Chapter 20

Arlong Park

"Starboard to the Going Merry! Bring me up to right next to her!" "Aye-aye."

"Alright! The adventure is about to unfold as I, bravely stepping foot on these virgin lands, will hereby be known as 'The Warrior Usopp's Great Adventure!" Fitting title eh, Johnny-boy?"

"Aye-aye." Johnny humours him as they sail around the coast.

Just as they get close to the harbour though, they spot some fishmen on the dock. Both parties see each other, from boat and by shore.

...

...

...

"Full speed ahead." "Aye-aye."

They sail past the Going Merry.

"The hell are you just passing by for!?" demands Zoro, still tied up.

"Didn't you see them!? They were fishmen! The Arlong Pirates for crying out loud! I'm freaking scared out of my wits, you got a problem with that!? Do ya, punk!?"

"The one that should be mad is me," Zoro leers.

"It doesn't matter," Maxwell speaks up from the ropes, "Us just by sailing past alerted them of our presence!"

"It's no good...," Johnny looks around, "This entire region seems to be under Arlong's control." Yosaku turns to his fellow freeman, "What do you think we should do Brother Usopp?"

""Well, now that we know we can't bring Nami back—" "JUST HURRY UP AND UNTIE US, YOU IDIOTS!"

"Hmm, that's an unfamiliar ship!" The fishmen, from the docks, jump into the water.

"GAH! Abandon ship!" "Aye-aye!" "Hey! Wait a second! At least untie us before you run!" Usopp and Yosaku swam off, not wanting to confront the fishmen.

The fishmen though climb aboard the boat, "Hehe, look like I caught up to ya." "Stop this ship!" shouted the other. However they soon see the strange situation, "Huh, there are only two people on here..." The fishmen approach the tied up crew mates. "What? Were you two exiled or something?"

"Yeah... Sort of...," Zoro replies, planning his revenge.

"I see, then those must be torture wounds." The fishman then looks at Maxwell, "And he looks like he's been starved to death."

"...What's it to you?" Maxwell replies, trying to sound weak. They were in a bad spot and Maxwell knew it.

"Well, let's tak'em to Arlong for the time being." The fishmen begin to steer the boat back along the shore to Arlong Park. They had the decency to get them off the cabin, but they were still tied up. One fishman went back into the water, continuing to patrol.

The boat sails up to an artificial rock wall, acting as a sort of harbour or pool for fishmen. Overlooking it was a tall building with multiple layers of singles. The words 'Arlong Park' were painted on, and a shark head stood up as a spire. Their flag, mounted on the nose.

"Open the gates! I brought some suspicious looking people!"

Zoro just looks up at the miniature palace, "Let me just warn you beforehand that I ain't harmless...!"

"Shut up, scum!" the fishman retorts. "Arlong will decide what to do with you."

The fishman escorts them through a courtyard, connected to the harbour. He has them sit down on the floor as another fishman, Arlong, sits on his throne.

"Shasha shasha! Marlin, what have you brought me here?" Arlong lean in his throne looking at Maxwell and Zoro.

"Found these two tied up on a boat. They's definitely ain't from around here. Thought you'd like to deal with'im."

Arlong laughs, "They must have been sent her to their deaths! Shahahaha! What are your names, humans."

'Marlin' kicks them a bit to fess up. Zoro doesn't take it to well but fesses up, "...I'm Zoro" "Maxwell," the mage replied.

"Well then 'Maxwell,' 'Zoro,' what would cause such... refined humans as yourselves to be caught tied and tortured to a boat near my island."

"Mutiny," answers Maxwell. Zoro looks over at the spellcaster, knowing he had to play along, "We were searching for a woman who'd swindled our crew. Our men got tired of us going after her and tied us to the boat. At least... that was after they took they're anger out on us."

"Hmm... And you just so happened to sail by my island? Barbaric, but I don't think so."

"Weren't you listening!" Zoro growled, "We're looking for a woman, you half-fish mutant!"

"Zoro!"

"Oh?" Arlong get's this cruel gleam in his eye, knowing he's the one in control. "An inferior human dares slight me...? I'll forgive you just this once, but don't you ever call us half-fish again!"

He goes on to brag, "We fishmen are 'evolved humans' who gained the ability to breathe in the sea. With our abilities, we're beings of a higher order than you puny humans! Our innate strength, which far exceeds that of a humans, is the very proof of that! In short, we are the Lords of Creation! Get that through your dense head!"

"A human who defies a fishman, is essentially defying the divine providence of nature!"

Nami enter the courtyard from behind Arlong's chair, "I'm sick of hearing you blab on about that stupid pet theory of yours, Arlong." Maxwell and Zoro look at her, shocked.

Arlong invites her up, "No need to make such a scary face Nami! You're a different case, of course! You're the Arlong Pirates' prized cartographer. You make the most accurate nautical charts!"

"Of course! My brain's of a much higher order than any of yours!" Maxwell couldn't tell if she was insulting them or Arlong.

"Cartographer...?" Zoro mutters. "Hey Nami! Why the hell are you so chummy with these guys for...!?" Maxwell looks to Zoro, wonder why he'd give such information.

"What, are you two acquaintances?" Arlong tilts his head.

"Don't be silly," Nami starts to walk up to them. "They're just one of my victims. I was able to swindle a huge fortune from these guys during my most recent haul." She crotches down in front of Zoro, "I knew you guys were chasing me to a certain point, but to think you'd actually make it here..."

"Is this your true self?" Zoro's face hardens.

"That's right. Surprised? I'm an officer of the Arlong Pirates. I was already a pirate when we met."

"Shahahaha! She had you completely strung along! This girl right here would do anything for the sake of money. Even forget the death of her own mother! She's a real cold-blooded witch!" Nami face tries to steel itself when Arlong mentions this tidbit. However, Zoro and Maxwell notice this reaction. "Tricking people, to swindle them, is like second nature to her! Moreover, she's got us as her backup!"

"I see..." Zoro shrugs despite the bindings, "Well, it's not like I really trusted her anyways. Wouldn't surprise me even if she turned out to be a devilish cutthroat." Zoro chuckle at Nami, "Right from the very beginning, I had a feeling you were a good-for-nothing woman."

"Hmph... Well then that makes things easier. If you've realized that I was only tricking you, then can you just give up on your treasure and my navigation skills and disappear already? You're such an eyesore!"

Zoro kicks himself into the pool, despite being tied up.

"Huh..." "W-WHAT!?" "Zoro!"

"What happened!? Why'd he suddenly jump back like that!?" "Did he fall over laughing?" "No, I don't think anybody said something funny." "Maybe he's trying to escape!" "No way! As if a human with his hands and legs tied could ever swim." "Then maybe it was sucked?" "Just leave him be...!"

"That idiot..." Nami kicks off her shoes and dives in after Zoro. Many of the fishmen look at her surprised. It takes a bit but Nami swims back up with Zoro in tow. "What's the big idea...?"

"I should be asking you the same thing," Zoro coughs out some seawater. "A small time crook like you, who can't even let one person die, should've been acting all tough!" Nami looks down at him furious, "And be quicker next time, slowpoke. Almost thought I was a goner.

"Don't get cheeky with me!" Nami stomps on Zoro's back, then grabs him by the throat. "If you get involved with me anymore than this, you're a dead man!"

Maxwell eyes, them talking. Something fishy was going on, and it wasn't just the fishmen. "I wonder...," Zoro mutters.

"...Some bandages you've got there." Nami takes note of his wounds.

"I just didn't have a chance of clothes, that's all."

Nami punches Zoro in the stomach, "Hey Nami, what're you gonna do with him?" Arlong calls out.

The thief walks away and flips her hair, "Lock him up with his buddy for now! I'll put an end to them later."

"Arlong!" another fishman approaches.

"What is it my fellow brother?"

"There was another long-nosed human who got away!" Zoro, Nami, and Maxwell winced at Usopp being spotted, "I think he's probably hiding in Cocoyasi Village somewhere..."

Arlong's grins, "Cocoyasi Village...? It just so happened that I had some business to attend to there..." Arlong gets out of his chair, "Boys, we're heading to Cocoyasi Village!"

He eyes the humans at his feet, "Oh... And someone make sure to throw these wastes in a cell somewhere. They're Nami's 'guests' after all."

Zoro and Maxwell were thrown into the prison, still tied up. The fishman sneered at them as his locked the cell and walked off. Only when they both believed they were alone did they talk.

"What in Andraste's name was that!" Maxwell whispered to his crewmate. "Were you asking them to kill us!?"

"I should be asking you the same thing! Why'd you tell them we were after a woman!? That practical gave us away! And mutiny!?"

"Haven't you ever heard of 'the truth, but not the whole truth?' It worked well enough in Hard in Hightown..."

Zoro blinks guessing, "...A book?" Maxwel averts his eyes, "You risked our lives, because of something you read in a book!?"

"Well I'm not the one who threw himself into the ocean!"

"Shut up! You're both stupid!" Nami appeared outside their cell. Oddly enough, she had their weapons. Nami opens the cell and cut them both free, "Now hurry up and get out of here before Arlong comes back!"