Skin Deep
They don't think he knows. But he can tell. He's a Fishman, after all, but he isn't stupid. Of course the humans hate him- for taking away their village, their money, but most of all for taking away their little girl. That little brat of a girl who still works for him and smiles at him with cold cold eyes, threatens to kill him and even has tried once or twice or three times. She's a ruthless bitch, only out for blood, and he kind of likes that.
He isn't too sure when the switch happened himself. Maybe it was when the tattoo was inked into her skin and she'd just cried, tears and snot coming from her nose but biting her lip so hard that blood welled. Too tough of a bitch to cry out even then. Hachi had almost fits over it and Arlong had pretended that he didn't see the other Fishman trying his best to comfort her in his oafish way. Not that she even freaking noticed. Hachi was a soft heart and a soft head, but not all of his nakama had to be strong. Not all could be strong and out of all of them, Nami is the strongest.
She's the strongest and that just burns him.
"She'll get out of this, you know," her bitch of a sister had told him once as he made his way through town. People had tried to hush her up. Children had been hidden and he'd stopped and glared at her, but she just glared right back. He'd only knocked her around a little bit and wasn't sure why he didn't just kill her then. Well, no, he knew. Take away everything someone has and all they will do is fight and Nami will die trying to kill him. Which meant he would be out a cartographer, the village would be up his gills and Hachi would be upset.
Hachi was always upset.
And she's getting close to the mark now. He grits his teeth until they want to break after he sends her on her way. Which doesn't really matter, or shouldn't, as he can grow another set, but the fact that they shatter means he's angry and he doesn't like to be angry, not over this. She will buy her pathetic little village back. She thinks she can. But he won't let her. There will never be enough money she can earn to get everything she wants.
The laugh over that is always bitter. Always stings his throat and wraps around his vocal cords like acid.
Because in the back of his mind, all he can see is Brother Ti, looking at him with those tired, old eyes and saying over and over
You're just like them.
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