M i k a n

The entirety of Sector 002 had flooded, which for most would have proved to be a hard place to navigate through. People had mustered up boats and driftwood, crawling to a higher place to stay out of the polluted waters. Stashed away in the hood of the coat he carried over his shoulders, it’s sleeves tied around him to keep it bound, was the bit of food he had managed to buy for himself in the next sector over. 

Having returned here was perhaps not the best idea. But as he had slowly found out in his time here, many of the people were not aware of his kind’s existence. And though far from home, unknown if this was anywhere near ‘home’, he felt he had to make a good first impression on the people whether it truly mattered or not. Acting as a ‘hero’ was part of establishing a good bond with the humans here. 

So he swam across the waters, doing his best to keep his gills out of the chemical ridden waters as much as he could. There were times where he could not help it, as some individuals would get caught under the current. Slowly he gathered tokens of appreciation from the citizens, stowing them away in his hood. Eventually it came time to rest and regain energy. 

Seeking somewhere peaceful by himself, he swims off to the warehouses. Finding one with it’s door left open, he makes his way deep inside, hoisting himself atop the stacked metal boxes inside. He unties the coat and sets it in front of him. As quiet as it was, he did not trust he was alone here. Hearing their footsteps echo, he was sure of it.

Supported by a rather large piece of drift wood, the woman with apricot hair navigated through the area with a lengthy metal rod pushing at the bottom and steering about until a place to rest was found. Equipped with goods in a knapsack, namely a couple of towels and food, Nami hopped from the floating board to solid ground; leaving it be would serve someone elsewhere, it didn't matter if it was taken. Journeying into sector oo2 wasn't the brightest idea of her's, but she needed to keep moving regardless of how tired she felt by the end of the day.

Approaching a band of abandoned warehouses, a sigh of relief escaped now that she found the decent resting place she was searching for. She wanted to dry her hair and rub her aching feet. Living with minimal benefits for too long spoiled her. But at least with two years of studies and regimens, Nami could endure hardship for lengthy periods of time. 

Heels clicked to concrete, closing a heavy metal door behind her. A booming voice startled her quite a bit, a brief shriek before sudden realization hushed her. 

"Is that... Jimbei?" 

      [ it seemed very much to him that he had arrived at the city in a very strange time. while waking up in a new place had to be strange for anyone at any time, but arriving when the weather suddenly changes from a frozen winter to a slightly warmer spring, complete with an earthquake? it was…surprising, to say the least! not to mention, his life was now completely turned around…

        it was more than a little troubling. Kuranosuke wouldn’t be thinking about it much until later in the day, however, when he was by himself and not on the streets. he’d let his thoughts get the better of him at night, when they usually did, but for now, he was out and about, trying to get a feel for the city that might be his home for a while.

      however…he was completely and utterly lost ]

      ❝Maybe I should have been paying more attention—❞

      [ maybe he should ask someone for directions, was more like it. but no matter how much his appearance showed he was a girl, his instincts as a man was telling him he could find his way by himself. why ask for directions? he could figure it out…right? wrong.

        the streets had to be changing. he knew he’d headed one way and come back the same way on accident. his sense of direction wasn’t that bad and neither was his memory. a good half an hour had passed and he’d barely seen a fraction of the places he wanted to find. time to man up and ask someone.

        approaching someone who seemed friendly enough, he tapped their shoulder, plastering one of his best smiles on his face as he greeted them, in that voice of his that was a very convincing woman: ]

      ❝Sorry to be such a bother, but I was wondering if you might spare a moment and show me around? I’m a bit lost—❞

But now, it was pleasantly warm out. Th navigator was content with a loose sweater, shorts, and heels, feeling refreshed with orange hair in low pigtails, finally able to feel the sun on her legs and neck.  

Of course, the streets of sector oo1 were always alternating. By now, living in comfort in the city for a few months, Nami memorized the streets and shops. There honestly wasn't anything better to do. Prepared to start her morning with a cup of tea and breakfast in a cafe, a tap on her shoulder had Nami turning completely around, greeted with a dolled-up woman a few inches taller than her. 

"Lost, huh?" Another newcomer. What a time to catch the pirate when her stomach was just beginning to complain. Hopefully, it wouldn't interject in their conversation; that'd be embarrassing.

She finds herself a little more at ease however, at the girl before her speaking. Well, she seems to be quite normal or at least, normal in comparison to Cordelia. That’s always a good thing, right? Well, she hopes so; this girl seems to be quite caring and concerned, so those are two more good things about the current situation at hand. The way the girl spoke… It’s as if she had been here for some time and really, Cordelia hopes that’s not the case. The longer some ‘citizens’ have stayed here, the less likely it is that she would be leaving any time soon…

It’s a thought she doesn’t even want to consider to be possible.

"Faint? Oh! Oh no, don’t worry, I don’t think I’ll be fainting any time soon," she laughs nervously, her smile itself soon fading back into a look of grimace. "No, no, I don’t think I’ll be doing that any time soon though, thank you for your concern. Are you… Someone else that’s been kidnapped…?" she asks, her tone growing very quiet; as if someone might overhear them and attack them for Cordelia saying such a thing and really, that very well may be the case.

Kidnapped. The pirate remember when the thought had once crossed her mind. Hell, it seemed to dawn on just about every newcomer that they were taken hostage for some sick bastards' entertainment. If you were once a force to be reckoned with back home, you were reduced to nearly nothing unless you made something of yourself. Nami struggled, even now, to establish recognition among the other citizens. She'd have to start somewhere.

"Hrm, I guess you could say that. " The last thing Nami could remember was having fallen asleep yet again at her drafting table, sluggishly moving from there to her bed when a certain archaeologist woke her and guided her to her bunk. It'd been quite some time since she looked back on her days on the Sunny Go with her nakama. 

A cruel joke is what she thinks of this.

Honestly, ‘scientists’ conducting an experiment on a large scale such as this? ‘Other universes’? Not only is it a farce, but it’s absolutely vulgar. This is nothing more but a mere kidnapping, on a huge scale, no less! They had spouted out an awful lot of nonsensical out at the witch at once that she barely knows how to even interpret it. Surely they were using this ‘experiment’ as an excuse to torture people… Right? Or is this actually a government orchestrated experiment? She had often heard stories of such a terrifying thing, but she had never guessed it would actually ever happen to her… Deciding that lingering longer than necessary in the pure white building would no doubt do her more harm than good, Cordelia gathers what little belongings she was even given upon being kidnapped and walks out the door.

… And it certainly is boggling to step outside the building of her entry to see just how big this city actually is, though. Bringing up a hand to shield her mismatched hues, Cordelia looks up into the sky, as if she’s attempting to see if all of this is real or not. After feeling some pain from staring into the various lights of the city for too long, she guess that’s not the case, much to her misfortune. With a sharp intake of air, her eyes start to slowly widen as she begins to slowly make her way down the streets now, the panic and gravity of the situation finally settling in.

Oh god, oh god. She really has been kidnapped! And her kidnappers are aware of her background, no less! Is this really an event that had been construed by the witch hunters? What of the coven back home, the one she swore to protect? Were they all dead? Alive? Were they safe? With her mind racing about a hundred miles per hour, Cordelia promptly places a delicate hand on her forehead as her heart beats hastily, unaware of when exactly she dropped her cane and small suitcase.

After standing there for a few moments, she finally tunes back into the world, nervously looking down to her scattered belongings. Kneeling down to pick them up as her hands shook, she realized another person had been standing in front of her the whole time, their intentions completely unknown to the blonde. Finally gathering her cane and suitcase, she looks up at them, her eyes widen even more visibly as she shakily picks herself back up. She stands there in shock once more before the stranger as she attempts to steady her breaths silently.

The poor person; they must take her for a lunatic! It certainly doesn’t help that her eyes are ice blue and dark brown, making her appear even more eccentric.

Nami was correct to suspect another foreigner to Hive City, wasting not another moment to alleviate another before her. The navigator witnessed a clumsy attempt at composure, at the ready to help, if needed be. However, the stranger didn't hesitate to notice her right away. When she did, a couple paces back was needed to give the blond some breathing room.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it," the pirate reassured her. A bag and a cane? That was it? Must've been some poor, unfortunate woman that was simply plucked off the streets to be placed in the experiment. It'd be dangerous for her to run into some of the other citizens who were far more threatening. "Are you all right? You look like you might faint."

As much as she should have been scared of all of the seedy-looking people in the third sector, the waitress was built with a much thicker skin than people thought. A man in a long trench coat approached Erica, and just as he was about to “show his goods”, the waitress pulled out her handy-dandy serving tray and exclaimed, "Doooon’t even think about it, buddy. Not unless you want those precious nuts of yours turning into a crushed snack for the local bar." The man was off faster than Erica could speak her next sentence, and the waitress giggled at the sight. She continued on with her wanderings, keeping her tray close to her.

Hearing the shuffle of feet on dry leaves having fallen from the trees with the change of seasons, Nami's teeth chattered and she looked over her shoulder, keeping low in the shrub so she wasn't visible. But she inhaled sharply when she noticed the pathetic article of clothing limply hanging from a pair of delicate fingers. It belonged to a woman with bright crimson hair and ruby red lipstick to match. A waitress? What's a girl like that doing in The Ghetto at this time of day? Regardless, the pirate hesitated at first, not wanting to bring attention to wandering eyes wondering of whom the stranger was referring to. Some creep could be watching, but she doubted anyone would really be loitering about in this shabby excuse for a park. 

One arm shielding her exposed bosom, Nami shuffled through the thick shrubbery until peering through a tiny opening through the leaves. Spotting a pair of white sneakers, the victim of bad luck sighed and shuddered. She was really desperate at this point.

"Pssst...!" Air harshly escaped her teeth, rustling the leaves but slightly as to not cause to much commotion. "Over here," she said, hushed. And when the waitress realized the pirate's location, thus slowly wandering over in her direction, a hand as cold as ice suddenly shot out from the shrub and grasped the arm holding the top. The waitress was hauled to the hiding spot and a hand cupped over a mouth as to prevent screaming. As if she really needed to worry about some public official catching them for public indecency.

Several attempts at escape had been made, of course, all ending in failure no matter his chosen direction. Beyond irritated by the circumstances, he continued wandering through the sectors more or less aimlessly, making note of what use each held— if any. His general disgust would soon pale in comparison to the anguish of a young woman however, her despaired shriek interrupting his musings and causing him to start.

It became clear after a stroll towards the noise that the source of the scream was coming from a bush located in the park, amethyst eyes blinking as they fell upon the sobbing maiden. Realizing immediately that she was nearly nude in this freezing environment, he removed his large, black coat and allowed it to fall on her back, leaving him in a casual white shirt.

“How’s that?" he stated nonchalantly, his tone light in hopes of easing her embarrassment. ”You’ll blend right into the night." The jacket itself was thick and would easily provide coverage of her entire body as his height was above hers, in addition to the necessary warmth. His gaze turning away until she felt she could stand and face him, he hummed.

Bare hands shielded bare shoulders from the unyielding cold, even to cover a navy pinwheel tattoo, and Nami continued to hopelessly sob until it shook her whole body. Digits grasping delicate shoulder blades lost sensation to the wind, Even if it was just a few minutes before a dark figure arrived to her rescue, the humiliation seemed to go on forever.

Meanwhile, the touch of jacket draping over her exposed back forced a yelp and a sharp turn to find a dark-haired fellow glowering down at her. Based on appearances alone, this was no unusual feat performed by this individual; just someone being a good samaritan. It was... cheesy. But necessary. Who could argue with warmth?

Chapped lips curled inward, sharply inhaling to rid of distasteful snot persisting to drip from her nostrils, and the pirate rose to her feet. Wavy apricot hair was tucked beneath the collar, having zipped the coat as far up as possible, reaching just above her bosom. True, he may have been taller but having been well-endowed didn't permit the zipper to travel any further without breaking. A hand traveled to her neck, flipping locks of hair outward so to fall to the small of her back once more. 

As the two approached their destination, Luffy’s senses had begun to awaken little by little. Nostrils flared every now again at the mixture of smells in the air. Cuisine fit for those with good tastes, food much like what was given to him after every adventure, banquets thrown in his honor. Various meals were inhaled and the man able to consume one hundred times his body weight trembled in excitement while still half asleep.

"M-m-m-m…" Stutters were unclear at first, but those that known him could tell what he would shout. "M-m-m-m-meee—" Closer and closer they would come right at the door of where they headed. Oh, how Nami’s wrist turned that knob, weight lifting off her slowly. Head bent back in a deranged look, eyes catching customers eating away at their tables. No one would expect it. Not a single one. A man in a red cardigan swallowing dish after dish that were not his to get his fill, arms shoving aside everyone weak enough.

"I’M ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!"

The navigator roared with sharp teeth bared, and the distinct sounds of three segments of a single rod, her Clima-Tact, joined together when reaching for her belt. Her idiot captain never learned. This level of foolishness wouldn't slide with her, no way in hell! 

Its full length rained down on Mugiwara's head in accession before the clobbering grew more aggressive. No such luck, the insatiable hunger persisting while paying customers hollered and screamed in the horror that ensued. So, it would only be resolved by further action. And most likely result in monumental damage to not only the restaurant itself but Nami's wallet. That only pissed her off more. It would be unnecessary to release Black Balls into the air, forming a thunder cloud, for rubber was immune to electricity. What remained was heat and wind. It really was too bad that she had no other assistance from the crew and would resort to such force.

One last hit on that stubborn head of Luffy's, elastic neck rebounding with each stretch downwards and back. He wasn't going to be too happy with this, but he should have some sense knocked into him by now. Separating into three pieces once more, Nami caught one and pointed it in Luffy's direction, aiming for his back. and a bubble emerged from the tip.

"Gust Sword!"

Thor never took notice of the changes in weather that seemed to come wherever he went—whether or not they were coincidental or because of him did not matter—but the wind did blow his hair in front of his face for a moment, forcing him to quickly push it out of the way. Eye contact was important, right?

Hand across his chest, the god bowed his head. “‘Tis luck indeed that led me to speak with you this day. I would gladly accept your offer!” Turning to walk away, Thor stopped, a slight look of embarrassment briefly crossing his face.

"Of course, you shall be leading the way. Might I also ask your name, milady?"

"It's no big deal, I travel through the sectors all the time. We have to go this wa–" And Nami watched as the blond stud started in the opposite direction, only to realize the mistake and coming right back. This made her smile, but only a little. At least his sense of direction didn't take its course to only have him end up in the most obscure nook and cranny of the city. Much to her dismay, there such was an individual, a comrade of hers, who was that very specimen, but her smile was merely the condition of amusement. This guy couldn't be as big of a moron as Zoro. 

"That is why I offered, after all." Another glance at her watch, perking up again when he asked for her name.

"It's Nami. Easy to remember, right? Er... yours?"