Part 13: A dangerous alliance
Out in the sea, the ship the straw hats had seen before reaching fishman island was being pulled by Wadatsumi. "Hey Wadatsumi, did I get a response yet for my to letter to Shirahoshi," a male voice said from the ship.
"Not yet captain Vander Decken," Wadatsumi said.
"How long have I waited for an answer," Vander Decken said.
"I think about ten years now," Wadatsumi said.
"It's probably that king Neptunes fault, hes probably planning to marry her off for political reasons," he said, "Why else would he keep her in that tower for so long, I cant take it anymore, were in love, I think,".
He then pikced up a large axe, "I think its time I send her another rose axe," he said before throwing the axe into the air. It went in one direction before turning around and going in a different direction.
"Ahh, it went another way," one of the crew said.
"Captain you completely missed," another member said.
"What I never miss my targets, I think, bahohoho," he said laughing. The person laughing was Vander Decken, or Vander Decken IX. A bull shark fishman.
"Princess Shirahoshi, in all my time on the sea floor Ive never seen a mermaid as big or as beautiful as you, we are destined to be together," he said, "You will never be with any other man but me and if you do you will die, you only have two choices either marriage or death, bahohoho," he said smiling.
Back at the Ryugu palace. The guards could hear the mermaid princess crying.
"Whats happening," he said.
"That sounds like the mermaid princess,".
"Shouldn't there be someone with her,".
"Sorry, there must have been a mix up with the guards,".
"Hurry lets go," another guard said as they headed towards the princesses room.
Meanwhile back in the room, "FATHER, FUKABOSHI HELP," Shirahoshi yelled.
"Hey wait we didn't do anything, were just looking for food," Luffy said.
"Yeah were not here to hurt you," Star said, "How did she calm down the other time," he thought.
"Two humans are here to kill me," she said.
"We didn't know it was your food," Luffy said before he looked serious and Star looked surprised.
"Star," Luffy said getting his attention.
"Got it," Star said as his body glowed and he jumped into the air and grabbed the axe heading for Shirahoshi, "Luffy," he said tossing the axe to his captain before he threw it into the wall.
Shirahoshi looked surprised by the scene in front of her, "Hey what was that noise," a voice from outside said.
"Luffy it's the guards," Star said flying back down as his body stopped glowing.
"Crap what do we do," Luffy said before Shirahoshi grabbed the two of them and put them behind her back.
"Hey what are you," Luffy said.
"Please be quiet," she said before the minister of right along with several guards ran into the room.
"Where did that axe come from," one of the guards said looking surprised.
"Princess Shirahoshi are you alright, we heard you crying," the minister of right said.
"Oh yes I'm fine," Shirahoshi said.
"Are you sure, you were screaming really loudly, also who opened the door is there an intruder in here?" He asked looking around.
Star and Luffy looked at each other. Star then looked at Drag who had its wings out ready to take off.
"Um, sorry for worrying you all I just had a really bad dream, that's all," she said.
"Are you sure, I thought I heard another voice in here, well anyway I'm just glad your safe," the minister of right said before a large shark flew into the room.
"Megalo, I'm so glad your safe," Shirahoshi said happily.
Shaa shaa, the shark let out a noise.
"Oh yes princess, theres something I must tell you about the straw hat pirates, there seems to be a situation," minister of right said.
"It seems the straw hats are suspected of kidnapping several mermaids and Madama Sharley said they will bring destruction to fishman island,".
"Oh no, is that really true," Shirahoshi said.
"Kidnappings, wait Caribou," Star thought remembering the pirate.
"Its been decided that they will be placed in the dungeons, the first one to arrive has already been captured and it wont be long till we capture the other four," the minister of right said.
"The captain and one of his other crew mates must have suspected something and ran off, theyre somewhere in the palace so please be wary," he said.
"Yes I understand," Shirahoshi said.
"We will capture the other straw hats as we find them," the minister said, "Do not worry, we will protect this kingdom, but we will have to cancel the banquet for the people who saved Megalo," he said before looking at a pocket watch.
"Looks like our time is up, we must be going now princess," he said before he and the other guards left the room. As soon as they were gone Shirahoshi held Star and Luffy in front of her.
"Are you two really bad pirates," she said.
"That's for you to decide," Luffy said.
"What he means is were not responsible for the kidnappings and we wouldn't harm fishman island," Star said.
"Oh I see, sorry about your friends," Shirahoshi said.
"No don't worry, they wont be able to capture them," Luffy said, "Are you worried about Hermione?" He asked looking at Star.
"No she will be fine, plus I left Godzilla with them," he said calmly.
"Hey I didn't know you had Haki," Luffy said remembering his look when the axe came flying in.
"Oh that wasn't haki, I think, along time ago I picked something up that helped me feel when something bad was about to happen," Star said.
"I guess when my power awakened it got stronger,".
"Why is someone throwing axes at you anyway?" Luffy asked looking at Shirahoshi.
"I'm sure it was Vander Decken, hes been trying to kill me since I refuse to marry him," she said, "He has the mark mark curse, he never misses at anything he aims at and that's why I'm in this tower,".
"Its even dangerous for me to go outside," she said.
"Wow you must be really bored in here," Luffy said as he grabbed some of the food.
"Hey that isn't ours remember," Star said looking serious.
"Oh right, hey can I have some of your food?" Luffy said.
"Sure, I'm not that hungry anyway," Shirahoshi said as Luffy began eating, "Megalo is the only person I could talk too and that's why I was upset when he went missing," she said before hugging her pet.
The shark let out another noise happily.
"Ive been stuck in here for ten years," she said.
"So mister Luffy and mister Star, if you all are pirates that must mean you have been on a lot of adventures," he said.
"Yeah but he was a journalist first," Luffy said poiting at Star while his mouth was full.
"A what," Shirahoshi said looking confused not fully understanding what he said.
"Do you ever see newspapers, I would be the person to write true storys for one back in my world," said Star, "But I still got to travel a little," he said.
"But why did you become a pirate," Shirahoshi said.
"Trust me Shirahoshi I'm better off with Luffy and the others along with my wife," said Star.
"Shirahoshi, that's a long name," said Luffy.
"So have you seen the sun, or tiny creatures like animals, oh what about the one on your shoulder," she said smiling as she looked at Drag.
"It's complicated, but it is important to me along with the other beasts," said Star patting the beast on the head as it let out a roar.
"What about forests and green areas," Shirahoshi said.
"Too many questions, let me eat first," Luffy said with his mouth full again.
"You humans are small but you sure do eat a lot," Shirahoshi said poking Luffys full cheek.
"HEY DON'T POKE ME WHEN IM EATING," he yelled.
"Please don't shout at me, you don't have to be so mean," Shirahoshi said close to crying.
"Wow you're a big mermaid, but your also a big cry baby, I hate people like that" Luffy said making Shirahoshi look surprised before she hid under the cover.
"Luffy you don't have to be so mean about it," Star said standing up.
"Hes so mean, please go away Star and Luffy I don't want to talk anymore," Shirahoshi said as Luffy finished eating.
"Man that was good, so you've been stuck in here for ten years huh, that must suck," Luffy said.
"Yeah its not that great to be put in one place for such a long time," Star said.
"Please leave," Shirahoshi said.
"Why, isn't there some place you wanna go," Luffy said getting her attention.
"Yeah, there is one place I wanna go," Shirahoshi said.
"Then lets go for a walk," Luffy said.
"What," Shirahoshi said.
"We shouldn't be gone for too long though with everything going on," said Star.
"And if anything comes at her, we can stop it," Luffy said smiling.
Shirahoshi looked confused.
Back at the entrance to the palace, "Come on theres only five of them," a guard said.
"Please stop everyone, if you don't your only going to make things worse," Camie said.
Standing in the middle of the room was Brook, Nami, Usopp, Hermione and Godzilla who had grown to half the size of the room. There were defeated guards on the ground in front of them.
"Their the ones trying to take us prisoner," Hermione said pointing her wand out.
"And we didn't even do anything," Brook said.
"Were not being taken to some dungeon, they just made up an excuse to arrest us," Usopp said.
"They're trying to take us for something we might do, this isn't right," Nami said.
"If it's a fight they want, we will fight to our hearts content," Brook said.
"These pirates are famous and even without their captain their still really strong," one of the guards said.
"To bad, I really wanted to try out the palaces wine," Nami said.
"I don't remember the musician being like this," Pappagu said.
"This is nothing compared to the big bugs I fought back on the bowin islands, now face my new weapon, the black kabuto," said Usopp.
"Your majesty we need your assistance," the minister of left said.
"Hmm, I dont think its right to imprison people based on prophecy, I need time to think about this," Neptune said, "For now we need to imprison you straw hats," he said swimming forward with his trident.
Godzilla looked at the king and started running towards him, "This isn't good," Hermione said.
"Looks like your first," Neptune said bringing down his trident only for someone to block him.
"Zolo," Nami said.
"I thought you were captured," Usopp said.
"I was, but I heard you guys were having fun so I broke out," Zolo said smiling.
While the fight was happening. In the fishman district.
"Wait out here Wadatsumi," Vander Decken said.
"You got it captain," he said.
"Captain Vander Decken has arrived," a fish man said.
"Sorry I'm late, I got caught in a volcanic eruption, so your Hody Jones," he said walking towards Hody and his group.
"We are both infamous, but your madness is well now Vander Decken," Hody said as he walked forward and held out his hand.
"Oh you want a handshake, hold on," Vander Decken said as he put a glove over his right hand. Making Hody look confused.
"Its nothing to worry about," he said before the two of them shook hands and the whole room began to yell their names.
"Bahoho, its nice to meet you Hody Jones," Vander Decken said.
"This will help us both since our goals are one and the same, we will crush Neptunes army since they dont have the pride of the fishmen or the mer people," Hody said.
"Then we will have Neptunes head,".
"We just became invincible here," Zeo said.
"Talk about a deadly alliance, kya kya," Daruma said.
"Now we will bring ruin to the Ryugu kingdom," Hody said as he and Vander Decken smiled.