[Action/Voice]

[mikangirl]

Just a heads up, Luceti. Weather's about to turn bad again, so go out and enjoy the sunshine today.

[There is no edge of irony to this at all.]

[Filtered to Keimi]

Hey, where are you? Need to talk to you for a sec.

[Nami passes through the plaza in the early afternoon, though she's not stopping to shop or drink today-- just on her way to house

Comments

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Feel those eyes on you as you walk through the plaza, Nami? ...You probably are not surprised by this attention.]

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[He knows what should remain unsaid. But at Nami's comment, he shakes his head.]

It's difficult, with an opponent like him. When last we spoke, his ability to summon was not an issue. The entire situation is simply worse than before.

[action]

[mikangirl]

I'd noticed. [Easy enough to evade Yuber; not so much if he brings a small army.]

It's not going to get any better from here on in. Luffy's looking for him, you know. [This much is probably obvious.]

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

And discretion will be lost. [He doesn't quite sigh, but he seems on the verge of doing so. He has seen enough of Luffy's antics over the journals to know what that this can mean.]

I understand that you are a close band, but I cannot see any end to this if more people become involved. It will draw his attention to more targets that may try to retaliate. [...] Increasing casualties.

[action]

[mikangirl]

You're right. It'll escalate. [And the deepening frown as she says it points out Nami's plenty unhappy with what's to come.] Luffy's the captain of the crew. It's his right, and nothing I say will stop him now.

[But she held off telling him as long as possible, trying to find a solution. Her gaze turns measuring.]

I'm sure Caesar told you I was looking for a way out of this mess.

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[It's his right. Well. Even if he was to argue, how could he argue with that? Nami was a follower by her own admission.]

That was the impression he left with me. [Since there was little actual discussion between them; he was just given an opportunity to listen to the conversation.]

I suppose the question is what you managed to do to earn this level of attention.

[action]

[mikangirl]

[Can't help it; the corner of her mouth turns up in a humourless smile.] Failed to die?

[But more seriously:] Though I'm guessing it has more to do with the fact that I got him killed. By his definition, I'm sure.

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[He looks contemplative at the explanation, having also heard the murmured answer, before giving a simple suggestion.]

Then perhaps you should die.

[action]

[mikangirl]

[There's a small, arrested flinch at that-- she's already thought of it, fleetingly. (Very fleetingly. She's been thinking too much lately.) But to hear it delivered so bluntly by someone else--

She has no answer to that. Not yet. Nami just stares back at him like she's unable to believe he'd even suggest such a thing.]

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[When he receives no answer, Albert continues calmly. As if he had not said something so bizarre just a moment before.]

Not in the literal sense, of course. But if he can somehow be fooled into thinking he has killed you, if you disappear for awhile and appear hampered when you return, he may not be as relentless.

He has not tried to kill twice those he has killed once, has he?

[action]

[mikangirl]

[...relaxing by degrees.] No. He hasn't. [She'd noticed.] I...

[...it is possible. She'd have a better chance of pretending death than most people. It'd be a way to pull Yuber off her, at least for a while, but--

--yeah, she can already see how many ways that could go wrong.]

It won't work. I'd have to hide my supposed death from my crew as well. [They'd tear the village apart looking for him.] And even if Yuber backed off, Nu wouldn't. Her reasons are her own. And if Nu doesn't back off, Yuber will be right there to help her anyway.

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

...Ah yes. Your crew. [He shakes his head.] My only suggestion for that would be to arrange your fake death during a drafted battle with the majority of your crew not present. It would be difficult and you would need to be patient, but there is no easy answer anymore.

[But since she mentioned Nu...] Why is Nu also after you?

[action]

[mikangirl]

[During the draft is more possible...

...she shouldn't be thinking of this. Really. Not seriously. Luffy would never forgive her if he knew. And it's not right, it feels like giving in. So no.

(But it's still a solution.)

...she's stowing the idea away all the same, face thoughtful, and it takes a few moments before she realises he asked a question.]

I've put her down a couple of times. Generally because she was in the process of murdering someone else. [And of course, being close to Yuber may just mean his grievances are now Nu's grievances. Her mouth twists.] I can understand her taking offence to that. Nu doesn't worry me as an opponent. But Yuber won't let her fight her own battles.

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Albert watches as Nami seems to contemplate over his suggestion. Of course he doesn't expect her to follow it as he presented it; the idea was too broad and didn't account for other factors that Nami herself knew more about.]

Yuber has always fought with Nu? [He manages to sound slightly skeptical.] He has always been present when you fought with her?

[action]

[mikangirl]

[Pausing to consider that. She really doesn't have much of a history to base that on; it's more gut feeling, given the way they've been carrying on.]

They're close. Like us. I'd say chances are pretty high that if we take on one, we'll get the other.

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Close. He inwardly scoffs, recalling a few things between those two.]

I see. [He frowns, silent for a moment as if to contemplate.] I suppose I will have to keep an eye out for this behavior. Difficult to do on the battlefield, but I'm sure I will hear about it one way or another.