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 Fishmen minions to return from the local village. I lean back into Zoro's chest, trying to be careful of his bed cuts from Uncle Mihawk, and he crosses his leg over his knee and puts his hands behind his head. "Too slow," Zoro mutters as I look around the ground at the fallen Fishmen. "When's Luffy gonna come?" He wonders, seeming frustrated.

"I'm not sure, but he's never on time," I tell him, getting up from his lap and walking 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," the Swordsman groans, growing bored, and I look back at Zoro 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, making us 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 the octopus Fishman pulls 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?" The Fishman, Hachi-Hatchan, questions as Zoro comes up next to me.

"Definitely strange," we remark, making Hachi-Hatchan look up at us with shock.

"Huh? Who the heck are you two?" Hachi-Hatchan 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 Hachi an obvious question and answer.

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

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

"Are you with the Marines or are just guests?" The octopus Fishman asks us, giving us the perfect chance to lie our asses off.

"Guest? Yeah, we're guests," I lie, hoping to get some answers, and I get the feeling with Hachi.

"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 Alrong's 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," he replies, giving 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, pointing to a cauldron bobbing in the water next to him with one of his extra arms. "Guests, right? I'll take you there, Swordsman, Lady Red." I hop in with Zoro behind; I look 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 Zoro hushedly so Hachi can't hear us. "We need to talk to him about what we've found out about Nami."