Chat group: saving Bell-mère

I start walking, my hair swaying. "Walking" might be a lie, actually, I'm running as fast as I can to the place where I was born. Even though I have bad memories since Along arrived, my good memories are stronger. Mom, I'm coming to see you!

"Hey! Nami! Wait!"

I hear Kushina's shout. She must've found it strange, like Lost and Eren. I wanted to explain, and maybe I should... But I want to see her. I want to feel her arms, I want to make sure that this time, I won't lose her. No. I can't lose her. I don't know who owns this chat group, but if I can save my mom and have her back, even if my soul is sold, I won't say a word.

It's getting closer. I can smell the tangerine scent from afar. Closer and closer. My eyes, even when I wipe them, the tears don't stop falling. Stop. Not yet.

My legs, with every step, they feel weaker. My chest beats faster and faster as I get closer. I can already see the white fence surrounding the house where I grew up, along with the tangerine tree. I'm almost there.

"Hehehe…"

"Nami! Nojiko! Get back here!"

I see myself, small, running. How strange. Nojiko is coming behind, we definitely did something mischievous. Just by Bel-Mère's voice. Mom. I'm finally going to see her again. She's standing there, with that angry face while yelling at us. She's so alive. Mom, I'm coming.

Closer and closer. Before Bel-Mère can say anything, I threw myself into her arms and hugged her tightly. I won't lose you this time. Nojiko, I'm bringing our mom back.

"Hey! Easy! Who are you?! Miss, you're really strong for someone with such weak arms."

Bel-Mère said with a slightly pained tone. Am I hugging too tightly? I loosened a bit. I want to look at her, but my face is covered in tears. I don't want her to see me like this. I feel weak. But I want to see her.

"Miss, are you crying? Did something happen? I was in the Navy, and I was one of the best. It may not look like it, but I'm really strong. You can count on me!"

Bel-Mère is such a clown. Of course, I didn't mind. She's just trying to lighten the mood to make me feel better. I can't hold back anymore. I looked at her, saw her eyes widen. Did she realize how much I look like my younger self?

"I know that. I'll always count on you, from now on."

"That's right. Wait, I have daughters to take care of, but I'll do my best. But first, who are you?!"

"I'm your daughter. Can't you tell?"

"What?!"

Bel-Mère's face froze. I wouldn't have reacted any differently in her place. I ended up laughing, even with the tears still falling, which I wiped away with my fingers. I waited for her to process what I had just said.

"Better come inside. Let's go."

I took her hand, leading her inside our house. How long had it been since I last entered here? Since I left East Blue with the Straw Hats. How is Nojiko? When I get back, I want to see her too. I looked at my mom. I hope she's there too.

"How is it possible? I just saw you running with Nojiko, and she's a child, but you're not."

"It's complicated for me too. But, luckily, I got, I guess I can say, this chat group. It gives missions, at least the first one was this."

"I see. But what's the name of this? Is it some Akuma no Mi?"

"Chat group. It's not an Akuma no Mi."

"What? I didn't get what you said at the start, the name is 'ofjci' or something like that, really hard to pronounce."

She didn't understand what I meant, but why? I'm sure I said the correct name of the chat. So why did she hear something different?

"Group chat."

"Ofzofk? The pronunciation changed. Are you sure you're not pulling a prank on me?"

"No. Right, let's drop that. What matters is that I can see you again."

Bel-Mère really doesn't understand what I say. It's like my words are censored as they come out of my mouth. The others in the group must understand, right? Since they're part of it. But outsiders don't.

"But why can't you see me in the future? Don't tell me you became a pirate? Huh!"

I dodged her hand, which was already heading toward my ear, she almost got me. I almost felt the pain I remembered from childhood, when Bel-Mère would pull me by the ear.

"Don't dodge! You really became a pirate!"

"Yes. Because of my captain, my dream is coming true."

"I'm happy. I don't know if what you're saying is true. But I find it hard to believe someone could be like my Nami."

"But why did you say you wanted to see me? You may be a pirate, but as long as no one knows, there wouldn't be a problem seeing me."

I look into my mother's curious eyes. How can I find the strength to say she died? I clenched my hand without realizing, until I felt something warm and comforting in it. I raised my head to Bel-Mère, who was already wiping away the tears that had started to fall.

"It's okay. Let's not talk about that. How are you in the future? How's your sister?"

"I'm fine. My captain always gets us into trouble, but in the end, everything turns out okay. Nojiko is doing well too."

"Great. I made tangerine cake. I know you didn't like it much—"

"No. I do like it. I'd love to eat it."

Bel-Mère looked a bit startled by my shout, I spoke too loudly. But she soon smiled and went to get it. When I was little, I didn't like the tangerine cake she made. Not because it tasted bad, it was really good, as far as I remember. But because it was almost always what we had to eat. We went hungry, and tangerines were what we had to satisfy it. That made me dislike them. After her death, I never ate tangerines again, because they reminded me of her.