Story: In love With A Fishman

Rating: M

Anime: One Piece

Pairing: Hody JXOC

Author: ILoveBeingLyric

(A/N: This chapter may be very depressing for some of you to handle so please don't read it if you're gonna hate me at the end. Please don't worry after the next few chapters the story will get MUCH better.)

Chapter 23: The Days That Have Passed

~5 Months Later~

"Is everyone ready?" A Fishman asked through the baby Den Den Mushi.

"Yeah, everything is in order and ready." Another Fishman said through the other end.

"On the count of three, one, two, three." Hody Jr. said as they all spread out in the area.

As they all double checked their surroundings for any guards they released their smoke bombs and then they ran into the building in three directions, one group through the front, the second to the back, and the third through the underground pipes. Once the first and second group of Fishmen had the guards and agents distracted in the building the third group set out the mines and bombs in the pipes that were below Mariejois. Just as quickly as they had snuck in, they were already leaving without a single trace of them ever being there. As soon as they gave the signal that their mission was a success the other group quickly got away with little to no casualties.

"That was a nice practice run guys, now all there is left to do is the real thing. You think you guys are up for it?" Hody Jr. asked as he looked over the large group of Fishmen as they removed their masks and helmets.

"Of course we are." One Fishman said with a chuckle.

"We've been practicing for so long, how can we not be?" Another one said.

"Don't be so eager to run out there with big dreams in your heads. This isn't a game; once you all go there you won't be on a safe ground. You'll be in a war zone." Hody said in a serious manner with a deep scowl on his face.

"We understand that, but we also know that if we don't stop them soon they'll do even more damage than they already have." One Fishman said with a frown.

"To do something like that to two innocent children is just disgusting." Another Fishman said.

"They always talk about how they hate to share air with such common folks when it really should be us who shouldn't share the air with them." Another Fishman said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Has Ivy been doing any better?" A Tiger Shark Fishman asked.

Hody and Hody Jr. made a quick glance at each other as they gave the same sad faces that they had for the first 2 months of their return from Mariejois. It was true that even though Ivy had tried her hardest to be strong, in the end she couldn't take the pain that Saint Shalulia had left on her. Even after 5 months she still couldn't stop sitting in her children's room and crying to herself. It took all of them including Den and Demy to calm her down on the first night they got back. She had immediately broken down when she stepped inside of their new room, the room that was to be a surprise once they first got home from their vacation.

Many people, Fishman and Human, came by to pay their respects to them for their loss. For a while it made Ivy happy and it made the people of Fishman Island welcome her presence even more, but it still didn't change the fact that her children were gone and Saint Shalulia walked away without a scratch. Once Arlong had gotten his reward money he left Fishman Island for good, no one has any clue of where he went but he made sure to tell them that he wasn't coming back. So for these 5 months their new team has been working hard to help them give the Celestial Dragons what they deserve, no matter what the costs may be. Surprisingly enough, many of the citizens of Fishman Island and a few other human islands had offered to help in any way they can with their plan.

That plan was to get rid of all of the Celestial Dragons without leaving a single trace of them behind and saving all of the slaves they had captured in Mariejois. With how well thought out the plan was, nothing could go wrong. They knew exactly how long it would take for them to get inside Mariejois and out, they knew exactly where they were going thanks to the blueprints Hody Jr. managed to steal, and they knew exactly how they were going to stop all of the Admiral's and Government agents from getting to their location before they could escape. The only thing that was left is to go through with it and that time was coming pretty soon.

"She's been doing a little bit better. She still has a ways to go, but she'll make it through somehow." Hody said.

"She always does." Hody Jr. said with a chuckle.

"Who always does?" Ivy asked as she stuck up behind Hody Jr.

"Yikes! What have I told you about sneaking up on people with weapons near them?! You've been doing that ever since we got back, it's creepy!" Hody Jr. yelled as he tried to stop his racing heart. Ivy only giggled and smiled up at him.

"The foods ready, you guys better hurry up before the kids get to it first." Ivy said with a smirk as they all bolted to the kitchen.

Just as she was about to walk back into the house she was stopped by Hody, who had lightly held her wrist and gave a glance to where Hody Jr. was sitting. She smiled up at him and thanked him then she walked up to Hody Jr.

"How is everything going?" Ivy asked almost hesitantly.

"It's going way better than what I thought it would. We'll be leaving soon." Hody Jr. said.

"I know." Ivy said in a sad tone.

"Let me guess, you've had a change of heart and you don't want us to go." Hody said flatly. Ivy held her head down as she tried to avoid his gaze. Hody Jr. sighed deeply.

"It's not just me that has had a change of heart." Ivy said.

"Why the sudden change of heart now?" Hody Jr. asked.

"Wise words a woman once told me when I was a child, and I'm sticking with them." Ivy said.

"You didn't stick with them at first." Hody Jr. replied coldly.

"You're right and that's why I had to think about it for so long until I remembered. I understand how you feel, it was the same way I felt at first but this isn't the way things should go. I know that you want to make them burn in hell but it just isn't right." Ivy said as she frowned.

"Then what will we do about it?" Hody Jr. asked flatly.

"We'll still go with the plan but instead of blowing them away by using bombs, we can blow them away with something else. I have already talked to the others about it; all I need is your approval." Ivy said as she looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Why do you need my approval? You could've just kept me out in the dark or behind the scenes." Hody Jr. said.

"Because this is your fight too, everyone in the world is involved in this." Ivy said with a sad smile as Hody Jr. looked back at her with a smirk and gave her a small kiss on her forehead as soon as he stood next to her.

"Fine, fill me in at dinner." Hody Jr. said as they both began to walk inside the house.

"After dinner." Ivy corrected him.

A nice soft toned chapter here for you so you can cool down your hearts and minds for the upcoming chapters. I hope you all liked it.