The Straw Hat's Red Devil - Sky Island Saga (No. 3)

TURMOIL & TRUTH

TURMOIL & TRUTH

East Blue Saga - Arlong Park Arc - Episodes 33 - 37

Dakota's POV:

At Arlong Park, I sit in Zoro's lap, waiting for Arlong and the rest of his merry fish minions to return from the village. I lean back into Zoro's chest, trying to be careful of his injury from Uncle Mihawk, and he crosses his leg over his knee and puts his hands behind his head. "Too slow." He mutters as I look around the ground at the fallen Fishmen. "When Luffy gonna come?" He asks me, seeming frustrated.

"I'm not sure, but he's never on time," I tell him as I get up from his lap and walk around thinking of a plan in case Arlong gets back.

"If he doesn't come in the next 5 minutes, I'm going to die of boredom," Zoro says, and I look back at him as I pick up one of the dead fishmen when a voice cuts through the silence.

"Oooh, oooh, oh! This one's awesome!" A voice exclaims, and I look over to see three fishing poles and one in the middle moving. "Even I, a member of Arlong's elite, Hachi-Hatchan, can't pull it up. It must be a super great fish! I don't know from where you've come, but your gusto is East Blue's best..." I smirk as I see the Fishman pull himself by the hooked shorts. "Wh... what the? What? Oh, it was myself." He states, and the fishing poles snap in half, and he falls back down; I look over at Zoro as he gets up from the makeshift throne, and we walk over to the wall; I climb up to see him getting back up with help from the wall. "Truly, my gusto is East Blue's best. Anything strange?" He questions as Zoro comes up next to me.

"Definitely strange." We say together, and he looks up at us with shock.

"Huh? Who the heck are you two?" He demands and seems to switch as he points to himself. "M-me? I'm Hatchan. Call me, Hachi." He moves about, pointing at himself.

"Are you a Fishman, too?" Zoro asks him an obvious question and answer.

"Of course! Of course!" Hachi answers with pride in his voice. "I'm a charming octopus, Fishman. Do I look like a human?"

"I guess not..." Zoro replies but can't say much more as Hachi cuts him off.

"Are you with the Marines or are just guests?" He asks us.

"Guest? Yeah, we're guests." I lie, hoping to get some answers, and I get them.

"But you know, Arlong's not here right now, right?" Hachi seems to ask us.

"Yeah, where'd he go?" I ask him hoping to find his location.

"I heard that there was a long-nosed stranger that was trying to run away. They say another one was caught and held here though. He went to Cocoyashi Village to catch him." Hachi gives way too much, and I know who he's talking about; we both do.

"Usopp, huh?" Zoro asks, looking at me with a knowing look.

"We have to save him from himself," I whisper to him as I share a look with him. "That Cocoyashi Village, how do we get there?" I ask him, and we jump over the wall beside Hachi.

"Get in," Hachi tells us as he points to a cauldron popping in the water next to him with one of his extra arms. "Guests, right? I'll take you there, swordsman, lady." He tells us, and I hop in with Zoro behind; I look over at Hachi as he gets into the water and pulls it with the ropes around it.

"Once we get to the village, we need to find Usopp and wait for Luffy," I tell him hushedly, so Hachi can't hear us. "We need to talk to him about what we've found out about Nami."

ONE PIECE - ARLONG PARK ARC

We make it to the village port, and Hachi comes to a stop. "We've arrived." He announces, and Zoro climbs out before jumping down on the wooden deck; I climb up onto the cauldron's rim, and my foot gets caught, making me fall, but luckily Zoro catches me. I look up at him as he looks down at me, I see a slight blush on his cheeks, and I can feel my own heating up as we look at each other. I straighten myself as Hachi announces we're in Cocoyashi Village. I straighten out my top as Zoro collects himself, and Hachi seems oblivious to our awkward moment as he continues. "Arlong should be here, in this village."