One Piece: Truly Precious
Ok, time to get back into this fanfic. I'm going to deviate from the canon timeline a bit now and move some of the major fights around to accommodate for the alterations that the crew is making to history.
I know someone might have a problem with the fact that they are going WAY out of their way for this, and will have to double back to get some of their other crewmembers, but the reasoning behind it is that they don't want to wait while Nami's home is suffering every day. They are determined to do something and with their new skills, they WILL do something.
So, without further adieu, here comes the Arlong Park Battle!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
We find our heroes sailing across the East Blue in the boat Nami had stolen from the Buggy Pirates. Their destination was Cocoyasi Village, and their mission was to take down the Arlong Pirates and tear down their fort, Arlong Park. Last time, they hadn't been able to do this this soon, because of their lack of knowledge about the pain Nami's home was in, but this time, they were determined to free her village from both the Marines and the Pirates.
"You guys ready for this?" asked Luffy.
"I've been waiting for this for years," answered Nami as she adjusted the sail.
"I think we can take them," said Zoro.
"Don't get all cut up this time," teased Nami.
"Oi!" protested Zoro, "That was because of the fight with Mihawk! I'll be at full strength this time."
"That's for sure," smiled Luffy, "old saw-nose won't throw me to the bottom of the sea this time!"
"Just don't use that pinwheel technique again," muttered Zoro.
"So how much longer?" asked Luffy.
"Another few days," replied Nami as she checked a compass, "the weather seems good and we have a good wind at our backs. If the weather continues to favor us, then we should be there in no time."
"Good," smirked Zoro, "let's go teach that fish face a lesson."
xXsceneXx
Meanwhile, Arlong Pirates were lounging in their fortress, laughing about the destruction of one of the villages under their control. Downing a tankard of rum, one of the pirates stood up.
"HA! Those pathetic humans thought that they could form a resistance, but we showed them!" laughed the pirate, "Humans are scum that are lucky to lick the barnacles from our feet!"
"Shahahaha! I couldn't have said it better myself," laughed Arlong, a saw-shark fishman, as he reclined on his throne.
"Speaking of humans," said Hatchan, a octopus fishman, "anyone know when Nami is getting back?"
"She is probably still gathering treasure," said Chew, a smelt-whiting fishman, "we probably wont see her for a while."
"True," nodded Arlong as he sipped his drink, "it's too bad. We just gathered some new ocean current data for her to translate into more maps."
The assembled pirates laughed at that remark as they continued to party.
"Yeah," scoffed a fishman, "she may be good, but she's still a lowly human."
"Now now," said Arlong in a sarcastically insincere tone, "we shouldn't say such things about such a valued member of our crew."
The rest of the pirates laughed again at that remark and continued with their partying, not knowing that their 'crewmember' would be arriving sooner than expected.
xXsceneXx
It was a few days later that the three members of the Straw Hat Crew moored their dingy on the beach of one of the Conomi Islands. After securing the boat on the sand, the group looked around.
"Well, we're here," said Zoro.
"Yeah," node Luffy, "now we can kick the asses of those pirates and free Nami's home."
"I'm really grateful for all of this," said Nami with a sincere smile.
"Grateful enough to get rid of those ridiculous debts that you slapped on me for borrowing tiny bit of money that I actually gave back in full?" asked Zoro.
"Not that grateful," smirked Nami, "a girl's gotta make a living."
"Witch," muttered Zoro.
"Well," said Nami as she clapped her hands together, "lets get going."
"Right," nodded Zoro as he began to walk…but before he took three steps, Nami grabbed the back of his shirt to stop him, "What?"
"No way you're leading us," sighed Nami, "not with your infamous lack of direction."
"My sense of direction isn't that bad!" growled Zoro.
"Really?" said Nami with a raised eyebrow.
"Really!"
"Well then," smirked Nami, "why were you going that way when Arlong Park is in the opposite direction."
There was silence for a few seconds.
"…shut up and walk," grumbled Zoro as Nami and Luffy lead the way toward Cocoyasi village.
As the group walked, they mentally prepared themselves for the battle that would come. They new what their opponents would be capable of and, unlike with Buggy, these pirates were no pushovers. There was a reason Arlong had the highest bounty in the East Blue after all.
As they approached the village, the pirates recognized the looks of scorn that the villagers leveled at Nami as she approached. Normally, Luffy and Zoro would be confused, but this time, the three of them knew the truth of what their navigator was going through, and that the villagers also knew this same truth. Luffy smirked, this time, things were different, so why not give them some hope.
"OI!" yelled out Luffy, "MY NAME IS MONKEY D. LUFFY, FUTURE PIRATE KING! AND TODAY, ME AND MY CREW ARE GOING TO TAKE DOWN ARLONG PARK!"
The villagers could only gape in shock at the bold statement. It was a few minutes before they were able to compose themselves enough to respond. Standing up from where he sat on a bench, Genzo, the mayor of the village walked over to the pirates.
"Stop talking nonsense," he muttered, "the two of you can't possibly take down Arlong's entire crew."
"It's the three of us," corrected Zoro, "Nami's one of us."
"That brat?" scoffed Genzo, "she's probably going to stab you in the back for your money like she always does."
"Mr. Genzo," said Nami softly, "please stop. I know you know about the deal I made with Arlong to buy back the village."
"What?" exclaimed Genzo, "How? Nobody said anything, I'm sure of it!"
"It's complicated," sighed Nami, "but I know now that Arlong has no intention of keeping up his end of the deal, so I'm going to end it my way."
"Let's go," said Luffy as he and his crew began the walk to Arlong park, "it's time to end this."
(play: Katekyo Hitman Reborn / Tsuna Awakens OST)
As the three pirates began their walk, the villagers began to emerge from their houses and shops, watching the one who had boldly claimed that he would be the next Pirate King and would liberate their home. They began to whisper to each other and eventually followed the three as they neared the large gates of Arlong Park.
The three pirates walked down the dusty path with looks of determination on their faces as they approached the fortress of the Arlong Pirates. The villagers couldn't help but hope for the first time in a long while as they watched the three of them approach the towering structure. Maybe they would finally get the freedom they dreamed of.
Stopping in front of the gates, Luffy drew back his fist and coated it with Haki. Swinging it forward in a blur of speed and power, he punched the large gates. The power behind the punch coupled with the Haki he had coated his arm with, shattered the massive gates to splinters of stone and concrete. Stepping over the ruined threshold, the Straw Hat pirates came face to face with the mass of fishmen, all sporting shocked looks on their faces at the human that had shattered their front door with a single punch.
"Arlong," growled Luffy, "I'm here to take you down."
(end song)
"Shahahaha!" laughed Arlong, "A human thinks that he can take me down?"
"We don't just think that," responded Nami as she stepped forward, "it's more of a promise."
"Ah, Nami," smirked Arlong, showing his razor sharp teeth, "how good of you to return to us. We even have more maps for you to make."
"Get real, chum face," spat Nami, causing the fishmen to gasp at her disrespect, "I won't draw a singe map for you, and you will pay for killing my mother."
"Nami Nami Nami," sighed Arlong sarcastically, "how many times have you tried to kill me? And you even think that just because you have two humans with you that you have a chance? You are but three while we are many!"
"We have more than just a chance," said Luffy, "and as for your crew, I just see some fish that have been left out for too long. It's starting to smell."
"What did you say?" snarled Arlong as his pirates had similar expressions of rage on their faces, "Slaughter those fools! And when you're done, raze the village to the ground!"
With a battle cry, the Arlong Pirates charged at the three humans, weapons in hand ready to tear them limb from limb. Luffy and Zoro just smirked and got into fighting stances, with Zoro readying his three swords, and Luffy cocking his fists back.
"Santoryu," said Zoro
"Gum Gum," said Luffy as he began to punch rapidly.
"Hyakuhachi Pound Ho!/Cannon!" the two pirates finished together, releasing a powerful combo attack that blasted the charging fishmen back, sending them flying into the opposite wall with slashes on their bodies and broken bones from the punches.
"Is that all you got?" asked the captain and his first mate.
There was silence over the area as Arlong looked over the carnage that the two pirates had wrought on his crew. Slowly rising to his feet, Arlong looked at the pirates with pure rage and fury in his eyes.
"You…you…HUMANS!" roared Arlong.
"Sir," said Kurobi, a manta-ray fishman, "do not lose control just yet. We do not want you to destroy Arlong Park."
"Right," said Chew, "let us take care of these humans."
"We'll make them pay for sure," said Hachi, "nobody beats up our friends like that!"
"Leave Nami alive," growled Arlong as he sat down again, "she is still useful to us, but she will be punished for this outrage."
"Be warned, humans," said Kurobi as the three lieutenants of the Arlong Pirates walked forward, "we are the strongest fighters in this crew. You won't survive this battle."
"I wouldn't be so sure," smirked Zoro, "I've been looking forward to a good fight."
"Same here," grinned Luffy, "Let's kick their butts!"
to be continued…