Chapter 50: Hatchan's Speech
Sting's group eventually arrived on the shore.
Yukino recalled her spirit Pisces. "Good job now take a good rest."
"Whoa, this place is huge," Lector said amazed at the countless buildings.
Nearby some Fishman and merfolks were staring at them in awe.
"Did that human girl make those giant Sea Kings disappear?"
"Yeah! She had control over them!"
"Hold on, I never heard of giant sea kings that could disappear!"
Rogue saw that Yukino's display drew unwanted attention. "Oops, I think we surprised them."
Yukino got worried and went over to the citizens. "Oh forgive me, I didn't mean to startle you." She bowed which surprised the Fishman citizens.
"Well, I guess it's okay..."
Sting had a question. "Excuse me, have you guys seen these guys?" He showed a few wanted posters.
A mermaid cautiously looked at the wanted posters and gasped. "Hold on, are these people friends of yours?"
"Uhh...yes ma'am...we're members of the Fairy Tail Pirates...we-" The guild master of Sabertooth paused when he realized that he was talking to a mermaid an actual one that wasn't from the celestial world.
Yukino couldn't believe it either, the one mermaid she saw was Aquarius that was previously owned by Lucy.
"Ammo Knight help, Fairy Tail Pirate reinforcements have arrived!" The mermaid screamed in terror.
The other merfolk ran off in fear while some Fishmen did the same.
"What was that all about?" Lector questioned.
"Are they afraid of us?" Frosch wondered.
Sting had a bad feeling and he knew that the only way to find answers was to go through the town. "Guys, let's go, our friends are probably there somewhere!"
"Yeah!" The other four roared in determination.
Back at the Northeastern Tower
Megalo was flying away with Shirahoshi in his mouth and riding on his back was Luffy along with Natsu, Happy, Wendy, Carla, and Luffy.
Brook didn't understand what was going on. "C'mon where are you guys going?!"
"Megalo return! Remain here!" The Minister of the Right called out.
The giant shark didn't listen. "Please father and big brothers...royal subjects...I'm leaving without permission." Shirahoshi thought feeling a bit bad. "I promise to be home for dinner."
"What has gotten into Megalo?" Kagura questioned.
The Minister of the Right turned to the open doors. "He can't just leave the doors open, what if something were to" He paused and gasped in realization. "Skeleton check on the princess now!"
"Okay okay, don't ram my bones," Brook said recovering the shouting.
Kagura was already there and her eyes widened in shock. "No one is here."
The Minister of the Right and Brook were in complete shock with gaping mouths.
"AAAGGHHH!" The seahorse merman screamed. "This isn't good Shirahoshi never leaves her room!"
Hearing that detail caught Brook's attention. "Wait, are you saying she can't leave her room, why is that?"
"Because of Vander Decken, he's been trying to kill for ten whole years," The Minister of the Right replied comically bawling his eyes out in shame.
"Ten whole years?" Kagura exclaimed in shock but her expression was replaced with absolute disgust. "She's been locked because of this Vander Decken bastard."
One of the pirates that knocked away began to stand up and took out his sword.
Kagura sensed this right away and slashed the pirate with her sword in its sheath.
Brook was astonished at that sword display. "So the rumors of your sword fighting skill are true."
Suddenly more of the pirates that were knocked out regain consciousness and took out their weapons.
"Where is the switch to the gate?"
"Yeah, show us the switch,"
"Please take us to the switch now,"
Brook wasn't quite understood what the pirates were going on about. "Switch..."
"Skeleton and sword-sheath woman, let's return to the palace entrance and report the situation to Neptune right away!" The Minister of the Right demanded.
"We didn't want this to happen, we have orders to invade the Ryugu Palace or we'll die..." One injured pirate said.
Kagura saw the look of desperation on the pirate's faces. "Who ordered you guys to come here?"
"That doesn't matter right now, just show us where the switch is!" Another pirate demanded loudly.
All of them ganged up on the three.
Kagura swiftly knocked them away using her hand-to-hand combat skills.
A few hours ago.
Gin was talking with Aquapad and his friends.
Aquapad asked a favor from Gin, only to get an unexpected answer.
"What do you mean Hatchen isn't at his usual spot?" The Marlin Fishman asked.
"I went to go see him because I wanted to tell him about your human friends, but, when I got there he was gone!" Gin replied.
"Where would Hatchy go anyway?" Jula questioned.
"Yeah, he's still recovering from the beating he took on Sabaody too," Thorn added.
"When did you notice he was missing?" Aquapad asked the Wolf Mink Whaleshark Hybrid.
"It was sometime after you and your friends left Mermaid Cove,"
"I see...Hammond even mentioned Hordy Jones...we haven't seen that creep or his friends in a while," Aquapad commented as he looked towards his childhood friends. "Where is Hordy Jones now?"
"I believe he and his gang hang out at the Noah Ark," Angel answered.
Aquapad then had a bad feeling. "Okay, first off, Thorn and Jula go after Hatchan and bring him back safely."
The two nodded and ran off as Aquapad looked at Gin.
"Gin, go into the town and find my friends including any Straw Hat Pirates, tell them to meet us at the Sea forest,"
The Wolf Mink Whaleshark Hybrid nodded though he looked a bit nervous.
"Angel, Lisanna, and Rena, you guys are with me, we're going back to the Mermaid Cafe to inform Sanji and Chopper of the situation!"
Fishman District Noah was soon covered in bubble coating.
Aquaius observed the human pirates that were caught a while ago. "So, these are the humans that you guys caught?"
Vander Decken approached some of the human pirates with a huge grin. "Listen up each of you humans is given a special mission by Hordy Jones, is that amazing!?" He had his red glove on still. "Anyway, I'm cursed with the Devil Fruit I ate known as the Mark-Mark Fruit, but no matter this power of mine is great!"
The human pirates began to whisper to each other.
"Isn't he captain of the Flying Dutchman?"
"Yeah, but, isn't that a ghost ship?"
"Bahohohoho!" Vander Decken laughed. "That's correct, however, I'm no ghost, I'm the either descendant of the legendary Vander Decken!" He then pointed at one of the human pirates. "You there, I would like to demonstrate my power!"
"Yeah, but, clearly not handsome as we are! Saizou joked cruelly.
The captain of the Flying Dutchman took offense to that cruel joke. "How dare you insult that way!"
"Enough!" Hordy Jones yelled. "Anyway, for my first orders..."
Just then footsteps were coming from the hallway tunnel, the Octopus Fishman then pointed his finger at the new Fishman Pirates. "This nonsense and you know it, enough is enough!"
"Hatchy?"
"What is he doing here?"
Saizou smirked. "Well looked at what the catfish dragged in."
Taron grinned amusingly. "Looks like Hatchy is still able to stand."
Jester giggled creepily.
"Listen those energy steroids won't do except mess up your body!" Hatchy continued. "No good can come out of destroying Fishman Island, on top of that you're underestimating the power of Neptune!"
Hordy just sneered at the Octopus Fishman. "Tch...I heard of enough of your rambling, to think that an officer like you that was part of the pirate group that I admired...but now you're just a washed-up has-been, so make way for the real pirates."
The human pirates just stared at the Great White Shark Fishman.
"If we want to show the humans what we're made of, then we must see that Neptune is our enemy...Hatchy have you forgotten that Arlong would state that Fishman was the supreme race, so, what changed your mind?"
"Arlong was wrong, there is no supreme race..." Hatchy paused as he noticed three familiar faces. "Saizou...Taron...Jester."
"It's been a while old man," Saizou spoke with a dark smile.
"I see you got a beaten from the navy that's what we heard anyway," Taron added.
"Yeah, not to mention you got your ass saved by a human pirate," Jester finished with a laugh.
"How are you guys here?" Hatchy asked looking quite shocked.
"That's a long story Hatchy..." Hordy answered. "As I was saying the Fishman race shall reign supreme over the humans, no matter the cost we shall teach every human a lesson."
"Enough!" Hatchan demanded. "Vander Decken, Hyouzou, why are you two teaming up with these guys, when Arlong was in charge, you guys didn't join his group, so, why do this now!"
Hyouzou was sipping on sake. "That was easy, Arlong didn't pay much, he was always sketchy, which is the reason he had you as a crappy swordsman."
Hearing that struck a nerve as Hatchy walked closer to the center. "A sight for sore eyes an angry Hatchy, well, you're right, I was asked by Arlong to be part of his crew, but, I never work under someone and Hordy Jones gets that."
Saizou smirked again. "Heh...heh...we joined because we heard some human females were on the island, once we get our hands on them, we'll have some fun with them..." He licked his lips.
"rrhahaha..." Taron laughed. "It's been so long since we laid our hands on any female humans too."
"Fact is, Hordy Jones told us that we can do what we want as long as we make them suffer," Jester said with a creepy grin.
"The things I respected Arlong was his goals and ability to act on his own..." Images of Arlong and his pirate flowed through his mind. "However, he was also brash as a leader he lacking and cunning...back then when the old-timers were going wild on the sea, we were still young to be pirates."
Jula and Thorn arrived in time, but, they quietly walked through the hallway. "I hope we're not too late."
"We watched what you guys did therefore we saw what you all did well and what poorly..." Hordy continued as he pumped up his arm. "We learned from your mistakes and we owe you our thanks."
Hatchy gritted his teeth as the new Fishman captain continued his speech. "Take heart I will continue what Arlong started...I don't understand why you don't see that anymore despite that you supported him all those years, how disappointing, but, I must inform you that the human pirate that crushed Arlong's plan is here, you join us and we'll avenge Arlong's defeat!"
Hatchen lowered his face and recalled his time with Straw hat Luffy.
"You guys are my friends now!" Luffy's voice echoed in his mind.
"Straw Hat Luffy saved my life and I'm grateful for that...I could I would go and see him again..." Hatchy then looked at Hordy Jones looking more serious than ever. "I could I face him again knowing that you are continuing Arlong's legacy!"
Hordy Jones sneered at the Octopus Fishman's words. "You consider a human your friend how pathetic!"
Jula was getting angry upon hearing this. "Stop it!"
Everyone including Hatchen turned to the room's entrance doorway. "Jula, Thorn!" Hatchy said in surprise.
"What are they doing here?" Dosun questioned.
"Ca-ca...the party has gotten interesting," Daruma laughed.
"Hee-hee...Jula such an amazing Squid-woman..." Ikaros said with a creepy smirk.
"Jula...Thorn..." Hordy said with a cold chuckle. "Did you come here to join us?"
"No..." Thorn answered. "We came here for Hatchan."
Hatchen was about to speak until then he was touched by Vander Decken's plain hand. "Calm yourself, you seemed to have forgotten that pirates have a way to get what they want and that's through violence." He tossed up a knife. "For example..."
The knife flew around in circles.
"Did you notice when I touched you, I marked you as my new target," Vander Decken said as the knife flew towards Hatchan's direction. "No matter where I throw a weapon it can find my target that I marked and will come at you twice the force I suspect!"
Hatchan evaded the first strike but only for him to be stabbed in the back.
Jula and Thorn's eyes widened in horror. "Hatchan!"
The Octopus Fishman knelt in pain.
"He threw the knife and it came back to him!" A human pirate panicked in horror.
"That's the power of the cursed fruit, I shall use this on King Neptune and his family!" Vander Decken cackled. "Now hand me some arrows."
A Fishman pirate grunt handed the Flying Dutchman captain several arrows.
"Now..."
Suddenly Jula swung one of her swords slicing the arrows in half. "You bastard!" She screamed in anger.
Vander Decken wasn't pleased with that. "You got a lot of nerve doing that to me little lady."
"You got some nerve attacking Hatchan you jerk!" The Squid Fishwoman barked back.
Thorn was picked up Hatchy by one of his tentacle-like arms. "Come on..."
"I see, you guys are opposing us then," Hordy Jones wondered. "I heard that Aquapad got into a fight with Hammond again, so that must make you guys our enemies too."
"Yes, nobody messes with Hatchan or Aquapad," Thorn barked in an angry voice. "Honestly I never liked Arlong nor his cranky attitude either!"
Ikaros sneered at the female squid fish woman. "Jula, are you going to side with humans?"
"Yes, Aquapad has made some human friends back at Water 7 and he's a member of the Fairy Tail Pirates too!" The Squid Fishwoman replied. "The point is humans are probably not the heartless creatures as you claim to them to be."
"I agree, I think the ones that heartless are you Hordy Jones, and your crazy friends!" Thorn agreed.
Hordy Jones gritted his teeth in anger. "Then you all get out of my sight!"
"Be quick, I ain't out of arrows yet!" Vander Decken said holding several more arrows.
"Take this!" Jula tossed some strange balls that created a black smokescreen. "RUN!"
The three ran through the hallway and the smokescreen seemed to give them a few minutes to escape.
"I'll make you punks pay!" He tossed the arrows.
The three swam as fast as they saw light leading up to the surface.
However, the arrows were gaining on their tailor rather than Hatchan's tail.
"I'll buy you some time!" Jula took out her blades and cut them down each other with ease. "I can't let those arrows pass!"
Unfortunately, some arrows manage to pass her as soon as Thorn and Hatchan got closer to the surface. "Look out!"
The last remaining arrows impaled Hatchan's back causing him to scream in pain.
"Hatchan!" Jula and Thorn screamed.
"Quite the display..." Aquaius said with a giggle.
"Pity that Jula had to leave," Taron chuckled showing his teeth.
"That's power the of the Mark-Mark Fruit!" Vander Decken laughed.
"Now listen up human pirate slaves!" Hordy Jones got up from his seat. "Vander Decken will mark each of you and fire you all in other words he'll use you all as ammunition."
"Isn't the palace guarded and coated with a large bubble?" A human pirate asked.
"Yes, they say the palace's defenses are untouchable, but Vander Decken knows that with his Devil Fruit power can pass through that, meaning you guys will smash into the wall, once you arrive there, all of you will open up the gate and that's when we'll be able to enter," Hordy Jones replied.
"Are you crazy, we'll be dead if we smash against a wall that strong!" A human pirate protested.
Hordy Jones just chuckled. "That's right, but that doesn't matter, either you humans work for us as slaves or become corpses to the sea's depth, if you manage to succeed then I shall set you free!"
"But even if we leave we'll drown once we leave the bubble!" Another pirate said.
"Then you don't have to complain about the only way for you to survive!" Vander snatched a human pirate, then another, another, another, and another until all of the human pirates were sent flying in the direction of the Ryugu Palace.
"I have to admit that's quite the power," Aquaius praised with a giggle.
"By the way, what is your plan to lure those Fairy Tail flies here?" Hordy Jones asked.
"About that, I would like to borrow Saizou, Jester, and Taron for a moment," Aquaius requested.
Present.
At the Mermaid Cafe
Chopper was fighting against the Ammo Knights.
Some were knocked out. "Sanji, stop fighting and go back to bed!"
"I ain't fighting, I want to ask them something about the Ryugu Palace," The pirate chef said getting the Fishman knight's eyes to twitch in confusion. "Is she there, the mermaid princess?"
"Yes, she is...so what?"
"I'll go, it's worth it," Sanji said.
"No, it's not, you're still too weak, if she's beautiful you might die!" Chopper warned.
The chef wouldn't listen. "C'mon, is the princess beautiful?"
"Well, I saw her before, but, I heard she's quite lovely," Another Ammo Knight replied.
Hearing that made Sanji go into lover boy mode. "She is... then takes me to the palace, my true love awaits!" He swooned.
The Ammo Knights were baffled at the cook's weird behavior. "What is wrong with this guy?"
"I don't know but regardless we have to take him into custody,"
One took out a pair of handcuffs. "Before we escort you to the palace, we have to put you in handcuffs."
Sanji didn't seem to mind that. "If that means I can see here then so be it!"
Chopper couldn't believe this. "You nutcase..." He began to run towards his friend. "Stop out of it, don't go with them!"
"Wait a minute!" Out of nowhere, Sanji kicked the Ammo Knights and surprising Chopper. "How can I prepare a meal for the princess if I'm handcuffed, you imbeciles!"
"That's why it's not okay!" Chopper wailed comically.
"I knew he would resist, jump on him now!" One of the Ammo Knights commanded.
"Seriously, you're going to prevent me from seeing the princess!" Sanji yelled. "I bet you're just jealous!" He fought against the Ammo Knights and was able to overpower them.
"What is going on here?" A voice asked.
There was Gray, Miyaka, Juvia, Fujika, and Millianna.
"Meow, why are you fighting these guys?"
"Millianna, Fujika, Juvia, Miyaka, my darlings!" Sanji swooned at the ladies.
"Focus Sanji, what is going on here?" Gray interrupted.
"I ain't answering to a stripping pervert!" The cook remarked.
Gray looked down noticing that his pants and shirt were missing. "Oh, man!"
"Eek, that human man is half-naked!" A mermaid shrieked while blushing furiously.
A child fish girl had her eyes covered by her mother. "Put some clothes on young man!"
"Gray is right though, we just caused some trouble for these guys, not to mention the citizens are giving us the dead-fish stare!" Chopper exclaimed.
"Don't forget you started the fighting too!" Sanji was reminded to fix his collar. "By the way, you improved congrats."
Hearing that made Chopper do his happy dance. "Praising me won't make me happy you jerk!"
"You look happy," Millianna and Juvia thought with deadpan looks.
"AAAAHHHH!"
"A lady's scream, don't worry I'm coming to your rescue!" Sanji dashed away.
"That sounded like Yukino," Gray said recognizing the scream.
Millianna recognized the scream too. "Meow, you're right, let's go see!"
"Hey, there's Fishman covered in blood on the shore!" A citizen cried in terror.
"Where'd he come from?" It was Sting's voice.
"Oh no, that looks bad," Lector's voice was heard next.
"Please someone call a doctor to help our friend!" Next was Jula's voice.
Chopper stopped his dancing and looked to where Sanji and the others ran.
Sanji was staring in disbelief at the familiar Fishman lying on the ground with arrows impaled on his back. "Hatchan, what the hell happened to you?"
Jula and Thorn heard this and saw the two Straw Hat Pirates. "You two, Sanji, and Chopper I presume..."
"Yes, I'm a doctor, I'll patch up his injuries right away once I remove the arrows," Chopper answered.
"Hold on, is this Hatchan?" Sting guessed.
"Aquapad mentioned him before," Rogue said.
"I remember too," Frosch added.
"Yeah, but what happened to the poor guy?" Lector asked.
Gray was shocked at the scene. "What happened to him?"
Hatchen opened his eyes and was relieved to see his friends. "Sanji...Chopper...I'm happy to see you guys, but, is Straw Hat here too"
Chopper got closer gently taking out the first aid kit. "no, but, don't move..."
Hatchan grabbed Sanji's collar shirt looking very distressed. "Please, wherever your friends take them away and get out the hell off this island!"
Fujika got out a medicine jar. "Here, use these to pour on his wound once you remove the arrows."
"Good idea," Chopper praised taking the medicine jars.
"Please, if you get involved with what happened to me, then all of you will be fighting for your lives," Hatchan pleaded on the verge of passing out. "Hordy Jones...Saizou, Taron, Jester, and Vander Decken have...teamed up, they become the new Fishman Pirates..."
"Please Hatchan, let us explain to them," Jula insisted.
Thorn agreed. "She's right, you need to be treated for your wounds, just get some rest."
Hatchen used two of his hands to grab the two wrists. "Jula...Thorn...please...don't get them..." He was on the verge of passing out.
Laxus and Gajeel's group reunited then both went into a nearby alleyway to have a conversation, overhearing more of the citizen's concerns and that they're being accused of kidnapping mermaids.
"Damn, this blows, we came to take down Tartaros and now we're being accused of kidnapping mermaids," Gajeel scoffed.
"That doesn't make any sense, our friends wouldn't do that neither would the Straw Hats," Levy agreed.
"Do you guys think that Hammond jerk and his friends are doing this and framing us?" Evergreen said sharing her opinion.
"Who knows..." Lily answered. "But we do know things are the Ammo Knights are still searching around for us."
"Agreed... we must try sneak around quietly without being," Tigress spoke. "Perhaps, we can find the kidnapped mermaids, I mean they could still be around with the actual culprit."
Chelsea reverted to human form. "Man, just when I thought we were going to be able to relax for a bit..." She was leaning against a building's wall.
"Man, this is blows..." Bickslow groaned.
"Anyway, we must head to this madame Sharley's house, I overheard some citizens talking about Sanji and Chopper staying there, and it's possible Sting's group arrived there by now," Laxus suggested with his arms crossed.
"He's right," Freed agreed. "We still haven't gotten any leads on where Tartaros is hiding, but for now let's get to the Sharley's house."
M
Brook, Kagura, and The Minister of the Right returned to the palace entrance.
"Everyone, pirates are heading this way!" Kagura alerted.
"King Neptune, Shirahoshi isn't in her, she must've been kidnapped!" The Minister of the Right reported.
"We saw Natsu, Wendy, Carla, Happy, and Luffy riding on Megalo's back too!" Brook concluded.
"Someone kidnapped my daughter!?" King Neptune roared deeply.
"AAAHHH!" Usopp and Lucy exclaimed.
"Natsu, what kind of stunt is he doing this time?" Makarov questioned frustrated.
"I'm sure he has a reason, then again, that boy never learns," Gildarts sighed.
"At least we know where Wendy and Carla are," Leone said looking at the bright side.
"Snort...snort...looks like we're going to fight again," Temukai said breathing air out of his nostrils.
Usagi had other thoughts. "What would human pirates invade the palace?"
"Why is there a pirate raid going on?" Zoro asked.
"I don't know, they seemed to have crashed into the tower," Kagura answered.
"Rather, they were sent crashing to the tower by Vander Decken's devil fruit power," The Minister of the Right stated.
"What, there's a devil fruit that can do that?" Erza questioned.
"Aquapad did mention that his powers did help him send weapons crashing into the northeast tower," Mest commented.
"Damn it...all I wanted was to get out of her and now there's a pirate party going on, WE'RE SCREWED!" Usopp screamed comically, but no one responded to his screaming. "FINE IGNORE ME JERKS!"
"I'll cut them," Zoro suggested with a straight face.
"VIOLENCE IS THE LAST THING WE NEED RIGHT NOW!" Lucy exclaimed comcially.
Just then the human pirates arrived.
"If we find the switch we can open the gate..." One of them said worn out.
"They look terrible," Lucy thought.
"They look like they crashed down a rocky hill," Akame commented with a straight face.
"How can you say that with a straight face?!" Usopp yelled with shark teeth.
Zoro prepared to attack.
Erza summoned a sword.
"Attack!" The human pirates charged wielding their weapons.
Erza and Zoro swiftly charged at the attacking pirates. "C'mon!"
Saizou, Taron, and Jester will be swimming up to the surface wearing cloaks leading them were Aquaius wearing her red cloak and her porcelain mask. "Fairy Tail, this adventure shall be your last." She giggled evilly.
Hatchan confronts Hordy Jones and his crew about their ambitions and tries to talk them out of it, but, to no avail. Jula and Thorn follow him and escape with Hatchan only to be injured in the process by Vander Decken's Devil Fruit power. Sanji, Chopper, and Gray along with some other friends find the injured Octopus Fishman. Now the human pirates that were captured by the new Fishman Pirates invade the Royal Palace.
Luffy: In the next chapter: The Angry Mob
End of chapter.