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Nami had decided to do a little shopping tour at the island they stopped at next which made Sanji jump in excitement cause he could not only go along with her but also needed to to a supply run.
They were wandering around the stores, sometimes stopping to get stuff before continuing on. It was after a bit that Nami stopped dead in her tracks. Sanji looked at her for a bit before following her (almost angry) gaze. The cause was a small girl who was being hit by the owner of a cafè and laughed at by a group of kids. Everyone only stared before continuing on. The two shared a look before walking towards. The old guys broom was caught by Sanjis leg before it could hit again, making the guy stumble backwards a bit. Nami held out her climatact to shield the young girl from the laugher around her.
The two shot every bystander angry looks to make them move on "why are you protecting this mute freak?" One of the kids asked before letting out an angry noise and running off with his friends. Nami raised an eyebrow and looked at the kid and then at the Cafè owner "mute?" She asked and the guy nodded "She is homeless! I'm not having her beg for food in front of my store!" He said before rushing back inside.
Sanji and Nami looked at eachother before leaning down "you can't speak?" Nami asked and the little girl nodded. She looked about seven which made Nami doubt she could write either "can you write?" Sanji asked as if he just read her mind. As expected she shook her head. She was not only seven but also homeless. Of course she can't. "How will we communicate with her?" Sanji asked and Nami shrugged "can you speak sign language?" She asked both the girl and Sanji. While Sanji was shaking his head the little girl gave a small nod. Nami sighed "well both me and he cannot...maybe someone on our ship can though!" She said before smiling "you wanna come with us?" She asked and the girl gave her an enthusiastic nod.
The kid tried getting up but failed immediately. Nami made a mental note to let Chopper do a check up on her. Sanji, without being asked, leaned down and picked her up which made her yelp before she nuzzled into the crook of his neck.
The two of them made their way towards the Sunny which was docked not far from where they are.
Once on the deck, they were greeted with the whole crew on it. They were staring at the duo as they let the kid down "we found her after being beaten up by some kids and an old guy..she's mute and homeless" Nami explained to the crew before looking at Robin who was standing next to brook "can you speak sign language?" She asked and she frowned "i can...but probably not the one she speaks...i speak the one from the west blue but she looks like she's from the East.." she explained and Nami sighed "great..." she said before turning to Chopper "can you do a small check up on her?" She asked and the small doctor frowned "i could...but i would need to be able to speak to her..." he said and Nami could feel herself growing frustrated.
She was starting to sink into her thoughts when Luffy suddenly jumped onto deck "hey guys!" He yelled in his way to loud voice. He stopped in his tracks once his eyes landed on the girl. He walked towards her and crouched down to her "who's that?" He asked while looking at Nami. She sighed "we don't know her name cause she's-" before Nami could finish Luffy was already no longer listening to her and rather looking at the child "what's your name?" He asked and she just blinked a few times before raising her hands and moving them with motions that looked like letters. Luffy blinked a few times and Nami sighed "as i was-" she was cut off again when Luffy laughed "Willow? That's a pretty name!" He said and the deck immediately fell completely silent and still.
Usopps jaw fell open, Nami couldn't believe what she was witnessing, Robin just smiled and the others looked various stages of shocked. Robin moved first to crouch down too "Captain..you speak sign language?" She asked and Luffy nodded "there was a time we thought Ace had gone deaf so it seemed like a useful skill to have!" He explained quickly before looking back at Willow "so..tell me about yourself!" He said and the girl smiled before raising her hands once more. No one understood what she said but Luffy was nodding along "i see...so you're from the east, were left on this island by your parents who didn't wanna have a mute baby and now you're homeless and you're being beaten everyday?" He sumed up and the girl nodded as she looked at the ground.
Luffy frowned before picking her up "let's get her medically checked up!" Robin said as she got up too and Chopper quickly followed after them.
The check up was really easy now that Luffy could translate and the diagnosis was that she had a few broken bones but nothing worse. Chopper gave her some stuff, put a cast on her foot and forbit her to walk for a few weeks.
Brook was playing some music as Luffy was sitting in front of him with Willow in his lap. Nami couldn't help but smile at that. It was seriously adorable.
It was getting time for them to set sail again though. Sanjis face was twisted in a mix of emotions at the thought of leaving the kid behind on an island where no one wants her.
It was then that Zoros question was a god sent "Captain! Are we taking her with us?" He asked and Luffy looked at him before looking around at the rest of the crew. His eyes lastly landed on Willow who was looking at him with her big green eyes. Luffy grinned "you wanna come with us?" He asked and once she nodded everyone released a breath they didn't know they were holding.
The crew that day set sail with a child that was best off with them. They would treat her like an absolute princess.
No one would ever touch her again.