I do not own One Piece
It is owned by Oda
I just own the OC's
Enjoy!
Arlong Park opening: Ft. - Funkist, Fairy Tail OP 3
(An instrumental plays as it shows the Going Merry sailing on the ocean as the sun shines in the sky.)
Daijoubu ore ga nan mankai mo sakendeyaru Kimi no ashita ga subete kageyaiteiru to shinjiteru
(It shows the crew going about their usual activities. Luffy and Usopp running playing tag, Zoro lifting weights, Jou is in the crows nest peering through his telescope, Nami is lounging in a chair eyeing a map, Sanji with a drink on a tray happily hands it to Nami with his eye shaped like a heart. In the Nami notices dark rain clouds completely cover the blue sky.)
Yume wo kanaeta subete no hito ni kasanariau kyoutsuuten Akiramenakatta koto sore dake sa makenna yo!
(The crew was trying their best to fight the storm. Jou and Zoro pulling on the sails, Usopp and Sanji manning the steering rudder, Nami shouting orders while keeping the rain and wind out of her eyes, and Luffy with his arms and legs wrapped around Merry's figurehead, hanging on for dear life. A big wave sends the Going Merry in the air, each of the crew screaming for dear life save for Luffy who was laughing.)
Mukai kaze ni nagasare kujikesouna toki wa Kono te nigire Try to take a chance mou Kimi wa hitori nanka janai ze
(The focus shifts to Nami as she stands in front of Bell-mère's grave. It becomes dark as the Arlong Pirate mark appears behind her as does Arlong who had a malicious grin. Nami walks through the dark and passes people she knows from her home island: Genzo, Nako, Nojiko, and finally Bell-mère who is smiling. Seeing the smiling face of her mother, Nami made her decision and runs to Arlong Park and pushes the doors open as a bright light enveloped the scene.)
Motto motto mae e mae e kimi no ikashita yume akiramenaide Sou naitenai de susume My way ima Kimi wo terashitenda hikari
(The light clears as it shows Luffy throwing Moomoo in the air. The rest of the Straw hats battling Arlong's executives. Zoro crosses blades with Hachi as the octopus held six swords, Usopp shakes in fear as he fires a Led Star at Chew who blasts water from his long mouth, and Sanji who delivers a kick toward Kuroobi who blocked with a fin.)
Akirame nanka zenbu sutete tsuyosa to hikikae ni mata kizutsuite demo kimi no massuguna hitomi ni wa
(The scene cuts to Nami, who for some reason is wearing Jou's beanie. She had a worried look on her face with the rest of the Cocoyashi villagers behind her. It pans to Arlong Park and the scene goes into the top floor. An exhausted-looking Jou is on one knee, his left shoulder bleeding heavily down his arm. He was staring up at a blood-thirsty Arlong, hatred in his slitted eyes.)
Ima mieru daro hikari
(Jou stares back with determination in his eyes as he charges at Arlong, chains fluttering behind in his hands. Arlong charges Jou, his jaw was open wide which reveals the several shark teeth in his mouth. The scene comes to a still as Jou and Arlong rush to attack each other.)
"Belle-mere?" Usopp repeated. "So you're saying that she raised both you and Nami?"
"That's right," Nojiko stated. "She did."
So Nami had an adoptive mother. Jou was curious what kind of person Belle-mere was considering she raised Nami. It also might help shed some light on this whole thing.
"Go on and tell us about Belle-mere," Jou said.
"I guess I should start from the beginning..." Nojiko smiled to herself.
8 years ago...
A 10-year old Nami had been unsuccessful in trying to steal a book from the local bookstore in Cocoyashi village. But was unfortunately caught by the village leader, Genzo.
"Sticky fingers, eh Nami?" Genzo questioned as he easily carried Nami by the back of her dress much to the young girl's displeasure and kicked her legs in protest.
"Let me go!" Nami struggled. "I'm not a cat!"
"You little urchin!" Genzo exclaimed. "How many times do I have to tell you that stealing is wrong?" Nami stuck her tongue out in retaliation.
"How else am I gonna get what I need!" Nami retorted. "I don't have any money!" Genzo brought Nami back to her own house.
"Belle-mere!" Genzo shouted and knocked on the door. "Belle-mere!" he called again and this time started banging on the door. "I caught her stealing again! Open this door!"
The door opens revealing a slim-figured woman with long fuchsia hair tied in a ponytail in a chelsea-hawk style. This woman was Bell-mère and she doesn't look happy to see the village leader pounding on her door.
"What do you want now?" Bell-mère asked. She noticed Nami who had a big smile on her face holding a book in her arms. "You're back!" she grinned. "That was a quick trip."
"I got a ride," Nami explained with a proud smile on her face.
"Listen, you better get control of her!" Genzo ordered. "Before she winds up in a jail cell!"
"Thanks for the advice," Bell-mère sighed. She sauntered up to Genzo and patted him on the face. "Haven't you ever seen something you've wanted and just taken it?"
"You're the reason she acts this way!" Genzo shouted.
"Relax, I'm just kidding," Bell-mère dismissed and moved her hand to the bottom of Genzo's chin. "I hope that you were kind enough to pay for her."
"Uh, Bell-mère..." Genzo stammered with a nervous gulp.
"Thanks so much, I don't have money right now," Bell-mère said as Genzo's face became several shades of red. "I'll pay you somehow..." she moved to his ear. "Does that sound good?" The red from the leader's face vanished as Genzo quickly backed away with an angry look.
"YOU CAN'T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT!" Genzo exclaimed. Bell-mère and Nami laughed at the nervous village leader's expense.
"Look, he's red as a beet!" Bell-mère cackled and stared at Nami and knelt to her level and cleared her own throat. "Now then, laugh it up while you still can, Nami."
Bell-mère was seated in a chair with Nami in front of her. She bonked Nami on the head causing her to scream in pain from the strike.
"Do that one more time and you won't be able to sit for a week," Bell-mère scolded.
"Ow!" whined Nami as she nursed her head. "Sorry! It's just that, I really need that book, Bell-mère."
"Then why wouldn't you ask me I would buy it for you?" Bell-mère questioned.
"Because I know you can't afford it," Nami frowned.
"Of course I can," Bell-mère assured. "There's money left over from the last harvest."
"But I heard them in the village!" Nami exclaimed. "They said the weather's been so good that everyone's tangerines will sell which means we can't raise our price and we may not be able to sell at all!"
"They don't know what they're talking about," Bell-mère said.
"Way to go, Nami!" a young Nojiko commented. "If I had stolen it, there's no way I would've been caught." With a swift movement, Bell-mère struck both girls on their heads causing the 2 to scream in pain.
"No more stealing," Bell-mère scolded. "Right?"
"I was joking!" Nojiko cried. "That's all!"
"That really hurt!" Nami whined. Despite the girls complaining, Bell-mère laughed in proud amusement.
"I'm sorry," Bell-mère said. "But one thing's for sure, the maps you draw are so amazing, Nami." Bell-mère opened one of the many maps Nami had drawn. "I see you can draw maps now as well as sea charts."
"That's the map of our island, isn't it?" Nojiko asked with a smile. Bell-mère rubbed the top of Nami's head.
"Nobody will believe that such a little girl drew this all by herself," Bell-mère grinned.
"I wanted the book so I'll be able to start studying navigation," Nami said.
"Navigation as well?" Bell-mère wondered.
"You're gonna be a navigator?" Nojiko asked.
"That's right," Nami said. "I'm gonna guide ships around all the oceans of the world, it'll be great and I'll be able to make maps of all the far-off places I'll go." Nami snickered as she thought of all the places she would love to see in the world.
"So, this island map is the first step toward realizing your dream, is that it?" Bell-mère asked holding up the map.
"Mmhm!" Nami nodded with a big grin.
"Mmhm!" Bell-mère returned the nod. "Nami, your dream is going to come true. I have no doubt."
Later, the surrogate family was seated at the table. Nami and Nojiko ate dinner while Bell-mère was knitting.
"Hey uh, Belle-mere?" Nami wondered.
"Hm?" Belle-mere hummed in answer.
"Why haven't you been eating dinner with us lately?" Nami questioned.
"I've been eating tangerines," Bell-mère answered. "I've just been on a diet, that's all."
"Then I don't wanna eat either," Nojiko muttered with a bitter look.
"What's with all of the drama?" Bell-mère asked. "You need to eat because you are a growing girl."
"Why are you lying to us!?" Nojiko exclaimed. "You're not eating because we don't have enough money to buy food, that's why!"
"Really?" Nami chimed with a worried tone in her voice.
"You're just starving yourself so we won't go hungry!" Nojiko argued.
"Tangerines replenish my skin with the power of liquid sunlight," Bell-mère stated with a smile. "And they are the only reason why I'm still such a ravishing beauty even though I am in my extreme late twenties."
"But your hands are all yellow," Nami remarked.
"WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP AND EAT YOUR FOOD ALREADY!" Bell-mère shouted with shark teeth. She soon finished what she had been knitting. "And here you go, Nami." she said with a proud smirk. "A 'Bell-mère one of a kind original'."
"Oh great," Nami frowned. "A hand-me-down."
"Yeah, that's true," Bell-mère agreed. "But it suits you." Bell-mère handed Nami the dress. "See look."
"The lion used to be a sunflower!" Nami exclaimed.
"Quit complaining!" Nojiko chided. "You have to take my hand-me-downs or you won't get any new clothes!"
"But it's not fair!" Nami shouted. "You get new clothes all the time and mine are all used!"
"I get old clothes too, ya know?" Nojiko retorted back. "So just suck it up, Nami, and take what you get! Understand?" Belle-mere walked away and let the girls have at each other.
"We didn't come from the same parents anyway!" Nami shouted. "We're not real sisters so who cares!" Hearing this caused Bell-mère's eyes to widen.
"Nami!" Bell-mère yelled as she smacked Nami across the face and knocked the young girl to the ground and this shocked Nojiko who watched it happen.
"Bell-mère, please!" Nojiko pleaded. Bell-mère didn't acknowledge Nojiko and only stared at her own hand that she used to hit Nami. Nami stood, trying to fight back the tears brimming in her eyes.
"So what if you don't have the same parents..." Bell-mère rebuked with a glare. "I DON'T EVER WANNA HEAR YOU SAY ANYTHING LIKE THAT AGAIN!"
"I don't care," Nami choked out and looked at Bell-mère with tears finally leaking out her eyes. "You're not our real mother! You're just some lady that's taking care of us! You wish we'd never come here so you can buy clothes and food for yourself! You'd be better off without us, would you? That way you can be selfish and do whatever you want!" Nami sniffed before she continued. "I WISH SOMEONE RICH WOULD'VE ADOPTED US INSTEAD OF A STINKY LOSER LIKE YOU!"
The house was silent, the only noise that filled it was Nami's sobbing. Bell-mère said nothing until she gritted her teeth.
"Well fine..." Bell-mère muttered. "If you hate it here so much, you can find someplace else to live if you want. I didn't sign-up for this."
"Stop fighting!" Nojiko pleaded as her own tears started to form. "Please just stop!"
"I'm never coming back!" Nami yelled and stormed out of the house into the rain while crying.
"Nami, stop!" Nojiko yelled after her sister but Nami didn't listen. She just kept running farther into the rain and not even her own sister's calls were enough to stop her. "NAMI!"
The next day, Nami was in Genzo's office. The village leader laughed in amusement as he dried the girl off with a towel.
"So, you've run away from home and come to the village," Genzo grinned. "Now, what's the plan?" he reached for a cup of warm milk and handed it to Nami. "Drink before it gets cold."
"Bell-mère would be so happy if she didn't have to take care of us," Nami figured as she stared at the cup in her lap.
"And why would you say that?" Genzo wondered.
"Well, you need a lot of money to take care of two kids," Nami stated. "And because of me, the whole village hates her right now."
"That's progress," Genzo commented with a chuckle. "At least you're considering others. But don't worry, when Bell-mère was your age she was a complete nightmare tearing up the entire village."
"Is that the truth?" Nami questioned as it was something she couldn't even believe.
"Sure," Genzo replied. "Even now the villages look at her as some kind of screw-up. So you can see how surprised everyone in the village was when she joined the Marines."
"Marines?" Nami asked. "You mean Bell-mère was in the Marines?"
"That's right," Genzo nodded. He explained to Nami a tale about how Bell-mère was near death after a fierce fight with Pirates. The village where the battle took place was destroyed but the Marine and Pirate sides both suffered heavy losses. Bell-mère was the only survivor and met a younger Nojiko carrying an innocent baby girl.
"That innocent child was you, Nami," Genzo stated and this brought a look of surprise on Nami's face. "And seeing how precious you were gave Bell-mère the right reasons to live again."
Genzo went on about how Bell-mère sailed back to Cocoyashi village in a terrible storm with Nami and Nojiko, the two children were terribly sick. Belle-mere leaped onto the dock as the villagers stared at her in bewilderment.
"Doctor," Bell-mère ordered. "I need a doctor!"
"What's going on?" A villager asked. "What happened to you Bell-mère?"
"Bell-mère?" Genzo repeated when he saw her.
"Did somebody call for a doctor?" Nako, the village doctor asked.
"Who're these children?" A villager wondered as Bell-mère held both Nami and Nojiko in her arms.
"DOCTOR! THEY'RE BURNING UP!" Bell-mère shouted. "I'M AFRAID THEY MIGHT BE SICK! PLEASE HELP THEM!"
"Give them here," Nako said as he took the two kids. "All right, then we better mend up those nasty wounds of yours as well, young lady."
"Never mind me!" Bell-mère protested with tears. "Please don't let them die, you have to save them! I'm begging you doctor!" Nako tended to the girls and got to fixing Bell-mère. Later, Bell-mère held Nami in her arms with Nojiko beside her.
"I don't believe it...?" Genzo said with wide eyes. "Say that whole thing again?"
"I said I'm gonna try to be the mother of these two girls," Bell-mère stated firmly. "It's that simple."
"No way!" Genzo exclaimed.
"That's insane!" Nako seemed to be in agreement. "You are far too immature to handle this much responsibility!"
"You can't handle them by yourself," Genzo argued. "Just hand them over to the auth-"
"I'VE MADE UP MY MIND!" Bell-mère shouted as it caused the men to scream in fear. "You can't deny that I'm an adult. And what I've lived through as a Marine has given me the right to be treated with more respect. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of two girls." she smiled at both children. "And nothing can stop me from raising them to be wonderful girls." she brought them both together in a hug. "So now where gonna be a family together, Nami and Nojiko have renewed my love of life."
"The bond between you girls grows any deeper than any normal famiy," Genzo remarked with a smile. After hearing the tale, Nami looked as if she were about to cry, learning that Bell-mère really did care about her. It was at this time that Nojiko appeared at Genzo's office.
"Nami!" Nojiko exclaimed happily. "I thought I'd find you here."
"Nojiko...?" Nami said.
"C'mon, Bell-mère's waiting for us!" Nojiko smiled. "She's making us a special supper."
"Sure!" Nami said as a big smile brightened her face. The two girls ran out of the office in a hurry.
"I think she's making your favorite!" Nojiko said. "Omelette's with tangerine sauce!"
"Yeah!" Nami cheered as she and Nojiko continued running back to their home. The villagers of Cocoyashi watched them, commenting how much of a happy family Bell-mère and her two girls are. All was good and well until...
"PIRATES ARE COMING!" A villager warned. "EVERYBODY RUN!"
A large Pirate ship with a razor tip docked at the island and painted on the sail was "Arlong".
"The Arlong Pirates!?" a villager shouted.
"Arlong?" A village woman repeated.
"Nami, Nojiko!" Genzo called as he ran toward the girls with the doctor, Nako.
"Genzo?!" Nami said sounding worried.
"It's too dangerous for you here," Genzo told them. "Go hide in the woods."
"But, what about...?" Nami started.
"You must go now!" Genzo commanded. The girls quickly ran into the woods to hide. Arlong and his crew walked into the village.
"Greetings and salutations, you pathetic little humans," Arlong greeted. "FROM THIS MOMENT ON THIS ENTIRE ISLAND AND IT'S INHABITANTS ARE APART OF MY DOMAIN!" he exclaimed spreading his arms wide with his crew cheering behind him. "Listen closely, from now on the first day of every month, you will buy your lives from me! A hundred thousand berri's for adults, fifty thousand for children! Those who can not pay will die!" Arlong then boomed in laughter at his proclamation.
"What should we do, Nojiko?" Nami asked from the place where she and Nojiko were hidden. "We don't have that much money."
"Maybe the Fishmen won't be able to find our house." Nojiko figured. "You can't see it from here." the villagers placed their money in a sack the fishmen had.
"Is that it?" Arlong asked Kuroobi. "So, what's the hull?"
"About twenty-five million, give or take," Kuroobi answered.
"YOU ALL SHALL LIVE!" Arlong laughed.
Genzo hoped the fishmen would leave without them noticing Bell-mère's house. Because there's no way Bell-mère would be able to pay with her taking care of Nami and Nojiko.
"It's time to leave!" Arlong commanded his pirates. "Come brothers!" he and his crew began walking back to their ship. The villagers were relieved that they were leaving.
"Arlong!" a Fishman shouted. "There's smoke coming from outside the village!"
While cooking in her kitchen, Bell-mère was happily humming to herself while preparing the meal she and her daughters were going to have.
"Okay, let's see..." She said taking a taste with her fingers. "Delicious. There isn't anything quite as tasty as my special tangerine sauce. Nami and Nojiko are gonna love it."
"It's like chimney smoke from somebody's house?" A Fishman dressed like a clown said.
"Oh, we almost missed that one," Arlong stated. Genzo gritted his teeth in worry.
"Bell-mère!" Nami and Nojiko said in unison as they hurried to their home.
"All right!" Arlong said to his brothers. "Let's go, guys!" He and his crew walked toward the house with chimney smoke being sent into the air. The villagers were worried about the fact that they were headed to Belle-mere's house. They soon noticed that Nami and Nojiko were absent from their hiding place.
"I think the duck needs another 10 minutes," Bell-mère commented. "And the stew is almost ready. This is definitely gonna blow my budget but sometimes you gotta live a little."
Unknown to Bell-mère were Arlong and his crew making their way to her house. Using the forest as cover, Nami and Nojiko kept running toward their house and hoping to get to Bell-mère in time.
"Bell-mère is gonna be killed!" Nami cried in worry. As Bell-mère continued preparing the meal, there was a knock at the front door.
"Oh, they're here." Bell-mère smiled. She noticed there were a bunch of shadowed figures outside her house and through the windows and figured something was wrong. Arlong knocked on the door again as he waited for a response.
"It's open!" Bell-mère called sweetly from the other side. "Come in!"
"Why thank you," Arlong said and pushed open the door and walked inside. As he did, he looked from left to right and all of a sudden was kicked in the face which sent him flying out of the house. The Fish-man captain fell flat on his back as Bell-mère was seated on Arlong with a rifle pushed in his mouth.
"I guess you weren't an expected a former marine," Belle-mere remarked with a glare. "Now, what would a pirate from the Grand Line want with Cocoyashi Village?" The Arlong Pirates didn't move or even try to help their captain, instead they began to hysterically laugh and this only annoyed Belle-mere.
"What's so funny!?" Bell-mère questioned. Arlong himself joined his crew in laughter until he bit down on Bell-mère's rifle which caught her by surprise.
"Useless. Foolish. Stupid. Empty. Worthless." Arlong listed off insults. "All of you humans. You have no strength to speak of." the Fish-man captain boomed another laugh. Nami and Nojiko continued their sprint to their home.
"We'll help her escape through the back door!" Nami suggested.
"What if the pirates are already there!?" Nojiko wondered.
"We'll be okay!" Nami assured.
"STOP!" Both girls were stopped by Nako. He pushed them back so he can look them in the eyes.
"Doctor!?" Nami said.
"You can't go back home!" Nako told them.
"But we have to save Belle-mere!" Nami argued.
"Nojiko! Nami!" Nako said lifting his shades so they see his eyes. "Be quiet and listen to me! There will be times in life like this moment now when you have to learn the truth no matter how hard it is to take."
From the house, there was a loud painful scream that was heard. There was no doubt that scream came from Bell-mère being tortured by the Fishmen causing her to howl in agony like that.
"Bell-mère no!" Nami yelled and tried to run to the house only to be stopped by the village doctor.
"Listen, there's no way that the Pirates will ever find out about you," Nako asserted. "But you have to leave this island immediately and don't ever look back! It's the only way for all three of you to survive!" tears dripped from both of the girls' eyes. "It's the only way for all 3 of you to survive. We can't afford it any other way. You're much too young to be at sea alone but you survived it before and if there's even a chance..."
"No." Nami choked. "I don't want to. Why do we have to leave? They're the ones who came here. I...I wanna stay in this village. It's because we're poor and that's why we can't stay together. Why can't they just go away!?"
"Fine," Nojiko sniffed as she began walking away. "We'll leave this island!"
"Nojiko!" Nami called.
"We have to leave or Bell-mère will die," Nojiko stated as she kept walking.
Bell-mère was saved by Genzo who made up a quick lie that she was preparing dinner for them. Bell-mère was in bad shape. She had a bruise on the side of her face and her left arm had been crushed underneath Arlong's foot earlier. Bell-mère watched Arlong and his Fishmen leave and felt the need to say how she truly felt.
"Wait!" Bell-mère called as the Fishmen paused in their walk. "Who said I was paying for me? That money I gave up was for my 2 daughters! But I can't pay you!"
"What're you doing!?" Genzo wondered with a look of distress.
"It's okay," Bell-mère assured. "I have to do this for my family, even it cost me my life. It's true that the 3 of us aren't related by blood. But we're family. All I ever wanted was to be their mother and now I can be."
Nami and Nojiko came running from the side of the house. Both cried tears and ran straight to Bell-mère.
"I was lying Bell-mère!" Nami cried. She and Nojiko embraced Bell-mère in a hug. Bell-mère even found herself crying as she hugged them both.
"Don't cry girls," she said. "I wish I could've...I could've provided for you better. I wish I could've been a better mother to the both of you."
"Don't say that!" Nojiko shouted.
"We don't need anything!" Nami added. "Just don't die!"
"Don't leave us!" Nojiko yelled.
"You need to see the map I'm gonna draw of the whole world!" Nami pleaded.
"Yes, your map," Bell-mère said touching Nami's head. "Go and make your dreams come true. For me." more tears leaked from Bell-mère's eyes.
"Bell-mère, no!" Nami sobbed.
"So, these are your daughters," Arlong figured.
"Yeah, that's right," Bell-mère stated. "And you have to promise that you'll leave them alone."
"No problem," Arlong grinned. "As long as you die like a good girl."
Genzo was holding 2 pistols at fired at Arlong. Kuroobi deflected the shots with his fins and slashed Genzo across the chest with a sword. Arriving from down the hill were the Cocoyashi villagers looking ready to fight and carrying pitchforks, pans, etc., or whatever they can use as weapons.
"Well then, don't kill 'em boys!" Arlong smirked. "Just teach them a lesson." his Pirates went to deal with the villagers. "Now to set an example." Arlong approached Bell-mère as she shoved Nami and Nojiko inside the house.
"Bell-mère!" both girls screamed for their mother.
"You ready to die?" Arlong asked as he pointed a pistol at Bell-mère. The villagers were currently being beaten down by the Fishmen. Arlong lined his shot at Bell-mère, the woman staring at him defiantly.
"Nojiko! Nami!" Bell-mère looked at the crying girls with one last smile. "Love you." her last words as Arlong pulled the trigger and shot Bell-mère in her chest, killing her instantly.
Once Nojiko finished that part of the story, Jou immediately stood and started walking.
"Jou?" Usopp wondered. "Where are you going? Nojiko's not even finished with the story."
"I heard what I needed to hear," Jou stated as he stopped walking.
"So, you're Jou?" Jou heard Nojiko as he turned his head to look at her.
"Yeah, that's me," Jou stated. "What of it?"
"Nothing much," Nojiko shrugged. "Just that Nami talked about you. She had quite a lot to say about all of you."
"Nami talked about me~!" Sanji swooned with a heart replacing his visible eye. "What did she say~?"
"Why would she talk about you," Zoro grumbled at the cook. "She barely even knows you."
"Anyway, now I know why Nami hates Pirates so much," Jou explained. "Arlong killed her mother. For me, this is more than enough reason to help her." Jou continued walking. "Stay and listen if Nojiko's got more to say, I'm going to find Luffy."
"Didn't you hear a thing I said?" Nojiko asked. "It's better to leave this island-"
"Thanks for the warning," Jou sternly told her. "But I'm not leaving. I'm making this my problem. If Arlong isn't brought down, Nami will never be free." Jou put his head down. "She isn't the only one who lost someone close to Pirates." he heard a quiet gasp escape from Nojiko. "I've made my decision." with that, Jou started down the dirt path.
"Geez, is everyone so stubborn on your crew like him and your Captain?" Nojiko questioned with a shake of her head.
"Guess you can say that," Zoro remarked.
The story from Nojiko replayed in Jou's thoughts. Jou wasn't upset with Nami for not talking about any of this but knew she had her reasons. Jou was right, there was no way Arlong is going to let her go even if she collected 100 million berri's. Nami's a gifted Navigator, so obviously, Arlong wants to use her skills for himself. Jou's own past was similar, but the situation was different.
Why does this feel so familiar like back then... Jou thought.
It happened 10 years ago, Pirates came to his village when he was only a kid. Jou still remembered the Jolly Rodger. It was a skull and crossbones, but instead of crossbones, it was a pair of swords with razor edges. Jou will never forget the Captain of the crew. When Jou was a kid, he had nightmares he was still aboard that ship and that captain was definitely a part of them.
Jou shook the thoughts from his head as this isn't about any of that. This whole situation is about Nami and that's all Jou was thinking about. He made his way down to the village hoping to find Luffy. Luffy might not be ready to go after Arlong just yet, but Jou figured he will be eventually.
Nami made her way out of her house after she had taken a much-needed nap. Nami saw that Nojiko was nowhere to be found after she told her about the others. Nami stepped outside her house and stretched her arms above her head.
"One more little job," Nami remarked with a smirk. "Let's get to it." she turned her head as she heard footsteps approaching. A group of Marines were making their way toward the house. But what really caught Nami's attention was that a familiar village leader was with them.
Marines...? Nami wondered. Why is Genzo with them?
The Marines were led by a man with whiskers on his face, similar to a rat. His Marine hat had a pair of animal ears protruding at the top and wore a coat which probably meant he was an officer. The man had a sneer on his face as he addressed Nami.
"Are you the Pirate thief known as Nami?" the Marine officer asked. Nami made no attempt to deny it and only grit her teeth. "According to our investigation, you've buried a good deal of Pirate treasure somewhere in this tangerine grove."
This caused a look of shock to cross Nami's face. Even Genzo's own eyes widen at hearing this.
"Now, you stole from Pirates so we have no intention of arresting you," the officer explained. "But theft is theft. Therefore, as of this moment: Stolen goods become the sole property of the World Government." sweat poured from Nami's face as her body shook from the proclamation.
"Now hand it all over!" the officer exclaimed. "IT'S OURS!"
For a while, Nami didn't say a word or move a muscle. This couldn't be right. How could the Marines have found out about the money she had stashed in the grove. The Marine officer only snickered at her.
"Sorry, perhaps you didn't hear the first time," he said. "The government hereby confiscates everything you've stolen. It is required that you comply immediately. Do you understand?"
Nami wasn't about to give up everything she's worked for. She wasn't going to break down, not a chance, and decided to instead use her alignment with Arlong as an advantage.
"Isn't that something?" Nami remarked and crossed her arms. "I can see you're very passionate about your duties. You won't bring a brutal gang of Pirates to justice but you will shakedown a lowly sneak thief. That's so very noble." the officer snickered in response. "I'm only gonna warn you once: I'm one of the leaders of the Arlong Pirates. If you mess with me, Arlong won't sit by quietly."
"Silly girl," the officer commented. "Who do you think I am? Do you honestly think you can intimidate me? FIND THE STOLEN GOODS!" the rest of the Marines scattered and started to search for the stolen treasure.
"DON'T MOVE!" Nami shouted but went unheard as the Marines kept Searching about the grove. Nami ran and connected her staff together. "I... said... STOP!" Nami knocked down 3 Marines, preventing them from searching for the treasure. "Do you really think this is what the Marines should be doing now?" Nami exclaimed with a glare. "The Arlong Pirates are murderers! They've destroyed entire cities and you're doing nothing! He's ruling over this island and trampling over people's lives! You'd ignore Arlong's atrocities to steal from a thief? Is that what you stand for!?"
"Che che che," the officer chuckled. "Big talk from a filthy criminal. Continue the search, men!"
"Every person on this island has been waiting for the Marines to come and help them for years!" Nami yelled. "How dare you pass them by and come here searching for money!"
"Colonel!" a Marine addressed the officer. "This tangerine orchard's a little suspicious."
"Dig it up," the Colonel ordered. "The whole thing if need be!"
Nami wasn't about to let these Marines touch that treasure. But she sure wasn't going to let them defile her mother's orchard. Nami quickly attacked a Marine holding a shovel.
"Keep your filthy hands off Bell-mère's tangerine orchard!" Nami said and then went on to knock down a few more Marines who were digging. There's no point in hiding it now. "I won't let you take my money! It's for-!"
"That poor girl's money is meant to save Cocoyashi village!" it appears Genzo who had been quiet has had enough as well. "What gives you the right to take our salvation away from her! Damn you!"
"My my, a mere village representative talking down to a Marine colonel..." the Colonel said. "How bold." after Nami knocked out one more Marine soldier, she turned to the man she's known since she was a child.
"Genzo, how did you know about that?" Nami wondered as the pinwheel in Genzo's cap spun rapidly as the wind picked up.
"I've always known, Nami," Genzo said softly. A look of pure distress appeared on Nami's face. "I couldn't believe what you had done. So I confronted Nojiko about it later. Since then, everyone has known that you stayed with the Arlong Pirates so that you could save the village. But we all agreed that we'd never tell you that we knew. If you ever thought the villagers were placing their hopes on you, you might never leave his gang for fear of letting us down."
"That can't be..." Nami mumbled. She thought the money kept here was a secret. Nami didn't know Genzo and the villagers were pretending like they never knew about the money. The money that's going to be used to buy Cocoyashi's freedom.
"Now, hold on a minute," the Colonel remarked. "Just what are you trying to say here? Are you telling me that the villagers are thieves and that we should arrest every one of them? Is that what you're saying?"
"What he's saying is that every last of us is fighting to survive!" Nojiko's voice rang out as she walked up the hill. "We have to fend for ourselves because we can't rely on support from you government people! So, if you're not gonna protect our village, then get the hell outta here! And be quick about it, or Arlong will sink your ship, too!"
"Arlong will?" the Colonel questioned. "I wouldn't be so sure." Nami thought about what he could possibly mean by that. What did Arlong have to do with these Marines?
"You still haven't found it?" the Colonel asked his Marines. "We're looking for a 100 million berri's here, not a grain of rice!" Genzo's eyes widened as he approached the Colonel.
"How do you know how much there is?" Genzo wondered with shaking fists.
"Oh, I don't know," the Colonel said whilst trying to act nonchalant. "I just have a hunch that that's the amount we're looking for." the Colonel chuckled as Genzo glared at him. Nojiko grit her teeth in anger and the color drained from Nami's face. Nami figured out who tipped the Marines about the amount of money stashed here. The one who's had her village under his rule for 8 long years.
"It's him..." Nami murmured and heard the booming laughter of Arlong in her mind. She glared and clenched her wounded hand. "Tell me! It was Arlong that sent you, wasn't it!?"
"Che che che," chuckled the Colonel. "Course not. I wouldn't do a Pirates dirty work, that'd be wrong. I'm just a public servant dealing with theft the way any government worker would."
"YOU CORRUPT MARINE SCUMBAG!" Genzo shouted.
"THE MARINES HAVE STOOPED TO BEING NOTHING BUT PIRATE CRONIES!" Nojiko exclaimed. Nami's other hand clenched her staff as she bit her lip in anger.
Arlong, Nami seethed in her thoughts.
"Sir, I found it!" a Marine announced. They moved the dirt to reveal a brown box that was buried in the ground. The Colonel opened the box and laughed as he saw everything that had been stored inside. A pile of gold bars, coins, and jewels along with stacks of berri bill's all together in one place.
"Incredible!" the Colonel commented. "I must say I'm impressed you've gathered this much treasure!"
"The money's all ragged and bloody," a Marine commented as he picked up one of the bills.
"No matter," the Colonel dismissed. "Money's money, che che che" he snickered as he leered at the money in his hands.
"Don't. Touch. That." Nami growled. Just watching this corrupt Marine officer touch the money she's worked so hard to steal over the course of 8 years brought on a fierce look in her eyes. "Don't touch that," she repeated as she approached the officer with her staff firmly in her grasp.
"Nami!" Nojiko said as she and Genzo immediately ran to her.
"Stop it!" Nami shouted. "Don't touch that! STOP IT!" Nami started to make a dash at the officer. The officer takes a pistol out of his coat and aimed it at Nami. This didn't stop Nami's advance as she kept running. Nami felt a hand clasp onto her arm and saw Nojiko getting in front of her and taking her by the shoulders.
The sound of a gun fired as a look of complete shock came over Nojiko's face. The realization washed over Nami's face as well. The Marine Colonel fired a shot and hit Nojiko. Nami watched her sister drop to the ground.
"Nojiko!" Nami called as she checked her sister. "NOJIKO!"
Jou whistled a tune with a hand in his pocket. He strolled down the path and once again found Cocoyashi village. He'd been in the village before when he and Zoro went to check if they can find Usopp. Jou didn't have a chance to really look at the village since he and Zoro were in a hurry.
"So this is Cocoyashi, huh?" Jou wondered. "It's no Bouy village but it seems nice enough. Can't say the Fishmen really help the place." he stopped walking and crossed his arms. "There I go again, talking to myself."
"Jou...?" the familiar voice of his captain called. "What're you doing walking around and muttering to yourself?" Jou saw Luffy leaning against a palm tree with his arms relaxed behind his head.
"Nothing special," Jou shrugged as he walked to his captain. "So this is where you went. Anything interesting happen?"
"I just thought of a new move!" Luffy remarked with a grin.
"Really?" Jou questioned. "Here's hoping you get to use it soon." Luffy only chucked in response. There seemed to have been some commotion going on in town as Jou looked and saw a crowd.
"Doctor!" a man called. "DOCTOR!"
"Genzo, what is it?" an elderly man in sunglasses ran toward the crowd.
"Nojiko's been shot!" once the man called Genzo said that; Jou's eyes couldn't help but widen at that news.
"Nojiko..." Jou murmured and noticed the blue-haired girl in Genzo's arms. Jou also found Nami standing close by her sister, a worried look on her face.
"By who?" the Doctor wondered.
"The Marines," Genzo growled angrily. Questions flooded through Jou's mind.
Why would the Marines shoot Nami's sister? Jou thought. I didn't think they would go that far to shoot a defenseless woman. Protect and serve, my ass. Jou's mind drifted to a friend of his that joined the Marines about a few years ago. Here's hoping you didn't stoop so low as that, Rana.
"Nojiko?" the Doctor checked Nojiko's wound. The young woman let out a small shout of pain as Nako put some pressure on her wound.
"Arlong has been working with those damn Marines," Genzo stated.
"What?" this news seemed to shock the Doctor.
"He's been lying to Nami for the last 8 years," Genzo continued. "He never intended to honor their agreement at all."
Once more, Arlong shows he's just a complete jackass, Jou thought bitterly. First, he kills Nami's mother right in front of her and now he just lies to her. Looks like I was right to believe he was only using her.
"That bastard!"
"That scoundrel! He lied to our Nami!"
"Poor Nami..."
The villagers were upset by the fact that Arlong lied to Nami. For Jou, it was good to hear the villagers didn't despise and view her as a traitor. They saw her as one of them, just like how Jou and even Luffy still see her as one of the crew. Jou saw Luffy stand and saw he was about to approach the group to talk to Nami.
"Let me talk to her," Jou convinced Luffy to let him go and talk to her.
Just be cool, Jou thought. She still might be upset about earlier.
Jou made his way through the crowd, he could feel the eyes on him. To them, he was only a stranger, someone not from the village. That didn't matter much to Jou since his focus was on Nami.
"Sorry for the interruption," Jou apologized to the crowd. "Hey, Nami," Jou said to the Navigator and saw her tense the second he called her name. "I'm sorry about Nojiko-" he paused when Nami turned her head with a harsh glare.
"Why are you still here!?" Nami shouted and grabbed Jou by the shirt and pulled him to her face. "STAY OUTTA MY BUSINESS! JUST GET AWAY FROM OUR ISLAND!" Jou just let her do it and saw the anger in her eyes. Half of it had to be the fact that Arlong lied to her. Nami shoved Jou out of her way as he watched her run off as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"What's her problem?" Luffy wondered with arms behind his head. "What did you say to her?"
"Nothing really..." Jou answered as his eyes never left Nami and made no attempt to follow her.
Arlong, Nami thought as she sprinted down the dirt path leading to Arlong Park. Arlong! she thought as she kept running and showed no hesitation in stopping.
ARLONG! Nami shouted in her mind. Nami remembered the promise Arlong made her long ago when they made the deal.
"And I'm the kind of Fishman who would rather die than break an agreement concerning money," the Fishman said long ago. "And I don't even care how long it takes you. I will honor our agreement."
ARLONG! Nami once more screamed in thought and kept running to the Fishmen compound. Once there, she shoved the doors open and found Arlong sitting on his throne along with Hachi, Kuroobi, Chew, and the rest of the Arlong Pirates.
"Arlong!" Nami yelled which got the Fishman leader and his executives' attention. She slowly made her over to Arlong.
"Ah, what seems to be the problem oh skilled surveyor of ours?" Arlong asked with a grin. "Why the sour face?" Nami didn't let up in her anger as she had her fist clenched as she continued her advance toward Arlong.
"Those Marine maggots you keep on the payroll stole every last Berri I had!" Nami exclaimed and grabbed Arlong by the shirt, the Fishman didn't budge an inch and kept his smirk at Nami. "WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THAT CRAP ABOUT DYING WHEN IT COMES TO MONEY, BASTARD!"
"Refresh my memory," Arlong said. "Did I break a promise?"
"Don't play dumb with me!" Nami argued. "I know you teamed up with the Marines to-" Nami was cut off as Arlong had clasped his large webbed hand over her mouth.
"Just when did I break that promise...?" Arlong asked. "Speak up, girl." Tears leaked from Nami's eyes as she can no longer speak due to Arlong's hold on her mouth.
"SHAHAHAHA!" Arlong guffawed as the rest of his Fishmen joined in the laughter.
Damn you! Nami could only think as the tears streamed down Arlong's hand. Damn you! DAMN YOU!
"Too bad all your stolen money got stolen," Arlong chuckled. "That certainly is unfortunate. But a deal is a deal, Nami. If you can't come up with 100 million berri's then both you and your village stay in my possession indefinitely." Nami managed to get her mouth free but remained in Arlong's grip. "Well, you know the terms."
"You pig!" Nami voiced with a tearful glare. Arlong's only response was another sound of boisterous laughter.
"IT'S ONLY 100 MILLION BERRI'S!" Arlong shouted. "START SAVING AGAIN AND YOU'LL HAVE IT IN NO TIME!" This time Arlong had his fist underneath Nami's chin. "Or are you gonna run out on me? Listen, if you do that; I'll kill everyone in that village. Do you understand me?" Nami didn't answer and only bit her lip as she heard Genzo's voice in her head.
"Nami, we agreed we would never tell you that we knew. If you thought all of us were counting on you, you would be bound by guilt. Never to leave his gang for fear of letting us down."
Nami stole all that treasure for her village so she could finally free it for 8 long years. Now, Nami can no longer free her home all because the Marines have been tipped off by Arlong about 100 million berri's. If it took her so long to collect all of that treasure, it meant she would be stuck in Arlong's crew forever. Nami slapped Arlong's hand away and immediately ran out of Arlong Park.
"Aw, running away so soon?" Arlong mocked and laughed.
"Shouldn't we chase after her?" Hachi wondered.
"No need for that," Arlong said. "Trust me, Hachi. She's not going anywhere. There's no way Nami could just abandon the lives of all those villagers."
"Chu, now that's what I called playing dirty," Chew commented.
"There's no way I'd let go of an asset like Nami that easily," Arlong stated. "I may be cruel but I'm not totally heartless. Once she's done charting all the world's oceans, she'll have her freedom!" Arlong and his Fishmen joined in laughter altogether.
"That's pretty harsh man!" a Fishman joked. "It'll take decades for sure!"
"Yeah, I bet 100 years wouldn't be enough!"
Nami with tears still falling from her eyes was making a run toward Cocoyashi village. She had to stop the villagers from charging into Arlong Park to challenge Arlong. If they do that, they will all be killed.
Genzo! Please don't do anything stupid! Nami pleaded. We have to live or our struggles will mean nothing! You can't throw your lives away!
"8 long years ago, we promised we wouldn't live our lives in vain!" Genzo announced to the villagers. "No matter the pain or humiliation we endured under Arlong, we swore to fight the long fight so Nami could meet their demands! But they lied! They never intended to keep their end of the deal! Instead they stole our only chance at freedom! So now, we should make those filthy Fishman pay for the years they manipulated a kind young girl! Am I right?"
"Yeah!" a villager cheered. "Let's do this!"
"Let's get 'em!" each of the villagers let out a resounding cheer while raising shovels, pitchforks, swords and whatever else they can use as weapons.
"Everybody, wait!" Nami called out to them. The villagers turned and as she approached them. Nami had to wipe the tears from her eyes and put a smile on her face. Her plan is to reassure them that everything was fine.
"Nami...?" Nojiko wondered as Nami made her way toward the villagers.
"Calm down!" Nami laughed. "It's not that much money! I can make it back in no time! I'll take care of it, don't worry! It'll be easy this time!" the faces everyone gave her told her that she wasn't convincing them of anything. "I'm used to it! I'll be fine! Just relax, everything is okay! Hey, it's nothing compared to back then. Come on, everyone. I'm perfectly fine."
Everyone said nothing as they only stared at her. Genzo walked up and pulled Nami into a hug. Nami was surprised by the gesture as her eyes widened.
"You've done enough," Genzo said softly. "You have to know that there is no point now. You struggled so hard carrying our lives on your back this whole time. I can imagine that joining them must've been more painful than being stabbed through the heart. You fought very well." the tears started to leak from Nami's eyes again.
"Genzo..." Nami choked as Genzo moved away and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Set yourself free from this village," Genzo stated as Nami gasped.
"Genzo...!" Nami said as she was surprised by his words.
"Nami, do it!" Nojiko spoke up.
"What...?" Nami questioned at her sister. "Nojiko!"
"Nami..."
"Go on..." the villagers were in agreement to let Nami leave the island.
"You're an exceptional young woman," Nojiko continued. "And you have a dream!"
"Everyone, listen!" Nami tried to reason with everyone. She couldn't believe what that they were saying to her right now. "I won't let you go!" Nami had to show she was dead serious about letting the villagers go to Arlong Park. She pulled a knife and held it out to them.
"Just stay right there!" Nami warned. "I'm not gonna let anyone get hurt by these monsters!" She tried to calm herself while pointing the knife. "You'll all die..."
"We know that," Genzo said and grabbed her knife.
"Nami, it's no use," Nako stated. "We've made up our minds." Nami bit her lower lip as the tears rolled down once more. The villagers decided they were going to fight for their freedom.
"GET OUTTA THE WAY!" Genzo shouted and turned to address the villagers. "MOVE OUT!" Genzo unsheathed the sword that dangled from his hip and raised it in the air.
"We may not win but we will give 'em hell!" Nako exclaimed as the villagers cheered with him.
The villagers started toward the direction of Arlong Park. All Nami did was stayed frozen as they rushed past her. Nami dropped the knife and fell to her knees. There was no way the villagers will survive against Arlong. She heard the laughter of Arlong in her head as his face was burned in her memory. The laughter continued as tears cascaded from Nami's eyes as she slowly reached for the tattoo that was put on her left shoulder. Anger welled in Nami as she glared at the tattoo as it was just another reminder that she would never be free from Arlong. Nami reached for the knife that she dropped. She screamed as she jammed the knife in her shoulder, right where the Arlong tattoo was.
"ARLONG!" Nami shouted with tears tearfully. "ARLONG! ARLONG!" Nami continued the act of impaling her own shoulder with the knife. She was much too angry to even care about the pain as she continued screaming Arlong's name with each stab in her shoulder. Nami was about to do it once more but felt a hand grasp her wrist.
Nami turned and found Jou, standing behind her. He stared at her with a calm expression as his beanie shadowed his eyes.
"Jou...?" Nami murmured and dropped the knife which was covered in her own blood. "What do you want? You don't know anything about this? You don't know what's been happening on this island for the past 8 years."
"Actually, I do," Jou answered. "Nojiko told me and I'm sorry about Bell-mère, I really am." Nami gritted her teeth as he said her name.
"This has nothing to do with you!" Nami exclaimed. "I told you to leave this place!" Nami dug her fingers in the dirt.
"You have," Jou stated. "Twice, in fact." Nami kept her face turned from him. Not even bothering to even turn around. She didn't want him or anyone to see her like this and the only thing she can think of was to start tossing dirt in his direction.
"So, leave!" Nami yelled as she threw the dirt at Jou's feet as it dissipated in the air. "GET OUTTA HERE! GET OUTTA HERE NOW! GO! GO AWAY! GO!"
Jou never moved once from Nami's dirt throwing. Jou stood in the same spot through it all and didn't move a muscle. Nami heard another set of footsteps approaching. From the corner of her eye, she saw Luffy take a place beside Jou. The straw-hat-wearing boy gave her the same expression Jou was giving her. Nami saw no other way out of all this. But she felt now it was time to put faith in her friends.
"You know you can count on me, Luffy, and the others. Just say the word and we'll help you," the words Jou told her that night played in her mind.
"Jou, Luffy..." Nami said as she showed her tear-stained face. "Help me..."
Jou found Nami in the village again. He saw her trying to convince the Cocoyashi villagers that they didn't have to confront Arlong. The villagers made up their minds and decided to fight just to free themselves from Arlong. After they left, Nami was left alone. Jou could tell she was breaking down from the weight of this whole scenario. She screamed Arlong's name as she used a knife to stab into the tattoo on her shoulder.
Jou knew he couldn't stand by and let it continue. Jou grabbed Nami by the wrist and stopped her from hurting herself any longer. Honestly, Jou hated to see Nami like that. Nami yelled at him to go away and tossed dirt his way but Jou didn't move at all. Jou heard footsteps behind him and saw Luffy. Jou figured his captain didn't like seeing Nami like this either.
"Jou, Luffy..." Nami said with tears cascading from her eyes. "Help me..." Luffy walked up to her and placed his straw hat on her head. Jou smiled since he knew how much Luffy's straw hat meant to him and he was trusting Nami with it.
"Of course," Luffy stated. "That's what friends do." Luffy turned and took a deep breath. "HE'S GONNA PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" he exclaimed with a shout toward the sky.
"Luffy..." Nami murmured. Luffy walked toward Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji. Zoro sat in a seat underneath an umbrella, Usopp sat cross-legged in the road, and Sanji stood with a cigarette in his mouth.
"Let's go," Luffy ordered them.
"Right!" they each agreed in unison. Jou knew they all were ready for this fight as they began the walk to Arlong Park. Jou didn't leave with them right away and knelt in front of Nami. Her eyes were still teary-eyed as she looked at him.
"You're all gonna die for me...?" Nami questioned. "You know that, right?"
"Nami, listen to me..." Jou said as she turned away from him, not meeting his gaze. "Remember, I said we'll help you? I meant it. We're gonna tear that place apart. Everything will work out, I promise." Jou made the move to place his hand over her own. Nami finally stared up at him as he gave her a comforting smile. Jou stood and flicked his left wrist and grabbed his red chain and swung it over his shoulder. "Stay here, it's not going to be safe there." Jou walked to catch up with the others. "Time to show Arlong what happens when you make our Navigator cry."
The villagers of Cocoyashi reached the doors of Arlong Park and found two battered young men sitting in front of them. The two happened to be a certain Bounty-Hunting Duo.
"Hey, are you guys alright?" A villager asked.
"Did Arlong do this to you?" Nako wondered but the two didn't answer.
"Move aside," Genzo ordered. "We have business to take care of with the fishmen."
"When we finally found out the truth about big sis Nami..." Johnny started. "We realized the only thing we can do is defeat Arlong in battle. So we decided to come back here and challenge him."
"Yeah, then we lost," Yosaku stated. "But only by a hair."
"I'm sorry but I can't let you through this door," Johnny said. "You have no chance of victory."
"What's that...?" Genzo questioned.
"Be patient," Yosaku said. "It won't be long now. You see, we're waiting for the arrival of certain men."
"What certain men?" Genzo asked.
"Don't worry," Yosaku assured. "They'll be here soon."
"I bet my life on it," Johnny said with confidence in his voice.
The walk to Arlong Park for the five Pirates was long. They walked the dirt path in-between the trees that brought ever closer toward the Fishman leader's tower. None of them said anything as their minds were focused on the fight ahead of them. This fight was for a friend of theirs and failure wasn't an option. The expressions on their faces showed no sign of fear, if anything it was Arlong and his crew who should be afraid.
"There!" the bounty-hunting duo exclaimed with grins on their faces. Genzo and the villagers turned and saw five figures approaching from the path that led to Arlong's domain. Each of them with looks of determination so deadly serious that even the devil himself would find himself running to escape from them.
"It's them..." Nojiko murmured as she recognized each of them. Nojiko knew Nami considered these guys her friends. If they were walking to Arlong Park to challenge the Fishmen, they were doing it for Nami.
"But why would they come to defend our village...?" Genzo wondered.
"If those men can't handle Arlong and his gang then there really is no hope," Yosaku stated. "Not only for this island but for the whole East Blue."
"Those are the faces of the five men who're here to change your destiny!" Johnny said. "Burn their images into your memory!" Zoro, Luffy, Jou, Sanji, and Usopp walk toward the crowd of Cocoyashi villagers.
"Step aside," Luffy ordered as Johnny, Yosaku and the villagers moved to let the five through.
Arlong laughed as he was seated on his throne. He had his crew deal with a pair of no-name humans that challenged him and sent them out bruised and defeated.
"Hey, do you think those two idiots are members of Zoro's little crew?" Arlong asked Kuroobi.
"Zoro?" the ray fishman wondered. "They seemed too weak for that. They weren't even worth killing."
"That's for sure!" Arlong exclaimed as he laughed again. All of a sudden there was a loud bang at the doors which surprised Arlong and his crew. There was one more which made the door burst open and shatter to pieces.
When the door was busted down it caused dust to scatter in the air. The dust cleared which revealed Luffy with a glare on his face.
"What the...?" was all Arlong could say.
"Now, which one of you is Arlong?" Luffy asked with a clenched fist.
And so, here we are. We're close to the finale at this point. As I mentioned in the first chapter of this story that Jou will have a different opponent in for a certain arc. This is the arc. I also mentioned that Jou will have OC/Canon/Non-Canon opponents. This will be one of those times. If you saw the opening, Jou will have the showdown against Arlong. I mean, I may have spoiled it but I kinda hoped some people would figure it out and there was no extra OC fishman to be seen. People might feel skeptical about it but I'm not the first person to do this since there are quite a few fics where an OC fights Arlong.
Well, let me know if you guys have questions. Put them in a review or you can PM if you want, the choice is yours.
I'll see you guys next time.
Later!