Whew! This took a minute! Truthfully, this was finished weeks ago, but I was going through a small bit of ambivalence, which is a good word to use because one can't just self-diagnose depression. Anyway, onto lighter affair – the Question Corner!

Xanxouz: So glad you liked it! Also, thank you for reading my ANs. As promised, fate rewarded! Since you named two other DFs, I can (sorta) reveal who has these DFs in this story.

Barrier-Barrier: Bartolomeo (I have a soft spot for the guy, so won't change it)

Smelt-Smelt: ?

Tah-dah! Introducing the newest sensation- Who's Got It? Basically, if you happen to drop your favorite DF in the comments, I'll reveal who's the current user. Granted, if the user is different from who has it in canon, I can only write in a ? Because I'd like to keep some surprises for later, after all~

King0fP0wers: Glad you like my addition of Kisame! Due to the direction the story's heading, I figure some retreading of canon is needed to not make this seem like a complete retelling! Also, the Nami/Carina kiss scene… got to be honest, I was kind of worried that'd come off as fanservice. Rest assured, I never do anything without a goal in mind, so I didn't do this on a whim! Also, Nami and Carina's reactions and personalities are meant to be different at this point in the story. Unlike a certain rubber-brained juggernaut, Nami's situation has been acknowledged and help extended far before she began to worry about heading back. I figure, with the floodgates of worry slightly dissipated, more of her free personality could shine through. Whereas Luffy was a spirit of freedom, Hook's clearly a pillar of power. As for Carina, you pegged what I was aiming for her! At this point, she's unpolished and reckless; in Film Gold, it's never quite shown why she steals except that she wants to be rich. Nami started stealing from a place of love, but Carina has no such attachments. If she acts stupidly she only has herself to blame, and if that ever changes, only I know...

Also, I want to address the one fan who had constructive comments on my first chapter, if he is still reading this far. I understand it might seem a leap in logic that Alvida thought Coby was working for someone else. But I came to this idea for two reasons. One, Alvida has proven time and again she might not be as smart as Kuro or Nami, but she is observant if bull-headed. Two, Coby has been sailing with the crew for two years, and I'm sure at some point, he had been near gunpowder storage or had access to weapons.

Combine these together, and Alvida could reasonably believe that Coby didn't grow a spine and suddenly try to kill her when he's too cowardly to have tried in the two years he's been on her ship, but that if he did, it was as a pawn to a much more conniving interloper. That being said, your comment was valid, and I thank you for bringing it up. If you have read this far, I hope the rest of the story has proven more enjoyable. Speaking of... on with the show!


Chapter 17: The Vanguard

"So, this is the place?"

"Must be...we followed the Merry's trail." Silk and Zoro, the latter's wounds wrapped and treated as best as the blonde could, gazed at Arlong Park. Silk looked over at her current sailing buddy (and future crewmate if Hook had anything to say about it!), and his steely expression. "So, you ready to start the first day of the rest of your life on our Crew?" Still only wearing her sarashi and breaches, the blonde grinned dazzlingly at the grasshead.

"Oi! Get this straight!" Zoro growled back, unmoved by Silk's pearly whites. "I'm not joining some pirates! This is just thanks for getting me out of that situation with that witch!"

This only elicited a chuckle from Silk. "If you say so~" Her face took on a softer appearance, causing Zoro to raise an eyebrow. "So, how do you feel? That was a pretty nasty wound, you know..."

Zoro crossed his arms and looked away. "'M fine. Just itching to get over this injury! Once I get to the Grand Line, I'll show him strength!"

"Him?" Silk muttered, before getting cross herself. "Right! The Hawk guy! He'd better hope I never see him first! I'm so gonna punch that Hawk guy the next time I see him..."

Silk was so instantly furious, she never even noticed Zoro's once more puzzled expression. "You realize he fought me, right?"

Silk ignored, or maybe just didn't notice, and spoke on. "That reminds me – you need new swords. Hawk guy wrecked your other two..."

Zoro looked at his two sheathed but broken blades and sighed. "I can find new swords later. Right now, we're at the place Nami got shanghaied to..." He half pulled out his remaining blade. "Let's hack right through 'em."

Silk adopted a mature face, walked over...and prodded Zoro right in his wound. "Poke."

"GAH!" Zoro twitched violently and slapped the girl's hand away. "You damn woman! What are you doing!?"

"Proving a point," Silk nodded sagely, like a half-naked monk. "First off, you can't go attacking people when you're injured this badly. Also, Hook wants us to find Nami and Merry! You can rip and tear after you've had more rest. Doctor's Orders!" Zoro tsked, but said nothing else, as the Gold-Girl skimmed the perimeter of the island. It took about ten minutes, but eventually, a familiar sheep's head was poking just around the bend. There she was! The Going Merry! Right next to a dock...with three fishmen standing guard. "Hmm...they don't look friendly. "Ah!" Silk lightly pounded a fist into her open palm. "Idea!"


As the small boat came into view, the fishmen eyed it warily...but saw no one on it, save for a bandaged man with green hair. "Hey!" An Angler Fishman barked. "Who the hell are you!?"

Zoro grinned impishly. "Hm? You say something, assface?"

That only brought an angry Angler yelling in his face on the boat. "Who do you think you are, stinkin' pu-man!"

Zoro's grin never moved. "First, that is an awful insult – are you four? Second..."

CRUNCH!

The Fishman turned to see one of his comrades get stomped on by a descending woman, who then whipped around to smack the neighboring cohort into the ocean, unconscious before impact. All he could do was stand there slack-jawed. "... I'm just keeping you busy." As the Fishman reared around, he has a second to gulp down his fear as Zoro swung his white sheath at his head, smacking his temple into the railing.

...Yeah, they were trying for stealth, but that was the least noisy they could be.

"Ah-ha!" Silk laughed as she mopped her brow. "That was easy. Now then... MERRY!" Silk jumped up and hugged the hull. "How've you been?"

"HELP ME!" A voice cried out.

Silk gasped. "M-merry!? You can talk!?"

"GET UP HERE AND UNTIE ME ALREADY!" The voice answered.

Silk scrunched her face in confusion. "Merry, you're not tied up..."

Zoro facepalmed as he walked up next to her; even the ship looked a little exasperated. "That's not the ship – that's Johnny!"

Silk blinked. "Oh. That makes more sense."

Climbing on deck, Silk and Zoro found Johnny tied to the mast. He was bruised and haggard, but alive at least. "Geez, Johnny! What happened to you?"

As Zoro checked his old comrade over, Silk sneered. "Did Kuro, Siam, and those other jackasses hurt you? And what about Merry?"

Johnny, eyes unfocused and clearly not used to not having his sunglasses between him and the sun, talked in a haggard voice, as if he hadn't had water for hours. "Ship's fine, Big Sis. Kuro and his crew needed it together to actually sail. And of course, I'm fine! Ha-hurk! They ambushed me, but it was almost a tie!"

"And Nami?" Silk pressed on. "Is she alright?"

Johnny sighed, but he didn't look like he had bad news. "Last I saw. The skinny one kicked me whenever that purple-haired bitch said so, and I might have lost consciousness a few times, but she seemed fine."

Silk sighed with relief. "Ok! That's great! Well...see ya! Keep an eye on the ship!" And with that, Silk jumped over the side, not even looking back.

"B-big Sis Silk!" Johnny screamed. "I'm still tied up!"

Zoro sighed, as he grabbed his sword. "That woman is so much trouble! Just hold still-!"

Zoro was only halfway through Johnny's bindings when a shadow shot up from the water and landed on deck! It was the Fishman Silk knocked out earlier! "Which...one of you...hit me!?"

Johnny, mind and body stressed already, passed out. This left just Zoro to mutter, "Shit."

About a minute later, Silk climbed back up and over. "Ha-ha! I was just kidding! Figured Zoro would cut...you..." Her voice and smile faded as she registered there was no one on deck but her. "Zoro? Johnny?" Silk ran for the starboard side to check the water. Besides the waves, the water was still and quiet. "Hey, Zoro! Johnny! Are you down there!?" The girl looked around the area, but nothing was moving around her. "Where are they?"

As Silk began to worry a bit, a faint whistling sound carried on from the wind. Silk looked over to where the sound came from...but all that was there was the goat figurehead. "Huh...where'd that noise come from?" As she went over to inspect the area and noticed something...near the goat head, some scales were sitting on the railing. As Silk picked some up, it became pretty clear what had happened to the missing pair. "...uh-oh."


Zoro found it hard to describe what was happening around him. He knew his dumb ass got dragged underwater. He knew Johnny got dragged along with him. But as the pair was towed at a breakneck speed that made Zoro's wounds tingle a bit (A true Swordsman feels no pain, after all!), that was all he could understand. The water was clear and blue, but it wasn't like this scaly bastard was giving a tour of the sights! If some low-level fish stick stooge in the territory of a known Fishman dragged some sap underwater without immediately drowning his prey, it's pretty clear where this was going. 'Awesome,' Zoro thought morosely.

It felt like forever, but eventually, the damn pile of chum came up for air. Thank God – fresh air, both captured men thought before being tossed roughly onto dry land. As they landed on a hard surface, Zoro looked over at his former comrade. "Hey...Johnny? You...alright?"

After spitting up some more seawater, the bounty hunter blinked back into consciousness. "I-I'm fine, Big Bro. Just... a little tired."

The Fishman laughed...which was joined by a lot of others cackling what the hell!? As their heads shot up, all the men saw surrounding them was Fishmen everywhere! "Humans are so weak! A little water and they all get tired! Ha-hahaha!"

'Weak, huh? Could a weakling knock your ass out!?' He may not have heard that thought, but when Zoro got up swiftly and knocked him out with one cross, he certainly got the gist. As the greenet reached for his swords (well, sword), about 10-20 of the seafood platters fell on him, holding down the brutish bounty hunter, as well as Johnny, stilling their movements. "Hey! Get off of my comrade!" Zoro winced at the barely noticeable tingle of his wounds.

"Now, why would they do that..." the slimiest voice spoke out, "after you just hurt one of ours?" As Zoro looked up, best he can with do with his head being held to the ground, he watched as a Fishman with a saw nose, mullet, and a sharp row of teeth walked up to them. Every bottom-feeder in sight parted away and he even gave off an air of strength and authority.

'Arlong,' Zoro understood immediately.

The fishman that was indeed Arlong leered down at his prisoners. "That's not how compensation works." As he spoke, the two jackasses holding down Johnny rose him to his feet, as the sharp-toothed bastard cracked his knuckles, grinning like a mad man. "This, however-!" He pivoted on the spot and delivered a hook that had Johnny spitting blood, snot, and teeth!

"JOHNNY!" Zoro roared as he tried to stand, injuries and Fishmen be damned!

"W-w-what the hell!? How's he getting up!?" One of his captors gasped as the Santoryu User rose to one knee. 20 Fishmen turned into 35, and his movement ceased.

As Johnny laid sprawled out, muttering about being this close to winning (he and Yokasu always did have a lot of pride), Arlong just laughed. "Don't be saddened by your weakness – this is the inevitable outcome! Fishmen have evolved to breathe underwater and are ten times as strong as any human! Everything we do is superior to you humans! We are the top of the food chain!" As he spoke, he jabbed his thumb downward. "To challenge a Fishman is to challenge nature itself!"

As the door of the building behind him opened, two figures walked out. "Arlong, are you going on about all that again?" It was Nami, Zoro noted. And next to her...that damned lying witch! Remembering his honor-bound promise, Zoro swallowed his emotions. The bitch is not the priority; getting Nami, and Johnny out of this is – and that can't be done if he kept charging in angry! Mihawk only scarred him... and an unheeded lesson will only bring the same wounds, and powerful shame, as Sensei once said.

So, the Pirate Hunter remained silent, centering his being, and meditated, as Nami and Arlong continued to talk. "...my talented and esteemed navigator, Nami. Your maps are the best! Plus, you brought us such a windfall with this one!" Wait, what? Navigator? For these douchebags?

Carina spoke up, seemingly bashful. "T-thank you, Capt. Arlong! I hope to be a great help on our voyage!" As the stupid bird on her shoulder said 'Shove off,' Zoro registered the words; voyage? Nami, the thief, and the sardine were sailing somewhere? They seem to be pretty situated here, so why move now?

Almost uncaringly cold, Nami glanced at Zoro and Johnny. "So, what's all this going on?"

Arlong snarled as he was the one that had been attacked and captured. "Some damn humans...why are they here, Ishmael?"

The Fishman that brought you in, Ishmael, was roused from his unplanned nap. "U-uh, w-well, we was watchin' that ship like you sent us to, when this guy-!" He gestured to Zoro, "sailed up, and insulted Murray! We were gonna join him in ripping the bastard's throat when some crazy blonde chick (Nami and Carina share a quick look at that) lands on Latso and slaps me into the water! I got out, but I was only able to find these two!"

Arlong glared murder as he looked down on Zoro after that story. "Attacking my comrades? So, you're not just a gutsy human, but a suicidal one!" As Johnny was brought up into a kneeling position like Zoro's, Arlong pulled out a pistol and loaded it.

Zoro glared silently at his would-be executioner; a single thought in his head: 'I can't die. Not here. Not until I reach my goal.' Gnashing his teeth, he said, "Yeah, and what? You want to shoot me?"

Arlong sneered back. "I'd never sully my hands." With that, he offered the gun to Nami. "Humans kill each other all the time – makes no difference in the end, eh, Nami?"

Nami gave the Fishman an emotionless look as she picked up the weapon. One Fishman muttered about Nami's cruelty; the only sign that she heard that was how tightly she gripped the gun as she walked over to the pinned men. She raised the gun, point-blank to Zoro's head. Instead of firing, she studied him. "So, you came here with just one person? Not that any more would have made a difference."

Zoro scanned her posture as well, for a moment. The redhead's face was unreadable, but her hand shook just slightly. He delivered an unsettling grin, a few Fishmen even breaking out in a cold sweat. "The way she told it, he's more of a one-man army...that should be plenty to get out of a bad spot."

Nami's expression shifted for a moment – eyes growing wide, nostrils flaring, a fraction of a smile on her face – before she reared her gun-holding hand back -

SLAP!

...And brought it across the mouthy jackass' cheek! "OW! F**k!"

While the Arlong Pirates look puzzled at the act, Nami turned while adapting a furious persona. "He says someone else is coming! If he has friends, we should keep him as a hostage! He's a bounty hunter – we can't be too sure if they aren't Marines!"

"Bounty hunter?" Arlong frowned, eyeing the captured and wounded man up and down before a spark of realization crossed his expression. "Oh...that's it. You're that Pirate Hunter East Blue's been buzzing about." A murmur went through the crowd.

On the side of the crowd, Kisame scratched his chin in thought. "Well, that's all well and good... But we're leaving to find the Pure Gold. Is it really important to keep prisoners?"

Ishmael growled at the newbie. "He's clearly talking about the bitch that hit me! Before we go, we should-!"

"P...Pure...Gold..." As one, the crowd looked at Johnny, rasping through his half-crushed face. His eye was swollen shut, dried blood sat under his nose, and he definitely had a broken jaw. The fact he could talk or was still conscious was a miracle! "Pure...Gold? You...really went for that plan, Carina?"

The Violette froze, before glaring at Johnny. "What are you suggesting? How do you even know me?"

Johnny just laughed...it sounded painful, but he chuckled all the same. "That's what you were saying earlier...on the ship." Johnny smiled with his broken teeth at Carina's subtly panicked expression. "You need to learn how to whisper..."

As the crowd acted like this is the most important thing now, whispering among themselves, Carina shot Johnny a 'shut-the-hell-up!' look. Unfortunately, he was so delirious with pain, he couldn't even take that hint as he cackled away! As time seemed to slow around her, Carina tried to rationalize a way out of this scenario. '...okay, it's fine (...noitsnot...). Pretend he's a spy or something (onlyonesolutiononlyoneansweryoumus-) to discredit him, or talk over him (theonlywayisto-), or knock him out (wemustlivewemustsurviveifwearetolive-)!' "W-wait..." Carina adopted a scared demeanor (notanactalwaysbelowthesurface). "Are...did he send you?" She scrunched up her face in (faux) anger. "Damn him! He can't leave me alone!" (theyneverwillwhichiswhywemustlivewemusts-)

Arlong (sharpteethscarydeath) regarded the emotional girl. "Hm? Are you alright, girl?"

Carina (wemustlivewemustsurviveifwearetolivealloth-) turned and jabbed a finger at the cackling bounty hunter. "H-he's a spy! My old boss has been trying to catch me since I escaped with what I know about the Pure Gold-will you stop laughing!"

Johnny's laughing fit was so bad now, it unnerved his jailers enough to let him go and stand back. Zoro was stunned; he'd never seen his old friend like this. Nami was so worried, she had actually dropped her mask to show her discomfort in the situation. "I'm...I ain't no spy!" Johnny cried through gaps in his gaffs. "That's you! (shutup.) Oi, you freakin' bitch! (SHUTUP!) After what you did to me and my brothers, I hope when Hook gets here, he-!"

"SHUT UP!"

BANG!

Zoro's mouth hung open. Nami schooled her face, but her nail dug into her palms. Even Arlong looked a little ill at the new hole in Johnny's head. Before the wound had even cooled, Carina marched forward, Abu transforming back into his monkey form to climb her shoulder, and spartan-kicked Johnny's body into the pool. For a few minutes, the Arlong Pirates, Siam, Jango, Nami, and Zoro watched as Johnny's body floated out to sea.

"...What the fuck?" Arlong asked plainly to Carina.

Carina watches Johnny float away for a bit, before turning around...with a serene smile that almost alarmed Kuroobi! "Sorry, capt~ But, he was bad for business~"

Nami side-eyed Zoro as she slipped into her role again. "Well, that brought down the mood. I vote we lock this one," she nodded at Zoro, "inside, for now, and get on with our going away party, right~?" The pirates roared and cheered at that thought. Okay, they were thrown off by how much bloodlust a human from East Blue of all places could give off, but they had seen worse sailing the Grand Line! Plus, what pirate turned down a reason to party? ...A shit one, that's who! "Plus," Nami spoke loudly enough for only Zoro to hear her as he was dragged to the dungeons. "So long as you avoid causing...business issues, Arlong might just leave you when we set sail, see~?"

Zoro didn't respond, but the message was clear; be quiet or she'll shoot you too. Before going inside, Zoro looked over to the now giggling actress, as she drank with Siam and Jango. He made a silent vow: before the Grand Line, that woman needed to die!

As Arlong sat down on his throne, a thought came to him. "Hm, that bit of violence reminds me...Oi, Fresh meat!" He waved over to Kisame. "I have a job for you..."


Cocoyashi was a silent, and peaceful place...well, as peaceful as a place could be under Arlong's webbed thumb. Today, unfortunately, the peace was actually disturbed by a blonde woman in a navy-blue top, and a golden ax on her back. "Zoro! Johnny! Where are you!" She sighed, blowing some hair out of her face. "This is getting me nowhere! A Fishman must have them! But how do I find one? I don't even know which way that big building is..."

After some careful...well, really, just looking around for inspiration, Silk chose to ask around town – after all, this place reminded her of home! Port Cisco was a very friendly town; by that logic, everyone here must also be pretty welcoming. "Hey, kid!" Silk walked up to the boy, an open look on her face, "I was wondering-AH!" Silk jumped back, as the child swung a big stick at her. "H-hey! What gives!?"

The boy frowned at her. "Go away! I don't wanna see any more big, rude ladies!" With that announcement, he loped off for home, stick dragging in the dirt. Silk looked on in confusion, before shrugging. On to the next one...

"Excuse me, sir!" Silk came up to a smoking man, standing next to a placard with two serpents wrapped around a staff. "I was wondering if-!"

The man raised his hand. "Hold it! Office is closed. We ran out of some essentials. Please come back at around 3-5 weeks."

Silk blinked. "No, actually, I," was as far as the poor girl got before the man flicked his cigarette into her face.

"Like I said. Closed. Go back to whatever island you came from, and never come back here." With that, the man went inside, leaving a slightly irked Silk. Another swing, another miss... Grumbling but still hopeful, Silk went over to a man covered in scars. In her funk and desperation, she blatantly ignored that he was already talking to someone...

As Silk ran up to them, they both stopped to look at her intrusion. "Hiya! I'm Silk! But more importantly, I'm looking for my friends, Zoro, Nami, and... er, Yosaku, I think."

The man raised his hands to stop the speech. "Miss, hold on now – did you say Nami?"

Silk nodded. "Yes! She's my friend, and we're here to rescue her from some jackass named Arlong!"

The official-looking man got really pale at that, glancing at their visitor. "Er, miss-!"

"Hold on!" Silk talked over him. "This is important! Some ugly ass, pig-looking Fishman took them! I know, because I was the one who flattened his nose! I think he took them where the Fishmen live, but I can't find it now that I'm inland! Are you sure you haven't seen them? One's got green hair, so he's hard to miss!"

"Um." The older man croaked with wide eyes as his visitor grinned with a wide row of teeth. Very sharp teeth.

"Oh, and there's also this purple-haired one, really skittish, kidnapped her and let out our prisoners! There's this one guy who looks like a butler – real jerk, long story – this other guy with heart glasses, and Siam! He's this one guy I fought...which eye was it I took out again?"

"His right eye, I think."

"Right, thank you! So, anyway, Mister! If you know anything, I really need you to...huh?" Silk looked to her right, at the tall second party: Kisame, who had crossed his arms as Silk continued her tale.

"Well," the Fishman spoke, a low rumble in the back of his throat. "I was sent to handle rumors of weapons by Capt, but instead I find the Pirate Hunter's cohort..."

"Oh? Weapons, huh?" Silk chuckled uneasily as she grabbed the hidden ax behind her, and shifted it into a new form. "Can't say I've seen any...Wait, you're a Fishman! And a really awesome-looking one, too!"

The man and most of the townspeople gaped at Silk, but the Tiger Shark Fishman just laughed! "Thank you for your compliment! It's rare to meet a human outside of the Grand Line who does not shy from our appearance!"

Silk replayed something he said earlier in her head. "And you said you know where Zoro and the others are? Really!? Can you take me to them?"

Kisame paused at that. "Well, the thing is I don't know if you should just walk in just like that. Today has been very exciting, and Capt's on edge with planning the voyage – ah, wait! I shouldn't mention that. Everybody, forget it!" The entirety of Cocoyashi face-vaulted at that.

"W-wait..." the old man peered at the Fishman, "Do you mean Arlong will be leaving? Like soon!?"

Kisame waved his arms in front of him. "I can't say! Please, just disregard that! Also," he turned back to Silk, "I think I came up with a way to decide what to do! Little lady, let's play a game!"

"Actually, the name's Silk! What's yours?" the girl interjects.

The Fishman palmed his forehead. "Oh, I apologize. Real warriors should always introduce one's self. I am Kisame." He even punctuated his intro with a pose.

Silk nodded. "Well, nice to meet ya! Now, the game! Let's see...I spy-!"

Kisame just laughed. "No, no! It is not that kind of a game...Back home, we called it 'Devil's Strike.'"

Silk blinked at that. "Devil's...Strike...?"

Kisame began to explain. "It's a test to see who's the strongest in the group, designed to cause to least amount of damage like a brawl might unleash. Simply put, we each take turns hitting one another until the other concedes! When I was a kid, I even came up with saying 'You're the Devil!' when you lose! Fun, right?"

"Alright, but can we use weapons?" Silk inquired, as the townspeople looked at each other in bewilderment.

Kisame frowned. "Well, actually, a true warrior should be able to fight without weapons if need be; that is why for Devil's Strike, no weapons are used! If I used my sword, I could end the game before it could really begin." He nodded to the wrapped blade on his back.

"So, I can't even use this?" From behind her back, Silk showed off her new accessory: a gauntlet, made of solid gold! Rough looking, but useable.

"Hmmm, you only have some armor? Well, I suppose I can allow it, as it is your first Devil's Strike." Kisame hummed as he picked something from his teeth.

Silk nodded. "Ok! Well, let's start! I'll go first!"

With a small windup, the Gold Girl slammed a gilded fist into Kisame's guts. He took a step back, trying to catch his breath, the humans on the sidelines doing the same. 'Is she really going to go toe-to-toe with a Fishman!?' was the collective thought. Finally, as Kisame stood up and inhaled, he smiled as Silk. "Ah-ha...that was quite a punch! You sure you're just an ordinary human?"

"Not anymore," Silk stated earnestly. "I ate a Devil Fruit!"

That peaked a lot of eyebrows. "Devil Fruits? Those are real?" passed throughout the crowd.

Kisame whistled, as he rotated his shoulder cuff. "A Devil Fruit, eh? Have you learned what it is capable of?"

"Gold makes me stronger; I make gold stronger, and I can manipulate its shape!" She shrugged. "Not much more to tell."

Kisame nodded. "Interesting. And that was why you asked about weapons. A power with such a useful tool, you'd have to ask to avoid cheating. Well, now it is my turn! Prepare yourself!" With that, he lunged forward, Silk tensing for the hit-

That stopped short of actually touching her. "Huh? Aren't you...supposed to hit me next?"

Kisame gave a... more dangerous grin than before. "Oh, in a bit. Since you told me your truth...I'll give you mine." As he spoke, Silk felt a shiver going over her. "I have some power too...I'm a mid-level practitioner of Fishman Karate... and that move I just did is an attack that does not require me to touch you!"

As soon as the last word hit, Silk went flying. That wasn't an exaggeration; the poor girl got thrown out of town, and sent flying into the hills outside of Cocoyashi!

As the citizens of the town gaped at the level of power, a power that almost made Arlong tame in comparison, Kisame huffed while mopping his brow. "Unfortunately, I can only summon that level of power once a day for now. Now, old man..." Kisame grabbed the scarred man by his shirt. As the old man called to stop the people from swarming the Fishman, Kisame spoke, his carefree attitude returned. "You know, Arlong's exact orders were to kill you as a reminder of disobeying him. But, would you like a counteroffer, old man?"

As the head of the village sweated bullets, he wondered what unlucky star the Conami Islands fell under to have two hellish Fishmen…


A/N: Mamma mia, that's a lot of 'what the hell is happening?' Don't worry – it'll make sense eventually… Next time, new character interactions! And Hook should be popping up. For real this time!