Chapter 15:Protect our Family

"RIPTIDE," Nami screamed as she ran to her fallen son.

"Mother, wait!" Destiny and Long were less than a heartbeat behind her.

Tarlong was overwhelmed by the sudden events that quickly became a living nightmare. The bearded saw tooth started to wonder if he was dreaming, but he knew he wasn't, not after that whale shark, Leviathan started toward his newfound family. "The hell you are, you bastard', he thought going for the sawed-off shotgun that he had strapped to his right leg. He didn't care if they had just arrived at this island no one was going to harm anyone he cared about.

Suddenly he felt a strong grip on his arm and he looked into his brother's face. Garth was shaking his head as he made sign gestures. His brother pointed to the gun then Leviathan and made a motion across his throat which simply meant; don't even think about killing him. Tarlong glared at his brother. Didn't Garth understand the threat toward their nephew? Did he want him to die?

"Kraken Guard!" The longfin mako had dashed in between Leviathan and the members of their family. What took Tarlong by surprised was that the mako was only armed with a shield which he used to block Leviathan's attack, not only did he block the attack but he also sent the whale shark flying backward. What the bounty hunter did not expect was to hear the mako say, "You dare to attack my son?"

Tarlong stared at the mako, unsure he just right. It can't be, he thought. That guy...he's our father. "Garth, the mako-,"

Garth looked at his brother surprised to see how rattled his brother was. 'What about him?' he signed.

"Tarlong," Chizz was suddenly at the brothers' side. "You and Garth need help us."

The saw tooth looked at her confused. "What are you-,"

The marine pointed to the now growing crowd of onlookers. "The Protectors can't handle this and they need some help in controlling this," Chizz looked at him, her eyes pleading.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Garth fired the single action army revolver that had a 16-inch barrel three times into the air, scaring the living hell out of everyone, but the effect worked. The crowd had parted rather quickly giving Tarlong a good view. "Where are they," he cried, rushing to where he last saw Nami, Shen and her other two children, but they were nowhere to be seen.

The rest of the Saw crew and Jimbei was right behind him, more panicked then he was. "Where's Destiny?" Slashback asked, looking around wildly.

Chizz hurried over to the marine captain. "Captain, sir," she said. "We can't find Riptide or any member of his family and we don't know if they were here."

Captain Ronald looked over to the spot where Riptide had been, looking more bewildered than anyone. "Longtooth, did you have the boy moved?"

The mako in question turned around. "What are you yelling about?" he demanded, looking ticked off. "Do I look like I had time to give such a stupid order?"

Tarlong overheard this and grabbed the mako by his black hooded vest, slamming him into a nearby wall. "Listen up, you ass! That boy is my nephew and nobody is going to take him without me knowing it! So if you know something then you better talk or I will got that?"

The blue shark fish-man Travis stepped up. "Sir, Blade with Marcus took that injured saw tooth."

Longtooth blinked in surprise. "Marcus," he said. "Travis, are you sure it was Marcus with Blade?"

Travis nodded. "Aye sir, I will never forget a face, that's for sure."

Tarlong was losing his patience and it started to show. The shark grounded his teeth in frustration and his good eye become bloodshot. "Who's this Marcus?"

Longtooth grew pale as he really stared at Tarlong and started to recall how Marcus had always spoken of a son named Arlong "Sweet Mother of Creation," he whispered. "Marcus had more than one son and he never knew. You're Marcus' other son, aren't you?"

The bounty hunter had started to ease his grip on Longtooth before the world began to spin. He had started to fall back Garth caught him as Longtooth grabbed him by the arm. The last thing he heard was Chizz's voice, "Tarlong!"

Elsewhere on Unity….

"Is everything going as planned?" asked a black tiger shark Fishman with a nasty grin.

"Aye, Stryker," said another black tiger shark as he knelt before him. "I've sent our assassins out." He raised his head, his green eyes filled with blood lust. "I have also received word about a white saw tooth that just arrived today, but Leviathan has wounded him."

Stryker growled angrily. "That fool! He refuses to do as ordered. Is this white saw tooth still among the living?"

The other shark fell silent before answering. "That I do not know."

"Stryker," said a voice that came from the shadows. "Do you wish for me find out for you?"

"Yes, Strider," The black tiger shark said. "Do you not have a mission to do as well?"

"Yes, my brother. Fear not I shall not fail."

Stryker nodded. He knew his brother would not fail and he never had, yet. He turned his attention to the other black tiger before him. "Ryder, find Ruby and bring her to me. I have a feeling she knows more than she has been telling us."

Ryder bowed his head. "As you command, dear brother."

~~.~~.~~

Tarlong groaned as he slowly came to. "Damn not again," he muttered as he slowly sat up.

"You okay there, kid?"

He looked up at Longtooth. The 8'3" tall mako was leaning in the open doorway of the bedroom. He had light blue skin, short spiky golden-red hair that had a slight trace of silver-grey that came with age, with eyes that were silver in color. The shark man wore dark blue pants that had a thin yellow that ran the length on the outside of his pant leg and metal toed boots. He wore the black hooded vest with a colored stripe on the right side of his vest. Strapped across his back was a 7-foot long simator with a jagged black blade. The strangest feature was the lower-left tooth that jutted out from his mouth.

"Where am I?" Tarlong asked.

"I had you brought to our base," Longtooth said. "Scared that poor woman who was with you pretty bad. I'll let her know you're awake."

The mako left as Tarlong sighed. "Chizz is gonna kill me."

Chizzara paced back and forth, worrying over Tarlong. She didn't expect Garth to take her by the hand and pulled her to him. The mute sharpshooter held her rubbing her back. She looked up at him, "Garth, tell me the truth. Tarl is...he is still having those spells isn't he?"

Garth let her go and through sign language, he told her. 'The spells have gotten worse over the years. He didn't want to worry you, Chizz."

"Didn't want to worry me," she shook her head. "That brother of yours-,"

"Your friend is awake," Longtooth said. "You can go see him."

"Thank you, Chizzara said as she left the room.

"Tarl, why didn't you tell me," Chizzara said the moment she entered the room.

Tarlong looked away, "I didn't want to make you worry."

Chizz shook her head as she strolled over to the bed and whooped him on the head. Tarlong yelled in pain as he glared at her, rubbing the back of his head. "What the hell was that for?"

The woman marine looked at him, fist-shaking at him. "You Baka of a sawtooth!" she said. "Damn it, Tarlong! I thought you got medical help for that."

Tarlong was surprised by her reaction. "Chizz-," he started only to be cut off.

"Gods, I should have known you wouldn't," she said tears welling up. "After you lost your eye and these spells, I thought you would've…." She began to cry.

The bearded saw tooth's heart ached when he saw her cry. He mentally cursed himself. "Chizz, honey," he pulled her to him. How long had it been since he actually held her? A year? Two years? Damn, he had forgotten. "When you left me those few years back it wasn't about me finding out who my brother was or these spells, was it? "

She shook her head gripping tightly to his black tank top. "No, it wasn't."

"Then what was it?"

She looked at him. "Tarl, I should have told you but I didn't know if you would..."

"I would what?" He grew worried. "Chizz please tell me."

"Tarl, I was...pregnant."

"You were what," he looked at her.

The poor woman broke down and Tarlong held her tightly in his arms rocking her back and forth. "Our baby was stillborn, Tarl.

"Chizz, you could have told me," He said. "You know how much I love you. Why did you think that I wouldn't be there for you?"

"As a marine, I saw how you and Garth, even Siamon were treated and if it was learned that I was-,"

He understood it all too clear. Even though he and Garth had grown up with very loving human parents they still faced racism because of who they were. Hell, he saw enough of it with Siamon and even Angel. Chizzara would have faced the same but worse, especially with a baby.

"One day we will have a family, Chizz," he said. "For now, we have to protect our current family."

"Family?" She looked at him. "You want a family?"

He stroked her cheek before he kissed her. "I love you," he said.

"I love you too," Chizz said.

Tarlong smiled as he eased Chizzara down onto the bed before he leaned down to kiss her deeply and passionately.

I wanted to take a break from Riptide and the others and focus on the other members of the Saw crew. Particularly Tarlong and Chizz. I wanted to give a little bit into their history.