"Alright...which one of you is Arlong...?" Luffy asks, walking into the compound slowly. They're confronted by a small army of Fishmen, all of whom turn to face Luffy and the rest of the crew. At the center of the open yard, Arlong sits in his 'throne', side eyeing them. Two Fishmen quickly step between Luffy and Arlong.
"Where do ya think yer goin'?" asks one of the two. "Anythin' ya got ta say, ya need ta say to-" Luffy reaches up, grasps their heads and slams them together. Both Fishmen immediately drop to the ground in front of him.
"Who are you?" Arlong questions him.
"I'm a pirate," Luffy says simply, raising a fist.
"What does a pirate want with me?" Luffy launches his fist at the Fishman, knocking him out of his seat and sending him bouncing across the ground before striking the furthest wall hard enough to shatter it. Arlong sits in a small pile of rubble, glaring daggers at their captain as the dust slowly begins to clear. "Who the hell are you?" Without waiting for him to answer, the numerous Fishmen surrounding Luffy leap in his direction. Sanji rushes past the others, and in a flurry of kicks, completely defeats every one of the attacking Fishmen.
"Butt out, you small fry!" exclaims Sanji, before looking at his Captain. "Why do you always have to go running on ahead?"
"It's not like I was gonna lose," chirps Luffy.
"That's not what we were worried about," Run tells him, stepping up beside them. "We just didn't want you to have all the fun."
"I really don't mind," Usopp tells them all, knees knocking.
"How brave," replies Zoro sarcastically. The Fishmen take one look at Zoro and Run and immediately recognize the two of them as the pair that had killed so many of their comrades. Naturally, they are more than a little upset with the two of them, and to add fuel to the fire upon seeing Usopp alive it takes them less than a minute to put two and two together and arrive at the conclusion that Nami has betrayed them.
"So, you lot are with Nami," calls Arlong. "Is that why you're all here? Revenge? Ha! What can five inferior creatures do against us?" The octopus Fishman, Hatchan, decides that now is the perfect time to start signaling for something by blowing his own strangely shaped mouth like a bugle. Several tense moments pass before something begins rising from the surface of the water, and Usopp begins to panic again.
"There's a whole lot of food for you here, Momoo!" calls Hatchan. "Time to eat!" The sniper panics even worse, rambling on about the 'grand-line monster' as a sea-cow finally breaks the surface of the water...he's covered in scrapes and bruises, and clearly he's been on the losing end of a fight. The creature takes a single look at Luffy and Sanji, and for some reason promptly turns around to leave.
"Momoo," calls Arlong. "What do you think you're doing?" Momoo stops in place immediately. "Though, if you want to go...I suppose that I won't stop you." Seconds later, the monster turns and charges them, intent on swallowing the lot of them whole. Usopp launches back into panic again, apologizing again and again as it draws closer and closer.
"We're gonna die! We're really gonna die!" screams Usopp, as the Fishmen close in ahead of the sea cow.
"This is a waste of time!" complains Luffy. "Leave this to me!" They watch their Captain slam both feet into the concrete under him, anchoring himself into it.
"What is he up to?" Sanji mutters in question.
"Whatever it is, it doesn't look good," replies Run, watching Luffy wind himself up like a top. The sea-cow lunges at them, and Luffy reaches out to seize it's horns.
"We should go!" Zoro tells them all.
"What's he doing?"
"I dunno, but it really doesn't look good!" They all turn, and start to run away from Luffy, the sea-cow and the Fishmen pirates.
"Gum-Gum...Pinwheel!" He begins spinning the huge sea-cow, destroying large parts of Arlong Park and defeating a huge number of Fishmen as he does before he sends it flying out to sea. "I told you that I didn't come here to fight small-fry like these guys! The one I want...is you, Arlong!"
"Aah, what the hell, Luffy?" asks Run, approaching his oldest friend. "If you're gonna invent a new technique how about giving us all a heads up? WE were almost sent flying, too, ya know." Luffy is catching flack from all sides as Usopp and Sanji give their Captain a piece of their minds as well.
"Oi, the Octopus is up to something," Zoro tells them, making them look over at him as Hatchan inhales deeply, swelling his body slowly.
"Octopus is best served sliced with some salt," Sanji adds, watching his body inflate. "Add olive oil and paprika and it's a perfect accompaniment when drinking."
"Sounds delicious," Run mutters. "Wouldn't mind some with some sake."
"That right? Well, I'll make some when we get back to the Going Merry, Red."
"Oi, guys, I'm kinda in a bit of trouble here," Luffy tells them. "Seriously, a little help?"
"Hachi Ink Jet!" bellows Hatchan, spraying a huge jet of ink at them...which every one of them but Luffy dodges.
"Really?! Why didn't you dodge?!" Zoro questions their screaming Captain.
"I'M...BLLLIIIIINND...!" Hatchan picks up a huge chunk of debris and begins walking towards Luffy, who still remains stationary. "G-Guys! I'm stuck! And I can't see! My feet are stuck and I can't see!" He stops in front of their Captain, concrete held over-head. He slams it down seconds later, apparently crushing him.
"LUFFY!"
"Man, what a pain," complains Sanji just before the concrete shatters. "I can't believe I joined an idiots crew. But...I suppose it's better than joining a crew like theirs that would harm a lady." Usopp takes this opportunity to attempt to free Luffy from the cement, grabbing and pulling him straight back...which only serves to stretch his legs like a pair of rubber-bands.
"Do you think I'll let you keep playing around?" Hatchan asks, picking up another chunk of stone. "I'll crush you this time!" Zoro raises his sword in front of the octopus Fishman, blocking him from persuing the now fleeing and still stretching Luffy.
"Oi, don't worry about them," Zoro tells him. "I'll be your opponent." He smashes the stone down towards Zoro, who dodge with ease, landing several feet away...just as Luffy sails by, smashing into the Fishman with the huge lips. "What the?"
"S-Sorry, he slipped- Aaaggahhh!" screams Usopp, running away as the Fishman begins to chase him. Upon seeing that the villagers have armed themselves however, he briefly stops in an attempt to question and harass them but is provoked once again, this time by an exploding pellet shot into his face by Usopp. Arlong finally seems to have had enough as he stands and begins walking towards the gathered group.
"Just watching all of you is making me sick," Arlong tells them. "Move."
"Huh? I'm gonna kick your ass!" declares Luffy, throwing a punch at the Fishman only to have it dodged, then caught. Then, to everyone's complete amazement, Arlong kneels and with little effort tears up a huge chunk of concrete containing Luffy. "What the?!"
"People with Devil Fruit powers can't swim! Though, even people without powers would sink if they had a pair of concrete shoes!" With that, he tosses Luffy into the water in front of him.
"I'm going after him!" Sanji tells them, running towards the water.
"Stop!" shouts Zoro, intercepting the cook quickly. "You can't go in there, that's exactly what they want. You really want to fight a Fishman in the sea?"
"We can't exactly just leave him in there, either," Run tells him, slowly pushing up his sleeves. "Looks like our only option is gonna be..." The red-head motions towards the Fishmen standing across from them. "...take these guys down in an instant, and then go after him."
"You can have the fish, cook."
"Then, you cut and trim the octopus," Sanji retorts. "Red...that leaves you with-"
"Hah, I got it, I got it," Run says with a smile, watching the two men launch themselves at their opponents. Arlong side-eyes the red head as he approaches, eventually coming to a stop right in front of him. The smirk on the Fishman's face dies the moment he meets the red head's gaze, replaced with a fierce glare as he slowly stands. Their eyes remained locked, even as Arlong draws himself up to his full height and Run tilts his head up...a strange feeling for the red head who'd rarely had cause to do so since he'd breached just beyond two-hundred centimeters in height himself.
To Arlong it was like a flip of a switch, the change in demeanor from seconds ago...it was like seeing a different person entirely. That someone could smile so cheerfully at his friends one moment, and then glare at him...like he had every intention of taking his life. This man isn't an ordinary Human...no, he needs to kill this man right now. No matter what he can't let this man live! Without a word the Fishman draws back and the next moment it feels as if he's been struck in the stomach by a sledge hammer. The Fishman's feet leave the ground, the contents of his stomach emptying through his nose and mouth as he's sent smashing through the second story wall.
Without a word, the red head leaps up, hauling himself through the shatter wall and into what appears to be a large common room. Arlong is slowly pushing himself up, tossing aside bits of rubble and the shattered remains of a table as the red head begins his approach. The Fishman glares at the red head, his eyes widening slightly as they settle on the inky black skin of the red head's exposed hands and forearms. Arlong pushes himself up on unsteady legs, as wave of pain pulsing through him and briefly robs him of his breath.
"Wh...Who are you?!" demands Arlong. "What in the hell is someone like you doing in the East Blue?!"
"Aah, it's a long story. Name's Run, and I'm First Mate to the man you just sank into the sea." The red head stop several feet away, raising his hands to crack his knuckles loudly. "So, that makes two of my friends that you've hurt, Arlong. I'm- whoa!" The red head turns his shoulder sharply as a large chunk of stone sails in his direction. Arlong surges forward, a hand reaching out in the direction of the red head's neck quickly. A loud 'smack!' as Run bats away the hand, sending a jolt of pain race through Arlong's wrist as he staggers several steps in the same direction.
"You damn-" Arlong begins to turn on the red head only to come to an abrupt halt when a hand grasps his elbow, halting his momentum as the red head steps in his fist aiming towards his lower back.
"Sea King's Bite!" The Fishman's whole body curls in response to the blow, and he drops to his knees as pain radiates through his entire his whole body. Run releases his elbow and slides his left leg back before snapping it out quickly. "Sea King's Lash!" His foot strikes the back of Arlong's head, driving him face first into the ground, and actually shattering the floor under their feet. The two men drop through to the first floor in a shower of concrete and dust. "Ya still with us, Ar-" A shadow moves through the cloud of dust, and a pair of arms snake around the red head's waist from behind. "Aah, fer-" His world spins the next moment, as he's lifted and smashed head first into the ground hard enough to crack the stone. The arms disappear as Run attempts to right himself, pushing himself up quickly even as his ears ring from the impact. "Did you just suplex me?!"
Arlong's fist lands on his chin seconds later, and he follows the motion backwards, actually smashing through the wall behind him and sliding back out into Arlong Park proper. Run pushes himself up calmly while brushing himself off. Arlong steps out into the park proper now as well, coming to a stop across from the red head. The two slowly scan their surroundings, finding Zoro lying face down on the pavement and Sanji mysteriously missing, although there is a brand new hole in the security fence surrounding the compound.
"Looks like you're all that's left, human."
"Yeah, yeah." Run turns his attention to the swordsman. "Takin' a beauty nap, Zoro? I don't mean to be rude but...I think the ship has sailed."
"Ugh...eat me, red," Zoro retorts, slowly beginning to stand. "You." He turns his attention to Hatchan. ""You. Six Swords Style? What a joke." Zoro glares at the octopus. "Let me tell ya somethin', Octopus. There's someone I have to meet up with...and until I do, not even Death himself is gonna take my life from me!" Sanji makes his appearance again, calmly walking through the crowd of villagers gathered outside of Arlong Park. "Johnny! Yosaku! Lemme borrow your swords!" The two don't even hesitate to throw their weapons to him.
"Huh? You think you can beat my Six Swords Style in your condition?" Hatchan asks him, raising his swords just as Zoro catches the blades thrown to him. "I'll show you the difference between you two armed Humans and myself!" Zoro surges forwards, weaving and blocking before countering with an attack of his own.
"Streaming Wolf-Swords!" A number of slashes appear on Hatchan's chest...but it doesn't seem to really do much.
"You bastard, now I'm really mad!" He turns to face the swordsman. "If you think about it, there's no way you can defeat me! I can hold six swords, and you can only hold three!"
"What kind of bullshit are you spouting? Three swords, or six swords, it doesn't matter! The weight of our swords is entirely different! So, there's no way I'll lose!" Hatchan points all six blades at him, and then charges forwards to strike...only to have him block. He breaks open Zoro's defense and head-butts him right in his wounds, sending him sailing into the sky. Hatchan began spinning his swords around in a while wind, declaring this to be his ultimate technique. As Zoro drops however, he uses his own swords to counter Hatchan and land several feet away after dealing another attack to him.
"That bastard! He rolled on my swords, adjusting to the spin! He even cut my hands! What is this, some kind of circus act?! That's it! I'm really gonna kill him!" Hatchan picks his swords up, and assumes the same stance before charging at the swordsman who raises his own blades.
"It's over...Dragon Twister!" Zoro is a whirl-wind of blades, sending Hatchan sailing into the sky and shattering his swords. "You know the difference between our swords now...are you happy?"
"Hachi," mumbles Arlong, watching the Fishman drop to the pavement.
"Told ya not to count 'em out," Run tells the man, smirking. From behind Zoro, the same Fishman that was fighting Sanji appears, attempting to sucker punch the injured swordsman. Before he can, however, he's intercepted and countered by Sanji.
"You sure did send me flying with that last punch," Sanji tells him. "Honestly, I was a little surprised."
"So, there's someone who's strong enough around this place who can survive one of my punches," mutters the Fishman. Zoro takes this opportunity to crawl towards the water, intending to go after Luffy, at least until someone grabs his shoulder.
"Stop," Run tells him. "You go into the ocean with those wounds, and you'll be lucky if YOU make it back out alive."
"Shut-up, Red!" demands Zoro. "He's at his limit, we have to go after him!" Before he can rebut this, Sanji dashes past them, diving into the water without a second thought. "Wha...?"
"Are you serious?!" The Fishman he was fighting follows after him, and leaving Zoro and Run alone on land with Arlong. "I don't see 'em...I don't see 'em...!" Several minutes pass before Sanji breaks the surface of the water.
"Don't worry, he's fine," Sanji tells them. "...More or less."
"More or less?" The Fishman who had chased him into the water, chases him out onto dry land. No sooner had he stood up, than Sanji began to beat the man in earnest. To say that the fight was one-sided did not do it justice, and it was only ended when Sanji kicked him through the building of Arlong Park.
"Looks like that's two down," announces Run, facing Arlong. "And only one to go."
"Luffy's out of danger for the moment...but I need to go back and free him," Sanji explains to them. "Although, I doubt this guy is just gonna sit by and let me."
"Then I guess we'll just have to beat him and be done with it."
"You still think...that you stand a chance?" Arlong asks them, kneeling and dipping his hand into the sea. Run considers for a moment if maybe his kick to the head has scrambled the Fishman's brains at least until Arlong turns and tosses a handful of water in their direction. The three men are immediately knocked off their feet, the air driven from their lungs as they land flat on their backs. Run, having taken FAR less of a beating than the other two, immediately springs to his feet with a hand pressed against his stomach. "You see? I can kill you Humans without even touching you as long as I have access to water. Do you truly believe that you stand a chance?"
"Aah, you really love the sound of your own voice. Fishman this and Human that...couldn't you at least tell a joke every now and again?"
"You little-"
"ARLONG!" exclaims a familiar voice, drawing their attention quickly to Nami standing in front of the gathered crowd.
"Yo, Nami. I was just about to finish crushing some pirates. What did you come here for?"
"I'm here to kill you."
"Did you just say...kill ME?" Arlong asks, allowing the question to hang in the air for several moments before actually breaking out into laughter. "You really never learn, do you? How many times have you tried to kill me over the eight years you've been with us? Assassination, poison, sneak attacks...were you ever successful? You must know by know that a mere Human can't kill me." Arlong actually begins to smile as he stares the woman down. "Now, I'm not gonna kill YOU...and you can't kill ME. You're going to be our Navigator forever, Nami. But I'm a kind hearted man so listen up...I can kill everyone here today...or you can come back and I'll let the villagers from Cocoyashi live. Oh, unfortunately for these guys-" He motions to Zoro, Sanji and Run. "-they've got to die. They've already crossed the line, you see. So...what do you say?"
"Aah, you're an even bigger dick than I thought," Run complains, scratching the stubble on his jaw. "Oi, Nami! Don't listen to a word this guy is saying...no matter what it's not going to come to that." He clenches his fists, the exposed skin of his arms turning an inky black. "Have a little trust in your crew mates, huh?" She stares at the red head who glances over his shoulder at her, offering her a bright smile.
"I'm sorry," mutters Nami. "Everyone! Please die with me!" A cheer in agreement sounds from the crowd, and draws grins from the pirates. Moments later, a huge fountain of water sprays skyward in the distance.
"It's about time," speaks Sanji, slowly sitting up. "All we need to do now is free his legs."
"So, that's what you were talking about," replies Zoro, rolling over and standing. "Thirty seconds. I don't have anything more than that in me." The red-head slowly stands as well, and watches as Sanji dives back into the water to free their Captain.
"Take a rest, I'll handle this," Run tells him. This comment immediately irritates Arlong but he doesn't have much time to dwell on it before he's struck in the face by an egg. "What the?"
"Zoro, I've got your back!" calls the familiar voice of Usopp.
"Usopp!"
"Heh-heh! I took down one of their leaders all on my own! Can you believe it, Nami?!" He's grinning from ear to ear.
"Standing in my way...looks like you wanna die first, Roronoa Zoro!" Arlong taunts the swordsman.
"Die? Hardly," retorts Zoro, grinning. "But I am gonna break that big nose of yours!" He swings a sword at it, only to have it stopped BY his nose. Hearing yelling about the 'octopus bastard' Run looks over just in time to see Hatchan dive into the water after Sanji, and when he looks back at Zoro he finds the swordsman speared on Arlong's nose.
"So, is that it?" He tears Zoro away from his nose and holds him up by his throat. "And what's with all these bandages? What, did you fall down somewhere?!" He tears off the bandages, exposing the wound given to him by Mihawk. From shoulder to hip it looks as though Zoro has been cut in half, and someone just sewed him back together. How he was even walking around with a wound like that was something that none of them had an answer for. Then, for some reason, Zoro starts laughing in Arlong's face. "What?"
"You know, if a person stays still...then their wounds won't reopen."
"What of it? You find this amusing?"
"I didn't mean me." A small pool of red appears on the surface of the sea, and Run chuckles.
"I'M BACK!" bellows a voice from above, as all heads turn sky-ward to find Luffy sailing through it. "Zoro! Tag out!" He grabs the swordsman, free's him from Arlong's grip and uses him to sling-shot himself to the Fishman. He deals number of quick blows to Arlong, throwing him through the wall of his own head-quarters before landing back beside his First Mate. "Jeez, I thought you guys would have finished this by now."
"Aah. cut me some slack, he's been more interested in talking my ear off than fighting," Run tells him, stretching and cracking his knuckles.
"What was that? Did you attack me?" Arlong asks, slowly standing and brushing himself off.
"Aah, don't worry about that. I was just warming up," Luffy tells him, grinning...