Ch. 26- Spring Cleaning

One Piece © Oda

Blizzard, Moon, and Joe © Me

In the Candy Factory town of Fishman Island…the townsfolk are seen stepping a photo of Queen Otohime's face with the New Fishman Pirates watching them.

"All right. You pass. Next!"

After one Fishman stepped off the picture, another one stepped on it.

"Next!"

Another Fishman stepped on the picture.

"Next!"

As the townsfolk kept stepping on the picture…they tried their hardest not to show their regretful tears. After all…they were doing this in order to save themselves. If they didn't, then the New Fishman Pirates would kill them on the spot. They could only hope that Otohime would forgive them.

"…I don't even know what I'm doing, anymore…!" whispered one of them.

"We didn't have a choice," whispered another. "They'd kill us if we didn't do what they said! The Queen's spirit will forgive us…hopefully."

The New Fishman Pirates watched in amusement as the townsfolk kept stepping on the picture, one-by-one.

"KYA-KYA!" Daruma laughed. "Look at them! They're all stepping on the picture without a second thought! Guess Queen Otohime wasn't as respected as she thought! KYA-KYA!"

The other pirates began to laugh along with him, much to the citizen's disgust, but then…

"Hey!" shouted one of the pirates. "Look! Captain Hody's broadcast is starting!"

Everyone looked up to see Hody's face on the monitor.

"Hey! It's Hody Jones!" said a Stringfish Mermaid.

"So he's the mastermind behind all this!" said a Barbel Steed Fishman.

"Isn't he the guy who shot Otohime's Assassin?" asked a Dab Fishman.

"Attention, citizens of Fishman Island!" Hody said. "I have an announcement to make! This kingdom…will soon fall…and then, it shall be reborn! Behold…your new King!"

XXX

In the Port Town of Coral Hill, the townsfolk gasped up on hearing this.

"You mean he's taking over?!" a Napoleonfish Fishman questioned.

"Where the hell is he broadcasting this from?!" asked a Pike Fishman.

Soon, many other townsfolk began clamoring.

"What happened to the king?!"

"I heard that the Straw Hat Pirates were occupying Ryugu Palace! What happened to them?!"

"What's gonna become of the Kingdom?!"

"Those who still wish to be friends with the humans…will have to go!" Hody announced. "Soon, the new citizen from the Fishman District will be coming here! They all hate humans and eagerly await the new order!"

The crowd gasped upon hearing this.

"What?! Those barbarians are coming to live here?!"

"Is he mad?! We can't ever let the children play outside again!"

"You all witnessed the death of your beloved Queen Otohime!" Hody continued. "Even if you trust humans and welcome with open arms and smiles…all that awaits you is betrayal! What will it take to make you fools understand that?!"

From a different part of the town, the three Neptune Princes are watching with boiling anger.

"That heathen!" Fukaboshi hissed.

XXX

In the Sea Forest, Luffy, Nami, Sanji, Chopper, Franky, Blizzard, Jimbei, Moon, Joe, Hachi, and Den are watching the broadcast, as well.

"The Neptune Family has lured you all down a path that leads to death!" Hody shouted. "Wake up and smell the coffee, already!"

"…That's not true…!" Shirahoshi whimpered.

"…" Jimbei remained silent, but it is clear that he did not take any pleasure in listening to Hody's lies, and by the looks of things, Joe didn't seem to like it, either.

"Behold!" Hody declared as he stepped aside…revealing a bloody and beaten Neptune behind him, bound by chains. "Here is your 'Great Knight'! He is nothing more than a decrepit old man with a bad back!"

"Ugh…" Neptune groaned, barely conscious.

"FATHER~!" Shirahoshi screamed.

XXX

"FATHER~!" Ryuboshi and Manboshi cried while Fukaboshi remained angrily quiet.

The townspeople were just as horrified to see their King in such a state!

"KING NEPTUNE~!" they all screamed.

XXX

Back at the Sea Forest…

"…It was sort of our fault that the King got captured," Nami muttered.

"WHAT DID YOU PEOPLE DO?!" Jimbei questioned.

"Well, it was mostly Zoro's fault," Nami said, sweat-dropping.

"Big Boss, you don't understand!" Camie said. "The Neptune Army attacked them first! They had no choice!"

"It is time to say goodbye to the old Ryugu Kingdom," Hody said with a malicious grin. "In three hours in the Conchcorde Plaza…I will execute this incompetent King!"

Shirahoshi gasped in horror upon hearing this.

"No…!" she whispered.

"And I've found very interesting at Ryugu Palace," Hody said before he revealed…the letter that Queen Otohime had gotten from the World Nobles…as well as the box of petitions that the Neptune Princes have collected over the past ten years. "Ten years ago, Queen Otohime risked her life to get this letter from a Celestial Dragon. Once it's destroyed, it can never be replaced. Also, in this giant box beside me are the signatures of more than half the population of Fishman Island! JAHAHAHAHA! So many! So many fools who want to be friends with the humans! These are the names of those who would defy my new order! In other words…this is a list of TRAITORS!"

XXX

Back on the island, the townspeople gasped in horror.

"You people can stop stepping on the picture now! It's easy to lie and step on Otohime's face! These signatures are concrete proof of whether you're with me or against me!"

"N…no…!" whispered a Ribbon Eel Fishman.

"I will hunt you down…and execute each and every one of you! JAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Hody! Stop this nonsense, right now!" Neptune shouted. "This is abominable-jamon!"

"This is what Kings do, Neptune," said Hody. "To me you were nothing more than a selfish fool!"

XXX

Back at the Sea Forest…

"And last but not least…the Straw Hat Pirates!" Hody exclaimed.

"Hmm?" Luffy hummed, curiously.

"What does that blowhard want with us?" Blizzard asked.

"Look here!"

On the screen…Zoro, Usopp, and Brook are trapped in a cage in a room that is filling up with water!

"I know you're watching this from a monitor somewhere!" Hody said. "These are the humans who thwarted the ambitions of the Arlong Pirates and stirred the rage of the Fishmen!"

"AAH!" Chopper cried. "ZORO! USOPP! BROOK!"

Nami gasped in shock.

"What the hell?!" Sanji questioned.

"They got captured!" Luffy cried.

"Crap!" Blizzard cursed.

"…I don't see Pappug…!" Camie whispered.

"By the time the King has been executed," Hody continued, "this room will be filled to the very top with water! You humans are an inferior race! Fit to be drowned like rats!"

Hody then held up Luffy's wanted poster…with the number now raised to 400 million Berries!

"Straw Hat Luffy with the 400 million on his head! I will take your head, as well as the heads of your crew, and make an example of you to the humans on the surface! Also, as soon as I'm done with you, I'll be reclaiming your navigator, Cat Burglar Nami, in the name of Arlong!"

Nami gasped upon hearing this.

"Now! It's time for the Spring Cleaning of the Old Ryugu Kingdom!" Hody declared. "In three hours, this land will be reborn as the true proud Fishman Island!"

BLIP! The monitor went off, leaving the townspeople horrified.

"This is terrible!"

"What are we gonna do?!"

"They'll kill us all!"

"…I won't let you…!" Fukaboshi hissed, gripping his trident. "Brothers! Come!"

"Yes, Fukaboshi!" Ryuboshi and Manboshi agreed.

XXX

Meanwhile, in Ryugu Palace, the room where Zoro, Usopp, and Brook are trapped in is still flooding with water.

"Oh, crap, crap, CRAP~!" Usopp cried. "The water's rising fast! Zoro, don't just sit there! DO SOMETHING!"

"I will as soon as you unlock these chains," Zoro said.

"Oh, right! I'll use my psychic powers!" Usopp declared before he began to wiggle his nose. "Chains…I command you to unlock!"

…Nothing happens.

"Damn!" Usopp cursed. "If I only had psychic powers."

"Say, Mister Zoro! Mister Usopp!" Brook said, smiling. "Did you notice how those Fishmen reacted when I moved? Oh, it was a ripping good laugh! YOHOHOHOHOHO!"

"IF YOU HAD JUST KEPT PLAYING DEAD, WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS MESS!" Zoro and Usopp barked, glaring at the skeleton.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Brook screamed. "HELP! OH, GOOD HEAVENS, SOMEONE HELP! THEY'RE GOING TO KILL ME! Oh, but wait! I'm already dead! YOHOHOHOHO!"

"Well, at least Nami escaped, right?" Zoro asked. "She'll find Luffy for us and bring him and the others here."

"BUT WHAT'LL HAPPEN IF SHE DOESN'T FIND LUFFY!?" Usopp asked. "Oh, I can just see Robin's face now!" His then took on Robin's calm, almost expressionless face. "I can hear her saying 'I hope Nami hasn't been eaten alive by some Deep Sea fish.'"

"YOHOHOHOHOHO~!" Brook guffawed. "That's Miss Robin to a T!"

"Don't make fun of her!" Zoro barked.

"Huh?" Usopp asked, his face returning to normal. "What's with you?"

"Uh…nothing," Zoro answered, looking away to hide the faint shade of pink on his cheeks.

…I wonder where she is right now, he thought.

XXX

In a deeper part of the Sea Forest…Robin is there, looking at giant Poneglyph.

"It's a bit different from the other Poneglyphs I've read before," Robin said. "This looks almost like some sort of letter…or perhaps an apology. But…who is it apologizing to? Just who are you…Joy Boy?"

XXX

Back in the other part of the Sea Forest where Luffy's group is, everyone is silent after seeing Hody's broadcast. No one seemed to know what to do or what to say…until…

"…Hey."

Everyone looked over at Luffy, whose were hidden under the brim of his hat…but when he lifted his head up, he revealed he was smiling and blushing and rubbing at the back of his head.

"He said my bounty's up to 400 million, now!" Luffy said. "Since when did it go up- OUCH!"

Nami smacked Luffy in the back of his head.

"NOW'S NOT THE TIME FOR THAT, YOU IDIOT!" she barked. "Did you hear what he said?! If he kills you, he's gonna take me away!"

"Oh, yeah! You're right!" Luffy said. "Don't worry, Nami! I won't let him lay a finger on you! I promise!"

"So, it looks like he's trying to pick a fight with us," Sanji said.

"You and Blizzard have become quite famous after the Paramount War two years ago, Luffy," Jimbei said. "Your bounty went up as well, Blizzard. It's now up to 350,000."

That much? Blizzard thought. Not too bad.

"Anyway," Luffy said as he punched a fist into his palm, "if it's a fight that Hody guy wants, it's a fight he'll get! C'mon, Blizzard! Let's roll!"

"Right!" Blizzard agreed.

"Wait a minute, Luffy!" Jimbei called.

Meanwhile, Shirahoshi was still silent…until…

"Father…" she whispered before she put on a look of determination and hopped on Megalo's back. "Megalo! We have to save my Father!"

SHAA-SHAAA~! Megalo growled in agreement.

"Princess! Megalo! Stop right where you are!" Jimbei ordered.

Luffy, Blizzard, Shirahoshi, and Megalo looked at Jimbei.

"But…Big Boss Jimbei!" Shirahoshi said.

"Luffy, Princess Shirahoshi…please, wait a moment!" Jimbei said.

Oh, c'mon! What's the hold up?! Blizzard thought.

"Nyuu~!" Hachi moaned. "I don't think the Princess should go, either."

"The thing Hody fears most in the Ryugu Kingdom is Shirahoshi's ability," Jimbei explained. "It would be futile for him to mold Fishman Island into his ideal nation if you could just summon the Sea Kings to destroy it."

"Holding the King hostage is a way to prevent you from doing that!" Hachi pointed out. "Nyuu~! Hody wouldn't even think about taking the Princess hostage in order to use her power for himself. The very power itself scares him to death. He joined forces with that Vander Decken guy because he can strike her own at any time he wanted!"

"I have heard of this power of mine," Shirahoshi said, "but I've never truly spoken to any of these Sea Kings. I'm not entirely sure if it really exists."

"I see," said Jimbei. "In that case, make sure Hody doesn't find out. We want him to believe that you can use it."

Shirahoshi nodded in agreement.

"Hey, Shark! Take me and Blizzard to Ryugu Palace!" Luffy said.

SHAA! Megalo cried.

"Sanji, you take care of Wimpy!" Luffy said.

"WHOO-HOO!" Sanji cheered before he gave Luffy a high-five. "Leave it to me."

"Luffy! Didn't you hear me?!" Jimbei questioned. "I said wait!"

"What now?!" Luffy asked.

"I cannot allow you and your crew to fight Hody!" Jimbei said.

"What?!" Luffy questioned.

"Are you kidding me?!" Blizzard asked in disbelief.

"…Is it because we're human?" asked Chopper and Franky.

"YOU TWO MAKE THINGS COMPLICATED WHEN YOU SAY THAT!" Sanji snapped.

"That's right," Jimbei replied. "Many Fishmen still harbor hatred towards humankind. So, I implore you, let me handle this!"

A pause.

"…No," Luffy answered.

"What?!" Jimbei questioned.

"Jimbei…I'm sorry," Luffy said as he placed a hand on his hand, "but I can't do that! Hody's got my friends, and if I don't do something, Zoro, Usopp, Brook, and everyone else will be in danger, and Nami will get taken away and be forced to make maps for Hody! I'm going, and if you wanna stop me, then you'll fight me first!"

"Luffy!" Nami cried.

"Is he crazy!?" Moon asked.

"Oh, relax, Moon," Blizzard said, "and I know that Jimbei probably wouldn't fight Luffy."

"…I fought alongside you, Luffy," Jimbei said as he cracked his knuckles, "so I misjudged. You really are Ace's little brother…but if you refuse to listen to reason, then you leave me no choice!"

"…Wouldn't fight him, eh?" Moon asked, inquisitively.

"Hey…I've been wrong before," Blizzard said, chuckling nervously.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Yes, I know. I'm late with this one, but let me explain. I was busy working on the One Piece X Soul Eater crossover special, but luckily, I managed to get this one, and I plan to get more up soon!

Anyway, review please!