Alright everybody, here's the 10th chapter of An Ocean of Lives, and to be fair, I think I am pretty satisfied with these reboots I've been doing with all my stories, with my numbers already up to 800+ followers and with better writing, punctuation and grammar, I am glad to have done this.
Now, for those asking who Bishop is, he's the Australian character from BF1's campaign 'The Runner' as he's one of my favorite video game characters. As he was used in my previous story (which by now it is already deleted with two other originals)
I've been working on this, hoping to finish this chapter getting out before the end of the year, literally, and honestly, I hope this chapter's getting to the point it ends this Arc in the best way possible.
As for now, its almost time for the big one of this Arc, and man have I got something planned for you all, let's just jump straight into it.
Anxiety, Fear, Uncertainty
Whatever you could name it, that was the mental state of mind of every person in the Ryugu Kingdom, with every Fishman, Merfolk, from the Royalty to its Commoners. All of them were unable to change their minds on the one thing for nearly a whole week:
The wellbeing of Queen Otohime, who's been now gone for almost a full week, with no news coming back from her on her journey to the surface world. Causing many to be gravely concerned about her and even making prayers and hoping she will return.
Young and old, skeptic and devout, everyone who had previously listened to her prior speeches now were even beginning to miss them. It was a scary time for everybody. And the whole atmosphere of the country could've been read by anybody with a good eye.
And that anybody was a man who was seen sitting outside, at a table of a restaurant. With the individual reading a newspaper with his nose in it as a mermaid, waiter was approaching the customer he was serving.
"Anything else you need, sir?" The waiter asked.
"No, thank you, I'd just like another cup of tea, please." The man behind the newspaper answer courteously to the male waiter. "Can I get a refill, please?"
"Of course." The waiter nodded as he clicked his finger as a small seahorse brought a pot of tea that he took and began pouring it slowly into the man's cup. "May I ask what you're reading, sir?"
"Aren't you supposed to be working, young man?" The man challenged the mermaid. "It isn't very professional of you as a waiter."
The waiter was sweating a bit, noticeable on his head, before he could hear a chuckle coming from the customer.
"Ha, just kidding with you, kid, It's nothing really."
The man placing the newspaper on the table, revealing it to be a human man, with white long spiky hair, an unusual attire of clothing with red lines going from his eyes down his face, noticeable wooden sandals and a forehead headband that had a Kanji read 'Oil'.
Unbeknownst to the waiter, he was speaking now to the Legendary Sannin Jiraiya, who had just arrived at Fishman Island a few hours before and was now using his time to get to know the place.
The waiter asked the human. "If you don't mind me asking, sir. But why are you here? We don't get many humans hanging around here, except for pirates and so for."
"Oh, I'm just here to visit the Ryugu Kingdom, I heard that this place existed and wanted to visit it for myself." Jiraiya told the waiter while looking at his surroundings with some admiration. "I've been travelling around the world for a year now."
"Really, you've been travelling around?" Asked the waiter. "Where've you been?"
"Went to a few places, but I can say this kingdom is rather an admirable place to visit." Jiraiya said, not being shy on the complements. "And I thought I've seen everything as a Shinobi back in my place."
The mentioning of that word got the waiter to raise his eyelids up in pure surprise after hearing it.
"Wait, you're an Shinobi? That means you're from those Lands, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am. Name's Jiraiya, young man, from the Village Hidden in the Leaves." Jiraiya formally introduced himself. "I hope that doesn't trouble you."
"N-No! Not at all." The waiter said, throwing his hands in protest nervously. "Its just, I never thought I'd be meeting a real life Shinobi, that's all."
Jiraiya chuckled upon hearing that and replied. "Believe me, you're not the first person to say that. Ever since I left the continent, I've been getting approached by curious people."
"I could understand why, your continent is perhaps the only place in the world that has yet to be allied with the World Government." The waiter told him with some knowledge of the region by reading the papers. "And I heard its wild country."
"That it is…." Jiraiya said while taking the cup of tea and being more sincere when he was watching the drink and answering. "... Tell me. Its true that your people, the merfolk, are not liked much, by the surface world, is it?"
The Mermaid nodded, seemingly, and answered. "No, not really. They fear us because we're different, mainly because we're not humans."
"You don't have to be a non-human to be seen as an enemy." Jiraiya told him."Back in my continent, the hate between our villagers is still strong, that some refuse to even consider the other side as human…"
Turning his head upwards, Jiraiya just sat there in furthering his silence as he watched the blue sky.
Sea Forest
BANG!
Whilst working on the remains of the former Sun Pirate's ship, Kaneshiro was seen observing the shooting practice that taking place in front of him.
Naruto had been using the Sea Forest as a place where he could, with ease and peace, practice his aim, which he'd been doing as a routine now. With it improving on a good pace with both bolt action rifles and handguns. Using dummies as target practice that he repaired afterwards.
And how deadly was that precision? - perhaps too much, as the bullets were seen shredding the wool filled head and limbs, with not one bullet missing the target. With Naruto having excelled in being a sharpshooter at this point, most likely having gone to the level of Macro by now.
Still, this didn't mean everything was fine and dandy, with Naruto's behavior being more visible when he was seen shooting these dummies, like he was holding back his rage. As he looked very angered by recent events.
And angry he was indeed - as Naruto was now filled with self-loathing, with what had happened just a week ago hasn't gone away, as his hatred for the World Nobles has only reached its newest level within him.
The audacity - the brutality - savagery and arrogance of these 'people' who had made his life a living hell for a few years, and the Queen wanted to make peace with them.
And THAT infuriated him the most - the monsters, who ruined countless lives in the unholiest place in the world, were the ones the Queen now was talking to. For improving relations.
….
Yet he couldn't do nothing, he couldn't. It would ruin any progress Queen Otohime and Tiger desired for the future.
"Naruto. Stop for a moment!"
With his rifle aiming for the dummy, Naruto stopped what he was doing and turned his head towards Kaneshiro, who was on the Den Den Mushi of the ship.
"We'll need to go up, now. The Queen's ship is spotted off the coast."
Naruto stood down after hearing this, and slung the rifle around his shoulder.
"Right."
A hour later
With a crowd having now assembled in front of the shores, the ship that the Queen left on a week ago, was only an eye distance away.
Watching from the back of the crowd with Kaneshiro, Naruto saw that many had come, including the ministers, the guards, and even the Royal Family and especially the children.
He just looked on when the ship basically stopped right there, close enough for everybody to see who was on deck, and first nobody was seen standing there, causing some concerned murmurs. The tension could be felt in the air and it was noticeable.
That all died down when the sound of clicking footsteps were heard, Queen Otohime came out running and reached the rails of the ship, waiving to them in silence.
It was then that tension imploded in full out joy.
"SHE'S BACK!" A loud shout of two men could be heard. "YOUR MAJESTY!"
A loud resounding cheer could be heard almost everywhere, illuminating any other sound that was there, with the sheer joy and happiness they were experiencing with the return of their beloved Queen.
Crying was also what was happening as some were unable to contain their tears, to which Naruto was witnessing at first-hand next to Kaneshiro, who was handing over a tissue to one crying guy.
Naruto, meanwhile, was watching in silence, as the Queen's children swarmed her as they welcomed her back home, all the while on the same deck, the same human man, Bishop had also emerged from behind the Queen and was observing the scene.
Kaneshiro was glad. "Thank goodness, she returned back home."
"...I'm going back to the Café." Naruto told him as he turned around and began to walk away, with his rifle still slung around his back.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Kaneshiro asked, confused by this sudden action. "Naruto?"
Naruto just proceeded to make his way through the excited crowd, who took no notice of him while they themselves were way to focus on their Queen's return, allowing him to disappear into the crowd back to his home.
…
Next day
Gyoncorde Plaza
The following day, more details would come out of the Queen's week long journey to Mariejois, with the results having been initially thought to be null at first, except it wasn't. Not only did she in the days long negotiations with the Celestial Dragons, qualm their fury of the events that had taken place, she also brought back another significant thing:
A piece of paper she had brought with him, held more influence than anybody though that the Queen could take with her. That paper concluded an beacon of hope for peace between Fishmen and Humans, with the guaranteed word of the World Nobles - An miracle beyond imagination.
That was what she was currently explaining while being on the stage, addressing the large crowds that surrounded her.
"Everyone, despite our troubled history with them. The Celestial Dragons are very influential, and by meeting with them, I have been able to bridge a gap."
She held the document up, high, with her arm extended for everyone to see.
"We may attend the World Summit yet, listen to what they've written - To improve humankind relations with Fishmen. We give this petition written by their Queen. Full Endorsement." She continued to talk with them. "In other words, if we can fill my petition with signatures, the World Leaders at the Summit have no choice but to recognize our right to be there, and further more - Our right to be part of the surface world. Finally, we will see our Dream!"
The crowds, however, had more mixed feelings.
"I'm still not sure."
"I don't trust those Celestial Dragons."
"You tell me, is it really even happening?"
"And now, it's in your hands!" Queen Otohime continued to speak to her people. "We still need more signatures. I have found a way, but this is a path we must walk together."
Many among the crowd were really struggling with the thought of it, all the while their Queen was pleading.
"Please, let your Cry for Freedom be heard! Only then, can we live above with our Human friends."
Her words, however, seem to only be met with silence. That of a full crowded plaza, on which possible around hundreds of thousands of her subjects were now standing in. Yet none were moving forward.
It was the same fear that had been among the Humans - the fear of the unknown, and it gripped just as hard on the Fishmen, with it being hard to break.
This message began to be clear to Queen Otohime, who saw the inaction of her people, and slowly began to sink down to her knees next to the only box that was there, empty as it was.
…
It was then when a few small hands were seen dropping papers into the box, signatures that were being given by the few children who were the first making this step.
Among those children, were the mermaid girls like Ishilly, Seira, Camie and Mona, with some others who the Queen had been tutoring and all were laughing at her with bright smiles after having done their part.
"Thank you but…I don't get my hopes up. If you're just going to change your mind again." Queen Otohime said in a defeated tone with her head down.
"We won't. My mom said she's gonna sign too!" Small Ishilly said.
That mentioning got the Queen to be surprised, but the next thing, caused her nearly to gasp as slowly the box was getting filled with signatures, and that wasn't the only thing, her biggest surprise when she turned to the crowd.
There she saw that everybody was holding onto a document they had with them, a complete shocker to her as slowly the whole plaza was filled with people, holding their hands onto their papers that would open the path of their new future.
An enthusiastic crowd was seen now trying to maintain order while organizing lines for them to put their signatures in the box, which caused the Queen to be astonished beyond anything she had ever seen.
"No offense, Your Majesty," One old fishman was heard apologizing. "But I believe you're going to need a bigger box for now."
"Yeah, because the whole country will be coming here." An younger Fishman added while dropping his signature. "So I'd hurry."
Holding her hands in front of her mouth, unable to digest what just was happening in front of her.
"Don't worry, your Highness. I had a feeling this might happen!"
The Minister of the Right was seen carrying a large box around before placing it in front of the crowd, ten times the size, next to the Queen.
He announced. "Those of you who support our Queen - put your signatures in here, please!"
Then the signatures just began pouring in whatever box that the Royal Guards were bringing in and protecting, with thousands even being brought in by swimming Mermen and Mermaids who dropped it from the air.
All of this, caused the already astonished Queen to be more filled with emotions, as tears began to swell up on her eyes, and before she knew it, crying unfolded in pure happiness that she longed for. The future actually seemed to happen - and it was happening now.
Even some of the former Sun Pirates were among the crowd, with those who were former slaves of Mjosgard even having queued in a line, awaiting to put their signatures in, but two of them were seen standing by the sides and watched one.
"I never thought I'd see the day this would happen." Aladdin commented at what he was witnessing, a small smile crossed his face. "We might actually see this happening within our lifetimes."
"That I believe so," Jimbei agreed, yet held his hopes at a minimum. "Still, not everyone will be convinced by her words, and will hold themselves back to see what will happen."
Still, there were more words that the Warlord had to express, and he did so in a moment.
"Like how we had set aside our prejudices against Naruto, we need to work harder to fight those thoughts to the other humans. People like Queen Otohime are those who will help build the bridges of understanding. A better way then to fight our way through it."
Aladdin however hated to break it, and mentioned it up.
"I don't think he'll be having that same thought." He said turning up to the higher levels.
Naruto was sitting on top of the plaza, by himself, he stared at the filled area and could only do much as stare at history being made now.
'I see you're not happy with how things are going, are you?'
"You've hit the nail on the head, Kurama." Naruto said with a frown at what he was watching. "I respect Queen Otohime, I really do, but doing it this way, with the Celestial Dragons?"
'Politics are like that, kid. Seen it all for years. Dirty deals and dirty results. I'll say this won't work in the long run. Some of these Fishmen will see her as a traitor for wanting to deal with those slaving scum.'
Naruto gripped his hands tightly that they turned into fists. As a forbidden thought of his went straight through his mouth.
"Sometimes, they aren't the only ones…"
Even when he said those words vaguely as possible, the fact he really disliked this deal to the point that the Queen often crossed his mind as just as bad as them, was one of the most conflicted things he had ever had.
On one hand, he fully promoted the idea of the Fishmen and Humans living in harmony, something he openhearted supported. But on the other hand, he overtly objected the way this was done, especially by appeasing the monsters who had the blood of innocent people on their hands and have no qualm of enslaving and torturing people, the same thing he had experience for three painful years.
"I'm going back home. There's no need for me to be here." Naruto stood up and grabbed his rifle and began making his way back to the Café.
Next evening
Mermaid Café
Even after today's events, business is as usual for the Mermaid Café, which was now filled up with customers, being served by the mermaid staff who were bringing around drinks and food.
"Delivery to table 5!"
"Coming up!"
Two mermaids swam right pass the entrance where Naruto was standing at, as he was on guard doing his usual shift, but he wasn't on his 100% at the moment.
Having only thrown out a handful of troublemakers out, Naruto still didn't pay much attention to what was being talk about, especially to his colleagues who were only speaking about one thing.
"Have you brought up your signature already?" One of the girls said. "Everybody I know is going to do it."
"Yeah, my mother, father, two brothers and even younger sister are bringing their signatures tomorrow morning." The other mermaid said happily. "Everyone's putting faith in Queen Otohime's work."
Naruto just listened on as he kept his eyes on the workplace, while internally trying to erase the conversations from his head to stay focused on his job, yet that was not even easy as the signature run was the main topic that was on the island.
Sighing, he knew that he couldn't escape from it, and he just stood there.
"Naruto?"
Raising his head up, he saw it was his guardian. "Oh, Shyarly, something wrong?"
His boss and close friend, had this staunch neutral look on her face as she had approached him from her office, which she often did during busy hours in the café, but made exceptions if something important had happened.
"There's someone who wants to speak to you." Shyarly told him. "He's in my office."
"Shyarly I-"
"I already have Georgie come in to fill in your shift, so no need to worry." Shyarly told her, Georgie being a co-worker of Naruto, she continued. "So go on, he's waiting for you."
Naruto sighs and walks past Shyarly and goes through the busy area, all the while some of the Mermaids, even Ishilly's mother, all were taking glances at their human colleague who they were concerned for.
Shyarly was not an exception, as she did not need to use her abilities to see what's been bothering him.
…
Naruto arrived at Shyarly's office and then opened the door to enter, and once he opened the door widely, he saw someone sitting at his desk.
It was Frederick Bishop, seeing, pouring himself a glass of Sake into a small cup, and saw that Naruto had arrived.
"Hey kid. Hope you don't mind, Madam Shyarly gave me this bottle, and don't worry. I paid for it." Bishop claimed as he puts the Sake bottle down and quickly took a shot of the small cup at once, squinting his eyes at the strong but good taste of it.
"Fuckin hell." He was impressed. Holding his reaction back. "Need to buy myself some crates, good cold Sake here on Fishman Island."
Naruto was suspicious and asked. "What are you doing here? I got work to do."
"Not for today, kid. Sit." Bishop said, pointing to the empty seat across the desk. "Because we got some things to discuss, you and I, about the Queen's signature run."
Naruto could clearly see where this was going and declined on the spot. "I'm sorry, but I'm not going to discuss this." He turned towards the door and was going to leave. "So if you'd excuse me, I've got a job to do-"
"Always a worker, just like the Queen told me."
Naruto's hands stopped right before he could touch the door's handle, and his face turned back around to the man, who now had puled out another small glass.
Seeing he now was refilling not only his own, but also the second glass, Naruto assumed the second glass wasn't for the old man himself.
"She told me everything….what you went through…." Bishop began as he picked up the second glass and raised it up. "So, at least, allow me to offer you a proper drink."
…
*Click!*
The door of Shyarly's office closed, but instead of Naruto leaving, he instead decided to say in the room and made his way towards the empty chair across the desk and sat down on it, following with a warning.
"I'm underage, sir." Naruto told up front. Yet this didn't seem to trouble Bishop as he still offered the drink.
"I was fourteen when I drank my first pint, kid." Bishop replied and added. "Besides, I don't often share my drinks with anyone, let alone it might help you got some things to loosen up."
"... Okay then."
Naruto took the offer and accepted the small glass and took one swig, finishing it at once. Perhaps a dumb move at first since his reaction would be a expected one to a young man's first taste of hard alcohol.
"Ugh…" Naruto's mouth rejected the taste almost immediately due to his inexperience with alcoholic substance, his head shaking violently to get rid of it but also coughs a bit at the small burning taste in his mouth.
"What was in it?" Naruto asked in mid-coughing.
"Just Sake, kid. It is a bitter drink." A chuckling Bishop told him before pulling from underneath the desk, a small unopened bottle for himself. "I'll stay with this, I can give you some water if you want."
"No, I'm good." Naruto held out his free hand while holding his other in front of his mouth, "It's just…the taste…"
"Very different, I know." Bishop poured in another one in Naruto's glass and he began. "So, its said you're not much of a fan, to what Queen Otohime is doing."
Naruto raised his head up, and looked confused.
"She's not the only one who sees it, kid. Your boss, co-workers, Jimbei and your former crew is seeing it." Bishop then offered up. "So why don't you tell me your story now, and we both keep this between these four walls. So what do you say?"
Taking a moment to decide on however to open up to this person he barely knows, Naruto took the decision fast after raising his head upwards after the bitter taste of Sake devouring in his throat.
"Because Jimbei and Queen Otohime trust you, I'll tell you what's going on." Naruto added. "But only if you share me some of that other drink of yours."
It was at this that Bishop laughed a bit. "You really want to try this? Alright, give me your cup."
He re-opened the bottle and poured in the liquor he held in Naruto's empty cup and put himself some.
"So Jimbei never told you about my history, right?" Naruto asked the older man. "How we met and how I came here?"
"He never did, out of respect, really. To keep your privacy, which is totally understandable. Yet, he still gave me some pointers." Bishop lightly shoved the cup to Naruto. "That you're a hard worker, loyal, honest. You can shoot, cook and repair."
"When you are in my shoes, you're forced to grow up fast." Naruto said accapting the cup. "After all, I've been on my own ever since I was born. Remembered how I needed to find my own food at age six, fishing in the beaks for hours."
Bishop asked. "Life's that rough, huh?"
"An Orphan's life is always rough, sir." Naruto said as he downed the cup and slammed it down, this time it being more of a different taste, "Hm, bit malty, what is it?"
"Scotch, son. One of the best drinks in the seas." Bishop said with a bit of pride. "Got to thank my late wife, she introduced me to this when I was your age."
"Then your late wife had good taste, if I can say that." Naruto smiled as he felt this tasted a bit better then Sake. "So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"
"Your Story." Bishop shortly stated. "Tell me about yourself, because you seem like a kid who's got a lot on his mind that needs to be told."
Taking another moment to think, by the looks of it, Bishop thought Naruto was mentally trying to think throufg, but instead he was asking internally for some advice.
'Should I?'
'I don't know how, but you keep coming across good people with no bad intentions, and this old guy's giving me the same vibes like that Queen, so I say go ahead, but keep it simple.'
Taking upon Kurama's advice, Naruto turned his gaze up to Bishop and then had his answer.
"Okay, you want to know my story, I'll give you it."
Meanwhile
Ryugu Kingdom
Sitting on the rails over a story high, Queen Otohime was holding her hand over to some fish that were swarming around her hand as she was currently alone talking to her three oldest sons while her daughter was asleep in her room.
"Signatures keep coming in, mother." Manboshi said excitedly. "From all over the country, I can't believe it!"
Fukaboshi agreed. "Yeah, things seem to be progressing well."
"I know, my children." Queen Otohime smiled. "Its a dream coming true."
"Yeah, and your courage made it come true." Ryuboshi stated, all three praising their mother for her for what she did.
This caused Queen Otohime to giggle at her children's honest words. Yet she was still looking a bit down to the floor, causing her sons' to look concerned.
Fukaboshi was the first. "Something wrong, mother? You still look sad for some reason."
She smiled at her son. "No need to worry, dear. I'm happy to see progress finally being made…its just that I feel not everybody is happy with it." She specifically brought up. "Naruto for instance."
"Hmm, what about Naruto?" Manboshi asked confused. "He's our friend."
"He is, of course, a close friend, my son, but one with a terrible history with the Celestial Dragons." Queen Otohime said to her son's who were mostly unaware of Naruto's past for most part except that he was an orphan. "Remember how I told you kids about the Forgotten Lands as bed time stories?"
"Oh yes, the Shinobi Lands, I remember." Ryuboshi said as he liked those bedtime stories. "Why?"
"Simple, Naruto is a native of that place." Otohime told them, causing them to be stunned by shock.
"WHAT!" Manboshi and Ryuboshi both shouted in surprise. "Naruto's really from there?"
"Yes, from a place called the Hidden Leaf Village if I'm correct. Thousands of miles away from any sea port." Queen Otohime told them. "He lived there for eight years before he was kidnapped and sold into slavery, ending up in the hands of the Mjosgard Family."
That name only brought a quick horrific realization to the oldest of the three sons, with Fukaboshi beginning to connect the dots in his head, and spoke it out.
"But….that is the name of the man you've saved, mother."
The other two brothers quickly took notice of this and also were equally as horrified by the realization as their big brother.
Queen Otohime painfully nodded. "Yes, unfortunately, that was the same man who tormented Naruto's life, alongside his father who died in Tiger's attack."
What she didn't tell them was that in the weeks after the incident, was that she visited the former members of the Sun Pirates in private, and had in secret talked with Aladdin and Kaneshiro about Naruto's past, with Aladdin having revealed some uncomfortable truths to her, as she found out that he and Naruto both had been living alongside each other in pain for almost three full years.
The full details that she's been given about Naruto's past was beyond her imagination that she even couldn't verbalize to her children.
"I know fully understand why Naruto is struggling to accept this new reality." Queen Otohime said. "It makes sense why he's the only one from Jimbei's men who hasn't brought a signature in. as even the workers in the Mermaid Café have even brought in theirs."
She turned up to her sons, and told them something.
"Naruto has gone through a lot, more then any of us can imagine, so I please hope that none of you hold anything against him. As he's just a good person that's still trying to find his way in this world."
Trying to find a meaningful goal in this world.
With Naruto
That story however was told to yet one another person, in a back office with two empty glasses and a half-empty bottles of Sake and Scotch, with Naruto having told everything he felt comfortable with, to the man sitting across of him. With the whole story told out in full hour.
Naruto, somehow holding his own together after drinking a few shots of hard drinks, still was sitting there as a sober man, having just revealed his painful past to someone he barely knows, and his only credentials were that he worked alongside Jimbei, and had provided security to Queen Otohime.
"So there you have it, my whole story." Naruto said, still holding the empty cup in his hand that he rested on the desk. "My former home to Mariejois, the Sun Pirates to now."
"It…certainly explains a few things," Bishop stated, having just listened carefully to every detail of the story that he was comfortable telling with. "You've not been given a fair shot at life."
"You can say that again, it's funny really if I look back at it." Naruto began. "Back in my old village, I was treated less than human, yet when I left, I came across Fishmen who treated me more fairly than most humans I've ever met."
"Sorry to hear that."
"No need, actually, in a weird twisted way, I'm glad that this happened." Naruto said turning his head to the old man. "Honestly, even with all the stuff that happened to me, I had the privilege to meet some of the best people I have ever sailed with. Tiger, Macro, Hatchan, Aladdin, Jimbei and all the others. I learned how to clean, cook, write, read, count, how to hold a weapon."
"That you certainly can do." Bishop said in between.
"And even after that, I made so many friends here, got a good job, and everyone in the community likes me for who I am. It is as if…"
"-Life's testing you." Bishop guessed it. "Is that what you were looking for?"
Naruto nodded. "Yes."
"That's because that is how life is, kid. More than anyone ever has been able to figure out. We go through good times but also through bad ones. It is what every man and woman will be challenged with, and from those challenges we learn valuable lessons that we will keep for ourselves in the future."
The moment that they both got through a life-lesson time, actually made both riflemen to laugh in their respective ways, a weird way but a good one.
'Whoever says alcohol doesn't bring anything but misery is an idiot, because this is quite fun to watch.'
Naruto's laughter died down and he said. "Sorry for this weird moment."
"Nah, don't apologize, it's actually quite helpful, drinking a bit and getting to know each other." Bishop said closing both bottles. "You remind me of myself when I was younger. Didn't had the best childhood either, but made sure to take care of myself."
"Alright then, I'll remember that."
SLAM!
The door slammed open and the two humans turned around to see it was Nerissa who was in and she had an annoyed look on her face.
"Sorry to interrupt you guys, but we got a problem."
Naruto stood up and asked. "What kind of problem?"
"HAHAHAHAHA! I'M LIVING THE LIFE!"
The man that was causing an ruckus in the midst of the Mermaid Café, had caused everybody, worker and customer alike, to try and keep their distance from the trouble causing loudmouth human.
And that human was Jiraiya, who seemed to be having way too much drinks then he could handle and had somehow scared off all the Mermaids who were watchful of his appearance, giving she had long spike white hair and looked pretty intimidating.
Plus, he had just, unconsciously, knocked out Georgie, the fall in for Naruto, now being treated by Shyarly who had an ice pack over the whalshark's head.
"Come on, ladddiesss!" Jiraiya turned to anyone close by, in his drunken state. "I….feel like I'm in heaven!"
The behaviour really was getting out of hand, and it was just when Naruto had arrived with Bishop and Nerissa behind him.
"Who's this asshole?"
"Some human drunk who's been causing trouble." Nerissa said, not liking this guy. "I even saw him a few hours ago peeking at the woman's baths, whoever he is, he's nothing but a nuisance."
"Let me handle this." Naruto said as he pulled up his sleeves and walked over to him. "Its part of my job."
Bishop asked the mermaid. "Is this always happening?"
"Only to newcomers."
"Hey, old geezer." Naruto called the white haired drunk out. "You've caused enough trouble now, out!"
"Screw you, kid!" Jiraiya turned his head around. "I'm just trying to have a good-"
He stopped as his blurry vision was vague enough to see someone that he thought he recognized.
"Minato?"
SLAM!
Naruto's fist just slammed across the drunken Sannin who had no time to react, as he fell back against an empty table and got knocked out in an instance. Not knowing he just knocked out one of Konoha's most powerful Shinobi, Naruto held his hand that was stinging.
"Damn this guy." Naruto groaned while clutching his hand as he walked over the unconscious drunk's body and tapped his head. "Good night, Pervy Sage."
One of the Mermaids quirked her eyebrow. "Why Pervy Sage?
"I don't know, sounds fitting, looks like a sage but acts like a perv." Naruto came up fast with that nickname, he then began grabbing the guy by the shoulders and started dragging him to the front door, Bishop just standing next to Shyarly.
"Kid sure seems not troubled by doing this."
Shyarly chuckled. "Why do you think I hired him,"
"Good point."
Next morning
Outside Gyoncorde Plaza
The following day, Naruto was seen in front of the Plaza's entrance, with his rifle, and a very bad headache he was having. Having just bought himself some new ammunition from the gun store, Naruto wanted to make his way back to Coral Hill to sleep off the night of drinking.
But luck has it, he took a break in front of the Plaza's main entrance and sat on a bench, early in the morning, and wished he had some tablets to ease the pain.
After having though through from last night's conversation, Naruto not only had he come very early, in his hand was a paper with his signature on it, as he really had been struggling lately with the decision.
Was he really going to get along with this? His conscience was conflicted still, yet no decision was being made. Still he was carrying a paper with a signature on it, fully filled and ready for being thrown in the box like anyone else on the Island.
"Naruto?"
Raising his head in front of the person who called his name, Naruto was surprised to see Queen Otohime, standing there by herself without her bodyguard or the Ministers.
"May I sit down next to you?" She requested.
"...Sure." Naruto said while looking away, not wanting to allow the Queen to let her see his face.
Otohime sat down next to him on the bench and had a chuckle on her face before commenting.
"Don't try to hide it, young man. I know a hangover when I see one."
…
"Ugh…" Naruto groaned as he halfway faced her. "Is it that obvious?"
"Given that I could see you from a mile away with your hands to your head? It was an easy guess." She smiled pointing out, and adding. "Also, a little birdy told me you were drinking."
"Great." Naruto sighed in defeat as he still felt like crap. "Are you going to lecture me on how I shouldn't drink because I'm underage?"
"I would like to, but I'd be a hypocrite by doing so." Otohime said with a chuckle as she mentioned. "I remember my first hangover, when I was sixteen, and the guards caught me with a bottle of Rum behind the Mermaid Café." She couldn't contain the chuckling and laughed at that memory. "Had been unable to try and taste every beverage ever since I got tasted them."
Naruto snorted at that and joined in on it. "Seriously, first Bishop and now you?"
"We all were young at once, but I see you're here for a reason." The Queen said as she spotted something in Naruto's hands. "Like that sheet in your hand."
Sighing, Naruto just went straight to the point and showed it to her.
"It's my signature for the petition." Naruto said. "It took me a long time considering, but here I am, one of the last to drop it in."
Queen Otohime took a look at the paper and saw everything was written in, and it was then that she wanted some answers.
"Naruto, I want something from you?"
"What is it?"
"Your honest thoughts." Otohime asked, up and front, about it. "What are your thoughts on the whole process? Because for the last few days, you always leave early from the speeches, and I've seen you giving disappointed looks."
Naruto's head turned to her when she mentioned it, did she keep an eye on him?
"Naruto?"
It took a while for Naruto as he didn't face her as he answered his thoughts on it, knowing he couldn't lie to her.
"I honestly believe this is a sucker's deal, Your Highness." Naruto began. "A deal with devils who have caused nothing but pain and misery that I've witnessed at first hand. So I'm sorry to say this, Queen Otohime, but I honestly cannot trust these Celestial Dragons on their word. Not in a million years."
Queen Otohime just sat there in silence as she heard the honest opinion of this young man, of which he wasn't finished.
"But… I'm not going to be pity over it, not since last night." Naruto resumed as he released a tear from his eye that he whipped off quickly. "Not even when they were responsible for the death of a man who I looked up a father who they've driven to his death, a man who I couldn't even say goodbye to anymore. So even against my conscious, I will still give you my signature, if it will honor Fisher Tiger's wishes of peace."
Once he was done talking, Naruto just stared at the ground as he waited for the Queen's response. He instead felt her coming up to him and embraced him in her arms, totally catching him off guard as she patted her hand over his blonde hair.
"Your honesty is like that of Fisher Tiger, and I can see he raised you well." Otohime began with a smile. "He would be proud of you, putting aside your own hatred for the good of the others, you're truly the son he never had, and for that I thank you."
Naruto just couldn't stop it anymore and the tears went down his cheeks and began to drench the Queen's clothing, to which he began to whip them away.
"I'm sorry-"
"Don't apologize, it's alright." The Queen told him as they both stood right up and she began prepping Naruto a bit up, to his confusion.
"Uhm, what-"
"You're going with me inside the Plaza and I want YOU to drop the signature in the box." She said in a motherly tone as she straighten up the collar of his shirt and checked his sleeves.
"But I got a shift coming up. Georgie's out cold still and I-"
"No excuses, young man." Queen Otohime said, tugging his shirt into his pants to make him look proper, and checked his suspenders. "You need to dress better if you ever want to find a girl."
"Oh no… Please, Your Majesty, not you too." Naruto groaned at this, having already been dealing with this. "I just don't see anything about-"
"Nonsense! The kind of man you are is just what many girls are looking for, and with just a little etiquette, you'll be having good marriage material." Queen Otohime smiled saying that.
To which, she wasn't even bragging about it. Having seen Naruto grow up into a fine young man, the amount of looks he was getting from the mermaid girls his age was even more interesting.
"There, let's go now." She finished and began walking through the entrance. "And don't you think you'll be getting out easy."
"Okay." Naruto decided to let it go by this and followed the Queen into the Plaza, where he would but his part in History, with as much courage as he could collect.
A pair of boots stepped close to the entrance, with the person carrying a whole bunch of liquid filled bottles and an raging at the bouncer.
It was the same guy Naruto threw out a week ago, drunk and bitter, he came out of the depths of the Fishman District and was paid to do a act and got a rifle to settle a score.
"Time for some money – and payback."
Gyoncorde Plaza
Once inside, the Plaza itself was beginning to fill up again, with multiple new boxes already placed to prepare for more signatures to be brought in. With the amount of them being brought in at a pace that even the administration wasn't able to keep up.
Even when many of the islanders were still distrustful or having mixed feelings of the surface world, still many wanted a change in their lives and were lining up.
Standing amongst the lines was Jimbei, who was observing the whole line up as a extra precaution, as he had nothing else to do and wanted to provide any sort of security that was warranted.
"Morning, Jimbei."
The Fishman turned his head around to see who it was and smiled. "Morning, Bishop. You doing alright?"
"Doing fine, thanks for asking." Bishop said as he stepped up next to the Warlord and watches on the line-up. "I came here to watch progress going on, if you don't mind."
The few islanders who took notice of the human standing next to Jimbei, either turned away from him or gave him untrustworthy stares.
Jimbei felt like he had to say. "Sorry for the-"
"No need to apologize, I get them." Bishop said as he understood them. "Cannot blame them, they've gone through enough."
"Yet you don't seem bothered by the glares some give you." Jimbei argued, much to Bishop's amusement.
"I've seen enough angry eyes and yelling by angry people in my younger days as a Marine, Jimbei, this isn't new to me." Bishop recalled. "I remember me even going up on the chase of some big shots, like Whitebeard and Rogers."
Bishop Indeed was a underdog in his time in the Marines that still got a name of notoriety, as his connections were ancient buddies in the Marines, including Monkey D. Garp who he sailed along with. Having fought numerous and dangerous pirates, with one of them being the Pirate King Gol D. Rogers.
Having retired ever since Rogers' death, Bishop still served for Alabasta, his home country. Yet he still would often fight alongside next to some Marines to combat pirate attacks against his homeland.
"Boss Jimbei, Mr. Bishop." The two men turned around to see the Queen's children approach them, with the Ministers of the Left and Right also with them.
"Children, Ministers."
"Sorry that we came late," Fukaboshi apologized beforehand and then told them. "Have you seen mother? She left without us."
"We've been asking ourselves that same question." The Minister of the Left said. "We're a bit concerned."
"Uhm, she's up there." Bishop stated by pointing his thumb back. "At the podium with Naruto."
They all turned to the podium, with some being surprised, Naruto and Queen Otohime were actually there.
…
Without them giving much attention to their surroundings, Queen Otohime stood by Naruto's side as he was holding his paper with the signature on it.
He stood still as he was struggling, and he knew that thanks to him, the line was becoming longer and that caused him to say.
"I'm sorry for letting the others wait, Queen Otohime, I-"
"Don't apologize." She calmly said to him with a smile. "Just take your time. No need to hurry."
Naruto nodded and still was holding the paper, and just when he was going to drop the paper and do his part-
TCHK!
That sound was close enough for both to hear, and it was Queen Otohime who questioned.
"What was that sou-"
VOOM!
From out of nowhere, a flame shot jumped up the air as it exploded right next to Naruto and Queen Otohime, with the fire having come out of the signature box that was in front of Naruto.
"The signatures! They're on fire!"
The other boxes soon also got caught on fire, basically surrounding Naruto and the Queen in a circle of unbearable inferno.
One guard shouted. "Queen Otohime!"
"They're trapped inside the fire!" Jimbei said, barking orders. "Damn it, get water to put tit out!"
"Mother!" The Queen's children shouted in fear at what they were witnessing.
They saw her coughing while down, and this got Fukabosh to try and go forwards.
"Mother-"
"Evacuate the children!" Bishop shouted out to the nearby guards. "Move them to safety now!"
The minister of the Left agreed. "Do what he says!"
A few guards did get in Fukaboshi's way, much to his dismay of them as they moved the children back.
Shirahoshi was seen tearing up and yelled out.
"MOTHER!"
…
Inside the ring of flames, Naruto quickly grabbed for his rifle and looked around, knowing exactly well this was no accident.
"Damn it!" Naruto cursed as he watched through the visor of his rifle. "Your Majesty, we need to leave, now!"
"We can't!" She protested as she stared at the burning pile of papers. "The signatures!"
"There's no time-"
"Its our future!" Queen Otohime's stubbornness ran over to one boxes and kneeled down, trying to grab for the papers that weren't burned up. "I cannot let it all go to waste!"
Naruto was going to say something until he spotted something by sheer coincidence just in time.
A small flickering glint!
"SHIT!" Naruto cursed as he ran for the Queen and shouted. "QUEEN OTOHIME!"
She turned around her head in confusion.
"Huh?
"GET DOWN!"
BANG!
TO BE CONTINUED!
Ah, the sound of a cliffhanger, how nice.
I know I'm being a dick now, but glad to have finished this chapter before New Year. Wanted to finish it before Christmas but, that failed, lol.
Well everyone, I hope you liked it and be thrilled for next chapter.
Review and follow to support.
Peace!