Chapter 8: Choices And Investments
Kill me. Just kill me right now.
As if existing in a contradictory state of lingering pain and physical numbness wasn't enough upon my reconnection with the waking world, now I was the victim of one of my favorite things to do to other people. Only it was doubly as unbearable because of where it was coming from.
I was being lectured by a practitioner of medicine.
"The amount of duress your body was under is quite simply ridiculous in its extent, not even taking into account how frail your body, in general, seems to be. The radius and ulna in your right arm were just barely salvageable, you had older skull fractures you're lucky didn't get worse and you almost obliterated your left kneecap. Not counting how your left palm was shredded, you're lucky you weren't permanently crippled," the old man, a doctor by the name of Nako, listed off my injuries. "Now, what the hell is wrong with you?"
"The Aristocrats," I replied to his understandably ticked off question. "You got any booze? I'll take medical ethanol if you have any."
"Like I'd let a man in your state drink concentrated alcohol!" the old-timer snapped at me. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"
"Nah, got over that phase a long time ago," I responded nonchalantly. He didn't seem happy at how relaxed I was about insinuations I was making. "Anyway, how are the rest?" I ask, before adding onto it, "All of them, I mean."
"Those guys with the Straw Hat Kid? Yeah, they are fine. The swordsman got it the worst, somehow being worse off than you, somehow."
"Damn, didn't beat him in injury severity," I grumble, weakly shaking my healthier, bandaged fist in the air. The right one was stuck in a cast, supported by a cloth over my torso. "Next time, Roronoa, I will skirt closer to death than you!"
"... You're insane, the lot of you," the old doctor deadpans.
"Relax, old-timer. I'm obviously just kidding around to forget the omnipresent pain I'm in," I explain. "Trust me, I hurt a lot more than I let show. I just have exceptional self-control. I'm fully aware of how bad off I am right now. But that reminds me, how are they?"
He obviously got what I was insinuating, frowning slightly. The aching of old wounds is hard to ignore, especially when they were so fresh.
"The Fishmen got off fairly easy. Most were knocked out before any serious harm could be done. Some scrapes and bruises. The three officers, on the other hand, they were a mess," Nako explained, and I was glad and proud of his medical integrity. "They'll live, obviously. If anything, Fishmen are hard to keep down for long. They're all bound near Arlong Park with a few volunteers watching them."
I nod. Good to hear that whatever I'd said... yesterday, I think it was, had affected Nako, and the rest. Honestly, those last moments are a bit of a blur. I'd already begun to lose consciousness at that point and held on with sheer force of will. I was impressed with myself for that.
That, however, brought another thing to the forefront of my mind.
"And Arlong?" I can see the conflict and repressed hatred even the name invokes. I can't, and won't blame him for it.
"... He's fine. Tied up with the rest," He tells me, frowning. "It was... strange. He didn't show much of a reaction to... well, anything really. It was almost as if his mind was elsewhere and unaware of the world around him."
I raise a brow in response. Did he now? That is good to know. I'll be sure to remember it.
"Now then, when am I allowed to leave this damn bed?" I ask with a blank look. "I'd rather get some fresh air than growing bored inside."
"You'd need a crutch and avoid putting too much pressure on your left leg, but I could let you move around," Nako said, clearly not happy about it. I think he realized he couldn't stop me if I really wanted to go out. "Within reason of course. No exerting yourself!"
"Good doctor, to live is to exert myself," I snark, in good humor before shrugging in 'defeat'. "But if that is the condition I must fulfill, then I suppose I must."
After forcing me to promise and vow to actually not do anything too crazy, doctor Nako gave me a wooden crutch I could use to get around. Normally I'd use two, but my cast didn't allow for it. I'd work with what I had. I always did. Always have. The first thing I asked was on the location of my belonging. He informed me that they were kept safe by the villagers and would be returned when I was better. Fair enough. When I asked him where Luffy and his crew were, he informed me that they were congregated in the room Zoro and Sanji were recovering in. After I thanked him for informing me, I made the educated, undoubtedly correct choice.
Get the hell outside and far from the obsessed grasp of Monkey D. Luffy. He'd been persistent on me joining his crew before but after yesterday... Damnit, that had been a really bad idea in retrospect. But what is done is done, and there's no use whining when something came out of it.
It was so that I found myself mingling around Cocoyasi, just kind of limping around. It felt... strange without my rifle or the harness I was used to, but not bad. Sort of... free? It was hard to describe. Maybe I was just certain of my safety. Still, I quickly checked my pockets and found both my derringers with me. I only had one shot left in Satanael, but that would be enough to give me peace of mind.
Talking with the people of Cocoyasi was an interesting experience. I'd never really even seen the kind of reverence and gratitude they were showing towards me. It was... uncomfortable because it was unfamiliar. But at least my ego could take some pleasure out of it. I received thanks and wishes for a swift recovery. All in all, it was... nice. I also heard that they were preparing a celebration that we were welcome to partake in. Much to my immense joy, that meant alcohol!
Naturally, this calm couldn't last forever, because apparently, the good doctor couldn't keep his mouth shut about my discharge and had sent a storm my way. A very annoyingly chipper storm in the form of a Monkey.
"Abel! You're up!" the menace yelled, strolling towards me with a grin that I was certain should've split his face in half. "You okay?"
"Oh yeah, totally," I reply sarcastically. "I'm absolutely just wearing this cast and these bandages for fun. They're very stylish, you know." I mean, I wasn't lying. Bandages, if applied properly can be very complimentary to my fashion sense.
"Really? That's great!" Luffy replied in earnest. It was then that I realized that maybe the person I was talking to didn't quite grasp sarcasm.
"No, what I meant- never mind," I decide it isn't worth it. I just let out a long, suffering sigh, knowing what is to come. "Let me guess..."
"What you did with Arlong was pretty cool." the boy says with a grin. "Abel! Join my crew!"
"I knew it," I muttered under my breath. I held a deadpan countenance as I answered, "Damnit, you're not letting this go, are you?" He just grinned innocently. I let out a sigh. Those seemed to be getting longer each time I talked to him. "Just... let me think on it."
Ignoring how damned happy me not outright saying no was to the kid, I really needed to figure this out. Clearly, this was going to keep going until my sanity broke and I'd say yes just to shut him up. That was unacceptable. But then again, clearly these guys were a bunch of good people. The label of Pirate aside, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and that Long-nose were good people. Trustworthy, loyal to a fault when it came down to it. Would it be as terrible as I had made it out to be?
I won't lie to myself. I like safety, I like stability. It is orderly and logical. Easy to deal with. I like living a simple existence without complicated nonsense. I like to live my life a day at a time, drowning myself in alcohol and- okay, maybe my lifestyle isn't the best. It's perhaps too mundane. It has no challenge, mental or physical. Clearly, I have survival instincts and a vast pool of knowledge to draw from, it's just never come in handy before... this madness.
Perhaps... just maybe this would be good for me? It would certainly beat the mundane boredom I've lived in for a good part of my life, not really doing anything about it... Wait...
The realization is like a brick to the face. Arlong had stagnated in his hatred, not willing or bothering to do anything about it except let it fester. That was me! I was stagnating myself in my boredom and apathy, unwilling to risk change in my comfort zone! For what, fear of injury? Clearly, I can take punishment if I need to, yesterday was proof of that! GOD DAMNIT! Now I can't not accept or else I make myself a hypocrite! I can't believe Arlong helped to me... realize...
...
Wait. What if...
...
I get snapped out of my thoughts by a finger poking my cheek. On instinct, I react by trying to bite it. Luffy pulls away fast enough, leaving me to snap my jaws shut on nothing.
"What?" I ask, slightly irritated at this intrusion to my body.
"You were really quiet and didn't speak."
"... Yeah, sorry," I apologize. Damnit, I need to meditate to get rid of this habit of spacing out. Add it to the list. "... Listen, Luffy. I might be willing to join you kids." Noting him about to burst into celebration, I hold a finger up. "However! I will give my official answer later. I do have a condition I aim to fulfill if I do accept. And I feel I need to inform you of exactly what that is."
Because unless I make a really good case, he isn't going to like it.
-o~O-O~o-
The party was great!
The celebratory fiesta that Cocoyasi put up was set up to last for a while and for the life of me, I could only focus on the thought of how long I had actually gone dry. A whole month! That's crazy and was fixed very quickly when I was given a big bottle of sake by the town leader, Genzo. A 'thank you' of sorts for my part in the Arlong debacle.
I wasn't listening that well because the moment I got it I chugged half of the big jug in one go. Shocked the hell out of Genzo, but he didn't make a fuss about it. I did my best to show how much I appreciated the gift. Plus, the sake was damn good. Score!
While Luffy and his gaggle of idiot kids just did their own thing, I was having 'fun' dealing with loose ends. The first one just happened to involve a mutual love of drink. Lucky break!
"Sorry," I say, sitting on the grass and holding the second bottle of sake. The first one went too quick, so I was taking it slow with this one. "About shooting you in the ass. It was a survival tactic. I'd say I was ashamed, but I don't really do that."
"... It's fine, I suppose," my drinking partner concedes, only frowning minutely. "It all ended up for the better, and you more than made up for it."
"That so?" I ask, tilting the bottle on my lips to take a large gulp. "... Yeah, I suppose I kind of paid for that already. I mean, I do have all this constricting nonsense all over my limbs..." I weakly wave my cast and arm-sling and making a poignant gesture to my left leg. "Fuck, that last one was dumb."
"Why did you shoot yourself?" Zoro asks, curious. I offer a shrug.
"I dunno. One of those eye for eye things? I shot his kneecap, I shoot mine."
"Didn't think you the type that cares."
"Hey, I might be- AM a massive asshole, but there are some things that are sacred!" I snap at his comment. I take a breath to calm down and continue in a more melancholic tone. "One's personal past is their own business. It is theirs to share and safeguard, no one else. And I invaded on that right. I don't regret it, it was what I needed to do to get my results. I couldn't have talked like I had unless I understood."
I let out a hollow laugh, hitting the nail in my own existential head. "That's me, isn't it? A curious asshole who can't keep his need to understand in check. Pathetic."
I take three long gulps from the bottle. Then Zoro speaks up.
"Regardless, you did good there," he says, drinking his own sake. "While you obviously lack honor and shame, you spoke from your soul yesterday. Haven't met anyone who speaks with such weight behind their words before."
Welp, at least he didn't bring up my reading of Luffy and Long-noses pasts, but those were fragmented while Arlong's was the full course. There was a difference. Something annoyed me though.
"Tch, honor is for warriors. Not for survivors like myself," I scoff at the notion. I take a moment to look at the darkening sky. "Have to say though... I'd forgotten what it was like."
"Hmm?" he hmms, an indication to go on.
"What it feels like to have a fire in my heart again. I'd lived such a simple, easy, and safe existence for a long time that I must've forgotten." My mood takes a noticeable dip. "Forgotten what it was like to feel properly alive. In danger, yet moving on because that's what was necessary. To feel pain and deal with it because there was something more important to do." I let out a short laugh. "Being mad at someone doing stupid shit and a need to set them straight."
"..." Zoro's silence... I don't know what it says. I don't bother to look into it. I tilt the jug back for a big, long gulp. It's empty now, and I'm only gaining a slight buzz at this point. Damn my high tolerance!
I make to get up with the help of my crutch. "Anyway, nice that this air is cleared. I've got something stupid to do. And people to avoid."
"Love-cook?"
"Yup," I pop my lips and start moving at a slow pace. I stop and wave back briefly without looking back. "Enjoy the drink. I know I will!" And then I was moving again, away from the festivities and out of town.
I had more to do tonight when everyone else was having fun and being distracted. They'd suffered enough, they deserved this joy in their lives. I had someone to talk to. And a promise to keep.
But first, I'll need some more sake!
-o~O-O~o-
Sneaking away from the party was simple as hell. Just needed to gather enough focus for a brief Faint and I was gone before anyone could even imagine they'd cared. The alcohol didn't hinder my focus much. I wasn't anywhere near that far gone. That's the end goal.
Still, on the walk to my next order of business, I'd finished the third bottle of Sake I'd picked up at the party, along with two I carried with me. That roughly translated to light swaying and trouble walking in a straight line. I mean, I could but that just wouldn't be as fun, right?
Unfortunately, it also translated as me being easier to notice with Faint. Drunk people tend to attract attention, so the technique was pretty much useless unless I was cold-dead sober. Or drunk beyond belief. Also a possibility.
Hence why upon arrival I was immediately caught.
"If I might ask, why are you over here?" Genzo asked me, arms folded and wearing a serious look underneath the shadows of his hat.
"Why are you over here?" I futilely try to divert attention. I know it won't work, but I don't care. This isn't an obstacle.
"If you must know, I'm keeping an eye on the prisoners," the scarred man replied. "The rest are having fun, but someone needs to watch them. Might as well be me."
"How noble of you, Mr. Village Leader," I remark dryly. "Might as well answer in turn. I'm here to talk to someone."
"... I see.," He says. "Go ahead then. Be careful though. Some of them might try something."
I wave off his concerns and limp over to where the Fishmen are. All of them are tied up with lengths of thick rope, much like Zoro and I were on our first arrival to Arlong Park. Irony at it's finest. Some of them noted me approaching and turned their heads to look my way. I noted some glares, some were unreadable and some just didn't care.
But I wasn't interested in the paltry masses. No, my attention was on the only Fishman not bound in badass twain, but instead in iron chains. If that wasn't an indication of a difference in power level, I don't know what that is. So without much fuss, I plopped my ass down in front of him, legs crossed underneath my dress. It was interesting to see the almost thoughtful look on his face, looking at the grass. He didn't even seem to notice I was there yet.
"Heeey, buddy~!" I greet Arlong cheerfully, making my presence known. "What's up, A-Pain? Got water in your gills? Is that a saying? I think that's a saying."
... Okay, so maybe I was a bit more intoxicated than I'd let on. But as luck would have it, I was a natural lucid drunk. I never lost control. Just didn't care to maintain it as strictly.
... A thought occurred. "Wait, was that racist? Am I the asshole now? Shit, why you do this to me, Arly!" I wasn't one for shame normally but drunk me easily lost the plot and that ticked me off somewhat. This is the closest I got to feeling shameful for the absolute shit-show coming out of my mouth right now.
"... Why are you here?" Arlong asks, attention drawn to the grass and voice sounding distant. Damn, he must've been deep in thought. I wonder if he was introspecting?
"What is with people wanting to know that? Can't I be where I want whenever the hell I want? Last I checked I don't have a curfew and none of ya'll are my mother," I snark. I shook my head to collect myself. Time to get back to the point. "I'm here to talk if you must be made aware. It's a thing people do, and it's much healthier to the psyche if you do it with others rather than yourself. Read a book or something..."
I took a pause to take a drink. Yes, I wanted to get even drunker. It just took a while.
"... And I'm also here 'cause I made a promise," I said after I'd swallowed the burning liquid. "I told you, I'm a man of my word when I make a promise in earnest." A thought occurred. "You can move, right? I... honestly don't know how long that paralysis poison was meant to last. Kind of made it in a hurry."
Give me a break! I made a paralyzing agent in a matter of minutes and then diluted it to not make it force cardiac arrest. I'm a fucking Genius with a capital letter!
Arlong's response wasn't verbal, but the fact that he raised his head from the grass to look at me said all I needed to know. That poison made every muscle hard as iron, and unmoving as stone. It had passed from his system. That could be a good or a bad thing.
"... What are you talking about?" He asked me. It was odd. That glare seemed to be his natural expression, but I felt nothing from it. He wasn't angry, annoyed and anything. It was a neutral feeling, not one way or another.
"C'mon, don't you remember? I'd like to think I was more memorable than that," I whine, just a tad. But it was time to be serious. This was, after all, what I came here for. So I steeled my eyes and met his gaze head on. "I promised, didn't I?" I dug Satanael from my pocket and looked at it. "I promised that once you could move again, I'd allow my life be made forfeit if you so chose." I then pressed the loaded mini-pistol onto the side of my temple and primed it to fire and finger on the trigger. I smiled calmly. "So, how about it?"
"Oi," I head Genzo exclaim from the sidelines, but I ignore him. I'd wave him off, but my hand was preoccupied with the gun it was holding. I also noted some mutes whispering amongst the Fishmen, whom I also ignore in favor of the one in front of me.
Arlong looked at me, really looked at me. He must've been surprised I was going through with what I'd promised, much less doing it so calmly.
"... Why are you doing this?" He asked.
"Going to need to be a tad more specific, buddy," I say. I nudge the gun against my head a little. "But if you mean this, well, I am a man of my word when I'm not lying. And while I lack honor, I most certainly have pride."
"Why?" Arlong asks again. "Why keep such a promise to your enemy? A Fishman?"
"A living being whose personal boundaries I've invaded without consent," I correct him. "Your race, pardon the phrasing, is insignificant in this situation. This is a guy owning up for crossing some lines he shouldn't have crossed, no matter what came out of it. This is me making my peace with myself."
I allow my eyes to show some melancholy.
"I'm not that familiar with how things work here," I admit. "But let's just say that I identify with the plight of your people."
He seemed to doubt my words. "How is that? How could you possibly understand the strife my people have gone through?"
I let myself crack a small, sympathetic smile. "Because I am different, like you, though to a lesser extent," I explain, reminiscing of the past. "I'm certain you must've noticed. How feminine I look, I mean. I've always had these features, but they only became prominent the older I got.
"At first it made me miserable. I wasn't masculine in appearance, so that brought negative attention towards me. I was mocked and chided for not being what I was supposed to be. I wasn't masculine in appearance in the slightest. The only masculine trait I could claim to was my baritone. I endured it, most of the time. But no one is infallible when placed under such social pressure."
I frowned sadly as I made myself remember those time. Especially... "I made some bad decisions. I failed to notice though and did many things I've come to deeply regret in order to affirm my place in the world. That I was a man, despite what was said behind my back and to my face. I was desperate to fit in, to be what I was told I was supposed to be."
Then I smiled faintly. "But that changed when I finally realized how many mistakes I was making. Just how low I'd fallen because of words out of the mouths of idiot children, whose opinions shouldn't even matter to me. Their words shouldn't make me decide who I was. So I woved to change that.
"Ever since, instead of wallowing in my self-loathing about my appearance, I began to embrace it. I started to dress in a more feminine manner to make myself feel less out of place. To make myself as pretty as I could, as I had been called such in mocking. And the bullying did cease. Turns out it's hard to give hell to someone you find physically attractive," I let out a small laugh. I'd shut my eyes a while back, letting the memories flow free.
"It was then that I stopped feeling ashamed of what I was. It was then that I started to finally feel proud of what I was. This is the body I was given at birth, so I would embrace it in every regard. The world saw me as feminine? Well, then I'd be the cutest and the prettiest I could possibly be!"
I opened my eyes, looking straight at Arlong, meeting his eyes with my own. I had his full attention, and even the whispers had gone quiet.
"My circumstance is different from yours, I'll admit. But it is similar enough that I can understand, sympathize even. Being hated because you're different... I know full well that is like. And I know the things it can lead you to do," I said solemnly, but quickly got over that. "And I also know that the path you chose to walk is the wrong one. I embraced my nature, what was said to me because it was all about me. A personal problem. You can't do that. Not when your entire race is under scrutiny. Embracing what is said of your kind will only bring further hurt to them."
Arlong broke eye contact, looking away in what I deduced to be shame. So he really had been thinking about my words? I couldn't help but smile a bit.
"But what I do know is that it's never too late to try again," I continue. "I made horrible mistakes before I became aware of the missteps I'd taken. I could say an excuse, that I was just a stupid child, but that wouldn't change that those mistakes were mine. Ever since then, I strived to be better. I tried my hardest. I still do."
His eyes widened a bit at the call-back to what I'd said to him previously. About the nature of 'try'. It was good that those words sank in, considering what they meant to me.
But I was getting off track. "But that aside, I am still waiting here," I remark. "My life is in your hands. A word from you, and I'll pay for my transgressions. I need an answer, you know." And then I just waited.
I waited for what seemed like several minutes, the deadly end of a weapon held by my skull and ready to take my life. I was a proud guy, perhaps excessively so. I knew that I'd shoot if Arlong told me to. I'd promised, after all. And a true promise is something only scum unworthy of living decide to break. I was better than that.
Arlong wasn't answering. His face betrayed nothing and gave no inclination of what was going on in his mind. I wasn't a mind reader, I just read people really well. But this time that talent gave me nothing to work with.
So I just waited, as long as I needed to. Until...
"... Forget it," Arlong spoke, probably the softest his voice could manage. I smile a bit and place my gun back into my pocket. "There wouldn't be a point."
"Indeed," I agree. I eye at me sake bottle, untouched for too long and gulp half of it down. I gasp in contentment, before returning my attention to Arlong. "I'd imagine you and your lot will be given to the Marines. Probably end up locked up for the rest of your lives, if anything I hear about the marines is accurate."
I'd read some new additions to The Codex. The most interesting was a massive underwater prison known as Impel Down. It sounded like a literal hell for criminals of all sorts, different layers for worse offenders and all. Extreme as it was, some truly deserved it. Pirates are infamous for a reason, after all.
Anyway, I took his silence as an affirmation that I was correct. I let some amusement enter my voice as I spoke up. "How'd you like an alternative?" That got his attention, though I sensed doubt. "You obviously care for your people. I can respect that devotion when it's not misconstrued into something stupidly destructive. It'd be a shame for that to go to waste, now that you're actually thinking."
"... What else is there to do? Nothing," Arlong scoffed. "It's too late for that. There's nothing to be done. The marines will apprehend us and we'll rot in Impel Down until we die. That's what happens to pirates like us."
"Or," say, holding up a finger, "you can take a new path when one presents itself. All it requires is a leap of faith." I love being enigmatic for no reason. I turn to Genzo briefly. "Hey, Mr. Village Leader! I need to run something by you. Well, I say that, but it's more like I'm just giving forewarning."
He frowns. Maybe. It's hard to tell. "And what is that?"
"Oh, I'm letting some Fishmen free!" I say with a smile. I got exactly the reaction I was expecting.
"WHAT?! Are you crazy?" Genzo shouted. "You'd let them go after everything they've done? I won't allow it!"
"Good thing I didn't ask for your permission," I quip, taking my time standing up with my crutch and turning to face him. Time to be serious again. "Mr. Genzo, I need some trust here. I know what I'm doing." I made my voice as weighty as I could, but I saw he clearly didn't agree with me. But he also didn't say anything, so I took that as temporary permission to proceed, for now.
So I turn to my bigger audience. "Alright then," I shout at the bound pirates, standing as tall and straight as I could, "listen up, because it is your night under the luckiest of stars! I'm going to allow some of you to go free. HOWEVER!" I point at them collectively. "I will not choose who gets to walk. One of you will choose which of your own deserves a second chance some of you certainly don't deserve! Any takers?"
My proclamation got them whispering amongst themselves, some doubtful of my words, some hope that I meant it, some even outright trying to get themselves chosen. But that wasn't my intention with this. As they spent time chattering, I took my time observing them on an individual basis. And quickly I found one that got my attention. A familiar face.
It was the brown Fishman with a horn-like protrusion on their head that was part of my and Zoro's capture. And unlike the rest, he was quiet, head hanging low. When I started my approach and walked through most of them, the chattering quieted down. I stopped when I stood over the brown Fishman.
"Why are you silent, unlike the rest of your crew?" I ask, drawing his attention. He recognizes me, clearly, from before. "The rest discuss my proposal, but you do not participate. What reason do you have?"
The Fishman looked at me before lowering his gaze again. I recognized the look he wore. It was that of shame. "... after what... we did here," He starts, uncertain. "These humans... they still treated out injuries. Even fed us, despite what we'd done. We don't... I don't think we deserve to go free."
I raise a brow, even as the surrounding Fishmen started making a ruckus about what this one had just said. "Your name," I ask, "what is it?"
My question catches him off guard. "Uh, Pista."
"Well, Pista. You are most certainly correct. What you've done to these people, the people of this island is unforgivable," I state under no uncertain terms. Within a span of a second, the derringer is in my hands and has fired, silencing everyone in near vicinity.
The ropes fall off of the Fishman name Pista. He looks shocked and confused, almost as much as every other Fishman present. He looked up at me questioningly. I shot him a toothy grin.
"I'd make a joke about my aim being off, but I'm in a good mood," I say. "You are most right, Pista. Your actions are unforgivable. More the reason to start making up for them, am I right? Kehehehe!"
His shock grows as I laugh. "B-but... why?"
"Why? You ask why?" I question with a chuckle and a persistent grin. "You, amongst your peers, are remorseful. You've come to see your doings as what they truly are. Who better to consider whom of your comrades are worthy of one more chance than someone who knows them? I don't think there is one! Humans aren't all so bad, as you've started to realize, despite the rotten ones out there that make even me sick to my stomach. So find those who carry this change of perspective within them! These are the ones who deserve one more try!"
Pista was quiet, face betraying inspiration drawn from my words. An inspiration to try.
"Stop dawdling around, Pista!" A Fishman with large lips that protruded from his face shouting. Pista visibly flinched at the words. "You're free! Beat up that human and untie the rest of us!"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I ask opinions from the bean council?" I say to Fish-Lips' direction, just a smidge of condescension in my tone. "Though I suppose I now know at least one who is going to stay right where they are. But that is not my choice," I look at Pista, "is it?"
The poor Fishman looked hesitant to talk back or disobey. Must've been one of Arlong three higher officers that I'd heard about. Still, in a show of faith, I completely turned my back to Pista, facing the one who I think was called... Chew? Whatever.
"I'm afraid your authority ended the moment your Captain was defeated and you were captured. You are no longer in any position to give orders to this crew."
"No," a strong voice spoke up, "he's not."
Even I blinked in surprise, not expecting him to comment on it.
"I'm still the captain, or have you forgotten that, Chew?" Arlong said, looking about as menacing as he always does. I don't think he had an off-switch for that.
"N-of course not, Arlong-san!" Fish-lips. "You're the captain of the Arlong Pirates! You give the order! Our freedom is right there!"
For some reason, that didn't seem to please him. A certain intensity was building up within him. It was odd to witness, and I couldn't really describe it. Like he was making up his mind about something. "Pista!"
"Y-yes, Arlong-san?" Pista flinched, standing up in a hurry.
"... Do as you see fit," he said. Then he took a deep breath before saying something that caught even me off, guard. "As of this moment, the Arlong Pirates no longer exist!"
Several differing ranges of "What?" and "WHAT?!" were thrown about, a more subdued "What." coming from Genzo and me.
"What are you saying, Arlong-san?!" Asked a particularly well-built Fishman who resembled a stingray somewhat.
"Exactly what I meant, Kuroobi. I'm disbanding the Arlong Pirates," Arlong explained, oddly calm. Almost... content? So hard to tell. "Choose who you want to free, Pista, and leave the rest of us to rot. And do it as a proud member of the Fishman race, not as a pirate!"
... By my ancestors, I knew I got him to think with my lecture, but damn! This was some hardcore development to have in a day! Am I hallucinating? If I didn't know any better I'd blame the sake. Was I just that good back then?
...
Screw it; I'm a genius of words!
Without any more than a proud grin- partially at myself – I shot Genzo a look, mouthing 'Trust is a two-way street'. While he showed signs of hesitance, he nodded in response. Seems like I'd won him over for this, for better or for worse. Welp, time to shoulder that responsibility later!
Leaving Pista to gape at Arlong's statement and to gather his jaw from the ground, I moved over to the larger saw shark Fishman and casually took a seat to his left. Standing was getting a bit uncomfortable and draining, what with my injuries and all. I was dealing with the pain like a champ though.
"That was a surprise," I remark conversationally, tucking my feet comfortably beneath my dress. "One hundred percent didn't see that one coming."
"..." A first all I got was silent dirt watching. I was starting contemplating if jabbing him with my crutch was a great idea when Arlong spoke up. "What you said back then... It got me thinking..."
"As was the point," I quip, taking a quick drink. I was never a strong advocate of sake, but I was getting around to it.
"What was I doing?" Arlong asks, though I note it's rhetorical so I let him continue. "Never did it even cross my mind... How what I did could've..." He seemed to have trouble finding the words he needed. He seemed upset and angry at himself. "To sully them in such a way... I'm a disgrace to all fishmen!"
I raised a brow. "Well, I can't really be a judge of that," I say, sloshing my bottle to get an idea of how full it is. It only has about a quarter left. "It's as they say though: Hindsight is twenty-twenty. It's only after that the mistakes of the past become all the more clear."
"... The more I thought about everything... I remembered his last request. I didn't understand- couldn't understand why he'd ask something like that of us," Arlong said, sounding a tad somber. "It's so shameful... I'd never even stopped to think of his reasons."
"You mean your captains last moment?" I ask, gaining his attention.
"How do you-"
"I have a 'magic' know-it-all book, remember?" I held up The Codex. "I carry it on my... harness..." I look down, recalling that I wasn't wearing it. I stare at the white book in my hand, which I was absolutely certain I wasn't carrying earlier. "... Where did this come from?" I wasn't bothering to hide my shock.
"... Does it truly know?" Arlong asked. "About Tiger's..."
I shook my head to collect myself. Questions for later. "Yes. It was... quite in-depth about your life story," I say, a bit awkwardly. "Sorry again for intruding in matters that don't belong to me. I was kind of in the moment." I then remember something, a small detail. "Oh, yeah, you don't know about his final wish!"
"Of course I do!" He snapped, somewhat offended. "He asked us to not mention the circumstances of his death to anyone, most of all anyone in Fishman Island. What about it?"
"Well, yes, that is true, but not what he really wanted to achieve," I say, a bit awkward about it. "See, he wasn't that good at expressing the real reason he did that."
Arlong glared at me a little. "And what would that be?"
"Well, the book says," I begin, as the book in my hand opens by itself to the page I was about to mention. "... the book says, his last wishes were that his death not be used as an excuse to continue the circle of hatred between fishmen and humans. Something you quite spectacularly failed at."
He flinched ever so slightly at my words. But this needed to be said, no matter how harsh I had to be.
"Admittedly, his failure to express his wish properly played a part in this," I continue, keeping my eyes on the page, "but that doesn't mean you get off scot free due to miscommunication!"
I let the statement hang in the air for a bit.
"At least, that is what I would say under other circumstances," I say with a small grin. I look at Arlong from the corner of my vision. "Honestly, I've already made you introspect and start noticing what you've gone and fucked up. That's punishment enough as is."
Arlong stares back, this unreadable look on his face. "...Why? Why do you do this?"
"Specifics would be nice, but I'll work with it," I say with minor sarcasm. "Honestly, because my opinion of your people isn't tainted. I have a fresh perspective and bountiful intellect at my disposal. I wish to learn of your people, not hate them. To me, hatred for hatred's sake not only makes no sense but is the pinnacle of stupidity," I explain. I then sigh, a bit sad at my next admission. "Unfortunately, that sort of stupidity is pretty prevalent, even here it seems."
Much to my surprise, Arlong chuckled. It was quiet, but I caught it. He sounded a bit bitter. "So you do this out of the goodness of your heart, is that it?"
"What? No!" I snap. "That's just insulting! Me, do charity? Perish the thought!" I then start to pout. It's all fun, of course, so I couldn't hide a small grin. "I'm simply the type that can't stand ignorance. I had a lesson to teach, and I am nothing if not dedicated to curing stupidity."
Arlong chuckled again, a bit louder this time, though it was still pretty subdued. Then he became oddly sullen. "... Well, I suppose... I ought to thank you, no matter how much I don't want to."
"I'll take it!" I cheer and down the last of my sake. Darn, only one bottle to go. Then I'll have to go back and- "Oh, snap!"
"Hm?" Arlong regards me.
"I almost forgot why I came here, aside from the promise thing," I mutter and turn to fully face Arlong. "Say, what do you intend to do?"
"What is there to do?" Arlong said. "The marines will arrive and it's Impel Down for us. At least Pista and some of them will not have to suffer through that, but some of us aren't deserving of it."
Well, I can see why he'd think that. I looked over, to where Pista was choosing some prisoners to free, while fully ignoring some, most notably the two lieutenants, Chew and Kuroobi. I'd figured he'd know his comrades well enough to make good choices, so I placed some trust in him.
Now, as for Arlong, he obviously didn't see himself amongst that number.
"Well, about that..." I start, giving Arlong my undivided attention. "I've got a small proposition for you if you're interested."
He has doubts. I can practically smell it from him. He's suspicious of my motives. "And why or what is that?"
"Oh, you know, reasons" I start, acting blatantly nonchalant. All in good fun.
I regard him with a grin. I felt confident. I was confident. I'd prepared this case ever since the idea had come to me.
"Arlong, how about giving humans one more shot?"
The rest of the night I spent in a conversation with Arlong. It was surprisingly civil all the way through.
-o~O-O~o-
Pista chose a few fishmen to be allowed free, and I had faith in his judgment. The more irate members were left as is, quite a few of them. Unexpectedly, Pista and two other fishmen opted to not scatter like the rest, instead of asking Genzo if they could stay on Cocomi Island, to make up for their deeds. After some grilling about it, the older man relented and allowed them to stay, but made it very clear that he was keeping an eye on them.
I wished good luck on those three. They chose to make amends, so the rest was up to them.
When Genzo told the rest of the villagers about the deal I'd made with Arlong, naturally, there was some uproar, especially at the three remaining unbound fishmen. I wasn't present for it, opting to hide and run from responsibility. But from what I gathered, Pista and two others, Mishima and Nagi, had gotten on their knees and begged for a chance to show how sincere they were. It apparently worked to a degree, because of the people, while still wary, were willing to give them a shot after some words from Genzo.
I think he may have paraphrased some of my circle of hatred speech.
The remaining two days were spent partying, to which I partook in with gusto. Which is to say, I drank a lot. I've never been so happy to just knock back alcohol, though at times I needed some distance from the crowds and just drink in peace. Zoro sometimes joined me and we'd talk at times. It was always pretty short and concise. Mostly about how great alcohol was. I'd say the air between us is pretty much clear now.
That being said...
Before it got to the point of me avoiding the issue on the premise that I didn't want to right now, I finally talked to Sanji. I will admit, I was preparing to dodge a kick to the face. And unlike before Long-nose's face wasn't coming to my rescue.
Much to my pleasant surprise, however, it went fairly well. Sanji was obviously, and quite understandably, cross with me, but after I got to talking about it, he slowly started to cool off. He was obviously still pretty salty about the whole thing, but he'd said that after what I'd done with Arlong, he couldn't be that mad at me anymore.
Then I teased him by acting all cute and girly, causing him to flip his shit and take back everything he said and to "kick the pretty off of my beautiful face". Then he got horrified and depressed at what he'd just admitted out loud.
I laughed. Hard not to. Sanji was one hilariously expressive character, he was.
I also spent some time giving Johny and Yosaku some fashion advice on how to improve their look. Told them to get outfits that matched. They didn't need to look identical, but it would show off their team dynamic. They listened intently to their Banchou speak, as they should. Seriously, their clothes...
At least I finally requested my stuff back and was soon wearing the harness again. Fortunately, it didn't hinder my sling or arm cast at all. Feeling efficiently armed, I felt more at ease from that point on.
The rest is pretty much just drinking and making merry. The final thing of note is that I spoke to Luffy. I needed to give him my answer, after all.
-o~O-O~o-
"Where is she?" Usopp wondered out loud. Him, Zoro, Sanji, and Luffy were hanging out on board the Going Merry, waiting for Nami to show up. But the navigator was running late. Very late.
"You sure she's coming?" Zoro asked from his own spot beside a railing.
"Nami is coming," Luffy stated in the usual way he did. Like it was an ironclad fact that couldn't be changed.
"Of course she is," Sanji put in his thoughts on the matter. "Nami-chan would never ditch us so callously."
"Blatant favoritism aside, yeah. She's definitely coming."
"Well, I suppose so," Usopp muttered to himself. Honestly, after all, they'd done for her it would be a shock if Nami wasn't coming with them. After all- "Wait a minute!"
Usopp jumped away and stared at the empty space to his left. Or rather, the spot to his left he thought was empty. He was met with a lackadaisical wave and an unreadable, almost white face.
"Yo!" Abel greeted unenthusiastically.
"Hi, Abel!" Luffy greets the man.
"What are you doing here?!" Usopp yelled out in surprise, pointing an accusing finger at the pale cross-dresser.
"Tone the volume down a notch, 'kay?" Abel complained. "Just to be clear, I stepped on the same moment you did."
"Really? Didn't see you anywhere," Zoro pointed out.
"Good. Would be disappointed in me if you had," Abel said, pride evident in the way he stood. "And if you think that is impressive, check that out?" He pointed behind him, where Usopp only now noticed a large brown sack.
"How'd I miss that?" Usopp wondered, thinking such a large object impossible to not notice. Then something clicked and he turned to look at the swordsman and the captain. "Wait, why aren't you more surprised he's here!?"
"... Really?" is all Zoro says on the matter.
"Silly Usopp," Luffy grins widely.
"What? What'd I miss?" Usopp asks, confused.
"Well, for one you seem to forget you are still my only ride out of here," Abel points out.
"Oh, right..." Usopp mumbles, a little ashamed he'd forgotten that. But how could you blame him, after the last few days?
"But that's not quite it, either," Abel continues, an enigmatic smile on his lips. "Oh, and there is the lady of the hour!"
They all turn towards the pier, at the end of which Nami stands, behind the crowd of villagers who'd come to see them off.
"SET SAIL!" Nami shouted, loud and clear.
"What's that woman up to now?" Zoro wondered.
"You heard Nami! Everyone, we're setting sail!" Luffy ordered with a large smile, taking charge as captain. And with only the slightest beat every member of the crew did their part. Anchor raised and sails unfurled.
Usopp had just one gripe with it all.
"Hey, why are you just standing around?" He asked, sounding a mite annoyed at the feminine man sitting on the ship's railing, not a care in the world. Just sort of watching them.
"Eh," He shrugged with a crooked grin. "I don't know boat stuff."
"That's not an excuse!" Usopp reprimanded the man, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears, as Abel waved his injured limbs to make it a moot point, all the while wearing a smug look on his face.
Soon the Going Merry was slowly drifting away from the pier, gaining distance. Nami still stood where she had been before. Then she moved, darting forward and moving nimbly past the gathered villagers with precision, not letting them hinder her in any way. Then at the end of the pier, she took a massive leap, landing onto the Merry with grace few could achieve.
Then she lifted her shirt and wallets dropped out of it. Lots and lots of wallets. The wallets of the villagers, if the shouts of outrage were a sign.
Abel whistled. "Need to watch my back with that one."
Nami smiled at the compliment, turning back to wave goodbye to her home and friends, who responded in kind despite the blatant thievery that had just taken place. It was heartening to watch.
But, as with many things, certain things just cannot last.
"Hey, Nami! Could you come over for a sec?" Abel called to the navigator.
"Yeah, sure," Nami responded, walking to Abel. "What's the-" Everyone could only stare in mild shock when Abel slapped Nami across the cheek with his good hand. A look of confusion and outrage flashed on Nami's features. "Why you-" She was interrupted when the same hand came back and backhanded her other cheek.
Sanji, in particular, was frothing from fury but didn't get a chance to vocalize it.
"That is for braining me and giving me a concussion back at the Baratie," Abel explained in a level tone of voice, eyes hardened and narrow. "As well as for stealing my stuff and being a general pain in my ass. I also blame my current condition largely- though not entirely -on you."
Nami flinched at the accusation, not really able to think of a way to counter them. He was right, his involvement was largely her fault. This whole mess had been her fault.
"And this," Abel said, interrupting the imminent pity party by pulling her into a one-armed hug, forcing her head to rest on his chest, "is for doing it for the right reasons. Never let it be said that I don't take circumstance into account when assessing damages."
Nami felt a lot of things at that moment. The casual tone he said things, yet carried things out with a certain strictness. The way he patted her head softly. It all was so... nostalgic. He then quickly jumped away.
"Woah, what did I do now?" He asked. It took a bit for Nami to realize she was crying a little.
"You damn bastard! How dare you make Nami-san cry?!" Sanji raged at the pale cross-dresser.
"Please let us girls handle this, Sanji dear~," Abel replied in his girl's voice, adding a flirty wink at the cook's direction. The reaction was immediate.
"Of course, Abel-SwHraN!" Sanji started off in his usual weak-to-women self, but his voice distorted in an inhuman way as his face fought against his base instincts. Not a moment later he was kneeling and hitting the deck with a tightly closed fist. "Why?! What is happening to me?! I'm into women, not men who dress like women!"
"Suck it up, you ninny!" Abel said and cackled. "You've been struck by the Curse of the Dark Angel! Kehehehe!"
As Sanji let loose a melodramatic "NOOOOOOOOO!" into the heavens, Nami couldn't help but start laughing at the absolute nonsense happening before her. And she wasn't alone, Luffy and Usopp had joined in laughing at the cook's misery. Zoro only laughed on the inside.
"You good now?" Name heard Abel ask.
"Yeah, sorry about that," She replied, wiping the tears from her eyes. "It's just, you reminded me of my mother for a second there."
"Wow, how sad was your childhood?" He asked unsympathetically, receiving a glare from the navigator. He held his hands(well, the working one). "Woah, take a joke! I am not parent material, is all."
He then turned serious. Nami was always shocked how quickly he could change his apparent mood. "But now I think I've delayed enough. Want me to handle it, Luffy?" He grinned crookedly. "Or should I say, Captain?"
Every member of the crew, sans Luffy, reeled back at the implication. "Eh?"
"Sure, go for it!" Luffy cheered.
"Normally I'd make some show of it, but in my condition," he knocked on his hard cast, "yeah, no. Anyway, since you got a cartographer and a navigator out of this venture, I think you can do a bit extra!" He walked over to the railing and leaned back to it. "So I'll have to just announce that from this moment forth I, Cain Abel, will be your chronicler for this voyage!"
The reactions from the crew were pretty mild. Usopp was excited to spend more time with someone he'd come to respect and adore since his fight with Arlong. Sanji was conflicted about it but put on a faint smile. Nami just allowed herself to be glad. Abel wasn't a bad guy.
"So, you couldn't handle it, huh?" Zoro remarked with a shit-eating grin.
"Bite me, Muscle Head!" Abel said and pulled a coin from his dress pocket and flipped it so that it flew overboard and into the sea. "And Nami, you must swear that you will not physically strike me in any capacity."
"What?" The navigator asked on reflex to the strange request.
"Swear. On the name. Of your Mother." Abel enunciated slowly. "It could literally kill me right now. I do not want that."
"Yeesh, fine!" Nami relented. He did have a point though. For all his tough bravado, he was by far the frailest human being Nami has ever even heard of. "I swear on Bellemere's name that I won't hit you. May I ask why though?"
"Because I had conditions for joining and you won't like them," He said quickly, then leaning back, as if expecting something to happen.
"Wait, what?"
...
...
"..." Abel frowned, fished another coin and flipping it overboard.
"... uh, you okay there?" Usopp asked.
"Give it a sec," He said.
...
...
...
Suddenly losing his patience, Abel took hold of his rifle with his good arm and fired into the ocean below. "SIGNAL! THAT WAS THE SIGNAL YOU BASTARD!"
Everyone too confused from the man's behavior, Zoro asked what was on his mind. "Is that gun always loaded?"
"Yes!" Abel replied heatedly. "In case of emergencies, I always keep it pre-" Sea water splashed as something dove out of the ocean at high speeds. "Oh, finally!" Then something slammed onto the deck with a slight tremor.
It is safe to say that everyone had a reaction. Usopp shrieked in fright and hid behind the mast. Sanji grit his teeth and prepared to fight, as did Zoro who drew his blades. Nami's face contorted in mix fear and anger. Only Luffy seemed unshaken through all of this.
And then Abel walked in front of what drew their attention so heavily, holding his good arm wide open, as if showcasing something great in a theatrical fashion.
"Everyone, I am Abel the chronicler," He exclaimed with a quick twirl to the side- fairly impressive for his injuries - and waving his good arm at the large Fishman that stood on the deck of the Going Merry. His smug grin was borderline manic in nature.
To his credit, Arlong didn't look any more enthused by the cross-dresser's antics than anyone else.
"And this is my bodyguard!"
-o~O-O~o-
And it is official! The Straw Hats get a chronicler and his bodyguard, whenever they want them or not! I had planned to have Arlong start a redemption arc since the beginning, where he learns to not let his hatred color his judgement. This is the first step towards that goal, and what crew to better change your negative worldview than this rag-tag group! I hope I can do something cool with that!
This is a bit late, and lead me to a revelation. I need to change my goarls from one chapter a week to a chapter within two weeks. This once a week deal has been a lot more stressful than I thought, and is distracting me from other matters. So... yeah.
Next stop, Logue Town and then... then we start having fun.
- Joining Up, C-Hablerie