Warning: There's gonna be some pretty graphic stuff in this chapter. Just thought I'd warn you once you read further in. Makes me think I should change the story to M, to be on the safe side. I'll think about it, anyway...
I do not own One Piece
It is owned by Oda
I just the OC's
Enjoy!
Arlong Park opening: Ft. - Funkist, Fairy Tail OP 3
For Jou, Nami showing up right now complicated things. She likely wanted to see all this come to an end and see if her friends were alright but Jou didn't want to risk her getting hurt.
"Me?" Arlong wondered with a grin. "You want to kill me?"
"Nami!" Jou got her attention. When she made eye contact with him, a smile brightened on her face. "What are you even doing here!?" Jou had snapped at her which caused her smile to fade. "I told you to stay away from here!"
Nami put her head down and let Luffy's hat shadow her eyes. Jou didn't mean to shout at her like that. Jou just didn't want her getting hurt, she didn't deserve to with everything she's been through. But she showed up anyway for them, her friends, her village, and to see the end of the man who's tormented her for 8 years.
"Shahahaha!" Arlong guffawed. "Haven't you learned your lesson yet? How many times have you tried to kill me in these last 8 years? You tried assassination. Poison. Sneak attacks. You must be aware that you mere humans can't kill me."
"You think that matters to her!" Jou shouted. "She doesn't care how invincible you think you are, jackass! She's a lot stronger than you think!" Jou glared at the Fishman leader. "She's as strong as she needs to be to stand against you and protect her home!" Jou turned his head over to Nami and gave her a smile. She seemed surprised by the praise he gave her.
"Jou..." Nami murmured.
"But Nami, I told you it's dangerous here!" Jou stated. "If you end up dying here then this will be all for nothing!"
Jou took his eyes off Arlong for only a second to find the Fishman leader land a kick to the left side of Jou's face. Jou flew backward and hit the ground with a crash. He heard a gasp come from Nami's mouth along with the villagers, too. Once he hit the ground, he rolled across the ground into a crouch.
"Big Bro Jou!" Johnny and Yosaku shouted.
"Now, listen..." Arlong began as his focus was on Nami. "I won't put you in the ground, Nami. But you can't leave." Arlong narrowed his eyes. "You remain here, with us, as our surveyor. Forever." Jou watched Nami's eyes widen. "But as you know..." Arlong continued. "I'm quite good-natured. If possible I'd like you to be our surveyor of your own free will." Arlong chuckled. "I'm giving you a choice." Arlong raised a finger in the air. "I will not take pause in having my Fishmen kill every living creature on this island. Except for you."
This jackass... Jou thought. It's like no matter she chooses, Arlong will end killing everyone here.
"But that's only if you refuse to come back to the Arlong pirates and draw sea charts as one of our own," Arlong proposed with a finger pointed at Nami. "And if you decide to come back with us, I'll be kind and spare the villagers' lives. But I can't let these invalids live." the said 'invalids' Arlong referred to were Jou, Zoro, and Sanji and rolled the latter of them aside with his foot. "They must be made an example of. So, there's only one question... will you come with me and save the people of Cocoyashi village? Or be foolish and refuse my request by fighting alongside them?" he gestured to Jou and the others. "It's your choice. With them, you'll be hopeless. With them, you will die. Nami, will you come and stand by my side or not? The decision is yours."
Jou kept his eyes on Nami. Jou knew all she wants is for her village to be free. But now, Arlong was telling her that he'll kill him, Zoro, and Sanji if she goes against Arlong. But if she chooses them, Arlong will kill everyone here on this island. Jou already knew Arlong was just a sadistic bastard but he has become something much worse to Jou now. Just listening to Arlong try to manipulate Nami made Jou want to take him down even more. Jou knew they had a chance to get Luffy out of the water but Jou was starting to make the decision to put an end to this Fishman bastard once and for all himself.
And Jou's already decided that's what he wants to do.
It isn't fair... Nami thought on the options Arlong had given her. If I remain friends with Jou, Luffy, and the others; everyone will be killed! But if I go with Arlong everyone from the village will be saved. Their lives depend on my choice.
Nami had to decide what was more important. The friends that she has grown fond of or her the people of her village. Both were hard decisons.
"Not fair!" a villager shouted.
"No matter what she chooses he won't set her free!" another chimed.
The weight of the decision caused Nami's body to shake. Nami thought about earlier when Jou stopped her from stabbing her shoulder. Then her tearful plead to both Jou and Luffy to help her as Luffy gave her his straw hat. They were both doing this for her and remembered Jou's promise to her earlier.
"We're gonna tear that place apart. Everything will work out, I promise."
Nami's expression steeled as she made eye contact with Jou. She gave him a smirk which only caused a look of confusion to cross his face. Nami spun around to face her fellow villagers.
"Alright, everyone!" Nami addressed each and everyone of the villagers who wondered what she was going to say.
"We'll fight to the death!" Nami made her choice. "Got it?"
"YEAH!" was the resounding answer of the villagers.
Jou couldn't help but smirk at the navigator. Nami was definitely strong and her choosing them over Arlong just showed she and the villagers were ready to be free from Arlong's rule.
"Well then..." Arlong said with obvious anger in his voice. "It looks like they've made up their minds." Nami turned to face Arlong as she noticed Jou and smiled back.
Jou gave her a nod which she returned. Jou kept his grin as he turned back to Arlong, the look on his face is priceless and showed he was upset by the decision made my Nami. Jou's attention was brought to a stream of water shooting into the air like a fountain as Jou figured who that came from.
"What...?" Arlong wondered as he noticed the water stream.
"Alright..." Sanji murmured as he gave a weak grin. "Now to just remove his leg weight."
"I see..." Zoro said he turned over to get on his feet. "That's what you meant."
"Welcome back, boys," Jou smirked at the two and watched Sanji and Zoro pick themselves up, Zoro used his borrowed swords from the bounty-hunting duo to keep himself from from falling.
"You got 30 seconds," Zoro said to Sanji.
"Zoro..." Nami said with a relieved smile.
"30 seconds will be enough!" Sanji replied as he kicked off his shoes and submerged into the water to get Luffy out of the water. Jou stepped beside Zoro and saw the swordsman was barely holding together and trying to keep himself on his feet.
"You sure you're gonna be okay?" Jou asked Zoro.
"I'll be fine..." Zoro assured but Jou still wasn't convinced.
"I don't think so," Jou shook his head. "You're wounded. Arlong barely touched me and I haven't fought anyone. Trust me, it's the least I can do. I can give Sanji those 30 seconds you promised. Besides, I got a plan."
"A plan?" Zoro questioned.
"You'll see in due time," Jou nodded at him. "Now, go rest up, I'll keep Arlong busy." Jou was planning on doing more than keeping Arlong busy.
"If you say so," Zoro stated and walked to the entrance where the villagers were. Nami gave him a smile and mouthed a quiet 'thank you' as Zoro nodded and told her not to thank them all just yet. Johnny and Yosaku immediately fussing over him as he assured he was fine.
"There isn't a fountain over there?" Arlong wondered as he looked where the rising water was. "Could it be that rubberman?" Arlong started making his way toward the water. Jou stepped in front of Arlong to keep him from it.
"Oh, no you don't," Jou said as he wagged his finger. "You're dealing with me right now."
"So, you decided you want to die first?" Arlong asked and gave a sadistic smirk.
"I don't plan on dying today," Jou grinned. "I'd rather see you go down instead. I'm not letting you get past me. If I let you, you'll go after my captain."
"In the sea, one with Devil Fruit powers is supposed to lose the energy to struggle," Arlong explained. "Not to mention his powers. He will die and if he's still alive, well that wouldn't be fair."
"You're still going on about this being a game...?" Jou questioned. "None of this has been fair to anyone."
"Well anyway, if there is a hindrance I should be aware of it." Arlong's glare became more intense as he kept his grin. "Correct?"
"Egg Star!" a voice was heard from out of nowhere. A projectile was flying directly at Arlong. The Fishman leader blocked what was once an egg with a single hand. Egg splattered all over Arlong as he glared in the direction where it came. Jou knew who exactly that was.
"I got your back, Jou!"
"Is that Usopp?" Zoro wondered as looked around from where he sat.
"Big bro Usopp?" Yosaku exclaimed. "He's alright!"
"How brave," Johnny said. "And he got here just in time."
True enough, Jou found the long nose, with a wide grin and giving a thumbs up standing behind the hole that Sanji was sent flying through earlier. Jou noticed that the long nose looked a bit beat up with some minor scraps and blood. Or if Jou guessed that blood might've ketchup. Knowing Usopp he probably had a combo of both.
"Go on!" Usopp cheered. "Give it to him!"
"THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE!?" Zoro, Johnny, Yosaku, and the villagers shouted in unison.
"He's alright!" Nami smiled as she was quite happy to see Usopp was alive.
"Hey, Nami!" Usopp grinned. "I beat one of their leaders! Can you believe it? I wiped the smug off his stupid face!" Usopp somehow managed to stretch his mouth. "Chu! Chu!" the sniper mocked as he proudly laughed. "Fishmen are so easy!"
"No, you... beat chew?" Arlong had a startled look on his face. Probably couldn't handle that another one of his best Pirates had been defeated and beaten by noneother than Usopp.
"That's right!" Usopp answered. "And now that I'm back, it's time that we finish this once and for all! This is the end, Arlong!"
"Alright, Cook!" Johnny cheered for Sanji who was on his way down to free Luffy. "Now if they could just set big bro Luffy free, the fishmen will be running for their lives!"
"Go, big bro Jou!" Yosaku cheered. "Take down Arlong once and for all!" Jou heard Yosaku's cheer and turned his head to Nami. Jou noticed the smile on her face. It seemed like she now trusted to let them finish this fight for her and wanted to see it with her own eyes.
Don't worry about a thing, Nami... Jou thought. Arlong is going down. Today.
"Hey, Arlong!" Usopp called the Fishman leader. "I gotta present for you!"
"What's he doin'?" Johnny wondered.
"He's so brave!" Yosaku cheered.
"Usoopaaaaah!" Usopp chanted as he pulled a rubber band from around his thumb. Jou ignored Usopp's shouts as they became only background. Jou's only focus was on the bastard that caused only torment to Nami and he wanted to make him pay for it.
"You seem to keep standing in my way," Arlong grinned at Jou. "That means you wish to die first. I can take care of that."
"I'm not on dying," Jou decided as his eyes hardened in a defiant glare.
"Jou, now!" Usopp shouted and fired the rubber band. His projectile spun off the side and never hit its supposed mark. Jou wondered if Usopp was really trying to help or just be an annoying distraction not only for Arlong but for Jou, too.
"What do you think you're doing, Usopp!" Nami yelled at the sniper. Jou got into a ready stance with his chains as he focused on Arlong as the Fishman leader looked ready to lunge.
"Look!" Johnny pointed. "Over there!"
"That damn octopus is up!" Yosaku chimed. True enough, Hachi was standing on his feet and shielding himself with his arms. He was worried something was about to hit him.
"I'm surprised he's still up after the wound I gave him," Zoro said
"Seriously!" The octopus cried flailing his arms. "I thought the rubber band was gonna fly at me!"
"What!?" The villagers exclaimed.
"WHA...?" Usopp screamed. "H-He's the one I was aiming for!" the sniper claimed with a nervous laugh.
"But weren't you yelling Arlong?" Nami questioned.
"Oh, great..." Zoro grumbled at Hachi from where he sat.
"We're not done, Zoro!" Hachi yelled at the swordsman. "You may have put me down but it wasn't for good! Because I'm still alive and now I'm gonna finish off your friend!" Hachi dove into the water after Sanji.
"Shouldn't somebody stop him?" Yosaku asked.
"Yeah, what if he gets big bro Sanji?" Johnny wondered.
"Don't bother," Zoro remarked as everyone looked at him. "His wounds will open up."
Jou watched Hachi submerge underneath the ocean. Jou also knew the wound the octopus received from Zoro hadn't healed, so that might give Sanji, Nojiko, and Genzo a chance.
"No need to be concerned," Arlong stated. "Seeing as how you'll all be dead anyway!"
"Big bro!" the bounty-hunting duo called in a warning.
"Jou, watch out!" Nami cried.
At the last second, Jou saw Arlong charge at him with his mouth wide open attempting to bite him. Jou figured those rows of sharp teeth weren't just for show. Jou avoided Arlong's bite with a leap to the side. Arlong was left open which gave Jou an opening but wasn't ready for Arlong to land a kick into his body. The attack knocked the wound out of Jou as he hit the ground on his back. Jou shook off the attack and saw Arlong above him with his foot raised. Jou rolled to avoid Arlong's descending foot that could probably flatten him given enough force. Arlong's foot impacted and caused cracks to appear where Jou would have been if he wasn't quick enough. Jou rolled back to his feet and was met with another bite attack from Arlong. Jou skidded back and twirled his chains as Arlong went for him again.
"Dual-Chain Cyclone!" Jou, while twirling his chains jumped off the ground and did a single spin and sent his chains outward and hurled a blast of wind at Arlong. The attack knocked Arlong off his own feet but he caught himself which gave distance between himself and Jou. Jou smirked at Arlong who showed anger in his eyes. Jou caught Nami's sigh of relief as she seemed worried if he was going to survive against Arlong.
"I told you before..." Jou said. "You're going down, Arlong."
Jou heard an eruption of some kind behind him. And that coupled with a figure spiraling through the air. Jou knew who that was which let him know that Sanji was able to free their captain from the cement.
"I'M BACK!" Luffy exclaimed while in the sky. The villagers cheered and the bounty-hunting duo cried as they were happy that Luffy is back. Usopp cheered and then fell from where he was propped from the wall.
"Luffy!" Nami exclaimed with a smile.
"You're a bit late, Luffy," Zoro commented.
Jou watched Luffy soar through the air. Jou was like everyone else. Happy that his captain was finally free of his restraints from the water. Luffy was going to want to fight Arlong but Jou had other ideas.
"Jou!" Luffy called as he stretched his arms toward Jou. "Let's switch!" as Luffy's hands sped toward him, Jou turned around and let Luffy's hands grab onto his chains. Jou tugged back which caused Luffy to scream as he was yanked to the ground.
"Woaaaah!" Luffy yelled as he hit the ground with a crash. The villagers gasped at what Jou did.
"Big bro Jou...?" Johnny wondered.
"Why did you do that?" Yosaku chimed after his partner.
"Jou...?" Nami wanted an explanation as well. As the dust cleared, Luffy was rubbing his head as he sat on the ground. Jou realized that might've looked bad and felt terrible throwing his captain in the ground like that.
"Uh, sorry about that, captain," Jou stated. "I guess I wasn't really thinking. You okay?" Luffy got up and started patting the dirt off his clothes.
"I'm alright," Luffy assured with a smile. "I'm made of rubber." he finished cleaning himself and got into a fighting stance as he faced Arlong. "Alright, I'm here now. Sit this one out, Jou. I'm gonna kick Arlong ass."
"Yeah, about that..." Jou drawled which caused Luffy to raise a brow at him. "Sorry, Luffy. The situation has changed." Jou's glare never took away from the Fishman leader. "I decided I want to fight Arlong."
"Huh!?" Luffy and most of the villagers yelled together.
Nami couldn't believe what she heard. First, Luffy was deadset on fighting Arlong and now Jou wants to fight instead. That had Nami worried. Jou was strong, she knew that but Arlong was on a different level than anyone Jou had fought. Nami didn't want either of her friends getting hurt or worst killed against Arlong but Nami had to put faith in them. But with Jou wanting to fight Arlong now, this caused an argument to happen between Jou and Luffy.
"No way!" Luffy shook his head. "I want to kick Arlong's ass."
"I get that," Jou retorted. "But with what this jackass had done, anyone would want to kick his sorry ass," Jou commented jabbing a finger at Arlong.
"I'm the captain," Luffy declared. "It's my job to make him pay for what he did to our navigator."
"And I get that," Jou said. "Look Luffy, because you're the captain I respect you and I know you can take Arlong without even trying."
"You humans can't possibly be-" Arlong started.
"Stay out of this!" Jou and Luffy exclaimed at Arlong who seemed to almost flinch back.
"I'll fight him, Jou," Luffy's expression steeled. "I made a promise to Nami."
"I made one to her, too," Jou stated. Nami remembered the promise Jou made back on the ship that one night. "And I don't go back on promises." he sighed. "Look, here's the bottom line. You want to fight Arlong, I want to fight Arlong. We're not gonna fight him together so I guess there's only one way to settle this."
"Yeah, there is," Luffy nodded.
Everyone was wondering what Jou and Luffy were gonna do to settle this dispute. Nami was wondering herself. She didn't expect them to get into a small argument over who gets to fight Arlong. She was still worried about whoever was going to fight since Arlong was dangerous. Jou and Luffy let out a pair of breaths pointed their fingers at each other.
"Rock, Paper, Scissors!" they both exclaimed. The villagers' jaw's dropped to the ground and were surprised by how they were going to decide who gets to fight.
"Okay, let's do it," Jou nodded. "Best 2 out of 3 and no take-backs."
"That's fine with me," Luffy said. Jou looked over at Arlong.
"You just wait there," Jou told him. "I'm not done with you."
"Yeah, me neither," Luffy agreed as Arlong only crossed his arms. "Alright, ready go!" The short match rock, paper, scissors match started. Jou won the first round, Luffy won the second, and last would be the deciding factor. Luffy's rock ended up losing to Jou's paper.
"I win," Jou stated as his 'paper' covered Luffy's 'rock'.
"Aw, what?" Luffy whined. "Let's play again! Come on, let's go!"
"Luffy, I can do this," Jou said with a hard expression. "Look here, there's a chance I might not make it, then it's all up to you." Luffy folded his arms as he seemed upset by the results and nodded his head.
"Fine," Luffy said as he started walking toward the entrance.
"Like I said..." Jou remarked. "If Arlong kills me, you'll need to finish this." Nami didn't like that Jou was making it seem like he was going to die fighting Arlong. The thought of that caused her nerves to settle in. If Jou was going to do this, then she was willing to put everything on him. Nami trusted him, after all. Luffy gave Jou his signature grin.
"I don't think so," Luffy declared. "You're going to win this, Jou." Jou seemed surprised by the words, nodded, and smiled.
"You bet," Jou replied. Luffy went back to the entrance and took a seat beside Zoro. The swordsman gave Luffy a puzzled look who kept grinning.
"You sure about this?" Zoro wondered. "Letting Jou fight even though you wanted to fight Arlong?"
"Yeah, it's a bummer though," Luffy expressed but kept this smile. "I wanted to kick Arlong's as but I know my crew can handle themselves. You guys saved me. Thanks a lot."
"Yeah, yeah," Zoro said as Luffy let out a laugh.
"Man, I could really go for some meat," Luffy wondered as he looked around.
Nami couldn't help but smile that Luffy was in high spirits even though he was nearly dying moments ago. Nami turned back to Jou and Arlong as they stood across from each other.
"Hey, Nami," Luffy called her name as she turned to him.
"Yeah?" Nami wondered.
"Since I'm not fighting..." he pointed at her. "Can I have my hat back?"
"Huh?" Nami almost forgot she was wearing Luffy's straw hat. "Yeah, here you go." she handed it back to him as Luffy stuck it back on his head. Nami looked at Jou was staring at her. She wondered why he was and suddenly slid his dark-blue beanie off his head. Nami hardly saw him without it, so it was rare to see his dark-brown hair.
"Nami, catch!" Jou called as he tossed his hat to her. Nami caught it in her other hand. It was surprisingly dry and held a hint of his scent. Nami looked up at Jou only to show he was grinning at her.
"Not something I normally do," Jou mentioned. "But hold onto it for me. I want it back when I'm done with this."
"Sure," Nami nodded. She stared down at the hat and took it as another promise from Jou. Nami was going to put her trust in him. To show that trust, Nami reached up and put his beanie atop her own head and felt the comforting warmth from it. Nami was ready to watch this to the end as Jou faced Arlong.
"Jou!" Usopp called. "I got your back, buddy!"
"No need to worry!" Nami assured with a smile. Nojiko, Genzo, and Sanji were sitting somewhere so they could watch the fight about to happen.
"So, we spent all that time trying to rescue Luffy only for Jou to fight him..." Sanji sighed as he tried to light a cigarette but he had wet matches. "Well, I guess it hardly matters. Whether it's Luffy or Jou fighting Arlong, if either of them loses, then we all die." he flicked his cigarette into the air.
"Yeah, we will," Genzo muttered.
"If that happens, it's the end of the East Blue," Nojiko stated.
Jou stood across from Arlong as he stretched his arms above his head and rotated his arms to limber up. Jou cracked his neck and rolled his head a couple of times. Arlong did nothing to prepare for the fight they were about to have and only stared at Jou with a glare.
"Do you know the biggest difference between you and me?" Arlong asked.
"Don't know, don't care," Jou replied as he made one final crack of the neck and flipped his red chain over his shoulder. Jou wasn't going to amuse Arlong just so he could boost his own ego.
"Ooh! I know!" Luffy called whilst eating a piece of meat. "Nose? Jaw? Webbing?"
"Does any of that even matter?" Zoro deadpanned at the straw hat.
"SPECIES!" Arlong growled and lunged at Jou and snapped at him with his teeth. Jou avoided another bite and he dodged the last one with a leap backward and found himself nearly falling in the water behind him. Jou caught his balance and stopped from falling in. Jou side-stepped from another bite from Arlong and gained some distance with a single cart-wheel. Once on his feet, Jou skidded across the ground and fell against a pillar. At this point, it was just a dodging frenzy to avoid the sharp teeth in Arlong's mouth. Arlong charged as Jou reached for a throwing knife and tossed it at the Fishman. Arlong's made no attempt to dodge and caught the thrown knife in his mouth and bit down on it, the knife crumbled between his jaws.
"Well, that just unfair..." Jou murmured to himself. Jou's eyes widened as Arlong dove to bite him and narrowly ducked and looked up and noticed Arlong had both sets of jaws lodged into the pillar.
"Oh man, that had to be painful!" Usopp commented. "His teeth must be shattered-" To the sniper's amazement and shock, Arlong destroyed the pillar to pieces. Usopp's as well as Johnny and Yosaku had their jaws dropped by Arlong crumbling the pillar with his teeth. Jou scampered to a safe distance to avoid the falling debris and turned to face Arlong.
"You see, this is the inherent power of the Fishmen." Arlong boasted. "I feel sorry for you humans having to be created with such limited power. We've been on a different level since the beginning of time. You are inferior. It only makes sense for you to bow before me. You're so weak, your presence on this planet is deplorable. Don't you think your time has come to an end?" Arlong chuckled. "I'll show you. Show the difference-"
"Oh, shut up," Jou cut Arlong off. "You think I give a crap about whether Fishmen are better than humans? Yeah, you're able to crush stone with your teeth but I got a few tricks of my own, too." Jou stated with a grin and took a single step.
"Fade-Step," Jou said before he disappeared, there were gasps among the crowd of villagers.
"What happened?" Genzo wondered. "He's gone...?"
"He just... vanished...?" Nojiko was surprised herself.
"Yeah, he does that," Nami smirked at their reactions. Arlong had no clue where Jou had gone. Jou appeared behind Arlong spinning his chains and readying an attack.
"Dual-Chain Revolver!" Jou dashed through Arlong and lashed the Fishman in the back and the attack had stung him. Arlong seemed to have recovered quickly and went to bite Jou again. Jou used Fade-Step and caused Arlong to only snap at the air. Arlong grunted as something pierced his side. Arlong turned and saw Jou with his arm out and found a throwing knife lodged in him. The Fishman leader didn't seem to flinch as he yanked the knife and tossed it in the ocean behind him.
Arlong rushed with his mouth wide open as Jou avoided the incoming teeth. Jou rolled away and felt his back hit the wall of Arlong Park. Jou leaped and placed both feet on the wall and used it as a push-off for his next attack.
"Dual-Chain Cross Slash!" Jou flew past Arlong and struck him across the body. Jou turned to face Arlong who had an angered look on his face which caused Jou to smirk.
"Gotta say, Arlong..." Jou said as he spun his red chain and swung it over his shoulder. "With the way your fighting, I don't think you'd last even a second against Luffy. Not to mention, it's not very smart to smash stone with your teeth whether you're a Fishman or not."
"Way to go, big bro Jou!" Yosaku cheered. "Tell 'em like it is!"
"Yeah, what idiot bites through a rock anyway!" Johnny chimed.
"He's the idiot!" Luffy pointed at Arlong while biting on meat.
"Fools! That's not the point!" Arlong exclaimed. "Every member of the human race is ignorant and weak!" he pointed a finger at Luffy. "You're pathetic excuse of a captain needed help getting out of the water!"
"Luffy may think without a thought..." Jou stated. "But he doesn't let that stop him. We helped him because he's our friend."
"That's right!" Luffy exclaimed as he got Arlong's attention. "I'm a terrible sailor. I don't know how to use a sword, I definitely can't cook, I can't fight with chains either and I can't even lie."
"Hey!" Usopp exclaimed at the last one.
"But without my friends to help me!" Luffy shouted. "I would've been dead a long time ago!" Jou grinned and nodded at his captain and turned to Arlong.
"Luffy's willing to admit he's not perfect," Jou said. "But here he is, trying to be a pirate. Hell, I'm probably not a great pirate, either, but that's not gonna stop us from doing what we want."
"So, you fully admit how pathetic you are," Arlong remarked with a chuckle. "You may be fools but you certainly are honest. I'm surprised someone like you wanted to follow some rubber-brained idiot like him. How must the rest of your crew feel? Tolerating his idiocy day in and day out. I bet you're sick of it. But that makes me wonder? Why they tried to so hard to save their half-whit leader? You would've been better off letting him drown. I'd have been doing you all a favor."
"He's my friend," Jou stated. "What's more of a reason than that to save him. He'd do the same for any of us."
"You tell him, Big Bro!" Johnny exclaimed as his partner and the Cocoyashi villagers cheered for Jou. But Jou's focus went to Nami who was smiling at him. Jou finally noticed she was wearing his hat. He promised he wanted it back after he beats Arlong, but he has to live through the fight first. Who's telling what other tricks Arlong's got.
"CHEER ALL YOU WANT!" Arlong shouted. "BUT IT WON'T CHANGE A THING!" Jou watched Arlong reach into his mouth and take out a set of his teeth. Just seeing that caused Jou to cringe along with everyone else who witnessed it.
"Eww..." Jou was honestly grossed out. "Now, that's just unsettling."
"I'm a shark," Arlong said. "New teeth grow one after another. And with each set, they grow stronger and stronger. Endlessly." he took out another set and more teeth grew within seconds. "This is one of the gifts we Fishmen possess."
"I mean, I get it with you being a shark and all," Jou noted. "But are we supposed to be in awe?" There was at least one person who was impressed.
"That's so cool!" Luffy commented.
"You're not supposed to compliment the enemy, Luffy," Zoro sighed.
"If you haven't yet realized that Fishmen are superior..." Arlong stated while holding two sets of jaws in each hand. "You will very soon... Tooth Attack!" Arlong lunged an arm to attack Jou with a jaw in his hand. Jou dodged to the side to avoid both incoming jaws from the Fishman leader. Arlong seemed to have had enough and thrust both arms forward as Jou let out a scream.
"Big bro Jou!" Johnny and Yosaku shouted. Nami gasped as she cupped her mouth. Everyone seemed worried but there was nothing to worry about as Jou was alright. Arlong was happy believing he killed Jou, but his eyes became one of surprise and regret.
"Arlong please..." A Fishman pleaded. "It hurts. " Jou used an injured Fishman as a shield from Arlong's attack.
"What?" Arlong exclaimed. "My brother!"
"That was a little closer than I'd liked," Jou remarked as he dropped the poor bastard on the ground.
"You're dead, you bastard!" Arlong declared. "How dare you use my injured brother as a shield!"
"What are you so upset for?" Jou questioned with a raised brow. "You know you were attacking me, right?"
"Phew!" Usopp wiped his forehead. "That was pretty scary."
Arlong attacked Jou with his Tooth Attack which put Jou on the defensive again. Jou ducked under one of Arlong's teeth and leaped away to avoid the other. Jou reached for another knife and tossed it at Arlong's face. Jou figured he'd use the set of jaws in one of his hands to catch the knife which gave Jou time to twirl his chains and leap into the air.
"Dual-Chain Cyclone!" Jou hurled a blast of wind at Arlong. The wind knocked the Fishman leader off his feet and sent him into the sea. Jou believed he can have this time to catch a breath. Jou didn't take too much as he didn't what to expect since he knocked Arlong into the water.
"Arlong's in the water now?" Yosaku wondered. "Is that bad?"
"Big bro will be fine," Johnny assured. "As long as he doesn't follow Arlong in there."
Jou carefully watched the water for any sign of Arlong leaping back to the surface. He reached for a knife but realized he was down to only 1 in his holster. Jou felt it best to wait and use it another time that might save his skin. Jou raised his eyebrow as he saw a fin surface from the water.
"Look, it's a shark!" Luffy pointed out.
"No, Luffy!" Usopp shouted. "It's Arlong!"
Jou saw something quick burst out of the water and hit him. Jou managed to avoid the full brunt of the attack and fell to the ground and nursed his head.
"What the hell was that?" Jou wondered as Arlong came out from the second floor of Arlong Park.
"Wow, I'm impressed you can dodge that," Arlong commented. "Good job, but the longer you evade your death, the more painful it will be. Shark Dart!" Arlong fell forward with his nose pointed downward. Jou cart-wheeled away as Arlong's nose pierced into the ground and caused it to crack in pieces.
"Shark Dart!" Arlong launched himself at Jou a few more times, the chain-wielder evading successfully. The latest one caused Jou to be sent flying into the air and hit the ground with a tuck and roll as he watched Arlong leap in the water. Jou knew had to figure out a way to stop Arlong. He was much too fast with the way he barreled toward him. Jou thought for a second and figured out what he could do.
"Jou, get outta there!" Usopp warned him. "Arlong went into the sea again!"
"Hurry up, big bro!" Yosaku chimed. "You gotta hide from him!"
"He setting his sites on you right now!" Johnny apprised.
Nami's body was shaking horribly at the fight going on right now. She was more worried Jou was going to be killed as he was warned to get out of way from Arlong's attack and instead stood his ground.
"Get outta there!" Usopp reminded again.
"No can do!" Jou exclaimed. "I'm not moving!"
"Are you an idiot!" Sanji voiced. "Run before he makes you a target!"
"I'm already a target!" Jou said. "Besides I got him caught in a trap, too!"
"You barely got away from that last attack!" Usopp alerted. "Hurry and hide, Jou!"
Jou didn't say anything as he closed his eyes, inhaled with his mouth, and let out a breath. His eyes opened as he spun his chains with both becoming blurs in his hands. Nami felt the wind pick up which was a natural thing for her to feel since she predicted the weather with her body. Jou brought the wind toward him with his chains as everyone around felt the increase of wind. Despite everything going on right now, Nami found it impressive that Jou was able to control the wind with his chains.
Nami already knew Jou was impressive. Not just in his fighting skills but his personality, too. Jou was willing to face down a lion for a dog's food, he fought Buggy's juggler just so she could steal their treasure, he pretty much used the last of his energy to save her from Jango's weapon, and he tried to get her to tell him her past in order to help her but she was being too stubborn because she didn't him want to get killed by Arlong. And now, here he was, fighting the very man that ruled her island for the last 8 years. Jou was doing all this for her, her Jou.
My Jou? Nami thought.
"Big bro's just doin' that with his chains!" Yosaku wondered.
"It's amazing but what's he gonna do?" Johnny asked. "Can he even stop Arlong's attack?"
"Shark Dart!" Arlong sprung from the water and barreled toward Jou.
"Dual-Chain Whirlwind!" Jou sent his own attack as Arlong was closer. Arlong was caught in the spiraling gust as Jou leaped onto Arlong Park's lowest roof and dove off it and fell to meet Arlong who was still in the air.
"Dual-Chain Revolver!" Jou struck Arlong across the chest as he sped through him. Jou was crouched as he landed on the ground, and Arlong crashed into it causing dust to cover where the Fishman leader fell. The dust cleared and revealed Arlong laying completely still and flat on his back. Was it over?
"Oh, cool," Luffy commented. "Jou won."
Nami knew this couldn't be over yet. Arlong can't' have been down yet. Jou stared at her and figured something was wrong by the look in Nami's eyes. Jou slowly approached Arlong and looked him over. Nami's fears came true as Arlong's eyes snapped open as they held a fierce yet animal-like rage.
"Did you see the intensity in his eyes!" Genzo exclaimed.
"It's the same expression that Sea King's make before they go berserk," Sanji noted. "Jou must've really pissed him off."
"His eyes...!" Nami gasped. "I've never seen them like that..." Jou seemed to regard her current state and noticed the frightened look in her eyes. Arlong stood to his full size and towered over Jou. Jou turned to Arlong as the Fishman glared at him with a ferocious glare. Jou settled into a fighting stance to prepare for anything.
"YOU WRETCHED HUMAN!" Arlong shouted with fury in his voice. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!" he tried to punch Jou but he leaped away causing Arlong to crack the ground beneath his feet. Jou's back was to Nami and everyone at the entrance of Arlong Park.
"Looks like I touched a nerve, did I!" Jou remarked as he swung his red chain at Arlong.
The Fishman leader caught the red chain and pulled Jou in. He yanked him close and grabbed Jou in a tight hold. Jou tried to fight his way out of Arlong's grasp but it was to no avail. Fear came across Nami's face as she knew what Arlong was about to do. Arlong opened his mouth wide and sank his rows of sharp teeth in Jou's left shoulder. The only thing that was heard was a sickening crunch as the teeth pierced into Jou's flesh.
"AAAAAAAAAGH!" Jou gave out a long, terrible scream that seemed like it would give most people nightmares. Nami won't be able to get the image or the scream out of her head.
"JOU!" Nami screamed for Jou as she felt that was the only thing she can do at that very moment. Jou gave out another weak cry as Arlong clenched his jaws tighter around his shoulder.
"BIG BRO!" Johnny and Yosaku shouted while in tears. Zoro himself showed worry in his eyes for his friend.
"JOU!" Usopp yelled in worry next.
"BASTARD!" Luffy shouted with obvious anger. Arlong's released Jou and stepped away as Jou fell on one knee.
"Damn!" Sanji cursed. "That had to hurt! There's no way it couldn't've!"
"Oh no..." Nojiko gasped with a hand over her mouth.
"That's bad..." Genzo murmured.
"I can't be the only one who knows the bones in his shoulder must be shattered!" Nako chimed.
"Luffy!" Nami called the straw hat. Luffy looked at her and knew what she wanted him to do.
"Right!" Luffy stood to take off his hat, he had the intent to fight take over the fight with Arlong.
"NO!" Everyone turned and heard the refusal from Jou. He stood weakly and almost fell but managed to catch himself on his feet. Jou kept his attention on Arlong as blood seeped from the teeth marks in his shoulder.
"He's mine," Jou muttered.
Jou's been punched, kicked, stabbed, and shot at but getting bitten was a definite first. The pain was sharp, it was like an entire row of knives punctured his skin and the bones in it had to be broken. He glared at Arlong, the Fishman leader had Jou's blood pouring from his mouth and articles of Jou's clothing his teeth.
"He's mine," Jou declared as he didn't want to give Arlong the satisfaction that he got the drop on him.
"Are you kidding!" he heard Nami continue to argue. "You're too hurt now! Let Luffy finish this, Jou! Please!"
"And I made up my mind, dammit!" Jou snapped back. "I don't care how hurt I am! Arlong is mine to finish!"
"Don't be selfish!" Nami shouted. "Luffy!"
"No," Luffy simply said. "If Jou says he can finish this, then he will. I have faith in my crewmate."
"Can't you just drop about the pirate honor for once!" Nami went on. "Jou could be killed!"
"Luffy's captain, Nami," Jou stated which caused her to silence. "What he says goes."
"If you die, I won't forgive you," Nami stated.
"That's fine," Jou answered. "I'm just glad you understand. I'll finish this." Jou twirled his chains and lashed the air with both as they landed on the ground.
Jou ran at Arlong for an attack, but dodged an incoming punch from the Fishman leader. Jou leaped over Arlong's head with a somersault and landed on the ground. Arlong roared as he snapped at Jou with his jaws. Jou now knew those jaws are especially dangerous if they get a hold of him. At this point, Jou could only avoid Arlong's attacks. Jou jumped back to avoid another bite and looked at Arlong Park.
At this point, I'm getting nowhere if all I can do is dodge... Jou thought. High ground, it is!
Jou sprinted toward Arlong Park and leaped to the second-floor of Arlong Park. Jou's hand grasped the edge as he flipped onto his feet with a one-hand stand. He felt his left shoulder throb as he quietly cursed in pain. Jou wasn't out of the woods yet as Arlong joined him on that second-floor and went to straight punch Jou. Arlong's fist went straight through the wall and pulled out a large pole with a zig-zagged edge.
"Oh, you gotta be freakin' kidding!" Jou exclaimed with wide eyes.
"Aw man, what's that?" Luffy wondered.
"I don't know...!" Zoro was shocked too. "That's one bizarre-looking sword if you can even call it that!"
"The saw blade!' Nami exclaimed as she obviously knew it was.
"THAT THING IS GIGANTIC!" Johnny yelled as he and everyone gasped at the sight of Arlong's new weapon.
Arlong jumped and took a large swing at Jou. Jou avoided the strike by leaping to another level of Arlong Park. Arlong continued trying to slash him but Jou did the same thing to get away from Arlong's weapon by going up each level until he managed to reach the top floor.
"Big bro Jou!" cried Johnny and Yosaku.
"He won't stop!" Nako figured. "Jou's going to be cornered!"
Jou dodged another swing from Arlong as the Fishman leader found Jou leaning against the wall. Jou found a window and figured his best bet would be there to hopefully figure out a plan.
"Screw it!" Jou growled and dove through the window to avoid another slash.
Nami watched Jou go through the window with Arlong on his heels, following him inside. That very room they were in was so familiar to Nami that she knew where it was placed from outside the building as Nami couldn't tear her eyes away.
The top window on the top floor, Nami thought with wide eyes. The map room.
Jou caught his breath as he sat on the ground, as the Fishman leader shattered some stray glass beneath his foot. He stood before Jou with the saw blade in his hand.
"If it's all the same..." Jou panted. "I'll just show myself out if you don't mind." he half-joked as Jou doubted Arlong would let him leave now.
"There's nowhere else to run," Arlong stated. "You and me. Here. In the highest level of Arlong Park."
Jou took this time to really get a glimpse at the room they were in. Jou noticed several papers stacked high and a clothesline with papers hanging from it. Staring closely, Jou realized what this room was when he noticed they weren't just papers, they were maps.
"This room..." Jou softly spoke. "It's for cartography, isn't it?"
"Exactly what it is," Arlong said. "This is the room where I make Nami draw all of her sea charts for me."
"You mean...?" Jou's eyes scanned the room and found more maps strewn about and stacked all around the room. "Nami drew all of these?"
Jou knew Nami was good but her skills at Navigation and drawing maps had to be unparalleled. It's no surprise Nami was the best as she always claims. Jou especially knew why Luffy wants her for that job on their crew as she might very well be the best Navigator in the world.
"These sea charts..." Arlong continued. "Are what she's worked on all these years. She's absolutely brilliant. The accuracy of her charts is beyond comparison. She's too good for human trash like you!" Jou continued eyeing around the room and took it all in that this was where Nami was kept when with Arlong. "Her talents should be used solely for building up the mighty Arlong Empire! Now listen, Nami belongs to me."
"Really?" Jou calmly replied.
"And you're interfering in our business," Arlong stated as he pointed the shark saw toward Jou. "You human scum. She's NOT your friend!"
"Listen good, jackass..." Jou stated with a fierce look in his brown eyes. "I don't care what you say, Nami is OUR navigator! My captain chose her and I'm going to make sure I kick your ass so Nami can be free!"
"Really?"Arlong responded with a low chuckle. "You want her to navigate your pathetic little crew for you! I guess you and that idiot, rubber-brained captain truly have no idea what monumental waste of talent that would be. Look!" he pointed toward the maps. "There's no one else in the face of this planet that can draw sea charts with such accuracy and efficiency. That young lady... has a gift."
Jou watched a quill pen fall off a desk and rolled to him. Jou noticed it was covered in blood as he stared at intently.
"And there really isn't anything as ultimately incredible as wasting natural talent!" Arlong growled. "Staying here and drawing up sea charts for me is Nami's only chance at living up to her full potential!"
"This pen's got blood on it..." Jou muttered as he held the quill pen in his hand.
"In order for me to obtain world supremacy, her sea charts are absolutely vital!" Arlong continued as he drew the saw blade to Jou's throat. "She will continue drawing her sea charts for my own ambitions. And once her charts give me full knowledge of all the world's oceans, we Fishmen will be totally invincible and the world shall kneel before us! The first step is... this island. Then we'll move on to the whole East Blue! You can never use her like me! SHE WOULD BE WASTED ON YOU!"
Jou dropped the pen on the ground. Anger fueled inside Jou, everything Arlong said just made him want to tear him apart. The East Blue is where Jou was born, it's where his home island is, his family, and where Nami's home is. Jou was fighting for everything here. He was putting his life on the line for the East Blue and most importantly Nami's freedom. All he has to do is take down the self-righteous jackass in front of him with Jou's blood dripping from his mouth when he bit him. This room had to be destroyed as Jou decided he ultimately hated it.
"Quit talking about her..." Jou dropped his steel chain and grabbed one of the zig-zagged edges of the saw blade. Arlong tried to pull his weapon free but Jou, with only the use of his hand to crush and not only shatter one but two of Arlong's saw blades. He didn't care that he sliced his hand as blood dripped from it. The act caused Arlong to flinch back in surprise. "Like she's a damn tool!"
"Shahahaha!" Arlong chuckled. "She's an inferior creature! But she has risen far above her peers. If all other humans are sewer rats then she's a feisty little kitten! After all, she is adorable. She has her place and it's here beside me. Can't you understand that? I can give her everything she needs! And the only thing she has to do is continue DRAWING THOSE MARVELOUS CHARTS FOR ME!" he claimed with a toothy grin. "So Nami will forever be my tool-or no... She'll be my friend. SHAHAHAHA!"
Jou having heard enough, wrapped his chains around the desk and tossed it through the wall, and with enough anger fueling Jou he sent it outside.
Everything was quiet outside Arlong Park. There was no telling what was happening in the room Jou and Arlong were in. Nami was starting to become concerned as the nerves settled in. The villagers were getting restless, too.
"What's happening?" a villager wondered. "Are they still fighting?"
"What's going on up there!" Yosaku shouted. "Is everything okay, big bro Jou!"
"Wish I knew what was going on," Johnny hoped.
"Jou..." Nami whispered. Suddenly, something crashed through the wall of Arlong Park. Looking closely, it was revealed to have only been a desk.
"A desk," Sanji said as Johnny and Yosaku wiped their foreheads in relief.
"It's okay, it was just a desk," Johnny noticed.
"I was scared," Yosaku stated. "I thought it was big bro Jou for sure."
"Hold on!" Johnny said to his partner and friend. "I don't wanna hear that kinda talk from you. Have you lost your faith?"
"What, no," Yosaku replied. "You were scared too, Johnny."
Their bickering soon went unheard as they were drowned out. Nami's focus was on the top floor of Arlong Park. Nami realized what Jou was doing, he was doing this all for her.
"Jou..." she murmured again.
Jou swung his steel chain over his head and lashed through a bookshelf. Most of the books that were stacked on it were knocked off as Jou followed up with a kick causing the bookshelf to crash through the wall.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" Arlong screamed angrily as Jou continued to wreck the room.
A bookshelf was the next object flying out of the building.
"Woah, what's going on!?" Usopp questioned. "Why's all that stuff being thrown outta there!?"
Nami stared at the desk that was thrown out earlier. She remembered that particular day when was a kid, when Arlong introduced that room to her.
"All right. As of today, this will be your room. Your desk, your papers, everything you'll need is in here."
Nami watched that very same desk crash and splinter into pieces on the ground.
"STOP IT NOW!" Arlong shouted as he tried to slash Jou to stop him from wrecking the room further. Jou avoided an attack with a jump as Arlong cut through a stack of sea charts instead.
"The charts...!" Arlong gasped as Jou twirled his chains and sent a blast of wind which scattered the sea charts outside. "MY CHARTS!"
Nami watched as the sea charts she had been forced to draw by Arlong were now flying out of the room. Nami was brought to having another memory when she saw those charts drift through the air.
(Flashback)
"Dumb brat!" Arlong spat at her when she was a child. "You can't trick me that easily! Trying to draw a fake chart." He took the piece of paper that was drawn on. When he saw what was on the paper, Arlong slapped her out of her chair. "I can't believe you waste your time drawing crap like this in secret!"
Nami went to stop but froze when the Fishman leader glared at her. He showed the sketch of Bell-mère Nami had drawn.
"If you ever try to pull a stunt like this again..." Arlong warned. "I'll drag all those villagers in here and make you watch as I crush every single one! Just like with her!" Arlong tore the sketch in half as Nami watched in horror. "SHAHAHAHA!"
The right side of Arlong Park collapsed as it came from the destruction of whatever was going on in that room.
"Wow, this fight is freaking intense," Yosaku stated.
"Yeah, a fight to the death," Johnny agreed.
Nami cupped a hand to her mouth as tears came running down her face and clutched a hand around Jou's hat.
"Jou, thank you," Nami said through her tears.
Jou once again was restrained in Arlong's hold. The Fishman leader chomped on his left shoulder again. Jou yelled and fought back against the pain as Arlong's teeth sank deep into his flesh causing blood to squirt and cascade down his arm.
"Now you've gone too far!" Arlong growled.
"This whole time you've been going on about how Fishmen are better..." Jou said through grit teeth. "None that bullshit matters!" Jou dropped his steel chain and reached for his holster and took out his last knife. "But I know what I have to do! To set Nami free!" with that last exclamation, Jou reared back his arm and impaled his remaining knife into Arlong's right eye.
Jou jammed it deep enough through its target which was enough for Arlong to release him. Arlong lurched backward and screamed painfully as he fell on his back. Jou took a knee and watched Arlong flail about on the ground shouting curses and how he's going to kill Jou. Mutilation is not Jou's style but what was he supposed to do? Let Arlong tear off his shoulder? Jou made a choice. It was either his shoulder or Arlong's eye, Jou picked the latter.
"You BASTARD!" Arlong swore as he held his face. "You damn human! What have you done to me!? I will kill you and everyone human in this pathetic ocean!"
"Let's call that a parting gift," Jou remarked with a fierce glare. "From me to you. You jackass. Don't you have any idea what you put Nami through? You killed her mother right before her eyes. Do you have any idea how it feels to lose someone you care about?" Jou gave a humorless chuckle. "No, I don't think you do. Look here, I just want to finish this right now and I'm certain that you're sick of me, too." Jou stood to his full height and grabbed both chains. "So, let's end it here, Arlong. Get ready because you and this whole damn building is about to start crashing down."
Jou started to spin his chain and gathered wind. The wind inside the room started to increase as sea charts were blown all throughout. Jou glared as Arlong himself stood to full height and narrowed his one good eye toward Jou.
"You fool!" Arlong shouted over the wind. "Arlong Park cannot be brought down by some inferior human!"
"Come and stop me then!" Jou rose his own voice over the rushing wind. "Dual-Chain..."
"Shark Tooth Drill!" Arlong barreled wildly at Jou with his mouth wide open.
"Typhoon!" The wind Jou gathered was hurled as he sent four wind slashes at Arlong. One hits the Fishman leader in the leg, the second in his abdomen, the third hit his chest, and the last struck him in the head which sent him in the air. Arlong spat blood out of his mouth as he was thrown backward.
"Fade-Step!" Jou used his 4th and last use of Fade-Step. He got close to the airborne Arlong and leaped to meet him. Jou wrapped his chains around Arlong's ankles and used his last attack.
"Dual-Chain..." Jou somersaulted over the floating Arlong. With a strong tug, Jou pulled Arlong to the ground. Jou grunted in pain as it caused his wounded left shoulder to flare in a pain but he ignored it.
"Earthquake!" Jou dragged Arlong with his chains around the ankles toward the ground below. Arlong hit the ground back-first and hacked out blood and crashed through the now shattering floor.
Jou nearly fell with him as he quickly grasped a remaining ledge and managed to pull himself up. Jou fell on his ass to catch his breath and looked over the edge to make sure Arlong was down. Jou saw Arlong had fallen all the way down to the very bottom of Arlong Park, his remaining good eye was rolled into his head and Jou's throwing knife lodged in the other. Jou sighed with relief as he lay on his back with a groan.
"That was for you, Bell-mère..." Jou remarked. He may have not met the woman but from what he heard from Nojiko, she sounded like a respectable person. Jou felt she didn't deserve to get killed by Arlong. "But more importantly, it was for you, Nami." Jou closed his eyes as he let out a breath. He just had the fight of his life so it was no surprise he was exhausted. Jou's eyes shot open as he heard a crumbling above and all around him as Arlong Park was on the verge of collapse.
"Give me a damn break..." Jou muttered as the rubble fell toward him.
Arlong Park was falling apart before everyone's eyes as the flag that once stood proudly at the very top was falling with the crumbling palace.
OH NO!" Nako shouted. "IT LOOKS LIKE ARLONG PARK IS COMING DOWN!"
"It's gonna collapse!" A villager shouted as everyone began to run for cover.
Nami didn't move from where she stood. Jou was still in that building, he could be hurt. That thought worried her to the bone and she couldn't leave him if he's still in there and Nami didn't want Jou to die. She felt a hand grasp her wrist but she didn't pay it any mind as her eyes wouldn't leave the collapsing building with Jou in it.
"BIG SIS!" it was Johnny who grabbed her arm. "WE GOTTA GO!" he urged her.
"But Jou is still inside!" Nami yelled more worried than ever. Luffy himself was running toward Arlong Park, probably in an attempt to help his crewmate.
"Big bro Luffy!" Yosaku shouted as his arms hugged around Luffy's waist. "No, you can't go in there!"
"Let me go!" Luffy argued as he ran in place. "My friend is in there! I gotta save Jou!" He kept trying to run as Yosaku kept hold of him. It was too late as the building finally gave away and came apart. A combination of dust and wind shrouded everyone as the building collapsed.
"JOU!" Nami screamed Jou's name as everyone shielded their eyes from the dust. Everything came to a quiet still, everyone saw the building that was once Arlong Park was now a colossal pile of rubble where it once stood.
"Arlong Park has fallen..." Nako stated in diselief.
"Big bro..." Johnny muttered.
"I just wonder what went on in there?" Yosaku said. Whatever happened in that top room of Arlong Park, stays in there. Luffy put his head down and let his hat shadow over his eyes.
"He's okay," Luffy was sure of it. "I know he is."
"How do you know, big bro Luffy?" Yosaku wondered.
Nami was thankful Luffy had hope that Jou was alright. That meant she had to be sure, too. As if hope was on her side, the clouds above the sky dissolved. It shone upon what remained of Arlong Park. Suddenly, a lone figure burst from the rubble with chains in hand. With only the sun shining brightly against his back. A smile spread across Nami's face she saw him.
"It's Jou!" Nami remarked happily. She was beyond happy that he was alive.
"BIG BRO!" As were Johnny and Yosaku as they blubbered like babies, hugging each other.
Jou's current appearance was what worried Nami. He was covered in bruises, blood poured down the left side of his head, and dripped from the right corner of his mouth. The bite in his left shoulder from Arlong bled down his arm which drenched his sleeve.
"Man, he looks hurt," Usopp noticed. "What's wrong with him?"
Jou grit his teeth and started lifting up his left arm. He was having trouble bringing it up as that was the side where the bite was. Jou managed to raise the arm and breathed out from the effort. He pointed a finger and sent it right at Nami. Nami's eyes widened as her mouth gaped.
"NAMI!" Jou shouted and gazed at her. "You're one of us," he stated with a single nod. "Understand?" Nami's eyes began to tear up in absolute joy. For the first time in 8 years, she and her island were finally free from Arlong's rule.
"Yeah..." Nami sobbed as she gave a single nod. Jou carefully limped off of what was once Arlong Park. He stared at her and was about to say something but the villagers gave a resounding cheer and immediately grabbed and lifted him up and began to toss him in the air.
"Jou! Jou! Jou! Jou! Jou!" Johnny, Yosaku, and the villagers chanted his name while they threw him.
"You guys know I'm hurt, right?" Jou questioned everyone.
"Just let us do this!" Nako exclaimed. "I'll patch you up later!"
From the side, Genzo, Nojiko, and Sanji watched from the water. Nojiko was beyond happy they were finally free after such a long time and happily hugged Genzo. Which caused Sanji to crash into the wall as he tried to embrace Nojiko himself. Luffy joined in the cheering, Usopp jumping and bragging about his own accomplishment, and Zoro stood beside them with his arms crossed but a small smirk was on his face.
Nami walked toward the group of people that were busy tossing Jou in the air. The villagers threw him too high and lost sight of him. Jou descended to the ground behind them and managed to land safely on his feet causing knees to tremble and nearly buckle as Nami made her way to him.
"It's all good," Jou assured them with a chuckle. "I landed on my feet." Nami got his attention by clearing her throat. Jou turned and smiled at Nami as she kept her own smile.
"Yo," was all Jou said with a wave.
"Hey," Nami chuckled in her hand. Nami didn't know why she started becoming nervous as she and Jou stared at each other. She was probably just happy to see him still alive since she feared the worse when Arlong Park came falling apart. Nami gave Jou a puzzled look as he was staring intently at her.
"So, think I can get that back now?" Jou asked with a pointed finger.
"Huh?" Nami almost forgot she was wearing his hat. She peeled it off her head as Jou reached for it, but Nami swatted his hand away. Jou gave a face of complete surprise which only made Nami laugh.
"Let me," Nami said as she approached him. Nami stood on her tip-toes as Jou was taller than her. She put her arms around his neck and pulled the hat down his head. For some reason, the villagers started cheering at them.
"Woo!" someone cheered. "Go for it, Nami!"
"Plant one on him!" said another. The cheers from the other villagers caused Nami to remove her arms from Jou. Nami's cheeks flushed from the shouts for her to plant a kiss. Jou, also seemed flustered by the encouraging shouts toward them. It was honestly the first time Nami's ever seen Jou turn red, his cheeks turning bright pink. Jou gave her a grin as he turned away while rubbing his head. Nami was a bit embarrassed, too, but smiled as well. The celebrating kept going until...
"Okay, hold it right there!" A voice shouted. Nami glared as she recognized the man as the Marine Colonel who stole all of her money, destroyed Belle-mere's tangerine orchard, and shot Nojiko.
"Che Che Che! What a lucky day today is," the colonel grinned. "Very nice, I saw the entire fight and I must say good work. I can only assume your victory here was some sort of bizarre accident. I never thought the Fishmen would lose to riffraff like you and your crew." he brought his attention to Jou. "I take it since you fought Arlong, I assume you must be the captain."
"Oh, no I'm not," Jou stated quickly. "I'm just the lookout. Names Kusari Jou."
"The look- What, really?" the colonel seemed taken aback. "But you-you fought Arlo- I don't understand-" he was at a loss for words.
"If you want you can talk to my captain, I can introduce you..." Jou suggested. "Hey, Luffy! Come over here a sec!" Jou ushered Luffy over as Luffy stepped beside Jou. "This is my captain, Monkey D. Luffy."
"Yo, I'm Luffy," Luffy waved with a single hand.
"Luffy, this is... I have no idea who you are," Jou said with a frown at the colonel.
"Colonel Nezumi of Marine Branch 16," Nezumi introduced. "Now that Arlong is out of the picture, I'll be taking all the money I was supposed to give to him and addition to all the treasure in Arlong Park, now drop your weapons!" Nezumi didn't have a clue that a certain swordsman had snuck behind him. "Colonel Nezumi of Branch 16 gets all the credit-Aaah!" the colonel screamed as he was grasped by his throat from Zoro.
"I see you're trying to rain on these people's parade," Zoro muttered darkly. "Now, that's just plain rude."
Each of Nezumi and his Marines received a beating from getting hit with a sword, smacked with a chain, kicked in the face, punched, and hit with a hammer all at the same time. Jou, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp stood over the annoying colonel and his Marines who gained bruises from the beat down.
"Go on and try it..." Nezumi mumbled with a swollen face. "You'll be sorry, I can promise you that."
"He's still talking?" Sanji questioned.
"Maybe we should just keep hitting him?" Jou suggested. Nami approached the beaten Marine colonel and crouched to his level.
"This here is for shooting Nojiko and also for destroying Bell-mère's tangerine orchard," Nami stated as she smacked her staff across Nezumi's face causing him to fly toward the water with a splash.
"Colonel!" a marine shouted.
"Thanks, Nami!" Nojiko grinned. "That felt good."
"A THOUSAND MORE AND WE'LL CALL IT EVEN!" Genzo shouted angrily. Nezumi resurfaced as Nami sauntered to the edge of the water and tugged the man's whiskers, yanking them hard from his face.
"What you're gonna do is help clean after those Fishmen!" Nami demanded. "Then, your gonna help rebuild the town of Gosa and you won't lay a finger on any of the money or valuables in Arlong Park! That's the island's money! Got it!?"
"Yes!" Nezumi muffled through his words. "I do anything you say!"
"And there's one more thing..." Nami said as she looked him dead in the eyes. "GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK, JERK!"
"I promise! I promise!" Nezumi said with tears in his eyes. "I give every berri back!" Not long after, Nezumi and his marines were sent swimming away. However, Nezumi still had some words he wanted to say.
"I'll get you, you pirates!" Nezumi shouted. "Luffy is your captain, right? And that other one is Jou, right? Well, mark my freakin' words, you two! Major things are gonna happen cause you made me angry! I swear you'll regret this! I'll get my revenge just you wait and see!" He and his men swam further away from the place.
"Major things are gonna happen?" Sanji repeated.
"Yeah, how does he know I'm gonna be King of the Pirates?" Luffy wondered.
"That's not what he means at all!" Zoro shouted at the captain. "Are you really that dumb?"
"What was he shouting my name for?" Jou asked. "I don't do anything to him..."
"You did help kick his damn teeth in," Sanji reminded.
"So?" Jou said. "That's because he was an annoying jackass."
"You are aware he did see you beat Arlong, right?" Zoro remarked.
"Hold on! What's next?" Usopp asked panicked. "Are we gonna be in super big trouble or what!? Hey! Hey! What do we do!?"
"Relax, Usopp," Jou grinned at the sniper. "Whatever comes our way, we'll handle it. Together."
"EVERYONE!" Nako announced to the villagers. "NOW'S NOT THE TIME TO KEEP THIS TO OURSELVES! WE NEED TO TELL EVERYONE ON THIS ISLAND WHAT HAPPENED HERE TODAY!"
Nojiko watched the villagers run back to Cocoyashi to give the good news. Nojiko smiled as she watched Nami make her way to join her friends.
"Hey, Zoro What's that on your chest?" Luffy asked the swordsman as he poked his chest and touched his wound. "Made you look," Luffy claimed with a chuckle.
"Ow! Jerk!" Zoro winced as he glared Luffy who kept laughing. Usopp started laughing as well, Sanji smiled with a cigarette in his mouth, and Jou and Nami join in the laughter. Nojiko kept her smile as she watched her sister have a genuinely happy look on her face with people she could call her friends. She observed the group with Genzo and Nako with smiles of their own.
"Good job, Nami," Nojiko said.
"To think our island would be saved by unruly pirates," Genzo muttered. "The world is strange."
"Now it's done," Nako said. "The spirit of Bell-mère can finally be at peace."
The laughter came to a sudden stop as Jou reached for his left arm. His arm was covered in his own blood from the shoulder bite. What Nojiko really took note of was Nami was quick to rush to Jou's side and check on him.
"Are you okay?" Nami wondered with worried eyes. "Stupid thing to ask." she seemed to sigh at herself.
"I'm alright," Jou tried to assure her. "Trust me. Honestly, I'm surprised I'm still conscious. During the final round of me and Arlong's fight, I used my last Fade-Step. I didn't think I'd still be-" Jou's eyes suddenly widened as his body seemed to give out. "Here I go..." he murmured before nearly collapsing on the ground.
"Jou!" Nami quickly caught him before he could hit the ground. Jou's eyes were closed as he was cradled in Nami's arms.
"Jou, you okay!?" Luffy screamed at him from his other side. "Don't die on us!"
"Is he alright?" Genzo asked as he, Nojiko, and Nako drew closer. "It's not surprising he passed out from that fight considering how he looks right now."
"Can you help him?" Nami asked Nako.
"Alright," the doctor nodded. "Bring him to the doctor office! Everyone else who's hurt, come with me!"
Before Jou could be carried to Nako's doctor office, Nami planted a quick kiss on Jou's cheek. A knowing smirk played across Nojiko's face. Genzo and Nako's eyes bulged out of their heads and Sanji's reaction seemed to go from complete shock to utter rejection in a matter of seconds. Nami seemed to whisper something in Jou's ear that no one seemed to hear. The men went on their way to Cocoyashi as Nojiko stayed behind with Nami and sent her sister a coy smile.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Nami questioned.
"So, what did you whisper to him?" Nojiko asked.
"Huh?" Nami rose an eyebrow. "To who? Jou? I just told him we'll talk once he wakes up."
"Are you sure?" Nojiko pressed. "You two seem a lot closer than you make it out to be, that's all. Everyone else seemed to notice."
"We're just friends," Nami assured but Nojiko still wasn't convinced. "We are!"
"Hm," Nojiko hummed with a shrug, a smile still playing across her lips. "Whatever you say, sister!"
"Just come on!" Nami quickly grabbed Nojiko's hand and started running. "For the first time in 8 years, we're finally free!"
And like that pretty much already done with the Arlong Park arc. I hope the fight between Jou and Arlong turned out well for you. I know they're probably people who don't like it but you know what, screw it.
Jou: Haters gonna hate.
I guess Jou now joins the line-up of OC's that had the final showdown with Arlong. Next time, we're gonna wrap up the post-Arlong Park arc with a chapter that's likely not gonna be as long.
I'll see you guys next time!
Later!