Chapter 7: Sins of the Past, Part 7

I do not own One Piece! That will always belong to Eiichiro Oda! I only own my OCs

Riptide stood firm and yielding from the bow of Wavecutter, his eyes staring straight ahead, his arms folded across his chest. Moana stood not far from him, watching the shoreline. Jimbei keeps the warship on her current course his own eyes on the young captain waiting for the sign to change course.

"He needs to stop blaming himself," Nami said. "What happened wasn't his fault."

"We can tell him that, but he will blame himself until he feels that he has brought closure for the things that have happened," Jimbei said.

"Are we getting closer, Moana?" Riptide asked, turning his head slightly.

"Yes," Moana said. "Cove is around those rocks."

"Watch those rocks up ahead," Riptide called out.

Jimbei skillfully sailed the warship around the dangerous outcrop of jutting rocks that lined the shore. Anchored ahead of Wavecutter were twelve ships from galleons to a caravel.

"Capn'! Small ship off the port side," Ryder called from the crow's nest.

Neeta had retrieved a spyglass and looked. "It's those bastards that took Destiny and harmed my sweet Long!"

"Let's go after them!"Longtooth said.

"No."

"What?" Longtooth and the rest of the crew looked at Riptide. "What do you mean no?" The snag tooth mako said."We have every right to go after them!"

Riptide ignored the angry mako. "Neeta, is my sister with them?"

Neeta looked through the spyglass before she lowered it. "I saw no signs of her, but it doesn't mean they don't have her stashed below deck," the Kuda said.

Riptide frowned as he undid the strap that held his kiribachi to his back and stared at the Guardian marked sawtooth blades. "Kaiju, fetch that ship and bring it back, please," he said.

The megalodon Guardian emerged from the sawtooth blade and disappeared beneath the surface of the waters. Moana was looking at Riptide with wide eyes. The hybrid could call the shark gods to him! There were wild shouts and curses as Kaiju surfaced right under the small vessel and slowly swam back to Wavecutter.

"Good job Kaiju," Riptide said. He then turned his attention to Stinger, Blade, and Crab glaring darkly at them. "Where's my sister, you assholes?"

"Do you know who you're talking to?" Stinger said.

"Do I look like I care?" Riptide said.

"You little punk," Stinger said. "I'll teach you some manners!"

Riptide shocked everyone as he jumped from his ship onto the smaller vessel, and before Stinger could react, the sawtooth hybrid slugged him across the face. Hard. "I asked you a question," he said. "Where the hell is my sister?! Tell me, or I swear I'll kill you myself!"

"Like your friend, Slavetooth tried doing?" Blade said with a sick twisted grin. "Stupid fool should have known better."

Despite that, he had been tricked and lied to by the five-gill sawtooth; Riptide couldn't let his death go unpunished. So, with a roar of rage, he attacked the trio anger adding in his Hidden Fury, he thrashed the three pretty severely. "Now where the hell is my sister, you fucking bastards!" he snarled.

"We don't have her," Crab wheezed painfully. "Genghis has her."

"What?" Riptide seized the crab man by his throat. "You gave my sister to that monster?"

"What if we did?" Stinger said. "You won't reach her in time. Bastard probably already fucking had sex with her."

Stinger's comment was enough to send Riptide into a rage that was nothing like Arlong or even Luffy ever had. The Saws watched in shock as their captain viciously attacked Stinger, Blade, and Crab.

"Capn'!" Ryder shouted to Riptide. "You got to stop, or you'll kill them!"

"He can't hear ye," Blade said. "Da Capn' be blind wit his rage!"

Without warning, Nami leaped from Wavecutter onto the smaller vessel. She grabbed Riptide by his arm. "Riptide, stop!" she screamed at him, but he was too consumed with rage to hear her. "RIPTIDE, STOP, OR YOU'LL BECOME LIKE YOUR FATHER!"

Nami's words finally reached him, and Riptide looked at her as blood dripped from his fists. "M-mother?" he said as if in a daze.

"That's my good boy," Nami said, stroking his scarred cheek. Then, she turned to face Crab, Blade, and Stinger. "As for you, three get your stinking hides out of here before you end up hurt."

"Yes, ma'am," the three said in unison.

~~.~~.~~

Kuroobi and Chew were slowly regaining consciousness, and they found themselves in the brig.

"How did we get in here, chu?" Chew asked.

Kuroobi frowned, "No idea, and the last thing I remember was that hybrid saying he was going to kick my ass."

Chew went up to the grated metal door and touched it. To his surprise, it swung open! "They never locked it, chu!"

"What?" Kuroobi couldn't believe their luck. How did someone forget to lock up prisoners? "Let's leave before someone decides to check on us."

They held for the stairs and made their way up each deck level. Chew was halfway up the stairs to the deck when he stopped.

"Why did you stop?" Kuroobi said.

"Don't you hear that?" Chew asked.

"Hear what?"

"Capn'! You got to stop, or you'll kill them!"

"He can't hear ye! Da Capn' be blind wit his rage!"

Chew, wanting to escape before someone caught them, couldn't help but be curious about what was happening. Before Kuroobi could stop him, the whitefish Fishman hurried up on deck and quickly joined the Saw crew, seeing the gathering at the port side rail. Kuroobi soon joined him, and they saw Riptide lose control as he attacked the three other Fishmen in a small boat.

"Isn't that –" Chew started to say.

"Yeah," Kuroobi said. "Stinger, Crab, and Blade."

They saw Nami jump from the ship to the smaller craft, grabbing Riptide by his arm. "Riptide, stop!" she screamed at him. "RIPTIDE, STOP, OR YOU'LL BECOME LIKE YOUR FATHER!"

That brought Riptide around, and he stared at Nami. While Nami calmed Riptide, Kuroobi and Chew stared at the other three Fishmen. Riptide had beaten Crab, Stinger, and Blade so severely that the three were lucky they were still among the living. But, having seen Arlong go crazy a few times before, Kuroobi and Chew knew Riptide was on the whole new level of "Do not cross unless you have a death wish."

"I think it would wiser to join his crew before he decides to kill us, chu," Chew said.

Kuroobi nodded just as Nami with Riptide climbed back aboard Wavecutter. The crew parted so Nami could lead Riptide towards his quarters.

The hybrid spotted Kuroobi and Chew, and his brown eyes narrowed at the sight of them. "How the fuck did you two get out?" he said.

"Someone forgot to lock the door," Kuroobi said.

Riptide glared at the stingray. "Don't push me," he warned. "I'm in a horrid mood."

"Let us join you, chu," Chew said.

"What?" Riptide said as the Saws blinked in surprise and shock. "Why the fuck should I allow two former officers of my father's pirate crew into my crew."

"Riptide, you will need all the help you can get against Genghis," Jimbei said.

"You're going to fight Genghis, chu?!"

"I am," Riptide said. "He has my sister, and he needs to pay for the crimes he has done to his brother, the innocent lives of the Fishman District, and those of this island."

"Brother?" Kuroobi said. "The Fishman District?"

"Genghis is the Monster of the Fishman District," Nami said.

"But we saw Fisher Tiger kill him, chu," Chew said.

"No, my brother managed to survive even that," Marcus said.

"Wait, chu," Chew said. "You said you were Arlong's father." Marcus nodded. "Then you told us Genghis was your brother, chu."

"I did," Marcus said.

Kuroobi and Chew looked at each startled as Longtooth facepalmed. "Before you, two fry your brains overthinking," the shortfin mako said. "Genghis and Marcus are brothers, which makes Genghis Arlong's uncle and the great uncle to our captain, first mate, and cook. Does that make any fucking sense to you?"

"Jimbei, keep the ship on course," Nami said as she herded Riptide along. "I'm taking my son to his quarters so he can get some rest before the battle."

Jimbei gave a stiff nod before he fixed his gaze on his former crewmates. "Longtooth, can you make sure Kuroobi and Chew don't cause trouble?"

The shortfin mako gave a snort. "When did I become a fucking babysitter?"

~~.~~.~~

Stinger, Crab, and Blade watched as the ancient warship continued on her way. They were grateful that the female human had saved them, but now they knew the truth to Riptide. Stinger pulled out a small decorated wooden chest and opened it. Inside, resting on a purple silk pillow, was a White Den Den Mushi. The fat white snail could produce a signal that can neutralize the eavesdropping abilities of the Black Den Den Mushi.

"Scales, this Stinger reporting in," the stingray said into the handheld mic.

A few minutes had passed before the snail responded. "I'm here, Stinger," said a deep voice. "What have you to report? Has Genghis agreed to my offer?"

"Yes, and we have the Mermadiam," Stinger said.

"Good, good," Scales said, and the Den Den Mushi smiled, reflecting Scales' mood.

"But we ran into a slight problem," Crab said, and Blade and Stinger glared daggers at him.

"Problem? What problem?" the Den Den Mushi said, its eyes narrowing.

Stinger sighed. "Some no-name pirates and their captain attacked us and –"

"And what?!" growled Scales over then Den Den Mushi.

"We got our asses handed to us by their captain," Blade said.

The Den Den Mushi was silent before the white snail started laughing. To know Scales was laughing made the trio unease. "This captain must be mighty if he beat you three so easily," came Scales' reply. "I need to meet him."

"You might not want to," Stinger said. "He's a fucking hybrid born from a female human."

"What?!" roared Scales. "You lost to a fucking filthy hybrid that is part stinking human?!"

"Boss, believe us," Blade said. "this hybrid is on one hell of an intense fighting level, and I swear he was getting stronger each passing second. He was have killed us if it wasn't for his mother stopping him. He does look familiar, though."

"Explain," Scales said.

"You remember hearing about Arlong the Saw?" Blade said.

"Yes," Scales said. "Lost to a human called Straw Hate Luffy." Scales gave a humored chuckle. "He might be a human, but this Straw Hat certainly has given our enemies plenty of headaches. Pity he is a Fishman, I wouldn't mind having him as an ally."

"Boss, we believe this hybrid is Arlong's son," Blade said.

"His son?" Scales said. "What makes you believe that? Hell, that bastard Arlong hated humans. There is no way he would father hybrid children with a filthy human female."

"This hybrid nearly looks like Arlong except for the white skin and tiger stripe marks on his arms and upper body," Stinger said.

"Did you happen to get his name?" Scales asked.

"Yeah," Stinger said. "Riptide."

"Do you want to go after him, boss?" Crab asked.

The Den Den Mushi's eyes went half-lidded before Scales finally spoke. "No," he said. "Return to me with the Mermadiam. Scales out."

Blade, Stinger, and Crab looked at each other. What was their boss up now? They did know one thing; Riptide just made a powerful enemy with Scales.

~~Somewhere in the Grand Line, in a dimly lit room~~

"Riptide is it," Scales muttered as he scribbled the name down as well as the description. The Fishman snapped his fingers, and one of his men hurried into the room.

"Yeah, boss?" The other Fishman said.

"Send word out to our people and our allies," Scales said, pushing the piece of paper forward. "Tell them to keep their eyes and ears out on this guy and his pirate crew. Any word, no matter what it is, is to be sent back to me. Is that clear?"

"You got it, boss," His subordinate took the paper and left.

~~.~~.~~

Skie was concerned about her husband. Riptide had nearly killed those other three Fishmen, and if Nami hadn't – the female sawtooth shook her head; she couldn't think about what might have happened. Riptide was resting on their bed, and despite that he had taken quite the blow to his head, Long brought some herbal tea for his brother.

"Long, I don't need-"

"Don't argue with me," Long said, giving his older brother a stern look as he folded his arms over his chest. "I'm not leaving until you drink it."

There were three things a captain never should do; argue with the ship's cook, the ship's doctor, and the ship's navigator. This Riptide remembered so easily having spent some of his early years growing up on the Thousand Sunny, and these were the three things Luffy sometimes did. So he quietly drank the tea and, being satisfied with his brother listening, Long left.

"You're too quiet," Riptide said, looking at Skie."I know something is wrong."

"Of course, something is wrong," Skie said. "Riptide, you nearly killed those other Fishmen."

He looked away. "I know," he said.

"And this doesn't bother you?" Skie said. "It doesn't bother you that you would have taken their lives?" Riptide said nothing. Skie sat down next to him, placing a hand on top of his. "I know when you killed Stryker, it was for a different reason, but what reason was there for what you almost did."

"They angered me," Riptide said bitterly. "They angered me with that remark about Destiny. If anything bad happens to her before we…."

"It won't," Skie said. "Nothing horrible will happen to her. We'll get to her before this Genghis can hurt her."

"If we don't?" Riptide looked at his wife. "What do I do if I fail to protect my sister?"

Skie sadly couldn't answer him.

~~.~~.~~

"There!" Moana shouted, pointing to Genghis's fortress's silhouette, becoming more evident the closer Wavecutter got.

"Heavily fortified," Longtooth said, lowering the spyglass.

"How heavily fortified?" Blade asked. "Don't be tellin' me dat Wavecutter's cannons won't be havin' any effect on dat fortress?"

"Those cannons are thirty-six pounds, right?" Longtooth asked.

"Aye wit da gattlin' five-pound cannons in the bow and stern," Blade said. "And we be havin' forty of da thirty-six-pound cannons."

Longtooth looked back to where Kuroobi and Chew were standing. "You two," the snag tooth shortfin mako barked at them. "Help Blade with the firing of the cannons!"

"If we don't want to?" Kuroobi said.

Longtooth gripped the seven-foot-long simator with a jagged black blade that was strapped on his back. "I'll gut you both where you stand," he snarled.

It was hard to say what made Kuroobi and Chew obey his orders, but whatever it was, they were quick to follow Blade. Riptide came out from his quarters and joined Longtooth, who handed him the spyglass.

"Will we have trouble attacking it?" Riptide asked after he looked through the spyglass.

"Knowing Blade as I do, he probably has a firing system set up for our cannons," Longtooth said.

"Good because I'm taking a small group and attacking once you are done softening Genghis and his followers up," Riptide said.

"You're what?" Longtooth looked at his young captain. "I can't let you do that! I won't lose another captain as I did before!"

Riptide had never seen someone as upset as Longtooth was. The old shortfin mako had paled in color some, and his eyes were wide in alarm. To hear Longtooth say that he wouldn't lose another young captain again, Riptide had to ask, "What do you mean by those words?"

"Blade, Ryder, and I were part of a pirate crew that Stryker and his brother, Strider, were also part of," Longtooth said, looking away some. "Our new captain was only seventeen years of age, a zebra shark named Marco. Unfortunately, we got into a sea battle with the marines, and our captain killed."

"By the marines?" Riptide asked.

"No, by my traitorous brother," Ryder said as he joined them. "Stryker slit his throat after he betrayed all of us to the marines."

Riptide was shocked. Stryker had been genuinely evil if he could take the life of his captain.

"There wasn't a day that passed that I didn't feel guilty for what happened to all of us," Ryder said. "If I had known what Stryker was going to do back then, I would have found a way to stop him or even warn Marco to my brother's plan."

"You can't change the past," Riptide said.

"Maybe we can't, but I refuse to let you make a suicidal attack against the enemy," Longtooth said. "I saw one captain die, and I will not watch another die."

"You won't lose me," Riptide said. "I'm taking my uncles, mother, sofu along with Poseidon, Butch, and Sunflash with me."

"That's still not good enough," Longtooth said. "Ryder, get your son, Thor, Trapper, Zanfar, Grinder, and that human, Moana."

Riptide turned to the snag tooth mako. "What are you –"

"Making sure we have plenty of fighters when we storm this bastard's fortress," Longtooth said. "I'm going with you."

"Wavecutter will only have a skeleton crew," Ryder said.

"Blade can handle the ship, and besides, Long, Neeta, and Skie will be here to help him if he needs it," Longtooth said.

Riptide didn't like it, but he decided not to argue the matter. Besides, he needed to talk with Poseidon, and he dreaded telling the truth to who Slashback was.

~~.~~.~~

"Poseidon," Riptide called out as he paused by the stairs. "Poseidon, are you awake?"

"Riptide?" The old Megaladon Fishman said. Poseidon moved out from the shadows within the cargo hold, and to Riptide, he looked like he had suddenly aged. "Was there fighting earlier? I heard the sounds, and I can still smell blood."

Riptide swallowed, staring at his feet. "There was," he said. "Poseidon, there's something I must tell you, and I know it won't be easy for you to accept, let alone believe."

Poseidon wasn't not liking the feeling he was getting. "What do you mean?"

Riptide pulled a small notebook from the back pocket of his jeans. "Slashback," he said. "He's dead, but that's not all. He was in truth a slaver named Slavetooth."

Poseidon refused to believe it. "No," he said. "Slashback is a little slow, but he would never –"

"It's true," Riptide said, holding the notebook up. "It's all here in this book. He tricked all of us, and he planned on poisoning us but taking you and Destiny to sell off as slaves."

"No!" Poseidon roared, shaking his head. "Lies! You're lying to me!"

"I'm not!" Riptide shouted back at him. "It hurts, I know, but I need you. Destiny needs you and perhaps Gaff!"

"Gaff?" Poseidon looked at him. "Destiny?"

"Yes," Riptide said. "The enemy took Destiny from us, and she's in danger. Real danger Gaff could be as well. So I need your help in saving them."

Poseidon turned away some, and Riptide started to panic.

"Ye be willing ta turn yer back on da only son ye have left?!"

Riptide looked to see Blade standing halfway up the steps. "Blade," he said.

"We be understandin' da pain ye be in, but ye heard da Cap'n," the old sawtooth said. "Destiny be in serious trouble. She be in the clutches of a monster, a bloodthirsty killer. But, Gaff went off ta save her, and he could git killed himself as well. Ye, be willin to turn yer back on dem?"

"No," Poseidon said, feeling guilty. "Gaff is the only son I have left now, and I can't lose him. Not now."

~~.~~.~~

"Ye be careful," Blade said as Riptide and his group prepared to go.

"We will," Riptide said. "We'll wait until Wavecutter's cannons have stopped firing on that fortress."

Blade nodded, watching the group leave with Poseidon carrying Nami, Sunflash, Maona, and Zanfar on his back. The sawtooth headed to the gun decks where Kuroobi and Chew were waiting uneasily.

"Will this even work, chu?" Chew asked.

"Ta be all honest, I'm not sure," Blade said as he looked over his crazy firing system.

The cannons loaded had all their locks pulled back to full cock, their trigger lines running to an insane-looking pulley system that ran the length of the gun deck's ceiling. Blade prayed it would work.

"Blade!"

The sawtooth turned to see Long enter. "Whoah," Long said, seeing Blade's set up. "Will it work?"

"I be hopin' it does," Blade said. "Dere be something wrong?"

"Riptide and the others made it to shore," Long said.

"I guess we be findin' if dis idea of mine works," Blade said, turning to Kuroobi and Chew. "Ye two git to yer positions and wait fer me to give ye da order."

~~.~~.~~

Riptide and the others waited, watching their ship sail a little closer.

"Don't let us down, Blade," Longtooth muttered.

~~.~~.~~

Blade watched the shore grow closer. "Fire!"

Kuroobi and Chew pulled the lines, and each hammer fell, creating a spark that ignited the powder. Finally, Wavecutter's cannons fired with a loud boom of fire and smoke. Blade watched as parts of the fortress exploded upon impact.

"Fire the next round! Now!"

~~.~~.~~

The sound of the cannons going off echoed as Riptide and his group hurried along. "Poseidon, you're up," he shouted.

The Megalodon nodded, charging ahead.

~~.~~.~~

Kuroobi and Chew looked at each other now that their job of firing the cannons was done.

"Let's go," Kuroobi said.

The two former officers of the Arlong Pirates hurried up the stairs and onto the deck. Blade saw them as they both dove off of Wavecutter.

The sawtooth rushed to the railing. "Where ye two be goin'?!" Blade called after them. "Ah didn't give ye permission ta leave da ship!"

Neeta, Long, and Skie joined him. "Where are they going?" Long asked, looking at Blade.

The sawtooth snorted. "Ah be damn if ah knew, lad."

Neeta watched Kuroobi and Chew as they reached the shore. The pair raced in the direction Riptide, and the others had gone in. "I don't believe it," the female Kuda said. "Blade, they're going after Riptide and the others."

"What?!" Long looked at his wife, fear reflecting in his eyes. "They mean to hurt Rip! Blade, we need to warn Rip before they hurt him or mother."

"How am ah supposed ta do?" Blade asked. "Besides, we need ta stay wit da ship. Da be da captain's orders and ah disobeyin' dem orders."

Long cursed his brother, and perhaps their mother was in danger, and he couldn't warn them.

~~.~~.~~

Van charged up the stairs that led from the cells with Gaff, Itachi, and the islanders following. "You have a plan once we're out of here?" the Lycan asked.

"Find my silver and save her," Gaff said.

"Not much of a plan if you ask me," Van said. "Why are you so set on saving this silver you keep yapping about?"

Gaff hesitated some before he answered. "Because I love Destiny with all my heart, and I'm willing to save her from whatever evil that has her."

"Genghis may have her, and if he does, it will be because of my stupidity," Itachi said.

Gaff looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"I told Genghis of a female who had a skin of silver, and her beauty was unlike any other," Itachi said, swallowing some. "I told him that she would be the perfect mate."

"What!" Gaff stopped in front of Itachi, teeth bared. The Kuda hybrid snarled in rage as he stared at the one being he called a brother. "You did what?!"

Itachi looked at Gaff, his eyes reflecting his pain and guilt. "I know you're upset, Gaff, but Genghis was going to kill me. I wasn't thinking clearly at that moment."

"Sounds like you were," Van said as he paused, looking back at the Itachi. "Admit it. You were thinking of saving yourself by any means necessary."

Gaff looked at Van and then Itachi. "Does he speak the truth?" he asked.

"Gaff, I –"

"Tell me!" Gaff said. "Is it the truth?!"

Itachi looked away. "Yes."

Gaff had a look of shock on his face, and then rage replaced it. Itachi turned his head slightly as Gaff lashed out with his claws striking his brother's right cheek; taken by surprise, Itachi lost his footing and fell from the steps landing on the stone floor below. Van looked down, as did the islanders, while Gaff's breathes came out in huffs. But, to the surprise of all, Itachi moved. He raised his head, looking up at Gaff, who snarled before he shrieked at Itachi. A mixture of pain and shock reflected in Itachi's eyes, and then his head dropped to the floor, his spirit broken.

"Let's go," Gaff said, turning away.

With Van leading the way, the group charged up the stairs leaving a broken spirit Itachi where he lay.

"I'm sorry, Lil brother," Itachi whispered as his chest heaved. "I'm sorry…."

~~.~~.~~

The Fishmen and the Kuda hunters fought each other when the first bombardment rained down, followed by a second. Now they stood, still in a state of shock, when the entrance door to the prison cells blew right off its hinges, landing on a group of Fishmen and hunters.

"What the hell!" Jellicoe said as Van, Gaff, and the islanders rushed out. "The slaves have escaped! Capture them!"

No one had a chance to follow the orders given by Jellicoe when the heavy reinforced doors of the fortress shook from the sudden impact. Instead, attention went from the escapees to the massive doors, which continued to shake from being repeatedly slammed.

"What is going on," Jellicoe said.

The massive doors gave way from the final hit dust filled the air as the doors landed with an earth-shaking thud. Before Jellicoe and the others could respond, Poseidon charged forward, followed by Butch and Sunflash. Screams filled the air, as did the spray of blood as Butch and his brother rushed into a group of hunters.

"We're under attack!" Jellicoe shouted. "To arms!"

The Fishmen and hunters started to respond when Riptide, Marcus, Grinder, Longtooth, Trapper, Thor, Kauileale, Zanfar, Jimbei, Tarl, Garth, Ryder, Moana, and Nami came rushing in. Jellicoe was shocked, and more shocking was the sight of Kuroobi and Chew, who followed the group.

Mano saw his people free shouted to them. "Rise and fight! The shark gods are with us! They fight with us as they did in ancient times!"

"Kill the invaders!" Jellicoe was screaming at those that were still standing, stunned. "Kill them before they kill us all!"

~~.~~.~~

The very moment the doors fell, Gaff went off on his own, his mind on saving Destiny. Nothing else mattered but saving the life of his beautiful silver. His grip tightened on his polearm as he sniffed the air. He caught Destiny's scent, and there was also a smell of blood. Gaff snarled as he followed the scent.

"Someone dares to attack me in my fortress! I will make them pay for their foolishness!"

The angry shout came from the room ahead, and Gaff charged into the room with a roar. The Kuda hybrid's eyes widened at the sight of Genghis, who stood naked by the bed, and then his eyes fell upon Destiny as she lay stunned on the bed.

"Destiny!" Gaff shouted.

"Gaff….?" Destiny said, coming around.

"Destiny," Genghis murmured, turning his attention to the silver female. "A beautiful name for my mate."

"The fuck she is!" Gaff shouted as he charged at the mako.

Genghis turned, and to Gaff's shock and horror, the insane mako seized Gaff's weapon behind the two-prong head. "You mean to stab with this puny thing?" Genghis asked in amusement. "You're as foolish as that traitorous Itachi."

Genghis backhanded Gaff with his left arm, sending the Kuda shark hybrid into the wall. Gaff hit the wall with such force that it knocked the wind out of him, and he fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. Genghis grinned an evil smile as he walked up to the fallen Kuda hybrid and kicked Gaff in the ribs. Gaff screamed in pain.

"Gaff!" Destiny screamed.

~~.~~.~~

Itachi was still hurting as he spilled silent tears. He betrayed his little brother by offering up the one he loved to Genghis. Suddenly he heard a scream of horrible pain and his head snapped up. More screams filled the air, and hearing them caused Itachi to snap. Ignoring the pain that wracked his body, Itachi charged up the stairs on all fours with incredible speed and agility.

~~.~~.~~

The battle outside the training grounds was chaos as Riptide and his group faced incredible odds against them. The hybrid knew his sister was somewhere within the fortress, but he couldn't get through the combined forces of Fishmen and Kuda hunters. It was then the screams came from the main building ahead of them, and Riptide was quick to recognize the cries.

"Gaff!" he shouted. "We need to clear a path! Gaff's in trouble!"

A high-pitched screech echoed off to Riptide's right, and all those that heard froze. Some of the Kuda hunters turned to face the entrance, snarling and hissing. Riptide watched as the one Gaff had called Itachi charged straight into them.

He's injured, and very severely, Riptide thought, watchingItachi attacking his hunters. He can't keep this up!

When the last hunter that dared to challenge him fell, Itachi turned, charging inside the main building. Riptide knew that not only Gaff was there, but so was his sister.

"Clear a path!" Riptide shouted. "Destiny and Gaff are that building ahead of us!"

"Don't let pass!" Salmo shouted. "Genghis will fucking kill us if they do!"

"Hyakumaigawara Seiken!"

Salmo went flying from Kuroobi's punch, crashing into one of the nearby buildings.

"What the hell Kuroobi?!" Lucious yelled at the ray. "Whose side are you on?!"

Kuroobi looked at the pike. "Certainly not the side of that monster," he said.

~~.~~.~~

"Who do you think you are trying to attack me?" Genghis said as he continued to beat Gaff. "I am a god here! I rule this island the way I want it to be, making slaves out of those stupid pathic creatures who live here! And you….are nothing but my next meal."

Gaff lay beaten and helpless as Genghis reached for him just as an angry high pitch screech echoed from the hall. The mako looked up as Itachi slammed into him, tearing into him with his teeth and claws. Genghis roared with pain as his blood spilled. Angrily the mako managed to grab Itachi's tail and slammed the draconian into the floor.

"Itachi!" Gaff screamed in horror.

"You stupid Kuda!" Genghis snarled. "Who the fuck do you think you are?!"

"Your death," Itachi snapped, lunging at his former master.

Genghis caught Itachi by the throat, and his grip tightened. Itachi's feet were kicking out wildly as his tail whipped back and forth as the draconian dug his nails into Genghis' forearm. Genghis grinned as he slowly tightened his grip on Itachi's throat. Slowly the fight started to leave Itachi as he began to weaken.

"Leave him alone, you monster!"

Genghis started to turn his body when he smashed right in the face, hard. His grip loosened, and Itachi dropped to the floor. Gaff dragged himself over to an almost dead Itachi watching Destiny, who struck Genghis repeatedly with a broken piece of a bedpost that had been laying in the corner of the bedroom. His silver was beautiful and brave as she faced the insane mako Fishman.

"You little fucking bitch!" Genghis roared, finally lashing out.

He backhanded Destiny with such force, sending her across the room, striking the wall. The silver hybrid crumbled to the floor.

"No," Gaff screamed. "Destiny!"

Genghis reached up to wipe the blood from his mouth, spitting out several broken teeth. "Fucking little bitch," he said. "I'll teach you a lesson about striking me. After I've claimed you as mine."

"Don't you touch her," Gaff said as he struggled to rise to his feet.

Genghis looked at him in amusement. "What do you intend to do? You barely have the strength to stand, let alone challenge me."

Though he knew Genghis spoke true, Gaff still picked up his fallen polearm. "I refuse to give up, not when I know she needs me to save her," he said.

"Stupid just like that fool Itachi," Genghis said. "I would make your death quick, but instead, I will make it so slow and painful."

I'm sorry, my silver, Gaff thought as he prepared to give everything he had in a fight he would lose. "I never got to tell you that I love you.'

"SSSHHHAAA!"

"What?!"

Gaff's eyes widened when he heard the battle cry. "Rip!" he said just as Riptide came charging.

Using the speed of his Hidden Fury, Riptide leaped into the air, his Kiribachi above his head. "Kappa Shokku!"

Riptide did a powerful downward swing at Genghis, stopping a mere inch from mako's face. Gaff blinked, confused by his friend's attack until the force from the attack struck Genghis. Genghis cried out in pain as he knocked to the floor as if an invisible fist had hit him. Unfortunately, the bedroom floor was old, collapsed underneath the mako, and much like Luffy's Gomu Gomu Battle Axe that Luffy used on Arlong, Genghis went crashing through the fortress levels until he struck the lower level.

"Holy shit, Rip," Gaff said, still in awe at Riptide's attack.

"We have no time to waste," Riptide said as he slung Itachi across his shoulders. "Get Destiny before that crazy fucking bastard has a chance to recover."

"What?" Gaff said, scooping Destiny into his arms. "Are you saying that nut fucking survived all that?"

"Gaff, Genghis is not a fucking ordinary Fishman," Riptide said. "From what I've learned, this bastard is hard to kill."

Gaff couldn't believe it, that is until he heard the savage roar of rage coming from the lower level. The Kuda hybrid gave a startled gasp as he backed away from the hole. "H-he's still alive," he said. "That can't be possible."

"Gaff! Move it!"

Snapping out of his shock, Gaff quickly followed Riptide. Moments later, Genghis climbed from the hole covered with dust, dirt, cuts, and blood. The mako Fishman was breathing heavily as his body shook with rage.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Genghis roared.

Holy Shit! Genghis seems unstoppable. What will it take to take down this nightmarish mako? Does the Saw Pirates have the strength and might to stop Genghis. Remember to Read and Review.