Chapter Twenty-One
Nami didn't exactly know what to do. Her cat-thief instincts were telling her that high-tailing it out of the area was the smartest thing to do, but that burning pit of greed in her stomach urged her to push on and find Buggy's stache, the treasure that he had to be hiding somewhere around here.
And then there was Taylor to take into account.
The girl was wearing little more than rags, moreso now that she'd been blown up. There was blood, still fresh, running along her side and her arm was bent at an odd angle. Her gait was a little bit off, as if she was trying not to put too much weight on one leg. And of course there was the unbroken arm, unbroken because it was simply missing.
She looked like a stray breeze could knock her over.
Nami had seen her scare off a lion by staring at it. Then she kicked the second in command of one of the East Blue's scariest crew so hard his face broke. She was not going to underestimate her. Especially not with the enormous swarm buzzing all around them.
It had to be some Devil's Fruit, something that she'd only ever really heard about and rarely witnessed. Buggy was supposed to have one too, if she wasn't mistaken; his claim to fame.
"What do we do now?" she asked Taylor.
The woman looked over at her, eyes soft and curious as if they weren't in the middle of a storm of insects. "We help," The swarm said, buzzes and clicks forming the words that Taylor didn't speak from her mouth.
It was pants wettingly terrifying, but for now Taylor was on Nami's side.
"I... I think I know where Buggy's treasure is," she tried.
Taylor nodded. "I found it as well. Six buildings down, one block over. A warehouse next to the bar."
That was surprisingly accurate. "Can you see with your bugs?" Nami guessed.
"I can," the swarm said. "Come."
Nami didn't hesitate to follow. "There should be medical supplies around too. Even Buggy had to have a ship's doctor or two."
Taylor nodded. "My arm will need tending."
"Yeah," Nami agreed. She didn't know enough to reset bones, but she could bandage a wound just as well as anyone else.
Taylor walked with the ease and assuredness of someone with nothing to fear, and maybe that was earned, but Nami didn't have that same confidence and slunk along with more care.
They turned a corner and Nami froze at what she saw. Buggy's chief of staff was spinning around on a unicycle, sword darting out to clang against one of the three swords Zoro was holding onto.
It would have been an impressive fight if Zoro didn't look like death warmed over. He was even closer to the blast than Taylor had been and looked to have taken a beating besides. Still, even if his motions were slow and janky he was holding his own.
Then the swarm spiralled down towards the unicyclist.
"Don't interfere!" Zoro roared.
The bugs paused, the swarm dispersing into smaller bunches that circled above. "You look like you need the help," Taylor said.
Zoro snorted. "I was just finishing up," he said.
"How dare you!" the unicyclist said as he wheeled around and charged at Zoro. "I'll show yo--"
The swordsman flashed forwards, his three blades describing lines in the air that ended with he stopped a half dozen feet behind Buggy's man.
Spurts of blood splashed into the air.
"Like I said." Zoro stored his swords away. "I was just finishing."
Taylor snorted, fortunately the sound came from her, not the bugs. "Come on," the swarm said. "We need to help Luffy and rob this pirate jerk blind."
"I wouldn't say no to that," Zoro said with a growing grin.
Nami had no idea what she'd just gotten herself into, but she followed the two of them as they started walking towards the sounds of violence as opposed to away from it.
"The girl's coming with us?" Zoro asked as he pointed over his shoulder with a thumb.
Taylor shrugged the shoulder of her missing arm. "She helped me. I owe her one. And Luffy seems to think she'll join his pirate crew."
Nami was about to burst in and tell them that there was no way she'd ever be any sort of pirate when Taylor continued.
"He's the worst pirate I've ever seen," she said.
"You're just saying that because you're tempted to join too," Zoro said.
"Shut up, sword boy. I'm no pirate."
"Nah, pirates aren't as scary as you."
The banter continued as they moved onto the next street over to find a scene of pure absurdity.
Luffy was stretched out across the street, arms and legs shooting out impossibly far as he ducked and weaved around strikes from Buggy that came from every direction. The boy was twisting around as if he was made of putty to avoid knife swings and to juggle his hat out of the path of Buggy's knives.
The clown captain was really gunning for the hat which already had knicks and cuts all along its brim.
"Do you need help, Luffy?" the swarm asked.
"Nah, I'm good!" Luffy called.
"Oh, you think I'd let you interfere, bug girl!" Buggy screamed. One of the hands holding a knife shot out towards Taylor.
She didn't even bother moving.
Zoro unsheathed one of his swords and swiped the knife out of the air with a sweep that sent it flying into a pocket of yellow jackets.
"Thanks, Zoro."
"You're welcome."
Taylor turned towards Nami. "We'll be a bit busy. Can you fetch the medical stuff? I'll have bugs point you towards them."
"Ah," Nami said. "Sure."
Taylor smiled at her, the look somehow turning her from a cruel, calculating warlord to a shy young woman that was just tired. "Thanks Nami."
"Think nothing of it."
***
Back to Taylor's POV! Let's keep new ones to a minimum. I might set out rules for it later.
[] Finish cleaning up Buggy's crew
[] Get fixed
[] Find the villagers, tell them that their home is free again
[] Write in...
Honestly, the fight's... pretty much done. The fight in canon was a joke, and this time the crew is a bit tougher with Taylor around. And in canon they ran away from the town because Luffy is the worst diplomat ever. I think Taylor will be able to negotiate to stay for a night or two, enough to get everyone fed and patched up, at least.
