Bel was still cooking the meal not realising that at the front door was Arlong and his men. Arlong was approach the door and immediately began to knock.
"Oh, they're here," Bel smiled.
However, Bel then noticed something was odd neither Astrid nor Astra were rushing inside. She then looked out of the window and saw several shadows standing outside on the porch.
Outside, Arlong was still waiting for someone to answer the door, but no one did. He then knocked once again and waited for the response.
"It's open, come in," said Bel's voice.
"Why thanks," said Arlong and pushed open the door.
However, when he stepped inside he found the place was completely deserted, but he saw that some food was being cooked on the cooker and there was no sign of the voice. Then suddenly Bel's foot appeared rather nowhere and struck him in the head knocking him backwards. Arlong was knocked backwards and Bel emerge from the door holding a rifle in her hand. She then quickly placed the rifle between his jaws aiming straight down at the back of his throat.
"I guess you weren't expecting a former Marine," said Bel looking down at him. Bel was fully aware of his identity after seeing so many posters of him when she was with the Navy. "Now what would a pirate from the Grand Line ones with Leefside village?"
However, she then noticed that the Fishmen weren't alarmed and in fact they were actually laughing.
"What's so funny?" Bel demanded.
Arlong too began to laugh and then suddenly slammed his jaws right on the rifle smashing it to bits. Bel looked at what remained of her rifle in shock, she had totally underestimated the jaw strength of Arlong.
Arlong smirked at her. "You foolish… stupid… empty… worthless… all of you humans, you have no strength to speak of."
Astrid and Astra were nearing the house running down the opposite lane that Arlong and his pirates took. Unfortunately, the path they took was far more direct meaning that the pirates got there before them. However they had no knowledge of this has all they could think about was rescuing their foster mother.
"We'll help her to escape through the back door," said Astrid.
"What is the pirates are already there?" Astra asked.
"It'll be okay."
However before they could reach the house the Doctor appeared out of nowhere and immediately pulled the two of them away.
"Stop!" he yelled.
"Doctor!" Astrid cried.
"You can't go back home," he said.
The two girls immediately looked at him in shock.
"But we have to save Bel!" Astrid yelled.
The Doctor removed his glasses and look to the two of them. "Astra. Astrid. Quiet and listen to me, there will be times, times in life like this moment now when you have to learn the truth no matter how hard it is to take."
"Doctor?" Astrid stared.
They then heard Bel's screams coming from the house, Arlong had just slammed his foot on top of her arm breaking it.
"Bel no!" Astrid cried and the Doctor had to hold her back.
Arlong then slammed it down on her broken arm once again causing her to scream even louder. He wasn't through with her just yet he began putting pressure on her arm and she gritted her teeth.
'It's no use,' she said to herself fighting back the screams. 'These guys are real monsters, I'm going to die. Astra. Astrid.'
"Bel!" Goodwin's voice yelled. "Don't waste your life because your stubborn fool. There's no reason for this fights so long as it can be resolved with a simple exchange of money!"
Bel winced as she looked at him.
"Just pay the money and I'll stop," said Arlong. "Our hundred thousand for each adult and 50 for each kid, if any. If you can pay for your whole family, I would gladly spell your lives."
"Family," she said weakly.
Goodwin then immediately approached and turned her on her back. "How much money do you have?" he whispered. "You need two hundred thousand."
"I don't have it, I'm not even close," she said weakly.
"Hey, the table was set for three in here," said Octron.
Goodwin grimaced, because if they realise that she had two children and she was good as dead.
Arlong smiled. "A family of three."
"It's for me and my friend," said Goodwin. Arlong looked at him. "We were supposed to have a nice dinner tonight, before you came." He then extended a hand to Bel. "Come Bel, I know that you've made something wonderful. Pay them before our food gets cold."
"Goodwin?" Bel blinked.
"Just pay the pirates and then they'll leave us alone," he whispered. "Now everyone is safe."
Seablade had managed to acquire documents of everyone in the village, they detailed the registry list and how many people lived with who.
"It's true," he said looking at the papers. "The village registry shows record of her not marrying or giving birth. She's always been single."
The Doctor was informing Astrid and Astra of their plan to save them and Bel.
"Listen, there's no way that the pirates will ever find out about you," he explained. "But you have to leave this island immediately and don't ever look back. It's the only way for all three of you to survive, we can't afford it any other way. You're much too young to be at sea alone, but you've survived before and if there's even a chance—"
"No," Astrid cried. "I don't want to. Why do we have to leave, they're the ones that came here? I want to stay at this village, it's because we're poor that's why we can't stay together. Why? Why can't they just go away?"
"Fine, we'll leave this island," said Astra.
Astrid stared at her. "Astra?"
"We have to leave or Bel will die," said Astra as she began to walk down the road.
Arlong and his pirates were beginning to leave as she had just paid them 10,000, but Bel was looking quite grim.
"Wait," she said and Arlong and his men stopped. "Who says I was paying for me?"
Goodwin's eyes widened.
"That money I gave up was for my two daughters, but I can't pay you."
Goodwin stared at her. "What are you doing?"
"It's okay," she said softly. "I have to do this for my family, even if it costs me my life."
Astrid, Astra and the Doctor had heard everything and were completely horrified.
"Stupid girl," said the Doctor.
"It's true the three of us aren't related by blood, but we're family," said Bel. "All I ever wanted was to be their mother and now I can be."
"Bel!" Astrid and Astra cried and rushed towards the house before the Doctor could stop them.
"I was lying, Bel!" Astrid cried as she ran towards Bel.
The two girls then immediately hugged Bel for what they knew to be the last time and buried their tearful faces into her chest. Bel then placed her arms around them, ignoring the pain in her broken arm, around them and began to cry herself.
"Don't cry girls," said Bel. "I wish I could have… I could have provided for you better. I wish, I could have been a better mother to the both of you."
"Don't say that!" Astra cried.
"We don't need anything just don't die!" Astrid begged.
"Don't leave us!"
"We need you!"
Bel smiled at Astrid. "You don't need me anymore, you're strong… stronger than I could ever be." She then placed a hand on Astrid's head. "Just go and make your dreams come true… for me."
"Bel, no!" Astrid cried.
Arlong looked down at Bel. "So these are your daughters."
Astrid and Astra looked at Arlong and his Fishmen with utter terror, but Bel remains strong then looked at Arlong in the eyes.
"That's right," Bel nodded. "And you have to promise me that you'll leave them alone."
"No problem, as long as you die like a good girl," Arlong assured coldly.
Goodwin then immediately pulled out a pair of pistols from out of nowhere and fired directly at Arlong. However, Seablade jumped in and blocked the bullets with his fins and then drew a sword and struck Goodwin.
To make matters worse the rest of the village had taken up arms and were now charging at the Fishmen.
Arlong looked at them. "Well, then. Don't kill them boys, just teach them a lesson." He then made his way over towards Bel. "Now to set an example."
Bel rose to her feet and then immediately pushed Astrid and Astra towards the house with as much power as she could muster.
"You ready to die?" Arlong asked pulling out a pistol.
The Fishmen were beating up the villages without breaking a sweat, they might outnumber them, but the Fishmen were evidently more powerful.
Arlong pointed the pistol directly at Bel's heart.
"Astra. Astrid. I love you," she smiled at them.
Arlong then pulled the trigger and the sound of a gunshot could be heard across the entire island. Everyone's eyes widened in shock as Bel's body fell onto the ground covered in blood and as she fell memories began to flow into their minds.
"You just never learn, do you?" said Goodwin as he carried Astrid away.
"Let go! Or else you'll be sorry!" Astrid yelled and then she immediately punched him across the face.
Bel began scolding Astrid and Astra from fighting with a couple of kids.
"You made a boy cry?" Bel blinked.
"He made me mad," Astra grumbled.
"Oh, it's okay," said the boy's mother. "Kids will be kids."
"He said that your tangerines suck," said Astrid.
"He what?" Bel yelled and punched the boy on top of the head.
"Bel!" the boy's mother yelled.
Mrs Ingerman and Bel were sitting down the table as they watched the two girls and Fishlegs playing with one another.
"It's nice to see that your daughters can actually make friends," said Mrs Ingerman.
Bel smiled. "Though I wish she had more."
"Baby she didn't take after you as much she would," Mrs Ingerman chuckled.
'Never give up,' said Bel. 'You must find the strength inside of you to always move on. You must live through every moment and if you can smile in the face of it all that is the greatest strength.'
"Bel!" Astrid and Astra cried.
Arlong merely laughed. "While I'm in charge, those without money will die!" He then looked at the villages that were lying down on the ground. "Now do you understand me you worms!"
Mrs Ingerman was flat on the ground, still alive, but barely able to move. Octron then noticed something in her pocket and immediately pulled it out.
"What's this?" he said as he opened it up. "A map?"
"No!" Fishlegs cried appearing out of nowhere.
Fishlegs must have followed the villagers when they were making their way to Bel's house.
"That's my map, I drew it! You can't have it!" Fishlegs yelled.
"A child drew this?" said Arlong taking the map.
"Give it back!" Fishlegs demanded.
The Doctor had to hold him back. "Fishlegs, don't."
"Very good," said Arlong noting the excellent detail on the map. "He could be useful, bring him with us."
"Right," said Octron grabbing Fishlegs.
Astrid glared at them and immediately charged at Octron. "You leave him alone!"
She then kicked Octron hard in the leg and he cried out in pain. "Ow!" He then grabbed Astrid with one of his free arms. "This one's got quite a bit of spirit. She certainly strong for child her age."
Arlong looked intrigued. "Then bring her along as well."
"Let them go!" Astra yelled grabbing hold of Octron.
Goodwin then immediately blocked their path with a sword in his hand. "Wait, you promised to hurt anyone if you got your money."
"Right, I won't hurt them, I'm just borrowing them for while," said Arlong.
"Goodwin, help us!" Fishlegs pleaded.
"I won't let you take them!" Goodwin roared.
"Seablade," said Arlong.
Seablade appeared rather nowhere and immediately swung his sword striking Goodwin with very deep cuts. Goodwin cried out in pain, but he stayed upright on his 2 feet and refused to fall over.
"Goodwin! Goodwin! Goodwin!" Astrid cried.
Astra released Octron in shock and she couldn't believe what had just happened.
"I'll save you two," Goodwin promised. "I won't let you go."
"No, please, it's okay. You don't need to save us!" Astrid cried.
"Enough of this!" said Seablade as he raised his sword.
"I will save you," Goodwin promised.
Seablade then knocks him with the butt of his swords and everything went black.
"Please, no more killing!" Astrid pleaded.
Later that day, the Doctor's hospital was filled with wounded and Goodwin was in serious condition. The town had been completely wrecked along with every one of their ships and make matters worse the Arlong Pirates didn't look as if they were going to leave any time soon.
"All of our ships have been sunk," the Doctor informed Goodwin. "I'm afraid our plan to have Astrid and Astra estate through the sea was…"
"A bad plan," Goodwin finished. He soon realised why Bel told Arlong about her daughters, was because she anticipated the destruction of the ships. "The Marines won't bother trying to save us, we've lost our island."
"Bel knew that this would happen," said the Doctor regretfully. "Her experience with the Marines taught her what all these creatures are capable of. She knew that none of us would escape."
With what little timber they had they were able to create a funeral pyre for Bel and sent her body out to sea. Astra had created a landmark that overlooked the sea where they perform the funeral and she was crying her eyes out, neither Astrid nor Fishlegs had returned.
"They've taken Astrid," Astra cried. "What am I supposed to do now Bel?"
The next morning, Goodwin had gathered the villages as they began to discuss how to deal with the Fishmen. He still hadn't fully recovered and was covered with bandages, but that didn't stop them from going into battle.
"We all know where Arlong and his crew are," said the Doctor looking at everyone. "It looks like the going to settle right here on this island, it's time to decide. We can fight to the death right now all we can take a chance at the Marines will someday come to save us and hope and pray that we don't get killed before then. Your choice."
"Only Marine Headquarters stands a chance against them," said Goodwin and everyone looked at him. "But they have their hands filled with the Grand Line, the chances that they will come all the way out here for us is as good as zero. But I can't just sit here and abandon Astrid and Fishlegs. We must fight!"
"I'm in, I can't just stand by and do nothing when a couple of kids are in danger. Now who else is going to come forward and fight beside us?"
One by one villages began to voice their opinions and they were all in agreement, they were going to fight.
Astra was among the villages and she began to remember what Bel said that waiting and eventually good things would come their way. She then heard a familiar pair of footsteps and immediately turned around, her eyes widened as Astrid and Fishlegs were making their way towards them.
"Astrid! Fishlegs!" Astra cried.
Everyone immediately looked up.
"Astrid? Fishlegs?"
"You're okay!"
Astra didn't waste any time and immediately hugged her sister. "You're okay, both of you."
Mrs Ingerman immediately hugged her son. "Did they hurt you, son?"
However, the two of them remain completely silent.
"What's the matter?" Astra asked.
"We're joining the Arlong Pirates," said Astrid quietly.
"Huh?" Astra stared.
"We're joining Arlong's crew," Astrid repeated loud enough for everyone to hear. "We're joining the Arlong Pirates, Fishlegs will get to be a navigator and I get to see the world."
Everyone just stared at her and looked at Fishlegs, who remain completely quiet.
"What in the world are you talking about?" Goodwin asked with a small laugh. He then approached the two of them, but not before looking at Astra and Fishlegs. "Stand back." He then placed two hands on their shoulders and looked at them. "Did they threaten to do something terrible to you? Please, tell me."
"No," said Astrid.
"They must have done something!" Goodwin yelled.
Astrid immediately cried and shook her head. "No!"
"Tell me the truth!" Goodwin demanded.
"Let go!" Astrid demanded and pushed him back. She then looked at everyone defiantly and then held out some money. "Look at this, they gave us all this money. They said that they would buy us anything we want."
Astra then suddenly tackled her to the ground. "No! I will never forgive you if you join them!" She then looked at Fishlegs. "Both of you!" She then looked down and Astrid. "Don't you understand they killed Bel in front of us, she died to keep us safe! I won't forgive you… never. You're not my sister!"
"Who cares?" Astrid yelled. "Why would I want to live like Bel if it gets me killed? I don't want to die like that!"
Everyone just remain completely quiet.
"How could you two do this?" Astra cried. "Bel… Bel gave her life so that you and I can go on living! Together!"
"That's enough, Astra," said Goodwin. He then turned his back on Astrid and Fishlegs. "Just get out of here! Never set foot in this village again!"
Astrid picked herself up and then she and Fishlegs walked out of the village, without saying a word.
"Astrid! Fishlegs!" Astra cried.
Goodwin couldn't believe what was going on. 'I don't understand. How could she betray her family like that from money, Bel was like her mother? And why would Fishlegs go along with it, I know that he wants to be a navigator, but why sign up with a bunch of ruthless barbarians?'
Astra looked at the villages and saw that they were looking a bit conflicted as well, even Mrs Ingerman.
"Astrid loves Bel, I know she did and Fishlegs would never join up with a bunch of bloodthirsty pirates," she frowned.
Later that night, Astrid and Fishlegs were at Bel's marker. Astra found them sitting there, confirming her original thoughts.
"Hey," said Astrid knowing that Astra was looking at them. "Didn't Bel always say, 'good things will always come your way as long as you continue to live?' Lots of good things."
Astrid was still bit shaken up and Fishlegs decided to explain their actions. "After Arlong took us, we watched him sink five Marine ships like they were toys, I don't think they'll send any more. We're on our own. That's when Astrid decided to do something about it, she made a deal with Arlong to buy Leefside Village from him."
Astra looked at Astrid. "Buy Leefside Village? How?"
"For a 100 million Gil," said Astrid. "If I buy the town we will be free, no one else will die and all we have to do is join his crew and Fishlegs will draw maps."
"But a hundred million Gil?" Astra stared at them. "You can't earn that work in your whole life."
"We will get that money, no matter what," said Astrid strongly. "People are having a hard enough time paying their own tribute so we have to do this alone. If anyone tries to help us, they'll just get hurt."
Astra looked at them. "Won't it be hard?"
"Yeah," Astrid nodded.
"Living with the people that killed our mother?"
"I'll be okay, I have Fishlegs."
Fishlegs nodded. "We'll look after one another."
"Fishlegs will just remain quiet and I'll have a smile on my face every time we see him," said Astrid looked out to sea with a determined look. "I will buy our freedom, no matter what."
Astra just stood then began to cry, knowing that the two of them were going to have a long hard struggle.
Astra finished telling her story to Ragnar and the others and they just sat there quiet.
"To make a choice like that when you're only 10 and 9 years old you know how hard that must have been?" Astra asked.
"All to save the village she loves so much," said Ragnar looking down at the ground and shaking his head.
Snotlout yelled at the top of his voice. "I'm going to kick that murderous Arlong in the butt!" Astra then immediately punched him in the arm. "Ow, why did you do that?"
"Because I'm telling you to stay out of it, if you go around saying that you're their friend their going to be suspicious of them," said Astra. "And then the eight years of suffering would have been for nothing. Don't make it harder than it already is, they have to fight alone. Knowing that there are people that call them friends only makes the suffering worse."
Unbeknownst to them the twins had been listening to the entire conversation and were at the brink of tears.
Astra began to remember when Astrid and Fishlegs began stealing from pirates, they could not have been more than 13 and 12 years old. She remembered that every time they came back to the island they were covered in cuts and bruises dealing with pirates they stole from. They had been risking their lives for eight years to earn the money they need to buy back the village.
Astrid and Fishlegs were still sitting in Astra's house smiling, knowing that one more good hollow they would be able to buy back the village.
"Just 7 million left," Astrid smiled.
Fishlegs nodded. "Soon this nightmare will be over, we just need one more big job."
Astrid agreed. "Arlong's rule will be over and Leefside village will be free, we will be free, and maybe then I can finally be able to smile again for real."
Hiccup was making his way through Leefside Village and that's when he noticed that the villages were looking up at something. Hiccup then saw Goodwin leading a bunch of marines his way much to his surprise.
"What are the Marines doing here?" Hiccup wondered.
Goodwin looked at Captain Rattus. "Why did the Marines want Astrid and Fishlegs?"
Rattus chuckled slightly. "Your job is to lead the way, quietly."
Hiccup looked at them as they walked past. "Why would the Marines be so interested in Astrid and Fishlegs when Arlong is on the island?" His eyes then widened when realisation struck him. "Of course, I shouldn't be surprised those two are worth more than the island."
Astrid and Fishlegs exited the house to stretch their legs and there about to set off into the sea once more.
"Just one more job and it'll all be over," Astrid smiled.
"Let's get to it," said Fishlegs.
That's when they noticed Marines approaching the porch, much to their surprise.
'Marines?' Astrid stared.
Fishlegs noticed Goodwin among them. 'Why's Goodwin with them?'
Rattus smiled at the two of them. "Are you the pirate thieves known as Astrid and Fishlegs?" Astrid and Fishlegs looked at one another wondering what was going on. "According to our investigation, you have buried a good number of planted treasure somewhere in this tangerine grove."
Astrid, Fishlegs and Goodwin's eyes widened when they realised what the Marines were doing here.
"Now you stole from pirates so we have no intention of arresting you, but theft is theft," Rattus smiled viciously. "Therefore as of this moment, stolen goods become the sole property of the Government. Now handed all over."
Astrid and Fishlegs just stood there horrified, because all the work they had done over eight years was going to be all for nothing.