Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nami didn't have any idea how this had happened, she had left the crew to gather some information in some of the bars closer to the edge of town. They needed to know what was going on here after all. Knowing that those bars and establishments had patrons with the loosest tongues. They had no idea where they were or even whose territory this was and they needed answers.

Nothing had happened yet, but with her crew one couldn't be too sure. Big Mom and Kaido might have been taken care of but Teach was still out there, as was Shanks and the Whitebeard Remnant. Those last two didn't pose that much of a problem, or any problem at all.

But if this was Teach's turf they were in big trouble.

Part of her had been protesting that she didn't tell any of the others, in part because Luffy, Sanji and Zoro would want to come. None of them were able to keep a low profile so she had justified that in not telling them.

They needed this information, which is where she and Robin excelled. But their archaeologist was ill today so Nami had to go. She also needed to go alone, as no one else could keep their heads down as well.

After all, she'd be in and out before she knew it.

Only to regret doing so, when it became clear that this time she wouldn't be in and out in a second. The bar was crowded for one, so to get to a good spot to listen in, she needed to push through the mass of people giving her little means to escape.

These men were horrible and had been leering at her as soon as she entered. In a way that put her on edge, while also questioning what to do in territory that wasn't theirs. She couldn't very well wip out her climatact and use Zeus to fry them all with lightning.

Shivering when she moved again, shaking off the hands on her and trying not to let it show how much it was getting to her. But that was the third man who had touched her inappropriately in the last ten minutes. She hated this bar, the barkeep kept his eyes down, and it dawned on her that she had walking right into a trap. They were waiting for a woman alone to enter, knowing that they would be able to take her.

Gasping softly, Nami settled on a barstool and kept her eyes on the crowd. Right now this wasn't about making sure she got the information. It became about getting out of here so her boys wouldn't burn this bar down.

“Well, hello there, missy!”

Shrinking away from the man grinning at her as he took a seat at her side, Nami knew the eyes of a predator when she saw one. This man was the largest thug out there and he had his eyes set on her. She needed to get away, to make sure that he wouldn't touch her.

“Sorry, sir, but I just see my friend.”

As she made to get up and bolt for the door, the man's large hand closed around her wrist, “Don't be like that, sugar. It's rare we see such beauty around these parts, even less so on show.”

Looking at her bikini top and low riding jeans, Nami wished she had worn something else, she was proud of her body and didn't think that the way she dressed was any indication of anything.

But she felt exposed now, it was clear these men were clearly looking. The large beefy hand on her wrist tightened, which is when she felt someone pull at the string of her top, making it come undone.

“No! Stop!”

Trying to pull her hand out of the thug's hand, she held up her other one to keep herself covered. Knowing that if they descended on her there would be nothing she could do. It would either be exposing herself or assembling her climatact and making them pay. But that last option wasn't on top of her list right now.

“What do you know, the kitten has claws.”

The thug laughed at that, making to take a hold of her top and pull it away.

Before he could however a seastone tipped pipe made contact with his hand, slapping it away with a sound that came from broken bones.

“I do believe the lady told you no.”

She wanted to cry in relief at seeing Sabo standing there, she had no idea why her captain's older brother was even here but right now he was ger savior, which was all she needed. Another hit of his pipe had the thug letting go of her hand, which is when she stumbled into his chest, feeling one arm coming around her. Before another set of hands settle a shirt over her shoulders.

The thug bristled, “Do you know where you are, boy! This is Whitebeard Pirates territory they'll come and kick your ass if you don't let us do what we want.”

Gasping at knowing that, Nami relaxed even more, pulling at the shirt over her shoulders and blinking at the very familiar purple color of it.

“Oh...”

A voice spoke up from besides Sabo, “Ooh trust me, they'll kick your brains in for using their name to be able to take advantage of women like that -yoi.”

Looking at him, she could see Marco standing there, his torso bare making it obvious it was his shirt she was wearing, keeping his chest towards her and Sabo. Grinning when the thug fell for the bait.

“You shouldn't say anything you know nothing about, pretty boy! That bitch is ours!”

Shivering, she could only watch as Marco started to laugh, “Is that so? Hear that, Ace?”

Part of her felt instant relief at seeing Ace there, the oldest of her captain's brothers and easily the most protective. Humming as he stepped forward, now acting captain with his tattoo on full display, lazily looking the thug up and down.

“I think that my co-captain and first mate would know what he's talking about.”

At that, Marco turned, showing his face and the tattoo inked into his chest. A large grin on his lips as he regarded the now paling group of thugs suddenly aware that they had tried to tell one of the captains of the crew they had been using that he didn't know anything about his own crew.

“So you're the idiots making use of our name around here -yoi. Too bad for you we have eyes and ears everywhere.”

Mentioning to Sabo, Nami suddenly realized that he was there to meet up with Marco and Ace no doubt. Having heard what was going on and acting at the right moment. Closing her eyes, she leaned against his side, finally able to relax.

“Come on, Koala is outside, she can help you while Marco and Ace deal with these... idiots.”

Giggling, Nami let Sabo lead her out of the bar. Accepting Koala's hug and her help in retying her top before taking off Marco's shirt. Right on time for Ace and Marco to reappear from the bar, a satisfied smirk on both their faces as a glimpse into the bar showed the thugs laying out cold.

“You ok, Nami?”

Nodding, she handed Marco his shirt back before allowing Koala to take her by the arm and go on their way back to the Sunny.

Luffy would be overjoyed to see his brothers again, she hoped he wouldn't be too mad. Probably not, in the knowledge that Ace and Marco beat them up for him.

“So what were you doing in that bar, Nami?”

Looking at Ace, she shared that she wanted to know whose territory they were on and if they needed to watch their steps or not. Ace laughed at that, nodding, “Smart move, maybe a good thing it's ours then. To make sure nothing that happens here will reflect badly at you.”

Nodding in relief, Nami noticed it when Luffy and Law saw them arrive. Luffy jumping over the railing, throwing out his arms to wrap around Ace's shoulders and rocketing towards his oldest brother, who braced himself and caught him.

“Ace! Sabo!”

Shaking her head, Nami couldn't help but enjoy this moment, her captain was one of a kind but his brothers came very close. She couldn't believe how lucky she was, taking in a deep breath before leading Koala to the girl's room, certain that Robin would like some time with them even if she was ill.

Chapter Text

Law wants to whine, the pain in his side enough to make him delirous or close to it. At least one of his ribs was broken, digging painfully into his side. But he wasn’t about to let that stop him from bringing his crew to safety. They couldn’t stay here, not in the open water, not if he could help it.

He wants to lay down, but right now he can’t. After an altercation with Teach, he’s the only one awake enough to steer the Polar Tang. He needs to get away, navigate to a safe place and think about all the rest later on. There was an island dawning on the horizon, he just had to get them there and everything would be fine.

When they finally reach an island, he doesn’t even think about the concequences if this is one of Teach’s and anchors just in front of it. Using his devil fruit, overexerting himself even more, to get all of his crew into beds. He can’t look over them right now, at the end of his energy, but he can make sure they are resting comfortably. None of them are in danger of dying from their injuries, so he can leave them be for just a little while.

He binds the worst of his injuries, taking extra care for his ribs, before setting out to get them all something to eat and drink, they would need it in the time to come. Again, he’s the only one awake right now. He can’t just let them all suffer when he can still move around. It’s getting more difficult though, the pain getting to him. If anything, he needs something to eat and drink to get some strenght back and get his crew healed up as soon as possible.

Stumbling in the village, he can feel eyes on him at every turn. Nothing points towards this being one of Teach’s islands, which is all he could hope right now. Any of the other Yonko is fine, they’re family.

“Look at that, boys, a three billion berri prize falling into our hands”, looking up he can see some nobody standing in front of him. His stance is cocky, despite the bandages wrapped around his face and peaking out of his shirt. He doesn’t know who this is, and either this man doesn’t know who Law is either, or he thinks he’s an easy target with him wounded.

Accompanied by several others, all who look like they won the jackpot. He’s on edge from that alone, not a lot of bounty hunters even enter the New World, and even less actively hunt for bounties. Most know the connections between the big names here, if you harm one you get the others on your ass too. It just isn’t worth it. But this group doesn’t seem to realize, thinking that they had hit a chance at earning quick money. In a way they did, he guessed, they found him when he was already down and wanted to get a quick prize.

Pushing himself to stand, he calls up a room, only for it to flicker and die. His energy is spend and using a room now would only render him unconcious. He can’t do that, not with obvious hostiles so close to him. Groaning, he had no idea how to get out of there. He had no back-up and Luffy-ya was on a whole other island. As much as he wanted the help of his lover, that wasn’t going to happen.

Still, he wasn’t about the go out without a fight, taking a stance and ready to go down taking out as many of them as he could.

Another voice came from just outside the group, “I wouldn’t do that, this is the territory of the Yonko Redhaired Shanks. If he finds out there are bounty hunters here, he’ll be livid.”

The same nobody who spoke before laughed, “Ease up, old man, I don’t think a Yonko will care if the competition is taken out. We’ll be out of your hair before you know it.”

That same old man rolls his eyes, “Your funural, don’t say I didn’t warn you…”

Scoffing at it too, it seems this bounty hunter has no idea how all of the bigger names are attached to each other here. Teach is the odd one out, except that there would be several people annoyed if he was taken out by someone else then the Family. But the others were all connected in a way, he was connected to Luffy, as his partner. Luffy on the other hand was the accepted adopted son of Shanks, brother to Ace, who leads the Whitebeard Remnant now, and Sabo, the chief of Staf of the Revolutionary Army. Katakuri and Yamato both took over from their fathers, being in dept to Luffy and keeping that as a solemn vow.

The thug turned back, sneering, “Something funny, Trafalger!?”

He didn’t get a chance to answer, as a haki coated voice spoke up, “He’s laughing because you’re woofully unprepared for the New World and the connections most of us have in here. The old man, the mayor, warned you but you refuse to listen. I have been made aware of that already, but that doesn’t mean I’ll let you leave after almost taking out someone of my family.”

Shanks pushes through the ring of thugs, a hand on Gryphon as he stared down the leader of the group of bounty hunters. The red glint in his eye showing that his haki was only just under his skin, ready to be unleased. The pressure cloaks them all, and where Law should be passing out all he can feel is a fatherly embrace. Not unlike what he had with Cora-san. Despite not knowing Shanks all that well, apparently he cared enough for Law even if it was through Luffy, to be there for him when it mattered.

The leader tries to speak, but is cut off by Shanks soon enough, “Law here is my son-in-law, he isn’t competition. He just happens to be sleeping with my son, in fact even if he was competition I would be so offended if someone like you took them down.”

Stumbling forward, Law sees Shanks moving at the last minute, which end up with Law falling into Beckman’s arms. The first mate of the Redhair pirates pulls him up and into his side, his eyes never leaving the group of bounty hunters. The longer he’s in their presence the more Law realizes that they truly didn’t know what was going on the New World. Odd, as this wasn’t an island close to Fishman Island. How had they managed to get this far, even more so with Crossguild guarding the first couple of seamiles into the New World.

Glancing at Beck, Law wants to know what was going on. The First Mate shook his head, “We called Blue, he’s fine. The only one who isn’t, is that little shit Red is going to deal with. He’s been making a nuicanse of himself wherever he came. Ace and Marco also reported he’d tried the same shit on some of their islands.”

Snorting, Law shook his head, “Ace-ya would love that.”

Beck grinned, they all knew Ace was very protective of his crew and territory, as well as his family. Someone trying to mess with any of them would be on his shit list for a long time to come.

“Oh, he did, kicked the bastard off as soon as he was able, that’s the reason he’s bandaged up so much. Ace wasn’t kind with his flames on getting the idiot off of the island. The knowledge that he’s trying to pull the same shit here is laughable”, Beck should his head, before looking Law up and down.

Shrugging, Law mentioned running into Teach not to long ago, “The crew is out for the count and I wanted to get some food and drinks before I passed out, but then this lot showed up.”

Sighing, Beck shook his head, “Did you at least call Anchor to let him know you’re alright? You know Sabo has eyes and ears everywhere. If he knows that you’re hurt he’ll spawn coop-de-bursts to get here.”

Opening and closing his mouth, Law accepted the den den mushi that was given to him, calling Luffy to let him know and assure his lover his parents were taking care of him. Looking back once to see Shanks intimidating the bounty hunters, Law let it go. Accepting Hongo’s hand to be led to the infirmary on the Red Force before several of the others were sent to the Tang to get his crew.

In the safety of an allied ship, Law finally fell asleep. Knowing that Hongo, and Shanks, would be taking care of them all for a while. At least until Luffy arrived and Chopper could take over.

Chapter Text

Koala whimpers where she’s thrown into a cell with several other women, all of them looking way too young to be here. Their hopeless faces, sometimes torn clothing and the slight tremor in their hands is enough to know what is going on here. The implications enough has her shivering, her mind taking her back to a time when she’s been in this position before.

It had been supposed to be a reconnaissance mission in the North Blue. Mingle in with the people of this little island to see what was going on as they had gotten reports of a lot of suspicious activity, a royal (previously affiliated with the World Government) who kept getting richer as people seemed to suffer under his rule and no obvious money flow given the state of the island itself.

Several things pointed to illigal trade, or handling, yet nothing had prepared her for it to be slave trade.

Given that despite her place in the Revolutionary Army, she wasn’t a known person, she had been the one to offer to go and look into it. Promising Sabo she’d keep him updated.

“Fuck”, she uttered, once she was certain that regardless of what happened now her partner would be frantic when Koala didn’t check it.

They had snatched her right off the streets. Everyone looked the other way as men just took a hold of her and dragged her away. She had been frisked before being let into the back room. Anything that had been on her that hadn’t been clothes taken off and away. She didn’t even know if everything was still in contact. If they killed the snail there was no way she was able to call for back-up.

Breath hitching, she shook her head as memories of being a slave before emmerged. She tried to be strong, she had been to Marigeose and back, she had survived that and she would survive this too. Licking her lips as she tried to get her breathing under control.

One of the other women in the cell with her, approached. There was something motherly to her and Koala couldn’t help but feel for the woman who no doubt had seen too many girls and young women be locked up. She took a seat next to Koala, “You are the last one they needed”, she stated matter of factly.

Frowning, Koala wanted to ask what this woman meant. But one of the other girls started to cry, resulting in the older woman moving to comfort her.

It takes a while before she’s back, explaining that these men go from island to island to get a group of young women of ‘childbearing’ age to sell to whoever needed a wife. “It used to be the Celestial Dragons, but with the new world order they need to do so with other more shady types.” The older woman frowned, “I let them take me so I could find out where my daughter went, but I think even then I’ll never see her again.”

She introduces herself as Sara, looking for her daughter; Layla. Koala gave her own name, finally gathering herself and mentioning she would get them all out of here.

No one seemed to believe her, but that was alright. She was used to being in situations quite like this. Even if she lost herself for a moment, there was a reason people in the Revolutionary Army had set times to check in. If one check in was missed, they would assume the worst and come storming in. Especially Sabo, and even more so now with the new World Order.

Sara shook her head, “No one is coming, they know what they’re doing too well.”

Koala frowned, wanting to contradict that. But she had been caught off guard as well, and had seen people looking but not doing anything so it wasn’t too out there to think that they were either paying people off or making sure that others kept their mouths shut to protect their own. She hated this and found it hard to think on who to call as there was no one around here from the Alliance, not that she knew of at least.

Instead she smiled, “I know my people will come looking sooner than later.”

In the end, she didn’t even have to wait that long. Waking up in the middle of the night to hear several of the men outside yell at something that was happening. Her haki also pinged, so there had to be something going on there even if she couldn’t see.

No matter what, she didn’t think that Sabo would manage to make it here in a couple of hours. But that didn’t have to mean anything. She knew some of the others were fast, like the Sunny on coup de bursts or even Marco and Ace if they used their devil fruit power.

Straining her ears, she could hear anything. Until the door to the cells were thrown open and one of the men who had thrown her in yelled out, “Fuck this, they won’t get me!”

Before he could shut the door however, mochi spilled in to take a hold of him before pulling him out again. The door stayed open until another figure stepped in, dressed in pink with fabric moving behind her to look like the wings of a butterfly. The pink hair and curly hair were a dead give away too.

Relief coursed through Koala, “Reiju!”

The current leader of Germa 66 looked up, shocked at seeing Koala there before frowning, “I knew something had to have happened to you. Sanji called to ask to keep an eye out as Sabo was going ballistic after they lost contact. I’m assuming you were also investigating the slavers' ring here?”

Nodding, Koala explained they had gotten some reports that didn’t match and she had offered to go and take a look. “I never expected them to get a hold of me so quickly either, I’ve been here for two days before I was grabbed.”

Reiju grinned, “Don’t worry, none of the men responsible will be getting away from here. Kat’s taking care of that right now, and we’ll be calling Sanji so he or Luffy can let Sabo know you’re alright.”

At the mention of his name, Charlotte Katakuri stepped into the room. His hands are covered in armament haki as he just breaks open the doors to the cells to let the people out. Looking very impressive as he stands there with his trident in hand and his teeth on show. Koala had known the former Sweet Commander joined Luffy’s ever growing fleet, but to see him in the South Blue was a surprise.

Glancing at Reiju, she sees the woman grinning, “We kept in touch after the whole mess on Whole Cake Island and with Big Mom gone he and some of his siblings love the freedom it gives them. He was around when Sanji called so we went out together, I’m glad we did.”

Koala nodded, helping others out of the cells before she stepped out. Accepting a hug from Reiju as she sighed in relief. She couldn’t help but feel blindsided at forgetting that the North Blue was Vinsmoke territory, and with the new World Order they were doing well in protecting it as most of Luffy’s fleet had their own little part of the sea to look out for.

“Come on, let’s get you out of here. I have some of the others around to distribute clothes but I know you want some privacy as you shower. We’re also about the same size so I’ll lend you some of mine”, the pink haired woman said as he led Koala away. Katakuri follows behind them, not unlike a very intimidating guard dog.

If this had been any other scenario, Koala would be glad to have someone like that protecting her. But with Reiju here, with Sanji being called and he or Luffy calling Sabo she was very aware that she would be just fine soon.

Still, a shower and a change of clothes sounded good.

Once she came out, refreshed, clean and dressed in comfortable clothes, Reiju was dialing up Sanji. Who just gave the snail to Sabo who had come to the Sunny as he freaked out (and because Luffy’s ship was the fastest out there). They’d be meeting up with Reiju and Katakuri in the morning, which was all Koala needed to fully relax.