Ameliorate ✦ One Piece

13

It wasn't long before Akira found herself dressed in the fluffiest robe she'd ever had the pleasure of wearing, sitting in a comfortable arm chair in a closet much larger and fuller than she could ever even dream of owning. "Why would anyone even need this many clothes?" Luffy questioned in a confused voice from where he lay on a bench in the centre of it all, eyes staring up at racks and racks of clothes hanging above his head.

"It's not about need with these people." Nami's voice called out from where she'd disappeared into the aisles of the space. "It's about want." She explained firmly.

"What are we even supposed to wear?" Luffy continued to question the process, finding himself entirely lost on the matter.

"Anything you want. When are you ever going to get the opportunity to wear things this nice?" Nami exclaimed happily, clearly enjoying herself with such a plethora of choices surrounding her. And that much could be seen on her face as she finally came out of her hiding place wearing a dark blue dress with see-through black sleeves. "Well? What do you think?" She questioned, turning in all directions as she showed off the dress with a smile.

"You look like... Nami." Luffy shrugged his shoulders daftly, making Nami's face fall into one of shock while Akira laughed at the boy's innocence before turning to the ginger with analytical eyes.

"Not the one." She announced, deciding it too dark for the occasion.

"Thank you." Nami pointed a finger in Akira's direction as she spoke in a relieved tone. "At least someone is helpful."

"Maybe you can return the favour?" Akira asked hopefully before Nami could have a chance to disappear again, her own eyes scanning the opulent closet as she found herself at a loss. "I don't even know where to begin looking."

"Which is exactly why you should start. Just find something you like." Nami said as if it were the easiest thing to do.

With a sigh, Akira stood up from her seat and moved over to one of the racks on the right side of the room. "I've never actually picked out clothes for myself." She pointed out, thinking it would help convince Nami into choosing for her. "Not once."

"Yeah, I'm definitely not doing it for you." Nami decided, Akira's attempt at making her do what she wanted proving a complete failure.

"Hey, Zoro!" Luffy's happy call had Akira's eyes turning to the door as she watched the swordsman enter the room, wearing the most ridiculous silk robe. It was one of the last things she'd ever expected to see him in. "What are you gonna wear?"

"Something black." Zoro announced simply, and Akira had to nod her head in approval.

"That's more like it." She muttered out with a smile as she focused on the clothes in front of her again.

"Hey, does that butler seem familiar to you guys?" Zoro questioned as he slumped down into the chair which Akira had previously been occupying, his swords clanging around as he moved.

"Yeah, I think he was at the last dinner party I attended." Nami poked her head out from where she was changing into another one of her choices long enough to make it clear how sarcastic she was being on the matter.

It made Akira laugh as she shrugged her shoulders uncertainly. "I don't think I've met him before." Akira said honestly, despite the fact that she did think some of his features seemed familiar. "Maybe he's just got one of those faces?" She suggested.

Zoro shook his head however, still not convinced. "I swear I've seen him somewhere."

Before he could go on debating the matter or wrecking his brain to place the memory, Nami came out into the open again, showing off a black dress with a flashy jacket thrown over it. "How's this?" She asked, hands on her hips as she smiled thinking she'd made a good choice this time.

"Too sparkly." Akira said, face scrunched up in distaste.

"Still Nami." Luffy quipped while Zoro went straight to protesting.

"I said I'm wearing black."

"I hate you guys." Nami groaned out.

"And you should wear something colourful." Akira added on for the sake of being more helpful on the matter. "To match your hair, maybe." She said before her eyes turned back to the dress she'd just plucked from the row of many, a rich blue one with silver embroidery on its skirts.

"Oh, that's the..." Nami started to speak in an excited voice but quickly trailed off. However, by the time she did, it was too late.

"You want this one?" Akira asked, already starting to move so she could hand it over to Nami without any issue only to have the girl quickly shake her head in denial.

"No, no, no!" Nami quickly denied the assumption. "I meant... I meant for you. It'd look great."

"This one it is then." With a victorious smile, Akira readjusted her grip on the hanger holding up the dress while Nami gave out a small sigh. But she knew there was no point in trying to force Akira into picking something else on her own. And technically, she already did pick this dress, Nami just supported the choice.

"I feel kind of bad for Kaya." Luffy spoke again, standing up as he began to walk along the large closet. "All this stuff. All this space. It's gotta make a person feel... lonely."

"Rich people don't have the same emotions we do." Nami's voice echoed from the clothes. "This stuff doesn't make her feel lonely. It makes her feel important."

"Don't they?" Akira couldn't help but ask as she gave Nami's words some thought. "I mean, we're travelling with one guy who wants to be king of the pirates and another who aspires to become the greatest swordsman the world has ever known." She pointed out. "What else is that if not striving for importance in one way or another? Same as you claim she is with her possessions."

"For rich people, it's entirely different." Nami deadpanned, clearly refusing to budge on her stance on the matter.

"Well, Usopp likes her." Luffy pointed out.

"And we like... and trust Usopp? The compulsive liar?" The tone in which Akira posed her question made it clear she wasn't entirely too certain on the matter.

"And she invited us to dinner."

"Priorities, of course." The brunette chuckled in amusement.

"I'm sure we can work out a way to get that ship." Luffy announced again, still believing himself capable of it as strongly as ever.

"No way." Nami was much more sceptical on the matter. "Rich people don't stay rich by giving things away."

"You want to bet?" Luffy looked over at her with a smirk on his face, the challenge making everyone pause as they fixed him with momentary looks of surprise.

But Nami was the first to recover from her own. "What are the terms?" She asked curiously as she put her searching on pause now to fully turn to him as he approached her.

"I bet I can convince Kaya to give us that ship."

"And when you can't?"

"We go with you plan. Steal one and move on."

"You're on." Nami said in acceptance, extending her hand to him. And Luffy readily took it, the two of them shaking to solidify the wager.

Walking up to the two, Akira patted Luffy on the shoulder like a proud parent. "Look at you, betting and gambling. We'll make a true pirate of you yet." She joked before turning to Nami and handing over another dress she now held in her hands. "This one." She announced confidently.

"Oh, I like it." Nami muttered out thoughtfully as she took the hanger from Akira's hands, admiring the intricate details of the colourful dress which certainly fit what Akira had suggested she should choose.

"There, I chose yours." Akira smiled proudly, making Nami return it.

"Progress." The ginger agreed with a small laugh as she tightened the grip on the dress with one hand while with the other, she threw another piece of clothing into Zoro's hands before disappearing back to her changing corner.

"Nice." Zoro said simply, nodding his head in approval of the dress shirt and making Akira smile as she walked past him, going to her own secluded corner where no one could see her to change and prepare for the upcoming dinner. As she did, she couldn't help but wonder what the night might bring.