deepened. �Why are you crying�?� he asked quietly.

�Because I miss who you used to be�This is the first emotion
I have gotten out of you in days�� she whispered. He frowned down at her. �I�ll
take what I can get�� she said quietly.

His expression changed to slightly raised brows in
confusion. �I don�t understand�� he said quietly.

�Jin�when was the last time you laughed�? When was the last
time you smiled�? This is also the first time in days that we�ve had an actual
conversation�� she explained.

His face relaxed as he looked down at her. �I�m sorry�I
didn�t mean t�� he started to say.

She shook her head and smiled as she leaned her forehead
down on his chest. �It�s alright. I know you must be going through a great
deal. I just wanted to see you smile every now and then�I want to hear you
laugh��she whispered.

He felt himself frown down at her. He wasn�t sure what was
wrong with him. Whatever it was�she was suffering because of it. He hadn�t
meant to hurt her�It seemed, that�s all he has managed to do since he met her.
All she ever did was give and give. He only took and
could offer her nothing in return but pain and sorrow. He wondered why it was
she stuck around. He felt himself smile down at her. He reached up and wrapped
his arms around her. He heard her gasp.

Her eyes widened as she felt his hold tighten. The tears
dripped down one by one �Thank you�� he said quietly. She closed her eyes
tightly as the tears continued. She reached up and hugged him back in return. She
slowly looked up at him.

Her eyes widened further. He was smiling down at her. She
smiled slowly as she reached up and brought her fingertips to his lips. It was
so good to see him smile. However, his smile slowly began to fade. She furrowed
her brows as her lips parted. �Don�t stop�� she whispered. She slid her hand to
his cheek as she pressed her body against him.

He felt panic rise in him again. She was getting closer. He
reached up and put his hands on her shoulder. �Don�t�please�� he whispered. He
watched as she began to cry again. His expression turned sad. �I�m sorry�please
don�t cry�I can�t�I don�t know why�but I can�t�� he
whispered. Then he watched as she smiled up at him sweetly. His eyes widened in
surprise.

Then she began to laugh. �I�m sorry.� she said. �I�m just so
glad to see you smile again. You seem more yourself again.� she said quietly.
Jin stared down at her in complete confusion.

----

Nami and Robin walked into another costume shop. They had
yet to find the perfect costumes. Nami began to look around at all the
different clothes. She looked through several different racks. She was becoming
annoyed. She growled in frustration.

The raven haired Historian turned toward her. �What is it, Navigator-san?�
she asked.

�I still can�t find anything
good!� she cried in frustration as she sifted through another rack.

Smiling warmly, Robin turned and looked through a rack
herself. She finally came to a dark red dress with some black in it. She smiled
wider. �This one is nice.� she said as she pulled it out to get a better look
at it. �I think I will try it on.� she said as she turned towards the dressing
room.

The orange haired Navigator pursed her lips at her as she
turned back to the rack. She continued to separate costume after costume. She
pursed her lips in annoyance and then went to a new rack. She moved costumes
aside, until she finally came to one that caught her eye. It was completely
black. It had long, black, sheer sleeves, with paisley lace. It also had
paisley print at the hem of the dress. It had round silver buttons down the
front from bosom to waist. She smiled to herself and practically ran to the
dressing room.

After putting it on, she went out to the full length mirror
and to look at herself. Robin was already standing in front of it. She smiled
at her and walked up to her. Robin turned at hearing Nami approach and then
smiled. �You found one.� she said.

�Un!� replied Nami excitedly as she grinned at the woman.
�Isn�t it gorgeous?!� she asked as she spun around and then approached the
mirror, next to Robin.

�Ee�it is indeed. I�m jealous.� she replied with a bit of a
giggle. Nami joined her laughter as they both looked at each other in the
mirror.

Suddenly, Nami felt a shiver run up and down her spine. She
inhaled sharply as she quickly turned around. Robin�s smile faded as she looked
at Nami. Nami�s eyes were wide as she looked all behind her. She didn�t see
anything or anyone. Nami slowly reached up and began rubbing her arms. She
still felt chills.

�Nami-san?� called Robin quietly in concern. �Is everything
alright?� she asked.

�Un�I just got the chills�Is it
just me�or does it feel like we are being watched?� she asked as she continued
to rub her arms with her hands.

Furrowing her brows, and then turning to look where Nami was
looking, Robin began to look around. Then she crossed her arms. �Ojos Flor.� she said quietly.
Nami turned to her. She had her eyes closed and stayed in that position for
awhile before finally lowering her arms and opening her eyes. �I don�t see
anything out of the ordinary.� she finally said as she turned to Nami.

Nami sighed and decided to just let it go. �I�m sorry�Maybe
I�m just paranoid.� she said as she smiled and then turned to get redressed.

The shadowed figure was already long gone.

Both women made their way back to the hotel with their
costumes. They had found the perfect shoes and masks to go with them. They
walked into their rooms and put them away in the closet. �I�m glad that�s over
with. I thought we�d never find good enough costumes.� said Nami as she plopped
down on the first bed.

�Ee�I was worried as well. It will be a magnificent chance
to study this festival first hand.� Robin said calmly.

Smiling cheerfully, Nami then got up from the bed. �Shall we
meet the guys for dinner?� she asked as she walked towards the door.

�Ee.� nodded Robin as she followed her. The crew walked out
of the hotel and made the third daily walk to the ship for dinner.

The shadowed figured peered down from the roof as he watched
the group. �What should I do�?� he whispered to himself. Then he looked at the
others watching. �What should I do�?� he whispered again.

After dinner, with no interruptions, and just hanging out
with each other, the crew made their way back to their hotel.

�I wonder why Luffy hasn�t come around�It�s been a few
days�� remarked Usopp with a frown.

�Aa�� agreed Chopper.

�Well, you guys, he can�t stick around forever. He�has to go
where ever it is he had to go�� said Sanji quietly.

Everyone was silent for a long time. �I hope�he�s okay��
whispered Nami. Everyone turned to her with sad frowns.

�I hate to say this, but�I kind of doubt�that he�s okay.�
reminded Zoro. Everyone turned and frowned at him. He shrugged. �It�s true�� he
said quietly. Everyone relaxed their faces and sighed. He was right�

�I want to hear him again�� whispered Chopper as he lowered
his head.

�Aa�me too�� replied Usopp.

�I wish we could have seen him like Nami�� whispered Chopper
sadly.

�Aa�� agreed Usopp again. Nami frowned at the little
reindeer sadly. �Why was it that only I could see him�?� she thought to
herself. Then she frowned deeper. �And why can�t I see him anymore�? Where is
he�?� she thought as they continued to walk.

Inside her hotel room, Nami sat down on her bed to read. She
leaned against the headboard and lifted her book. Robin was quietly sitting on
her bed reading as well. It felt good to be able to read again. She wasn�t
sleeping so much any more. She could catch up with reading about maps and
navigation. She also had some other books she wanted to read. Even though she
hadn�t seen either apparition Luffy for a few days, she was still at ease. She
had accepted the fact that he would disappear some day. She hadn�t expected it
to be so soon, but even so, she was okay with it. Luffy was gone, and there was
nothing any of them could do about it.

The next morning, the guys finally decided to go shopping
for their costumes. The five walked out of the hotel and made their way to the
shops.

�I won�t be able to wear a costume�� said Chopper a little
sadly as they all walked.

�You could at least wear a mask.� said Sanji as he smiled
down at the little reindeer.

�Really?! You think so?!� asked
Chopper excitedly.

�Aa, I don�t see why not.� replied
Sanji. Then he got hearts in his eyes. �I shall pick the best costume, so
Nami-swan and Robin-chwan will be impressed!� he exclaimed as he began to
wobble.

�Idiot�a costume won�t help you�� said Zoro with his eyes
closed.

�What did you say, Marimo?!� asked Sanji angrily. Zoro just
turned away from him, ignoring him.

�I�m not sure I will find one that fits me either�� remarked
Franky as he looked around at everything.

�Aa�you�re arms are way to big��
said Sanji as he looked down at Franky�s massive forearms.

�Aa�I�m sure I can find something
though.� said Franky with a grin.

�Why did you make them so big?� asked Usopp.

�Mostly because I thought it looked cool. However, it was
more effective for my weapons, storing ammo and for a shield.� explained
Franky.

�Well�you could always get Nami-san to fix it for you so you
can fit it around your arms�� said Sanji as he looked towards Franky. Franky
grinned and nodded. The five continued on until they found a shop. They walked
in and then separated to look around.

�Why do I have to go to this anyway�? Why does she want
everyone to go�?� mumbled Zoro as he began sifting through the costumes.

Hearing the Swordsman�s mumbling, Sanji turned to Zoro with
a frown. �Because she wants us all to be together!� he said. He didn�t need to
say anymore. She had already explained this to them. Zoro turned to him with a
frown, but said nothing. They all continued looking until each found a costume.

The satisfied Swordsman grinned at his costume. �Not too
bad�� he said quietly as he eyed it. It had a black over coat with black
slightly baggy slacks. He also chose a green belt and gloves to match his hair.
The coat had large golden buttons that went down both sides. He also had a
white shirt to go underneath.

Everyone else had similar costumes. Sanji�s long over coat
however, was a deep dark red. Usopp�s costume had dark red in his, but mostly
black. Chopper found the perfect mask to wear. Franky also found a costume big
enough to fit him. He just needed Nami to tailor it for him.

After making their purchases, they made their way back to
the hotel. Franky immediately went to the women�s room and knocked. Nami
answered the door. �Franky? What�s up?� she asked.

�I was wondering if you minded fixing my costume for me?� he
asked.

The much larger man watched as she smiled up at him with a
twinkle in her eye. �Of course I can, but it�s going to cost you!� she replied.

He sighed and bowed his head. �Of course�� he mumbled as he
handed it to her. She grinned up at him and took the costume as she closed the
door in his face. He grumbled to himself as he went back to his room.

The day finally came for the festival. Everyone changed into
their costumes and began to head to the place the festival was mainly taking
place at.

----

Desini returned to the hotel room. She had needed to get
some last minute accessories. She sat down on the bed. She could hear the water
running in the bathroom. She lowered her gaze to the floor and waited. After
about five minutes, the water stopped. She looked towards the door. The door
opened and he stepped out. He was only wearing a towel.

�You�re back�� he muttered.

�Un�I�m back�� she replied quietly as she got up and walked
past him. She closed the door and then began to disrobe. She took her shower
and then began to get ready. She styled her hair and then went out. He had
already changed. He was wearing black pants with black boots over them. He was
fixing the wrist buttons of his white shirt. She could only stare at him. He
looked stunning. After he was done, he threw on the black long coat. He had
pulled his hair back into a pony tail.

She finally broke her stare and walked over to the closet.
She reached in and took out her dress. She took it back to the bathroom and
began to change. She walked out of the bathroom when she was done. He was
sitting on the bed waiting. She smiled at him.

�Are you ready?� he asked. She nodded as she walked over to
the nightstand and grabbed both masks. She turned and handed him his. He took
it as he stood, and then headed for the door.

They made their way to their destination, the Straw-hat�s�
hotel. Both put their masks own before getting there. She looked over at him.
His mask managed to hide all, but one scar, the one on his chin. She face
forward again as they walked. They made it to the hotel and waited for about
twenty minutes. Finally, the Straw-hat�s� emerged from their hotel, each
wearing a costume and mask. Desini looked at the orange haired women. She was
beautiful. She was wearing an all black ball gown with a matching black mask.
The other woman was wearing a dark red and black gown with a dark red mask. She
too was stunning.

The men were also wearing costumes. Each were
similar yet different. The blonde man was wearing a deep dark red coat. The
long nosed man had a black coat with some red in his. The Swordsman had an all
black costume. The little pet only wore a mask, and the largest man had a short
sleeved black coat and a black speedo. The Swordsman
had both the shirt and coat open down the middle.

�Suddenly, Jin pulled
her to the side and up against the wall as they walked past. She gasped involuntarily
as he did. She could hear the green haired Swordsman mumble something to them
that was inaudible as they walked past. She turned toward them as they walked
away. Jin moved away from her and began to follow them.

They all walked to the middle of the city were the festival
was being held. There was already a great deal of people talking and dancing.
Desini pulled out her fan and began to fan herself with it. They both kept
their eyes on the group. She watched as the blonde haired man held a hand out
to the orange haired woman. She accepted and they both walked out and began to
dance.

Jin grabbed her hand and dragged her to the floor. �Jin�?�
she whispered.

�We need to get closer�� he replied. He spun her into his
arms and began to dance with her. �It should be easy to separate the curly
browed blonde guy, just like we planned.� he said. She nodded to him. She
understood what she had to do.� They just
had to wait for the right opportunity.

After the dance, the blonde man and orange haired woman
walked off the make shift floor and walked towards the others. Then they
watched as the blonde man did his usual behavior and walked off alone. Desini
immediately took action and began walking over to him. He was heading straight
for the drinks.

She slowed her pace and approached him with her fan in her
face and with a sway of her hips. Jin watched her from a distance. Then he
glanced over toward the others. They weren�t paying any attention to the
blonde. Desini approached him. �Excuse me�� she said in her most seductive
voice.

Sanji quickly turned to the masked beauty next to him. She
was gazing at him through her lashes. Sanji�s eyes turned to hearts. �What can
I do for such a beautiful lady?� he asked.

�I was wondering if you could help me with something. You
look strong.� she said.

�Ha-i, anything for such a beauty
as yourself!� cooed Sanji. Desini grinned behind her
fan.

Jin watched as both Desini and the blonde walked away. He
turned back to the others. He began to approach them slowly. He had to keep an
eye out for them, make sure none of them went after the blonde. He was sure
they wouldn�t, after all, they were pirates and probably didn�t care for one
another. He was extremely close to them. He could actually hear their
conversation.

A man stepped onto a stage and began to announce that they
were going to start lines for a contradance. People
began to file in two separate lines. Jin made a noise as he was pushed into the
line. He looked around as people were being pushed into the line. He could hear
the announcer laughing and telling everyone not to be shy. He quickly turned to
his partner. His eyes widened. The orange haired beauty was staring back at him
with wide eyes in surprise.

He only stared at her for a long while. Finally, she began to
laugh nervously. �I guess this is their idea of a joke, huh?� she said in a
nervous voice. Jin finally removed his eyes to look towards the others. They
too were being forced to dance. He shifted his eyes back at her. �I hope you
don�t mind that I�m your partner.� she said as she looked at him with a smile.
Jin shook his head no. Then he shifted his eyes towards the others again. His
eyes widened slightly. One of them was missing.

The announcer then told everyone to get into position. The
orange haired woman lifted her right hand nervously. Jin shifted his eyes to
her hand. He had to find the missing member. However, he would draw too much
attention if he walked away now. He slowly lifted his right hand and placed it
flat against hers.

Nami inhaled slowly at his touch. She felt a shiver run up
and down her spine. She was getting a bad vibe from this man. She wasn�t sure
what it was, but it gave her the creeps. She could feel it through out her
whole body. She didn�t really notice until he touched her. He had such a cold
and intense stare.

The music started. He gracefully started the lead of the
dance. She was a little surprised he knew how to dance. He didn�t seem the
type. They slowly walked in a circle, each pushing on each other�s hand. They
switched sides, as well as everyone else in the line, and began to walk in the
opposite direction. Then, everyone stopped and placed both hands in each
other�s as they danced together. He lifted his and her arm, twirling her in a
circle. His movements were so graceful and deliberate.

Not being able to remove her eyes from his, they only stared
at one another the entire dance. Not once had he spoken to her. �I wonder if he
can even talk�?� she pondered to herself. One thing was for sure, he was
stunning in his costume. When she had first laid her eyes on him when he had
been looking away at the crowd pushing him, it had made her blush. She was
surprised to find he was to be her partner. He was wearing a beautiful red mask
with golden accents. It covered the majority of his face. All she could see
were his eyes and lips. There was also a scar on his chin.

He was also wearing all black, a black long overcoat with no
buttons with black slacks and boots. He was also wearing a white button up
underneath. It was parted down the middle revealing his chest and muscle. She
could feel herself blushing again as she looked up. �What is the matter with
you?! Get a hold of yourself!!� she yelled to herself
in her mind. The dance was finally complete and he pulled away from her. They
stared at each other for quite awhile. She could feel herself blush again. She
was just glad she was wearing a mask.

�Nami��

She gasped and quickly turned around. She did not see whom had whispered in her ear. �Luffy�� she whispered before
turning back to the man. However, he was gone. Nami looked around, but didn�t
see him anywhere. She felt another shiver run up and down her spine.

Jin pushed his way through the crowd of people quickly. He
had to find the missing member. �That long nosed guy�Where did he go?�

----

Usopp walked around looking around. �Where did they go?� he
asked out loud as he rounded another corner. He had seen Sanji and a woman
walking off together. He had thought it a little fishy, so he had tried to
follow. He had gotten pushed into the dance, but had snuck off. Because of
that, he had lost sight of them. He went in the direction he had seen them go,
but he was beginning to think he had still gone the wrong way. He continued
walking anyway. Then he heard voices. He flattened himself against a wall and
then looked around the corner. The black haired woman was laughing as she had
an arm through Sanji�s.

�Che!� exclaimed Usopp in annoyance. �Of course that idiot
would take off with a woman�� he thought to himself. He continued to watch as
the woman pushed Sanji against the wall. Sweat beaded down Usopp�s face in
slight discomfort. She pressed her body against Sanji�s. Sanji�s eyes were huge
hearts as he stared down at the woman. Usopp made a loud exclamation as the
woman slowly began to reach behind her. �She�s planning something!� he thought
as he quickly turned the corner and pulled out his sling shot.

�Namari Boshi!�
he cried as he aimed and fired at the woman.

She quickly turned at hearing him and jumped out of the way.
She did it exceptionally well, even while wearing such a long dress. Sanji
cried out from being pegged by the lead ball. �Oi!!
What the hell, Usopp!!� he yelled angrily.

Ignoring the fuming cook, Usopp aimed at the woman again.
�What were you trying to do?!� he yelled at her. Sanji looked at Usopp in
confusion and then turned to the dark haired beauty kneeling on the ground. She
was scowling at Usopp.

�Damn it Jin! You didn�t do your job!� she thought to
herself as she glared at the long nosed man. She shifted her eyes to the blonde
man. He was now looking at her suspiciously. She slowly stood up. She had no
choice but to try and take them both on. She began to unbutton her dress which
caused the blonde man�s eyes to turn to hearts once again. �Mellorine!�
he cried. She removed her dress, revealing a slow cut shirt and shorts
underneath. The man�s hearts popped as he realized, she was only wearing more
clothes underneath. She tossed the dress aside.

�What is this other man doing here? It�s almost as if�he�s
watching out for his crew mate�No pirate does that�� she thought to herself.
She got into position which alerted the two in front of her. Then, she removed
her mask. Both made loud noises at seeing her face.

�It�s you!!� the both exclaimed.

Furrowing her brows in confusion, she looked at both men in
disbelief. �What�?� she whispered.

�You�re that bounty hunter!� exclaimed the blonde.

Her eyes widened. �How do they know I �m a bounty hunter?!�
she thought to herself. She made a quiet noise in realization. �The blonde man
I had seen walking away through the crowd of people that day! It had been this
man! He�s seen us!� she thought to herself. She scowled at him and then lunged
forward. She quickly brought up her knee. However, the blonde man quickly
brought up his shin to block her. She jumped back away from him in surprise.
�He�s fast�� she thought to herself in disbelief.

�Namari Boshi!�

Looking over toward the long nosed man, she quickly flipped
back, dodging the small lead ball just in time. �This is going to be more
difficult than I thought.� she thought to herself with some annoyance. She
lunged forward toward the long nosed man. She knew he wasn�t nearly as fast.
She saw the fear register on his face. She smirked as she neared him.

Suddenly, the blonde man appeared in front of the long nosed
one and blocked her attack. She pushed him back from the force of her blow,
knocking him into the other man. She landed on her knee and looked at him in
surprise. He was much faster than she realized. Both got up, both unharmed. She
ground her teeth in annoyance. She lunged forward again. �I�m not going to lose
this!� she thought as she began to attack both at the same time. The blonde man
was able to shield himself, as well as the other man.

Sanji pushed her back some distance as he blocked her blows.
�You�re pretty good, and very fast.� he said as he
smiled at the woman. Then he dug into his coat and pulled out a cigarette box.
Desini watched as he put it in his mouth, and lit it. �My name is Sanji. This
here is Usopp.� he introduced calmly.

�I know who you are�However, to me
you are only bounties. I don�t refer to you by name. It�s pointless to call
bounties by name since after this, I will never see you again.� she explained.

Sanji felt himself shiver. Then he shifted his eyes around.
�Where is her partner�?� he thought to himself.

�If you�re looking for my partner�he�s keeping an eye out
for the others. Although, one did slip through his fingers�� she said in some
annoyance.

�Not very competent, is he?� asked Sanji as he smiled at
her.

�He�s new�� she replied quietly. �However, he is extremely
strong�I wouldn�t underestimate him.� she continued. Desini glanced behind him
and smiled slowly. Suddenly, Sanji was kicked from behind and sent flying into
the opposite wall.

Usopp quickly turned to the one responsible. It was the
other bounty hunter. Usopp began to shake in fear at the terrifying sight of
him. He was still in costume with a frightening mask, or at least it was to
Usopp. He brought up his sling shot and aimed it at him. �D�d�don�t come any closer!� he cried. The man slowly turned to
him. A shiver ran up and down Usopp�s spine visibly from the man�s cold and
intense stare.

They all turned at the sound of crumbling brick. Sanji was
slowly getting up from the rubble. He dusted himself off, and then lit a new
cigarette, his other having been involuntarily discarded. He looked up at the
newest opponent in a furious stare. �Attacking your enemy�s back is
dishonorable.� he said quietly.

Jin only smirked at him before lunging forward. Sanji�s eyes
widened at his speed and was barely able to bring up his leg to dodge. The
hunter wasted no time and attacked again. He spun around swinging his leg
around and slamming it into Sanji�s head. Sanji flew into another wall. The
hunter using monstrous speed followed and lifted him from the rubble. He
brought his arm back and slammed his fist into Sanji�s face.

�Sanji!� cried Usopp as he aimed at the hunter. Desini ran
at him and punched Usopp in the face. Usopp flew back and rolled a few times
before coming to a stop. With some trouble, he lifted himself up. He could feel
the blood trickling down his chin. He had no choice, but to fight this woman.

----

Nami returned to the others and then looked around. �Where
are Sanji-kun and Usopp?� she asked as she furrowed her brows.

�I thought the Love-cook was supposed to be getting you a
drink�� replied Zoro as he too began to look around.

�We�d better go find them�� she said as she began to walk in
a random direction. �Chopper, can you sniff them out?� she asked without
stopping or turning.

�Aa!� cried the little reindeer as he began sniffing the
ground. �There�s a lot of smells�This could take me awhile.� he said.

�It�s alright. Just find them.� she said in encouragement.
Chopper nodded and continued to try and find them.

----

Sanji lifted his leg and kicked the man off of him. He
quickly got up knowing the man would attack again ruthlessly. As soon as he
stood the man was already lunging forward. Sanji spun around quickly and got a
hit off the hunter. The hunter flew some distance, but caught himself on the
ground and skidded across the floor to a stop. He slowly stood up straighter.
Usopp watched as the hunter�s mask flew into the air. Then he lowered his gaze
to the hunter himself.

He cringed in fear at the man�s face. It had scars all over
it, and a dark and unforgiving expression. He had circles under his eyes and
hair in his face. His hair had come undone as well as his mask from Sanji�s
kick. His stare was so cold and ominous. Usopp began to shiver in fear of this
man.

Sanji stared at this man in slight fear. He could see the
absolute hatred in his eyes. His features were so dark and foreboding. He had
never seen a man such as this one. The scars only seemed to add to his horrific
expression. He could feel goose bumps crawl up his arms. Then he scowled. He
refused to fear this man. He lunged forward and brought up his leg for a kick.
The man didn�t flinch or move. Sanji clenched his teeth at the man�s forbidden
stare. Then he watched in horror as the man quickly brought up a hand, and
single handedly stopped Sanji�s attack.

The blonde man stared at him in disbelief. The man then
shoved Sanji away, sending him flying and tumbling on the ground. Sanji reached
for traction to stop himself. He was unsuccessful and
his body slammed into a wall. He cried out from the pain. He slowly tried to
stand up, but was prevented from the man kicking him forcefully in the ribs,
slamming him into the wall again. Sanji cried out and coughed up blood.

Usopp could only stand and watch in horror as Sanji was
brutally beaten by this terrifying man. Then, remembering the other hunter, he
turned to her. She was watching with concern on her face. Usopp made a soft
noise in surprise by her expression. Then he watched as she clenched her teeth
and closed her eyes. She looked away and then looked at him. Usopp got into
stance, expecting to be attacked.

Without any warning, an extremely forceful gust of wind blew
the scary hunter away, sending him flying and tumbling. Desini cried out from
the force of the wind and used her arms to guard her face. Usopp quickly turned
to the source of such powerful wind. Zoro was standing with all three swords
drawn.

�Zoro!� cried Usopp with tears in his eyes.

�Sanji-kun! Are you okay?!� cried
Nami with her Perfect Clima Tact wielded.

Sanji slowly stood up while grabbing his ribcage. �Aa�� he
replied in a strained voice. Usopp ran to Sanji and helped him to stand. The
hunter slowly stood up with his back to everyone.

Scowling towards the hunter, Nami brought up her Clima Tact.
�Lightning Tempo!� she cried as she aimed it at him. He didn�t budge from where
he was as the lightning struck him. They could barely hear his cry of pain. It
wasn�t much of a noise. After the smoke cleared, they could see him kneeling on
the ground. Smoke was emitting from his singed body.

He was still some distance away. He slowly stood again, but
still didn�t turn. Desini stared at him in disbelief. �That hurt you know�� he
said in a very low and dangerous voice.

Everyone made throaty noises in annoyance. Even though he
had said it hurt, he didn�t seem to have been bothered by it. He slowly turned
toward them with a far darker and more terrifying expression. Everyone made
noise in surprise at such an expression. Usopp backed away while holding on to
Sanji. Sweat beaded down everyone�s faces as they stared at him with slight
worry. He bared his teeth as he lunged forward towards Nami.

Nami didn�t budge. Zoro quickly moved in front of Nami to
block his attack on her. �You bastard�You would attack a woman!� cried Sanji in
a strained voice as he cringed in pain from having screamed out.

Zoro stared into the eyes of the unforgiving man. He felt a
shiver run down his spine. �Who is this man�?� he thought to himself. �Oi,
Nami, get out of here!!� he cried. When he didn�t see
her move, he turned to her. �Oi, Na�� he started to say. �What the�?� he
whispered.

Nami was staring at the man with a face devoid of color and
eyes so wide in shock. �Oi, Nami, what�s wrong?!� cried Usopp.

�Oi, Nami!! I said get out of here!!� yelled Zoro again. She
didn�t budge.

�Nami-san! Get away from that man!�
yelled Sanji. She didn�t move�She couldn�t.

Her breathing was shallow as she just stared at the man. He
shifted his hateful eyes to her. She inhaled slowly as he looked at her. They
were so cold, so devoid of emotion other than hate. They were so unforgiving.
Something�she had never seen before. She could only stare back at him. All
thought in her mind gone.

�Nami, get the hell out of here!!� yelled Zoro.

The man slowly smirked at her. She inhaled sharply as her
eyes managed to widened further. Suddenly and quickly, the man threw a powerful
punch, slamming it into Zoro�s face as he was distracted by Nami. Zoro flew to
the side and out of his way. Nami instinctively brought up her arms to block
her face. She also, held down his hat protectively. He then walked up to her.
She slowly looked back up into his face, the look of disbelief still on her
face. She was as white as a ghost. He looked down at her with his hate filled
eyes and cold stare.

�Nami!!� everyone cried. She didn�t move. She could only
stare up into his eyes. Her body was paralyzed.

�What the hell is she doing?!� yelled Zoro as he tried to
stand. The crew just stared at her in disbelief. Desini stood to the side and
could only watch in just as much disbelief as the rest.

They watched as she slowly and barely visibly began to shake
her head. In utter disbelief, the crew collectively uttered disbelieving sounds
at what happened next. A single tear ran down Nami�s face. The man also
furrowed his brows in slight confusion from her tear.

She shook her head more visibly as more tears streamed down
her face. �No�� she whispered.

�Nami, what the hell is the matter with you?! Get away from
that psychotic freak!!� yelled Zoro. He was having trouble standing from the
blow that was delivered to him. His vision was also slightly blurred. �This man
is powerful�� he thought to himself.

Nami finally began to back away from him as she continued to
shake her head. �No�� she whispered again.

�Oi, Nami-san, what�s the matter?!� asked Sanji in concern.

�Oi, I understand his frightening, but you have to get away
from him!!� yelled Usopp.

�Robin, do something!� yelled Zoro as he turned to Robin.
Then his eyes widened. She was also only staring at the man with wide eyes.
Sweat was pouring down her face. �I understand this guy is scary and all, but
this is ridiculous!� he thought as he turned back to the guy. He finally stumbled
forward in an attempt to help Nami.

The man reached out to her. She shifted her eyes down to his
hand. Suddenly, he stopped just before touching her. He furrowed his brows
deeper. More tears were streaming down her face. No matter how much he hated
pirates, he couldn�t hurt this woman. He didn�t like that she was crying. All
the pirates he and Desini had hunted had all been men. This was the first time
he had ever come across a pirate woman.

Desini stared at the woman in disbelief. Was she really that
afraid of Jin? She walked up next to Jin and looked at her. She didn�t move her
eyes away from his. She furrowed her brows. She looked up at Jin. �Oi�we have
to capture them.� she reminded him.

Finally, being able to remove her eyes from his, Nami turned
to the other woman. �No�� she whispered again. Desini turned to her again. Her
brows had furrowed and were now looking at her. Zoro finally reached Nami and
grabbed her to him, pushing her behind him.

�You�re not taking us anywhere.� he said as he aimed his
swords at them. Then he lunged forward to attack them both. However, Nami had
grabbed a hold of his arm. He made a loud noise as he turned to her. �What the
hell are you doing?!� he yelled at her.

She was again staring at the frightening man. �Don�t�� she
whispered. Then she looked up at Zoro. �Don�t hurt him�� she whispered.

�What�what the hell are you talking about?! They are trying
to catch us for our bounties!! They are trying to hurt us!!� yelled Zoro.

She furrowed her brows at him. �You don�t�� she started to
say. Then she looked around at the others. They were scowling at the man before
them.

�Nami, what the hell is wrong with you?!� yelled Zoro.

She ignored the swordsman as she turned back to the man
before them. She moved past Zoro and walked up to him. He watched her approach
with a hateful scowl. �Don�t come any closer woman�or I will hurt you�� he said
in a voice so full of hate.

Ignoring his warning, she continued to approach him. His
scowl deepened as he moved into position. �Oi, Nami-san!!
Don�t go near him!!� yelled Sanji in concern. She continued to ignore her
Nakama as she continued toward him. He growled at her as he brought his fist
back to strike her. She continued toward him without fear.

�Nami!! Don�t!! He�ll kill you!!�
yelled Zoro. He could see it in the man�s face. He wouldn�t hesitate to kill
any of them. He sprung forward to try and stop her.

The man swung his arm to hit her. Desini gasped. �No don�t!�
she yelled. However, he stopped just before hitting her. Nami didn�t flinch or
move. She continued to stare into his eyes. Jin began to blink rapidly. He
couldn�t hurt this woman. She was no longer showing any fear of him.

�Who are you�?� he asked.

�I�m Nami�� she whispered.

Everyone looked at them in confusion. �What the hell�?�
whispered Zoro.

Nami smiled as tears streamed down her face. �I understand��
she whispered. Everyone made soft breathy sounds at her words.

�Nami�what the hell are you talking about�?� asked Zoro. He
was unsure of her mental state.

Then she began to laugh as tears continued to flow down her
face. �She�s gone crazy again�� whispered Usopp with a frown of concern.

Desini looked at the woman as if she had gone mad. �What the
hell is up with this woman�?� she thought to herself.

�You don�t�remember who I am�Do you�Luffy?�

To Be Continued�

Author�s Note: Yeah,
yeah, yeah�I know�You all knew that already�but I made you doubt yourselves,
didn�t I?! XD Muwahahaha! XD Hope you enjoyed this
chapter! Please review! XD
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