Fifty One – To Cocoyashi Village! Where the Mad Chase Began

The trip took longer than planned – sixteen days. The winds weren't exactly in our favor and we came upon a mild storm (though to my eyes which had never before beheld a storm at sea, it was a violent, terrible maelstrom). Jeff had fallen off the boat during the storm and I was almost sure that was the end of him, but he had little trouble getting back on board. He laughed when I looked so startled. "Aww, were you worried about me, bro?" He jeered later.

I punched him in the arm and told him, slightly embarrassed, " 'Course not. I was worried about my ride."

We also stopped here and there a couple times to catch fish, as well as sell them in nearby ports. As I had helped with the work, I was entitled to a cut of the profits, Jeff said. I was more than appreciative of this; having not a Berry to my name was a problem.

Near the end of the trip we stopped at a ship restaurant, the name of which I can't recall, for a quick bite to eat. They were in the middle of repair work but were still serving customers and were more than glad to have us, as business had been extremely rough lately. Jeff had a hell of an appetite, eating ate several plates' worth. I on the other hand didn't have the money to be spending that wildly on anything, so I didn't order much.

"That all you're gonna eat, bro?" Jeff said with a mouthful of broccoli. All the other patrons of the restaurant had their eyes turned in the direction of the fishman.

"A martial artist's got to stay in shape." I replied.

"You're a martial artist? No way, bro! You gotta show me some moves sometime!" I did just that the last couple days on the voyage. I showed him the basics of the basics – mainly proper exercise routines, but I did briefly mention to him how to correctly throw a punch to get more power out of it.

When we finally arrived amidst the Konomi Islands the moon was high in the sky, shining down over the silver reflections in the ocean. It was not long after, on the coast of one of the islands far in the distance, that a settlement could be made out. As we came closer we saw it to be a quaint, little port village. There was only one street with a row of two-story buildings on either side, and at the end was a small dock overlooking the bay. The vegetation was all tropical, palm trees and small bushes and what-not.

We didn't spy any sign fortress of Arlong's, but Jeff was sure this was the right place. "Would you hate me if I let you off back here instead of at the village?" He said. We were a good half-mile or so away from the shore.

"That's fine." I told him. That's actually better than fine – this way they won't be ready for me.

"Sorry bro, it's just… I left the gang on not the best of terms, you know?" I didn't really care about his past, but still I never told him exactly why I was after Arlong.

"I understand." I replied. "Thanks again for the ride, I owe you."

He shook his hand in front of him. "No, remember? You owe my bro Hody now. It's outta my hands." Right. Hody. Whatever.

I nodded, then secured all my things tightly to my belt and dove into the water. I could hear Jeff saying his last goodbyes as I swam off towards the island, but I was already too preoccupied in thought to pay him attention anymore. This is it, Aki… There's no goin' back now. This is the moment you trained all your life for! My mind was set. When I came unto the village dock, I looked around from just below the surface of the water to scout around. There was nobody on the dock, just a small fishing boat harbored, but I did see people further in town. Not many though, as it was the dead of night; only three or four sitting around. Things look peaceful, but Jeff said Arlong took this whole village over years ago. Which begs the question: do the people here work with him or against him? I'd reckon a bunch a' humans under the rule of a fishman leader, especially one who's got a track record a' genocide, would have some anger riled up inside 'em. If that's the case, then maybe I can turn 'em against him. But if it ain't, and they're in a position they like, I might need to get rough with 'em. Either way, I head in strong and assertive. But first, I oughta get some sleep. Too late to do anythin' now and I'm too tuckered out. I sunk down a few yards to the bottom of the coastal floor and found a sandy spot free of any underwater creepy crawlies where I could get a good night's rest before the inevitable confrontation tomorrow.


The next morning came later than usual; it was not long until noon when I was aroused out of sleep. I wasted no time once I was awake. After readying myself one last time I dove down a bit, then darted back upwards and broke through the surface with a loud burst of water, landing on the dirt road just past the docks.

I instantly garnered the attention of all the townsfolk who were outside in the area. Doing a quick scan to find the nearest person, I found an unimpressive young man my age who had been carrying a barrel in the direction of the dock. Without any delay, I stormed up to him. "Where's Arlong?" I demanded to know, looking down upon him. A powerful wind blew across us, tossing his shaggy hair about.

His expression turned to fear, as did some of those nearby. He tried to make a response, but had lost the ability to form any words. "Tch." I scoffed, and turned to the others. "I'll repeat myself. Where is Arlong?"

" 'Where's Arlong'?" A gritty voice repeated. I turned in its direction to see an aged human in a brown uniform and cap approaching. All along his face, arms, and legs were long, thin scars. This fella's a fighter. Watch yourself, Aki. "You got some guts asking that."

"Is that so? You sayin' you're gonna stand against me then, old man?" I said with an intimidating sneer, moving myself into position for a fight.

The man did the same, brandishing a saber. "I failed to defend this village once from your kind. Never again!"

Wait, huh? What's he on about? I had no time to think it over as he was quickly on the attack, moving at me with his saber overhead, ready to bring it down upon me. I dodged to the side, leaving the blade clean. "W-Wait, wait!" I stammered. "Hold on just a minute!"

"I will not!" Came his response, followed by another attack.

"Just wait!" I repeated, taking a couple steps away from him. The townsfolk were cheering the man on. "What do you mean 'my kind'!? Are you talkin' about Arlong?"

"Of course! You fishfolk think you can waltz right in here and do whatever you please? Well I won't stand for it!" He came at me with his blade at his side, readying a horizontal slice, but I moved in close and grabbed his arm tight, immobilizing it.

"Just wait a second! If you're so against Arlong, why are you fightin' me?" I asked.

Thinking back, it really was a stupid question. "Are you not an ally of his?" He growled.

The words instilled a fierce rage in me. "Hell no I ain't!" I yelled to his face. "I came here to murder the bastard, not join him!"

A few of the townsfolk gasped. I felt the muscles in the man's arm loosen just a bit. "Why in the world…? Why would a fishwoman want to…?" He murmured.

"Does that matter!? Look, if you got so much anger in you against the man, then join forces with me and we can take him down together!" I exclaimed in a burst of passion.

I loosened my grip on the man. He slipped out of my hand and took a step back. With a quick, single laugh, he sheathed his saber and told me "You're too late."

"Too late?" I repeated.

"Arlong's already long gone." He explained.

I gasped. "What!? What d'you mean? Did he pack up and leave? Did he flee?"

The man reached under his hat and scratched his scalp. "No, nothing like that. I mean someone already beat you to the punch and defeated him." They what!? Who!? When!? "It's a long story. Follow me inside and I'll tell you."

Though hesitant to follow the man who had just swung a sword at me, I walked behind him into a café of sorts. Naturally, I stole the attention of the few who were already inside. "And just who the hell are you?" A woman exclaimed. Though her expression was furious, I still found myself in a swoon over her lovely visage. She had a gorgeous tan complexion, with big eyes and lush lips that shined in the electric light. Her hair, trimmed just to her chin, was a lilac hue near the color of my skin, which she kept pulled back with a dark red bandana.

"Madam!" I exclaimed, entirely forgetting who I was following here. "I am no one, madam! A blank slate, ready and willin' to be whatever your maiden heart desires!" Her anger turned to repulsion. "Madam…?" I said. "Do I offend? It ain't the accent, is it?"

She didn't reply; instead the scarred man did. "I think you'd offend just about anyone here after what we've been through." I turned to him. He had sat down in a plain wooden chair, leaning his folded hands on the hilt of his saber's sheath "Have a seat. I'll tell you everything that's happened."

He relayed the events that had transpired there the past decade at this Cocoyashi Village. It was a peaceful place until eight years ago, when Arlong and his newly-formed crew came in and single-handedly took ownership of the island. In preparation for a vast conquest of East Blue he set up a base of operations here and imposed a tax on the people just for living. A nearby town outright refused to pay back when he first arrived, and Arlong had the entire place leveled. It was a ridiculous amount as well: a hundred thousand Berries for an adult, and fifty thousand for children. The mother of Nojiko, the woman with the lilac hair, was murdered just because she couldn't pay. In addition, Namizou, who I came to learn was Nojiko's sister (brother?) was forced to act as his navigator, under a pipedream of a deal that if a total of a hundred-million Berries were raised, he would set the town free. Arlong was every bit as cruel as I'd imagined him to be, and it instilled a rage in me just hearing the things he'd done after he left the Sun Pirates. But if what they say is true, and he's been here for the past eight years, then it ain't him who attacked the dojo. That complicates things…

It wasn't until just a few days ago, when Namizou returned from another one of his regular excursions to go thieve treasure away from pirates that things changed. The pirates he infiltrated this time were the newly-created Straw Hat pirates, and their captain, the young Monkey D. Luffy, wasn't willing to part with his navigator, even if he himself wished to. He fought dearly for him, even almost losing his life in the process, but in the end it was Monkey who ended Arlong and saved this village from his tyranny.

"And this all happened just a few days ago?" I asked, once his story was over.

The man, whose name was Genzo, mayor and sheriff of Cocoyashi Village, nodded as he took a sip from a freshly brewed cup of green tea. "So much has happened it's seemed over a month, but yes – if you had arrived here a week ago you would have found the man you're after." Damn it, Jeff! We just had to take all them stops, didn't we?

Nojiko joined in the conversation. "Just why are you after him anyway, Miss… uh…"

"Aki, Madam! Aki Sinagra!" I said, snatching her hand in mine to plant a kiss on. She snatched it back before I could, and we both pretended that didn't just happen. "Well, you see… ah, how to put it briefly… Ya'll ain't the only ones he's done a great deal of harm to."

"Hm? But Arlong was a supremacist. He viewed fishfolk as the superior species; why would he do anything to you?" Nojiko argued.

"It wasn't just to me, Madam. My entire hometown suffered because a' what he and the Sun Pirates did. Just like that place you mentioned, Mr. Genzo – Gosa, was it? The entire city, razed to the ground. Not a soul left to remember it but me. So that," I stood up, "is why it bugs me that someone else got to him first."

"Well then…" began Mr. Genzo, "what are you going to do? Follow after Luffy?"

Why d'they all call him by his last name? Fella must be an important person. I nodded to the old man. "I don't think my conscience'll be satisfied if I don't. Did he mention where he was headed next?"

"Loguetown." Nojiko answered.

"That nearby?"

The patrons of the café exchanged glances. "You've never heard of Loguetown?" Said a man who'd been listening to us talk.

"I… ain't from around here. It's a big city, then?"

"It's where the Pirate King was born," said Mr. Genzo, "and where he died."

"The Pirate… King?" I replied.

"Oh come now!" Nojiko exclaimed. "You must've heard of the Pirate King, haven't you? Gold Roger?"

The name was new to me. In a stubborn fit of shame I turned my head, puffed up my cheeks, and kept my mouth shut. That was the end of the conversation; I ordered a tea and drank it in peace. Or I was drinking it in peace until my presence became known throughout the village, and a number of people, mostly children, came to the café to see me. Despite being under the rule of a despotic fishman for eight years, they had never once seen a fishwoman, and also had trouble believing someone of my species wasn't here to enslave them or cause mayhem or what-not. "Guess I'm an oddball, then." I told one kid.

"Nothing wrong with that." Mr. Genzo replied, reentering the café. In his hand he held a large, dusty blue hat. It had a large brim and the top was pointed. "Here, try this on." He said, tossing it my way. I caught it with a tentacle, inspected it for a second, then plopped it atop my head. Surprisingly, it was a snug fit. "You may not have ill intentions, kid, but people won't know that at first glance. If I were you, I'd hide my heritage." I had to agree with him. I'd thought about it in the past, but up until now, I had no idea just how to do it; the shape of my head was a dead giveaway. However, looking in the mirror, I was astonished. The natural pointiness of the hat made me look almost human. "Not enough, though. You'll need to cover up your face."

"Ooh! Ooh! I know!" One of the kids perked up. "Wait right here!" He made a mad sprint out of the café, coming back not more than a minute later with something in his hand. He held it out to me, a thing I'd never seen before.

"What's this?" I asked, looking the strange thing over.

"They're goggles! You put 'em over your head like this!" Fearlessly he approached me from behind and removed the hat still atop my head, then strapped the goggles over my eyes and around the back of my head. When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to find I could still see just fine through them.

"That's cool!" I exclaimed. The kid had a proud smile on his face and I found myself beaming as well. I stuck the hat back atop my head. "Think this'll do?" I asked Mr. Genzo.

It was Nojiko who answered. "Not quite. Here, I have an idea." She reached up to her head and pulled off the dark red bandana, letting her bangs loose to fall by her face. "Tie this around the rest of your face."

I gasped. Outside of Natsu, I don't think a beautiful woman had ever given me anything other than the cold shoulder. With trembling hands I accepted the gift. Before tying it around my face I took a moment of guilty pleasure to breathe in the scent of the fabric. It smells like… like tangerines… Oh, I think I'm in love! I stood, gave a bow, and said "Madam, I shall keep this most gracious gift on me at all times!"She rolled her eyes.

"What do you say? You think that's enough?" Said Mr. Genzo.

"I don't know… ya'll seem to be havin' fun using me for dress-up." I joked.

The old man laughed. "It's the least I can do to apologize for greeting you with a blade."

"Well I certainly appreciate it all." I replied courteously. "But I'm afraid I really do need to go and catch up with this Monkey fella." The kids all made a simultaneous 'Aww…'

"You do what you have to do." Mr. Genzo said. "But I wonder; how do you plan on getting to Loguetown?"

I stammered for a moment. I thought to say something, but didn't have an answer.

"Do you even know how to get there?" He continued.

Nojiko gently smacked him in the back of the head. "You know ol' Charlie's setting sail for Loguetown today."

"Gahaha!" Mr. Genzo chuckled. "I know, I know! I just wanted to mess with her for a bit first!"

I sighed at the old man. "Am I to assume I should talk with whoever owns that fishin' boat at the dock?"

They answered with a nod. "You'd better hurry though." Said Nojiko. "That'd be rotten luck if he's already left."

With a bow, I thanked her again. "A thousand thanks, Madam! And everyone else too!"

As I walked away from the café Nojiko exited as well, and from the doorway shouted out to me "Oh, and if you ever see my sister, Nami, tell her I said hi! Orange hair, tattoo on her shoulder, can't miss her!"

A couple of the kids joined her. "Say hi for me, too!"

I assured them all I would and waved good-bye. When I approached the dock, a frail, old man was at the boat, untying the ropes. I'd never seen him in the village, and I doubt he'd seen me. "Something I can help you with there, sir?" He said.

'Sir'? Does he think…? …Oh goodness, this might be interestin'. "Folks here tell me you're headed to Loguetown." I said.

"That's right." He replied. "What, you looking for a ride?"

"Sure am."

"Well, as long as you've got the Berries, I'll take you to Loguetown."

I reached into my newly acquired leather bag at my waist, when I realized something horrible. I left all my money on Jeff's boat the previous night, counting it up before we arrived and my attention was stolen away! Instead of instantly freaking out I lied and told him I had the means to pay him. I'll figure this little problem out later.

"Hop aboard then, sir."

I was just about to when a loud gust of wind rushed in from behind me and sent a shiver running through me. As luck would have it, thrown on the dock was a large olive-brown cloth. I picked it up to find it was the perfect size for a cloak. In one fluid motion, I threw the cloth over my shoulders, letting it drape down my back, then fastened it in place at my chest. I was about to move my tentacles out from underneath it when I remembered: I'm tryin' to hide that I'm fishfolk. So instead I reached back with my hands and pulled them out. Annoyin', but necess'ry.

When I was on the boat and the old man finally was done readying to set sail, we left Cocoyashi Village. I sat in a chair on the small deck, calming my mind, relaxing myself to get rid of the anxious tension that had been in me since yesterday. This sure has been a queer turn of events. Here I finally find the lair of one a' my enemies, and someone just beat me to the punch! Arlong musta been a strong customer; I wonder just what kind of human could defeat him. Did he have a Devil's Fruit? Maybe he's just really strong. Well, whatever the case, I'm sure he must be an amazin' person, this Monkey D. Luffy! And he'd best be ready, because I'm comin' for him!

-End of Volume Four-