Chapter 28: Let the Games Begin

I do not own One Piece! That will always belong to Eiichiro Oda! I only own my OC's.

Jimbei meet Nami and the others outside at the temple grounds with Slashback who was beyond sick with worry over Destiny. No one spoke as Long seemed to be the main concern and Nami went to the infirmary where the young hybrid was. He was still in horrible pain as he would at times scream as if tortured. Nami stroked his face as he lay shivering pain clearly written in the face.

"Long, can you tell me where the pain is?" Nami asked hating the sight of her youngest.

"It hurts," he said. "Mother hurts so bad."

"Where though," Nami asked again. "Long where do you hurt? You need to tell me."

The copper hybrid let out a scream as his body went into a fetal position and it clear that he was in some type of horrible pain. Seeing him in agony was more than Neeta could take and the kuda glared at the healers who stood nearby doing nothing.

"How can you stand there and do nothing?" she said with a hiss of rage.

"How can we help if there are no signs of what is causing his illness," said one of the healers. "We are as baffled by this as all of you."

"Is it possible," Marcus muttered as he rubbed his chin.

"Dad, you have an idea what could be ailing Long?" Tarlong asked.

"Nami, how strong is the bond between them?"

The Straw Hat navigator looked at the longfin mako. "They've always been close. Why?"

"Was Riptide and Long closer than they are with Destiny?"

"They are," Nami said.

Chizzara gasped as she realized what Marcus was getting at. "Are you saying the boys are linked telepathically?"

"What?" Longtooth said. "Is that even possible?"

Marcus nodded to Tarlong and Garth. "My sons are identical triplets counting Arlong as part of it even if they were all raised apart," he said. "Nami's triplets are all fraternal and like identical they can develop a telepathic bond though it is very rare."

"Riptide and Long are linked through some kind of telepathy," Tarlong said. "If that is true then that son of a bitch tiger shark is torturing Riptide!"

"Let's go get him back!" Gaff said.

"What of Destiny?" Slashback asked. "Shouldn't we go look for her first then figure out how to save Riptide?"

"Look for her?" Gaff snorted. "Screw the bitch I say!"

"What did you just say?!" the five-gill sawtooth was glaring at his friend.

Gaff was glaring back. "You heard me. She didn't get kidnapped, she up and fucking left," he said with the snapping of his teeth. "Yes, she's Rip's sister but she's done a lousy job as the second in command. She does not seem to respect you, treated you like crap and the moment there's trouble, she fucking ran off! So, I say screw that bitch!"

Slashback lost it and he lunged at Gaff taking the kuda-shark hybrid by surprise. The two young pirates hit the floor the sound of snapping teeth and savage snarls echoed. They would have no doubted killed each other if Tarlong had not interfered by grabbing them by their back of their shirts and knocked their heads together, hard.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" The cigar-chomping sawtooth said before he gave them a good whack on their skulls. "Have you no damned brains or even sense for that matter?"

"He started it," Slashback said with a whining tone.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Everyone looked up at Longtooth who looked beyond tired and was clearly pissed off. Silence followed and the gathered members of the Saw crew looked at the snagged tooth mako. "Enough of the senseless and pointless bickering," he growled. "Yes, Destiny is supposed to be the second in command in Riptide's absence, but she's is not here. Since I am the oldest and the most experienced as first mate there for, I will assume the role of captain until we have rescued or by some luck of the gods, Riptide returns to us. Does anyone have a problem with that?" He looked at every member there his eyes boring into Marcus hard.

"You trying to accuse me of something, Longtooth?" Marcus returned his stare with eyes narrowed. "Perhaps you wanting to start a damn fight?"

"Knock it off both of you," Jimbei growled growing tired of the stupidity he was seeing. "Either you lead, Longtooth, or I will be quick to take command from you." The mako turned his attention to the helmsman of the Straw Hats with a slight growl.

It was enough for Nami to look up. Jimbei was damn serious about it and it was clear to everyone there that he was. The tension in the room seemed to grow more and more before the shortfin mako looked away. He was no damn fool to even think about challenging a former Warlord of the Sea. The question remained who was the temporary leader? Jimbei or Longtooth?

"Well?" Jimbei said. "Are you going to led, or shall I?"

"I shall follow your orders, Captain," Longtooth said.

No one expected Longtooth to give up command like that, but he did. Right now, a clear head and solid thinking along with leadership skills were right now needed. For now, it was wiser for Jimbei to take the helm of the captain until they could Riptide back somehow.

"For now, we will do as Riptide instructed this crew to do," the whale shark said.

"What about Des?" Slashback said looking worried still.

"We'll worry about her later," Jimbei said as he looked at Nami who merely nodded in agreement. "I will that Message Birds are sent out and hopefully we will receive word that way on her whereabouts."

Slashback said nothing as he mutely nodded.

~~.~~.~~

Marcus stopped in at the library hoping there was an answer to why his granddaughter did what she did. Ancient scrolls along with piles of books were still sitting on one of the many tables that were in the huge library. The longfin mako took a seat slowly flipping the pages of a book reading each page carefully. In his younger days besides being a wander, Marcus had a slight curiosity for his people's history some that sadly was forgotten. His eyes widened as came across a name, a name so familiar that he had given it to his son. Arlong the Black. He remembered seeing the name somewhere but where that was, he could not recall. Now he was once more looking at the name.

"This part," he muttered as he read nice and slow. "It's his history. The lost history of Arlong the Black."

Arlong the Black was named so because he the first sawtooth born that was onyx black and thus was the name he was known as. Marcus read what was there. God how could there be so much to one Fishman alone. Never had Marcus seen so much written about the black sawtooth. He was indeed the strongest among all the shark clans going from Marcus was reading. There was page upon page written of Arlong the Black and finally, there was an actual drawing of the black sawtooth. Marcus stared at the page unsure he was really seeing what he was seeing.

"It can't be," he said shaking his head. "It just can't be."

Arlong, Tarlong, and Riptide they bore an eerie resemblance to the ancient sawtooth clan leader. Hell, they could be his damn descendants more likely which was impossible. Marcus looked to see if the clan leader had any children and the name, he saw made him jump to his feet.

"THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL THAT IS POSSIBLE!"

Tarlong and Garth had easily heard their father's voice and they rushed to the library. "Dad! Dad, are you okay?!" Tarlong asked.

"I-we need to go see Lady Shella," Marcus said. "Now!"

"Dad, I don't think we can," Tarlong said.

"Oh, I damn well will make sure she does!" Marcus said taking the book with him as storming from the library.

'What should we do?' Garth signed.

"We damn follow before he does something stupid or worse crazy."

~~.~~.~~

Granler had just finished telling Lady Shella of what had happened when Marcus barged into her chambers followed by Garth and Tarlong.

"WHEN THE HELL WERE YOU PLANNING ON TELLING US THE TRUTH?!" Marcus bellowed with rage clearly written in his face.

The moray eel was on his feet a hand resting of the hilt of his katana. "Stay where you are," Granler said as he stood between Marcus and Lady Shella. "I won't let you-ack!"

Marcus seized the moray eel by the throat and had a powerful crushing slowly starting to tighten on Granler. "You…shut…the…fuck…up," he growled his orange eyes seem to blaze with a sudden fury.

"Dad, have you lost your flipping mind?!" Tarlong asked. "Let him go or you'll kill him!"

"What is going here?" Jimbei asked as he, Nami, and other members of the Saw crew came rushing in.

"Don't ask me," Tarlong said. "Dad's finally snapped or something!"

"Marcus, have you gone mad?!" Longtooth screamed.

"Are you going to tell them the truth or shall I be the one to do so?" the longfin mako said glaring daggers at Lady Shella who remained sitting and strangely calm despite was now happening. She remained silent. "Fine! Nami, take the book and read the last line. Tell me what it says."

Confused and yet curious, Nami did as asked, her eyes widened as she looked at female sawtooth. "Arlong the black had one child; a daughter named Shella."

"Turn the page back and tell me you don't see it," Marcus said. "Take a nice long look."

Tarlong moved to Nami's side and was wider eyed than she was. "No fucking way, No mother fucking way."

Slowly Longtooth peeked as did the others. No one believed what they saw. "That looks like Rip," Skie said.

"That could Tarl without the beard and mustache," Chizzara said.

"And my boy," Marcus said. "Arlong and Tarlong wouldn't do because neither was here, but Riptide was the perfect one. He was a perfect age minus the fact he is a hybrid. How long have you been damn planning this?"

Nami looked at Marcus alarmed. "Are you saying they were planning on taking my son from me?"

"Now you see why I never trusted this damn cursed place," Marcus said with venom in his voice. "Riptide would have been the perfect one to train into becoming the next chieftain once he was brainwashed or whatever they had planned."

Granler was struggling to breathe some as he tried to pry at Marcus' iron grip. "Milady," he rasped out some. "I beg you…do they speak the truth?"

"Are you going to answer, or should I find a den mushi and get a hold of Malchior," Marcus said eyes narrowing.

Longtooth looked at him as if he had finally gone insane. "Marcus, have you gone mad?! Have you forgotten what that damn Draco did to this island?!"

"Wait," Nami said. "Draco was here at one time?"

Longtooth nodded, "He was. He came here after some damn pirate came here and started taking people as slaves. Blade, Marcus, and I teamed up with this Draco to stop him. None of us knew he was a zoan user until that damn dragon, Savage got loose." The snag tooth mako shook visible still haunted by the long-forgotten events.

"The part of the temple that Savage destroyed was never rebuilt," Lady Shella said. "It was left as a reminder of the power of that great dragon."

~~Flashback~~

The sound of battle still rang out until it was drowned out by a roar. A roar of a dragon that at that moment came crashing through a wall of the temple. Panic spread as those that were inside had run for their lives as the beast got to its feet shaking its horned head. The dragon was black as a moonless night and he turned his head slowly to see Lady Shella standing showing no fear.

The dragon growled at her. "I am Savage," he said looming over her.

"What are you, Savage?" Lady Shella asked.

"I am a force of nature! You and any of your people would have trouble surviving my rage let alone trying to take me down!"

Outside came a roar that caught the dragon's attention. It was the Plesiosaur and Savage knew that was a stronger and worthier opponent for him. Savage barely gave Lady Shella a glance as he spoke to her. "You're lucky that he's stronger," he said before he flew through the hole.

~~End of Flashback~~

"A damn crazy dragon that destroyed a small part of the island," Longtooth said. "That pirate had a fucking dinosaur that took down Draco. Of course, we have no idea why that Plesiosaur hauled ass and left the island."

"That damn dino almost killed Draco," Marcus said looking at Nami. "I couldn't let him drown in the sea being he's my friend and so I saved him."

"A friend?" Longtooth snorted. "Some friend. He nearly god damned killed you after he found out that your son was Arlong. You still call that man a friend?"

"Look what happened between Draco and me is between us," Marcus growled. "Even if he hates me for the rest of his life, I will call him my friend." The mako shook his head before focusing back on Lady Shella. "So, are you going to answer the question?"

"Yes." Lady Shella answered quietly.

"WHAT?!"

"My father was great in strength and when the Tenryuubito came to our island home, it was my father who knew they had to be stopped," Lady Shella said. "I have no memory of him for I was only three years old when he left to fight the war against those people. He won but at the cost of his life." Tears began to flow as she continued. "When his body was brought home, we learned of the disgrace the Tenryuubito had down to him and the elders refused to let any lay eyes upon him. My mother had seen, and she told me later that the humans had cut his nose off and sliced a part of his flesh off."

"Bite of the Shark," Tarlong said looking sick. "Garth and I saw during a job and knowing who it now came from…that is just fucking sick."

"It takes a special kind of sick to do something like that," Marcus said.

"What does this have to do with Riptide?" Nami asked.

Lady Shella looked at the orange-haired woman. "Your son even though he is a hybrid is an important key to saving the last of the Shark Clans," she said. "For a while, I had dreams showing me a white sawtooth until recently those dreams turned into visions. I know it is my father's spirit that is showing me his heir."

"Heir? Riptide?" Longtooth said. "How do you even know that is true?"

"The last vision I had seen my father passing on his necklace to the white sawtooth making him the new chief of the Shark clans."

"And you know or you're guessing that it's Riptide?" Nami said.

"I was given the name and I heard the name Riptide," Lady Shella said. "Where is he? I must speak with him."

"That is a problem at the moment," Jimbei said. "Riptide was taken prisoner by Stryker and that he is some other temple."

"The only other temple that is here…" Lady Shella's voice trailed off clearly full of fear.

"Is what?" Marcus said. "Tell us damnit!"

"The temple of the Dark Guardians," Granler wheezed out.

"What?" Marcus brought the moray eel close to his face. "Are you fucking telling me that there are Dark Guardians?"

"There are," Granler said. "The other temple is where they sealed away."

"They won't be if Stryker finds them and unleashes them," Trapper said.

"No shit," Tarlong said chewing on a half-smoked cigar in frustration. "So, what the fuck are we supposed to do? If we keep waiting, we will have two damn problems, and neither is one I'm looking forward to."

"Longtooth," Jimbei said. "Call the rest of the crew back, we can't wait any longer."

"What about Destiny and Shen?" Nami said. "We still have no idea where they are or why they left?"

"They received a written message that they returned to Port Town to join all of you," Lady Shella said in surprise.

"Who sent the message?" Longtooth asked.

"It was your son," Lady Shella said. "Overbite said that you requested them to join all of you at the Protector's base."

"Sonofabitch," Tarlong said. "It's a fucking trap and we can't warn the girls let alone get to them in time."

"We have to do something," Nami said. "I won't let anything happen to my daughter or the daughter of my friends."

"Yeah, we don't need Death Root coming after us for this shit," Chizzara said. "I heard stories of what Endo has done to people who have really pissed him off."

At Port Town…

Destiny was frowning as she and Shen stood outside the gates of the Protectors base. The silver could not shake the feeling she was getting. "Something doesn't feel right," she said.

Shen looked at her friend. "You mean something smells fishy to you?"

Destiny shot a look of annoyance at the blonde girl who stood at her side smiling. "Really? You had to make a fish joke?"

"You're welcome," Shen said with a laugh.

Destiny rubbed her temples at the sudden growing headache she was now getting. The silver was starting to think they should head back to the temple when the gate opened and a rather large group of Protectors stepped out, every one of them armed to the teeth. Now Destiny was not liking the feeling she was getting. Something was wrong, very wrong.

"Shen, get ready to run," she said.

The blonde girl looked at her but gave a small nod. She trusted Destiny on whatever she had planned.

Elsewhere in Port Town…

The mime jumped onto the dock from the small boat he had traveled in and looked around. He had long hair that was just below the chin and he wore a black suit jacket with the sleeves rolled up on the back painted in white was the mark of the mercenary group, Death Root. This was Mars and he was here for a reason. The assassin slipped a hand into his pants pocket making sure the letter was still there. It was. Mars thought back to three weeks ago…

~~Flashback~~

"Mars, can you take this to Nami?" Penny asked handing the mime a letter.

Mars nodded and gave a bow to the cook. Penny had grown up and was an extremely attractive woman enough to rival Elsa. She was a tight orange trench coat that had a sun painted on the back under that was a tight yellow T-shirt with a flame pattern around the bottom. She wore baggy tan cargo pants and combat boots. Sleeping not too far was Pan the giant panda.

Penny turned just as Siamon came into the kitchen. The shark man was battle-scarred. He had a scar just slightly under his left eye and his forearms were heavily scarred from his many sword battles over the years. On his left shoulder was a tattooed mark of the Death Root symbol. He wore long dark grey camo pants and sandals. A black unbuttoned down shirt with a bloody red upside-down looking symbol much like the marines on the back. His hair now had a few flecks of grey in it now and he eyed in curiosity. "What are you up to now, Squirt?"

"I asked Mars to take a letter to Nami, Si," Penny answered.

"A letter?" Siamon said. "Why?"

"Didn't Endo tell you what happened to her?"

"I know what happened," he said. "Luffy should have allowed us to get Nami, but he trusted the kids. I cannot believe they are gown now. They were a just a year old when I first saw them."

"They probably won't remember you; you know."

"Of course not," Siamon grumbled. "I said they were babies, but I can guess that Riptide looks like Arlong and if he doesn't that'll surprise me." He looked at Mars. "You be careful since you we do have enemies still out there, understand?"

Mars nodded and left.

~~End of Flashback~~

Mars walked about the dockside of town before he decided to move farther into town. He was amazed to see humans and Fishmen/women as well as some merfolk living and working side by side. Si should see this place. He would feel at home here a little bit.

No one seemed to pay attention to him except the children and he politely waved at them hoping they would not bother him any to which they did not. The children giggled and waved back before running off. He saw a structure that in a way reminded him of a marine base and he decided to go there. He was nearing the gates when he heard a commotion.

"Shen! Run now!"

Mars looked to see a group of Protectors trying to herd…he blinked. Wait, was that not Destiny's Nami daughter and…Shen! What was going on here?! Were they in trouble? Shen tried to run but was grabbed by a basking shark Fishman.

"Let go of me!"

Destiny seeing her friend was in trouble turned and sank her teeth into the arm of one of the Protectors.

"She bit me" the Protector, a man with long red hair and beard cried.

Mars nodded. Yep, that was Destiny. Who else bite, but her?

"Why are you doing this", Destiny demanded.

The Protector, who was in charge looked at her. "Don't give me any trouble or you'll regret it," the Fishman, a Lamna shark said.

"Just wait until my brother comes here," she snarled. "He's so going to kick all your asses!"

"Quiet!" the Lamna shark slapped her across the face. "Get them inside and keep them quiet."

"Yes sir," said the man who Destiny bite. "Let's go my beauty."

That is what you think! Mars thought as he followed them. Let the games begin.

~~.~~.~~

Mars had followed undetected since he made no sound as he walked. The Death Root member waited in the shadows as Destiny and Shen had been put into a cell that was already crowded with other Protectors who were loyal to Longtooth. The assassin smiled as he recalled the underground fighting tournaments that Meku and he had forced into. That had been fun in a way and he had a feeling that fun was soon going to begin once he freed Nami's daughter, Shenna, and the other prisoners.

Destiny was pissed and worried at the same time, but in truth was more worried. She realized that she had been tricked and like a damn idiot she feel for it. She looked at the other Protectors who were in the cell. They were beaten and bruised, and some did not look well.

"Why are you all in here for?" Shen asked.

A woman with a maroon mohawk spoke up. "We refused to swear loyalty to Overbite even after he said his father was dead," She said.

"Overbite told you his father was dead?" Destiny shook her head. "Longtooth is not dead. I was with the group that brought him to the temple to get healed."

The woman looked at the silver hybrid in disbelief. "Is this true?"

Destiny nodded. "It is," she said. "Longtooth is very much alive."

"What's with the mime?"

Destiny, Shen, and the other prisoners crowded the bars watching as the two assigned guards confronted the assassin. Mars simply gave a wave of a hand and to the shock of everyone except Shen the guards were in bloody pieces on the floor.

"What the-," said a Protector who was a swordfish. "How did he do that?"

"He's a devil fruit user," Shen said. "His name is Mars and he is one of my uncles."

"Can he get us out?" Destiny asked.

Mars nodded as he signaled them to move back and with a sweeping motion of a hand, the bars of the cell fell. Destiny and the others stood in disbelief while Shen grinned.

"I saw it and I still don't believe it", the swordfish said. "Whatever devil fruit he ate, I know I don't want to make him an enemy."

"What are you standing around for?" Destiny asked. "Let's get the hell out here."

"Then what?" asked another Protector.

"We arm ourselves and teach this lot a lesson that's what!"

Oddly enough the Protectors did not agree with Destiny and they looked more shocked by her words than anything. They looked at each other, confused.

"What's wrong with you", she demanded. "Don't you even want to save your own island?"

The mohawk woman nodded. "Of course, we do. That is the duty of the Protectors, to protect and maintain the peace of Unity Island, but you're declaring is an act of war."

"An act of war," Destiny's eyes narrowed, and her voice was filled with rage. "What do you think is happening here? Overbite must be working with this Stryker and he was willing to try and kill his own father to seize power. If you want to all stand around and hold hands pretending that shit is not happening that is fine! As me, I'm going to make those devils pay with their own blood."

"You sound like a pirate", the woman said with disgust.

"I am," Destiny said proudly. "I'm the daughter of Arlong the Saw and 'Cat burglar' Nami!"

Mars applauded her words. It was the same for Death Root, the Straw Hats, and the Axe-heads, they were proud of who they were. He gave her a bow and Destiny understood his actions. He was with her and that she was glad to have another ally for this fight.

"Let's go", she said with a fierce grin.

This is going to be so much fun, Mars thought eager for a good fight as both assassin, First Mate, and her insane friend ran down the corridor. They had one thought on their minds, payback, and a lot of it.

Well looks like shit is going to be happening with the arrival of Mars. What will Mars, Destiny, and Shen find? Mars belongs to Dude of Doom as does Siamon and Penny. Thanks for letting me have used to your Death Root team. So, I also want to let you, my readers, that I may be slow on posting any future chapters since I have now returned to my online writing school. So, remember to Read and Review as always.