To the end of all great seas...

[mikangirl]

Who: Luffy, Nami.
What: One final conversation.
When: Some nebulous time right before his leaving is announced. 8|
Where: The orchard.
Summary: Possibly a long overdue talk.
Rating: PG at worst for various concepts?



[The orchard is both pretty and quiet in winter, and there's little to do except look after the trees if the weather takes a turn for the severe. It's a perfect place for an antisocial navigator to draw comfort from the lack of chaos and start shoring her defenses back up. It's not that she's avoiding her crew...

...well okay, she is. But through no fault of their own. Most of them are gone right now, and out of the ones left, she's extraordinarily angry with one of them. Avoidance is the name of the game.

She's not expecting company today, but looks like she's going to get it anyway. :| If she's avoiding chaos, chaos will just come to her instead.]

Comments

[gomugomunopwn]

[With the crew so scattered like it is now, it didn't actually take much for Luffy to notice that Nami was gone. He figured he would give her a little time to cool off, but after she consistently doesn't show back up to the house he decides to go out looking for her. Of course he doesn't really need Haki to know that the orchard is the first place he should look.

He's not going to be loud or anything this time. He's just going to casually stroll around until he happens to spot or bump into her at some point.]

[mikangirl]

[With harvest over and done, there isn't really that much to do up at the orchard. Checking on the health of the trees and clearing away excess snow is not a job that takes all day, no matter how much Nami tries to stretch it out. So by this time, she's given up. He'll be able to hear her talking pretty quickly-- in soft, amused tones to a duck that apparently doesn't know well enough to keep out of the cold.]

No, that's my cocoa.

Kehh!

I don't care. They don't make mugs big enough for your dumb beak.

Kuu...?

Try that again and I'll kick you all the way to the mountains. Why don't you go fry a rabbit or something?

[A girl and her thunder duck: a heartwarming tale. :| She hasn't heard Luffy coming.]

[gomugomunopwn]

[ffffff. Nami why can't you just give him some cocoa geeeeeez. Anyway, at least she seems to be doing kind of okay. She's arguing with something. That's always a good sign. He's going to start walking over, giving both of them a big wave.]

Ooooi, guys! [Wavewavewave] I just had a great idea! Duck mugs!

[mikangirl]

[Because she's a horrible person, that's why. That, and she only made the one mug and she doesn't want duck germs. Blech.

Luffy's callout makes her jump and she glances up, a little startled, but that... brilliant idea... makes her roll her eyes, same as usual. She can be grumpy around Luffy, right?] Ducks have bills too big! They're better off with bowls.

[...the fact she didn't hear him coming does make her give him an appraising look, though.]

Afternoon.

[gomugomunopwn]

Oi, oi then that's not fair Nami. How come he doesn't get a bowl of cocoa in that case?

[Geez you need to learn how to share your cocoa Nami geeez. But he grins wide not long after that question. He's not really all that serious about the cocoa or anything. It's not like that was what he came here for.]

How have you been, Nami?

[mikangirl]

[Nami holds her scowling pout at that first question for just long enough to communicate that Luffy should hush up and mind his business, thanks very much. B|

...that second question though. This isn't just a random visit, is it?]

I'm fine. Just...there's a lot of work still left to do here.

[gomugomunopwn]

[Now when has Luffy ever done what you say Nami geeeeez. He always do the opposite!]

Ahh, yeah I figured... [He has a quick glance or two around the place.] But... when do you think you're gonna be coming home then? If it's work, I can just rally up the others. We'll finish it a lot faster!

[mikangirl]

No. [That was sharper than she intented, and Nami hesitates before crossing her arms and following up with her usual stroppiness just to try covering it.] The last thing I want is those idiots trampling this place underfoot. It's delicate work, Luffy. The kind that only someone with a lot of experience can handle.

[That being said, she's starting to feel guiltier with every word.

...also relieved, in a sense. For other reasons. None of which she wants to think too hard on.]

1/2

[gomugomunopwn]

[Fffff. MAYBE SHE HAS A POINT. But he can't just outright say that then she'll never come to the house! So he has to be smooth about it.]

Haha what? That's silly Nami, no ones gonna mess anything up! You're just being weird about this. Hahaha...

[gomugomunopwn]

[Oh wait! He has a real point actually!]

Besides! What if you come down with a cold again? You should have us help you sometimes so we'll know how to take care of it in case you can't.

[mikangirl]

A cold won't stop me looking after the place...

...but if I come down with one, I'll sit on the porch and boss you people around while you take care of things. [Concession. A grudging one. But she smiles for a second, before sipping her cocoa. (And shoving Biri away with a foot.) Let's search for a distracting topic here...]

How's the whole 'meat alchemy' thing going?

[gomugomunopwn]

Nnnn. It could be going better. Do you know how hard science is? I tried reading a scientist book in the library and it was really hard! I couldn't understand anything, can you believe that?

[It's like way harder than math you know. Anyway he pauses for a second before speaking again.]

So... when do you think everything will be done out here?

[mikangirl]

[...

...okay. Fine. She's always known Luffy can out-stubborn her. But even so, the reason she's avoiding the house isn't...

Technically, it is his business. He's the captain.]

...Luffy. I just need some space. I won't be out here forever.

That's all.