Chapter 8: Sins of the Past, Part 8
I do not own One Piece! That will always belong to Eiichiro Oda! I only own my OCs
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
Genghis' voice filled the corridor as Riptide and Gaff hurried as best as they could with the burdens they carried. Gaff cradled Destiny close to his body then glanced at Riptide, who had his barely conscious brother across his shoulders. All this time, he wondered where Slashback was.
"Where's Slashback?" Gaff said.
"Gaff, there's something I need to tell you. But right now isn't the best time," Riptide said.
Gaff looked at Riptide in concern. Had something happened to Slashback? Destiny gave a small groan drawing Gaff's attention. She muttered something that he couldn't hear clearly. "Des, what did you say?" Gaff asked.
"He hit me," Destiny repeated.
"I know that ugly fucking bastard did," Gaff said. "Riptide and I will make that Sonofabitch regret even touching you."
"Not him," Destiny said, looking up at Gaff, and he saw that her cheek was bruised and swollen some. "Slashback did."
"Slash did what?!" Gaff stopped, as did Riptide. "Slashback hit you?"
Destiny nodded. "He called me a bitch."
Riptide gave a low, angry growl. Bitch? That lying two-face saw tooth called his sister a bitch?
Gaff shook his head. "No way," he said. "Slash can be a stupid shithead at times, but calling you a bitch? That can't be right."
"It's true," Destiny said. "He called me that, then he struck me, knocking me out."
"I'm going to kick his fucking ass," Gaff said. "I'm going to knock some sense into that numbskull's thick head."
"Save it for later," Riptide said. "We need to get the hell out of this place and far away from that monster."
"GIVE ME, MY QUEEN!" Genghis' voice bellowed, echoing in the corridor.
"Shit!" Riptide said. "Move! Move, move!"
Holding Destiny tightly to him, Gaff hauled ass as fast as he could go.
~~.~~.~~
The battle outside was still going on, and for Jellicoe, the fighting was taking a strain on him. The Jellyfish Fishman preferred to fight in the sea, not on land. He had been facing the freed islanders and using his 15 long tentacles; he had stung some of them. His victims screamed from the pain as they became paralyzed. Gunshots rang out, and Jellicoe turned with annoyance to look at Tarlong, who shot him.
"Are you serious?" the jellyfish said as he turned to the sharpshooter. "Are you seriously trying to shoot me?"
"What if I was?" Tarl said, having reloaded his rifle.
"You can't fucking hurt me, you stupid shark!" Jellicoe said. "I'm a jellyfish, and bullets, swords, and punches can't hurt me. They go right through me, and I can heal myself."
Tarl realized his mistake. "God damn it!"
Jellicoe smiled wickedly. "But I can hurt you."
Tarl cried in pain as Jellicoe sent a tentacle out, piercing the saw tooth's upper left leg. Jellicoe smiled as he started draining Tarl's body of water.
"Blazing Knuckles!"
Jellicoe screamed in horrible pain as his tentacle was dried out and shriveled up. "Who the fuck?!"
"I did, you asshole of a vampire!"
Jellicoe looked at the human male who was helping Tarl to his feet. "I'm a jellyfish, you stupid human," he snarled. "Do you know who the fuck I am?! I'm Jellicoe Fisk, AKA Jellyfish Joe!"
"Is that suppose to scare me?" the man said, looking none impressed. "Tarl, can you get yourself to safety?"
Tarl looked at his crew mate. "Zanfar, this guy is-"
"I saw," Zanfar said. "But he's no match for me."
Jellicoe, hearing this, burst out laughing. "I'm no match for you? So what can you, a mere weak little human, do to me?"
Zanfar looked at him, and before the jellyfish Fishman's eyes became engulfed in a fiery blaze that consumed his whole body. Jellicoe watched as the flames took on a form and an angry neigh rang out. Zanfar stood before the Fishman in his hybrid form, but unlike many zoan users, Zanfar's hybrid form was much like Chopper's Arm Point with a mane and a tail of flame.
"Wha-what are you?" Jellicoe said.
"I ate the Uma Uma no Mi, Model: Oni Uma," Zanfar said.
Jellicoe cringed. "You're one of them," he said. "A mythical zoan user!"
Zanfar's eyes glowed like wild beacons of fire from beneath the metal mask that covered his head. "So you're familiar with devil fruit users?"
"I am, and I also know the weakness of all you devil fruit users," Jellicoe said before he lashed out with a tentacle only to have Zanfar vanish. "What?! Where did he go?!"
"Blazing Blast!"
Jellicoe turned to look to have a blazing hoof strike him right in the face. The Fishman screamed in pain as he felt the searing, burning pain of Zanfar's punch, and he lay on the ground thrashing wildly in pain. Zanfar stood, eyes narrowed as small jets of flame emitted from his elbows.
"You dirty cheat!" Jellicoe screamed. "How dare you hit me!"
"You should talk," Zanfar said. "I saw what you did to Tarlong, and that is unforgivable. You are the type to fight unfairly, even against a stronger opponent."
"Stronger than me?!" Jellicoe said as he got to his feet. "No one is stronger than me! I am one of the great Fishmen race, and we are superior to you weak land-dwelling creatures! Your race is nothing compared to us! You can not-ARGH!"
"Thunderbolt Tempo!"
A powerful lightning bolt struck Jellicoe out of nowhere, and the jellyfish Fishman lay twitching, and he was almost dried out. Zanfar looked to see Nami standing near Tarl, who was leaning against his mute brother Garth.
"I hate hearing people who sound like damn Arlong," Nami said. "I heard of that shit when I had to work for that cold-hearted bastard, and hearing still pisses me off."
Jellicoe painfully got to his feet. "So you knew Arlong," he said. "You can't imagine how it was for us who believed in his beliefs to learn that he had been beaten by some no-name pirate who was a devil fruit user. It's worse seeing two of his former officers aiding the bitch who was responsible for his downfall."
Jellicoe looked to see some of the freed islanders gathering not far from him, and with an evil smile, he lashed out with his tentacles. The islanders screamed as the tentacles pierced them, and to Nami, Tarl, Garth, and Zanfar's horror, they watched as they shivered up to dry husks.
"What the fuck did he do?!" Tarl said.
"He's a vampire," Zanfar said, his flames growing wilder and hotter.
"Not a vampire, more like a sponge," Nami said. "He drained them off all their body fluids."
"The body of you pathetic humans is 60% water," Jellicoe said, looking normal again. "Which makes it not only easy for me to rehydrate myself but to make myself stronger." Jellicoe swelled, growing more prominent in height.
"You gotta be kidding me," Tarl muttered.
Jellicoe was nearly the size of Shyarly, Arlong's half-sister and more monstrous-looking. "Well?" he asked. "Now, do you see that it's impossible to beat me?"
"We'll beat you," Nami said, twirling her sorcery Clima-Tac above her head.
"No," Zanfar said. "I said I would beat him, and I will."
"If I recall right," Jellicoe said. "You said I was no match for you, and there is no way you are a match for me even if you're a devil fruit user. So I will squash you like an itsy little bug."
"And you are arrogant and full of yourself," Zanfar said.
"What's your point?"Jellicoe said. "Do you know how many I have killed over my years? I am an elite assassin as well as an enforcer. I have a bounty of 98,000,000 Beli."
"Is that supposed to impress me?" Zanfar said. "Because if you were, you failed to do it."
His flames were burning so hot that Tarlong, Nami, and even Jellicoe backed away. Almost anyone near the area had to fall back. Zanfar was now in his complete zoan form as the fires died down. Jellicoe blinked at the muscular black horse that pawed the ground with a fiery hoof, snorting flames.
"I said you were no match for me, and now you will see why," Zanfar said as his body burst in flame. "Blazing Charge!"
Zanfar charged straight at Jellicoe and leaped right at the monstrous Fishman. Jellicoe screamed in pure agony as his body absorbed the Zoan, but the result was that of the jellyfish man drying out. Jellicoe lay on the ground dehydrated. Zanfar, now human, looked over his shoulder at the Fishman as he lay twitching.
"I told you I was stronger than you," he said.
~~.~~.~~
Genghis' hunters and the Fishmen he forced to work for him found themselves losing the battle; they couldn't rally together to drive back their enemy. However, the islanders, starved and beaten at times, found a renewed strength as Mano kept yelling that the ancient shark gods had returned to help them, and to them, it was enough. Butch and Sunflash were causing hell as they ripped through a pack of Kuda hunters, but it seemed to the brothers that no matter how many they took out, there were two or four more that took their place.
Where's the Capn?!" Ryder yelled to the brothers.
"I haven't seen him since this shit started," Butch said before he snapped a Kuda hunter up in his fearsome teeth. "These fellas are worse than fleas on a dawg."
"And twice dang annoying," Sunflash added, having pounced a Fishman and finishing him off with his claws.
The black tiger shark grew increasingly worried more than Longtooth was. The shortfin mako was so busy fighting that he hadn't had time to look for his young captain. We need to find the captain before something terrible happens to him.
"GIVE ME MY QUEEN!"
Genghis' voice boomed out from the main building drawing everyone's attention. Both Kuda hunters and Fishmen cringed in fear at the sound of their master's angry voice. Hearing his brother's voice caused Marcus to snarl as the images of his murdered parents and siblings flashed through his mind. It was then there were screams, screams of pain, horrible pain.
"No!" Marcus shouted as he rushed forward, fighting through the crowd of enemies before him.
~~.~~.~~~
Riptide and Gaff ran through the corridor, knowing that Genghis was behind them, or so they thought. Then, the wall just to Riptide's right exploded outward, filling the hall with dust blinding both Riptide and Gaff.
"GIVE ME MY QUEEN!"
Riptide didn't have time to react as Genghis lunged, clamping down on the hybrid's right shoulder teeth sinking deeply. Riptide screamed in horrible pain as Itachi fell to the floor.
"Rip!" Gaff yelled as Genghis viciously shook his head.
Riptide's screams echoed throughout the corridor, but he couldn't free himself. The crazy mako had grabbed his arms, pinning them to his body.
"I'm going to kill you and feast upon you," Genghis said, savoring the taste of blood in his mouth.
"Let him go, you god damn bastard!"
Genghis heard and lifted his head as best as he could, only to have the popper of a whip strike him in the right in the face. He howled in pain, dropping Riptide, who laid in agony clutching to his bleeding shoulder.
"Sofu!" Destiny shouted.
"Help your brother and get the hell of here!" Marcus said. "I'll handle this fucking bastard."
Genghis turned halfway, blocking any chance of getting past him. Purple eyes narrowed at the sight of Marcus as the injured mako snarl baring his bloody teeth. "Marcus," he hissed, voice full of hate.
"Ley them go, Genghis," Marcus said, whip at the ready. "This between you and me."
Genghis laughed. "Really? Do you think you have a chance against me, little brother?"
"Little brother?" Gaff said. "Wait! Genghis and Marcus….are fucking brothers?!"
Destiny looked sick. "He was going to rape me," she said. "I was going to be raped by my fucking uncle!?"
"What the hell are you standing around and waiting for!" Marcus shouted. "Get the hell out here! Now!"
"No one is leaving," Genghis said, turning back towards Destiny and Gaff. "I will have my queen!"
"The fucking hell you will!"
Genghis was caught off guard as Itachi leaped onto his back claws, tearing deep into his flesh. The mako roared as the draconian sank his teeth into the back of his neck. Despite his injuries and being a slight coward, Itachi forgot it all. It was hard to say where his sudden courage came from, or perhaps something with his long last race had something to do with it. Whatever it was, Itachi tore into Genghis with a fury of a vengeful dragon.
Gaff watched in sheer disbelief at his brother's fury and will. But Itachi was severely hurt that he shouldn't be able to fight, yet he was. Blood flowed from the wounds Itachi had inflicted, driving Genghis crazy from the pain that he started slamming his body in the corridor walls trying to dislodge Itachi, which in turn gave the opportunity needed for Riptide, Gaff, and Destiny to get past Genghis.
"Go now!" Marcus yelled, seeing the chance as well.
Riptide hurried quickly, nearly stumbling to the floor if it wasn't for Marcus catching him. "Gaff go!" he shouted back at his Nakama.
Gaff hesitated, not wanting to abandon Itachi. "I can't leave Itachi," he said.
"Damn it, boy," Marcus yelled. "Move your damn ass!"
Still, Gaff didn't move.
"Damn it, Gaff!" Destiny screamed at him. "Move, you stupid, cowardly ass!"
The silver hybrid grabbed the Kuda hybrid by the arm and dragged him past Genghis.
"What about Itachi?!" Gaff said.
"I'll get him," Marcus said. "Now get out of here!"
Destiny did so, leaving both her brother and Gaff behind. Riptide gritted his teeth in pain as he got Gaff to his feet, and seeing the pain his friend was in, Gaff helped Riptide along. They had no sooner left when Genghis finally dislodged Itachi from his back.
"You little traitorous Kuda!" Genghis roared as he turned to Itachi, trying to get to his feet.
Genghis might have gotten Itachi right then and there, but Marcus cracked his whip, striking his brother in the face and again enraging his brother to his breaking point. Finally, Genghis snapped, going into berserker mode, and even with his strength and speed boosted, Genghis suffered a side effect. His mako blood took control, and the savageness of the shark surfaced. Marcus barely avoided his brother's attack as Genghis smashed recklessly into not only the wall of the corridor but a support beam as well.
"We need to get out of here," Marcus said, getting Itachi to his feet only to have the draconian cry out in pain. "Shit!" Seeing Itachi's bloody leg, Marcus knew he would have to carry him out, and he knew they didn't have much time to getaway. "On my back, I'll carry you."
"Are you mad?" Itachi said.
"Look, we don't have time to argue," Marcus said. "We need to go now before that brother of mine gets his chance to kill us both."
Itachi looked at Marcus, stunned by what the mako said. "Brother?! Genghis said nothing of a brother."
"As much I would love to talk about this, we need to get to safety," Marcus said.
"Agreed, I need to see my Leilani and our little one," Itachi said before he winced as Marcus put him on his back.
~~.~~.~~
Skie worried about her husband and their Nakama when Leilani woke up with a slight groan drawing the female sawtooth's attention. She went to the young woman's side as she sat up.
"Take it easy," Skie said, resting a hand on Leilani's forearm. "The birth took a lot out of you."
"My baby," Leilani said. "Is my baby alright?"
"They're fine," Skie said with a smile nodding to the woven basket on the bed by them. "Sleeping soundly."
"They?" Leilani looked at Skie. "Twins? Mo'o is a father of twins?"
"A son and a daughter."
Hearing that, Leilani broke down some crying tears of happiness. Her Mo'o was a father to twins. They never dreamed they would have twins, yet the gods blessed them. "Can I see my babies?"
Skie smiled as she picked the basket up, brought it to Leilani, and then carefully lifted each baby and handed them to their mother. Oh, how Leilani loved her precious little ones. She kissed them, hugging them close to her.
"How you thought of names for them?" Skie asked.
Before Leilani could answer, Wavecutter rocked wildly, causing the babies to cry, and a few medical supplies along with her surgical instruments crashed to the floor. Skie looked around in alarm. What was happening?! Then she heard the deep rumbling moo that almost vibrated through the hull of their ship.
"What was that?" Leilani asked fearfully.
"Momoo," Skie said.
"Skie, be ye hurt?" Blade said, hurrying into the sick bay.
"Just frightened," Skie said. "What's gotten into Momoo?"
"Ah goin ta find dat out," the shipwright said. "Long and Chizz be on da deck."
~~.~~.~~
Long gripped the port railing as the sea cow surfaced. "Momoo! What's wrong?!" he shouted.
Momoo circled the warship three times, then faced out to the open sea, a deep threatening rumble coming from him. Long strained his eyes, trying to spot whatever it was that had their friend/ protector upset.
"Long, wat be happenin?!" Blade said as he joined the cook. "Ye see something?"
"I don't see….no, wait," Long said, pointing. "There! Can you see it?!"
In the distance was a great wake coming closer, and then a dorsal fin broke the surface. Blade rubbed his eyes and stared at the gigantic fin. "Ah got ta be dreamin," he said before the shark fin disappeared beneath the surface. "Shit! Dat shark be goin underneath us!"
Momoo gave an angry growl and looked ready to go after the monster-sized shark. "Stay Momoo," Long said, putting both hands up. "Stay."
Neeta and Skie with Leilani came onto the deck.
"Long, what's happening?" Neeta asked.
"There's a monster underneath us," Long said.
"Where?" Leilani asked.
"Bloody hell," Blade said, gripping the starboard railing tightly. "Ah never seen something dis big!"
The others joined him looking down, and saw the dark form of the shark as it swam under Wavecutter. It was gigantic.
Leilani gasped. "Kamohoali'i!"
"Kamohoali'i?" Neeta said.
"He is the king of the sharks," Leilani said. "The stories tell he has the power to take the form of any fish."
"If dat be true den wat would he be doin here?" Blade asked
"Could he a Guardian?" Chizz said.
"Ye be joking, right?" Blade looked at the navigator.
"Look!" Long said. "Something is happening."
There was an eerie bluish glow at the sea's surface, and the shark king exploded forth his whole body, emitting the same ghost-like mist as Saw and her brothers. Kamhoali'i became white, and the tribal marking that covered his body pulsed a blue-white.
"Ye got ta be joking," Blade said. "He be a bloody Guardian shark!"
"But there was only supposed to be six Guardian sharks," Skie said.
"Dat we knew of," the shipwright said. "Dis be da Grand Line and ah be thinking dere be more Guardian sharks den wat was told."
"Wait," Long looked at Blade in fear. "You don't think something awful happened to Rip?"
Fear filled Skie at Long's words. That couldn't be right, could it? Something didn't happen to Riptide, did it? She couldn't lose him. She just couldn't, not after all they had been through on Unity. "Blade, We have to do something," she said.
"Wat da ye want me ta do?" Blade said. "Follow dat shark?"
"Exactly," Skie said.
"Skie, that's insane," Neeta said. "If we sail too close to shore, we could run aground or strike any hidden rocks."
"Ah not be willin to risk ar ship on such a gamble," Blade said.
"We can't just wait here and pray everything is alright," Chizz said. "My big lug is fighting too, and I don't want to lose him."
"Ah know how ye all be feeling, but ah got to follow da captain's orders," Blade said.
"Orders? What orders?" Long said.
"He didn't want me ta be riskin da ship or any lives if he should fail," Blade said.
"How could Riptide say such a thing?!" Long said.
"It be the orders and ah never disobeyed an order yet no matter how wrong it be," Blade said. "
"Put your trust in Kamhoali'i," Leilani said. "The king of the sharks knows he is needed.
~~.~~.~~
Riptide started feeling light-headed and nearly fell if Gaff hadn't caught him. "Destiny!" Gaff shouted, seeing the silver hybrid just ahead of them. "Rip needs help!"
To the shock of Gaff and Riptide, Destiny didn't stop, let alone come back and help. The silver mind was strangely enough on Slashback and the need to know why he did what he did to her. Besides, Riptide didn't look too badly hurt andcould handle himself. He had back on Unity Island, so there was no reason to worry.
She emerged outside and into the bloody chaos of the battle. There was fighting around her, and she had no idea how she would get through. Then, there was a terrifying roar as Butch plowed through some Kuda hunters with Sunflash right on his brother's heels.
"Darlin, if you ain't a beautiful sight," Sunflash said, relieved that Destiny was unharmed.
"Where's your brother?" Butch said before taking a few Fishmen out.
"He's right here!"
"What in tarnation happen to him?!" Sunflash said as Gaff came out with Riptide, who was not looking well.
"Genghis got him," Gaff said, glaring at Destiny. "He's bleeding pretty bad from that wound. Can you guys clear a path for us?"
Butch twisted around to see a mob of blood-crazy Kudas blocking their way of escape. "I don't reckon so," the Spinosaurus said, his sides heaving. "I don't know if I got enough strength to get through those critters." Butch was bleeding pretty good from the wounds he had, as was Sunflash.
"Why the hell are you all standing around for?!"
Gaff looked over his shoulder as Marcus came out carrying Itachi on his back. "We got a slight problem," the Kuda hybrid said.
Itachi saw the look on his former hunters. "This is not good," he said. "They're in a blood frenzy, and in that state, they're worse than starving piranhas."
"Rip can clear them out," Destiny said.
"Are you shitting crazy?!" Gaff snapped. "He's fucking hurt and bleeding like crazy! Does he look like he could lift his Kiribachi?!"
Riptide was clearly in need of medical attention and was close to passing out. Butch turned to face the Kuda hunters, a deep growl rumbling from his throat as his leg muscles tightened; he was more than ready to sell his life if it meant saving Riptide. But, before Butch could move the shark king, Kamhoali'i appeared, taking the Kuda hunters out with a swipe of his tail.
"A Guardian?" Gaff said, eyes wide as Kamhoali'i took on a humanoid form.
He stood 15 feet tall and wore a dark blue kilt-like garment that the island men wore with a leather belt and a shell buckle. The great shark king did not look like a Fishman, but an ancient throwback to the Fishmen race with a sharply pointed conical snout, large round pointy ears, mohawk mixture of orange and blue, and red. Kûhaimoana's body was decorated with tribal markings, and he carried two ancient weapons carved from wood. In his right hand, he had a 24 inch long double-headed axe club lined with shark teeth, while in his left hand, he had a fish hook club that was 19 inches long and 7 inches wide with a total of 13 teeth of a tiger shark. Around his neck was a necklace made of shark teeth.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU ALL! MY QUEEN! I WILL HAVE MY QUEEN! SHE IS MINE!"
Hearing Genghis caused Destiny to cringe in terror as Gaff, Marcus, and the dino brothers glared back toward the doorway of the main building just as Genghis came out. The crazed mako had so many wounds that his blood painted his body.
"How is that crazy fucking bastard even alive?!" Gaff said. "He's lost so much blood!"
Marcus pushed Destiny behind him as Genghis' maddening gaze fell upon her. He snarled as he charged forward, only to have Kamhoali'i knock him away with a blow from his fish hook club, sending the mako through another building wall.
"Go," the shark king said as he stepped forward. "I shall face this demon."
"You have no reason to fight him," Marcus said. "If anyone should be facing him, it should be me! The sins he's committed are my burdens, and I need to be the one to end this hellish nightmare!"
"Sofu," Riptide said, barely able to keep his eyes open now. "What he's done is not your fault…."
"He murdered our family," Marcus said. "I've been haunted by the memories of that day for fall too long, and I need to end it."
Kamhoali'i looked at Marcus, and the shark king understood. "I will see to their safety," he said.
Marcus nodded, eyes glued to the hold in the wall. He needed to see this end; he had to.
"Sufu, no!" Destiny grabbed her grandfather's arm, trying to pull him. "You'll die if you face that monster!"
Marcus calmly looked at her as tears flowed down his granddaughter's face. "I don't expect you to understand the guilt I've been suffering since that day," he said, wiping the tears away. "But I think I now understand the wrong I've done not to Arlong, but all my children and I failed to do that day."
"Sofu, please," Destiny begged him more. "Let's get away while we can."
"At let Genghis live?" Marcus said, shaking his head. "I made that mistake before, and look what happened. He took more lives on Fishman Island then came here, killing more innocent lives. No, this ends today. I will not allow my insane brother to continue this reign of terror." He calmly pried Destiny's fingers free before planting a kiss on the top of her head. "Please, get out here before it's too late."
Gaff wrapped his arms around Destiny, pulling her over to Butch, who was crutched down. Itachi was already sitting on the Spinosaurus's neck to help Gaff get Destiny on before the Kuda hybrid climbed on. Butch rose and strode off, followed by Kamhoali'i. Only Riptide and Sunflash remained behind. Riptide leaned heavily against the velociraptor for a few moments before looking up, and Marcus saw the change within his grandson's eyes.
"I know you mean well, but we both know that the great strength of the legendary Arlong the Black is still needed with the others," Marcus said. "They will need you to get them to safety."
The deep throaty chuckle of the ancient shark clan chieftain emerged from Riptide's throat. "During my life, I could have used someone like you as my advisor," Arlong the Black said. "I suggest that you do not die for the boy and his siblings will not handle losing you well."
"If I die, then I know I have someone waiting for me, and she's waited long enough," Marcus said as he bowed his head, his eyes closed.
Arlong the Black swung up onto Sunflash's back. "True, but Lilly wants you to keep living," the chieftain said. "You still have a new love out there that will need you. She wanted me to tell you this."
"What?!" Marcus turned just as Sunflash raced off. "Lilly told you?!"
Marcus heard the sound of movement and looked back as Genghis slowly and painfully stepped out. Genghis was now wheezing with each breath, and his right eye was bloody and blind. The mako barely had any strength left in his body.
"So it's just us again, little brother," Genghis said.
"It will end differently this time," Marcus said as he removed his hat and wool poncho.
Genghis laughed then started coughing up blood before he stared at Marcus. "Really?" he rasped. "From what I see, life hasn't treated you not well. So younger than me, and yet you're an old-looking man. How does that happen to such a coward?"
"Coward?" Marcus said. "How am I a coward compared to the murderer of our family and so many other innocent lives that you took?! Explain that one to me, brother?! Why the hell did you kill our parents?! Our siblings?! Our parents never mistreated us, and they never favored one over the other!"
"Is that what you believe, you stupid little fool?!" Genghis snarled. "I lost what was to be mine because of you! You took it all away from me, stripped me of being the elder son, father's pride!"
"What are you talking about," Marcus said.
"I was firstborn, and the firstborn inherits everything," Genghis said. "Money, land, everything that was father's, but no, he decided that it should be you! The weak, sickly little runt that wasn't even born to mother!"
Marcus felt like someone had punched him in the gut; he looked at Genghis in shock and disbelief. That couldn't be true; it just couldn't be true! Their parents loved each other. He remembered that so clearly. "You're lying!" he said.
"Am I?" Genghis sneered. "Father wasn't the so-called loyal husband he was supposed to be. No, he fucking whored with so many fucking women that I'm surprised mother even forgave him."
His father did what?! Marcus felt suddenly sick as he thought about what he had done in his life. If that's true, then I'm no better than father!
"One day, father returns home with a sick runt of a baby and tells mothers everything he has done," Genghis spat in anger. "Instead of throwing him out and leaving him, the stupid bitch forgave him! Forgiveness for cheating on her?! What made it more sickening is that she took you in and accepted you as her child!"
Genghis had a murderous look on his face. "When I came of age where I would receive my inheritance, father decided to instead give it to you! What was mine was instead given to you! I made sure they all paid for their betrayal to me. I made sure no other wretched sibling would steal what mine by right of birth!"
"You're out of your mind, Genghis!" Marcus said. "Truly, you are insane to think such a thing! What was your sick reason for killing all those innocent lives in the Fishman District and the people here!?"
"They were lost souls, children that were unwanted," Genghis said. "No one would miss the unwanted and abandoned. I almost had a perfect made who had the gift to see the future only to have her taken from me."
Marcus felt his anger rising. "Shyarly?! You would have forced my innocent little girl to be your fucking mate?!"
Genghis looked at him. "That gifted seer is your daughter?! If I had known that back then, I would have feasted upon her flesh!"
Marcus snapped. "This ends now, brother!"
"Fine with me! I will kill you and – Argh!"
Genghis felt pain like nothing before as his legs gave underneath him, and then he realized he couldn't feel his legs! How? What had happened? He looked to where Marcus should have been, but he couldn't see him. "Where….?"
"Right here, you fucking cold-hearted bastard!"
Genghis felt Marcus twist his right arm behind his back, then incredible pain as Marcus popped Genghis' shoulder from its socket. Genghis screamed in agony, but it was far from over.
"I'm going to make you suffer," Marcus hissed in his brother's ear. "Just like you made our parents, siblings, and every other innocent life you took."
Genghis suddenly felt the fear creep into his cold black heart. It couldn't be happening! Not to him, not when he became ruler of this island.
"You will die. When you die, you are a ruler of an island."
Shyarly's words came back to haunt him. The shortfin mako mermaid had seen his future and had seen how he was going to die but did not reveal it to him. He felt Marcus seize him by his throat, turning him onto his back, and he looked into the face of his so-called weak brother. Genghis saw orange eyes ablaze with a deep fiery rage as the grip around his throat tightened, and Genghis swore his throat was in a vice as the pressure grew with each passing second.
"No!" Genghis rasped out, knocking Marcus down. "I will….not lose….to a runt like you…."
Marcus watched in disbelief as his brother struggled to get to his feet but failed to do so. Yet Genghis refused to stop trying even though it was evident that he wasn't able to. Finally, the insane mako dragged his crippled body using his only good arm to a small pile of a shattered stone wall, pulling himself onto it.
"Do not think….that this is over," Genghis said, breaking out into a severe coughing spell.
"It's over, Genghis," Marcus said, rising to his feet. "You've lost."
"Lost?!" Genghis looked at his brother before he spat blood at him. "This is only a setback. First, I will heal, and then I will make this whole island pay for their betrayal just like that little village."
Marcus remembered the grizzly scene of that town, the mutilated corpses of the people. "You killed them all," Marcus said, his head bowed slightly. "You murdered a whole town. Why?"
"Denying me my sacrifices was the mistake they made," Genghis said with a sick twisted grin. "I was to have all the children, and those pitiful fools dared to tell me no."
"The children…." Marcus said, remembering what Jimbei had told them. "How dare you demand the lives of children."
"I take what I want," Genghis said. "I kill whoever I please. First, I will destroy this whole island, and then I will find a new hunting ground with new prey."
Marcus closed his hands into fists as he remembered that day, the day his world came apart. Images of his parents and siblings flashed through his mind, their laughter and the love he once knew taken away by a monster. Genghis claimed it was because of their father stealing away his birthright. He knew the absolute truth to Genghis' reason, and It wasn't because of a birthright.
"You're a monster," Marcus said. "An evil monster who enjoys killing and destroying the lives of others. But, you enjoy doing it, and it was never about your so-called birthright." He looked up, and there was a dark expression on his face. "Father knew what you were, and he refused to let something like you claim anything."
Genghis sneered, ignoring the dark look on his little brother's face. "Oh, that look he had when he came home….it was so precious," he said. "Pity he wasn't there to hear their screams and cries as they died. Mother was so easy since she was already weak."
"Mother….she was sick," Marcus said, remembering. "Father went to get her medicine and took me along but allowed me to stay in town for a little longer."
Genghis gave a short laugh. "He walked into the hell he deserved. The sight of his precious children and his sick wife dead broke him, and he didn't even try protecting himself when I attacked him."
Hearing his brother say that and laugh about it sent Marcus over the edge. All the pain he had felt that day and the rage he had kept bottled up burst like a dam, and all Marcus saw was red as he finally snapped.
The last thing Genghis ever saw was the rage in his brother's eyes.
~~.~~.~~
"Drive them back!" Longtooth shouted. "We have to help Riptide and Marcus!"
The Saw crew were trying to do that; though they had help from the island's people, they seemed unable to gain an inch of ground. On top of that, they were starting to tire while the enemy seemed not to, especially the Kuda hunters. Finally, they were driven nearly crazy by the smell of blood, and sadly those injured fell victim to them. To the Kudas, it didn't matter whose side they were on; they became prey. Poseidon knocked more of the bloodthirsty Kudas away, and then he dropped to a knee.
"Poseidon!" Ryder yelled, knowing if the Megladon fell, all would be lost.
Suddenly a roar filled the air, and Butch came charging from the back of the enemy. The Spinosaurus tore through the Kuda hunters that were foolish to challenge him with tooth and claw. Sunflash followed his brother as he leaped into the air bringing his sickle talons into play. The more nightmarish sight was that of the shark man as he took one enemy after another with his weapons. Finally, for the enemy Fishmen, they had enough. They turned and ran past the Saws and their allies and through the destroyed gates.
"Destiny!" Nami yelled, rushing to Butch the moment she saw her daughter.
"Mother!" Destiny sobbed as she scrambled off Butch's neck and cried in her mother's arms uncontrollably.
Nami hugged her daughter tightly to her, stroking her hair. "It's okay, sweetie," she said. "You're safe now."
"Sofu wouldn't come with us!" Destiny wailed. "He remained behind to face that monster!"
"You left dad behind?!" Tarl yelled, limping up. "How the hell could you do that?!"
"He told us to go," the shark man said before he turned his attention to the direction they had come. "I believe there is no need to worry for him. Not now."
Everyone turned to see Marcus approaching, but the remaining Kuda hunters surrounded him, eager to take the lone Fishman down.
"They'll kill him!" Longtooth said.
Suddenly the Kuda hunters paused as they sniffed the air, and they let out a shriek running past Marcus towards the main building. Tarl and Garth hurried to their father, relieved that he was unharmed.
"Are you fucking crazy?!" Tarl said. "You could have gotten yourself killed!" Garth noticed that their father's hands were red with blood, and he grabbed his brother's arm. "What, Garth?!" Tarl said as Garth pointed to their father's hands. "Blood? Is that blood?"
Not only was Marcus' hand covered in blood there were bloody handprints on his hat and wool poncho. Then there came the sound of shrieks, howls, and screams that rose in volume.
"What was that?" Gaff said.
Itachi knew, and he was glad that he heard it. "He's dead," he said. "Genghis is damn dead."
"What," Van looked at Itachi. "How do you know that?"
"That is the sound of mourning," Itachi said.
Moana and his people needed to see. They needed to see if what Itachi said was true, and they rushed off, grabbing whatever weapon they could.
"Let's go."
Longtooth and their group blinked when they heard the voice of Arlong the Black except for Kuroobi and Chew. What had happened that the ancient chieftain took over?
"We have friends that are hurt, and they need to be looked after," Arlong the Black said before he gripped the right arm. "Rest, lad. I will get you back to your wife."
Longtooth had moved closer and saw that his captain had been hurt. "What happen?! He promised me that he wouldn't get hurt. He promised me!"
"It wasn't the pup's fault," Arlong the Black said. "That devil of a mako ambushed him. I have never seen anyone like that evil bastard. So not only is the pup hurt, but so is our dragon friend."
Itachi looked up, surprised. "You know of my kind?"
"I heard tales when I was among the living," replied Arlong the Black. "But let's talk of this another day."
"What about the rest of those hunters?" Ryder said just as new screams filled the air.
"I have a feeling they won't be a threat to anyone anymore," Grinder said. "I believe the islanders have taken care of that problem."
Kuroobi and Chew eagerly took their place near Riptide, but Arlong the Black was no fool since he knew what the two had done through the bond he had with Riptide. "You two will not be coming with us," the ancient chieftain growled.
"We haven't done anything wrong, chu," Chew said.
"Really?" growled the ancient chieftain said. "The pup has told me of the crimes that you committed against innocent people. He has no desire to have scum as you join him, and I will see that Riptide's wishes fulfilled."
"Who do you think you are?" Kuroobi retorted.
"When I was among the living, I was known as Arlong the Black, chieftain of the shark clan!"
"Never heard of you, chu," Chew said, looking unimpressed.
Grinder snarled as he stepped closer to the pair. "If you knew anything of the ancient culture of the Fishman race, then you would know of the legendary chieftain and how he alone faced our enemy, the Celestrial Dragons. He died a hero to his people."
"Fisher Tiger was the hero," Kuroobi argued.
Arlong the Black gave a slight groan drawing Grinder's attention. "Chief, are you well?"
"This wound needs to be looked after, and this is taking too much out of me," the chieftain said. "We need to return to the ship."
"Of course," Longtooth said. He turned his attention to the two former officers of the Arlong Pirates. "You, two, leave before I handle this matter further."
Not waiting to find out, the pair hurried off, never once looking back.
~~.~~.~~
"Capn!" Blade said the moment the landing part climbed aboard. "Capn, ye be wounded!"
"Mo'o!"
Itachi looked up as Leilani threw her arms around him, crying. "Leilani," he said, hugging her to him. "You're safe. Where is our little one?"
"Little ones," Leilani said.
Itachi blinked. "Little ones? We have twins….?"
Leilani smiled. "Yes, a son and a daughter."
Capn! Riptide!"
Itachi looked to see the tiger-marked hybrid unconscious on the deck. Leilani knelt, examing Riptide's injury. "We need to move him so I can treat this," she said.
"Yer a doctor?" Blade said.
"Healer," Leilani said. "I have medicines to treat this."
Jimbei picked Riptide up and carried him to the sick bay while Gaff helped Itachi as he limped along. Skie paled when she saw Riptide and rushed to her stricken husband.
"Here," Skie said as she directed Jimbie to the operating table.
Leilani retrieved her medical pack and joined Skie, who eyed her. "Let me help," Leilani said. "I have salves and other herbal medicines that will help him. But, my Mo'o needs you more."
Skie looked and saw Itachi stunned at the amount of injures he had. How was he standing, let alone still alive? Riptide's wound was minor to those horrible injures. "Here," Skie said, gesturing to the nearest bed. "Lay here."
Itachi nodded as he painfully limped to the bed with Gaff's help. Gaff noticed a bed covered with a sheet in the very back of the sickbay and started to move toward it, but Skie caught him by the wrist.
"Don't," the female sawtooth said.
"Why?" Gaff said, looking from the bed to her. "Skie, is this about Slashback? Did something happen to him?"
It was then that Neeta had come in, having heard that the landing party returned with Itachi with them. The female kuda heard Gaff asking about Slashback, and she went to him. "I will handle this," she said to Skie.
"Do you think you should?" Skie asked with concern.
"Yes, and you have your hands full right now with Itachi," Neeta said. "Gaff, there is something you need to know."
Skie went to tend to Itachi while Neeta spoke with Gaff.
"Neeta, what is going on?" Gaff said, his eyes drifting to the sheet-covered bed.
"I wish there were an easier way of saying this, but that is Slashback underneath that sheet," the female Kuda said.
"He's dead….?" Gaff looked so shocked. "My best friend dead?"
Neeta closed her eyes, sighing. "I don't think you will consider him that after this. Gaff, that wasn't his real name."
"What do you mean?"
"He's real name was Slavetooth, and he was a slaver," Neeta said. "He was planning of taking Destiny and Poseidon with him to sell off as slaves."
"He was planning to do what?!" Gaff said. "I was tricked by a fucking slaver who called me his brother and then lied to Destiny, saying he fucking loved her! He never did! How could someone do that to someone that beautiful, sweet, and loving?!"
"Gaff, you're in love with Destiny, aren't you?" Neeta said, keeping her voice low enough for only him to hear. Gaff stiffened his eyes wide. Neeta took him by the hand and nearly dragged him to his cabin. Once they were inside and the door locked, she looked right at him. "You are, aren't you?"
"I—that is….shit," Gaff said. He hung his head as his shoulders slumped. "Yes."
"For how long?"
"Just after we entered the Grand Line," Gaff admitted. "She even kissed me on the cheek one night after Slashback….Damn, I keep calling him that when he was nothing but a damn two-face fucking liar!"
A scream filled the corridor, and Neeta hurriedly unlocked the door. Gaff hurried out to see Destiny coming from the cabin that once belonged to Slashback/Slavetooth, falling to her knees, clutching her chest, crying and screaming. The Kuda hybrid went to the silver and pulled Destiny to him.
"He lied to me," Destiny sobbed as Gaff rocked her in his arms. "He fucking lied to me!"
Neeta entered the still trashed cabin stepping out with the notebook that Slavetooth had kept hidden in her hand. Gaff didn't ask; he knew that Destiny must have learned that cruel, evil truth. The truth that she had been in love with a slaver who didn't love her at all. Gaff felt anger fill his heart. How could someone do that to his sweet silver? How could someone be that evil to trick someone into believing that?
"I'm sorry," Gaff said, pressing his face into her hair. "I'm sorry you were tricked and lied to."
Destiny couldn't stop crying. It wasn't long before Nami came, and Gaff reluctantly let the woman take over in comforting a broken-hearted Destiny. The kuda shark hybrid returned to his cabin, with Neeta following him.
"Gaff…."
"I want to be alone," Gaff said, trying to control the rage he was feeling in his heart.
"No," Neeta said. "I know you, Gaff, and right now, you shouldn't be alone."
Gaff felt her place a hand on his back, and he fell to his hand and knees as tears spilled. "You fucking bastard," he sobbed. "You fucking rotten bastard. You lied and tricked everyone into thinking you were slow and dumb when you nothing of the shorts. You hurt her. You hurt Destiny! If you were still fucking alive, I would fucking kill you for hurting her!"
Neeta hugged him as Gaff cried tears of anger.
~~.~~.~~
Marcus had gone to his cabin; his thoughts clouded and body numb. The old longfin mako sat on his bed staring at his hands, the blood dried on them. Then, finally, he lost total control and allowed his Hidden Fury to take complete hold.
"Dad? Dad, are you okay….?"
Marcus looked up as Tarlong and Garth stepped into the room, closing the door. "I….I killed him," he said, starting to shake. "I killed my brother…."
Tarlong and Garth hugged him as he broke down, grieving for the brother he had to kill.
~~.~~.~~
Two and half days passed before Riptide regained consciousness. "Where….?" he muttered as he started to sit up.
"No, you mustn't push yourself."
Hands pressed on his chest, pushing him back down, and Riptide looked to see Skie. She seemed so relieved that he was awake.
"How long was I out?" Riptide asked.
"Nearly three days," Skie said.
Riptide looked at her in disbelief. "Three days?!"
"No yelling," Skie said. "You'll wake the babies."
"Sorry," he said. "Three days?"
Skie nodded. "I'm lucky that Leilani is a healer," she said. "She looked after you while tended to Itachi and Destiny."
Riptide grew concerned at the mentioning of his sister. "Skie, is Des okay?"
Skie sighed. "Not at all," she said. "She went to Slash…I don't even know what to call that liar anymore, but she went to his cabin to talk, and she found that notebook."
"Ohno."
"After she read it, Destiny had a mental breakdown," Skie said. "It got so bad that I've been keeping her sedated but very lightly."
Riptide groaned. His sister, his second in command, could not perform the duties required of her. Knowing this wasn't good, not when he needed her. What else went wrong when he was out? "Anything else that I should be made aware of?"
"Longtooth and Blade have been keeping things under control," Skie said.
Riptide felt better knowing that nothing wrong would happen under their watch. "Am I permitted to get out of this bed and stretch my legs?"
"Only if you promise me that you won't do anything crazy or dumb," Skie said.
"I promise," Riptide said. "I'll save that for our private fun."
Skie looked at him before she walked, shaking her head.
~~.~~.~~
Riptide, his kiribachi strapped to his back, was glad to get off his ship and go ashore. He saw the thick black rising from the stone fortress, and as the breeze changed direction, he caught the faint whiff of burning flesh, causing him to make a face.
'That smell…." He thought, shivering some.
He decided to move along and soon heard voices angry voices. Curious Riptide followed them, having soon arrived on the outskirts of a small village. Standing in the center surrounded by villagers was Itachi, his wounds bandaged, the young woman who had given birth, and both were holding their babies. Before them looking angry were the village chief and his council. Riptide sensed something wrong, and he quickened his steps.
"I can not do as you command," the woman said. "He's my husband, and these are our children!"
"Leilani, he is one of those who served that devil," the chief said. "If you do not do as I say, then I will kill not only him and those evil spawns but you as well."
"You have not right to threaten them," Riptide said, taking everyone present by surprise.
"Who are you to speak, outsider?!" the chief said.
Moana stepped from the gathered crowd of villagers looking at the chief. "He is one of the gods," he said. "I have seen the power he possesses."
"One of the gods," one of the council sneered. "He does not look like one of our gods. Our gods are the mighty lords of the seas ruled by the great king of the sharks, Kamoali'i!"
"And it was the shark king who helped in the battle," Leilani said. "You all witnessed Kamohiali'I's fighting strength when he turned the tide of the battle, aiding those who are outsiders and were fighting for our people's freedom!"
Leilani's words angered them instead of making the council and the chief understand. "How dare this woman tell us how the shark king thinks!"
Sensing the danger, Itachi stepped protectively in front of Leilani. "Don't you dare think of harming my mate!"
Itachi wasn't expecting Riptide; his kiribachi separated step past the draconian. "I will not stand aside and see a family threatened by arrogant people," the hybrid said.
"Kill the outsider!" the chief shouted.
Screams filled the air as Saw and her brothers emerged from the blades of the kiribachi. The Guardian sharks merged, forming Guardian, who loomed protectively over Riptide and those he protected. The chief and his people cowered as Guardian growled, baring his fearsome teeth.
Riptide turned his head to Itachi and Leilani, "Return to the ship."
They nodded and hurried off. Riptide faced the villagers again. "Do not think of sneaking aboard my ship and doing harm to my Nakama," he said."If you do, then you will regret such a foolish act."
Guardian roared, adding more fear, causing those gathered to run. Satisfied, Guardian became transparent then became a mist as each Guardian shark returned to their sawtooth blade. After a few moments, Riptide left the village, returning to Wavecutter.
"May I speak with you?"
The hybrid, hearing the voice, looked to see the one Leilani had called Kamohoali'i sitting on a rock. "We can," he said, approaching the rock. "Kamohoali'i, is it not?"
The shark man closed his eyes, sighing. "Kamohoali'i is the name of my father."
"Your father?" Riptide said. "Then who are you?"
"Nanaue, son Kamohoali'i, king of the sharks."
It seems Riptide may have a new problem to face. The big question now is this Nanaue a friend or foe? Unfortunately, the end of 2021 was not pleasant for me. Since 29 of November, I have been on medical leave due to an old shoulder injury, and the pain I've been in has not delayed this chapter but slowed me up on my writing assignment for my school work. So remember to Read and Review as always.