DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING, EXCEPT RAGNAR AND ALL VIKINGS IN THIS STORY! ONE PIECE BELONGS TO EICHIRO ODA, VIZ MANGA, TOEI ANIMATION AND FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT/CRUNCHYROLL LLC
Chapter 33: The Worst Man in the East Blue! Fishman Pirate Arlong!
It was a calm and sunny day ahead, with not a storm cloud in sight. As the Merry sailed the East Blue, a school of flying fish began jumping up all around her. Luffy was at the bow, sitting atop the ram's head figurehead without a care in the world, while seabirds flew overhead.
"This weather's just perfect!" He exclaimed, and then began running towards the stern, all while Ragnar was acting as the impromptu helmsman. "So, Ragnar, you went to the Grand Line with your dad as a kid, right? Which way is it?" Luffy asked.
"Well, if we're coming from the East Blue, then it's due south of this stretch of water," he replied, "Of course, that's by longship. Normal sailing ships will need to take one of the main routes through Reverse Mountain on the Red Line continent. Though, as our navigator, Nami can explain it better than I can."
"Okay, I got it!" Luffy replied, still chuckling like a madman.
"You're in an awful chipper mood, aren't you?" Sanji asked.
"You know it! I'm just excited we finally have a cook on board," said Luffy, "Now, we just have to take care of Arlong, then nothing will stand between us and the Grand Line!" That was when Luffy remembered something of interest, "By the way, Ragnar, Usopp and Nami told me that you can still swim despite having Devil Fruit powers. What's with that?"
"A Devil Fruit user who can still swim?" Ingrid asked, having heard Luffy's question, before she finally connected the pieces, "Ah! I see, drengr. You drank the Berserker Brew, didn't you?"
"What's berserker brew?" Luffy asked, confused.
"Well, no use hiding it now," Ragnar muttered, "It's a sacred drink amongst us Vikings, and allows us to retain our ability to swim while also obtaining Devil Fruit powers. You see, Luffy, we Vikings too used to succumb to the weakness of all Devil Fruit users, in that we lost our abilities to swim upon eating the Devil Fruits. However, we soon realized that for all their powers, Devil Fruits were still just fruit, and could be made into alcohol."
"An alcoholic drink made from fermented Devil Fruit!? Are you serious?!" Sanji asked, "That's almost unheard of!"
"Ja, it's one of our most closely kept secrets," said Ingrid, "But, Ragnar is your crew's quartermaster, so it was bound to come up sooner or later."
"Ingrid is right, in that we don't usually like revealing our brew to outsiders, but I'm willing to make an exception with the crew," he added, "Most Devil Fruits in my homeland manifest in apples, so we include that with the apples we usually reserve for making cider. The juices will mix together once the Devil Fruit and the apples are ground in a cider mill, then placed in a cider press, leaving the juices sealed in a barrel, but we discovered that the powers of the Devil Fruit that take away the ability to swim are negated during the fermentation process, plus the sweetness of the cider makes it more palatable than directly eating the Devil Fruit. However, all it takes is one sip of this brew to obtain the Devil Fruit power. After that, the brew becomes a normal barrel of cider."
"How is that gonna help!?" Yosaku asked, apparently dreading this decision, "Don't you get it!? Don't you all realize that every second that passes brings us closer to Arlong!?"
"Ja, we all know, Yosaku," said Ragnar, "Nami told us that these Fish-Men are much stronger than humans when she told us how they easily overpowered her mother."
"There's a good reason for that," Yosaku added, as he and Ingrid stood before the three of them in the center of the deck. "Listen up boys! Time for further education on the cunning shark that is Arlong!"
"Nami may have told us a lot about him, but there's still more you need to know before we face him," said Ingrid, looking at the bounty hunter, "You need to know what he's capable of, and his past."
"So, let's begin," Yosaku then began to act in full teacher mode, "As you probably know, Arlong is a fish-man who used to destroy everything in his path up and down the Grand Line."
"What's a fish-man?" Luffy asked, "I've never met one of those before."
"I have, as a boy, while my father and I were traveling the Grand Line," said Ragnar, shocking Yosaku, "Most of them are pretty shy, due to the racism they suffer from most humans, but among the Vikings, we treat them as if they are our own, and many of them seem to enjoy that treatment. They come from Fishman Island, in the very halfway point of the Grand Line, along with the mermaids."
"I heard that the mermaids are some of the most beautiful creatures in the world to behold," said Sanji, who was clearly smitten with the idea of romancing a mermaid.
"Do they look like this?" Luffy asked, holding up a drawing of a fish with four legs, which immediately got Sanji laughing, much to Yosaku, Ingrid and Ragnar's dismay.
"Not quite," said Ingrid, trying her best to calm herself down, "They look more like humans, but with features of fish. Some have additional arms or legs in case of those born like squid or octopus, and some have longer elbows in the case of those who are rays. Yet most of them have both gills and lungs, allowing them to breathe both on land, and underwater."
"Yeah, and that's not all," Yosaku then sat down on a crate nearest the mast, "I'm sure you all know one of the nicknames they call the Grand Line: the Pirate Graveyard? The reason they call it that is because of the fish-men and the other major power that can be found in it. That other power is known as the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"I know that name before!" Luffy surmised, recalling when they first encountered Dracule Mihawk back at the Baratie, "Ragnar, didn't you say that the guy who beat Zoro was one of them?"
"I did, ja. Dracule Mihawk is indeed among their ranks," replied the Viking, "The Seven Warlords of the Sea are all privateers – government sanctioned pirates, and because of that fact, there are no bounties on their heads."
"Seriously?! They're sanctioned by the World Government?" Sanji asked, confused, "Why would any pirate sailing the high seas voluntarily want government approval?"
"It's for protection, and for profit," explained Yosaku, "The government looks the other way in exchange for a cut of their treasure, as well as to deter other criminals, and they're allowed to exist. They also serve as mercenaries in wars on the World Government's behalf, and in return they also get paid for their services by the nations who hire them. Of course, to most other pirates, they're just the World Government's dogs, but they didn't get to where they are for nothing, these guys are the best of the best. Ragnar's right in that Mihawk's one of these warlords."
"Then in that case, we'd better be extra careful if we run into all seven of them," said Luffy, "We don't know if we can truly trust them, since I have a feeling, they won't all be like Mihawk."
"You're right," said Yosaku, "Not all the warlords are as honorable as Mihawk. And the next you should know among the Warlords is Jinbei, captain of the Sun Pirates."
"Didn't Nami mention them when she told us how Arlong came to her village?" Sanji asked.
"Ja, she did, but Jinbei is nothing like Arlong," said Ragnar, "I should know. As a boy, I met him with my father on the Grand Line. It was just before we left for the East Blue, actually. It's true that Jinbei and Arlong were both members of the Sun Pirates at one point, and that Jinbei was the one who released Arlong, but Jinbei is far more honorable than his old crewmate, and he does not hold Arlong in high regard."
"So, if Jinbei comes, we'll be able to defeat Arlong?" Luffy asked.
"He can't come intervene directly, as he is busy with the Grand Line," said Ingrid, who still kept smiling, "However, in a way, he has provided us with aid. One of Jinbei's most trusted officers, Orca Willy, has pledged himself to our cause against Arlong. Evidently, the two were rivals during their time together on the Sun Pirates. You will all get a chance to meet him when we reach Njordholm."
"That's good to hear, big sis Ingrid," said Yosaku, who let out a sigh of relief, "We're gonna need as much help as we can get. Just like Big Sis Nami told us, Arlong has conquered more than twenty towns of the Conomi Islands since he first set out to the East Blue. His strength easily surpasses anyone we've encountered before, including Don Krieg. He's devastating! Trust me, you guys never had to fight a fish-man before!"
"Need I remind you, I have?" Ingrid asked, slightly irritated as she readied her axe, "True, they may be stronger than us, but we found that they are far easier to ambush and surprise. Each attempt they made to destroying Njordholm, my clan has so far been able to push them back by ambushing them in the jungles surrounding the settlement."
"Don't worry about it, Yosaku," Luffy chuckled, "We'll deal with Arlong and his thugs when we regroup with Nami and the others." At that moment, Sanji only got up and headed for the aft-castle.
"Well, I guess I'll get lunch started," he said, making his way first to Ingrid, "Perhaps the fair shieldmaiden would like to place an order for the afternoon?" At this, Ingrid couldn't help but blush. All her life she was treated no differently from the men, but now, here was the man she accidentally landed on, treating her like a jarlskona!
"Oh…well, perhaps roast mutton?" She asked, her voice suddenly raising in pitch as she smiled at the chef.
"Perfect, I happen to know just the recipe for such the occasion," replied Sanji as he then turned to Luffy, Yosaku and Ragnar, "How about you guys? What are you in the mood for?"
"I want meat right off the bone!" Luffy declared.
"I want sautéed bean sprouts!" Yosaku added.
"Whatever the chef recommends," said Ragnar, who was honestly in the mood for anything.
"Okay, leave it to me," said Sanji, as he made his way to the galley and took his pan and ladle out, "This won't take long. Huge Revolver Mutton steak and bean sprouts, coming up!"
Meanwhile, under another sky far ahead, and sailing on a small green striped boat, Nami looked on at the sight of land before her eyes. After revealing her story to the rest of her friends, Nami finally felt as though a burden was lifted from her shoulders. She was now able to wear her favorite sleeveless tank-tops in their presence. This day, she was wearing a green camisole with dark green floral patterns, tight black pants with two yellow rings on the sides, and light orange high-heeled sandals.
"Well, here's hoping that Ragnar's plan pays off," Nami muttered, as she could see her home island coming into full view. She remembered the few days before, while she was still aboard the Merry….
Ragnar had taken out a map of Nami's home island, and placed it on the table, with three chess pieces shaped like pirate ships.
"Now, this plan hinges on one crucial factor," he said, "Arlong must not have any suspicion that Nami has turned traitor! This means we cannot go barging in and stating that we are her friends in public, or else the ruse will be foiled." He then took one of the chess pieces and moved it on the map towards Cocoyashi Village's location, "First, Nami, you will take Sanji's ship and sail on ahead. We were lucky that the Baratie's staff were kind enough to loan her to us." He then did the same with another piece, looking up to the first mate and archer, "Zoro: you, Johnny and Usopp will follow. Once you three make landfall, do all that you can to distract Arlong, but try not to get captured. If that ends up happening, Nami, you must find some way to save them, while also tricking Arlong into thinking that they are dead." He then took the final chess piece and brought it round to the far side of the island, "In the meantime, Luffy: that leaves you, me, Sanji, Yosaku and Ingrid. We will take the Merry, round the island and make landfall on the far side, the part under Norse control, to meet with the Elgrings. We'll all then regroup at the border between Fish-man and Norse territories, then make our way to Njordholm and discuss further plans from there. But remember: Arlong and his crew must never know! May we go with the wisdom of Odin, the power of Thor, and the wit of Freyja!"
Now, as she sailed alone, she could see the great tower in sight. Nami was conflicted, on the one hand she was happy to be home again, but on the other, she knew that Arlong was the same monster who killed her mother. She would never forgive him for it, but she knew she had to wait on getting her revenge until the others arrived and the army was ready.
'I can hardly believe it,' she thought, 'There it is. My hometown: Cocoyashi Village. Now, all I have to do is to trick Arlong into thinking I'm still part of his crew, until Luffy and the others arrive. Zoro and Usopp shouldn't be too far behind now…I just hope Arlong doesn't do anything to catch us off guard…'
Arlong Park was quite the fortress. It was a walled off compound with a pool for boats to harbor at, and beyond was a great building with red roof tiles, reminiscent of the architecture of some destinations in the Grand Line. Atop the three towers were statues sculpted to resemble the heads of sharks, and on the top of the central building fluttered Arlong's jolly roger. Back below, Arlong himself was seated down with the rest of his crew, enjoying themselves in the afternoon sun, handing over a bundle of cash over to a Marine captain clad in a gray coat with a hood that resembled the head of a mouse or a rat.
Arlong's attire is composed of fashionable, light clothes, reflecting his rich status as well as his background as a pirate. He wore a short-sleeved, unbuttoned yellow cabana shirt decorated by many black lightning-like spots, green shorts, a purple sash around the waist, and simple sandals. He also sported a lot of jewels: he had a golden chain bracelet around his left wrist and two golden bracelets around each ankle, with straw-like decorations hanging from them. Instead of the gray hat he wore when he first raided the Conomi Islands, Arlong now wore an ushanka atop his head.
"Here's this month's take," Arlong told him, "I hope you enjoy it."
"Ah, Arlong. This is why I like doing business with you," said the captain, "You're so much smarter than your average pirate. You know how the world works."
"Likewise!" Arlong chuckled, "There aren't that many Marine captains who know that befriending me means they can milk the East Blue for eternity. The fact that you understand this makes us more alike than any other Marine out here. As a rule, Captain Nezumi, I hate all humans for what they have done to my kind, but you are one of the few tolerable exceptions I make."
"Well then, if you'll excuse me," said Nezumi as he rose to take his leave with the money, "I must make my report to Marineford. Word has it that the self-proclaimed ruler of the East Blue, Don Krieg, was finally defeated. That leaves you with one less potential contender for the throne."
"Then that makes this cause for celebration!" Arlong laughed in triumph, "Why not stay a while and have a drink with me?"
"I would, but the longer a Marine cruiser stays docked at a Pirate island, the longer we get unwanted attention."
"Don't you worry, I'll kill anyone who reports you. Everyone knows that."
"Thank you, but with all due respect, I still must go. Word of Krieg's fall is bound to send shockwaves across the East Blue."
"Very well, then, if you insist," said Arlong, turning towards the pool, "Hey! Hachi! The captain is leaving! Escort him back to his ship!" At that moment, Hachi emerged with a large clay pot in the water behind him.
"The boat's back that way, Captain Nezumi," said Hachi, with five of his six arms crossed as he pointed to the pot.
"Thank you! That's very kind of you," said Nezumi.
"Whenever I see your face, it makes me want to laugh," Hachi chuckled, "It's funny! You look like a rat!"
"Hey, Hachi! Watch your words!" Arlong told his lieutenant, "The Captain here is our honored guest."
"Oh, right! Sorry about that," said Hachi as he got into the water while Nezumi and his marines jumped into the clay pot and were pulled out to sea.
'These fish-men are disgusting! Such a vile race!' Nezumi thought as his face curled with an avaricious grin, 'That said, they sure do pay well!'
Outside Arlong Park's eastern entrance, Nami made her way closer towards the base of her mother's killer. Outside, she showed no such emotions, but deep down, she was incredibly nervous. She was worried that if Arlong had the slightest hint of suspicion, she would probably be killed, along with everyone in her village! She could not let that happen. As she walked down the dirt path that separated the rice paddies, she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. Nami turned and saw a small boy of about ten running towards Arlong Park with a cutlass in his hand.
"Hey you! Get outta my way!" He yelled, "Arlong's gonna die today! He killed my daddy, so now I'm gonna kill him!" Nami only couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor boy. She knew just how he felt given the way that the tears were streaming down his eyes. "So move, or else I'll have to kill you too!"
However, Nami only reached into her camisole, and took out three wooden cylinders, connecting them to form a bo-staff, which she used to then smack the boy to the ground with a single upward blow. Oh, how she wished she could help him out, but until the Elgrings managed to raise their army, it was the only way to stop more blood from being spilled.
"Now, you should know that Arlong doesn't have time to deal with whimpering little punks like you," she told him, separating her staff and hiding it in her cleavage again, "You're too young, go home!" Then she threw him a bundle full of cash, "Take that with you, and use it to keep yourself out of trouble, kid." As Nami turned away, she couldn't help but feel ashamed of herself for her actions, 'I'm sorry. Please forgive me, but I can't let anyone else die,' she thought, as she gave one last sad look at the boy before heading towards Arlong Park's gates, which opened for her.
Arlong was absolutely delighted to see his precious cartographer walk through the eastern gate. Her arrival meant only one thing: more cash to increase his income.
"Ah! Nami, you've finally returned!" He exclaimed, "I haven't seen you around these parts for quite a while! So, how did you do this time?"
"Just who do you think you're talking to?" Nami asked, smiling at her so-called captain, and throwing him a duffle bag full of cash, "I can't believe the world is full of such blind idiots. Wanna see?"
"You, girl, are one excellent liar!" Arlong laughed, "You couldn't have come at a better time, sister! Word is that Don Krieg has finally been toppled, and that means one less human to stand in our way!" He then rose from his chair and declared, "Listen up, brothers! Nami's finally returned! It's time to celebrate!" In that instant, all of Arlong Park burst in celebration, as a multitude of fish-men emerged from underwater to enjoy both their navigator's return as well as the fall of the Krieg Pirates. Nami couldn't help but smile as well, seeming to be proud of having fooled so many pirates in the East Blue, but she was also glad that Arlong suspected nothing so far. If all went as planned, this place would become a monument to his downfall!
Meanwhile, further out at sea, Zoro, Johnny and Usopp finally saw Arlong Park in full view closer on the horizon. Zoro, though, was resting with his back against the bow of his old friends' boat, while Johnny and Usopp did their best to hide so that nobody on the watchtowers could spot them.
"Well, we're here," said Johnny nervously, "That's Arlong Park ahead!"
"Arlong Park, huh?" Usopp asked, "S-So this is the base of Saw-Tooth Arlong? The Fish-man pirate from the Grand Line?!" The archer couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear in his soul. They were about to meet the very man who killed Nami's mother, who caused her eight long years of suffering. "I hope Nami's really here."
"Big sis Nami took Sanji's boat," said Johnny, "So before we do anything reckless, we should quietly check to see if it's docked on this island first."
"Yeah, good idea," said Usopp, but noticed that Zoro was standing up, grasping the Wado Ichimonji in his right hand.
"Let's attack right now," said the pirate hunter, ready to unsheathe his sword, much to the horror of Johnny and Usopp.
"But I just said we shouldn't do anything stupid!" Johnny yelled.
"WHAT!? Attack!? You idiot!" Usopp shouted, "Zoro, we don't know anything about this place, aside from what Nami told us about it! Did you honestly forget what Ragnar told us specifically not to do!?"
"Yeah! These guys are fish-men!"
"We need to stick to the plan in order to take them down! Ragnar said this will take both brains as well as brawn!"
"I already have a new plan," said Zoro, placing his left foot on the bow of the boat, "While the two of you are busy blabbering and wimping out, I'm placing my thoughts on the battle ahead. Ragnar told us to distract them, and I intend on doing just that. So, let's go!" Yet before Zoro could do anything to jeopardize the mission, Usopp and Johnny conked him on the head with two hammers. If he was left in charge, they would surely die in a frontal assault!
After having tied Zoro to the mast of the boat, Usopp took over as lookout while Johnny manned the rudder. Through his binoculars, the archer could see the very boat that was given to them at the Baratie straight ahead.
"There it is! Sanji's boat!" Usopp told Johnny and Zoro, "Ha! Found it! Nami's boat is right over there!"
"Then Big Sis Nami managed to make landfall!" Johnny exclaimed, "So far, Big Bro Ragnar's plan is working!"
"What are you idiots doing!?" Zoro asked, clearly miffed about being bound by ropes, "Would you just untie me!? I'm not the enemy!" However, it was clear that both Johnny and Usopp weren't listening as they looked at the map they brought with them.
"According to the map, we're east of Arlong Park, here at Cocoyashi Village," said Johnny, mulling over the map.
"Wait, that's Nami's home village," said Usopp, remembering what Nami told them back aboard the Merry, "You think she's hiding out in plain sight?"
"After she alienated pretty much everyone? I doubt it."
"UNTIE ME, DAMMIT!" Zoro yelled.
"Zoro, you're way too injured to be of any help when we go ashore," said Usopp, who was now calmer than ever, "Just sit tight and relax. It's okay, rest up. You can help next time!" Yet it was clear that Zoro was not having any of this! He still wanted to fight and was more than willing to pull his weight.
'One of these days, I'm gonna skewer him like a piece of meat!' Zoro thought, glaring at Usopp as the archer stood tall at the bow.
"Fear not, gentlemen! Our goal's in plain sight now!" Usopp declared, "Now, it's onward, towards Cocoyashi Village! Prepare to drop anchor! Bring us to the docks!"
"Sounds like skipping Arlong Park sure cheered you up," said Johnny, who was a bit annoyed with Usopp's clear cowardice. Still, he followed Usopp's commands, and manned the rudder, bringing them alongside the port.
"Now that we're underway, it's time to give a name to this voyage," Usopp muttered to himself, "I think I shall name this voyage: the great adventures of Captain Usopp!" However, as they were about to pull into port, they could see three fish-men on the docks, one of which clearly was an angler fish, from the light dangling from his head. Usopp immediately noticed this, and made for cover.
"What is it?! What'd you see?!" Johnny asked, only for Usopp to point to the obvious sight at port.
"It's fish-men!" They both whispered in unison, terrified out of their minds. They just continued onto the port, hoping that the fish-men wouldn't notice them as they passed the port.
"Why didn't we just dock right there!?" Zoro demanded, only for Johnny and Usopp to shush him for silence.
"Didn't you see that!?" Usopp asked, "There were three fish-men over there! They were all members of Arlong's crew! We can't stop here right now!"
"Do not yell at me!" Zoro yelled back, planting his feet into Usopp's face.
"It looks like Nami was right, most of this island is under Arlong's control," Johnny whispered, "So, what now?"
"I suppose we could just sail to the north coast of the island and hope for Luffy and the others to show up," Usopp suggested.
"UNTIE ME NOW, MORONS!" Zoro continued to yell. Yet as Johnny and Usopp rose, they failed to notice that the three fish-men noticed the two of them.
"I've never seen that boat before," said one of them, and in an instant, two of them began to dive underwater, swimming towards the boat! Usopp and Johnny both wigged out at the sight.
"Johnny, abandon ship immediately!" Usopp declared, and the two immediately jumped ship.
"HEY! YOU TWO GET BACK HERE AND UNTIE ME, DAMMIT!" Zoro yelled as he was left stranded, abandoned to his fate as the two fish-men boarded.
"There's just this one guy?" Asked one of them.
"Maybe he just drifted here from far out?" Asked another, "Or maybe someone just wanted him to die real slowly."
"Yeah…right," said Zoro, trying his best to contain his anger, 'Those bastards are dead and they don't even know it!'
"I say that we take him to Arlong," added one of the fishmen, and with that, the boat sailed westwards towards Arlong Park. Usopp and Johnny only resurfaced as soon as the coast was clear.
"Forgive me, Zoro. I just hope Nami can get you out of trouble safely," said Usopp, placing all his hopes in Nami. If she could manage to get Zoro out of trouble without being made out as a traitor, then Ragnar's plan would still go off without a hitch. After he and Johnny made their condolences, he only smiled at his companion, "Okay, now let's find some land." The two then swam towards the island, further east of Cocoyashi Village, finding a small natural harbor where they could haul themselves up onto.
"According to the map, I think this place is called Gosa Village," said Johnny as he hauled himself ashore with Usopp. Yet, as they looked up, they were completely struck dumb. The entire village was completely destroyed! All the buildings were flipped upside-down, and a great furrow was seen in the center of the road. Not a wisp of smoke could be seen on the horizon, nor could a single sound be heard; not a voice. Not the bleating of a sheep, nor the lowing of a cow. Broken glass littered the roads.
"What…what happened here?!" Usopp asked, totally shaken to his core at the sight, "Everything's upside-down!"
"I heard that Arlong came through here a few weeks back," said Johnny, "But I never thought that…that this was the extent of the damage! Big Sis Nami wasn't kidding when she said that fish-men are stronger than humans by a very wide margin. I guess this is how strong you have to be in order to survive the Grand Line." Just then, Johnny turned and fled as he heard the sound of footsteps behind him.
"That's odd, even the street's upside-down," said Usopp, who was completely unaware of the danger he was in.
"The monster, Momoo caused this destruction," said a voice, "We caught him out on the Grand Line and brought him back here with us."
"Monsters from the Grand Line, huh?" Usopp asked, before noticing that the person behind him wasn't Johnny. Usopp turned and saw a blue-scaled fish-man with a serious underbite jaw behind him, and with a terrified scream he ran for his life. "LATER!"
Meanwhile, Johnny only remained hidden in an alleyway, relieved that the fish-man from earlier didn't notice him, but also regretful for sacrificing Usopp.
"That was close," he muttered, hearing Usopp's screams of panic, "I wish you luck. I'll just head to the north side of the island and wait for backup from Yosaku and Luffy's party."
Usopp only ran through the remnants of Gosa Village as fast as his legs could carry him, all while laughing and taunting at the fish-man as he managed to gain further distance from his pursuer.
"You may be a fish-man, but there's no way you can catch me on dry land!" He cackled, "I'm a very fast runner! I'm as fast as a gazelle!" Yet as he continued to run, he felt something, or someone, trip him up, sending him falling flat on his front. "What the he…!?" Usopp didn't finish complaining as he rose. The same little boy who encountered Nami at Arlong Park was now standing over him, sword in hand.
"Got you, you stupid fish-man!" The boy yelled, raising his sword, "Now, I'll avenge my father by killing you!" Usopp only widened his eyes in sheer terror as he feared his last day would come, but before the final blow could be struck, the boy was knocked on the head with a knife strike by a beautiful young woman with light blue hair, tanned skin and a floral tattoo pattern on her right arm. She wore a light camel beige tank top and dark blue pants, with sandals on her feet, while a red headband kept her hair up.
"Honestly, Chabo! Are you thick in the head!?" She asked the boy, "How many times do I have to tell you: if you wanna keep your head attached, then do not mess with the fish-men! It was just one guy who decided to stand up to them, and they responded by killing everyone in Gosa!" She then looked at Usopp, scanning him over for any sign of animalistic features, "No gills, fins or scales. Good. You're human…well, mostly."
"What's that supposed to mean!?" Usopp asked, enraged, but before he could complain any further, the fish-man who was pursuing him was getting closer. "Crap! He's catching up!"
"A fish-man!" Chabo whispered.
"And this time, it's for real," said the lady. She then looked to Usopp, but she noticed the archer was standing in front of her.
"Stand back and let me handle this one!" He told her, taking out a barbed arrow from his quiver, nocking it to the string of his bow, "Watch as Captain Usopp takes out this fish-man with a single arrow!" Yet before he could draw the arrow back, the woman knocked him out with a pommel strike to the head with the cutlass.
"Either he's got balls of steel, or a death wish," she muttered, dragging Usopp by his feet, away to an alleyway. She then screamed and ran towards the fish-man, "Help! A long nosed creepy guy came passing by here!"
"Which way did he go?" Asked the fish-man.
"That way!" The woman told the gilled goon, pointing to the opposite direction where she came from. The fish-man ran off towards the east, while she returned to Chabo and Usopp. "C'mon, let's get him someplace safe and outta harm."
Meanwhile, back aboard the Going Merry, Sanji was busy in the galley preparing lunch for everyone. This was going to be a full course, given the additional dishes like fried rice and pasta. All of the scents worked their magic, as Ragnar was doing his best to govern the helm.
"By all the Gods, Sanji, that smells amazing!" The Viking exclaimed, "I can't wait to tell my clan about all the amazing feasts you'll prepare for the crew!"
"Well, I'm sure you'll have plenty to talk about," Sanji replied with a chuckle as he continued to cook. Luffy, Yosaku and Ingrid only watched on from outside, the smell of roasting meat driving them all mad with hunger. Yet they were not the only ones who could smell the delectable aromas…
Back near Arlong Park, the scent of a whole roasted pig could be smelled on the winds, as Hachi turned the spit and fanned the flames.
"That looks like it's ready," he muttered, and then blew a trumpet out towards sea, "Momoo! It's lunchtime! Momoo!" However, the octopus fish-man got no response, "Where is that beast? Kinda weird. I've never seen Momoo show up late to a meal. I wonder what happened."
Back aboard the Merry, Sanji set up an entire feast on the deck, bringing the table from the galley outside to mark the first ever meal he cooked aboard his new home vessel. Ragnar was able to take a break from governing the helm to enjoy in the feasting. On the menu was huge revolver mutton steak, fried rice, roasted bean sprouts and spaghetti alla gricia.
"Wow! This is so good!" Yosaku exclaimed, "Thanks, big bro Sanji!"
"I don't care about you guys," Sanji muttered, enjoying a glass of red wine, "I'm just practicing for the day I get to cook dinner for Ingrid and myself." Hearing those words, Ingrid only blushed and fidgeted her fingers.
"I…I look forward to it," she said, trying to hide her blush. 'What in Helheim is with me!? I know Sanji and I just met, but I'm supposed to be a shieldmaiden for my clan! Now, look at me: acting all lovestruck like some hopeless teenager!'
"You made the right call, Luffy," said Ragnar to his captain, "It was worth waiting those four whole days back at the Baratie after all."
"Of course it was," said Luffy as he was finishing a piece of mutton, "By the way, Ragnar: what happened to the pieces of Don Krieg's armor?"
"I managed to salvage them. Since it was way too big, I figured there's just enough for something else." Ragnar then turned to Ingrid, "Ingrid, is there a weaponsmith by any chance in Njordholm?"
"Oh! Ja, you must mean Birger," she replied, regaining her wits, "One of our finest blacksmiths in all of Njordholm. He works wonders with metal, you could almost call it seiðr."
"I hope Nami's alright," Luffy muttered, looking in the direction of the Conomi Islands, "Hopefully she'll have been able to make contact with Zoro and Usopp by now."
"Let's be sure to ask once we've made landfall," said Ragnar.
Meanwhile, back at Arlong Park, Nami was busy with going over documents inside when she heard a voice from outside at sea.
"Open the gates!" yelled one of the fish-men, "We have a prisoner aboard this vessel!" Nami only looked out the window and her eyes widened with horror at the sight of the captive.
'Oh no! They got Zoro!' She thought, 'He must've gotten separated from Johnny and Usopp! Okay, calm down, Nami. You got this. Remember, if this happened, Ragnar said to just pretend like I was using the crew to get the treasure. I just hope Zoro remembered that too.'
Outside, the sea gates to Arlong Park opened, allowing the small boat to enter. Zoro now had his hands and feet bound with ropes at the wrists and ankles, forcing him to sit cross-legged, and right in front of him…was Arlong. This was going to be a tough fight, but he only hoped that Nami was already here.
"Now, I'm only going to ask this once," said Arlong, glaring at Zoro, "What was your purpose in coming here to this island?"
"Read my lips, in that case," replied Zoro, who glared back at him, "I'm looking for a lost girl, ya half-fish bastard!"
"Wow, for someone I consider a good meal, you are either incredibly stupid, or you have quite a lot of guts in there," Arlong sneered, grinning mockingly at the pirate hunter, "We fish-men are, simply, the next rung up the evolutionary ladder from you humans. We can breathe both on land and underwater: an ability that clearly establishes our physical superiority over you! I don't know if this will make any sense in that puny brain rolling around inside your skull, but fish-men are the lords of all creatures, and to defy us, is to defy nature!"
"Y'know, I'm really sick of listening to your lofty ideals, Arlong," said a familiar voice, and Zoro looked to see Nami coming out of the main building. He only widened his eyes in shock, but he knew that he was at least in good hands now.
"Why so serious, Nami?" Arlong asked, "You know I wasn't referring to you. You are a very special human. Our special cartographer, and a valued member of this crew. You always have been."
"Say whatever you want, but I'm a lot smarter than any of you," Nami replied.
"Why did he call you his cartographer, Nami?!" Zoro asked, feigning irritation, "You can't honestly expect me to believe that you work for him!"
"Hold on, is this guy a friend of yours, Nami?" Arlong asked.
"Don't be ridiculous," said Nami as she approached Zoro, "This guy is just another fool who thought I wasn't gonna steal his treasure right out from underneath his nose. The fact that he actually followed me here without knowing that shows how stupid he is." Nami only crouched down to Zoro, so they were both at eye level and gave him a wink. 'Don't worry, just keep it up, Zoro!' she thought, 'As long as we put on a good act, I'll find a way to cut you free. Promise!'
"So, this is the person you really are," said Zoro, his face showing a brief glimmer of hope, but returning to the usual stony-faced grimace he was known for, "All along, I thought you couldn't stand pirates."
"You thought wrong, it was all an act," said Nami, "And you bought it, hook, line, and sinker." Nami then showed off her tattoo, causing Zoro to widen his eyes in shock, recalling that time she first revealed her mark to the crew. "I'm a pirate, plain and simple, and a navigator for Arlong!" Nami declared, standing on her two feet, as other fish-men surrounded her, 'Or at least…I used to be…' she thought. Now all she had to do was find some way to get Zoro out of this trap while Luffy and Ragnar's party was still out at sea. Yet the two Straw Hats both knew this was going to be a dangerous game. Either they would be walking out of here unseen, or the ruse would be totally foiled…
A/N: So, at last Ragnar's secret is revealed - the Vikings found a way to negate the main weakness of all Devil Fruit users by converting the juices of Zoan Devil Fruits into alcohol. Now, you might think that's almost unheard of, turning Devil Fruits into booze, but it also kind of does make sense in a way. After all, Devil Fruits are still just fruit, so they still do have sugars, it's just that the fruits don't taste sweet anymore. However, this also plays into the lore of the Berserkers that I mentioned way back in the Syrup Village Arc.
Some historians theorize that one way that the Berserkers famously entered their trance-like state was through copious amounts of alcohol and psychadellic drugs. For a long time, the drugs in question were assumed to be magic mushrooms, but more modern theories state that it may have been more toxic plants such as deadly nightshade, henbane or even hemlock, which would have been added in small doses - henbane in particular is also known to cause hallucinations, which would definitely rile a berserker into a warlike rage.
Now, another question you may be wondering: Who is this Orca Willy guy Ingrid mentioned? Well, he is an orca fish-man who made his only appearance in the fourth movie, One Piece: Dead End Adventure, which is set somewhere between the Skypeia and Long Ring Long Island Arcs. In the movie, the Straw Hats enter a a secret race between pirate crews known as the Dead End Competition, in return for a whopping 300 million berries. They end up having to compete against other pirates in said race, and among them was Willy, who was described in the film as a rival of Arlong. I still thought that was really cool, and thought that he could have a larger role in the story as being a potential ally of the Straw Hats. So, definitely expect to see him in further chapters.
So, with that, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and stay tuned for the next one!