Rebel // 28 [Action/Voice]

[bullet_dance]

[It's evening, and Noel's sitting alone at Good Spirits. Yes, Noel, at the bar. A rare face, but she does have a reason to be here; she's waiting for Nami, of course. ... Unfortunately, Noel seems to have missed the distress call that was played last night, so she has no idea what happened to her. So Nami? Nami's a mean person who ditches her

Comments

[Filtered, uped to 100% because Sanji is that good]

[oda_hates_me]

[His tone is level, polite, all the usual flirtatiousness added in, but he's watching her with a very piercing gaze]

Ah, Noel-chan~! Is something the matter?

[Filtered, oh, Sanji. So sweet.]

[bullet_dance]

[... Those eyes.]

N-No-- well, I was wondering is everything was fine. Nami and I... were supposed to meet up today, but she never showed.

[Filtered, he's a gentleman like that]

[oda_hates_me]

[... hm. Well shit]

I apologize for Nami-san. I can promise you she didn't mean it. [no, everything isn't fine, but he's considering how involved you should be]

[Filtered, <3]

[bullet_dance]

[Hm. No. She doesn't want to be difficult.]

I understand. I-I mean, I'm sure things have been busy over there lately.

[Filtered]

[oda_hates_me]

[silence.

And then:]

Noel-chan. You need to do exactly as I say, alright?

[Filtered]

[bullet_dance]

[...]

All right. What is it?

[Filtered]

[oda_hates_me]

Nami-san's been kidnapped. [You're something like her best friend. He can't completely justify not telling you, but--]

Don't go looking for her right now.

[Filtered]

[bullet_dance]

[...

O-Okay. She needs to stay calm right now. Noel doesn't want to add to the stress. But the way he worded that...]

... Was it the Malnosso...?

[Filtered]

[oda_hates_me]

[a soft exhale of smoke]

No.

[Filtered]

[bullet_dance]

[There's silence coming from her end now.

She doesn't know how to say anything without completely freaking out right there. But finally, she's able to muster up a sentence:]

Wh-Who... Who was it? [Noel's voice is strained; she's trying to suppress a lot of emotion right now.]

[Filtered]

[oda_hates_me]

[Damn, he's starting to wish he'd told her in person.]

Aku. [And before she can proceed to freak out more--]

We don't know where he's holding her yet. And even if we did, there's no point storming in when none of us can hurt him. [yet]

[Filtered]

[bullet_dance]

[Aku? ... Oh, wait. Right. Nami had already explained it to her--was it because of that, then? ... Damn it.

She's strangely quiet, though her eyes are glaring at the floor below her. Finally, she speaks up once more, though this time it's much quieter than before--]

Y-You're right. [And it's shakily said. Can't forget that, though thankfully not as much the next part.] ... But we'll find a way.

[Filtered]

[oda_hates_me]

[... And now for the part he really, really does not want to bring up]

Noel-chan, I need to know if you have any holy abilities.

[Filtered]

[bullet_dance]

Holy abilities? ... N-No, why?

[Filtered]

[oda_hates_me]

It's Aku's weakness.

[pause. and a sigh]

Until we know how many people we plan on involving in this, I'd rather you sit this fight out. [he knows you can handle yourself, Noel, but you don't have the right type of power for once.

You'd get in the way.]

I'm sorry. You're special to Nami-san, and deserve to know. [but that's it.]

[Filtered]

[bullet_dance]

[Her stomach feels like it drops a little when she hears that, and there's a pause in the conversation.]

... All right. But... in case there's anything you need me for in the future, please tell me. [Please.]