BlueOrange8: Thanks again for your review! I think you have a lot of great insights into Arlong's motivations. He's a fun character to explore. Interestingly, I did give that woman a little bit of a back story, and I actually did think about making her Chabo's mother, but I decided against it. Maybe she'll pop up again later.

For now, let's tie up a few loose ends:

No longer in a rush to finish maps in order to depart on her currently out of commission vessel, Nami dropped her feverish pace and withdrew into herself the entire following day. When she could manage it between dosing or cramping, she climbed into her chair to work on charts. She did not leave her room, nor was she visited by Arlong or anyone else. By the next day, out of food and having subsisted solely on an orange and some water during the previous 24 hours, she had no choice but to emerge.

Nami felt slightly better after the mini hibernation. Famished, she headed for Belle-Mere's in order to restock her supplies as well as do laundry. Nojiko dutifully took on a mothering role as soon as she learned of Nami's new "monthly visitor", and Nami did nothing to dissuade her. After a long visit over breakfast and helping out her sister with a few light chores, Nojiko sent her back with an entire pack full of provisions to get her through the next several days.

She was already halfway back to Arlong Park when she spotted Aka-Mushi jogging toward her from the direction of the coast.

Despite the tense circumstances surrounding their last interaction, he appeared happy to see her as, still dripping from the ocean, he squished over to greet the girl. "Hey!"

"Hey," she responded back. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

"I've been out salvaging all morning," he responded slightly breathless. "Been trying to find lumber for yer boat from all the sunken Navy ships around here."

"That's... great," she replied to the vaguely morbid announcement. She hesitated, then asked, "How does your back feel?"

"Oh yeah," he reached into his shirt and pulled out a slightly moist first-aid kit, handing it Nami. "Don't worry, I didn't take it underwater or nothin'."

"But did you use it at all," she asked.

"Well, I appreciate you thinkin' of me," he fidgeted, "but none of that stuff'll stick after you get it wet - which I usually am."

"Oh. I hadn't thought of that."

"But it's okay," he hastily assured her. Unbuttoning his shirt, he turned around and slid it off his shoulders to show her the fading dark welts. "Salt water heals everything."

"I guess..."

"Besides, you need it more than me." Shrugging his shirt back in place, he touched her bandaged hand, then quickly pulled back as if afraid of damaging something fragile.

"I've been taking care of it," she insisted, holding it up for his inspection, "the ointment has helped. You should at least let me put it on you too."

"But it'll just wash off."

"Not if you let it soak into your skin first," she protested, opening the kit, "now turn around!"

With Aka-Mushi sitting on his knees, Nami was just barely tall enough to see over the top of his head. Carefully pushing his long crown fin out of the way, she dabbed medicine along the stripes across his shoulders and upper back. "I'm really sorry that I got you punished," she said, "maybe it would be best if you weren't so involved with me from now on."

He craned his neck sharply toward her. "Don't be sorry! I'm the one that should apologize; I didn't mean to yell at you back then. I just didn't want you gettin' into worse trouble for stickin' up for me...besides, I'm the one who's supposed to be protecting you - not the other way 'round."

Nami wanted to protest, but realized she really did tend to rely on him - especially concerning her transportation. The staff he'd made had also come in handy more than once. Somewhere along the way she'd forgotten not to trust Aka-Mushi. He was an honest boy, really a man at 18 years, who'd proven himself many times over, and she couldn't help wanting to confide in him.

"I may already be in worse trouble anyway," she muttered under her breath, kicking herself as he immediately twisted around.

"Whaddya mean?"

"Nothing. I can't really talk about it." She frowned as he continued staring expectantly at her. "Stop gawking and let me finish!"

"You do something stupid?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Her mouth fell open. "Why would you accuse me of something like that?"

"'Cause I know you," he replied matter-of-factly.

"Well, maybe I did," she sighed, squaring his shoulders back to their original position, "but it wouldn't do any good to tell you about it, so you're better off not knowing anything."

"Look," he said, again facing her. "I don't care how much they beat me. I ain't afraid no more! Growin' up, I never had nobody, and I thought bein' a part of Arlong-san's crew was gonna be like having a family - but it wasn't 'til I got to know you that I actually feel like I have that now." He exhaled sharply, and glanced away, "...I just wanted you to know that."

Nami flushed. Although she knew displays of affection made him uncomfortable, she couldn't resist planting a kiss on his forehead. "I believe you, Aka-Mushi," she assured him, "You're basically my only friend in the world, but I AM afraid, so I'm still gonna keep what I did a secret - at least for now - it's too dangerous to share with you - or anyone for that matter."

He sat back, his annoyance palpable. "Dammit Nami, now I have to know!"

"Too bad." She put the cap back on the ointment, effectively dismissing him. "Now let that soak in before you go back in the water. I've gotta get back to my cartography room."

He stood, his shirt still balled up in his fist, and scowled down at her, "Alright, but don't think this conversation's over yet." She watched him turn and trudge away, noting his broad shoulders with an odd new appreciation before quickly hurrying off to her own chores.

The specter of Arlong loomed into view the moment she re-entered the compound, lounging beside the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest and the brim of his bucket hat pulled snugly down over his eyes. Next to him on the table, a nearly empty glass (probably ale) sat within easy reach.

Good. Asleep, she thought, as she crept carefully past him up the stairs.

Moments afterward, the motionless shark-man's lip curled in a knowing smirk. She was a cunning little kitten - only just discovering how to use her claws. Despite her more annoying antics, he liked her feistiness. Besides, her tiny scratches couldn't hurt him anyway.

000

"Excuse me, Captain," an urgent voice spoke next to his ear.

Arlong cracked open an eye and peered out from under his hat at the mackerel deckhand.

"Sorry to bother you, but there's a Navy ship here to see you."

Arlong slowly rose to his feet and gazed out past the gate. "So, there is. Well, let 'em through, nakama."

"Aye sir!"

Several minutes later found Captain Nezumi on a dingy rowed by a pair of ensigns entering the inner courtyard.

"Welcome Captain," boomed Arlong, throwing up his hands with a dramatic flourish, "I wasn't expecting you for at least another week!"

"My apologies for dropping in unannounced," the officer cringed.

"Nonsense," Arlong turned quickly to his crewmember, "fetch us a drink, would you brother?"

"I'm afraid I can't stay long," Nezumi objected as Arlong pulled out a chair for him.

"You always say that," scoffed the fishman, taking his own seat as a bottle and two cups were promptly set out on the table. "So, I take it you're not out this way to ask for money."

"Not at all," grinned the human, settling into his chair as his men stood at attention behind him.

"How's Stringers treatin' ya," the fishman plunged ahead before the Navy man could continue, "anything exciting? We're duller by the day around here - I almost wish I had some trouble, Shahaha!" He poured each of them a glass.

"To our prosperous partnership," Arlong clinked his cup with Nezumi's and drank.

"Funny you should ask about Stringers," Nezumi responded after he'd lowered his own glass, "I'm actually on the hunt for a particular Captain Cleaver and his crew. They were regulars on the island for some time, but suddenly they've vanished without a trace and completely abandoned their headquarters."

"Lemme guess, they owe you money," chuckled the sawshark.

"...You might say that."

Arlong poured himself another, "Well, they either do or they don't - you're always so cagey! Relax! You can speak plainly. We're not at Navy HQ - this is my house! Ain't nobody 'round here going to squeal on you!"

"They broke our agreement and skipped out on paying their dues after doing business at my pier," Nezumi stated as plainly as possible.

"Now, that I understand," nodded Arlong.

"Although I'm sure to catch up with them eventually, I'm not able to devote as much time as I'd like to pursue them; it would look bad to focus too much on one crew when there are so many other pirates to wrangle..." Nezumi went on.

"...And the longer it takes, the less likely you'll get your money from them," Arlong finished for him.

The Navy captain pressed on as if Arlong hadn't spoken, "I know that your men continually scout these waters, and I was wondering if..."

"Haven't seen 'em," Arlong shook his head. "Frankly, they'd be pretty stupid to cross into our territory, but I'll certainly keep an eye out just in case. The Cleaver Pirates, you say - that does sound familiar for some reason." He stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"No need to go out of your way," Nezumi assured him, "I just thought I'd inquire in the off chance that you knew anything of their whereabouts."

The officer rose to his feet with a stiff smile for the fishman.

Arlong cocked his head, "Leaving so soon?"

"Unfortunately, duty calls. But thanks again for your time and hospitality."

"Shahahaha, Don't worry about it," Arlong waved a webbed hand, "I hope you find 'em, Captain - better yet - I hope I find them!"

000

Although she did her best to stay focused on the chart before her, Nami's mind continued returning to her boat and the voyage she wasn't currently going on. She thought she might slip down to the beach later that evening to check on Aka-Mushi's progress. He'd said a week or two, but she chose to remain optimistic about the timeframe primarily because she feared she'd lose her mind if she had to stay in the cartography room for two weeks straight.

Dipping her pen in the inkwell, the weary surveyor paused as something she couldn't quite put her finger on shifted in the surroundings. A vague sense of unease stirred in her stomach. Moments later she felt the thud of slow, heavy footsteps echoing up the stairwell. Before the door even opened, she already knew who was on the other side.

"Well now, this is what I like to see," boomed Arlong as he barged into the room, "my surveyor toiling at her art!" He came to a halt directly behind her chair, gazing over her head at the parchment on the desk.

Nami watched his eye rove from the unfinished sea chart over the rest of the room: past rows of hang-drying maps and shelves crammed with oceanic tomes, down to stacks of completed maps still awaiting categorization. She doubted he'd discover anything interesting since she kept all personal belongings stowed securely away from prying eyes. Seemingly, she was correct in her assumption as his stare gradually came back to rest on her.

"Y'know, you sure have been quiet these past couple days," he observed. "Tell me, Nami, what's going on in that crafty little brain of yours?"

Nami set her ruler aside, turning to face him. "I'll give you three guesses."

"I just hope you haven't fooled yourself into believing you've pulled one over on me," he sighed, "Cause I can guarantee you whatever story you've invented ain't gonna matter to no one, and sure as shit ain't gonna ruin my reputation."

The officer pursed her lips as she considered his words; she then cocked her head questioningly to one side, "Did you ever destroy Gosa, by the way?"

"What about Gosa," he drawled.

"Well, I overheard you talking to Kuroobi about someone who couldn't pay tribute this month and then the two of you went over there, so I was just assuming you went there to destroy the town, since that is your policy."

Arlong stared wordlessly back for a long moment.

"I'll take that as a 'no'," she tapped her chin, "now, why in the world would you hesitate to punish a town and break your own strict rule that everyone pays or else everyone pays?"

His eyes glittered from his face like diamonds on a funeral pyre as he grinned sinisterly back at her. "What do you know about it? You have no idea about anything that happened. And even if I wanted to break my own rule, I can do that. Because it's MY rule."

"'I never go back on my word when it comes to money' - Isn't that what you told me?" She shot back, pointing an accusing finger up at him, "The whole point of charging the islanders tribute is so that you can make enough money to take over East Blue with your crew! But how can the crew trust you when you're making secret allowances and letting some people off the hook? How can I even trust the promise you made to me? Money is sacred! Or am I wrong?"

Arlong stood momentarily speechless at having his own words thrown back at him. He quickly shook his head. "Out of the mouths of babes," came his wry scoff before her rounded on her. "Now look! Don't go twisting facts, you little-"

His rant was cut mercifully short as something outside the window suddenly grabbed his attention. Nami followed his perplexed scowl to see the broadside of a large ship floating in the distance beyond the fort walls.

"Ehhh?" Arlong's mouth pulled back in a disgusted sneer. His argument with Nami instantly forgotten, the fishman pivoted for the door.

The girl stared out the window a moment longer, she couldn't verify if the ship was Navy or pirate as no colors were currently being flown, but it was certainly a warship judging by the cannon ports along the hull. She slid out of her chair and reached behind her cabinet to retrieve her unassembled staff, tucking the poles beneath her shirt before following Arlong down the stairs.

By the time Nami reached the bottom floor, a large portion of the crew had already amassed in the courtyard. Arlong stood at the edge of the pool with Kuroobi and Choo on either side of him. The rest of the fishmen bobbed expectantly in the water or milled together in groups, muttering with one another. Nami spotted Hitchin standing slightly apart from the rest and sidled up to him.

"Navy or pirate," she asked, staring at the closed outer gate.

"Pirate," he responded without hesitation, his arms crossed over his chest as he too gazed out toward the south entrance.

Moments later a shape in the pool jetted swiftly toward them. Hachi's head suddenly sprang above the surface, "Nyu, The Cleaver Pirates are requesting an audience with you, Arlong-san."

Nami's jaw fell open at the name. She watched dumbfounded as Arlong's face lit up like a kid who'd just been told the circus was in town.

"Well, what are you waiting for - show 'em in, Hachi," insisted the captain.

"What the hell are they doing here," muttered the girl under her breath as Hitchin raised an eyebrow at her.

Several nerve-wracking minutes later a dinghy, pulled along by Hachi, passed through the gate carrying three dubious looking pirates. Nami's eye went immediately to the one in the center - an aging bald man in a long black coat. Arlong Pirates lined the courtyard and pool as the Cleaver crewmembers disembarked onto the patio.

"Welcome to Arlong Park, gents," grinned the sawshark, leaning against the table, "what brings you to our neck of the woods?"

The haggard-looking man in the middle shared a brief glance with his two companions before replying. "Purely a miscalculation on our part, Saw-Tooth; I can assure you."

"A miscalculation?" frowned Arlong, "You mean you didn't actually intend to pay us a visit?"

After receiving no immediate response, Arlong continued, "Well, you're here now. So, what were your intentions? You obviously had some destination in mind if not this one."

"They certainly seemed to be in a hurry to get somewhere," remarked Shioyaki, treading water directly behind the newcomers.

"We were in the process of searching for new accommodations," provided Captain Cleaver. He seemed to pick up on Arlong's growing impatience as he pressed on, "Of course, we're willing to address any grievance we might have unintentionally caused by trespassing into your territory."

"That's good, because we mainly like money around here," announced the fishman captain to a round of chuckles from his crew.

Captain Cleaver shared another grim look with the man to his right before responding. "I'm afraid we don't have much on hand at the moment..."

"Whaaat!" Hitchin burst out, "I've heard a thing or two about the Cleaver Pirates - it's the worst kept secret on Stringers Island that you have a cushy deal with the Navy!"

The same man on Captain Cleaver's right snorted. "Some 'cushy deal'..."

Nami turned sharply toward him, and their eyes met.

"Hey, don't I know you from somewhere," the snaggle-toothed man suddenly demanded.

The girl's eyes narrowed at him, "Does the phrase 'boat nymph' mean anything to you?"

His greasy face immediately dawned with recognition, "Ah, it's you! The brat who was with the Navy!"

"I'm not with the Navy," she spat back, "I just used them to get information so I could rob you!"

"Wait a minute! I recognize that girl too," exclaimed the man flanking the captain's left side, "She's the one who broke into our headquarters several months ago!"

"Oh, so you're those pirates," Choo smirked, "How many interactions have you had with this crew, Nami?"

"Too many," she retorted.

"Captain, if she's a part of their crew, then I think we should have a serious conversation about who owes who money in this situation," the snaggle-tooth declared.

"And while we're at it, we can also have a conversation about how you cut my clothes and assaulted me," she snapped back at him.

The man let out a careless snort, "Sure. Have your tits gotten any bigger since then?"

"Will you shut up!" barked Captain Cleaver to his underlings. He glanced nervously back to Arlong, "It's true that we did have an agreement with a certain Naval officer, however, we couldn't keep up with demand after our resources dried up and soon after that, the money also dried up. So, we had no choice but to abandon our island and try and get away from Stringers."

"That's a shame," replied Arlong.

"Of course, we could lend our services to you, Saw-Tooth, if you'd be so kind as to let us borrow a corner of your territory where the Navy won't bother us," suggested Cleaver.

Nami could scarcely contain her disgust at the thought of even more pirates invading her home.

Arlong, however, quickly dismissed the idea. "I can't see how we would possibly need any services you could offer - Unlike you, we're actually quite successful."

"If you're having any trouble with the Navy, though, we'd gladly join forces with you..."

"Seems like any team-up would benefit you far more than it would us," grunted Kuroobi. "We don't have any trouble with the Navy because we're fishmen and even the Navy knows better than to cross us!"

Shouts of approval rang out from those gathered.

The trio of outsiders leaned protectively inward as they watched their predicament rapidly deteriorate.

"Why not let us go then, if there's nothing you want from us," protested Snaggle-Tooth. "After all, we haven't done anything besides accidentally sailing a little too close to your damned park."

"Well, that's not entirely true," Arlong pointed out, shifting his glance over to Nami. "You did abuse my surveyor on at least two separate occasions. She may want an opportunity to respond. What do you say, Nami? Would you like anything from these shit stains?"

The female officer automatically placed a hand on the poles behind her back. "No, but I would like to give them something."

Arlong stared back at the group of Cleaver Pirates, daring them to move a muscle. "Go ahead, then," he said to her with a smile.

Less than two seconds later, Nami brandished her assembled staff at the pirate on the left, slamming it against the side of his neck. The man gasped and stumbled to the ground.

"That's for spitting in my hair," she shouted.

"I...didn't..." he chocked, but Nami had already turned her attention toward Snaggle-Tooth.

"And this..." she lunged her staff upward, ramming it mercilessly between his legs, "you already know what that's for!" She watched with satisfaction as he crumpled, mouth frothing, to the pavement.

A collective groan of male empathy rippled through the throng of pirates.

"Damn, Nami's scary..."

"I almost feel sorry for the poor bastard."

Arlong, however, uttered a hearty laugh that was quickly picked up among the crew. "Well, that's that." He then addressed the stunned Captain Cleaver once again. "Now I'm satisfied."

"So are you letting us leave?" The older man asked warily.

"I'm satisfied that you've got absolutely nothing valuable to offer me," clarified Arlong, "and so, I think it's time to introduce you to our pet." He looked to his eight-armed lieutenant, "Hachi - has Momoo had lunch yet?"

"Not yet, nyu. As a matter if fact, it's almost time for me to feed him."

"Go ahead and call 'im in," said Arlong.

Following Hachi's trumpeting summons, the bovine sea beast made his appearance at the mouth of the South Gate. The eyes of Captain Cleaver and his still-recovering officers widened at the sight of the enormous horned head rising slowly out of the water toward them.

"We've got some live ones for you today, Momoo," Arlong chuckled.

"Are you insane," shouted an outraged Cleaver at the other captain.

A wave of laughter from the fishman crew was his only response.

Nami watched the bald man pull out what looked like a pistol from his coat and fire it into the air. A long trail of black smoke shot out, bursting in a miniature explosion over their heads before raining noxious fumes down over the gathering.

"What the hell," marveled Hitchin, holding his webbed hand out as bits of smoky debris landed in his palm. Beside him, Kaneshiro began to cough.

Nami looked back to see the three Cleavers suddenly donning gas masks. Before she could fully process what was happening, another much heavier explosion thundered from the direction of the pirate ship just outside the gates. A billowing cannonball of smoke sailed through the walls, over Momoo's head, colliding against the roof of the porch. A gray haze enveloped the entire patio. Nami's eyes immediately began to burn. She dropped her staff, her hands flying to her mouth as coughs racked her body.

All at once, a rough hand grabbed her around the arm and Nami was yanked by Captain Cleaver into the dinghy along with the three of them. Fishmen in the water instantly seized the boat but Captain Cleaver pulled the girl close, pointing a pistol squarely at her head. "Get back, or I'll kill 'er!"

Between the blinding smoke screen and the gun against their crewmate's temple, the fishmen made no further attempts to detain the Cleaver Pirates.

"I mean it, Saw-Tooth, call off your men and your beast or this girl dies," shouted Cleaver through his mask into the toxic mist.

Momoo, however, let out a long plaintive bellow and dove back under the water without having to be told - clearly too affected by the poison in the air.

"You're already dead, Cleaver," choked the voice of Arlong somewhere inside the cloud, "you just don't know it yet!"

000

Nami couldn't stop coughing. She felt the sensation of the boat skimming swiftly through choppy water, though she could see nothing through the tears streaming from her burning eyes. Abruptly, her sight returned, and she found herself spiraling down into a giant whirlpool inhabited by hideous fire-breathing dolphins. When she looked down, she saw a gaping pit of fire at the bottom of the ocean. The boat began to melt beneath her, becoming a sticky tar substance that spread itself like a shroud around her body, encasing her in a tight cocoon. She couldn't move. She couldn't scream. She couldn't breathe.

When she woke up, she found herself bound and lying against a large coil of rope on a ship's deck. Her head throbbed, and as soon as she attempted to sit up, dizziness overcame her to the point that she nearly vomited. Nami heard garbled shouts and feet bounding over the planks as the fog in her head slowly cleared. Gradually, her vision sharpened enough to make out the distant figures scurrying up and down masts or carrying artillery across the ship. A nearby pair of legs paused mid-stride, turning to observe her. Their owner, a young, fuzzy-faced man in a knit cap, shouted over his shoulder.

"Captain, she's awake!"

Moments later, Nami craned her neck up from where she slumped, to see Cleaver himself standing over her.

"I trust you're feeling a little better now," he inquired offhandedly.

"Better than what," she mumbled groggily.

"Let's say we retire to my cabin for a bit, and we can have a talk. I'll give you something that that'll help take away the side effects of the drug."

Nami squinted distrustfully up at him, but she really had no choice in the matter. She allowed herself to be helped to her feet and for Cleaver to cut her bonds loose. Dazedly, she stumbled with his assistance to the captain's quarters where she was offered a padded seat along the windows.

"Drink this," he pushed a goblet toward her.

When the girl made no move to obey him, he continued, "Look, if I wanted to impair you, I've already accomplished that - I actually need you to have a clear mind right now; that's why I'm giving you medicine."

Nami hesitantly took the goblet. The taste was acrid and disgusting. She nearly threw up for a second time, but her headache began to improve almost instantly, so she powered through until the liquid was gone.

"What was that," she asked, handing the cup back to him.

"Both the gas that you breathed back there and what you just drank came from the same fish ingredient we used in our pharmaceuticals until recently," he replied, taking a seat across from her behind his desk.

"Until recently? What changed all of a sudden?"

"The fish are gone now," he said simply. "They were only ever in the shallows of that one island, and we used them all up. That's why we had to break our deal with the Navy and flee."

"So that's what happened," muttered Nami thoughtfully to herself, "I always wondered exactly why the Navy brass never raided your headquarters after they arrested your men for dealing on Stringers."

"You really have been stalking my crew for some time, huh little girl?" He leaned toward her with growing interest, "Who sent you to steal from us - was it the Navy or Saw-Tooth?"

"Neither," she replied.

"Are you working for someone other than the fishmen?"

"No."

His black eyes pierced her like daggers. "What are you to that Saw-Tooth bastard, anyway?"

"Didn't you hear what Arlong said? I'm his surveyor," came her flat answer.

"No, there's got to be some other reason he keeps you around - a human girl has no business in a bloody fishman pirate crew!"

"Why do you care," shot back Nami, "It makes no difference to you."

"What is your name again," he frowned.

"It's Nami."

"Well Nami, I really would prefer to return you safely to your crew, but in order to do that I need your cooperation."

The girl slowly shook her head. "It's too late for that, Captain; you're in way over your head."

"Is that what you think?"

"As a human girl who's been a member of Arlong's crew for the past three years, that's what I know. No one crosses him and gets away with it." She fixed the man with a solemn look, "You should pray for a quick death."

"I appreciate the concern," he smiled humorlessly, "but you shouldn't act like this doesn't concern you. You're still our hostage - don't forget."

"What good do you think that'll do," she scoffed.

"We'll see. It certainly came in handy while we were escaping." He stood and began pacing back and forth behind his desk.

Her eyes followed him. "You would have been much better off dealing with the Navy instead."

Cleaver made a noise of disgust. "Forget it - I'm finished with the Navy. I'd rather get eaten alive by a cold-blooded shark than deal with that greedy little government rodent anymore. If I'm going out, it'll be on my own terms."

Nami could see from his bleak expression that he was a desperate man with nothing to lose. A shudder ran down her spine as she considered the implications for herself. "I wonder if your crew feels the same way," she remarked.

"Never mind my crew. You should be worried about yourself. So, if you've got any useful leverage I can use against your captain, it could go a long way in keeping you alive as well."

"Even if I wanted to, I have nothing useful to give you," protested Nami, "Arlong is practically invincible - even that poison gas you used isn't going to slow him down for very long!"

Cleaver stopped pacing and stared back at her. "What motivates him, besides money?"

"He wants to take over East Blue - for starters," she replied.

The old man's obsidian eyes flashed in sudden realization. "And you - as surveyor - are helping him do it."

"Yes," she unhappily affirmed.

He let out a short barking laugh, "I really have got something special here, haven't I?"

Before the girl could respond, something heavy hit the hull, rocking the entire ship. Both of them turned sharply toward the open cabin door as the men outside shouted and hastily manned their stations. Cleaver automatically reached inside his coat, moving closer to Nami. Another loud wrench from below and seconds later, the sawshark himself summersaulted onto the deck holding Kiribachi.

Arlong was soon joined by his three fishmen lieutenants, hopping aboard from either side. Cleaver pirates cleared the way or were quickly dispatched.

"Come out here, Cleaver," shouted Arlong, "don't make me come get you!"

"Here we are, Saw-Tooth," the human pirate yelled back, snatching Nami up by the arm and training his pistol on her.

Flanked by Kuroobi and Choo, while Hachi held off the remaining crew with his six cutlasses, Arlong approached the doorway; a hideous grimace splitting his face, "Hand over our comrade, worm."

"Not so fast," Cleaver held Nami in front of him like a shield, "I'd love to hand back your precious little surveyor, but first we need to negotiate my crew's safe passage."

"If there was ever a time to negotiate, that ship sailed a long time ago," grinned Kuroobi ghoulishly as the three of them continued to advance on him.

"I see," the old man's eyebrows raised defiantly at them, "then I should just blow her brains out now?"

A loud wrenching noise followed by shattering glass panes erupted behind Cleaver's back. He jerked around to see Hitchin prying the enormous window frame out of the captain's quarters from outside the ship along with Aka-Mushi and Kaneshiro who climbed inside, quickly surrounding the fugitive.

Cleaver cocked his hammer as Nami gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut. A sharp burst exploded in her ear, and she shrieked. The flintlock fell to the floor followed by Cleaver. When the girl pried her eyes open again, she saw him lying on the planks with a halo of blood slowly oozing beneath his head.

"Nice work, Choo," remarked Arlong dispassionately to the marksman spitter.

"What took you so long," Nami bawled, "You almost let him shoot me!"

"Relax, chu! I had it perfectly timed out," he drawled in return, then frowned hard at her. "By the way, did you know you have polka dotted seahorses living in your hair?"

"I have WHAT?"

"Look! A tiny walrus is racing that paperweight to the inkwell," Kaneshiro suddenly pointed at the top of Cleaver's desk.

"Naw," objected Aka-Mushi, following his finger, "that's a banana gator."

Nami stared around at all of them in amazement. "Are you still hallucinating from that gas cannon?"

Hitchin shrugged, "Little bit."

"Never mind that," Arlong turned back toward the doorway leading out onto the quarter deck, "there's still plenty more cockroaches infesting this ship, and we ain't leavin' till they're all exterminated. C'mon, brothers!"

Kuroobi and Choo turned to follow with Hitchin and Kaneshiro close behind. Nami felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped only to find Aka-Mushi standing there.

"I think they've got this. Let's go find the cockboat and get outta here."

Nami nodded and followed after him, stepping carefully over the late Captain Cleaver still staring glassy eyed up at the ceiling. When she looked out over the main deck, she saw that the "extermination" was already well underway. Many other fishmen had already boarded vessel and were busily slaughtering the Cleavers. She did her best to avert her eyes from the carnage, but not before she witnessed Arlong slicing Snaggle-Tooth in half with a swipe of his sword. Nami's stomach mutinied without warning, hurling its contents over the deck. Pausing only a moment to wipe her mouth, she quickly rushed to catch up with Aka-Mushi.

Hours later, curled in a corner of the map room, the girl struggled to stop replaying the horrific events in her mind. She'd tried going back to work, but her hand shook too badly to even hold a pen. Although she certainly had no love for any of the Cleaver Pirates, she couldn't help feeling partially responsible for their gruesome deaths. All Arlong needed was any flimsy excuse to kill humans, and she'd likely handed him one simply by opening her mouth about the Cleavers in the first place. The last thing she wanted was to involve the Arlong Pirates in her own personal affairs.

A knock on the door startled her. "Who is it?"

A moment later, Hachi's spiked head poked in. "Nyu - Come downstairs, Nami; we're having a feast tonight!"

"No thanks, I'm not hungry."

He gave the girl on the floor a quizzical look. "But Arlong-san wanted me to bring you down. Besides, it's a celebration for rescuing you and defeating the Cleaver Pirates."

"Defeat," snorted the surveyor, "that was more like a massacre."

"Yeah," agreed Hachi completely missing her snark, "so why not join the rest of the crew? You know, you spend a lot of time shut up in this stuffy little room - it must get a bit gloomy sometimes."

Nami sighed, already weary of talking to him, "Fine, I'll come down."

Everyone was gathered in the main hall by the time she and Hachi reached the bottom floor. Just as the octopus-man said, a grand banquet with delicacies she'd never have dreamed of eating as the daughter of a poor orange farmer lay spread over the table as if for royalty rather than a rabble of backwater marauders.

Despite what Hachi claimed about it being a feast dedicated to her, no one seemed to be waiting on her arrival before stuffing their faces. She didn't care. She'd make her obligatory appearance and quickly retire back to her room for the night.

The moment he laid eyes on the orange head, Arlong motioned Nami and Hachi to a space between him and Choo. As she wedged herself onto the bench, Hachi on her left and Choo to her right, Nami turned toward the sharp rap of Arlong knocking a spoon against his mug.

"Listen up, Nakama!"

The crew gradually quieted, turning their attention on the captain.

"First of all, my compliments for a job well done making quick work of Cleaver and his men this afternoon, and to all who enabled the rescue of our surveyor from certain death," his voice boomed throughout the hall.

A rumble of cheers and cups hitting the table reverberated back in response.

Arlong waited for the fishmen to settle back down before continuing, "With that said, I'd like you all to raise a toast with me to that very same mistress of maps - the pride and joy of the Arlong Pirates," he stared pointedly across the table, not at the cartographer herself, but instead at a disgruntled-looking Kuroobi as he held out his mug toward the other, "Here's to Nami!"

With tightly pursed lips, the manta ray wordlessly raised his own mug and was promptly followed by Hachi, then Choo and everyone else at the table until the entire gathering drank in unison to Nami.

"Excellent," grinned Arlong as the crew lapsed back into chatting and eating their meals. His searching stare soon found the Master Shipwright sitting several spaces down the table, "Kaneshiro!"

The goldfish-man and Aka-Mushi, who sat beside him, both looked up in surprise.

"I wonder if you'd mind taking the time to build Nami a new boat from the lumber once we dismantle the Cleaver ship? I know she's anxious to set sail again soon."

"Um, of course," stammered Kaneshiro, sharing a brief look with Aka-Mushi, "I'd be happy to." Behind him, Aka-Mushi gave Nami a surreptitious wink.

Nami stared down at the as yet empty plate in front of her. She knew exactly what he was up to, and it had nothing to do with appreciation. Arlong was simply bribing her to keep her mouth shut while also sending a subtle message to certain factions that suspected her of foul play (Kuroobi being chief among the agitators) that she was off-limits from their persecution.

Though it would hardly solve all her problems, Nami silently decided to accept this small victory. She was encouraged about a new boat, despite the dubiousness of the source material as well as the boatwright himself. A tiny ray of optimism pierced the dark recesses of her thoughts for the first time in days, however Nami remained cautious. She was navigating dangerous, uncharted waters and she could feel the next storm just on the horizon.