AN: Hmmm don't know. I was stressed and drinking and just picked away at this on my phone for a few hours. Guess Syluk's; Boy With a Scar, updatinggot me in a One Piece frame of mind. Not a lot here but whatever. I never liked long drawn-out fight scenes.
And really the Angry drawn out protagonist dialogue got done to death in Canon one piece never mind the fanfics so three cheers for brevity I guess.
There were two fishmen standing on the deck of my ship. They'd just jumped up out of the ocean and onto the deck of my ship. These were two of the bastards who tormented Nami and they were standing on my ship. They hadn't even asked for permission to come aboard!
"Kuina, Zoro." I grit out through my temper and teeth. "Get this insolent trash off of my deck!"
"Aye, Captain." The duo responded in stereo. Then they moved.
Seconds later four splashes came from the drink as the corpses went overboard.
"Thank you." I nodded decisively. No one bothered to comment further as we pulled into shore. We could clean up the blood stains later.
The town's little port wasn't much but then our ship wasn't very big either. We managed to dock without bothering with the dinghy which was how I liked things. Good crew or not, I didn't like having the only thing between me and the water be a dinky little rowboat.
Our arrival didn't turn out the whole town, but we certainly drew a bit of attention. Nervous attention. The kind that consisted of most people running to their homes and peeking out of the curtains. Joy.
"Nami, I need my navigator to chart the fastest course to kicking Arlong's ass."
With a deep breath the orange haired girl squared her shoulders.
"Aye, Captain. Follow me."
The whole crew fell in step behind her. Zoro and Kuina took my right and left sides respectively. Sanji slipped into place on Kuina's left and Usopp on Zoro's right as he made a point of loading his rifle and checking his ammo bags.
From the scuffle of feet behind me even Johnny and Yasuko were coming along for this fight. I really needed to talk with those two. It would have to wait though. I idly spun my spear before resting it against my shoulder and focusing all my thoughts on the coming fight.
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Nami stepped aside as I marched up to the double doors without breaking stride. I buried my spear in the dirt beside the doors and cracked my neck before rearing back both arms. There was a flicker of black fur and claws as I thrust my arms at the gate doors.
With a resounding boom the massive gates slammed into the inside compound walls rebounding in a way as I picked up my spear and marched over the packed dirt of the compound courtyard.
"I'm Monkey D. Lucy." I declared into the resounding silence as I looked over the surprised fishmen. "You bastards made my navigator suffer. So, I'm here for your heads."
I didn't wait for them to say anything. I just threw my boar spear into the guts of the closest fishman. His scream startled the others into action, but I'd already drawn my dagger and pistol and jumped into the thick of the crowd. The others followed me without hesitating. I cut down two more of the canon fodder before I spotted Arlong.
I dove through the crowd after the spiky nosed bastard with a growl. I trusted my crew to handle the rest. I had a piece of slaver trash to deal with.
"You insolent human trash." Arlong growled before lunging, mouth first.
I twisted on my heel lashing out with my knife but only managed to score a cut along the arm he brought around to protect his neck. I snapped off a shot with the pistol in my off hand, but the stupid shark jerked to the side and got away with only a powder burn on his side.
With a quick twist I spun the pistol so I held it by the barrel like a tiny club.
Barring my teeth in a snarl I jumped back into the fight.
The clash was brief and as we both stepped back I tossed what was left of my dagger. Arlong spat out the blade a moment later before rubbing the rapidly forming bruise I'd given him with the but of my pistol.
With a disgusted sigh I tucked the pistol back into my belt before the fucker could ruin that too.
"I liked that knife."
"Insolent human trash, I'll kill you!"
"Pfft, like hell." I laughed and jumped back into the fight as my body shifted. Ducking under snapping jaws and a swiping fist, my claws dug into Arlongs side as I dashed past the fucker.
The feel of fur of and static, even in the middle of a fight like this, was enough to stretch my muzzle into a fanged grin.
The bleeding fishman howled in agony and lunged in again mouth first looking to bite through my neck.
It was sloppy fighting, and a bad habit, but I wanted this over with. So, I stood there and let him bite me.
He screamed bloody murder as three humdred million Amps of electricity cousred through his jaws. The fishman stumbled back a step, barely conscious. I took the opening and sliced through his throat with my claws.
Turning away from the newly made corpse I looked over the battlefield. Shifting back to my full human form I grinned at the rest of my crew. They were all standing tall. None of the Fishmen could claim the same.
Nami was crying, but there was a smile hiding behind the tears, and a fire dancing in her eyes. I grinned and threw my head back to howl our victory to the world.
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The sounds of the party going on outside set my mouth to grinning without my consent as I looked over Johnny and Yasuko.
"So, what's the deal with you two?"
"Lucy-sis?" The two chorused.
"You followed us to help Nami. You didn't really ask if you could and didn't really have any good reason to do it either. I think that says good things about you, but where do you want to go from here? You're not on Zoro or Kuina's level but you both managed to take down a fishman today right?"
"Three between the two of us. There wasn't any left after that." Johnny admitted as he scratched the back of his head.
I nodded thoughtfully.
"And you've managed to make a living as bounty hunters here in the East Blue with just the two of you? It must have been difficult taking on even small crews with just the two of you."
The two flushed but sat straighter.
"It's been hard," Yasuko admitted, "but we've managed."
"… I'll be honest. I don't think either of you is officer material. Not in terms of useful skills, or combat potential."
The two men slumped a bit looking seriously dejected.
"But, you are still a major step up compared to most people I'd find in the East Blue and capable deck hands besides."
The pair perked up like puppies being praised. I chuckled at the mental image of a pair of wagging tails.
"With all the big name bounties in the East Blue caught I don't doubt the two of you could handle the crews I missed. But if you want to push yourselves, and see more of the world? I could certainly use more people on my crew. Even a little ship like the Going Merry takes a fair amount of work to sail. We don't even have enough people for real shifts yet."
The two glanced back and forth between each other and me.
"Just think about it." I raised my hands up. "I don't need an answer just yet. You've got a couple days at least."
"We'll think about it, Lucy-sis."
With a nod I stood and headed back out into the thick of the party.
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A squeaky nasal voice dragged me from my sleep and into the cruel embrace of my hangover.
"By the Blues and the Grand Line, someone shut that idiot up before I rip their throat out!" I shouted as I brought a hand up to cover my eyes against the agony of the early morning sun.
The voice spluttered.
"I am Marine Captain Nezumi!" The voice shouted."
With a groan I sat up rubbing my temples.
"And I'm Garp the Fist's granddaughter, bounty hunter, hungover, and pissed. The fuck are you screaming about?"
Opening my eyes I glared at the whiskered Marine.
"Eh?" The man paled.
Nami threw an arm over the Captain's shoulder. Her hand curled over the whisker on the man's left cheek and tugged.
"Ohh, the good Captain was just about to return my missing beli, then head back to base. Weren't you?" She growled the last.
The pathetic excuse of a Marine whimpered and nodded rapidly.
I eyed the two skeptically and made a mental note to get the full story out of Nami, later. With a huff I dropped back down onto the grass I'd slept on.
"Fine, whatever, just keep it down and let me sleep this off." I'd deal with whatever the hell that was about when I was fully awake.
With a jaw cracking yawn I shifted into my animal form and curled up into a warm furry ball of sleepy bliss. The rest of the world could wait a few hours.