Chapter 34: Their Merit
A/N: Goodness, this chapter is LATE! I wanted to get this out weeks ago, but a lot of stuff came up. Top among them being my home internet died out completely! Got that all sorted out finally, so on with the story, but first I would like to wish you all a big THANK YOU for reading this story (dear me, it's almost FIVE YEARS old!) and to have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Arc – Captured Rain Genin Part 14
The three Aburame are present in the Nara household, Yoshino is leaning against the wall observing them, while Shikaku is answering the door. The five Rain Genin are all sitting around the center table, looking even more nervous. All of them are facing the door.
Subtext: Unexpected Arrivals
XXXXXXX – East Blue, Order-class Marine vessel, Honshu
It was common knowledge that the Marines had the largest fleet in the world, as their influence was heavy in the Grand Line and the four Blue Seas, and while the fleet had many different types and classes of vessels, two in particular were the most common sight. The first was the far more numerous Order-class, such as Nezumi's Sly Rat; skimmer-type vessels that were about the size of modern day caravel type ships, typically with two masts, designed for quick response to aid vessels or make deliveries such as a prisoner transfer, rather than direct combat. Though when the need did arise, the Orders would use the advantage of numbers to deal with an enemy. Lightly armed with a crew of fifty marines, they were considered the work horse of the Marine fleet and served as its backbone for centuries, some even going as far as to claim since the founding of the World Government eight hundred years ago.
The second type of vessel was a much more recent addition: The Justice-class. Galleon-sized ships that were far larger than their Order predecessors, with a crew of eight hundred. These vessels now formed the heart of the Navy's battleships, specifically designed for combat whether it was by land or sea. They were heavily armed with highly trained sailors and hulls many considered impenetrable. Justice-class ships were used for whenever a Buster Call was initiated, as little could stand the combined might of ten of these ships.
Currently, Aburame Kokuei was sitting in the Honshu's brig. Her large coat had been taken away and chains bound her arms behind her, mounted to the wall. She also knew two Marine guards were posted outside, with a Telesnail in an upper corner watching her every move, specifically if any of her little friends were to try anything.
Marines were well aware of a shinobi's use of chakra and many of the top commanders even had a thorough knowledge of its capabilities. There were tales of even more thorough precautions Marines undertook in the past in order to keep a shinobi prisoner and a large reason this hadn't happened with Kokuei was because she was in the middle of a transfer.
Not that she was complaining.
Kokuei looked up to see the cell door open showing a Lieutenant with a full squad of Marines behind him. "Let's go," he ordered, two of his men unshackling Kokuei from the wall.
She thought about making an escape attempt but discarded it quickly. As with the base, her going alone was suicide and nothing would be gained from it. Even as a prisoner, she had a few options, most notably accepting the Marines offer to become one of their shinobi. An offer she was certain would be extended to her before she reached the next base.
Truth be told, she was more worried about her clan's response. Not only had she been caught, but if they were to launch any rescue efforts, it could potentially expose them more than they would want. That was something she wouldn't allow.
Coming on deck, she saw a second Order-class next to the Honshu, with the name Salvation. The rear sail depicted the number 153, declaring it was part of the 153rd Branch. A plank was extended between the two ships with a number of armed men and women on either side of the ship.
As Kokuei was directed to cross, she felt a ray of hope. The 153rd Branch included Shells Town, the place where her clan compound was hidden. While a rescue effort would still be risky on their 'home' turf, sneaking a message to her clansmen would be a lot more feasible.
Crossing over to the Salvation, she watched the Marines salute each other as the plank was withdrawn, the transfer complete. "Let's go," a marine told her as the other Navy vessel began pulling away. To her surprise, Kokuei was led not to this ship's brig but to the Captain's cabin.
'Must be time for the offer,' she thought to herself as she was led inside. All but two of the escorts left, taking their places on either side of the doorway as it closed. The cabin was far more ordinary than she expected, with few personal effects decorating it. In the middle was a table with her coat and other personal items laid out, with a Marine commander on the opposite side. She recognized him immediately as Commander Ripper, the new head of the base with Captain Morgan's dismissal.
"Aburame Kokuei, if I'm not mistaken," Ripper greeted with a sincere tone in his voice. In response, the female young adult just gave a nod. He gestured to his two men and then the chains. "You no longer need those."
"Is this wise?" Kokuei spoke as the two marines undid the chains. She rubbed her wrists subconsciously, not sure what the man's game was. He had a more honest and fair reputation to him to be sure, but he was still a member of the Navy and she a ninja. "I could attempt to take you hostage."
"You could, but that's no longer needed." Kokuei froze at the voice. It hadn't been Ripper or his two guards that spoke, but another voice altogether. Spinning around, Kokuei looked at a shadowy corner and saw a figure standing there. It wasn't a marine, it was an Aburame. And not just any Aburame; this man was immensely old and ancient looking, but still had a measure of strength about him. He did not look feeble in any sense of the word and even his attire suggested that. Dressed in the traditional Aburame garb, the impressions under his coat indicated he wore armor. Even the gourd on his back looked like it was made out of solid steel.
The head of the Aburame clan himself, Aburame Touken.
"Grandfather…" Kokuei sputtered out, not expecting this development at all. Quickly, she composed herself as the man approached. "Sorry… Aburame Head, Touken-sama."
Even during the time of the villages, Aburame Touken had been a legend. Being over ninety years of age, he had lived not only through the village's sixty year collective history, but even during the era of clans before the villages. It gave him a very unique perspective, having seen things both as a single clan and as a village, leading the clan through the founding of the villages, the three Shinobi Wars and even their destruction and regrouping at the clan compound at Shells Town. Though his days of fighting had been over for two decades, he still commanded an aura of presence and pride that allowed him to continue to lead the clan.
"Right on both accounts," Touken replied, a smile on his face as he embraced her. "Konnichiwa."
Pulling back Kokuei repeated the greeting before looking back at the marines, a cold realization coming. "Don't tell me that you're…"
"Trading myself for you?" Touken supplied. He shook his head. "No, but you are being released. The Marines and Aburame clan have worked out a deal."
"A… deal?" the younger Aburame repeated skeptically.
"The day I was notified of your capture, I specifically requested jurisdiction," Commander Ripper said, making both of them turn to face him. "I knew your clan was hiding somewhere on the island and made a public announcement wishing to offer terms about you." He gestured to her grandfather. "He answered personally."
The Aburame Head gave a nod of acknowledgement. "And as such, we have worked out an arrangement. As a sign of good faith on the Marine's part, you are being released. Just as my being here is a sign of good faith on the Aburame's part."
"… why?" Kokuei asked, still a bit suspicious. The Marines and Shinobi were enemies by profession rather than association, so cooperative efforts and even friendships weren't unheard of… but she found it highly unusual given that the Aburame were now alone, with no real official standing. What did they have to offer?
Seeing the look in her eyes, Ripper tipped his cap towards Kokuei. "I've fought with shinobi before. My experience is limited mainly to playing defense, protecting a target or prize. But I've encountered enough of your people to have a healthy respect for your abilities. And right now, I have a situation where I want to utilize those abilities for my benefits rather than fight against it. Which your presence has conveniently allowed me to do."
Kokuei narrowed her eyes, realizing where this was going. "Orochimaru."
"Very good," her grandfather congratulated. "Yes, the individual you reported. He is no more a friend to the marines than he is to us. The Marines are far more concerned with the White Snake than with the Aburame Clan and are willing to work together in order to deal with him."
"If he wanted Shinobi, there are hundreds, if not thousands, that have joined the Government." Kokuei pointed out.
"True enough." Ripper admitted. "But there is one key difference between them and the Aburame clan: You are here. Now. We don't know when Orochimaru will move again. We need to strike before he vanishes back to the hole he slithers out of."
The Aburame Leader inclined his head. "A stance the Clan Council has agreed to."
"Then that means…" Kokuei started.
Touken gave a nod. "Correct."
XXXXXXX – East Blue, Syrup Village, Nara Household
With Gen and Muta at his side, Shibi was in deep discussion with Oboro about the Rain Village, with the young man agreeing to pass a message to Hanzo himself so long as they stayed in the hands of the Naras, rather than be handed over to the Aburame as planned to see what benefits the Aburame clan and the Rain Village could work out when they realized company had arrived.
Everyone turned to see four new Aburame at the door, the foremost being Aburame Daichi and Senta. Daichi was taller than the rest with a buzz cut, and visibly showed Konoha's Chunin vest rather than an Aburame coat, with red pants and sandals. Senta was a head shorter and completely bald. He wore a long jacket, but no shirt, exposing his bare chest to the world, save for the straps that held his small gourd on his back, complete with black pants and the same style sandals.
Shibi and Gen's younger brothers.
"We are dispatching the Hanma za Aburame along with a full contingent of Marines to the Konomi Archipelago to deal with Orochimaru. The four strongest and most skilled of the Aburame clan."
XXXXXXX – Konomi Archipelago, Outskirts of Cocoyashi Village
Usopp burst awake with a loud scream, flailing about as he fell off a bed to the hard wooden floor. "Ow…" His head snapped around. "Where am I!"
"Geez, you're loud."
Regaining his bearings, he saw he was inside a small, simple home. There wasn't a lot here; a small kitchen, some shelves and drawers, and a table in the middle. Sitting at the table was the same woman he attempted to save back at the flipped-over village.
"Relax, you're in my house."
"Who are you? And what happened to the Fish-Man?"
"I ditched him. Said you ran away screaming like a little girl the other way. He bought it," the young woman replied, crossing her legs. "I'm Nojiko. I grow tangerines."
"So what did you HIT me for? I was trying to protect you from that Fish-Man!" Why did she have to ruin his big hero moment?
Nojiko dismissed his concerns with a shrug as he picked himself off the ground. "I saved your life. You outsiders don't get how things work around here."
Still mad but calming down, he took a seat opposite of her. "Had you actually hit the Fish-Man, you would had brought their wrath down on us and turned this village into another Gosa. Just like a few of those other reckless surviving idiots have tried." She snorted. "Fools."
"Hey now… show a little compassion…" Usopp retorted. "I mean… smart or not, it's completely understandable if someone wants to strike back after seeing their village leveled."
"Compassion?" A small smirk appeared on Nojiko's face. "That word has no meaning here anymore. All that matters is getting through this with our skins intact. And those that try to fight back know it, but they try and do it anyway. It's foolhardy and stupid, thinking that they can go out in a blaze of glory, or doing the right thing. Bullcrap. If they want to get themselves killed, let them. But leave the rest of us out of it."
"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" Usopp demanded, standing up. "You HELPED me out, remember?"
"Because you're a moron who would have set the Fish-Men on this village," Nojiko replied.
"So it's all about looking after yourselves and submitting?" the long nose asked, fury in his eyes.
"No. It's about the will to live."
That caught Usopp off guard. "Huh?"
"Anyone determined to die like a dog deserves to die like a dog. Pointless bravado will accomplish nothing else." The gaze in the young woman's eyes hardened and seemed to pierce Usopp's very character.
"I once knew a child who faced a life worse than death and chose to live anyway! So when I see anyone that so recklessly throws their life away, becoming too much of a coward to live, it makes me sick to my stomach!"
Usopp was taken back by the force of the young woman's speech. It took him a minute to recover, but gave his own smile. "Will to live or not, you still helped me, so compassion isn't entirely lost here, is it?"
At that, Nojiko just stood up and prepared some drinks for the two of them, but not before Usopp caught a flash of a smile on her face.
"So what brings you to this armpit of the East Blue?" she asked, sliding him a cup.
"I'm Captain Usopp. I'm looking for a woman called Nami," At that, Nojiko – whose cup was halfway to her mouth – stopped dead in her movements.
Usopp took notice. "You know her?"
"Everyone knows her," Nojiko responded as she resumed her drink. "She's known as a witch who's a member of Arlong's crew."
"WHAT?" Usopp cried out, jaw hitting the table trying to process this. Naruto's nickname of 'Thieving Witch' carried a whole lot more meaning now.
"Just wait, it gets better," Nojiko said with a big all-knowing smirk on her face as she set her cup on the table. "This is the house where that witch grew up. Nami's my younger sister."
For a second time, Usopp went crashing down to the ground in a heap. "SISTER?"
"THIS IS NAMI'S HOUSE?"
The woman was clearly enjoying his reaction to the news. "That's right," she confirmed. "Nami and I were orphans. The one who raised us is dead now, but long ago the three of us lived happy here in Cocoyashi Village."
"In this village?" Usopp stated, shocked. "Then why would Nami join Arlong's crew? They TYRANNIZE these parts! She's BETRAYED her own people!"
"Correct, long nose. She's named a witch for a reason after all," Nojiko agreed, resting her head on a hand. "So what business do you have with her, Captain Usopp?"
"What you just told me changes everything! She was fooling us the whole time! She was only after our treasure!" Usopp slammed his fist on the table in anger. "Just thinking about it makes my blood boil! I can't believe that witch protected my village and dared to be so friendly on the ship, but all that time, she was planning to ditch us!"
Nojiko was still trying to comprehend one portion of that rant. "… really? She was friendly? That witch?"
Usopp didn't hear her, far too caught up in being mad. "Why that evil witch! A person like her deserves an attack of the spiritual order! I'll completely ignore her from now on!"
"So then you aren't going to attack Arlong's crew?" Nojiko asked.
Usopp gave a look of disgust. "All I want is my ship back. I'll find the Going Merry and go merrily away from here."
"That's a good idea. If you run afoul with the Fish-Men, you'll just wind up dead." She sat up and jerked with her thumb towards the window.
"By the way, is that your ship?"
Usopp looked and nearly had a heart attack at seeing it was in fact the Going Merry. It was at a small dock just a short walk from this house. It was bad for his health to have so many surprises so quickly! Seriously!
Thinking about it, they had first sailed across and seen Arlong Park, then Cocoyashi Village and where they had seen the Going Merry docked before coming to Gosa. So that meant he had backtracked from Gosa Village to Nojiko's home. "I think I'm beginning to understand the geography around here. The center of Cocoyashi Village must be just west of here. That's where the Fish-Men first came after us."
"Us?" Nojiko repeated. The word echoed in Usopp's mind before he yelled out in shock. "Now what?"
"The OTHERS I came with! The wuss Johnny has to be around here somewhere, and we… he… lost Sakura and Shikamaru! But the worst is the one that got caught by the Fish-Man! He was half dead already, and I can only pray that he didn't provoke those fish bastards into making him ALL dead!"
XXXXXXX – Hyuga Compound
Shino sat alone in the dark, his arms still bound. He was inside what he presumed was an abandoned room. The wooden floor was covered with dust. There was one old bed that looked like it hadn't been changed in years. Cobwebs were everywhere. There was one dresser with a mirror in one corner, but it was rotten and didn't look any better than the bed. There was a single window on the far wall with bars on it that was his source of light. The only thing that looked relatively new was the door itself.
"It would seem the Hyuga has had its fair share of troublemakers," Shino said to himself. He was nearly positive there was a guard outside the door. It's what he would have done.
He didn't know much about the Hyuga clan, but he knew some. They were one of the four noble clans of the Leaf, alongside the Uchiha, Aburame and Akimichi. His elders had told him that these four were the first ones to join the hidden Leaf when it was established, and that the Hyuga would go as far as to say that they were the first.
Shino also knew that they held something called the Byakugan, a type of doujutsu that was the result of a bloodline rather than a Clan Secret technique like the Kikaichu. All he knew, unfortunately, was just bits and pieces, that supposedly it allowed them great sight and to even see the chakra network within each shinobi.
As such, he had taken precautions given he had gotten captured on purpose.
When Nami had told him about her past and the situation with Arlong, he had been very surprised to hear the Hyuga clan was a part of it. Something he wouldn't have been able to mask with his usual self-contained expression.
Nami had admitted she didn't know the exact details on why the Arlong Pirates and Hyuga Clan would tolerate each other, never mind have some sort of bargain in the mix. A consequence of her reputation, no one talked to her.
As such, the young Aburame was determined to see for himself. People would talk and tell a captive things they would never tell an equal. Getting him inside would also allow him to observe and evaluate the Hyuga clan from how they acted, from their stances to their actions. The fact that they would detain someone like him so quickly and with little provocation did not paint them in a good light.
He didn't get as much information as he would have liked from the meeting with the clan Leader, but he had enough to start guessing.
The first thought was on why the Hyuga and pirates would bother to cooperate at all. Given what he knew about them, little as it was, Shino would have thought they were too proud to lower themselves to dealing with pirates. Especially with how exploited all the villages and towns were.
Shino was a bit surprised at how quickly one plausible theory came to him. It seemed likely that the Hyuga had already settled here before Arlong came along. It seemed plausible, the Aburame had been hiding at Shells Town since the beginning, so why not the Hyuga as well? Even as Shino pondered this, it opened up a different question.
Assuming the Hyuga were here first, the Arlong Pirates most certainly would have acted against them, to either subdue them or eliminate them as a threat. Clearly they had done neither, either unable or incapable of doing so. He had a few pieces to the puzzle, he just needed to find more.
In any event, he thought about his two trump cards to play since being a prisoner was only useful for a time. While he knew little of the Byakugan, he was counting on the fact it couldn't tell the difference between the Kikai that dwelled inside his body and those inside his jacket. Already those that had taken up residence in his jacket were working on his bonds, weakening but still giving the overall appearance of being secure. In addition, Betsy, having been summoned before arriving at the island, was making rounds about the Hyuga Compound, with a single kikai going back and forth with information. Only one doing the job made it long and tedious, but also far more likely to go unnoticed.
That's when the door to his makeshift cell opened up, revealing two Hyuga. "Get up, Aburame."
Shino complied, having a good idea where this was going.
"It's your lucky day, bug. Seems your popularity is so great the Fish-Men want to take a crack at you too.You're getting a one-way ticket to Arlong Park. Feel honored," the other Hyuga spoke with a sneer.
Shino kept his face impassive, but he was pleased. His second trump card was in play. Nami was pulling strings to get him back out of the Hyuga's grasp.
XXXXXXX – Approximately 12 kilometers away, Hanabi's Tree House
"WITCH?" Shikamaru and Sakura shouted together.
Together, along with Choba and their little rescuer, they were sitting in a makeshift tree house that looked far more sophisticated than a tree house should. It was a single room about ten by ten meters and it more closely resembled a professional meeting room rather than some little kid's hideout. The cushions that were used as chairs were freshly clean with not so much as a wrinkle anywhere. The only things that were out of place were the crude crayon drawings of Fish-Men and humans that decorated the walls.
Hanabi had even treated this place like it was some grand palace, decking Shikamaru in the head when he tried to enter without removing his muddy sandals. They had spent the last ten minutes getting the gist of this place under Arlong's rule and learning that Nami was in fact a member of Arlong's crew.
"That's what everyone says," Hanabi replied, sitting on one side of the table, the other three on the other side with Choba in the middle. "Haven't met her myself, but I would love to test my abilities against a witch."
"Of course she's a witch!" Choba shouted, slamming his hands on the table. "How else can a human be a part of those Fish-Men pirates! And those are the same guys that control all sorts of monsters like the kind that destroyed my village!" He shot a glare at Hanabi. "Just like - !"
"Urban legends," Hanabi said dismissively, cutting off the boy.
Sakura raised an eyebrow to that. "Those buildings didn't flip themselves over."
"Fish-Men have ten times the normal strength of humans, and this group isn't normal Fish-Men. They're experienced pirates directly from the Grand Line. It's not that shocking," Hanabi said, picking up a teacup and taking a sip (when she'd gotten that anyway, the two Straw Hats wondered). "Of course, nothing that my clan couldn't handle," she added as an afterthought, not bothering to hide the pride in her voice.
"Your clan?" Shikamaru repeated. "How many of you are there?"
"About a hundred. Give or take."
"A HUNDRED?"
"Couple hundred if you count the non-shinobi members."
"COUPLE HUNDRED?" Sakura looked at the little girl. "What's WRONG with you people? Why haven't you gone and clobbered those fish people!"
Choba looked at the two like they were idiots. "Duh! They're as bad as the Fish-Men! They're ALLIES."
"As expected of a closed-minded peasant," Hanabi said, taking another sip. "Why I bothered to save you escapes me. The Hyuga are your salvation to your island and you know it. Why else do you think my tree house is safe being out in the open?"
"Allies? Salvation?" Shikamaru sputtered, while Sakura just looked stunned. The young Nara looked at the little girl. "Why on earth would you be allies with pirates?"
"Sorry, that's not how it works," Hanabi said, putting the cup down.
"What? How what works?"
"During negotiations, it's customary for each side to answer a question before posing anymore of their own."
Negotiations? What the devil was she talking about?
"I answered your own opening questions, now it's time for my own. As future head of my clan, I must drill in negotiating and opening up dialect between other factions. I've been looking for someone to practice for a week now, so I'm going to take full advantage of it. So if you want to know more about my clan, it's going to cost you. I've given you enough freebies already."
Was this little girl serious? Shikamaru shook his head. "That's why you saved us? To have someone to play house with?"
"I believe I said it was my turn to ask a question." Hanabi said, folding her hands. "What clans do you hail from? I intend to compare those to my knowledge of the former Hidden Leaf Village to verify if you really deserve those headbands."
This was too much. Shikamaru got up, Sakura following suit. "Look, kid, thanks and all, but we don't have time to babysit. We have other…"
"Babysit?"
The girl moved in a flash, far faster than either of them expected. Her small little feet slammed on top of Choba's face, using it as a springboard, her back facing the two leaf ninja. Swiftly, her elbows slammed both into Shikamaru and Sakura's throats, making them gag. Without wasting a movement, she moved both her hands behind the two's heads and slammed them down on the table hard. "Chakra Konsui (Dead Sleep)."
A wave of chakra passed through each of their bodies, numbing them as Hanabi jumped back to her own seat, sitting down as if nothing had happened. "I saved your lives. That makes them mine. So in exchange for my saving you, you willcomply with my demands. Which is very considerate of me."
Littlebrat! Sakura and Shikamaru shouted mentally, unable to pick themselves off the table. Choba was nursing his face, doing everything he could so not to cry but still glaring daggers at the girl.
"And even if you somehow manage to escape, let me remind you of a little detail: As Heiress, I can get away with attacking a Fish-Man a lot easier than anyone. That includes you two. Moreover, he never actually saw me attack him. I can pin it on you two in a heartbeat and no one would question me.
"Now, let us begin. What clans do you hail from?"
Shikamaru could NOT believe this! Being held against his will by a little eight year old girl that treated them both like new born infants! This was WORSE than the time Usopp and his little gang dressed him up as a girl!
Why on earth did he join these Straw Hats again? It was LIVING HELL!
XXXXXXX – Arlong Park
Orochimaru leaned against one of the walls, looking over the complex as the Fish-Men went about their activities trying to pretend not to notice him. Arlong had told him that he would have more time to talk later as he had been informed of a small incident that he needed to take care of.
The man had little doubt Arlong had already planned to go out and was just pretending to hear about it now. He always made excuses to not fully commit to the alliance network he was setting up, trying to stall, while milking Orochimaru for all he had to offer without giving much, if anything, in return. In comparison to someone like Buggy, who was deliberately trying to stay under the radar with big dreams of riches that made him easy to sway, Arlong had much bigger delusions of grandeur, making him harder to buy. Not to be swayed so easily by a mere map or promise of treasure.
He also suspected Arlong was taking several precautions just in case their negotiations went south, and indeed, publically it seemed very plausible. They had been talking for a little over a year now, never seeming to get anywhere, always asking for much but never giving back. And Orochimaru knew that part of Arlong hoped things would break down so he wouldn't have to deal with the Sannin, only wanting to work with a human for so long.
But he also knew Arlong had a healthy respect for Orochimaru. The sheer difference between their respective bounties alone was reason enough, never mind the things Orochimaru had offered and given to Arlong over the course of the year, including Dr. Amachi, and greatly supporting his expansion efforts.
Naturally, Orochimaru held no such respect for Arlong. Even if he weren't beneath the snake's contempt, Arlong's history was promising but relatively disappointing. Arlong and the others had spent years pirating along the Grand Line, and had they continued to do so, the Shark Fish-Man just might have become a formidable figure along the lines of his peers Jimbei and Fisher Tiger. There was no doubt that the eight years had softened Arlong physically. Challenges and conflict strengthen one and by removing himself from suitable opponents, Arlong had deteriorated. Anyone could boss and bully ordinary people around; that was no sign of strength.
And that's why it wasn't so much Arlong that interested him as much as what he represented: A small, but growing empire that had both influence and momentum that would be a great asset to him and if you viewed things in that way, Arlong was more impressive as an administrator rather than a warrior. He had the drive and vision, just not the physical qualities Orochimaru wanted. But that was fine because there was more than one way to exploit this.
"I'm here," came a Fish-Man voice from the other side of the wall.
Orochimaru allowed himself to grin. Such as his spy in Arlong's little 'empire.' "What do you have for me?"
"As you expected, Arlong has no real intention of joining with you now given he's come this far. He has several new targets in mind. He wants to launch a series of new raids by the end of the month, expanding his control and territory several fold, including several prominent Navy bases."
"And he thinks that's enough to where he doesn't need me anymore?"
"No. He has been in contact with several like-minded factions back at Fish-Man Island. He hopes once he has the latest territories, they'll come and back him, giving him the support he needs to officially go public and stop with all the 'shady business', as he calls it. And given his momentum and the fact that several look up to Arlong as inspiration, it'll be likely he'll get their support. The Arlong Empire's numbers could swell from a couple thousand to potentially many tens of thousands."
"Ah, I see." As he thought, Arlong was better as a figurehead and administrator rather than a general or warrior. "Seems like I judged his merit accurately."
"Should we launch the coup?"
His spy was referring to the plan to slay Arlong, a number of his closest allies and replace them all with his own subordinates. His spy had been working on that goal ever since Orochimaru had recruited him eight months ago. Everything had been in place for three months now. "No. Let him continue doing the foundation work. The stronger his Empire gets, the better it'll be for me."
"As you wish."
"What of Dr. Amachi's efforts?"
"Arlong has him going about a new project instead of modifying those Soldier Pills for Fish-Man anatomy."
"Oh? Do tell."
As he told him, Orochimaru gave a small dark chuckle. "Oh, Arlong, you really do have your moments. Maybe I'll let you live after all."
Suddenly there was new commotion at the base, just as Arlong was getting ready to leave. The sea gates opened up, revealing a small boat with two of his crew on there and a man tied up. His spy left to go take his usual place while Orochimaru disappeared into the shadows to witness this next development.
Say what you will about Arlong Park, but there was ALWAYS something interesting going on there!
XXXXXXX – Another part of Arlong Park
A young girl peeked around the corner. She was dressed in a loose-fitting cream-colored jacket with a hood and a fire symbol. She had navy blue pants and small sandals for her feet. Her eyes were similar to that of Hanabi's, while her hair was a hime-like cut with chin-length strands framing her face.
From her position, she saw the bound man planted in front of Arlong's seat, as the shark Fish-Man berated the swordsman's questions about finding this young orange-haired woman, believing he was here for some ulterior purpose. She couldn't help but focus on all the bandages wrapped around the man's chest. Did Arlong's crew do that?
"I told you! I'm looking for a woman! You damned dirty half-fish!"
The young girl caught her breath in her throat, knowing that Arlong would attack anyone, even her own father, who dared to call him that to his face. And this wounded swordsman was no Hyuga.
To her immense relief, instead of using his jaws to remove the man's neck, the shark Fish-Man just laughed. "Watch it, human! I'll let it slide just this once, but don't ever call me a half-fish again! We Fish-Men are evolved humans who have developed the ability to breathe the sea water. Our fish-like powers make us superior to you!"
The girl shook her head at that, having heard this lecture many times during her years. 'We can do things that no human can do,' she stated in her mind, in perfect unison to Arlong's words to the swordsman. 'We Fish-Men are the Lords of All Creation. A human fighting a Fish-Man is fighting the power of nature itself.'
To her, there were several flaws in that stated theory, the foremost being that they were evolved humans, which seemed to undermine his argument that Fish-Men were a superior species, in her opinion. Another was that he openly stated Fish-Men could breathe sea water, with no mention of fresh water. That was something she was always curious about, if they could do both, but she never had the nerve to ask.
The final thing was that she knew skilled shinobi and even heard of powerful members of the Marines who could extract air from the water to breath. She knew ninja could do it with a balance of chakra control and ninjutsu, though she didn't know how normal Marines did it or if that was just baseless gossip.
"I'm sick of that stupid theory of yours, Arlong," came a voice from inside the complex. The girl looked over to see Nami walking over, once again envious that the orange-haired woman could speak her mind so openly.
Arlong waved at her. "Don't be offended, Nami. As my talented and esteemed surveyor, you're different! The pride of my crew! Your maps at the best!"
'Just like you told Nezumi,' the girl added again, wondering how many humans Arlong had declared 'different'. The phrase lost its weight if it applied to so many.
"My brain's just different from yours. It works," Nami retorted, merely making Arlong laugh again, while the swordsman just looked on in shock.
"Surveyor? Nami?" the man repeated. "Why the hell are you so chummy with these guys?"
"You know this human?" Arlong asked.
The young girl saw Nami shake her head without hesitation. "Of course not. He just followed the loot I stole from him."
Nami walked over and knelt down so she could look the man in the face. "I knew you'd try and follow me, but I didn't actually think you'd make it all the way here with your lousy sense of direction."
The man glared at her. "So this is the real you."
"A pirate all along," Nami confirmed. "An officer in Arlong's crew." To further drive in the point, she showed him her left shoulder. The emblem of the Arlong Pirates in full view.
"That's…!" the man started, then looked up at the flag on top of Arlong Park, it bearing the same symbol.
"Shaaaahahaha! She sure made a fool of you! That one even forgave the death of a parent for money!" Arlong declared. Though she couldn't see it, the girl could partially envision Nami giving a flinch at that even if there wasn't indication through her body language. "Trickery and treasure stealing are her special talents! And weback her up!" Arlong finished proudly.
"I see." A confident smirk appeared on the bound man's face. "Well, I never trusted this little witch anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if she murdered her other parent just because she could."
This time, Nami did physically react slapping the green-haired man across the face. "Keep talking and we'll cut that tongue right out of your mouth."
"Let me save you the trouble," the man said. With a single motion, he managed to leap backwards despite being tied hand and foot into the pool, disappearing below the water.
'WHAT?' the girl thought to herself, appearing from position out in the open.
"Don't move," Arlong ordered casually, making the girl stop in her tracks as she looked at the pool. Her mind was echoing many of the Fish-Men's own thoughts. Was he trying to escape? Suicide even? Whatever the case was, Arlong clearly didn't care, fine with just leaving the man to his fate.
That's when Nami kicked off her sandals, raced towards the pool and dove on in, shocking each of the Fish-Men and even the young girl. However, with her, a small smile appeared on her face.
A few moments later, Nami surfaced with the swordsman in her arms as they both gasped for air. Pulling him up to the ledge, she got out of the water and shot a dirty look at him. "What were you thinking?"
"What were you thinking?" the swordsman shot back, coughing up more water. "What kind of cold blooded-witch can't stand to see a man drown?"
This time, everyone saw Nami visibly flinch at this. Even as the man demanded she help him up, she instead just stomped her bare foot down on his back repeatedly. The pirate thief reached down and grabbed him by the throat, holding him to eye level. "Mess with me again, and you're dead," she warned.
"I wonder."
Nami took a look at bandages and finally voiced the question the girl had been wondering for awhile now. "What are all those bandages for?"
"I ran out of shirts."
Nami nailed the man in the stomach hard for that.
"Nami, what should we do with him?" Arlong inquired as Nami walked back to them, leaving the man on the ground.
"Lock him up. I'll deal with him later," Nami answered. The next second, a Fish-Man ran into the compound, his front side covered with dirt and looking very ticked off.
"What is it?" Arlong asked as everyone looked over at the newcomer.
"The Long Nose got away and those two little brats assaulted me!"
The girl noticed the man gave a small flinch on the ground, telling her that he knew these three as the Fish-Man said he believed they had fled to Cocoyashi Village.
"Cocoyashi Village? I just happen to have business there." He then turned and looked at the girl directly.
"Hinata. Take him to a cell."
XXXXXXX – End of Chapter 34
Next chapter of the Arlong Arc and look who shows up! I imagine several of you are happy and also despise me for putting Hinata at Arlong Park directly, while Shikamaru, Sakura, and Shino all have to deal with their own Hyuga problems. And Usopp gets a big info dump.
Movement from both the Marines and Aburame clan is also coming along. Good thing too, given Orochimaru is here, wouldn't you say?
Anyone care to guess who Orochimaru's spy is? ^_^
Touken – cold steel
Konnichiwa – good afternoon
Daichi – ground
Senta - center
Hanma za Aburame – Hammer of the Aburame. Roughly. Collective term that refers to the strongest group of Aburame with each generation. Touken's four sons Shibi, Gen, Daichi and Senta are the current holders.
Konsui – dead sleep
Chakra Konsui (Dead Sleep): A Hyuga clan technique that sends a wave of chakra through an opponent's body and numbs them for a set amount of time given the degree and amount of chakra used. Standard amount typically leaves the opponent numb for approximately ten minutes with limited movement, making one feel as though half awake. As a result, using chakra while in this state is difficult at best. C-Ranked Technique. Original Technique.
Nami's Ultimate Idiot Competition – Luffy: 49, Naruto: 58. Currently on hold due to Nami's departure.
May the Kage Bunshin and Gomu Gomu no Bazooka be with you!
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or Naruto. They belong to their respective owners: Eiichiro Oda and Masashi Kishimoto. Big thanks to Paintball Gamer for beta-reading this!