After they take care of the hundred of marine on the ship, Arlong had decided to bring it back and loot it on place, before sinking it. As he had nothing to say on this, Nezumi had dragged Tashigi back in his cabin, barely bothering to stop the bleeding only because he wanted to keep her alive for a little while.
On the deck, the corpse of the, not-always complete, marines, have been thrown carelessly into a large pile were Arlong would throws one every once in a while to Meuh-Meuh, the seas monster, who was towing the ship.
Because of the large pile, they had missed the fact that not all marines were dead. Is wounds weighing on by the corpses of his fallen comrade, a warrant officer from Logue town had survived.
Woken up by the sunray, he had wormed his way in the mountain of bodies, toward the voices he could barely make from where he was. fumbling in the pocket of his uniform, he was able to retrieve the sleeping denden mushi inside.
"Hello..."
"'koff koff' warrant officer 'koff koff' Mikado, long 'koff koff' Logue town, code 18869. I 'koff koff' I have an urgent transmission."
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On the other end of the line, the marine hearing the weak and marine transmitting, stop and carefully listen. From the past three days, they had received a transmission from east blue, all urgent and about a single individual, a marine killer. In the room, he had heard another transmission from there. They have been ordered to immediately warn an officer if other pieces of information were sent, so rather than verify the man code, he had called for the higher up. What he never thought was to see the fleet-admiral, vice-admiral Garp and one of the shishibukai entering the room not even a minute later. Keeping his professionalism, he re-take the transmitter on his boss sign.
"We are listening, soldier, the fleet-admiral Sengoku, vice-admiral Garp and Shishibukai Jimbei are here to listen, speak freely."
"Roger, 'koff koff' the ship transporting the hundred of marines sent to investigate 'koff koff' investigate the still unknown pirate, has been attacked the at midnight this morning.
'Koff koff' A group consisting of Arlong, his lieutenants and a sea monster had appeared out of nowhere and 'Koff Koff' and lay waste on us. As far as I am aware, I am the only survivor of the attack."
On the background, Sengoku grit his teeth. He had heard of Nezumi report and if what he was thinking had happened...
"Colonel Nezumi had shown itself being the investigator of the attack, after shooting down Enseign Tashgi, status unknown."
His fist lands on the wall near him, breaking the concrete. On his side, Garp had lost his dumb expression and was fully listing to the report, like the rest of the room, while Jimbei was thinking of Arlong.
"I ... 'Roar'."
"What was that?!" Demand Sengoku.
"Warrant officer Mikado answer!"
"Our ship had stopped, we are now on the shore on one of Konomi archipelago' island. 'Koff Koff, it seems to be the ... Someone approach.
'"What have you done to my park?! Where are my brothers?!"'"
"Arlong!"
All present turn their head to Jimbei, now knowing the identified individual.
'"Their dead and your park had fallen, fish."'
"To think he was hiding there, Nezumi couldn't, not know" Say, Garp.
"I know."
All turn their head again at the transmission when they hear Arlong angrily shout.
"You think your superior to us, fishermen?! Your nothing that a puny human! I..."
"Hahahahaha" Arlong was cut short by Alex laugh and sudden transformation. "Fishermen and Human aren't the only species in those seas Arlong."
"Report sir, 'Koff Koff, the pirate killer feature had morphed, sir. He now sports two round animal ears and a tail, his hair white, 'koff koff' and eyes blue."
"Devil fruit?" Ask Garp to himself, but heard by those around him. The idea had also crossed the mind of Sengoku, but the next word dismisses their idea and gives them the answer.
"A mink?! What are you doing in those seas?!"
This surprise the two veteran and Jimbei, all wondering how a Mink had travelled from the new word to here without the government or the marines knowing.
"Half mink to be honest, but more powerful that one."
Jimbei eyes widen at this, a mink half-bred was unheard of as he knows that the tribe of peaceful animal, living on the giant elephant, hadn't mingled with others since Nekomamushi and Inuarashi had sailed with Shirohige.
"They are no need for us to fight, why not join me, we could lord on those seas with our strength."
In the H.Q both high ranked and the fisherman wait anxiously at the response of the boy, knowing what would happen if the two worked together, they would be unstoppable in east blue.
"Their two problem with that, the first, you are the reason my woman has been crying the past 8 years, the second, you are worse than the piece of shit calling themself Tenryuubito. You dare to enslave human after being a past crew member of Fisher Tiger ?! Shame on you! You are one of the reasons why so much anger is festering between human and Fisherman, why queen Otohime had lost her life! You are trampling on the pride and hard work your queen had shed tears, blood and given her own life, all for the betterment of your race and humans relation. You are one of the reasons why the children are still barren to peacefully gaze at the sunlight, walk the earth and enjoy their life in Shabondy park!"
While Sengoku and Garp frown at the anger in the young man words when spoking to the Tenryuubito, tear start to swell in the shishibukai eyes at the evident respect he was spoking of the past queen. The young man seems to hold the passed queen in great respect, or even awe, it learns why rapidly.
"Because of your savageness, your people are seen as nothing more than fish to capture for the sick pleasure of pigs that brand them like cattle! You called Jimbei a traitor to your kind, right? You, Arlong, his the most disgusting piece of trash I have never seen in my life, and its time that someone starts to clean the seas. I could only hope than your death would bring queen Otohime dream a little further to completion, that her children could one day freely walk the earth along with their people, with pride in their heart that all this was their mother doing."
Those words were striking the sea knight right through his heart, that someone knows of his queen plight, even wishing to continue her work after her death, to secure the children a future, we're giving him hope that, perhaps, the dreams hadn't died with queen Otohime.
"He, 'koff koff', he had executed Arlong, sir, without any difficulty."
Jimbei didn't stay for the rest of the report. Once sure that no one was around, he takes out the weeping denden mushi from his kimono sleeve.
"Jimbei, Jamon."
"Yes, King Neptune?"
"I want you to keep an eye on the young, Jamon. If he made it to Shabondy Archipelago, I want you to guide them to our Island and bring them to me."
"I will, King Neptune," Solemnny say Jimbei, before cutting the call.
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Under grand Line, on the other side of the word, inside the Ryuugyu palace, the entire royal family, the two minister and the guards present were all shedding tears, having heard the kind words of the young toward their past queen.
"Otou-same, will we able to visit the land above like mother wished one day?" Asked the teared-eyes giant mermaid princess, squeezing her trusty shark, Megalo in her arms.
"I could only hope, Shirahoshi, Jamon." The old king responds, but all could see that he too, would be waiting for the day his children would be able to walk the ground above without fear.
Unbeknownst to him, Alex action had deeply engraved his existence in the royal family.
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In the transmission room, all were silent after they hear the last information. Tashigi willingness to join the pirates because of the marine action had shocked the low-ranked agent, but Sengoku and Garp had gritted their teeth, knowing that they lost a precious recruit this day. The execution of Nezumi and the marines had also greatly shaken the marines.
They now know that he wouldn't hesitate to eliminate all rising on his path, that would attempt to stop him. While they were happy that he was cleaning pirates in their stead, securing east blue by sweeping away all the big shot, he was also showing himself as an intransigeant man that would execute any corrupted.
If he were to sail until Shabondy and fall on a day were Tenryuubito were down, they do not doubt that he would kill them all.
Knowing this, Sengoku ordered the marine having received the communication to connect him with the bounty commission.
"Here Sengoku, I approve the bounty on the three pirate of east blue, Enseign Tashigi had also joined the pirates' crew. The Captain his know as Alexander D. Evans, add to the file the murder of colonel Nezumi and pirate Arlong. The one called Nami had taken Smack, Arlong Lieutenant, down. The pirate huntress Kuina had taken down Kuroobi, the same rank as Smack. I want the bounty released in the world as soon as possible."
"Yes, fleet admiral!"
##################################
With all there targets taken finally down, the crew would have a few days to relax. Leaving Kiuna to take care of Tashigi, Alex was led to Kokoyashi village by Nami.
The moment they enter the village, Nami was welcomed with puzzled expression from the villagers. She chuckles at it, knowing why. While she had kept her feature, she was now a meter higher, a bust larger and her hairs longer, due to her state, the venom has sent her body in overdrive, boosting all her systems, until she had stabilised. She now had hair falling past her shoulder blades, and intent to keep them growing when she discovers that Alex liked to play with them when they cuddle at night.
As they near Genzô house, they have attracted quite the crowd of curious and warry people. Says man Exit his house when he hears the commotion, surprised for a moment by seeing to person taller than the fishermen.
"Genzô!" Happy to see the man, Nami sweep in a bone-crushing hug, that, nearly crush his bones.
Hearing the familiar voice and taking in her face, he finally connects.
"Nami?! Is that you? what happen to you?!"
Their surrounding were shocked when she nodded happily, identifying herself as they troublesome orangette. Immediately some start to fake anger like they were always done when she was here, but most were put off when seeing her smile. They hadn't seen a smile like this since Bellemere dead, and Genzo knows it too. Looking at the one that had to stay quiet from the beginning, he frowns when he sees that they were holding hand.
"And who are you?" ASk his suspiciously eying Alex, not liking that some boy was near his little..., well not so little anymore, baby girl.
Nami eyes brighten at this, immediately introducing the two. "Genzô, this is a sweetie! sweetie, this is Genzô, me and Nojiko surrogate father.
'Sweetie?! Who is a sweetie! What have you done to Nami, your scoundrel!' shout him angrily in his head, but settling with the most threatening gaze he could.
Seeing the inner thought of the man, Alex smile, before tending a hand.
"I'm Alex, Nami new captain. We came here to give you something." Say him while passing to the man a folded black piece of fabric.
"New captain, you know the girl is..." He first squints his eyes at the boy presenting himself as a pirate, only to gasp as the flag now openly displayed to the shocked crowd.
"Hum, sweetie helps me take care of Arlong this morning, even Nezumi, isn't that great?" Say happily Nami, knowing what would happen.
Like she thought, the frozen crowd explode in cheers and tears when it connects that the tyrant had been taken care of. Few breaks from the crowd after looking at one other, running to other villages to bring the good news.
"Genzô, were is Nojiko?"
"She should be at your house, it the harvest period."
"Thanks, came sweetie, I will introduce you to her!"
As the two bolts away, he didn't have the time to react but he was having a bad feeling about this.
'She wouldn't. Right?' Fortunately, or unfortunately, he was prevented to pursue the two when he was swept by the already partying crowd. Some of the more dubious having departed to the old place where the park had stood, to be sure. They would found nothing, as all vanished, but would still confirm to them that they were effectively free.
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In the middle of the tangerine trees, a bluenette young woman with a healthy tanned complexion was tirelessly plucking ripe tangerines in her high woven basket, when she heard a very familiar shout.
"Nojiko!"
Turning at the more chirping voice that she remembered from her sister, a smile draw on her face when seeing the happiness oozing of her sister's face for the first time in 8 years, this until she notes that something wasn't right. She finally understands when she came closer, standing way higher than she was when she departed two months ago.
All in her had growth in ridiculous proportions! She was about to spoke when she catches the sight of someone behind Nami. Out of nowhere, she feels a certain warmness spread in her body, making her hot and all bothered by the sudden situation.
Her flushing face was caught by Nami, who impishly smile at her, and drag her to the house without a word, shout at Alex just before she closes the door behind them.
"Look around, my chest his buried among them, you should find it easily!"
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Shaking his head at Nami antic and already knowing what she would tell her, he starts looking around the tree. The two had to feel the heat when he crosses the gaze of the sky blue blunette. It had been the same with few of his girls, those he instinctively feel would be the best mother from his childhood. It had happened every time here. First Kuina when she was tied on her post, her blazing gaze full of fighting spirit, them his first encounter with Nami.
When he had felt the connection Tashigi was sharing with Kuina, telling him that they were twins. That very link was the reason why Kuina had wandered off in the ship, she had felt the call of a close kind in danger and need of assistance. It was also why she had easily accepted to be one of his, it also helps that she had been betrayed by the marines.
There again he had felt the connection and the one she shares with Nami, not as powerful that the twins, but more like a sisterhood, surely birth by them growing together and going through those hardships.
'Do you reckon that they would be a lot more here?'
-It not even worth thinking on it, it sure. This world is a world were strength reign supreme. You are bound to be attracted by powerful women.-
'I didn't feel a thing from Alvida though.'
-Not very surprising, while she is strong, she not mother material.-
'Who do you reckon could be a candidate?'
-From the one you will encounter shortly, Vivi I think. While she is a little naive, she will be a great mother, Robin too, but you were already knowing it. Perhaps one or two girls from those sky islands chicks, Kalifa is a possibility too.-
'From the CP9? Why?'
-That will all depend on who they are, it possible that some of the girls are different here.-
'True.'
-Their also that ghost chick on the island ship. While a little childish, she would easily connect with children. On the rest of the first half, following of thing turn, you have a shot at the snake empress, if only to help her get rid of her mark. She would fall for you just for that.-
'Hum.'
Coming out of his musing and possible mates and new crewmates he was standing just in front of a patch of younger grass. lightly tapping on the ground, a large chest emerges out of the ground. Opening it he would see wads of bills filling it near to the brim. Storing it all, he goes through any bills, tracking out the damaged one, transmuting them anew. Keeping the one crumbling, changing them from his own, he but them back, neatly arranged in the chest, before closing it and lifting it on his shoulder.
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