Undying Flame: A One Piece What If Story

Part 11: Pirate's Discretion Advised

As I walked down a small road, there was a large group walking towards me, being led by a large figure. The figure was carrying a trident, using it almost as a walking stick. Before we even met, the figure readjusted his trident and threw it at me. Before it flew through my flame body, however, a large hand wrapped around my bicep and pulled me into an alley, his other hand covering my mouth as the figure ran out of view of the main road. Rounding a corner, the hands released me as footsteps sounded from the main road. "Should we hunt down the human?" a voice croaked, a blade unsheathing audibly.

"No, we'll kill them all. Why spoil the fun?" another said, the ground crumbling as, seemingly, the trident was plucked from the ground. The footsteps resumed and, after the large group passed, the last footsteps fading away, I spoke to the figure.

"Jinbe! Why didn't you say hi!" I said, smiling. "And why did you just yank me away!?"

"Ace." the fishman said, his voice sollem. "I sent messengers out to get this message to Luffy, but you cannot fight that man."

"Why not!?" I said, my hand engulfing. "That bastard threw a trident at my head!"

"Because fishmen hate humans." Jinbe said, sitting on the ground. "Humans have killed and suppressed us for ages, so our kind has a natural hatred for yours."

"What's that gotta do with anything!?" I yelled, waving my hand, the flames now gone. "I have done absolutely nothing to that bastard, and yet he tried to kill me for being human!?"

"If you attack him, you stoke the flames of hatred fishmen feel for your kind." he said, looking up at me. "And Fishman Island is at the brink already."

"Why?" I asked, calming down. "If it's been going for this long, why would one more case do anything?"

"Because they're opposed to being protected by the Phoenix Pirates." he said, his eyes filled with dread. "And they have intention to take control of the island by killing Oversee-er Vista. He has a force of 100,000 Fishmen. Even if there wasn't the political level, you can't take them out." He said, his voice firm. "We need to find the rest of the crew and I need to tell you the story of Fisher Tiger."

"Fine." I said, huffing. "If it's so serious, we gotta get everyones brains together." Jinbe grinned a bit, stood up, and started walking, me following him. Reaching the road I had been plucked off of, the three holes from the trident were right next to my foot. "I'll wander around and grab whoever I can, then go back to the Sunny. Meet up there?" I asked, pointing my thumb towards where the ship was. Jinbe nodded and we split up, walking opposite ways down the road.

After a while, I stumbled across the Shopping District, hearing a familiar voice scream, "That much for a New World Log Pose!?" I walked over and saw Nami, flanked by a small starfish, a green haired mermaid, and Robin. Robin turned and met my gaze, tapped Nami on the shoulder, then pointed at me. "Ace!" she yelled, pointing at the cashier. "Are New World Log Pose's usually 300,000 Belly?!" I walked over and looked at the cashier, letting a small blast of Conquerors Haki out, the cashier slumping over, falling to the ground.

"Here." I said, handing Nami the Log Pose, packaged in a small wooden box. Nami huffed, thanked me, and walked away, the starfish and mermaid following her out of the store. I reached into my pocket and slapped down my allowance from Rayleigh. 200,000, but it's enough. Sorry bud, but I'm already pissed. I turned around and walked to the group outside the store, Robin standing on the opposite side of the road, having been able to look into the store. "Sorry about that, I got carried away."

"It's fine." Nami said, wearing her new Log Pose. "How does this work?"

"The singular Log Pose needles pick up on 1 island, but this allows you to navigate, knowing where three seperate islands are." I said, turning on my heel and looking at the mermaid and Starfish. "And who are you guys?"

"Camie." the mermaid said, grinning. "I'm a friend of Luffy-chin and his crew from 2 years ago."

"Pappag." the starfish said, his arms crossed. "I'm the designer of the Criminal clothes brand, so I'm surprised you don't know me."

Ignoring his brag, I looked at everyone. "We gotta meet up at the Sunny. A friend needs us all." Nami smiled and started retracing her own steps. Lucky. I have no clue where the Sunny is. As we all followed Nami, Robin joined me at the back of the group.

"Here." she said, handing me an identical box to the one I gave Nami. "I used my fruit to steal one, but you showed up and got one for Nami. So I figured you deserved this." I opened the box, the same three compass needles on the bracelet. I slipped it out, placed it on my wrist, and put the box in my pocket.

"Thank you, Robin." I said, grinning at her. She smiled back as we followed the group. After a while, we passed a bar named 'Freckles Drinking Spot'. Just outside, Zoro was being held back by two fishmen, two swords in his sheathes, one missing.