AN: This was another fun chapter to write, with everyone seeming to be just a bit off kilter. Makes one wonder what could be going on doesn't it? Well I'm sure everything will get revealed at some point. Leave a review if you enjoyed the chapter. I've got some kind of pay tree thing setup in my profile if you want to support my work. At least I think it's setup no idea if it actually is. More rambling authors notes at the end of the chapter. This chapter is late because of me getting sick for the past two days.
Baratie
Everyone watching from the Baratie could only stare in complete silence as the huge wave of water crashed back into the ocean along with the remains of what had once been Krieg's galleon. Smaller pieces falling into the water with soft plops while larger pieces impacted with much louder slaps. The only person that didn't seem to be surprised was the owner of the Baratie, Zeff. He just shock his head while rolling his eyes. Out in the still turbulent waters heads started to pop up as the pirates serving under Krieg swam back to the surface and then towards the nearest piece of wreckage that they could find. Some had been luckier, managing to cling onto the bigger pieces of the ship that had remained intact.
Krieg, who had been close to the front of the ship at the time of the attack, holding onto one of the largest pieces of his ship whipping his head around to find the source of this attack. It didn't take long for him to spot the man. Krieg's face contorted with rage, eyes narrowing as they locked onto the person that had been the cause of all of his problems ever since his fleet had entered the Grand Line. One of the Seven Warlords of the sea, Dracule Mihawk, the greatest swordsman in the world. Krieg was about to shout when one of his men did it for him.
"Why?! Why do you keep chasing us?!" Shouted a rather scruffy looking Krieg Pirate, one that had avoided falling into the ocean by clinging to another large piece of the ship that had survived. A few other men of Krieg's fleet already swimming towards that piece of safety. Those that weren't swimming towards something that they could grab onto turning their heads to look at Mihawk.
The man in question sitting casually in his coffin-like vessel, one leg resting on top of the other, the fingers of both hands interlaced around the knee to support the position. Slowly Mihawk tilted his head in the direction of the other man. Sharp eyes almost seeming to flash, causing the pirate to gulp. Finally Mihawk spoke. "For fun."
"For fun?!" The Krieg pirate roared, hands going down to his sides, fingers wrapping around the grips of a pair of pistols that he wore. A swift pull had both pistols free of their holsters, the barrels sweeping up until they were aimed straight at Mihawk. Then repeatedly pulling the triggers he unload a barrage of musket balls towards Mihawk until the pistols clicked empty.
Most of the Krieg Pirates didn't see it but those on the Baratie and with Luffy saw what happened next. In a single fluid motion Mihawk drew Yoru, the massive black bladed sword sweeping out into the path of the bullets. What the Krieg Pirates had missed was the subtle twitches of Mihawk's wrist and the tip of the sword. Each twitch a tiny slash that split an incoming musket ball in half before knocking them off to either side.
"What?! You missed!" A second Krieg pirate shouted at the first. Also having clung to the same piece of wreckage to survive being dropped into the sea. Clearly showing how unprepared he was for the Grand Line. "Honestly how any member of Don Krieg's crew lasted more than a day on the Grand Line was something of a miracle." Mihawk thought still holding Yoru outstretched towards the pirate that had fired at him.
"No. Shooting at him is useless. He simply deflected the bullets with his sword." The two Krieg pirates jerking their heads around in surprise to study the man who had snuck-up behind them before he spoke. Roronoa Zoro stood almost directly behind the scruffy looking Krieg Pirate, one hand resting on the hilt of Wado, as he gazed across the 15 or so feet of water that separated him from the greatest swordsman in the world.
"Who the hell are you?" The scruffy looking Krieg pirate that had fired his pistols asked. Staring blankly at Zoro as if trying to place his face and failing. The pirates name was actually Fisher and he had joined up with Krieg's fleet for the promises of wealth and power. After this disaster he no longer had any stomach or desire to ever set foot on the Grand Line ever again. Instead after the battle was over he begged Zeff to stay on the Baratie and let him work as a chore boy. He stayed on the Baratie for many years working his way up to waiter before meeting a beautiful woman and marrying her. The pair settling down in Gosa Village.
"Three swords, but that means. It can only be the Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro!" The second Krieg pirate shouted obviously recognizing Zoro. He then quickly scooted away as he realized that being in the general vicinity to the proclaimed pirate hunter wouldn't be good for his continued health. Showing that he at least had a pair of functioning brain cells.
Truthfully he needn't have bothered other then to get out of the incidental slash zone. Mihawk and Zoro after all were no longer paying any attention to the lesser pirates around them. As long as those pirates didn't interfere they wouldn't be cut down. The pair completely focused on the other swordsman. Studying each other as their gazes locked, Zoro finally breaking the silence as he spoke.
"I've never seen such subtle swordsmanship before."
"Without subtlety a sword is but an iron bar. No different then a stick." As Mihawk responded he drew Yoru back and slid the blade back into it's sheath behind his back. Reclining in his seat he adopted the pose that he had been in before drawing Yoru in the first place. A perfect picture of calm indifference.
"Splitting a galleon with that sword, you truly deserve the title of greatest. I went out to sea in the first place to find you. I wanted to see how my skills compared to yours, to see how much I still needed to improve." As Zoro spoke he recalled the promise that he had made that drove him out onto the sea in the first place. Zoro's hand clenching tight on the pommel of Wado. The day he first set foot on a ship to chase the title of greatest swordsman in the world playing out in his memories. The swaying of the vessel beneath his feet as it left port, his eyes fixed on the horizon. Three swords in their sheaths resting at his hip, a scrap of worn paper clutched in his hand.
A low chuckle escaped from Zoro's mouth before he focused his gaze back upon Mihawk. "Now having seen you in person I can tell that if we fought I wouldn't stand a chance. I'm not even in the same league as you yet. It was foolish to think that I could defeat you on our first encounter."
"If I had the time I'd ask if you could teach me. Sadly I don't. I have a captain to follow." As Zoro continued to speak he reached down with the hand that wasn't gripping Wado. Fingers snagging the dark green bandanna, pulling it from his pocket. Bringing it up to his head he knotted the bandanna tightly with the ease of long practice. This time when he looked towards Mihawk, his eyes flashed with eagerness.
"Still as one swordsman to another I want to challenge you. Call it the recklessness of youth but I want to see with my own eyes the skill that makes you the greatest."
Mihawk looked like he was going to decline for a moment before finally scoffing softly. "Very well." Standing up in a single fluid motion, his legs tensing before he leaped across the water between himself and Zoro. Mihawk landing with cat-like grace on the platform, the pair of Krieg Pirates abandoning any subtlety as they scrambled away as fast as they could. Their movements quickly getting up onto another nearby piece of wreckage.
"Your foolish boy but bold. Just like another young man that I encountered today. I'll accept your challenge but first I want to know one thing. Who is your captain?"
"I am, Monkey D Luffy." Mihawk turned his head towards the source of the voice. Eyes locking onto a young man with black hair and a scar beneath one eye, wearing a red vest and perched on top of his head was a yellow hat made of straw. Mihawk's eyes falling upon the three people standing behind Luffy. Two he dismissed as being crew-mates immediately, middling bounty hunters with only a passing skill with swordsmanship. The third caught his attention despite the fact that the young man was practically cowering behind the vessels sides. That third young man had something about him that seemed to scream that he was a crew-mate of Luffy's. Probably the long nose that reminded Mihawk of one of Shank's crew-mates. The sniper he was pretty sure.
The thought of Shanks and his crew bringing Mihawk's attention back to Luffy and the straw hat resting on his head. He could almost see the image of Shank's standing behind Luffy wearing that same hate and with that same grin. A grin that he remembered seeing from another man on that fateful day in Logue Town. The day that launched the great age of piracy that even now was still on going. A man that Mihawk could swear was standing behind Luffy, somehow real and at the same time not.
The coincides were just to much for Mihawk, as he threw back his head and laughed. A full-bellied laugh, the kind that usually left a person doubled over and wheezing for breath. In this case the laugh did even leave Mihawk short of breath despite the strength of it. Eventually the laugh trailed off into a soft chuckle as everyone stared at him. Some shocked, others surprised, and a few even scared of Mihawk's reaction.
"I see now. I should have guessed that the kid Shanks spoke of had finally headed out to sea. Your exactly like him in that way, inspiring such loyalty from your crew." Luffy looked slightly confused at Mihawk's words, head half tilted to his right side. There was just something about the last part of Mihawk's words that made Luffy think that he was no longer talking about Shanks. "Thanks? I guess."
Mihawk chuckling before responding. "I expect that someday I'll be seeing you again. You and the crew that you have gathered. But first I must show your swordsman how much he truly has to learn." And turning away from Luffy he turned his focus back to Zoro.
As he turned he pulled Yoru from his back, holding the black sword out in front of him so that it's edge caught the light. "Because of your desire to see how outmatched you really are I will give you a taste of Yoru's edge. Prepare yourself Roronoa Zoro, this fight will be ended with a single move." Zoro's grip on his swords tightened, teeth clenching around Wado's hilt.
A moment passed before Zoro sprung forward, already spinning the swords in his hands as he closed the distance between himself and Mihawk. "Three-sword style secret move: Three Thousand worlds!"
Most could only see a flash of blades as the swordsman passed by each other. Even as good as Zoro's eyes were he could barely track Yoru as the massive blade swept downwards. All were able to observe the results however as the swords in Zoro's hand shattered, leaving only the hilts intact. Only Wado able to stand up to Yoru and its wielders power. Even as Mihawk turned to face Zoro he heard the click of Zoro's surviving sword sliding into it's sheath.
"It's as I thought. I don't hold even a candle to you yet." Spinning around Zoro fixed Mihawk with his gaze, arms thrust out to his sides. "Scars on a swordsman's back are a sign of shame and I refuse to be shamed before I die!"
"Well said." Mihawk responded even as he swept Yoru down in a diagonal slash. A spray of blood shooting out as the slice opened up a wound that stretched from Zoro's left shoulder across his chest before ending at his right hip. Despite the spray of blood the wound was actually fairly shallow as Mihawk had held back his full strength. The wound would still scar however, a permanent reminder of the foolishness of youth.
"Someday Roronoa Zoro we will meet again, until then I will be watching your crew with interest." Mihawk thought as Zoro began to fall. Twisting his wrist he caught Zoro on the flat of Yoru's blade before the other swordsman could complete his fall. A second twist and a quick flick of his wrist launching Zoro through the air so that he landed in the arms of the men behind Luffy.
Despite not interfering in the clash the look that Luffy fixed on Mihawk was nothing short of thunderous. Mihawk felt one of his eyebrows rise as Luffy reared his arm back before punching out at the air. At least that was what would have happened with a normal person. Instead when Luffy punched forward his arm stretched and stretched. Covering the distance in a moment before grabbing onto a piece of railing.
There was a snap like that of a rubber band just before Luffy rocketed across the distance, only narrowly avoiding crashing headfirst into into the wreckage. Luffy's face could be carved from stone as he rears an arm back and throws a punch. "What the?!" "He's eaten a Devil Fruit!" Were the exclamations of surprise and shock coming from the watching pirates along with the cooks still clustered at the railings of the Baratie. Zeff seeming to be slightly impressed while Sanji's jaw was hanging open.
"Do not worry for your crew-mate Straw Hat. I did not deal him a fatal blow. Instead he shall bear a scar from our encounter, one that will drive him to even greater heights. Until then I'll be watching you and your crew's progress with interest." The tension instantly drained out of Luffy's body as Mihawk spoke. Hands unclenching from the fists they had been curled into since Zoro had confronted Mihawk.
Luffy opened his mouth to respond when someone shouted his name. Both him and Mihawk turning to the boat where Zoro was laying, sword thrust straight up into the air. Usopp, Johnny, and Yosaku trying to force Zoro to stop moving so they could properly apply the bandages. Even as Zoro continued to move exasperating the wound further, blood already staining the bandages that they had applied.
"Luffy! I'm making a vow to you now, from now on I'll never lose as a Swordsman ever again!" Zoro shouted, his voice strong and steady. Mihawk watching as the grin returned to Luffy's face.
"Yeah! Usopp, take Johnny and Zoro with you and catch up to Nami. I'll handle things from here." Usopp glanced over at Yosaku who just shrugged before stepping out of the small vessel that he and Johnny traveled in. It didn't take very long before the three were off, chasing after Nami, Vebulus, and the Going Merry.
Going Merry
Far in the distance there came the faint sound of something roaring. Less than a moment later a truly massive plume of water, visible despite us no longer being in sight of the Baratie, shoot high into the air. The plume drawing both mine and Nami's attention as we stared in surprise. Silently we watched as the water reached its peak, the light of the sun making it light up like a pillar of a million gems, before gravity got hold of it once more. The water vanishing back down below the line of the horizon and out of our sight.
"Do you think that Luffy and the others are going to be alright Vebulus?" Turning my attention away from the rapidly disappearing pillar of water I focused on Nami. Who was standing with her back to me as she leaned against Merry's railings at the rear of the ship.
Rolling a recently created length of chain between my fingers, I took a moment to arrange my thoughts before responding. "After everything that you've seen Luffy go through do you really think that something like this is going to be enough to stop him? Krieg doesn't stand a chance and since Mihawk ignored us I don't think it's likely that he was looking for any of us. Probably was after Krieg if anything."
"Luffy will be fine, you'll see. It won't take long before him, Zoro, Usopp, and maybe one of the cooks will come along to kick Arlong's ass." Nami chuckled wetly. Glancing up I saw that she had turned in my direction, eyes wet with unshed tears.
"You really think that Luffy will manage to recruit one of the cooks?"
"Of course, I've known Luffy barely a week and even I know that he won't take no for an answer once he's set his mind on something." That got another chuckle out of Nami as she turned back to the railing. Looking out in the direction of the Baratie. I turned my attention back to the chain that I was fiddling before a soft sob had me turning my attention back to Nami.
"I wish." She started to say before cutting herself off. She took several deep steadying breaths before continuing. "I wish that I could say without a doubt that I know Luffy will come and save me from Arlong but." She paused for a moment before placing her hand over her heart. "But in my heart I still harbor doubts, I've seen what Arlong has done firsthand. I'm afraid that he'll do the same thing to Luffy and the rest of you."
Pushing myself to my feet I ascended the stairs to where Nami was standing. I wasn't trying to be quiet but Nami didn't seem to hear me approaching until I was directly behind her. Alerted to my presence by the creak of one of the planks, which had me glancing down suspiciously, it was highly unlikely that Merry had developed a personality this early but the timing of the creak was odd.
Nami turned towards me in surprise, eyes wet with tears. I didn't say anything just spread out my arms, anything I could possibly say at that moment would likely sound hollow. Nami stared at me and my outstretched arms as if considering before with a sob she fell against my chest. Tears running down her cheeks as she cried. Wrapping my arms around Nami I started to rub her back as she let it all out.
Long after the tears had faded and her sobs subsided Nami still clung to me, fingers curled in the fabric of my shirt. When she pulled away, almost reluctantly, her eyes were dry with only the faintest hint of redness. "Thank you." She said so softly that I almost didn't hear her. "Your welcome" I muttered back, dipping my chin down in a shallow nod even as I offered her a quick smile.
Descending the stairs back to the main deck, without a creak of wood of course, I walked over to the helm, one hand trailing along the steering pole where I had wrapped a thin decorative chain around its length. Stifling a sigh of frustration I settled down beside the steering pole to play with the chain.
I was beginning to expect that paradoxically I was having more difficulty creating simple chains than more advanced ones. It had been a thought that had been nagging me since I had woken up in the crows nest. One that I wanted to test out now that I had a moment to try. Keeping my eyes fixed on the chain that I was playing with I generated a copy of it in my other hand, curling the length so that both ends connected to create a necklace. Looking down I was unsurprised to find a delicate gold necklace coiled in my hand. Then to prove that I could I created 3 more copies of the golden necklace, each one identical to the smallest detail to the last.
I attempted to repeat the process once more but focused on creating just a length of golden chain the same size as a normal length of chain. Iron. I glared balefully down at the length of IRON chain that I had just produced, hoping that my gaze would be enough to cause the chain to melt. Unfortunately it didn't, the IRON chain continuing to remain unmelted.
Thoroughly frustrated now I tossed the recently created chain into a small pile of other chains in the corner while draping the necklaces on the steering pole. As I was preparing to try again Nami stepped into the room, eyes fixing instantly on the gold necklaces before lighting up with Berri symbols. Which was a little disturbing to see in person and up close.
"Vebulus I've just had a wonderful idea." I felt a chill run down my spine at those words. After all they probably didn't bode well for my immediate future, still I was willing to give it the old college try. Plus it wasn't like I had any plan of my own thought up. "And what might the details of this wonderful plan be Nami?"
"I'm gonna tell Arlong that your the owner of this ship that I seduced and then captured. I'll also mention that your a talented goldsmith, using these necklaces as examples of your work. Still Arlong will be expecting you to be tied up so we'll use a length of your created chain to bind you, that way if anything goes wrong you'll have a tool handy to escape with." As Nami outlined the plan to me I found myself nodding along, following the train of thought as she laid it out.
"You'll need to follow any instructions I give to the letter okay?"
"Gotcha, I'll sit up, bark, and wag my tail at your command." I responded cheekily, quickly leaning back to dodge the half-hearted swipe that Nami aimed at me. The moment of levity didn't last for very long however as Merry rocked to the side as something surfaced alongside of her. "Shit, their here already. I'm gonna knock you out now."
"Who's?" I started to respond before my brain processed the rest of what Nami had said." Wait, what?" I just had time to get out as I turned to look up at Nami. The staff that she was wielding cracking across my head. There was a brief moment where it felt like I was going cross-eyed before everything went black.
I wouldn't find out until later how close we had come to getting caught just then. Apparently Nami was still in the process of tying me up when several Fishmen led by Chew had arrived on the deck. Leaping straight out of the water alongside Momoo as the sea king breached the surface. That being the sound I had heard before Nami knocked me out.
I woke to the sensation of water being splashed across my face along with an absolutely awful headache. The only thing I could compare the headache to was, actually I had nothing to compare it to. This was without a doubt the worst headache I had ever had. Possibly the worst headache in all of existence. As those thoughts were crossing my mind I drew in a breath. At least that was what I tried to do, instead of finding air however I was greeted to the unpleasant sensation of water filling my nose and then my lungs.
Panic instantly gripped me and I started to flail and thrash, desperately trying to get my head out of the water. My arms seemed to be pinned tightly to my sides when I tried to move them and when I opened my eyes to look for an escape all I could see was murky water in all directions. Kicking out with my legs, surprised and grateful that I could still move them, I felt my foot connect with something. Something tugged hard on my hair and there was a delirious moment where it felt like my hair was going to be ripped off before my head was forcefully yanked from the water.
Whoever had a grip on my hair wasn't done as I was thrown to the ground. Glimpsing a mass of people that surrounded me through blurry eyes. My impact with the ground jarred something in my chest as I retched up half a lungful of salty water. Sea water some functioning part of my brain provided even as a second part added. Well that explains the nausea. As I continued to lie there trying to hack up all of the water still I realized that the mass of people surrounding me were laughing.
Harsh uncaring laughter of those that enjoyed the suffering of others. The laughter briefly getting louder as I tried to bring my hands up to wipe the water out of my eyes instead managing a kind of half pathetic flop. Repeated rapid blinking eventually clearing my eyes enough that I could make out what was around me. Immediately I wished I hadn't, squeezing my eyes closed to try an alleviate my headache along with the vain hope that when I opened them I would find that I was seeing things.
Opening my eyes I found that my first look had sadly been correct. Surrounding me in a semi-circle was about 20 to 30 Fishmen the only area that they weren't occupying was the space directly behind me. In the crowd of Fishmen I could only put names to a pair of them. Hatchan with his white hair, pink skin, eight arms, wearing an outfit of with dark red and orange stripes. Opposite of Hatchan was Chew with his blue skin and thick lips, wearing a blue and black stripped shirt. Chew unlike Hatchan was one of the ones laughing at my struggles. Turning my head to glance behind me showed the reason as to why no one was standing in that direction. A deep rectangular pool open to the sea occupied pretty much all of the space behind me. A deep pool that was presently occupied by a very large white with green spots Sea King. It had a name but for some reason it was completely escaping me at the moment, maybe the pounding in my head. Turning back around to look in front of me I found Arlong slouching in his chair, like a king upon his throne, Nami standing off to one side, half-hidden behind a pillar. She looked equal parts concerned and nervous.
Even sitting down Arlong was massive. If both of us had been standing he would have towered over me by a good 2 to 3 feet. As I slowly worked my way into a sitting position I took note of what Arlong was wearing. A brown ushanka, a short-sleeved unbuttoned yellow cabana shirt decorated with many black lightning-like spots, shorts that were a hideous combination of brownish green, a purple sash, and finally simple sandals.
Through the continuing pain in my head I vaguely recalled that Nami had outlined some sort of plan before knocking me out. Something about gold? I recalled as my eyes fell upon the golden necklaces that Arlong clutched in one hand. Oh right I was to pretend to be a goldsmith that had made those necklaces. Hopefully any screw-ups I made could be passed off as confusion from my near drowning and getting bashed over the head. Speaking of my drowning I felt my diaphragm contract before I coughed up more sea water.
While Vebulus was attempting to process everything that was going on Nami was watching. Keeping just out of Arlong's immediate vision unless the saw-sharked Fishman turned his head quite a ways. Outwardly she seemed calm and uncaring but on the inside she was wound tight with concern and nervousness. Honestly she hadn't even hit Vebulus all that hard, yet he had still been knocked out for just a bit over an hour. She wished she could ask Vebulus what the hell was going on right now but she would have to wait. Praying in the meantime that Vebulus would live long enough for her to ask, just as Arlong started talking.
"Shahahahaha!" I clenched my teeth as Arlong laughed, the laughter grating at my nerves and doing nothing to silence the pounding headache I was still suffering from. "So your the rich little fool that Nami tricked and seduced. Guess it's just your bad luck that Nami happens to be working for me isn't it? Say how are you liking your first trip to Arlong Park anyways?" The sensible part of my brain told me that I should say that it was great and I was loving every minute of it. That was not the part of my brain that won. " I'd rate it a negative five out of 10 on Trivago. Too much sea water, not enough fun." I croaked out hoarsely, everyone stared at me for a moment before the Fishmen and Nami looked towards Arlong nervously. Whose expression was completely flat.
"Shahahahaha, well well look at this men. It looks like we've got a lively one today. Don't think your little rebellion will last though. Any possible usefulness will only take you so far with me after all before I get tired of your insolence." As Arlong spoke he leaned forward in his chair, eyes fixed on my face and smiled. A shudder running through my body as he showed off all of his very sharp teeth.
Arlong was proving to be a hell of a lot scarier in person than he had been in either the anime or manga. Probably the very real threat of something horrible happening if I pissed him off. As I was processing that thought a spasm of coughs wracked me just before I hacked up the last of the sea water still in my lungs. Instantly I felt better, the slight irritation that I had been feeling in my lungs finally gone. I wonder if sea water in the lungs caused Devil Fruit users to suffer the effects of being submerged. Either way it wasn't a theory I wanted to test out. My attention snapped back to Arlong who had stopped talking while I had been coughing. How very gentlemanly of him.
"Nami says that your a pretty good goldsmith. That you made these necklaces that I'm holding. I have to wonder if that's true. You look more like a drowned rat right now to me Human." He practically spat out the word Human, earning another round of laughter from the other fishmen. "So did you make these necklaces?" Arlong asks, thrusting the hand holding the gold necklaces forward like I couldn't perfectly see them already.
The headache was starting to subside down into a dull ache rather than the splitting pain that it had been previously. I started to answer Arlong but had barely even gotten the first word out when another coughing fit occurred. Once it had cleared I was able to respond, my voice a bit horse. "Y..yes I did A...uh, sir!?"
It came out more like a question than an actually statement as I almost said Arlong's name. Briefly tripping over my own words as I just managed to stop myself. I couldn't be sure if he had noticed my near slip-up or not. Arlong's eyes narrowing slightly as he glared down his nose at me.
"Well boy." He started to say either missing my mistake or ignoring it. "You must be fairly skilled if this is the kind of work you can produce. It would be a shame to waste that talent by killing you. So I'm going to give you a little choice, either you decide to stay on this island and work for me, doing whatever I say or." He trailed off at that point once more shooting me a grin full of teeth.
"Or we throw you into the sea with a weight on your leg and see how long you can hold your breath." The fishmen breaking out into cruel laughter once again even as Nami paled behind Arlong. "Since I'm feeling generous today and in a charitable mood I think I'll give you five seconds to decide. One."
Adrenaline shoot through my system as the reptile part of my brain reacted to the threat even as the logical part urged calm by saying that everything was going according to plan. After all I just needed to lay low until Luffy and everyone else caught up. "Two." Arlong counted tugging me back to the moment. I needed to answer instead of just chasing my thoughts around in circles. Come on brain work with me here, I know you've still got a headache but if you don't start forming words then that's going to be the least of problems!
"Three."
"I'll do it! I'll work for you, I'll put all my skills at your beck and call. All the money that I make will go straight to you." I shouted as my brain finally decided to form words. Boy that was close, also fatal if I hadn't got the words out in time.
"Shahahahaha, see men this is all a Human can amount to! Trembling in fear, begging us for mercy. They know that their strength is nothing when compared to ours." A pair of strong hands yanked me to my feet, a glance revealing that the hands belonged to the ray-fishman Kuroobi, as Arlong addressed his allies. I felt the chains loosen, proceeding to take a deep breath as they fell to the ground with a jangle. I hadn't realized that they were so tight until that moment. The immediate danger had been dealt with, now it was just a matter of surviving any other danger that might rear it's ugly head later. At least that danger was in the future and not immediate.
A hard shove from Kuroobi broke me from my thoughts. The shove sending me stumbling forward several feet before I managed to stop. Those several feet however putting me uncomfortably close to where Arlong was sitting while watching me with a smirk. "I'm gonna send you off with Nami here. She'll happily show you where your going to be living from now on. It's a charming little village nearby, full of people that will welcome you with open arms. After all their in the same boat as you are, shahahahaha!" Stepping forward Nami grabbed me by the wrist and pulled hard. Half dragging me along after her it didn't take long before the pair of us were exiting the park doors swinging shut behind us. I got one final glance over my shoulder before the doors swung shut just able to see Arlong handing the gold necklaces out to Hatchan, Kuroobi, and Chew.
Nami didn't stop once we were outside the compound however, instead continuing on for several minutes before stopping. Pulling me part of the way off the path and into a dense cluster of trees that grew alongside the road.. Releasing her grip on my standard female grab area, I mean wrist, Nami whirled around to face me. A scowl on her face even as her eyes flashed dangerously. "What the hell was that?!" She hissed, lips drawn into a thin line. "I barely whacked you over the head and you ended up unconscious for over an hour! I was starting to worry that you were never going to wake up when they shoved your head underwater."
Reaching up I searched for the spot on my head from where she had whacked me with her staff. As soon as my fingers found the moderately sized welt I winced. The spot was already starting to heal but it was still tender. Dropping my hand back down to my side I answered. "Guess I've got a bit of a soft head. Probably something I should have mentioned earlier, guess it just slipped my mind. Sorry."
"You think!? Details like that are kind of important when one is trying to come up with a plan!" Nami half shouted, half hissed at me once more, though most of the fire had gone out.
"Hey, it's not like I had a chance to bring it up before you whacked me over the head." Letting out a very exasperated sigh Nami let the issue of my soft head drop. Turning away she gestured with one hand to follow before starting down the road again. I quickly fell into step a couple of feet behind her, wishing that I had some ice or a painkiller to alleviate the remained of my headache. When neither item magically turned up I wasn't surprised. Still one could hope for the impossible even if they weren't expecting it to happen.
We walked for a bit in silence except for the sounds of nature around us, the chirping of birds, the rustling of wind through the vegetation, the distant sound of waves crashing against the cliffs. It struck me how unused to these noises I was back in my world that here I took note of them in the first place. The downside of living in a city I guess. The path that we were following began to curve both upward at a gentle angle as well as off to the right. Ascending maybe ten or twenty feet the path leveled off once again, continuing on for a couple hundred feet before the path split. One in the direction that we had been heading while the other veered off to the left. The road running straight through a very peculiar looking village. Though it would be safer to say former village as I seriously doubted that anyone was presently living there. The reason being the same as to why it was so peculiar looking, all of the buildings had been flipped upside down so that they were sitting on their rooves.
I stopped dead in my tracks to just stare at the inverted village. Honestly I had completely forgotten that this had happened during the Arlong Park arc so seeing it now was surprising. Nami, who had barely even glanced at the village, didn't stop until she realized that I was no longer following her. Turning around she walked back to where I was standing, stopping besides me. She studied the village before speaking.
"This used to be Gosa Village until one month they couldn't fully pay the tax that Arlong demanded. As punishment he had Momoo rip all the buildings up by their foundations and flip them upside down. No one's really lived here since then. At least not that I know of, this happened two weeks ago right around the time that I was heading off and before I met Luffy." Turning my head slowly I stared at her incredulously. Down at my sides my hands curled into fists, nails digging into my palms until they started to bleed.
"Arlong did all of this just because they couldn't pay the tax demanded of them!? He really is a monster, one that I'll be happy to see Luffy kick the shit out of. But not before I get a shot at him." My voice was trembling with rage as I spoke even as I gestured with a clenched fist in the direction of the village. Unintentionally flicking blood in the villages direction as well. Nami hesitated before reaching out with one hand, resting it on my shoulder.
"Hey, calm down. We'll get Arlong for what he's done." Tension drained out of my body at her words. Drawing in a deep breath I held it for several seconds before exhaling. My fists unclenching enough that Nami was able to wrap a spare bit of fabric around them to staunch the bleeding. It was ironic in a way that now Nami was the one declaring that Arlong would be taken down. Gently shrugging off Nami's hands I turned to fully face her. "Get over your fear that we'd never beat Arlong already?"
"What can I say I was inspired." She grinned before stepping back, clutching my wallet and phone in one hand. I blinked even as I shoved my hands into the pockets of my jacket to find that yes both of those items were indeed missing. Nami took my moment of distraction to take off at a run down the path, laughing as she put distance between us. "You little thief! Get back here!" I shouted even as I chased after her.
I didn't catch up to Nami until we had reached the outskirts of Cocoyasi Village. She had managed to stay well ahead of me despite my efforts until stopping besides a well worn path that traveled parallel to the road we were on. This new path cutting through a wooded section of land. Snatching my phone and wallet back from Nami, I tucked the phone into my jacket pocket. Unsurprisingly my wallet was empty of the Berri that had been tucked into it previously. Nami handing the bills over after several minutes of silent glaring. After several more minutes of glaring she handed over the rest of the bills.
"C'mon, I want to avoid the village for the moment. Instead we're going to head to where my sister lives." Humming softly in response I followed Nami down the path. "You've got a sister?"
"Yeah, her names Nojiko. She's not my sister by blood but we were raised by the same woman. You can just see a bit of the house now." She was correct of course I could see a white-walled painted house through the trees. As we drew closer I could make out more and more details. Things like the fact that in places the pain was starting to peel, the roof of the one-story house was in need of some repairs.
Beyond the house and partially shielded by it was a grove of tangerine trees that from the distance I was at looked like it was maintained with a great deal of care. The branches of the trees heavy with unpicked tangerines. My mouth watered at the thought of biting into one of those ripe fruits, the juice soothing my throat and dripping down my chin. My recent brush with danger apparently having left me a bit thirsty. That or I seriously needed to eat more fruit. Like I had mentioned to Johnny recently scurvy was no joke.
Walking up to the door Nami rapped on it three times in quick succession. "Shit, just a second!" A feminine, Nojiko's?, voice shouted from inside the house, sounding just a bit frazzled. I shared a confused glance with Nami who shrugged in reply, seeming to be just as lost as I was. The door swung open inwards to reveal a light blue haired young woman with tanned skin standing just inside the threshold. She was wearing a beige sleeveless shirt and blue trousers. The visible portion of her upper chest was heavily tattooed. The tattoos running down her right arm to the elbow where they stopped.
"Nami! You gotta hurry Chabo's going to try and fight Arlong for the death of his father!" Cursing Nami spun on her heel and took off at a run back down the path as she shouted over her shoulder. "Nojiko, Vebulus! Stay here in case he comes back I'll see if I can't catch him before he gets there." Words still in the air Nami ran out of sight. Leaving my standing there with Nojiko wondering what in the world was going on.
"So this is a bit sudden but ever since I saw your tangerine trees I've just been craving biting into one. Think I can snag a couple off the branches?" Nojiko turned her head to look at me before shrugging with a sigh. "You know what? Why not." She replied, gesturing for me to take the lead. Closing the door to the house before following me. "So how do you know Nami?" Oh boy was that a loaded question if I ever heard one.
"We're friends. We met recently when she along with some other friends found me stranded on this really weird island. Not a single other soul living on it as far as I discovered but there was this freaking old bear with only a single eye that I ran across. Of course the first time I run into this bear I've only got a simple spear with me and the bear chases me up into a nearby tree. So I'm stuck up this tree with the bear down below me doing it's best to topple the tree I'm in. In an effort to try and drive it off I stab it with a spear only for the thing to turn into metal." As we walked over to the grove, picking several ripe tangerines which I happily bit into when we arrived, I regaled Nojiko about my time stranded on that island by myself until the strangest crew of pirates you'd ever seen came to my rescue. In broad strokes and much to Nojiko's amusement, I described each member of the crew, from Luffy with his constant cheer and hunger, Zoro with his obsession with training and swords, finally to Usopp with his boasting and amazing sniping ability. As we started to walked back to the house I described the daily life on the Going Merry, our encounter with Johnny and Yosaku, ending with our arrival at the floating restaurant, Baratie, and the several days we had been stuck there before everything went crazy.
Nojiko was leaning against the wall of her house, chewing on a tangerine herself, while I wrapped up the story. "Well that's quite a story but it really doesn't explain one thing, why do you trust Nami? You've said yourself that you've only know her for a few days now and that she stole the ship that you had traveled together on, basically kidnapping you in the process so why?"
I didn't even hesitate with my response. "Because Luffy trusts her and I trust Luffy. That's all there is too it." Nojiko stared blankly at me, numbly opening and closing her mouth as if trying to think of what she was going to say.
"Just up ahead men is where we'll find that stolen treasure! We'll pull up every tree in that grove if we have to in order to find it!" A man shouted from down the path of the main road even as the sound of marching feet reached us. My eyes snapped up to Nojiko's and before she could say anything I hissed. "Marine's, run! Go find Nami I'll hold them off until you can get back!" She didn't even hesitate dashing down the path that Nami had taken earlier even as I darted towards the slim cover of the grove. Creating a thin length of chain behind me as I ran.
AN: I'll be going on hiatus from updating until next year. Partly to give myself a break and partly to create something of a backlog for next year. Now onto more rambling about this chapter. Why? Just cause I can.
I ended up writing this chapter basically twice as the first draft didn't have as many words as I wanted it to. So in an effort to expand the first draft I essentially rewrote the entire thing. Quite a few things ended up getting dropped from the first draft to the second mostly involving Gosa Village. In the original Vebulus was more impressed with the fact that the buildings despite being flipped upside down were still pretty much intact.