Chapter 7: Arlong vs. Abel! Three Mighty Steps!

"I hate a moral coward, one who lacks a manly spark.

I just detest a man afraid to go home in the dark.

I always spend my evening where there's women wine and song.

But like a man, I always bring my little wife along~"

I nudge my companion on the side with my elbow and do a quick pirouette before continuing my casual pace down the road, lightly swinging side to side.

"I'm a member of the Midnight Crew.

I'm a night owl, and a wise bird too.

Home with the milk in the morning,

singing the same old song~!"

"Do you have to?" Nami asks, clearly envious of my amazing singing.

"Young lady, I am walking to what may be my untimely demise," I say to her in an exaggeratedly gentlemanly tone. "I'm quite certain you can allow to grant a man the right to levity and to deny reality with my dulcet tones as long as I can reasonably manage."

"What is with you?" Nami asks with a frown. "You obviously don't want to go. If you don't want to fight, then why are you walking straight to Arlong Park! No one is forcing you to do this! I'M not guilting you to do this!"

"Because I have too much pride," I explain casually. "That, and a seething complex born of a traumatic event in my past that doesn't allow me to be stupid and uncaring anymore."

"THAT'S YOUR EXCUSE!?" My thief companion shrieks at me. Then her brain seems to register what I said after my first point. "Wait... what?"

"Listen, Nami," I speak calmly, "Luffy and his friends, YOUR friends, are going to fight Arlong and his gang for you. I am not. They fight for save Nami. I fight to save face. They go into this stupid quest for the sake of someone they value and care for. I go into this madness so that I can wake up in the morning and not hate the very idea of being me. Capische?"

I don't look back at her, but I can feel her staring at the back of my skull. "... Abel, I don't want to be rude, and I know that I have no right-"

"Come one," I interrupt her, "we've got a fight to intervene in and our graves to dig. Go on ahead, if you want. I'm in no hurry." Then I increase my walking pace just a bit. With all the preparations I'd made, that I'd need, I was not stopped or slowed by something as insignificant as doubt or fear.

"... what... happened to you?"

I let out a short, empty laugh, sparing a moment to look back to humor her question. She flinched at the look my eyes conveyed, catching cold sweat. Eyes distant, dead. A slightly open-mouthed smile, vacant. The emptiness I hid behind the mask of an unparalleled actor but chose to show now. Maybe just to shut her up. Maybe for no reason. I couldn't care.

Nami couldn't find anything to say or rather didn't dare. After a bit of staring, and pondering, she did choose to take my advice though, as she sprinted ahead, running full-speed towards Arlong Park.

I kept my pace at a casual stroll, hefting my Bag of Wonders along down the road. My face returned to a mask, one of apathy.

"Stupid girl," I mumble, "who ever said anything about it happening to me?"

-o~O-O~o-

This day was forming up to be a damn mess.

First, his crew was felled by that damn swordsman that Hachi had unwittingly let escape. That he was willing to let slide, as Hachi couldn't have known since he was gone when the human was brought in and was not that quick on the uptake.

Then it was the incident at the town, first from that accursed Long-nosed human who'd dared to attack him. And then the Long-nose turns up alive after he'd personally witnessed Nami, the little traitor, stab him and throw him into the sea.

Not only that, but some other unknown assailant had caused an injury to his left leg and made him drop a building on himself like some baseborn fool. And damage to the Achilles tendon was a serious, crippling injury, even for a Fishman of his caliber. While still capable of walking on his own strength, he couldn't be as fast as he normally was and a slight limp could've been noticed if he wasn't so determined to hide such a flaw existed.

And now his homestead on this island was damaged, HIS men were being felled like flies by these three, pathetic, weak, inferior humans who'd dare intrude upon his domain and make demands of HIM! Not to mention that the damned devil fruit eater he'd chucked into the sea, legs locked in cement, was apparently still alive!

Even his top men had fallen. Hachi to that swordsman. Kuro-obi to that curly-brow. And most insultingly, Chew to that pathetic long-nosed one, the damned human daring to fire an egg at him. Now only he stood to this absolute madness he was dealing with. His crew, his entire crew, defeated save for him by mere humans! It was absolutely inconceivable!

Arlong was not having a good day. And it was only getting worse as he eyed the human that had beaten Hachi in shock. More specifically, the injury upon his chest. A slash across his form that by all rights should've made it impossible for him to beat the second best swordsman on Fishman Island, let alone move as he had after Arlong had personally struck him down. Any normal person would be dead from such a wound.

This human was dangerous, Arlong could tell. Extremely dangerous. If he wasn't deal with right now, it could become a massive problem. Given chance to recover, even Arlong wasn't sure of his chances against such single-minded determination, that kind of ability to survive by a mere thread.

Arlong knew what he was going to do. First, kill the swordsman. Then that long-nose. Then the curly-brow. Then Nami and the whole damned lot outside his gates!

But first... this human needed to die! Arlong raised his free arm, prepared to finish off this threat. Puzzlingly, the human had the nerve let out a weak, painful laugh. The human smiled in the face of death.

"If you take it easy, the wounds don't open..." The human spoke, in pain but more coherent than a man in his state should be.

"That's all you have to say, human?" Arlong snarled in disdain. "You think you are funny, don't you?"

The persistent smile didn't fade. It grew wider. "... I didn't mean me," the swordsman spoke, "I meant that octopus guy."

"... What?" Arlong couldn't understand what the human was saying... unless... Hachi's injuries... Arlong's eyes widened as it came to him. Hatchi, who was heavily injured in his battle, was racing to stop that other human from freeing the Devil Fruit kid. His wounds would...

"I told you before," The swordsman stated. "We've already won the game."

At that very moment, a shape rocketed out of the sea, flying high up to the sky before letting out a loud proclamation. And then a gunshot ran out.

Arlong was distracted, drawn between two moments, the gunshot and the Devil Fruit kid in the sky. So much so that he didn't notice... until it was too late.

"Kneecap." A gunshot, right by his side. His knee buckled as it was pierced and broken. In this sudden influx of stimuli, of shock and pain, his hand released the swordsman, who was snatched up the moment he left his grasp.

Stumbling slightly but refusing to fall or show his pain, he turned to see the swordsman being carried away from him like a sack of potatoes.

"Damn, you're heavy," said the one carrying him, a tiny gun held in the free hand. And Arlong recognized them.

"You..." He growled menacingly, showcasing his teeth in all their murderous glory.

The person walked a bit more, dropped the swordsman's body unceremoniously and turned, revealing a feminine round face, black hair shaped into drill-pigtails on either side of the head and skin as white as the moon on a clear midnight.

And what rattled Arlong was that this person had gotten so close without him noticing a thing.

"Me," responded the okama named Abel, not seeming at all nervous or afraid of his imminent demise. In fact, he was smiling cockily as he pocketed the tiny gun. "I suppose this makes it twice I've shot you in the leg. Same one, if I'm not mistaken."

Arlong felt his blood begin to boil. "So it was you..."

He didn't respond, suddenly flipping the rifle on his back into his hand while holding up three fingers with the other. "Three steps. That is how many I'll need to beat you."

At that Arlong felt like he could laugh. "Oh, is that so? You might have gotten the drop on me just now, but don't think-"

"You talk a lot," he interrupted. "Say, what ever happened to that first gunshot?"

Arlong's eyes narrowed angrily... before opening wide as his eyes caught onto something passing right by his face, falling from the sky. That was all the warning he got before his world exploded. The sound was deafening, the heat searing, and the impact more powerful than any cannonball Arlong had ever faced. Despite his efforts, the explosion sent him tumbling backward before falling on his back.

His vision blurred and his ears rung. The pain he could deal with, not in a million years willing to admit just how much that blast had hurt. He pushed himself up, trying to ignore how hard it was to stand on his left leg. He blinked to clear his vision, and so he came eye-to-eye with a pair of ocean blue eyes. The very next moment he felt something get jammed into his gills, and could feel a sensation of some kind of liquid pouring in. In panic at this course of events, his hand shot out at the closest thing and grabbed hold of the right forearm of his attacker.

"Got you now, you filthy-" Arlong's furious voice stilled as he got a more precise look at his attacker's face. The dangerous, unmoving expression was evident and in full display, but he noticed the bulging of his cheeks too late. The okama spat out a liquid that hit Arlong in the eyes.

And then Arlong screamed. The liquid burned his eyes, feeling like someone was sticking hundreds of tiny hot needles straight into his eyeballs. In his shock, his hand released the human, and the very next second he felt something behind his right leg. Then that something pushed forward with enough force to raise it from the ground, adding weight to his injured left leg, causing him to lose balance and fall flat on his back.

Arlong didn't get up right away.

-o~O-O~o-

Every single resident of Cocoyasi Village was silenced by shock. Johny and Yosaku's jaws were hanging on the ground. Zoro and Sanji, who'd swam out of the sea after breaking Luffy's cement bonds shared everyone's shock. Though the swordsman's face was adorned with a grin.

Luffy, who had seen the battle unfold just as everyone else, wore a similar, much wider grin, not even mad that his fight with Arlong had been postponed. And then Nami...

She couldn't believe her eyes. She just couldn't! It no sense. Abel wasn't strong, at all. He was weak, so pathetically weak that even she could beat him in an arm-wrestling contest.

So why had he just downed Arlong like it had been nothing!

Her eyes kept solely on the cross-dressed as he lifted his rifle to brace it on his shoulder and turned his back to the still screaming Arlong who was covering his eyes. She wasn't even sure what Abel had just done, it happened so quickly.

Abel walked over and grabbed Arlong's own lounging chair, moved it to stand between Arlong and the people outside of the gate, and just casually set his rifle down beside it and sat down to relax, arms coming to rest on his lap.

Again, Nami and everyone else was shocked at how casual he was being.

Then there was Usopp, who'd seen what had started it all. How a gunshot rang out and suddenly Abel was just there, near arlong, shooting his rifle in the air, then switching to a small gun to shoot Arlong in the knee and free Zoro. Then he walked away, enough distance to not get too affected by the ensuing explosion, from the first shot he fired.

Usopp thought he was a pretty good shot. He truly did. But what Abel had just done was pulled off with extreme precision. The exploding bullet, the Doomsday Round as he recalled, had landed exactly where he wanted it to and knew exactly when it would land. What happened next was covered by the smoke the explosion caused.

'Amazing,' the sniper thought, 'he pulled that off flawlessly. No hesitation. No fear of failure. A maneuver like that... it's still beyond me... I have to get better if I want to be a Brave Warrior of the Sea!'

His dream renewed and resolute, his respect for the weird crossdresser grew significantly. He could only imagine what he was thinking at this very second.

-o~O-O~o-

'MOTHER FUCKER!' I screamed internally. 'Holy fuck, I was fucking lucky to make that fucking shot. Ran the fucking math SO FUCKING HARD but I couldn't be fucking sure if that'd fucking work. And it fucking did! I am a fucking genius!'

Now, the reason my mind was clouded with profanity, even though I appeared calm as can be on the outside, was because of the pain my right forearm was in. Arlong's grab strength had not been what I'd expected. At all. It was so strong, and I don't think he was trying to crush my arm! I'm pretty sure it still fractured slightly. I swear I can feel every hairline fracture. I just let both my arms rest on my lap as I used Arlong's nifty chair for all it was worth. I can see why he likes slouching on it.

"And that is steps two and three," I quip loudly, making sure Arlong hears me over his screaming, which is thankfully dying down. I make it a point to not show even a single sign of weakness.

My plan was amazing in all its simplicity. A three step program, a word I usually hated because it tried to take alcohol away from me. But now it was to prove a point.

One was the distraction, the Doomsday Round from the sky. It allowed me a smoke screen to work with. The explosion was powerful, even more so up close, but I dug my heels in and wasn't blown off my ass, unlike Arlong. And unlike Krieg, the bitch, Arlong didn't have fancy armor to absorb some of the damage. It had gone off without a hitch.

Two was grabbing and applying the three vials of chemistry magic I had prepared beforehand. One of which I had poured and contained in my mouth for when I would be grabbed, as I had predicted I would be.

Speaking of GAAAH MY MOUTH! It burned and stung like I had swallowed a swarm of burning hornets! Not nearly as close to what Arlong's eyes are going through right now, but fucking hell that stuff feels brutal! And it LINGERS! Damnit, I'll need so much booze to wash this down!

And step three... Well, it was happening right now.

I spot Arlong rolling over, his screams being taken over with labored breathing, pushing himself on his knees to glare at me. Or, well, try to glare at least. His eyes are red, and not just from how absolutely livid he must be. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was also crying, but that was just a reaction to the borderline chemical burns the membrane of his eyes were experiencing. I don't think he can see me clearly. Only a really blurry shape.

"Y-y-you..." He growls like a wounded animal driven into a corner. Well, he doesn't think that, but I beg to differ.

"I am a man of my word," I speak up. "Except when I lie, like when I vowed that you'd never see me again. But when I mean something, that is the only, absolute truth of the matter. Three steps, I said." I gestured to him battered form, burned, bruised, left leg crippled for the time being. Not that he could see that. "And alas, here we are!"

"You... you think you've won?" Arlong snarls, pushing himself up, forcing himself to stand. "You think you, a pathetic human, can beat me?!"

"No," I state with absolute certainty, pointing out a fact I knew to be the truth. "I already have."

His glare intensifies, as much as his irritated eyes allow him to. A lot of the effect is lost. "... You dare..."

"I do, and I have," I speak clearly and loudly so that everyone around can hear. "I just slipped something down your gills. You must've felt it before I spat liquid burning in your face. See, I needed to make you ingest it somehow, but I didn't think I could force you to drink it. So instead I went for the next best thing. The nice, open pathways to the insides of your anatomy."

He took a step in my direction but halted, likely stopping his legs from faltering. I could see him catching on. "What did you..."

"Simple. I slipped a simple, yet effective toxin into your system," I explain, sounding just a mite smug. "It'll take effect soon enough, I suppose. I had to estimate your weight and possible racial differences, but it should work on you all the same. The point is, Arlong," I state in a deadly serious manner. "You lost the moment I forced that toxin down your gills. You can't win anymore."

He moves a bit closer, slowly. He is shaking with fury and bloodlust. "I... Refuse to... I'll kill... You..."

"Do as you wish, if you can," I counter his threat with a casual dismissal. "That toxin is a very special blend. A paralysis poison, in a sense. Once it takes effect, you'll be left unable to move a single of your muscles. All your motor functions will seize and lock down. Kill me or don't, it won't matter. Someone else can finish the job. I beat you, and you've just lost to a weak human."

I knew I couldn't beat Arlong in a straight up fight. No way. It was an absolute impossibility. So I did what any sensible, sane, non-stupid person would do in my situation.

I cheated. I cheated hard. Snuck up on him using Faint and waited for a proper distraction to make my move. Schemed my moves carefully in advance, to assure the least personal risk with the most effectiveness. The fact I managed to again damage his leg was a bonus, crippling his mobility. I'd lucked out, big time.

As Arlong got closer and closer, I saw Luffy, Zoro and Sanji tense, ready to act, but I waved my hand at them, telling them to stand down and watch. Though reluctant to do so, they did. He was only a few more steps from reaching me, snarling in anger.

"I'll... kill you... I'll kill you... I'LL KILL- Gh!" He stumbled, his knees slackening under him, forcing him to his knees. His eyes widened as the rest of his body began to fall forward as well. But I stood up and stopped his body from toppling to the ground, holding him up by his right shoulder. Despite his kneeling position he was still really tall, enough for me to look him in the eyes. For what good it was worth.

"That's your muscles relaxing," I explained to the shocked Fishman. "In a second they will stiffen and lock in place. You'll be as unmoving as a stone. Don't worry though, I won't affect your internal functions, so you won't suffer a heart attack or anything. That would need a more concentrated dose."

A dose I had given him wasn't THAT strong by a longshot, but I had to give him a double dose to make up for it.

His teeth were clenched tight, stuck in a snarl as he weakly tried to force his hands to rise, to grab me, to kill me. It didn't work. I felt it. The muscle in his shoulder tightening, hardening in what I could assume was an uncomfortable experience. I waited a few more seconds, then a few more to be safe before letting go. Arlong wouldn't fall over now. Not unless I pushed hard enough.

"By the by, you should be able to still speak. Maybe," I add.

"... How dare you... you pathetic human..." He manages to growl through gritted teeth, showing the instruments of a natural predator. If I wasn't so certain in the power of this poison, I would've backed off.

Arlong, the dreaded Fishman pirate, was not a threat to me anymore. The one that had absolutely dunked Zoro. And that kind of made me proud of myself.

A proud cheater? Truly, I have no shame.

"Now then," I say, pulling out my trusty black derringer. "This here is Lucifer. It's a cute, tiny little son of a gun, but more than capable of making a nice hole in your skull." I state all that coldly, tapping the small firearm on the top of Arlong left temple. "Imagine, if you would. At this moment I hold your life literally in my hands. I am a dark angel of death that has brought you to your knees. What say you, Arlong?"

He glared at me, letting out a mocking laugh. "You... you won't dare."

"My, what an interesting opinion you have there," I say, obviously mocking him. That brief levity left very quickly. "When one holds a gun, they hold in their hand the means to end a life. Those who point them at someone without the spirit to pull the trigger are spineless idiot. When you pick up a gun, you place your life, and the lives of those before you in your own hands."

I leaned closer, close enough to help him see the serious look in my eyes through his hazed vision. "And while you may be the first I've directly killed with a gun, do not flatter yourself by thinking you are the last."

It was brief, but I caught it. The hesitation. For better or for worse, he was buying what I was selling. He'd started to take my words seriously.

"Is what you'd think I say~," I chime in a much more definitely not serious manner, pulling the gun away and doing twirls in place.

"EEEEEHHHHH!?" I hear chorused all around me, from the villagers of Cocoyasi, from the Dumbass Duo, from Nami and Long-nose, Zoro and Sanji. The only who seems unconcerned by the sudden mood shift is Luffy. Go figure.

Arlong was less than pleased. "What are you playing at, human?"

I stopped and faced him again, this time with a faint grin that I doubt he could see properly. "Well, you see, while I could just off you, that wouldn't sit well with me for one sole reason." I then poked his saw-nose with my finger, softly as not to harm myself. It also serves the purpose of dramatically pointing at him. "This whole hating humans business? I have to know what it's about!"

"THAT'S YOUR FUCKING REASON?!" I hear Nami shriek in disbelief, and maybe some anger.

"Of course!" I say with a bright grin, turning to face my young critic. "I am a curious soul, and all this condescending talk and racism has really got my inquisitive soul riled up. I simply must learn more of this fascinating racial tension here!"

"Are you kidding me? Just shoot him!"

I put on a serious face. "My dear Nami, I may seem like a lady of refinement, but I assure you, I am a man of refinement."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" She screams. I like riling her up.

"Do I truly look like such a barbarian as to execute a man in cold blood while they are on their knees, unable to defend themselves?" I place my hands on my hips and shake my head. "I thought you were better than this, Nami. Shame on you! What would your mother think?"

"DON'T YOU DARE BRING HER INTO THIS! ARLONG-"

"Killed her. I know," I say, dropping the joking. "I am well aware of that, Nami." I turn towards Arlong, looking at him. "But killing in the name of hatred... that is a sign of a monster. And you are better than that. Better than him."

She didn't yell or scream. She was quiet. Good.

"... Are you mocking me?"

"Hm?" I hmm, raising a brow at Arlong's question.

"You... you dare to mock me? A pathetic human? Mock me, a proud Fishman?! A being superior to your wretched kind in every regard!" Arlong yelled in fury, as strongly as he could manage. "Your species think you're so high and mighty when clearly it is us Fishmen who stand above you! We are the superior species of this world!"

"... Alright," I say. "I agree."

"... What?" Arlong snarls. "You dare mock me again?"

"No, I actually agree with almost everything you said," I state honestly. "Well, at least based on physical traits and factual proof, you are superior to humans. And humanity's whole thing is that we think we are the top dogs or aim to be one."

He thinks on what I just said and grins viciously. "Oh, so you finally understand your place, hu-"

"On the other hand, now I can see you clearly have some issues," I cut him off. "It's clear you Fishmen possess superior physical traits when pitted up against by-the-book humans, that much is true. But that doesn't explain or excuse the frankly ridiculously blatant racism and a superiority complex that frankly makes you look pathetic. Have some pride!"

That set him off. "PRIDE?! DON'T YOU, A PATHETIC HUMAN, DARE TELL ME TO HAVE PRIDE! I AM A PROUD FISHMAN, BORN IN THE FISHMAN ISLAND! I WON'T ACCEPT THIS KIND OR RIDICULE FROM YOU HUMAN SCUM! I-"

His words end abruptly when two things happen. I slapped him in the face as hard as I could. Unfortunately, in my haste, I did so with my right arm. The injured one. On a surface that wasn't going to yield at all. The other thing that made him shut up, and that made every single living thing within hearing distance wince and gasp in pain by proxy, was a single sound.

The sound of the bones in my right forearm snapping in half. The pain was indescribable and the sight of my arm bending at an unnatural angle did not make it hurt any less. It was as if time had stopped, as my mind screamed loud enough that the backlash made a star blink out of existence somewhere. But as it resumed and my arm fell limply to my side, I showed no reaction.

Well, aside from my eyes twitching like crazy. Even I wasn't capable of miracles.

"... If you have so much pride," I say in a slow, deliberate manner. "Then my words should not bother you. My actions should not bother you. My existence should not bother you. If those actions do upset your so called pride so much, THEN THAT PRIDE NEVER EXISTED IN THE FIRST PLACE, SO STOP WHINING LIKE A PETULANT CHILD!"

The slow start was to get him to listen to my words, actually, listen to what I was saying. The sudden snap of my arm was enough to shock him out of focus, so I made it my mission to grab firm hold of it. And the scream was to nail my point home. The pain I was in really helped me put extra effort into it.

And it did shut him up. For some reason, Arlong got cold sweat all over his shocked face. I blinked, not expecting that big of an impact. Then I hear some commotion by the gate and turned to see some of the villagers collapsing for seemingly no reason. Weird. Johny and Yosaku seemed fine but had that same cold sweat I'd spotted on Arlong. I glanced at the rest to see everyone, save Luffy, reacting similarly.

Strange. But not my problem. Have to stick to my topic, so I turn back to my target of interest.

"I am going to tear this 'idea' of yours to pieces, so listen up, Arlong! My arm just snapped by me hitting you. I don't think you even felt much of anything," I start levelly. "The fact of the matter is, barring perhaps some of the children, I am undoubtedly the weakest, most frail human being on this island, if not this entire sea. And I beat you... No, I did not just defeat you. I annihilated you.

"Not through strength. I'd die. Not through endurance. I'd die. Not through pure determination and resilience. I'd. Fucking. Die! I beat you with the one thing I am superior to you in. Using my intellect, plain old cheating and not playing fair."

I looked him directly in the eyes the entire time, keeping my gaze as firm and level as humanly possible under as much pain as I currently was in. And most shockingly, he seemed to be listening!

"You see, physical superiority is just one facet of evolution. Didn't I mention this to you earlier? How the ones who survive and evolve are the strong and the smart? Certainly, the stronger are superior when it comes to fighting, but they will always be stuck in combat with other strong beings for dominance and survival. The smart know their weakness and find new ways to get through life. Solutions to problems, short-cuts to goals, new innovations to gain an edge. How to survive while staying safe, hiding and meeting stronger forces with their brains, not brawn.

"You are of superior strength, Arlong. I am of superior mind. There is no gap between us, only a marginal difference. And today I have gained my victory. But if I know anything about reality and its trappings, it is that there will always be someone or something that stands higher than the pedestal you've built for yourself. I have no illusions that compared to others I've yet to know, my intellect and mind are but wayward thoughts in the wind."

I don't think anyone else spotted it. I don't think anyone but me could. What I saw in his eyes was his soul, laid bare. Hesitation, mixed with confusion, mixed with hatred and refusal to accept reality. It became clear to me that there was one more thing I had to know.

I reach for The codex with my unbroken arm and hold it up, looking at it more seriously than I have ever thought of it. "Alright, you stupid paperweight. You are going to show me exactly what I want to find, or so help me, I will find a way to burn you to cinders. Show me everything about the Fishman called Arlong!"

I didn't actually expect anything to happen, but the damned thing actually chose to be useful for once. Without my initiative, the white tome opened and it's pages flipped until they on an empty page. Soon letters and words began appearing, filling the emptiness with a full narrative. Exactly what I had asked.

'The Story of Arlong of Fishman Island'

Sadly I don't think I can figure out a logical reason for this. Fuck it, it's magic. I don't care, I hurt very very much and want this dealt with so I can gain peace of mind.

"... What..." Arlong starts, more subdued than his earlier rage-filled roaring "What are you doing?" No 'human' in the end there? Curious.

"What I don't think any human here has tried before, I'd wager," I say, beginning to read. "Understanding you. Arlong the Fishman, not Arlong the pirate."

Still, I had to make sure this was trustworthy information, so before I read too into it, I picked some details to test for reactions.

"What are you talking about?"

"You have a sister?" I ask instead of answering him. He reacts to it, so it must be true. Still, have to be sure. I kept probing, keeping an eye on his reaction. "Is as a fortune teller. Name's... Shyarly?" I can only hope I pronounced that correctly. But based on Arlong reaction, the book was telling the truth. So I could trust this information.

"How... How do you know that?" Arlong asked, that fire from earlier back. He almost sounded... worried? Defensive? Interesting.

"I don't," I answer honestly. No point to lying about this. I held up the open book slightly. "I don't know how well you can see, but I've got this nifty, annoying book. It's filled with so many interesting things, or so it keeps reminding me. I' reluctant to admit it, but it might be magic or some crap like that."

I don't know if he believed me, but at the moment I didn't care. Instead, knowing I could trust the contents I was about to read, I did just that.

I read.

...

...

And read.

...

...

...

... And... read...

I felt the pain I was feeling grow duller the further I read into Arlong's life. The book was, for once, pretty comprehensive, even giving proper context(thank the Ancestors!). And what I read... what I learned...

I didn't like it. I didn't like it one bit.

After what might've been a few minutes of power reading, I slammed the book shut before unceremoniously letting it drop to the ground. I stood stock still for a moment, head lowered and the bangs of my wig wasting shade over my eyes.

"Hey, Abel-Banchou! Are you alright?"

I ignore Johny's worried outburst, digging into my dress pocket and bringing out my white derringer. To an outsider, it might've looked like I was taking aim at Arlong's skull once more, based on the arc I drew it in... Only to move past it, point it down and fire without hesitation.

"BANCHOU!" Johny, Yosaku.

"ABEL!" Luffy, Nami, Zoro, surprisingly Long-nose too.

"ABEL-CHAN!"Sanji, forgetting his horror at my true gender in the moment.

I stumble onto my knees and make to catch my fall... with the wrong arm. My broken arm fails to support me, twists painfully and sends my face to the cement floor. I don't try to hide my pain at this point. There is no point to looking cool right now.

"GAH! FUCKING! DAMN-GRRRH! AAAAHRG!" I let out a jumbled mess of muffled screams and loud curses.

I just shot myself in the knee, after all. That... that is not fun.

As I continued to let my barely contained pain train run rampant, I was coherent enough to hear a surprisingly soft question.

"... What?" Arlong asked. Looking up I saw his eyes on me, so I assumed his eyesight had come back, at least enough to tell what I'd just gone and did.

"Oh... Y-you know," I stutter shakily, unable to compose the mask I wore earlier. "giving a fucking... p-pathetic asshole some... d-d-deserved karma. No big."

I then lower my forehead so that it touches the concrete. I'd just fallen into an extremely deep Japanese-bow. It stood for regret and great shame and was a plea for forgiveness. And it was a big deal. And I really meant it.

"W-what are you doing, human?" Oh, the 'human' was back? Neat- Focus!

"It's... exactly what it... looks like," I speak through my pain, partially through gritted teeth. "Not only have I... fired upon your leg... twice. But I've also... invaded your privacy and... possibly wasted your time... I'd say, in my shape... I've paid for my... assault. But... the others I can't remedy... on my own. They are... unforgivable by my own conscience."

He was confused. Everyone was confused. I could faintly hear the villagers whisper amongst themselves. I didn't care though. I didn't listen. What I'd read was HIS personal information. I'd invaded onto the most personal of territories in my need to know, to understand. I had no right. And for what? Curiosity?

I take a moment to collect myself.

"So... here is what I say," I state as loud as my mangled, pain-filled body can. "When your paralysis wears off... If you so wish it... I will allow my death!"

-o~O-O~o-

Nami didn't know what to think, how to react.

Abel... was kneeling before Arlong. No jokes, no snipes, no smartass comments? He'd just... shot himself in the knee, just like he'd shot Arlong in the knee. Did he... Had Abel just... promised to kill himself on Arlong's word?!

"What is that guy talking about?" A villager mumbled.

"He's crazy! He's not making sense!" another yelled.

"Damn kid must be delirious from the pain he's in," the village doctor, Nako, gave his own opinion on things. But Nami knew it wasn't the case.

She hadn't known Abel that long. She knew that he was a cross-dresser, a bit of a condescending smartass at times, and really intense when he wanted to be. And he was an actor, wearer of so many masks that Nami wasn't sure if any of the ones she'd seen were his true face. But still, in her gut, Nami could tell that in this instance, Abel was talking with full clarity and complete seriousness.

It made no god damn sense in the slightest!

But what shocked her was the reaction from Arlong. Or rather that the reaction would be anything else than cruel laughter. No. It was something so much more puzzling and bizarre.

For the first time since she'd joined his crew, Arlong was struck speechless by the actions of the odd man that kneeled before him. Then, weakly using his good arm, Abel pushed himself up and started to shakily stand.

"L-later though," He spoke calmly, voice wavering from pain. He was wearing a mask again, or at least a half of one. "I've still got... talking to do."

"Don't try to stand, you moron!" Nami heard Nako scream from the crowd and she saw the old man take a step towards the heavily injured man.

"You stay there!" Abel yelled out, strength and stability returning to his voice, stopping Nako in his tracks. The leg he'd shot himself in was shaking heavily, forcing itself to stay standing. "This is my business until I say otherwise! You all stay out of it, or I'll shoot you! I have a bone to pick and I'll pick it clean, damnit!"

And frighteningly enough Nami couldn't honestly bring herself to doubt his words. Not after all he had said today. Not after doing something as seemingly impossible as talking Arlong into silence. And definitely not after... whatever that weird feeling a minute ago was that made a couple people pass out and start foaming at the mouth.

Abel visibly fought to stand tall and proud, as if doing anything less was insulting. To whom, Nami couldn't even begin to guess. Never had Nami met a person who she couldn't read as little as the cross-dresser. And for better or for worse, he was giving Arlong a lecture.

"Now see, I had never actually met, let alone heard of Fishmen before coming over here, to this island. I was actually really excited to meet one. The things I could've discovered... The things I could've loved to learn..." Abel started, sounding surprisingly wistful, carrying his tone with an air of gentleness. The very next moment it was gone. "... Instead, what I find are a bunch of racist supremacists that are really starting to make me think of one of the most hated and reviled men I've ever known to exist. If I was a person of lesser intellect, I'd just throw the lot of you into a box YOU have painted for me to observe!"

He placed emphasis on his words by harshly pointing a finger inches away from Arlong's face. And he was growing more intense and angrier by each spoken word.

"Do you have an idea what repercussions your actions hold? Do you even stop to think how your actions reflect on your kin? How your actions and words mold the perspective of any and all humans that as much as hear of you?" He roared, showing more strength than any man in his state had any right to. "How they will follow the example you've shown of them? How impressionable children learn and are taught that all fishmen are evil and untrustworthy? Because of Arlong the pirate!"

The tirade broke Arlong out of his silence, a fire igniting in his eyes as anger burst through once more. "Don't talk as if you know anything about our plight, human! It's humans that look down on us, despite our superiority! It's the humans that enslave and oppress our kind! It's humans who killed my Captain!"

Nami was shocked at what she was hearing. She always knew that Arlong had no love for humans, but that it ran that deep... To elicit such rage...

But it was nothing compared to what Abel had in return when he suddenly grabbed firm hold of Arlong's sharp nose and pulled himself extremely close to his face.

"THE PAST HAS PASSED US ALL, AND WE MUST LET IT BE! THE FUTURE IS WHAT WE MAKE OF IT, AND THE FUTURE YOU MAKE WITH YOUR ACTIONS AFFECTS EVERY SINGLE FISHMAN, EVERY SINGLE CHILD BORN INTO A WORLD TAUGHT TO HATE AND FEAR THEM BY FISHMEN LIKE YOU!" Abel roared in absolute, righteous fury. The fire in his eyes practically extinguished the fire in Arlong's.

"..." The dreaded Fishman was again struck speechless, a look of absolute shock plastered on his features. Nami couldn't believe the effect the cross-dresser was having on the monster she had hated for most her life... Or how it was having an effect on her. Her breath wouldn't come out properly and hear heart stilled at the sheer weight in every single word out of Abel's mouth. He wasn't even paying mind to the blood seeping from his hand as he clutched Arlong's nose tighter and tighter, focused solely on the Fishman before him.

"Do you see? Do you comprehend how you and people like you are dooming your future generations? How it is an unavoidable fact that hatred only breeds more hatred? It is an eternal cycle that can only be broken when hateful people like you let go of the past and focus on trying to build a better future!" He kept going, with much less volume but not even a sliver of weight lost.

"You hear that? Some say that there is a 'do' or a 'don't'. No 'try'. Well, that is a crock of shit! There is always a 'try'! To 'try' is to attempt to do, despite not knowing if you can. To 'try' is to work your hardest to overcome all adversity. To 'do' is to do what you can, to 'try' is to earn the right to succeed through blood, sweat, and tears!"

Nami felt the words resonate within her. She understood. She understood perfectly what Abel meant. She had worked hard, dedicated her everything to her goal. To see it realized. She always held doubts, if she could do it, to buy her village and save everyone. Nojiko, Genzo, Nako, everyone... But she still tried! She tried so hard, despite the responsibility tearing her apart inside. She felt tears silently start to fall down her cheeks.

"What I have seen here today is not 'doing'. It is not 'trying'. For fuck's sake, it's barely even a 'don't'! What I see is passivity of the most malignant sort! The kind content in drudging in its own filth because no one bothers to do anything about it! Festering until it becomes something repugnant and vile! Instead of trying to help your people be accepted and to be safe, you further drive their reputation through filth of your own creation! As you are you barely have the right to call yourself a Fishman, much less a proud one!

"So, let me ask you one thing, Arlong," Abel spoke while staring him straight in the eyes, voice barely a whisper, yet it carried all across Arlong Park with even greater weight behind it than before. "Instead of wallowing in the excuse of your past like a pathetic worm, have you ever even tried to 'try'?"

Nami expected a lot of things from Arlong in response to such a question. A callous, mocking laugh. A roar of anger. Condescending and racist remarks. All the above, tied in a neat, angry and deadly package. That was the monster she had known all her life, who had driven her to the brink of despair.

But instead... She saw something that felt so much like an illusion. Too unrealistic to possibly be real. Arlong, the vile monster she'd feared all her life and hated with all her heart... looked shocked, borderline catatonic and... lost? Like his entire world had just shattered to pieces and didn't make sense anymore, so his mind just went blank.

From her vantage points, she saw the villagers look as shocked as she felt. Zoro and Sanji looked on with something resembling... understanding. And while Luffy looked as unreadable as ever, his eyes were hidden in the shadows cast by his hat, head slightly lowered.

She turned her attention back to Abel just in time to see him release hold of Arlong's nose, blood flowing from his shredded palm. But instead of paying it any mind, he slowly limped to his rifle and picked it up.

"Sorry to rob you of your fight, Luffy," He spoke, voice collected and calm. Any sign of pain was almost gone from his tone or expression.

"It's okay," Luffy replied, sounding uncharacteristically serious.

"Good to hear," He said, placing the rifle underneath his arm to reach into the ammo bag on his waist. "I got one more thing to do if you'll allow me."

"Sure," Luffy agrees. "Go ahead."

He fished around the bag, pulling out a few things to inspect before he found what he was looking for. One of the unique bullets his gun used, though Nami didn't see anything special about it.

"Nami!" The orange-haired thief jumped slightly at being called out. "You worked for them. Made maps, or something or value? Surely there was a room you worked in, right?" He loaded the bullet in and readied his rifle. Then he looked straight at her. "Where is it?"

Unsure of what Abel was going on about, she still found her hand pointing to one window. To the room that held more than it's fair share of horrible memories. He followed her finger and just nodded. Then he took aim, as well as he could with just one arm.

"... What... Are..." Arlong spoke, but it sounded... hollow? The words came from somewhere but were empty.

"There is only one way to purge away the filth accumulated by the past," Abel spoke, focusing his aim. "And that is to burn it in Hellfire!"

A trigger was pulled and the rifle fired what looked like a bright, orange flare. It crashed through the window of Nami's map room, and for a few seconds, nothing happened. Then the windows exploded outwards as flames burst out of them. Within a second the entire room was aflame and was quickly spreading to the rest of the might Arlong Park main building.

Arlong's blank eyes widened just a bit more than they already had. "... Maps... Priceless..."

"Is a good friend worth less than a bunch of paper with drawings on it? Is a sibling? A revered leader?" Abel spoke softly, dropping his rifle as his good arm fell limply to his side to join the broken right. He just stared as the fire continued to dance on the tall building, climbing up it like a snake enveloping its prey. "No. But a life of a single being... that is a value that cannot be accurately measured by mortal minds, or met by any treasure."

He then turned to give a glance to Nami. No doubt he saw how she was crying. "You're free. Join your true friends. Or do whatever you want. This place chains you down no longer."

All Nami could do was weakly nod. This all had been very emotionally draining. Then Abel turned to stare at Nako.

"You are a doctor, right?"

"I am, yes," Nako answered, taking a step towards the crossdresser. "Let me see your wounds. You and your friends must be tended to immediately!"

"Forget it," Abel dismissed the doctor, much to the confusion of everyone. "Ignore me. Help the ones that really fought... Also," he turned to look around Arlong Park, and the knocked out Fishmen littered around its premises. "... the Fishmen."

"I assure you, they will be restrained," Genzo spoke up, coming to stand by Nako.

"No," Abel again dismissed what was said to him. He turned to face the villagers of Cocoyasi. And addressed them all. "You'll help them as well."

Nami's eyes shot wide open, and not in a good way. The rest of the villagers didn't find the suggestion that funny either.

"Excuse me?" Genzo asked in disbelief.

"You must be joking! Or insane!" Nojiko voiced her own thoughts on the matter.

"Abel," Nami yelled at the cross-dresser, "what are you saying?! You should know by now what these Fishmen have done to us. Why the hell should we-"

"Because you are better than this," Abel spoke quietly, yet it silenced everyone. "These Fishmen have maintained a circle of hatred, and you are trapped in it too. Be better than you are. Break it by yourselves." He then addressed Nako specifically. "You are a man of medicine. It is your duty to aid those injured and of ill health. And I see a lot of it where I stand, and not amongst any of you."

His eyes narrowed.

"You are better. You just have to 'try'."

Silence reigned for what felt like a small eternity, every villager's head slightly lowered in introspection and shame. Then, eventually, Nako was the first to raise his.

"You're right," The old doctor admitted. "If I don't help them, then what kind of doctor would I be? Fishman or no, wounded are wounded." He took steps towards further into the park. "But I'll deal with the more serious cases first." He obviously meant Zoro and Abel when he said that. And not soon after, starting with Nojiko and Genzo, more villagers stepped up to help. To be better.

"That's fine," Abel said, and too late Nami noticed, much to her worry, how his body was starting to shiver and shake under its own weight. "Because I really can't... keep this up and... I'm about... ready to pass out... from the... pain..."

He then slowly fell forwards onto his knees before toppling over on his side.

He was out cold long before he touched the ground.

-o~O-O~o-

Didn't expect it to go down like that, eh? Abel shows off his fighting style: Hardcore Cheating! He truly is the good(ish) version of Krieg! As well as something else...

Abel has discovered the Hellfire Rounds! A high incendiary bullet that releases the flames of hell! (Caution: the flames are not actually the flames of hell. The old goat downstairs would sue.)

Bullets Discovered 3/6!

And yes, you are absolutely right. Abel totally used [that]. Well, the unbelievable pain helped a LOT, but... Hehe.

- Talking You The Monster To Death, C-Hablerie