One Piece is property of Eiichiro Oda. All characters involved in this are his not mine. The thoughts and feelings of the Mermaid Queen Otohime, and her endless love for everyone around her and above the sea. Dedicated to her and her daughter's strength, for not hating that one man who ruined it all.
It's easy to hate; it takes a lot of strength to love.
You could be the smallest thing alive, and yet be the strongest, because of the size of your heart.
Hate weakens. She knew this. It was hard for her, hearing the cares and secrets and hates of each and every heart. She could have broken many times along the way. There is only so much one organ can take before it turns to darkness.
And yet she stayed on the path of Life and Love. She couldn't hate anyone, because she felt sympathy for everyone.
She disapproved of Fischer Tiger's methods, though his cause and drive were good. She sobbed inwardly at his pain; as much as he tried to hide it, she knew it'd be impossible for him to forgive.
She only sought peace and freedom. She could be ridiculed, spat on, shot at, and worse, but she would still fight for her people's right to break the surface without fear of prejudice and hatred.
Hatred is the spawn of ignorance after all, and she knew that the surface had nearly no knowledge of the denizens beneath it.
So despite the amount of backlash she met from her own people, she fought and struggled for those signatures, and the chance to show the world they meant business.
Even though only her children and some of the others supported her.
Even though her cause seemed hopeless at night. She went to the square every day and preached. She preached tolerance, understanding…. But she could read in her people's hearts. They didn't want to take her route to the surface.
She promised she'd never cry in front of the children, nor let anyone influence them. Fischer Tiger knew that as well, she had heard from Jimbei after the hero's death. He related the young human's words to her, upon returning to his home one day.
Why were humans so scared of fishmen?
"Because we know nothing about you," the words of a little girl from the surface made so much sense. People naturally feared what they did not know, what they did not understand. So the more they learned about it, the more they would become at ease with it.
It was that young generation, who knew nothing of the world, and were open to influences from all over- good and bad- that would guide their way to the surface. Because they knew nothing, once their hearts and minds were opened towards it, they would hopefully move towards a path of tolerance and love.
It was really all she wanted. For her people, and the future generations of Merfolk and Fishmen to breach the surface and find peace with the humans.
But the times it seemed were against her. After the Tiger's death, death at the hands of backstabbing marines, her people turned bitter against her cause. She lost signatures, one by one. Even her beloved students took theirs back.
She had promised herself she would not cry in front of the children. If she showed them a strong heart and strong will, they would learn from that and carry on with a don! The Reverie would be the first step in getting Fishman Island recognized as a protected island. It would be but a tiny step in the battle for equality and tolerance in this cruel world.
But when she lost those last, precious signatures, it was enough. She broke in her resolve for the first time in… ever. She cried all night as soon as her children were out of sight.
Then she got a bit tipsy. She rambled into the microphone like a drunk- SHE WAS NOT DRUNK! BACK OFF MINISTER OF THE LEFT!
So she screamed into the intercom, the one broadcasted all over the island, "WHY IS IT THAT WE, WE WHO CAN LIVE FREELY ANYWHERE IN THE OCEAN, OUT OF THE WHOLE WIDE WATERS, THE WHOLE DARK SEABED… WHY DO WE CHOOSE TO LIVE IN THIS TINY PLACE? IS IT NOT BECAUSE WE CAN SEE A LITTLE SUNLIGHT, AND BREATHE A LITTLE AIR? ON THE SURFACE THE WHOLE WORLD IS BATHED IN SUNLIGHT, THE SKY IS VAST AND OPEN! Why is it that our children sneak up to catch glimpses of Shabody Park? THERE ARE SO MANY MORE WONDERFUL PLACES IN THE WORLD!" She ranted into the Den Den Mushi. She couldn't stop herself, and fuck the ministers, this felt damn awesome.
"WE SHOULD ALL HAVE THE COURAGE TO SEEK OUT WHAT WE TRULY WANT! If it's the humans that are stopping us, then we should go up there and face them! IF WE DO THAT, THE FUTURE THAT AWAITS THE CHILDREN OF OUR LAND MIGHT CHANGE A LITTLE FOR THE BETTER!" she was in tears now. She could understand her people perfectly; she knew their hearts like the back of her hand, after listening to them for so long. Why couldn't they understand hers? Her desire to change the children of the land for the future? It was so heartbreakingly simple, but they couldn't grasp it; their hearts tainted by lessons of hatred from the past, and recent tragedies. She was very surprised to learn the next day after the hang- SHUT UP MINISTER! SHE WASN;T DRUNK- that her message had reached te people.
Almost as surprised at Jimbei's invitation to become a Shichibukai. He went along with it to protect the island, seeing no other option, although it tore him and Arlong apart, and would sick a child of hatred upon an island in the East Blue.
The biggest surprise was the Tennryubito showing up on the Island to retrieve the freed slaves. The amount of pain and hate radiating from her people was enough to tip her off, let alone the message from the city guards.
When she go tthere, and saw what her people were about to do to the… disturbed being in front of her (yes, she gave him the benefit of the doubt. She didn't like him anymore than anyone else, but him dying would have been a problem for her island.) She stood and took the bullet. She was infuriated. Did they not see what they were about to do?
When they asked her why she stopped, she looked them all dead in the eye and said with an angry, yet motherly, scolding voice, "Throw all of your weapons aside! There are children watching."
Such displays of vulgar hatred were no better than what the humans did on the surface to unlucky fishmen. To commit such an atrocity out of pure hatred, even if the man in question was a disgusting, loathsome, vile creature with no soul and a superiority complex the size of the entire Grand Line, was horrible.
To do so in front of the children was even more so.
"I know it must be difficult, but no matter how much anger and hatred you feel towards the humans, you must not pass it on to the children! They must meet the humans for themselves, and make their own decisions!" She knew from the memories in Jimbei's heart that Fischer Tiger agreed. He could never love humans, but he would not stop others from doing so.
She barely survived that night. Between the threat from the Tennryubito and then her lovely Shirahoshi-hime's powers awakening, it was quite an adventure! After the serious discussion with her sons about protecting their sister, she went out once more, to collect signatures.
They healed the noble, who vowed vengeance. But Otohime suspected this, and as a peace token went along with him. There were protests. They could not lose their beloved queen. Her husband was distraught, her children panicked. The Children of the island tried to have hope, but everything was so tense.
When she came back victorious with that treaty, her island cried in relief. Not only had she returned alive, but she had brought with her the future of the Island; the future for the children of Fishmen Island. A hope to guide them there.
Now they wouldn't have to wait for some fairy tale to arrive, a man, a human, who would lead them up to the surface. (although, it'd be quite a romantic ending.) Once the treaty was signed by all of the citizens of the island, all would be well.
But the adults were reluctant. The promises of the deceitful and selfish Tennryubito could not be trusted. She didn't want to trust it, but it was the only way. She held her breath after the speech.
Suddenly through the crowd, the bright smiles of a few small children were seen. The hurried to the front, quickly grabbing a pen and waiting to sign. Her eyes started to water. She was taught in her schooling that an orator should never cry; show emotion, but never cry. She couldn't stop herself. Tears of relief stained her beautiful face.
Her words, her speeches…. They had made an impact. The children were there, they believed in her. And even if no one else did, she would be happy. It meant the children of her beloved island sought change too. They sought peace. She let her tears fall freely. All her hard work had paid off.
Soon, adults started to join. Soon, they had lines forming. Her people believed in her. They wanted to seek her future too. They wanted to believe in her. They even offered to build her a bigger box to hold the signatures!
It was he first time in years that they had agreed to sign; the first time there was no hatred in their hearts, just a bit of apprehension, maybe a twinge of doubt.
But they believed in her cause, and they were willing to work for change. She felt it in their hearts. Everysingle one of them. That small, warm spark with the capacity to start a fire.
She heard in their hearts that day, past the pain and anguish and hatred, the chime of Hope.
Things were finally looking up.
Until one night, someone lit the box of signatures on fire. She rushed down to the center of the city in a panic. These signatures were the symbol of hope! She could not let them burn!
The citizens nearby, and the guards rushed to quell the flames. Her sons and her daughter stood nearby in worry.
In the middle of the chaos she felt it. She almost passed it off as the feeling of fear and panic and pain coming from her citizens as their hope burned.
Then she looked down to hr chest to see a blossom of crimson dripping from her heart.
The doctors were not fast enough. Her precious children gathered around her, Shirahoshi on the verge of panic, and her younger sons trying to calm her before she summoned the Sea Kings. Her older son, Fukuboshi, had a look of pure rage and pain in his face. She was scared. How did her son learn such an expression? How was her baby filled with such rage?
She called them all close, knowing it'd be the end. She wanted to see her dream through, but knew it wasn;t to be.
She knew that her people would be in pain, ready to slash out and kill whoever was responsible.
She knew that someone had a plan to kill her. Her Haki was strong. She could sense the fishman's hatred of humans from this far away. He was a child raised by hate and taught lesson of hate. One her words did not touch. He was too far gone in what he'd been taught to even consider her path of peace. She knew he'd frame a human.
So in her final moments, the beloved queen made her children swear. She made everyone swear.
"Stay by my side, my angels," She pleaded, "and please, wipe those terrible looks from your faces. I let my guard down…. I was just… So… So happy to have all those signatures, I did not- Prince Fukuboshi, it is I, not you who should be bitter. So no matter who is responsible for this, Please do not feel any anger on my behalf. I would never wish for you to be consumed by anger and hatred on my account," She almost lost it when her younger boys, and precious girl began to bawl. She felt her heart throb in undescribable pain- physical and emotional, yet ever the orator she continued; what they needed to remember was important.
"Shirahoshi, you must be strong!" to which, her younger boys started trying to distract her with a silly song, in an effort to calm her down.
Fukuboshi swore to get all of the signatures, and protect them. He swore to become brave warriors like her husband, and to protect their sister from everything. Anything to please their mother. He never wanted to see or hear her cry ever again. She had come so close! So close! She felt the tears running down her face. She couldn't stop them. She continued, touching her weak little finger to each of her children's, in the ultimate promise, "We are so close! I know you can reach the light of the Sun!"
Her final feelings as her life bled from her were those of immense pain, not from her no; she went in peace, but from her people. She felt their hearts cry out in anguish and sorrow, felt their pain with every last gasp. Now, it was like a tsunami hitting the shore. They couldn't control their pain.
She was dead, and so was the hope of the island.
Jimbei found the supposed "Culprit" a few days later. It was a human. How would the island react? Their beloved queen, who wished nothing more than to make peace with them, was shot through her big heart by a human.
He tried to hide the truth. He had tried to do the same with Fischer Tiger's death. He wanted to believe in Otohime's dream. He wanted that to happen. An event like this would jeopardize her goal. Arlong had already spilled about the beloved captain's death.
And now Hordy would do the same. Holding the murderer's body up high on the cliff so the whole island saw, he shouted, "A HUMAN KILLED OUR QUEEN!"
Jimbei didn't know the actual truth at the time. The set up. But one creature did.
That creature, Megalo, the shark, told the only one he thought to trust, Shirahoshi-hime. She cried of course. She bawled. She wanted to do something more, yes she was angry. She was in pain. But she knew her mother's wish. She swore to her mother she would harbor no hatred towards the assassin. She swore she would forgive. She promised her mother never to hate.
Her father was locked away, in an effort to stop himself from going on a rampage. Her brothers were off somewhere, doing something.
She thought she would tell them, maybe one day. Jimbei at least should know. And her father too.
Then again, she wished to uphold her mother's will. Even if that meant keeping the identity of the man who murdered her mother in front of her beloved people a secret only she could know.
She could never forgive the man. Nor could she ever hate him. She knew he grew up thinking humans were scum and dirt. She knew his hatred well.
It was that thinking her mother wished to erase permanently.
So in order to end the cycle of hatred already begun with her mother's death, she kept silent.
She kept her silence for years and years…. Tormenting herself inside in an effort to end the hatred and anger.
Her mother didn't want that anger turned against the man who killed her. So she would be silent. For her mother's sake.
After all, it is easy to hate. Easy to blame someone for all of the troubles you face, and easy to seek the dark justice of revenge. It is easy to take your entire being and turn it in rage against someone or something, that you blame all your troubles on. Hatred and Anger, Resentment and Rage; they were all easy things to feel.
No. What made a person strong was not in those feelings. It wasn't in muscle, or in physical strength. Numbers were all too confusing and weapons only spawned more hate.
No. Shirahoshi-hime promised never to feel those things. She kept promises, long after everyone else gave up on that promise, and slunk back into that feeling of anger, and distrust of humans.
She took the harder path of secrecy and tears. In her years of solitude inside her metal tower, she followed her mother's example and became even stronger.
She chose the path of love. Love and Tolerance, Peace and Hope; those were what made one strong.
She was brave, keeping the secret for so long. She was strong enough to do it, even though it meant breaking her heart every day to keep her mother's spirit alive.
She did it because she too wanted peace. She wanted to see those forests of the land, feel the breeze from the surface, feel the dirt on her fins. She wanted to know more about humans too.
So when the mysterious straw-hat boy came into her room, and offered to take her outside, she hesitated.
Then she took his offer and left.
The first step towards peace and friendship with humans.
In the realm where spirits dwell after death, her mother saw this and smiled.
Thus lives on the legacy of the Mermaid Queen Otohime.
Long Live the Queen.
A/N- I LITERALLY SOBBED READING THE CHAPTER ABOUT OTOHIME AND FISCHER TIGER. I DID. IT WAS LIKE READING ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, BUT WORSE BECAUSE WELL, YOU KNOW. SLAVER KINDA STILL EXISTED IN THIS WORLD. I SOBBED SO HARD. I LOVED THIS STORY ARCH MORE THAN SKIPEIA, AND THAT'S SAYING SOMETHING. THE LAST FEW PANELS OF IT, WHERE JIMBEI AND LUFFY SHARED BLOOD….. I COULDN'T STOP CRYING.
I BAWLED LIKE A WEE BABY. LIKE MERRY DYING ALL OVER AGAIN, OR THE STRAWHATS SEPARATING, OR FAIRY TAIL GOING MISSING FOR SEVEN YEARS.
AND SHIRAHOSHI AND OTOHIME'S RELATIONSHIP. HOLY MOSES I DIED OF TEARS.
SHE KEPT THE SECRET FOR SO LONG, AND NEVER BROKE. IT WAS SO SAD, SO BEAUTIFUL, AND SO STRONG. SHE IS MY HERO, WILLING TO BREAK HER HEART EVERYDAY TO END THE HATRED CYCLE. SHE JUST WANTED HER MOTHER'S DREAM TO COME TRUE.
(secretly, I hope Luffy is that mysterious man who is prophesied to raise Fishman Island above the surface and into peace. I really want that to happen.
And then Madam Shirley being Arlong's sister, yet bearing no hatred to humans. I LOVE HER FYI.
ALSO. KOALA AND LITTLE SHIRAHOSHI WERE THE MOST CUTE. WENDY AND SHELIA FROM FAIRY TAIL ARE TOO. IDKFN.