Chapter 21

East blue, Konomi island, Cocoyashi village

In the aftermath of the fight, if you could even call it that, Azul was invited to a party since the villagers had broken down into chears and sobbs of happiness to finally be free of the monster that terrorized them all these years, which lead to them starting to drink and cook, evolving into said party. Azul of course accepted, since he was all out of food, which was the main reason why he had come to the island in the first place and after asking the villagers were he could buy some provision for the travels ahead, they had burried him under food and bottles.

The party carried on until the morning hours of the next day at which time Azul decided it was time for him to leave, and so he did. Walking into Arlong park, he picked up Arlongs body and threw it on his boat before beginning to load it with the consumables the villagers had given him the day before, not all of course. His ship was way to small anyways. Maybe he should get a bigger one? 'Thoughts for a later time.' Azul thought to himself.

"Can I help you somehow?" Azul asked on his way to the railing of his ship and hoping on top as he reached it.

"I just wanted to thank you once more in a more quiet environment. So really, thank you." the young woman said, while bowing her upper body in gratitude while her light blue hair framed her face as she did so by faling in front of it.

"You're welcome miss..." Azul began, though midway realising he had no idea what her name actually was.

"Ahh, apologies, I didn't even introduce myself. My name is Nojiko. I live together with my little sister nami who is probably robbing some poor soul right this moment." Nojiko said with a grimace.

"You're welcome Nojiko. My name is Azul. Though, why would your sister be robbing people? To support you or something?" Azul asked clearly in confusion.

"Well, it is a rather long story but if you want to hear it I can tell you." Nojiko said, waiting for Azuls reply.

"You don't need to tell me your story since it seems rather personal." Azul asked while starting to prepare his ship for the journey by tieing ropes into the sail and so forth.

"Why would you think that?" Nojiko asked, clearly not understanding how he had come to that conclusion. Hell, Azul hadn't even known her name a second ago, and now he acted as if he knew?

Being brought out of her increasingly irritating thoughts by Azul, Nojikos eyes widened slightly at what he told her.

"As you may have witnessed, I possess the powers of a devilfruit, besides other things that help in understandin other people. My devilfruit grantes me the ability to transform into different forms of a so called hellhound, a mystical creature of rather dark origins if you believe the stories about them. Even though I still have tones to learn about it and the creature I now am able to become, a few things have already become clear to me. Such as to perceive the qualities of another persons soul, and when I look into someones eyes while speaking with them I can literally see the emotions that travel within them. For that you have to know that the body and the soul are not one entity. They reflect upon each other and emotions is one indicator through which the soul communicates with the body, and since I can perceive the quality of another persons soul I also see the symbols it gives of. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?" Azul asked Nojiko who wasn't fully sure after he had asked her. Alot of what he had said didn't sit well with her. Hell, she didn't even really understand the concept of the soul in the first place!

"I'm not sure. I mean kind of, and yet not at all..." She answered to which he smiled at her.

"Then you are not much different from how I was many years ago. I wish you good fortune miss Nojiko. If fate wills it we'll meet again." And with that Azul turned the ship around and left, looking for a nice cozy island he could spend his time training on until he was ready for the grandline.

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East blue, Konomi island, Cokoyashi village

An orange haired girl entered the town, bringing with her her newest acquisitions, namely berry, she had stolen from different people all around the east blue. Though when she stepped foot inside her village she was dumbfounded about the ongoings. A massive party was being held, which confused her to no end because Arlongs men by now should have flattened everyone for showing so much happiness alone. She was brought out of her musings by a cough coming from behind her. Said cough belonged to a man with a sandmill at the front of his brown cap, which he had put there when she was little to amuse her to no end, though she had grown up now so it wasn't really nescessary to keep it there. Still she somehow liked it if she was honest with herself.

Next to the man she had come to see as a father figure of sorts stood her sister, Nojiko who was smiling brightly at her.

"Welcome back Nami. Follow us. It's time to show you what happened while you were gone." Nojiko said and turned around and, to her growing horror walked towards Arlong park. She immediately tried to stop them, but they only smiled at her and told her not to worry, nothing would be happening. And so they soon arrived at Arlong park, with its gates ripped apart and the tower that once stood proudly in its middle reduced into rubble.

"A few days ago a young man by the name of Azul arrived on Konomi island and killed every single fishman. The Arlong pirates, and Arlong, are gone. We are finally free Nami." Nojiko finished with a tearfull smile on her face, after which she embraced Nami, which finally breached her carefully over the years erected walls that kept her emotions at bay and Nami, in happiness and sorrow for all the cruelties they had to suffer over the years broke down into uncontrolable sobbs.

She was finally free!