#naga reader

Now, you are one of the last.

Even now, the ship’s sway is a familiar rhythm beneath your coils. The sun-warmed planks groan with the weight of your tail—thick, powerful, and opalescent, its scales shifting between ocean green and deep blue like a living mirage. You loathe its beauty, for it is the very reason you are here.

They call themselves the Iron Spines, a name as blunt and brutal as their cruelty, which has rusted into the very soul of everything they touch. Their sails are stitched from the skins of beasts best left unnamed, their Jolly Roger a cracked jawbone impaled by a rusted harpoon. Every island they grace with their presence becomes a ghost town by morning. And you?

You are their pet monster.

It wasn’t always this way. You remember the fierce heat of the clutch, the gentle pulse of life within your three eggs, nestled safe in the silk-lined hollow beneath the coral shelf. You were careful, hidden, utterly alone. But the Iron Spines were more than just pirates; they were hunters, predators of dying legends, driven by greed.

They stormed your reef without warning. Smoke bombs choked the sea, and a searing pain stung your gills. By the time your vision cleared, your precious eggs were already imprisoned in metal cages, encased in sea prism stone mesh. To approach them was agony, a torment that still binds you.

And so, you struck a bargain with monsters.

“Serve us, snake-girl,” Captain Drogue had purred, his voice slick with oil. “Sink our enemies, guard our ship, and perhaps—just perhaps—you’ll see your babies hatch.”

It was no choice at all. You complied. Now, you trail behind their ship like a curse, your immense strength a chilling display whenever they raid some hapless village. You are Sea’s Wrath, sometimes The She-Serpent, faster than any vessel, strong enough to crush a hull like driftwood. You drag ships to watery graves. You snap necks with a single, brutal twist of your coils. You are a weapon.

But never one of them.

Your eggs remain locked away in the captain’s quarters, the sea prism stone dulling your senses, a constant, agonizing hum whenever you reach out with your Haki. You’ve tried to escape once. The scars that crisscross your body, and the terrified glances of the crew, are a testament to the price of defiance.

You learned patience. You learned to bide your time. But with each passing day, your eggs draw closer to hatching. The thought of your children witnessing you like this, a broken tool in monstrous hands, gnaws at your very soul. You don’t know how much more you can endure.

The sea stretches endlessly, a calm blue lie before the storm. You narrow your eyes against the sun, watching a black speck grow larger on the horizon, cutting swiftly through the water. Unbeknownst to you, that ship belongs to the Straw Hat Pirates.

And everything is about to change.

The ocean reeked of blood. The Iron Spines were losing, badly. The Straw Hat Pirates had torn through their blockade like a hot knife through butter, their flagship now listing dangerously, black ribbons of smoke curling from its upper decks. The crew was a chaotic mess of panic and pain, their morale shattered like ancient wood. Captain Drogue stood at the helm, one arm limp and blood-soaked, his remaining eye wild as he bellowed to the lower deck:

“Unleash the serpent!”

You knew what he meant even before the chain on your wrist snapped. The dark metal links clattered behind you, the sea prism stone cuffs hissing as they clicked open against your skin. You had been resting, regenerating, dreaming of your children. Now, you were yanked back into the waking nightmare.

They didn’t speak, merely shoved open the iron doors and pointed towards the roaring chaos of battle.

“Sink them,” Drogue snarled. “Tear them down.”

You remained silent. You never spoke when they forced your hand.

You slithered to the ship’s edge, your tail rippling over the blood-slicked wood. Sunlight kissed your scales, making you gleam like the fathomless ocean. Your eyes, slitted and ancient, narrowed against the wind.

And then, you dove.

The Straw Hat Pirates were just beginning to regroup. The enemy ship was a ruin, half-sunk and smoking, but Luffy had taken a nasty hit from a cannon. Zoro clutched his side where a poisoned blade had found its mark. Sanji, covered in scorch marks, was yelling at Franky to stop bleeding “like a busted pipe.” Brook, who had been split down the middle, had been sewn back up in record time by Chopper, who was running ragged, tending to everyone. Even Robin looked winded. And Jinbei—he stood at the railing, staring at the water as if he sensed a tremor in the fabric of the sea.

Nami, scanning the horizon through her Clima-Tact, began, “Something’s—”

She never finished.

A sound like a breathing tidal wave cracked the sea. From the churning foam, something began to rise. First, the glint of massive scales, shimmering with an iridescent sheen. Then a gloved hand, delicate yet claw-tipped, broke the surface, gripping the edge of their ship with an innate claim. Then came your head—your long hair clinging to your face like seaweed, your lips parted to reveal barely visible fangs, your expression unreadable.

You were magnificent. Unnatural. Terrifying. Ancient.

Your torso was human, yet something about it felt wrong—too perfect, untouched by time or suffering. Your beauty was the stuff of legends. Behind you, your massive tail coiled with effortless grace, gleaming like moonlight on oil. You moved with impossible silence.

A profound stillness fell over the Straw Hats.

“…What in the hell…” Sanji whispered, jaw slack, his own injuries momentarily forgotten.

Usopp froze mid-reload, his slingshot dangling from nerveless fingers. “Th-that’s not real. That’s a Naga. A real Naga—those are extinct, right? I—I beat one once! I—”

“No,” Robin said softly, stepping forward. Her voice was calm, but her face was pale. “They were hunted to extinction. For their venom. Their tails. Their power.”

“And their beauty,” Nami added in a whisper, her knuckles white on her weapon.

You lunged. Your speed was monstrous, almost a teleportation. You slammed onto the deck, your coils wrapping around the mast in a single, thunderous motion. Splinters exploded. Wind howled. Your eyes locked onto the injured—your instincts screaming for elimination.

Luffy stood, wobbling slightly. “Hey… you’re strong.” He blinked at you, wide-eyed, filled with an almost childlike curiosity. “What are you?”

You didn’t answer. Your body moved before your mind could catch up. You struck.

Jinbei intercepted, throwing up a wall of water with a flick of his palm. “This one is no ordinary opponent!” he roared, planting his feet. “Her aura… I felt it in the sea.”

Franky scrambled back, shielding Usopp. “She just ripped the deck out from under the mast—SHE RIPPED THE MAST!”

“She’s fast,” Zoro muttered through clenched teeth. “Too fast. She’s not fighting like a soldier. She’s fighting like a beast.”

You tore across the deck toward Sanji—he met your strike midair with a burst of flame, attempting an upward kick, only for your coils to sweep under him, sending him flying into a railing with a sickening crack. Brook tried to intervene with a slash of his cane sword, but you slithered behind him, whisper-quiet, your fingers nearly grazing his spine before Robin forced your wrist away with blooming limbs of her own.

Your venom hissed down your fangs, and your mind began to slip. The Iron Spines still hold your eggs, you reminded yourself. They’d know if you held back. You cannot afford mercy.

But as your claws reached for Chopper—his tiny, shaking form standing protectively in front of a groaning Luffy—you hesitated.

Because in that moment, the Straw Hats didn’t look like enemies.

They looked like a crew.

And something deep within you, something that remembered warm water and lullabies, whispered: You were once part of something like this… before they took it from you.

Your hand stopped. Just short of harming him.

“…She stopped,” Chopper breathed.

You blinked. Your head ached. You backed away slightly—only slightly—your tail coiling tighter as if to hide your hesitation. The venom on your fangs pulsed. The shackles on your heart pulsed too.

They were watching you now. All of them.

Luffy tilted his head, blood trickling down his temple. And then, impossibly, he smiled.

“You don’t wanna fight us, do you?”

For the first time in a very long time, the lie wouldn’t come. The sea trembled with your indecision.

Their faces—the Straw Hats’—hovered at the edge of your vision like something fragile, almost warm. The small one, Chopper, stared at you with wide, unafraid eyes. Luffy had just smiled at you. Smiled. Offered something. Not yet in words, but in that profound look.

For a flicker of a second, your hands lowered.

And then—

“That’s enough, beast.”

The voice ripped through the sky like a black storm. Captain Drogue’s voice, amplified through a rusted Den Den Mushi mounted near the crow’s nest, bellowed from his shattered flagship, bleeding and loud. “They’ve seen your hesitation. Do you really think we’ll let that slide?”

You froze.

“They’re going to kill your little ones,” he purred, his voice slick with venom. “Do you remember what I said about defiance? Do you want to hear them scream? You fail me again, and I’ll crush every last one.”

Your chest went cold. The pain flashed white-hot behind your ribs. You didn’t think. You moved.

And this time, you didn’t hold back.

You were a blur, a streak of iridescent death moving across the Straw Hat deck. You struck with the force of a cannonball, and this time, it was no warning. Robin barely had time to throw up a wall of blooming arms to block your claws from digging into her chest. You snapped through them like brittle branches.

Zoro intercepted, blades out, his eyes sharp, utterly focused. “Now she’s fighting.”

“She’s serious now,” Jinbei growled, moving in to defend Luffy, who had gone uncharacteristically still. “She’s fighting like someone who doesn’t want to win—but has to.”

“Are we going all out?” Franky asked, flexing a new weaponized arm that hummed with rising power.

“We have to!” Nami shouted, sweat beading on her brow. “She’s not just fast—she’s thinking. Watching. Planning. She’s not a monster, she’s a strategist!”

You struck Sanji next, spinning him with a blow from your tail that cracked the wood beneath his boots. The entire ship shuddered from the impact.

“She’s like a sea king in a human body!” Brook shouted, trying to rally, his blade drawn. “I don’t even think I hit her yet—and I’m usually the fast one!”

Luffy hadn’t moved. He just kept looking at you.

“…Join my crew,” he said suddenly.

You froze again—your tail mid-swing, your venom inches from Usopp’s shoulder. You jerked your head toward him, eyes wide and slit-pupiled. You bared your fangs.

He meant it.

“I’m serious,” Luffy said again, stepping forward. He looked like hell—bloody, bruised, barely standing—but he meant it. “You’re strong. But you don’t want to be doing this. I know. You shouldn’t be with them.”

“You don’t understand!” you snapped—your voice hissed out raw, strangled, like it hadn’t been used in weeks. You saw their eyes widen. Most didn’t even know you could speak.

“Then tell me,” Luffy said gently. “Whatever it is, we’ll help.”

But your heart thundered, poisoned with fear. Your mind screamed with memory—three small eggs, warm and thrumming, pulsing beneath your hands before they were ripped away. The chilling click of the sea prism cages. The cold, unblinking stare of Captain Drogue. “Obey, or they die.”

You shook your head once, violently. “No,” you growled. “I can’t.”

“Why?” Luffy asked again, stepping closer.

Your venom hissed down your fangs like tears. “Because I have something I need to protect.”

You said no more. Didn’t say who. Didn’t say why. You turned, coiled your body in one powerful motion, and launched yourself into the sea with the force of a torpedo. The impact cracked the water like a lightning strike. You disappeared into the depths, leaving only foam and silence behind.

The Straw Hats stood in stunned quiet.

“She… left,” Usopp breathed, still pale.

“She didn’t want to hurt us,” Robin said quietly. “But something forced her to.”

Luffy stared after you, fists clenched, his eyes unreadable.

“She has something worth fighting for,” Jinbei murmured, his voice heavy with knowledge. “And it’s not here.”

Luffy lowered his head. “I’m gonna find her again,” he said. “And next time… I’m gonna help her.”

The ship rocked gently in your absence. Far below, in the cold, dark embrace of the deep sea, you swam hard and fast—back to the prison of chains, and the clutch of your children waiting. You didn’t cry. But if you had, the salt in the ocean would have masked it all the same.

They were waiting for you. Even before you breached the hull of the Iron Spines’ ship again, you felt it in the water—the crushing weight of their anger, the searing heat of it.

The hatch slammed behind you like the door to a tomb. The air stank of rot and old blood. You didn’t flinch as they dragged you to the center of the deck by your arms, your tail leaving a slick trail across the wet floor. Your limbs ached from the battle, your fangs still stung where they’d sunk too close to Robin’s Haki bloom, and your head throbbed with the echo of Luffy’s words.

“You’re strong.”

“Join my crew.”

“We’ll help.”

You clenched your jaw until you thought it would crack.

Captain Drogue stood above you like a shadow with teeth, cradling one of your eggs in his thick, gloved hands. It was small. Almost translucent. A sickly green glow throbbed faintly inside the shell. You felt it—one of your children—alive, unaware, trusting you.

He turned it over in his hands carelessly, like it was a pretty shell he’d picked up off a beach. His expression was calm, as if weighing a piece of fruit. “You didn’t finish the job.”

You raised your head slowly, your voice raw. “They were too strong.”

“No,” he said, tossing the egg up lazily and catching it again. “You’re too weak.”

Your body tensed, every scale on your tail rising with instinct. Your venom pooled behind your fangs. You could kill him. Right here. If not for—

He moved closer to the edge of the deck. And held the egg out over the open sea.

You screamed. It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t human. It was deep and guttural and terrified, something from a throat evolved under pressure and salt and sorrow. Your coils surged forward, but three harpoons struck you in the back—sea prism tips digging through scale and sinew. Your body froze. Breath caught in your lungs.

Your heart beat against your ribs like a war drum.

“…Please,” you croaked, barely able to lift your head now. “Please. Not them. Not them.”

The egg wobbled in his palm, slick with sea spray.

“Then you’ll take the punishment instead,” Drogue said with a smile like broken coral. “As many times as it takes. Until obedience is instinct.”

You bowed your head. “Yes.”

He dropped the egg back into its cage with a careless thud. You didn’t breathe until the cage locked shut again.

Then they began.

You lost track of how long it lasted.

First came the brands—red-hot iron pressed into the underside of your tail, searing a symbol of their flag where no one would see it but you. The heat seared through scale and into nerve, and you bit through your lip to stop from screaming.

Then came the lashes—strips of sea prism stone embedded in the cords. Twenty. Then thirty. Then more. Your back was slick with blood, scales cracked open in long, raw streaks.

Still, you didn’t cry out.

Then Drogue took your face in his hands, crouching low, his breath thick with rum and rot. “Disobedience again,” he whispered, “and I’ll open one of their shells. Just to see what spills out.”

You didn’t respond. You couldn’t.

They left you chained in the brig below deck, hanging by your arms in a dark, salt-wet corner, your tail coiled beneath you in agony. You stared through the bars at the flickering torchlight.

The eggs were nearby. Just out of reach.

You watched them through the gloom, their soft, steady glow the only thing that kept you from unraveling completely.

You hadn’t killed the Straw Hats. You should have. It would’ve been easier. Safer. The Iron Spines wouldn’t have punished you. But—

You couldn’t. You saw something in them you hadn’t seen in years. Something like family.

And for that mercy, you were flayed.

But still, you didn’t regret it.

Because they were alive.

And so were your children.

For now.

The days bled into an agonizing blur. You remained in the brig, the ship's damp belly seeping into your wounds, a slow, corrosive burn like salt in bruised flesh. Your tail, once a powerful, rippling extension of your will, now curled listlessly beneath you, twitching only when the pain bit too deep. They offered no bandages, rarely did. Healing was just another layer of torment, a reminder of their control, designed to carve obedience into your very being.

But you endured.

Because the eggs were there. Caged in the corner of the brig, three small, fragile pulses of life. You watched them every hour, whispering ancient Naga lullabies from a childhood long forgotten, humming low vibrations through the floor, a silent prayer that their tiny hearts could still feel your presence. Sometimes, one would shimmer faintly, as if it heard you, as if it knew you were still there. That faint spark of connection was enough to keep you breathing.

Above deck, the Iron Spines prepared for another desperate raid. The Straw Hats had shattered their last ambush, leaving their main ship barely afloat, supplies dwindling, morale plummeting. Drogue’s mood soured with each passing glimpse into your cell, his rage a palpable weight in the air. Yet, he hadn't harmed the eggs. So you kept singing. Bleeding. Waiting.

Far across the sea, aboard the Thousand Sunny, an unusual quiet had settled amongst the Straw Hats. Not mournful, not fearful, but contemplative—the kind of stillness that follows a true brush with death.

“She wasn’t trying to kill us at first,” Nami murmured, leaning against the rail. “You all saw it.”

Robin nodded, arms folded. “She only escalated when her captain threatened her. You could feel the fear. It was controlled, but deeply real.”

“She held back,” Zoro muttered, a faint rasp as he sharpened Wado Ichimonji. “If she truly wanted to, she could’ve broken our ship in half. She had the power.”

“She could have crushed me in two seconds,” Chopper said, wide-eyed, the memory still vivid. “But she didn’t.”

Usopp paced nervously. “She looked at me like—like I was a fish in a tank. She could’ve popped me like a grape!”

“That’s a disturbing image, Usopp,” Brook noted, tilting his head.

“Disturbing and accurate,” Franky grunted, adjusting his super arm.

Jinbei was the only one seated, hands steepled, his gaze fixed on the waves. “I’ve only ever felt pressure like hers from ancient sea beasts… and admirals. The legends about the Naga weren’t exaggerating.”

“She was… beautiful,” Sanji whispered dreamily, his eyes swirling with hearts. “So dangerous… so elegant… like a goddess of the deep come to punish the wicked…”

“She broke your ribs,” Nami reminded him sharply.

“…A beautiful punishment,” Sanji sighed blissfully.

Luffy hadn’t said much at all. He sat cross-legged on the lion’s head figurehead, chin in hand, staring up at the endless sky. Unusually quiet. Unusually serious.

“…I want to help her,” he finally said.

Robin glanced up. “She said no.”

“She didn’t mean it,” Luffy muttered, his eyes narrowing slightly. “She meant, ‘I can’t.’ That’s different.”

“She’s protecting something,” Jinbei said, nodding slowly. “That much is clear. And as long as the Iron Spines hold that something… she will remain in chains.”

Luffy’s gaze sharpened. “Then we’ll break the chains.”

Back below deck, aboard the Iron Spines’ ship, dreams had become a luxury you could no longer afford. Every time you closed your eyes, Drogue’s hand hovered over your egg, your child helpless and silent, a breath away from obliteration. This vision clawed at you worse than any lash.

But one night, as you dozed, your head against the cold bars, a faint clink stirred you. Your eyes snapped open. You didn’t move, just listened.

Clink. Clink.

Footsteps. Not the heavy, thunderous boots of the crew. Lighter. Quieter.

You lifted your head slightly. One of the Iron Spines’ newer recruits—barely out of boyhood—stood just outside your cell, trembling. In his hand was a tiny, cloth-wrapped bundle. Food. Better than the rotted scraps they usually tossed at you.

“…You didn’t kill them,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “You could’ve killed all of them… but you didn’t.”

You stared at him, silent.

He set the food through the bars. “They… said you were a monster. I believed them.”

You remained still, watching him.

The boy looked toward the cage with your eggs, his voice softening. “I don’t think monsters hum lullabies.”

He left quickly, melting back into the shadows. You waited until you were certain no one else was near. Then, slowly, with aching fingers, you pulled the bundle close. A soft piece of bread. Some dried fruit. Water. It wasn’t much. But it meant someone saw you.

Somewhere out on the vast, indifferent sea, the Straw Hats began to gather information. Robin meticulously hunted maps. Jinbei, with his innate connection to the ocean, followed subtle currents. Nami chased whispers from old traders who still spoke of serpent-women in hushed, fearful tones. And Luffy, every single day, watched the horizon.

Because he knew you were out there. And this time… he wasn’t going to let you disappear.

The fog clung thick to the sea, a ghostly veil stretching across the ocean like breath on a mirror. The Iron Spines had been drifting for days, believing themselves hidden in the impenetrable mists. But fog was no barrier to a navigator like Nami, nor to the instincts of a captain like Luffy, who now stood at the prow of the Thousand Sunny, his fists clenched.

“She’s on that ship,” he stated, his voice quiet, resolute.

And for once, no one doubted him.

Below deck, your arms were chained again, heavier this time, clamped so tightly they didn’t want you to move, didn’t want you to breathe without their say-so. You barely had the strength to hum, but you still did. You hummed through the blood in your mouth and the crushing weight in your chest. Your eggs were still glowing. Still alive.

You whispered to them. “Just a little longer… please.”

Then—BOOM! A deafening crash above. Cannon fire. The ship shuddered violently. Screams followed, then more crashing—too precise, too deliberate to be panicked, random chaos. This was a raid. You lifted your head, your heart hammering against your ribs.

And then—his footsteps. Captain Drogue. Heavy. Purposeful. Furious.

He kicked the brig door open with enough force to snap the hinges. He stormed toward you, murder glinting in his eye, blood already staining his hands.

“They’re here!” he hissed, his voice a ragged snarl. “Those pests. That damn Straw Hat. This is your fault.”

You didn’t speak. Couldn’t. You just stared at him, your bloodied face a mask of defiance.

He lunged toward the cage. Your eggs.

“No—NO!” you cried, struggling against the chains so violently that your wrists began to bleed anew.

He laughed, a bitter, jagged sound, grabbing one egg with both hands and raising it high, as if to smash it on the floor. “You care more about these slimy little spawn than your own life. Then let’s make it a lesson,” he snarled. “You want them to live? Kill the Straw Hats. Kill them all. Or I shatter every last one of these pathetic little creatures under my boot.”

Tears welled in your eyes, thick and hot, blurring your vision. Your chest cracked open with the pain of it, and your sobs came hard and fast, guttural and broken. You could feel their life, the pulsing warmth of them—your babies—right there, inches from death.

“I—” you rasped. “Please… don’t—”

The captain lifted the egg higher—

And then, a blur. A sudden, desperate movement.

“DON’T TOUCH THEM!”

It was the young recruit. The boy from before. He threw himself across the room, diving between Drogue and the fragile egg. The blow meant for the delicate shell instead crushed the boy’s shoulder as he tackled Drogue away.

CRACK!

Bone. Not shell. The egg fell—but the recruit caught it, cradling it in his arms even as Drogue’s blade slashed across his back. He collapsed forward, gasping, a broken whisper. The egg remained untouched in his shaking arms.

Your scream was primal, feral. “NO!”

Chains snapped—whether by sheer strength or instinct, you didn’t know. You surged forward, blood streaming from your arms and back, as Drogue, with a broken, rage-filled glare, turned on the boy, his blade raised high again.

“YOU STUPID—!”

“Gomu Gomu no… JET PISTOL!!”

The wall exploded. Luffy barreled through like a cannonball, his fist slamming into Drogue’s face with such force the man flew back, through the bars, and crashed into the opposite wall, his skull crunching against iron.

Behind Luffy, the rest of the Straw Hats poured in—Zoro’s swords already drawn, Sanji mid-spin, Jinbei’s aura pulsing like a tsunami, Nami wielding lightning, Robin with blooming limbs ready to rip a man apart.

Luffy landed between you and Drogue’s twitching body. He looked at you—bloodied, weeping, clutching your egg from the boy’s arms. Your scales were dull from pain, your body shaking. You’d never looked so terrifying. Or so human.

“…They’re your kids,” he said softly, a statement, not a question.

You nodded once, sobbing, unable to speak.

Then—Drogue moved. Groaning, gripping a knife now, dragging himself to his feet with a broken, rabid glare. “Y/N!” he spat, his voice thick with fury. “Obey! I own you!”

And in that moment—you saw red.

The chains snapped from your arms, shrapnel of broken metal scattering across the deck. Your body surged with an instinct so pure it bordered on divine. You coiled, your tail slamming the floor with a thunderous crack, and you launched.

He didn’t even scream.

Your tail wrapped around him mid-lunge, lifted him from the ground, and slammed him into the iron wall so hard that the whole ship shook. Once. Twice. Three times. Until his body sagged, silent, lifeless in your coils. You let him drop like garbage.

Silence descended after that, broken only by the distant creak of the ship and your own ragged breaths. The recruit—barely conscious—lifted the egg in his shaking hands and passed it to you with a weak, knowing smile.

“I told you,” he whispered, his eyes fading. “You’re not a monster.” He died moments later, his small act of rebellion a final, quiet testament.

You cradled your eggs close to your chest, curling around them with your whole body, tears slipping silently down your cheeks, blending with the blood and grime. The Straw Hats stood nearby, not pushing, not speaking, just watching.

Then, Luffy walked up to you. “Come with us,” he said again, softer this time.

You shook your head. “I… I can’t. Not yet. They’re not strong enough to travel. They need time. I need to find a place—safe. Somewhere they can grow.”

Luffy nodded. “Then we’ll take you there.”

Your breath caught in your throat. “You would do that?”

He grinned, a wide, genuine smile that cut through the darkness of the brig. “Course. You’re strong. You protected what matters. That makes you one of us already.”

You looked down at your eggs, glowing gently in your arms. And for the first time in years—you felt hope.

The days that followed were a blur of motion and stark contrasts. One moment, you were cradling your eggs in the dimly lit brig, the scent of Drogue’s blood still thick in the air. The next, the Straw Hats were swarming the Iron Spines' vessel, their movements a symphony of coordinated chaos. They subdued the remaining crew with a surprising efficiency, their laughter echoing alongside the clang of steel and the shouts of surrender. You watched, still trembling, as they secured the ship, their victory swift and decisive.

Luffy, true to his word, had the remaining Iron Spines crew chained, not beaten or brutalized. He had a strange, almost childlike focus when it came to his promises. He looked at you, then at your eggs, and simply said, "We'll find a safe place for them."

The journey aboard the Thousand Sunny was unlike anything you had ever known. Your injuries, still raw and aching, were tended to by Chopper, his tiny hooves surprisingly gentle as he applied salves and bandages. His touch, light and empathetic, was a stark contrast to the rough handling you’d endured for so long. You flinched at first, expecting pain, but only found careful solicitude.

"You're going to be okay," he'd murmur, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Just rest, okay?"

You had never known such kindness. For years, every touch had been a prelude to pain. Here, it was simply care.

The crew moved around you with an easy comfort that was disarming. Sanji, despite your earlier encounter, brought you plates of steaming, fragrant food—dishes made with a surprising delicacy that even your bruised senses could appreciate. He’d hover, anxious, until you took a bite. "A lady of the deep needs her strength!" he’d declare, ignoring the faint, residual venom that still tingled on your fangs.

Nami would quietly leave clean blankets by your makeshift nest, and Robin would sit nearby, reading, her presence a calming, steady anchor. They didn't pry, didn't ask about your past, but their quiet understanding was a balm to your shattered spirit. Even Zoro, often aloof, would occasionally nod curtly in your direction, a silent acknowledgment of respect.

You saw them interact, a chaotic, loud, and utterly devoted family. They bickered, they laughed, they fought with an almost reckless abandon, but always, always, they protected each other. You watched Luffy as he navigated his crew, not with commands, but with an unwavering belief in their individual strengths. He saw them, truly saw them, and loved them for it. He ate with boundless enthusiasm, stretched impossibly, and pulled them into ridiculous adventures, but when a storm hit, or danger loomed, he was the unshakeable mast, his gaze unwavering.

Days turned into a week, then two. You were no longer just a weapon, no longer merely their pet monster. You were… present. Part of the rhythm of their ship, their lives. They continued to search for a hidden, undisturbed island, a place safe enough for Naga eggs to hatch and thrive. They poured over maps, debated currents, and interrogated captive pirates for whispers of uncharted havens. Their dedication to your children's safety was absolute.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in fiery hues, you watched Luffy from your secluded spot on the deck. He was laughing with Usopp and Chopper, a carefree sound that resonated deep within your chest. It was a sound you hadn't heard in years, a sound you had almost forgotten existed.

And in that moment, as the sea breeze ruffled your hair and the laughter of the Straw Hats filled the air, a profound realization settled over you. They were searching for a safe space for your children. An island. A hidden cove. But the truth was, you had already found it. It wasn't a place on a map. It was here. On this ship. With these people.

This crew, with their boundless kindness, their fierce loyalty, and their unwavering acceptance, they were your safe space. They were the family you had lost, the warmth you had forgotten.

The next morning, the crew gathered on deck, maps spread out, discussing a new lead on a possible sanctuary island. Luffy was pointing wildly, his usual enthusiasm back in full force.

“This one looks good!” he declared, tapping a spot. “It’s super hidden! No one would ever find them there!”

You coiled your tail around yourself, taking a deep breath. Your voice, still a little raspy from disuse and recent trauma, surprised them all when you finally spoke.

“Luffy,” you said, your voice soft but clear, cutting through the usual boisterous planning.

Everyone turned to you, their conversations immediately ceasing. Luffy blinked at you, a half-eaten piece of meat hanging from his hand.

“I… I’ve made a choice,” you began, looking from one face to another, seeing only acceptance and genuine care. “You’ve searched tirelessly. You’ve been kinder to me than anyone has been in years. You’ve protected my children, even when you didn’t have to.”

You looked at each of them, at the warmth in their eyes, the easy strength in their postures. “You were looking for a safe place for them. For my eggs.”

You paused, a tremor of emotion passing through you. “But the truth is… I think I’ve already found it.”

Luffy tilted his head, curious.

You met his gaze directly, your slitted eyes now holding a different kind of intensity—one of certainty, not fear. “I want to stay. With you. All of you.”

A beat of stunned silence. Then, Usopp’s jaw dropped, and Sanji promptly fainted, a trail of hearts floating from his nose. Nami’s eyes widened, and even Zoro raised an eyebrow, a flicker of a smile playing on his lips.

Luffy’s face, however, broke into the widest, most magnificent grin you had ever seen. He threw his arms wide, meat forgotten.

“Shishishishi! I knew it!” he cheered, then bounded toward you, stretching an arm out to pull you into a surprisingly gentle, yet firm, embrace. “Welcome to the crew, Sea’s Wrath!”

The faint scent of soaked wood was in the air, and your den's condition was stimulated so well that if it wasn't for the walls around you, you'd feel at home. Minus the sunlight of course, and a fresh breeze, the air made you feel weak and sleepy and its scent was sort of sweet on your tongue, as if it was spring already and the flower petals were in the air. Every day, all you did as time passed was either spent sleeping or taking care of the little one who unlike you was extremely energetic, cooing and babbling as she crawled around with her tiny hands, still not old enough to learn how to crawl with her tail. She could be a menace and a little angel at the same time, crawling on top of a few branches and then jumping down onto you, giggling, which was her favorite pastime that left you alert most of the time to her presence. Lately, a few teeth had grown into her mouth and she had started to nibble on things, including your tail, and feeding her with your hands had turned into a challenge. Now that you looked around, you could see her bite marks on the plants around you. That little thing had explored the whole invisible cage so many times that you'd wondered if she had learned to crawl on the walls as well...it wasn't that unlikely of her.

Speaking of the devil...

Lulu's head popped up from under the water as she splashed the water around her "Mama, mama!" She reached out for you, and you slowly reached out and took the baby in your arms, she could breathe underwater unlike you, which meant her parents were water-based Nagas. Handling her wasn't easy, but it was for a few hours before they came along. Bruce and your boy, Damian. They somehow knew how to handle both you and little LuLu, or as they called her, Lucy.

You looked down at the cooing baby in your arms, smiling softly, Lulu was pure white, her large eyes having a red hue to them, you thought the poor thing was sick for not having a color to her scales or little puffs of hair, not knowing that she was a very rare albino, oh how many nights you had spent on worrying about her health not noticing that she was chubbier than most of baby Nagas you had seen, which meant she was quiet healthy.

As you held the baby, she nuzzled into your chest, liking the fabric of your topwear. Bruce would provide you with them, and not much to your liking, he'd take it off or put it on you himself. Lulu's tail wrapped around your arm as you rocked her, watching her play with the tip of your tail, poking it with her chubby fingers. You let out a soft sigh of irritation as she reached for the tip and started playing with it, you didn't know when you found that abandoned egg you'd end up like this, you were mateless and young, without much experience, you didn't know how to handle the baby, and she didn't help you with handling her either...well, except Damian, at least he'd listen. Your mouth turned downwards, remembering that he was the reason you were now captive. Poor you, you didn't have much luck in both parenting and mating...well, as for mating, Bruce still tried to woo you, you could easily deduce that, but how did he know of Naga culture and their ways of courting, you weren't sure.

Lulu squirmed out of your arms and swam into the shallow pond, splashing around as she swam to the other side of it, you sighed again, too tired to follow her around. "Lulu...honey come back" You tried to take her attention, but she was already on her way to creating chaos once more. You relax your upper body on the warm sands close to the pond, and your lower half rests in the water, soaking in. Today none of them came along, were they unwell? The thought made you feel bad, both with the image of them being sick and your thought of caring about them made you feel bad. You couldn't deny you worried about them as well, but...Were you being tamed like a beast? Never! You wouldn't allow that!

You were too busy rubbing your temple as you let your thoughts circle in your mind like a swarm of irritating flies, to notice the door of your gilded cage opening. Damian and Jon's heads popped in, noticing that you were far away from their side of the cage they let out a sigh of relief. Knowing you, if it wasn't for the sedatives you'd be charging at them already. You looked at the two humans entering slowly, struggling with blinking to keep your eyes open, you rested your head on top of your hand, watching them walk to Lulu, who was already crawling toward them.

"Dami! Dami!" Lulu squealed with excitement as she spotted Damian, her chubby cheeks flushed with the struggle of crawling faster to her brother. Damian smiled at the little one and bent down and picked her up, her giggles filling the air. You smiled softly at the scene, looking at how Damian's one snake-like eye's iris widened at the sight of his sister, a sign that he loved her.

You hummed his name under your breath, remembering the time you had to put your special balm on his wounds, made out of your blood and a few different herbs, unknowingly giving him some sort of mutation, making him gain some snake-like features. How precious he was when he held onto you tightly, seeking comfort, fever haunting his body because of the infection in his blood. You wanted to be mad at him for bringing that man, Bruce, to take you away from your swamp, but you couldn't, he was your boy.

When Damian turned around to take Lulu away you felt a little surge of panic rush into your reptilian heart, where was he taking Lulu? "W-wait-!" You were too slow and the boy and his friend had left with the little one, leaving you there, filling your heart with worry. You moved into the pond, getting closer to the door of the cage, you knew you couldn't move past the invisible walls of it, naturally you didn't know of glasses, thinking of them as invisible walls, you didn't know how to move past them, but you still tried. You moved your hand and slammed it on the door of your confinement with the remnants of your energy in a struggle to make it open, you knew it would be in vain, but you still did so, but much to your surprise, the invisible door opened, letting clean air come into your cage, you could see a different light coming from there...oh?...oh...OH!

....

"Just be quick, I need to put Lucy back with Mom..." Damian told Jon as he put Lulu in the little tub to keep her from crawling around. The baby Naga was a little distraught by the unfamiliar nature of her surroundings, her small fist tightly holding onto Damian's finger. Jon moved closer, with a few little dresses that his mother had tailored for little Lucy. "My mom said they are water resistant," Jon said with his proud smile and helped put the dress on top of Lulu's body, she giggled as her head popped out of the neckline of the little pink dress, finding it amusing that Damian tried to pull her little arms into the holes of the sleeveless dress, to her everything seemed like a game.

"If you want to take pictures, I have a camera you know" Dick appeared behind the two young boys startling them slightly. Jon nodded enthusiastically, while Damian huffed "Let me at least tidy up her hair". He said as he ran his fingers into her white messy locks. "Say cheese!" Dick spoke as he used a rattle to gain Lulu's attention as he held the camera, chuckling slightly as Lulu looked up at him with a large smile, her few teeth shining. The picture of the Naga in her cute dress was taken with a bright flash from the camera. The bright light made a huge shadow behind them appear on the wall the three humans tensed up visibly, turning around slowly, their eyes widening in shock.

....

"E-easy, Y/N..." Bruce groaned out as your tail made another circle around his legs, tightening around them not so gently. You were on top of him, your hands holding him as you glared down at him with your snake eyes. You had crawled out of your cage and since you weren't inhaling sedatives, you were gaining back your strength, so you had startled Bruce on his seat in the bat cave.

You looked down at the man you had pinned to his seat, unconsciously moving your hand to trace the different parts of his face, you were too focused on his blue eyes that you didn't notice his hand move to push a button, it'd give you an electric shock to stop you from doing something reckless, but his hand paused as he watched you lay slowly on top of him, trying to get some warmth from his body. "Mate..." the word came out of your mouth in a whisper, you had realized that struggling was futile, Bruce was the alpha predator of your chain of family, and you should submit to feel happier, he knew how to handle Lulu and Damian and seemed to like you, even now that Lulu was away from you she seemed happy enough, so why resist?

The Eel Naga (The Reader)

[This is my own interpretation of what this story's Reader-insert looks like, but it is in no way the official/only way they can look. Please do feel free to picture the Reader however you wish to :)]

The Reader is a White Ribbon Eel/Ghost Eel (Picture 1) Naga with distant Cobra (Picture 2) Naga ancestry

Eel Nagas have scaly humanoid torsos and arms, an eel-like tail instead of legs, and serpent-like faces. Their gills rest inside their nostrils.

The Reader's hood trails up the side of the neck like a regular cobra, but ends at the top of their head in a jacket hood-like fashion. Their hood can extend to cover their eyes, or fold back to rest above their brow.

The Reader's eyes are fully up to interpretation (though I personally picture them having a pale lavender hue.)

Nagas have thicker and longer claws and fangs than Mers. Their upper canines, the venom fangs, are the biggest fangs in a Naga's mouth.

The Mer (Eclipse)

Eclipse is a half blue, half orange mixed Mer. Half his face (the blue side) and his hands no longer have scales, many of his ray-like head fins are torn, and half of his tail fin is tattered.

Mers have sleek humanoid torsos and arms, a long, fish-like tail instead of legs, and round, disk-like faces. Eclipse's gills rest on his torso.

Eclipse has nine, ray-like head fins around his face, as well as red, ruffly neck and waist fins. He also has a nightcap-like head ornament that extends out from the back of his head.

Eclipse has one red and one white eye.

Mers also have fangs and claws, though they are shorter and slimmer in comparison to Nagas.

Neb

Neb, or Nebula, is half-Naga, half-Mer. They are the most Naga-like as far as appearances go.

Their body is half light blue and half light orange. Their eyes are blue.

Similarly to the Reader, they have a serpent-like face. Their snout is only a bit shorter than the average Naga's, and their nostrils contain their gills.

They have seven ray-like head fins similar to Eclipse's.

They have an eel-like Naga tail.

[More TBA later on]

Dia

Dia, or Diatom, is half-Naga, half-Mer. They are the most Mer-like as far as appearances go.

Their body is primarily white, with blue and orange spots/patches scattered throughout. Their face is half blue and half orange. Their eyes are different hues of the Reader's own eye color.

Similarly to Eclipse, they have a flat, disk-like face. Their gills lie on their torso.

Their head does not have fins or a hood.

They have an eel-like Naga tail, but one that has vertical, not horizontal, Mer tail fins.

[More TBA later on]

Pic

Pic, Pickle, or Pickleweed, is half-Naga, half-Mer. They are the most mixed as far as appearances go.

Their body is light green with a white underbelly. Their eyes are red.

Similarly to the Reader, they have a serpent-like face. Their snout is much shorter than the average Naga's, and their nostrils and chest contain their gills.

They have a hood like the Reader, but it trails off into a nightcap-like cone at the back, similar to Eclipse's head ornament.

They have a Mer-like tail.

It’s hot. 

Too hot.

Something’s not right.

The air is dry. Can’t breathe. Must flee. 

Fire. 

It devours everything. You try to escape, the ground burns your scales. 

CRACK. 

Intense pain. You’re crushed under a smoldering tree. It scorches your back. 

You scream. Using all your strength, you escape. 

Can’t breathe. Can’t see. 

It hurts. All your senses hurt.

You slip. A cold water embrace.

Nothing to grab. Tail skids across the sandy bottom, grasping for anything.

Roaring waters. Rapids approach. 

You are tossed. Rocks and branches slipping through your fingers.

You're scared. Must hang on. To what?

You fall.

Wind tearing at your scales. A dark abyss awaits. Quickly approaching. 

You try to curl up to prepare for a watery grave. You shield your face. 

Darkness envelops you… 

….

…

..

Pain. That's the first thing you feel when the world slowly starts to seep into your consciousness. Every part of your body aches; your head, your chest, your arms, your tail. From head to tip it hurts, painfully throbbing, stone stiff, and heavy. You search your senses for information, not daring to move just yet. There is ground beneath you, not cold but not pleasantly warm either. It’s also dark from what you can tell with very little light filtering through your closed eyelids. You hear scratching noises, a scraping sound like something wooden is being slowly chipped away at. The sounds are very methodical, too planned and precise to be a rodent as if there is a purpose behind the scraping. A bird maybe? No, there’s no cracking or breaking off of woodchips. A monkey scraping a rock against a tree perhaps? Ugh… Thinking hurts too much, your head pounding harder as you try to identify the mysterious sound so you move on.

You attempt to take in a large breath of air when your lungs freeze up, a deep scratching and horrible searing sensation rattles from the bottom of your lungs to the top. You start coughing, painfully and uncontrollably. You try to take in short breaths of air but your lungs seem determined to constrict themselves to prevent anything from entering, even oxygen. You involuntarily roll onto your side over your coiled tail, placing a hand on the ground to steady yourself as your coughing fit continues. Your lungs burn, your muscles seemingly fighting each other for control, but eventually after what felt like forever your coughing subsides and you fall limply back onto your tail.

You’re wheezing. Deep breaths only cause your lungs to sting so you resort to slow, shallow breaths. You're exhausted, you know you need to get up and get your bearings but sleep seems easier and so much more welcoming. With your attention focused on trying not to cough out your lungs you didn’t even hear the shuffling of feet on the floor or the sound of running water. Your torso is lifted with someone else’s touch, turning you onto your back while something hard supports your neck. Something cold touches your lips but when you try to shy away from it, it is pushed more firmly towards you. You feel the trickle of liquid fill your mouth and the taste of water rolls over your tongue. You were too weak to fight, a barely audible grumble in warning left your chest but your body and mind were not cooperating at the moment.

“Drink.” Said a low voice, barely above a whisper. 

The thing at your lips drizzled more water into your mouth and your body acted on its own, gladly accepting the water despite your mind protesting. The cool sensation soothes your dry, burning throat and you suddenly realize just how parched you are. You push your head forward to guzzle the water down faster but the flask is gently pulled away from you. 

“Slowly.”

You barely register the voice, focused solely on taking the water as it is offered back to you at a slower pace. After sating your internal drought you allow your head to fall back, relying on the support under your neck. Your eyes sluggishly open, everything seems blurry at first but slowly starts to take form. 

The ceiling is lined with thick beams of wood and metal, each connected to each other to create a sturdy structure. The walls were flat yet appeared to have a gritty surface to them, they were darkly colored which blended well into the polished cobblestone like floor. The floor had leaves, twigs and some grass scattered around it messily, blown in from strong winds you assume. Across from you on the wall there seemed to be two holes covered by something that allowed light to pass through but blurred so you couldn’t see outside of it. It looked like it was about midday with how bright the sun filtered through. Those along with a single dim light crystal in the ceiling are the only sources of light that you can see, at least you think it is a light crystal but why is it round? There were also strange shapes lining the wall across from you and you think they look like large boulders but you can’t be sure. It seems like a decently sized area, large enough to fit a few larger animals comfortably. It is still the strangest cave you have ever woken up in. 

You notice some wood shavings on the floor a short distance in front of you past the end of your tail, which means you had guessed right. Something wooden was being whittled away. They would have made a neat pile but it appeared like something had shuffled through it in a hurry and scattered them throughout the area. Your gaze followed a small trail of pieces leading towards your side, it was then that you finally notice the shadow beside you. It is a dark figure. Hidden well by the low lighting and even though it was too dim to make out any defining shape you could tell this figure had no fur, no scales, and no skin. Your vision shifts up and you are met with glowing eyes, both a pure red but the exception of the right one having a thin cyan lining around the pupil. They glow softly, not threatening in any way but the unmistakable glare of teeth sends a shiver through you. They aren’t sharp but that doesn’t matter. Everything about the figure screamed dangerous predator, not only in eerie looks but they also had a strong magic emanating from their soul like a deterrent. Most smart animals know to stay away from magic of this caliber, you yourself haven’t encountered it often but there is only one type of creature that emanates magic like this. 

Monsters. 

With as much strength as you can muster you shove them away and slither backwards until your back hits a wall. You coil tightly around yourself defensively, preparing to strike if needed and give a deadly hiss. Well at least you tried to, your hiss sounded more like a weak gust of wind than a terrifying warning to inflict fear into your enemies. You have to clench your jaw to prevent yourself from entering into another coughing fit.

“Easy…” The monster says calmly, raising his hands in an effort to calm you, however he makes no effort to put distance between you and him despite your threat. He just sits there, still as a rock. His face is hooded by his clothing, shrouding it in darkness so you couldn’t make out his expression but his glowing eyes and the shadowed glare of a neutral smile hinted that he clearly didn’t find your efforts intimidating, not in the slightest.

“It’s alright, I’m not going to hurt you. You’re safe.” 

He’s speaking to you. Maybe trying to ease your nerves with that poor attempt at a soothing tone to his voice but it makes no difference to you. You can’t understand monster talk, you never cared to learn. The few naga you met in your life offered to teach you, told you it would help if you ever ran into a monster someday but you could care less. You never planned to go anywhere near a monster village, no less get close enough to any monsters to hear how they speak. Your kind are smart, quick to understand things and very teachable, you probably could have figured it out on your own if you really wanted to but you’ve never liked these creatures. Monsters were loud, destructive, and had no care for the jungle you called home so you always stayed deep within the depths of your homeland where they didn’t dare travel. Most likely because in your territory you were far more dangerous to run into than any panther or jaguar. 

You opt to just glare at him, if you couldn’t audibly warn him to back off then your body language would have to do. You rake your claws down the side of the wall you were up against, your nails leaving deep gashes in the odd cave rock. He doesn’t move however. Unfazed yet again. 

“Easy now, you’re in bad enough shape as it is. Just relax.”

You make no acknowledgement as he spoke, it seems like he is trying to show you he means no harm but you aren’t buying it. Monsters are just as sly and untrustworthy as some of your own kind, the big problem here is you can’t understand if what he is saying seems like a lie or if he is telling the truth. No matter, you still have your fangs to protect you, even if your physical strength is compromised at the moment. If he tries anything you are still fast enough to do serious damage and with the powerful bite you have, it wouldn’t take much of your potent venom to kill a… monster thing of some sort. You still can’t see any defining features, observing that his clothing covers every inch of his body, including his hands. 

“You should lay back down.”

You glare. 

“I know you’re scared but I promise I ain’t gonna hurt you.” 

You better stay over there buddy….

“Can you… even understand me at all?.”

He’s not gonna budge is he? Just go away already.

“Heh… well this is gonna be fun...” He sighs, reaching for something on his waist. The end of your tail vibrates loudly and a low snarl slips between your teeth, whatever he is reaching for can’t be good. He keeps his eyes locked with yours, his gaze unfaltering as he slowly pulls a strange object off his hip. He cautiously moves the object towards his mouth and you hear him speak to it. Wait… Why the heck is this monster speaking to a… it looks like a rock? And why is the rock answering back?

After several exchanges back and forth between the monster and the rock thing, he slips it back onto his hip. He then maneuvers from a kneeling position to a sitting one, making sure you can see that he has no ill intent with his movements as he crosses his legs, leisurely resting his head in his hand. At least that's what you think he is doing, it looks like his hand just disappears into his hood. 

“Boss is on his way, sure hope he’s got a plan. Being bit by an oversized venomous snake ain’t really on my bucket list.” He lets out another sigh, his eyes relax as his gaze shifts from attentive to half lidded and lazy. 

You never break eye contact with each other, even as the long silence drags on. You had quite the staring competition going on between the two of you, you would like to say you were winning but you never saw the guy blink, not even once. Does he even need to blink? What is with this guy, what does he want? Just GO AWAY. Wait, was that a blink? His eyes just went out. Is he… Is he sleeping? Dude is just going to sit in front of me and fall asleep? Really? Doesn’t he have anything better to do than mock me with his stupid ‘you don’t scare me’ act?

After several minutes of hearing steady breathing with no glowing eyes gawking in your direction, you let yourself relax a little. Your tense position has gotten unbearable and your already painful muscles scream in agony to be released. Your tail shifts ever so slightly while you lean your shoulder against the wall. A single red eye peeks at you making you freeze, it doesn’t stay long however and disappears into the void again. You snicker at him but allow yourself to slide down the wall, letting it support you so you can maintain visuals on the strange being.

You stay like this for several minutes, listening to the sound of steady breathing from the monster in front of you mixed with your own ragged breaths. You start to notice how cold you feel, the stone floor unpleasantly chilly to the underside of your tail. You shiver. If only you could see where the entrance to the cave is you could just leave to find a sunny spot to bask in. You wrap your arms around yourself in an effort to trap in what body heat you have. This is so annoying… The brush of something against your forearms makes you look down to your chest. It was wrapped in some sort of cloth, soft and lightly colored, is that why you feel like it’s hard to breathe? You slip a claw under the edge of one of the straps and it makes a small ripping sound. 

“Hey.” The monster says sternly.

Your eyes narrow at him, you certainly don’t like that tone. Was that a threat? Before you can growl back a loud bang echoes from around a wall and light fills the area, illuminating everything within. You jolt, startled by the sudden noise and shield your eyes with a groan. You were not prepared for the abrupt change in brightness, it made your pounding headache you forgot you had return with full force. You hear voices, multiple voices, more monsters??? 

You tense back up, rearing up once again against the wall trying desperately to blink the white spots away from your vision while your eyes adjust. Three monsters enter into your field of vision and you have to wipe water from your eyes to make sure you aren’t imagining things. They are all skeletons, complete with boney limbs, skulls, and glowing eyes. You see the monster who was sitting with you stand up to join the other three as they converse, eyeing you the entire time. 

They were all drastically different from each other, contrasting in height, size and build. Is that even a thing? The skeletons you always tossed after eating were relatively the same no matter how big the animal. The one standing closest to the hooded monster is tall, incredibly tall, broad shouldered, and very well dressed. His clothes seem to be made from a very expensive material with the subtle shine of some sort of pattern delicately sewn into some of the pieces. Though what sticks out to you about him is the dark tone to his bones, they look almost completely black and have a strange sheen to them. He has a single cyan eye light, his other eye appeared like it had melted if bones can even melt. You can feel his magic the most, so potent you almost feel it physically touch your scales. It is dark, incredibly powerful, and has an ancient feeling to it like the kind of dark magic you hear about in legends. You don’t even want to know how this monster acquired magic like that…

The next skeleton is BIG but not as tall. He is bulky with thick, white bone structure and a… belly? He is a skeleton, you are sure of it but how the heck does he have a stomach? Is that a normal thing for skeleton monsters? What is it even made of…? You know what, doesn’t matter. Not important right now. Moving on to his face, he has bright red glowing eyes and a set of sharp teeth accompanied by a gold fang in place of what must be a missing canine tooth. His teeth are dull compared to yours obviously but still sharp enough to be unnerving at least. His magic is similar to the hooded monsters yet definitely less wild feeling. Dangerous and strong, yes, but controlled. His eye lights meet your gaze like he senses you staring and he raises an eyebrow, a smug grin stretching across his face. Your expression sours, your lip curling upwards to reveal a fang, he simply chuckles to himself and goes back to listening to the others.

The last skeleton was considerably less intimidating, his persona resonating with that of a happy and caring monster. If such a thing exists. He looks like he is shining with that positive aura he exudes but it could just be the light reflecting off his yellow clothing. He is dressed nicer as well but not quite as fancy as the dark skeleton, more casual yet not as casual as the other two. He had bright golden eye lights that seem to sparkle when your eyes meet, he smiles softly at you, giving you a subtle wave with his hand. You feel he has powerful magic as well, drowning out the red eyed skeleton and hooded monsters magic, competing with the dark skeletons' magic. The difference is the complete opposite feeling to it than that of the dark skeleton. For how eerie the dark magic feels, his magic feels like a warm summer day, one you would gladly curl up under and sleep pleasantly for several hours. You think he might not be as bad as the others, something about him makes you feel like you might be able to trust him compared to the unsettling feelings you have from the other three. 

Hah. Yeah right. Trustworthy is not a word you’d use to describe a monster. Which reminds you…

This is bad. Really bad. You might have been able to fight off one monster but four?! You're trapped, the direction they came from seems to be the only exit from the cave, how are you supposed to get past them? You clutch the cloth around your chest in an effort to loosen it, trying to get more air into your lungs so you can calm your beating heart down. This is no time to panic, calm down. Don’t let them see any fear, no weakness.

The talking stops, they all stare at you like they had come to some kind of agreement. You don’t like the looks they are giving you… The gold skeleton takes a cautious step towards you… oh nuh-uh! You vibrate the end of your tail again and pound the wall with your fist, forcing air between your teeth in an attempt at a makeshift hiss. He stops, his hands going up in that same calming gesture the other monster used. You growl, glaring daggers into his eyes, daring him to get closer. Then a calmness starts to wash over you urging you to relax, wait, this isn’t right. The golden eyed skeleton is speaking to you, his voice soothing and soft, he starts to move towards you again and you know you should fight but you can’t. The feelings are overwhelming; peace, warmth, safety… home… No. This is wrong, this isn’t real, what kind of magic is this? You need to defend yourself, lash out, hiss, do SOMETHING! 

His hands gently lay on your shoulders and lead you down into your coils, your tense body relaxing at his touch. His eyes feel so warm, so kind… you don’t understand what he’s saying but his voice sounds reassuring, comforting even. He pulls out a small flask of glowing liquid and raises it to your mouth. No... No. You won’t. It could be poisonous, it reeks of potent magic and the swirling gold and purple shimmer only confirms your suspicion. You move your head, trying your best to break eye contact and get the strange magic away from you but it's no use. A rush of those positive feelings surges through your mind and you unwillingly give in, allowing the skeleton to put it into your mouth and swallowing it without protest. 

It burns. Worse than the feeling you had when the hot smoke clawed its way down your wind pipes, you bend over grasping your neck while you gag. Your ears ring and your mind feels like it is screaming, all those good feelings gone in an instant. You see his arms reaching out to steady you and your tail instinctively whips around sending him stumbling backwards. You move to raise yourself up but fall sideways into the wall, your head spinning. You grip at your temples using your other hand to steady yourself. You feel a noise leave your mouth but you can’t hear it, your ears still muffled and ringing. After what feels like an excruciatingly long few seconds your senses return and you try to steady your rapid breathing.

“You think it worked?” Says the hooded monster.

Wait… What?

“Give her a moment.” The dark boned skeleton replies.

You snap your head up in confusion and stare at the four skeletons in shock. There’s no way…

“Man, where did ya find this beauty again boss? She may be a little worse for wear at the moment but geez-” your eyes meet with the red eyed skeleton with a gold tooth. “-She’s one gorgeous lookin’ specimen." He winks.

EXCUSE ME?! 

You see a small rock near the wall within arms reach and you grab it, throwing it directly at the pompous skeleton. It smacks him right in the forehead with a satisfying BONK. You snarl.

“The heck man!” The skeleton cries, rubbing his forehead tenderly.

“Yeah, I think it’s safe to assume it worked.” The gold skeleton holds back a laugh looking back to you with a smile. You glare daggers again.

“Behave yourself Red, the goal is NOT to offend our guest.” The dark skeleton sneers, taking a step ahead of him, forcing him to shuffle behind him slightly. 

“I wasn’t tryin’ to! It was a compliment!” He grumbles loudly and the hooded skeleton huffs. “Shut it Dust!” 

“Guys please, now is not the time.” The gold one scolds, turning his attention back to you. “I - um…” he clears his throat. “I apologize for such a startling awakening, I assure you this is not how I would like your first impression of us to be. How are you feeling hun?” 

Okay, what? How can you suddenly understand them now? What was in that magic he shoved down your throat? Who are these skeletons? You have a million thoughts racing through your head while your eyes dart back and forth between the four of them. You slide further back against the wall, even though you already were as far back as you could go, you recurl into a tight coil. You may not understand how but just because they can talk to you now doesn’t mean you trust them any more than you did before. If anything they just proved they can’t be trusted, you haven’t even known them for a few minutes and they have already manipulated you. This is exactly why you hate monsters. So, you just stare angrily at them to which an awkward silence  follows, you refuse to give them any acknowledgement that you are okay with the situation. Show no fear.

“I know you are confused, you’re unsure about things right now and we can’t blame you for that-” the dark skeleton says. “-but I assure you, no one here will hurt you. We only wish to help you, you were injured badly and on the brink of death when we found you so we brought you here to recover in safety.”

Here? Where exactly is here? The only thing they have done so far is put you in a cave, tie up your chest, and poison you with weird magic that somehow makes you understand monster speak. This guy is crazy if he thinks empty words are going to convince you of anything. 

“I don’t know how much you remember but there was a fire, a horrible one that burned a half of the jungle you were living in. You were found miles away taking shelter in a shed near a river.” The gold skeleton tells you. “Your tail suffered some minor scrapes and cuts but your back was badly burned, you have also developed a lung infection from breathing in water and smoke. I’m a healer but I can only heal surface wounds. We brought you here so we could make sure you get the right care while you recover.”

While he spoke you searched your memory, did anything he was saying sound familiar? You remember the fire, the tree crushing you, falling into the river but… that’s it. You don’t remember a village, no, according to you this is the first time that you are waking up after the fire. Is this lung thing the reason you feel so sick? Why you feel extra cold despite the air being pleasantly warm and humid? You absentmindedly rubbed at your chest where you were still feeling the occasional pain as you breathed, suddenly aware of a tightness in your scales on your back. 

“You are already doing a lot better than when you first arrived, your lungs are healing well but it will take time. An infection is not good but the smoke made things much worse, if not treated properly your lungs could be permanently damaged.” He stresses. 

You let that information sink in, staring down at your tail while your mind tries to make sense of everything. You want to leave… Go back home and take your time healing on your own. Your soul aches with the thought of the fire. Despite how much you would like to go home, there may not be anything left to go to. Your cave you loved so much was the reason you didn’t hear or smell the fire in the first place and by the time you awoke, the area was already engulfed in flames. All your treasures, gone in an instant. Your favorite hanging tree, burned away. Even if these monsters agreed to let you go, you wouldn’t have anywhere to go to. You were able to get away from the fire but now you're ill and with how you were feeling, it isn’t that hard to believe that you could have been close to death when they found you.  

“It’s alright to be nervous, to be scared…” The dark one says gently, soothing your racing thoughts with his deep tone of voice. “This place is not a prison or a cage, no monster here will force you to do anything you don’t want to do. You may not be certain of us yet but you have my word when I tell you that you are safe here. Nothing will threaten you as long as you are on this island.”

You meet his gaze, his single cyan eye light cold and stern but with no hint of malice or deception. Maybe he was telling the truth. Can you really be okay trusting your recovery to monsters? They tricked you, made you drink magic so they could converse with you but… they haven’t made any moves towards you since then. They have kept their distance from you and obviously not because they were afraid of you. Although three out of the four skeletons seem perfectly capable of violence, they do seem like they want to help you. They have an odd way of showing it but you guess that could just be the cultural disconnect between your species. 

“Just outside is a jungle area, it may not be the same as the one you know but we can make it fit whatever you need. Give us a chance to help you, once you recover we will take you back to your homeland and find somewhere new for you to live. You won’t have to stay here permanently if you don’t want to. I promise.” The gold skeleton mirrors the same gentleness to his tone as the dark one. 

Their words feel genuine, can you really trust them? Then again, you don’t have to trust them to believe them. Maybe it's true that not all monsters are bad, you have heard rumors of some naga interacting often with monsters they lived in close proximity with. You never believed it when you heard it, why would any naga willingly interact with monsters who have been known to hunt your kind for sport? Their kind is so different, so diverse, but not too far off from your own you suppose. Your shoulders sag with realization. You have always lived life looking forward to your routine, the familiarity of hunting and lounging day to day, you usually have a plan. Now, you don’t. There is nothing familiar about any of this, you don’t know what will happen to you in the next few days or even the next few hours at this point. You were never afraid of the unknown, you knew your talents could always get through whatever came your way but this… Everything about it is unknown, a mystery. You have a choice, you know you do. These monsters have made sure you understand that moving forward will be on your terms, by your choice.Your home is gone, it will take years for the vegetation to regrow. 

You’re homeless. 

You're sick. 

And you have nowhere to go.

“So, will you let us help you?” The gold skeleton questions. 

You take an unsteady breath and reply with a small nod. 

The skeletons all smile, visibly relaxing a little in relief.

“Well then, welcome to the Sanctuary my dear.” The dark skeleton welcomes. 

You’ll go with it for now, there isn’t much you can do at the moment. At least not until you can formulate a decent plan, one when you aren’t in as much pain. You will just have to take things one slither at a time, you can do that. And besides, if these skeletons prove they can’t be trusted then you can just kill them anyway.     

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Species: Nagara Bothrops jararaca

Age: 26

Length: 18 feet (5.5 meters)

Weight: 5,100 lbs (2,313.3 kg)

Language: Nagarian, understands monster speak