Ending the Cycle

2

"Hey Captain. I'm back!" Nami sing-songed as she leapt from the boat she had sailed in and guess what I have. Her catty smirk grew as she waved the grand line map victoriously.

         Nami took a seat by Arlong's feet, excitedly explaining to his amusement about robbing this giant old lady who probably was out of even Moomoo's weight class- and not in the direction most people are, this lady would break the scale and the flooring beneath if it wasn't reenforced for an elephant herd, Captain- before moving on to the freaky rubber kid and his insane sword-wielding, maniac friend. For this part Arlong leaned in with interest, devil fruits weren't exactly a common commodity in the blues for whatever reason.

Some of his interest dissolved once he realized they weren't a threat, but they seemed like interesting kids all the same. He became somewhat concerned when she mentioned stealing the map from a couple of Buggy's thugs, but in the end that clown would be just another weak human he could crush beneath his feet if it came down to it.

He had been wrong. So, so wrong.

He didn't blame Nami for it, she hadn't purposefully lured the pirate there, even if he had doubts about her loyalty- which he didn't-, Nami was a true Arlong pirate to her core and she delighted in their crew's company as much as the crew delighted in hers- and she certainly was confident enough in him that she hadn't thought the other pirate could beat him. He was confident he could beat the other too. And yet....

Buggy was one smart bastard. He carefully avoided the water and didn't let Arlong get near it either. He was cruel too and quick to take advantage of whatever he could. More than once Arlong took some hits in order to protect the island, once even from a buggy ball when it had been aimed at Arlong Park. Thankfully one of his men destroyed it after that one shot, but enough damage had already been done. Arlong knew it and worse Buggy knew it, he wouldn't be winning this battle.

      To make a horrible situation even worse, it was clear that even after defeating him Buggy would be able to lead his crew to victory against the Arlong pirates, and Arlong wouldn't make that assumption easily. The very notion bot into his pride and stung deep. Stinging to the very core of his being even.

Arlong braced himself for the finishing blow, praying to whatever cold, unforgiving deities that were out there that had dragged him through just about every hardship life had to offer, he didn't care what they did with him. He could take it. Just give him a sign and he would do it, even if it meant his death or suffering. Just... just protect his people. He only wanted to keep them safe...

        A wordless shout rose up from the sky and then to Arlong's surprise Buggy's pained yelp followed it. The very skies themselves had delivered up a savior. His eyes slowly cracked open to see a scrawny, tanned kid with black hair, bright red vest-shirt, and a notable straw hat. It was the kid who wanted Nami to join his crew.

      "Huh?" His voice had a clueless tint to it, "Where'd Zoro go?"

       Faintly, and only because of his superior fishman hearing Arlong heard the angrily shouted words, "Luffy you dumbass!"

      "Ah! You've got the same super cool shark tattoo Nami do-"

       "Get. Off. Me. You.  Imbecile!"

        "You look super cool, are you a-"

        "Quit flashily ignoring me and get off! Or I'll flashily destroy you!"

         "Oh, big nose dude, what are you doing down on the floor?" The kid obediently hopped off, his head tilting to the side curiously, "You're going to catch a cold if you sleep down there, idiot."  Arlong found he couldn't quite figure out what he wanted to think.

         "Oh that does it!"

        "Hey, mermaid-Dude, join my crew!"

        "...what...?"

        "Die!"

        Arlong didn't get the chance to answer before Buggy began his assault, but the straw-hatred kid didn't even seem to care, barely dodging each blow, but still not focusing on the clown pirate, instead choosing to have

     "Oh! How about this; I beat up big-nose, and you join my crew!" Said 'big-nose' let out an indescribable shriek of rage.

         Arlong thought back to what he had thought were his last moments and, unbelievably, he nodded.  And he meant it, then again he'd lived almost his entire life following on his whims and instinct. There was no reason to change that now.

"Arlong?!" Jinbei stared at his fellow sun pirate in shock, despite having changed fairly little in looks during the years since they had last seen each other, the attitude change it appeared he had gone through made him merely unrecognizable. It was unbelievable... Jinbei wasn't sure what to think.

"Jinbei, it's been awhile, hasn't it brother?" Arlong grinned up at the other from his seat on a crate.

"Yes.. what happened?"

Arlong laughed freely, freer than Jinbei had ever heard him, the dark, saddened edges of it even out, there was just something freer, more happy about him now than he had ever seen the other. Jinbei 's eyes drifted to the straw-hatted young man at his side, he had something to do with it. That was the only explanation, "It's got to be a bit startling, yeah? I wouldn't believe it either even just three or four years ago. But what can I say I'm a new man!"

"Shishishishishishis," Their Captain grinned, on hand pressing his straw hat further down on his head as he stared at the two, his famous, wide grin on his face, "You know each other, that's sooo cool!"

Arlong laughed uproariously, "So it is, I'm told you've already gotten a taste of our captain's style?"

"He stormed Impel Down, Is say I got more than a taste."

Arlong's grin widened, slightly predatory, "Oh you are in for a surprise, that's nothing."

Luffy And Arlong both broke into laughter together, the skeleton, Brooke, joining in from across the deck and a handful of the other crew members glancing over, faint smiles on their faces before Nami ordered them back to work.

"Sannnnjjjjjiiiii, food!"

"You just ate not even fifteen minutes ago!"

Jinbei not for the first time wondered what exactly he had gotten himself into, but...he felt a small smile form on his own face. It was odd, he had never felt more satisfied and at home. "You'll get used to it in no time," a look of absolute peace had formed on Arlong's face as he stared out to the sea.