Orange town arc: vol 1 to 3 , Chapter 8 to 21
I-The name's Nami
Chapter 8, vol 1: After being captured by a seagull, Luffy randomly falls on an island right in the middle of a pursuit between Nami and some members of baggy's crew . Yet even without knowing, he saved her . Nami who's known for not trusting people easily ( and especially at this very moment of her life) feels like she can blindly trust him in using him as a bait.
And besides using him as a bait, she feels safe enough with him to ask him to team up.
That's the beginning of a long and incredibly written (and non-sibling like *laugh*) relationship between the Strawhat captain and the girl who's named Nami.
II-Teaming up and betrayal
Chapter 9, vol 2 : Persuaded that Luffy could help her even more, Nami asks him to team up to steal pirates.
Categorical no from the pirate himself (logical). But, the girl who's on her own shows interest in this guy that just saved her. It's interesting that Nami, at this very moment of her life, could trust someone she just met to help her (Luffy's vibes inspire trust).
Not only did she find interest in how the guy could help her, but also she wondered about his hat . (mainly because she heard its a "treasure" but also she seems to have some questions about it).
Once again, Nami still wants to know more about him, she feels like she can rely on him to gain more money. Also, she feels safe enough to tell him about buggy.Even when he doesn't listen she still needs him to understand the story, also not wanting him to associate her with crook.
She even go further by revealing him part of her goal showing once again she feels secure with him. And he does listen to her.
Oda shows since the beginning that their goals complement each other. At the beginning, he needs a navigator and she needs someone to help her. Luffy feels like he can trust her enough to be his navigator. The girl feels so happy and relieved to finally have found someone who's able and willing to help her before finding out he's a pirate.
Still after understanding that he's a pirate she keeps wanting to know about his hat. Luffy finally tells her why, like he finally trust her enough or shows enough interest in her to tell her . And even if she denies it, she is touched by the reason.
And here comes the betrayal. Nami feels like she still can do something by using Luffy while he still feel like he can have her as his navigator.
She uses the navigator stuff at her own advantage , tricking him (not that it's hard to trick Luffy *laugh*. And happy to finally have his navigator, Luffy blindly trust her. That's how the dynamic between Luffy and Nami works since the beginning of One Piece, they keep trusting eachother blindly even here when they barely know each other and we all know they will keep this dynamic through all the arcs.
Till the end he trusts her. Poor guy x).
She finally brings him to buggy , having found a way to draw something about this meeting with Luffy and obviously he's mad about it. Like he always will be mad whenever he feels she doesn't trust him.
III-Trust is back on!
Chapter 1O,vol 2: After tricking Luffy, Nami doesn't feel quiet well with herslef, she knows she has to do this to reach her goal quickly but she also knows she shouldn't have treat him this way. She is aware that she's guilty for Luffy spell and she also understand that he's not a bad guy even though she denies it that's why she's still concerned about his well-being in that cage and gives him food.
Suddenly Buggy decided to show his crew his new weapons that he will test directly on Luffy. That's not what Nami planned, thus the shock on her face. She doesn't want that guy she just met to die.
(And yet there's still people nowadays thinking Nami is a bad person)
Things get worst when Buggy choose Nami herself to Kill Luffy. She tries to change the subject because she cannot resign herself to kill Luffy mostly because as she said she's not "as bad as a pirate". Here she appears literally petrified.
Luffy notices Nami's hands are shaking and realises she's is not ready to kill him so he teases her , trying to get the best out of her. And while she still cannot stand him being a pirate she finally decides she cannot kill him;
Here's an important panel where while she saves a pirate she assures him she won't be associated to one of them and out of the blue (probably feeling even safer with him) she tells him why she hates them.
Surprised, Luffy notices what Nami said and finally understand her hates for pirates. This feel so respectful, he didn't bother her with her hate for pirates but rather wait for her to feel safe enough to tell him where does that come from.
Finally, Nami find a way to stop the weapon by risking her own Life (like luffy said to her before) . This shows how much impact Luffy has on Nami.
Besides, Luffy tries to go out of the cage to save Nami who is trying to save him.
IV-She is the navigator:
Ch 11 vol 2 :Zoro arrives soon enough to save Nami and Luffy.
While the situation gets worse, Nami feels like she has to help the guys to escape. Like she says," the tables have turned". She actually feels resposible for what happened to Luffy (and sorry girl you are responsible )
After Zoro saves the day, he wonders who Nami is. Luffy doesn't hesitate once and tells him she is the navigator. That's the moment Luffy won't give up for Nami to be his navigator.
Chapter 12, vol 2:
Nami follows the guys who just escaped buggy pirates. Both of them welcome her as their navigator. Luffy definitely decided that she is their navigator no matter what calling her his navigator everytime he can.
Shyly Nami thank them by giving them the key to free Luffy. Interesrting metaphor when we know Luffy himself will be the key that'll deliver Nami and her village. Besides, she choose deliberately to get the key instead of what she was looking for (treasure + map)
V-Getting to know who really is Luffy
Chapter 13,vol 2
After being attacked by richie's lion (members of buggy pirates),Luffy finally escapes from the cage and survives to its explosion.
At this very moment Nami starts to understand Luffy is build different .
Luffy managed to beat the lion but destroyed part of the village in the fight . Nami is furious after him for that, she can't believe a guy she though was at least a bit nice would do such a crime.
She wants to fight him till she realizes Luffy saves a bag of dog food for the village dog.
Her softer side comes back and she's shooked by Luffy's action. That's an important moment where Nami understand Luffy is different. She's still cautious about him but can't deny he's caring. There's something different about him and she knows it.
Chapter 14, vol 2:
Nami is sorry for her behavior with Luffy, she finally accept that Luffy is a good person even though he's still a pirate.
Luffy's reaction here is really interesting, he shows her all his understanding in front of her behavior . He listened to this detail of her life and choose to let her know he understand, he knows he gained her trust.
And Luffy being Luffy, he acts respectfully enough in not intruding her past by refusing to listen to the details .
Before going back to fight, Luffy who understand he gained trust from Nami, decides it's the good moment to (once again) ask her to join his crew. But deep down we know he already is persuaded to have her as his navigator
And he choose wisely, because Nami still not determined to become a pirate finally accept to team up with him.
This here shows how well written One Piece is.
He doesn't need her, she needs him
He trusted her, she betrayed him, he doesn't trust her anymore
He needs her.
He trusts her again while gaining her trust and now they both need and trust each other.
Chapter 16, vol 2
After gaining Nami's trust, the fight starts. Luffy and Zoro both engage in a fight against Buggy and his crewmate.
Nami learns about Luffy's power and thus discover a Luffy even more different than she could ever think.
VI-Fighting Together
Chapter 17 vol 2,
Luffy and Zoro are now each other in a fight. Nami is going for the treasure but let Luffy know she's finally considering teaming up for good with him if he get the map. Deep down she knows he's going to will when she says " see ya".
"Wow thanks" says Luffy glad to finally have Nami's trust.
Chapter 18, vol 3
Even if she pretends not to care, Nami can't help but watch the fight, concerned by Luffy. She knows that he's strong but she's so intrigued by the guy.
Buggy niked Luffy's hat. Like Luffy did when he remembered her saying why she hates pirates, she remembers Luffy telling her why he treasures his hat. For the first time she sees a mad Luffy and understand he's indeed caring.
Chapter 19, vol 3:
Concerning by Luffy, his odds and his abilities, Nami acknowledges she got caugh up watching the fight. Deeply she's finding more and more interest in Luffy .
Buggy caught her with his treasure and immediately go for it.
(Girl you need to stop looking at Luffy)
Luffy immediately notices it.
Once again Luffy saves Nami by smartly hitting the part of buggy that wasn't attacking buggy. (Literally in the balls, neat Luffy)
Luffy knows Nami will be in danger if she keeps the loot and wants her to be safe so he advises her to drop the loot.
This will be part of their dynamics where Luffy always tries to put her in security.
Nami decides to keep the treasure despite the danger. She indeed feels confident when Luffy is by her side . It's the way she works with him and the way she will through all the manga. There's no one that can let Nami feel this confident.
Obviously, Luffy agrees with Nami's logic and go with it. If she cannot put herself in security, he will protect her.
And again, he finds a way to save her , hurting baggy's foot and not stoping till he let Nami go
Nami tries to defend herself, but Luffy feels like this time she's in big trouble . Thus, he reminds buggy he is the one he's supposed to fight .
He hits him real bad this time not wanting him to hurt Nami at all
Shooked by all this, Nami is relieved Luffy saved her. And again she thanks him . She doesn't feel resentful about him anymore.Their relationships finally appeared to soothed
And while buggy tries to stop Luffy from stealing his map,
Nami saves him.
Look how proud he is of his "master chief" (btw, love the nickname he gave her)
VII-Finding comfort in Luffy
Chapter 21, vol 3
At the end of the fight with Buggy and with a new friendship, Luffy insist on asking Nami if she'll join the crew. He won't give up.
Her answer is vague but she let him understand she'll stay with them a bit. She feels so much at ease with him that she almost forget he's a pirate.
While reuniting her loot, Nami notices Luffy is concerned about his hat. She let him know she undertsand how important it is for him.
While escaping from the villagers, Nami get to understand how does Luffy's mind works.
She's touched by the way he understand others.
At the end of the pursuit, while Nami tries to drown Luffy,Zoro laugh noticing the new bond and dynamic between his captain and navigator (He knows, I know he knows).
And here she is smiling and laughing just because of Luffy, the one that'll definitely keep this smile on forever.
Orange town Arc is the arc that leads to the foundation of Nami and Luffy's bond and dynamic . It's a long way of trust and learning to know each other. Here, Luffy finds a girl he knows he can trust with navigator skills. He knows she's the one he was looking for. While Nami get to know him and discover a totally different guy than the people she met before (that's the luffy effect ) . For the first time since she became a thief, Nami feels safe, she can laugh again , she finally find her comfort person again (and call me crazy, but this is romance). Luffy cares about others and easily understand each person he met in a way no one else can understand them. Nami get to witness that.
This is exaclty what she will admire in Luffy forever. Through the arcs, she'll admire that even more showing him a total devotion .
