"I'm guessing Mosshead went and got himself lost again? Typical." Sanji remarked.
"Poisoned too!" Cabernet added helpfully.
"Wait, what?! He's been poisoned?!" Nami exclaimed.
"Chopper went to find him., so he'll be fine. Or if he won't, then I guess he didn't have any business trying to become the world's greatest swordsman." Cherry said.
"I see, so he'll be fine." Luffy concluded. He didn't have any doubts about Zoro's ambitions.
They found themselves on a rooftop overlooking the small body of water inside Fishman Island's bubble. On a floating platform a short distance from the shore, they could see the King and the three princes beaten and bound in chains guarded by several strong looking fishmen.
A captured Jinbe and Princess Shirahoshi were being paddled over to the platform on rafts.
A crowd of civilians had gathered on the shore to watch in horror filled anticipation. The New Fishman Pirates along with some human pirates they had enslaved were making sure the good people didn't try anything funny, both from the water and on land.
"Is this the future hidden behind the broken pane?" A 5 meter tall shark mermaid muttered.
Cherry heard that and thought she might be the 'Madam Shyarly' that had predicted Luffy would destroy the Island from her words. Looking over at her with some annoyance, she flushed a bit at the cheeks after getting a good look at her.
A tall, dark beauty with a certain distant coolness to her, but inside she clearly cares about others as evidenced by her clear concern for the royal family. Exactly her type.
Nami pinched her cheek with narrowed eyes. "You better not be thinking about hitting on other women when Robin isn't around."
"I was thinking about hitting on her when Robin IS around actually." Cherry retorted, leaving Nami a bit speechless.
Down below, Jinbe and Princess Shirahoshi were finally brought before the shark fishman, Hody.
"Jahahaha! Finally! If I'd known you'd fall for such an obvious trap, I would have killed you ages ago Jinbe! I'd expect as much from a stupid, sheltered princess, but not you." Hody mocked loud enough for all to hear.
"What's your aim, Hody? Do you wish to become king? To wage war against the humans?" Jinbe asked.
"Of course! And why shouldn't I, when our weak King won't do the job that needs doing? But that comes afterward." Hody said ominously.
"What do you-" Jinbe was interrupted by a strike to the face. It looked like it hurt more than it actually did, which wasn't much at all for a man of his level.
"Do you wish to destroy Fishman Island?" Madam Shyarly's voice carried over the crowd and the water.
"Ah, Shyarly! Did you see a vision, perhaps? Did you see that I will triumph?" Hody asked.
"I did see a vision, but not of you." Shyarly said. For just a moment she had spotted a familiar straw hat poking over a nearby rooftop. "I saw Straw Hat Luffy destroy Fishman Island, not you."
The New Fishman Pirates erupted in jeers and profanity aimed at her.
She was taking a huge gamble here, trying to drag the Straw Hats into the situation and hoping that it was the correct choice. She didn't know what her shattered vision had meant, so she had no idea what the right thing to do was. It was… exhilarating, in a way.
Truthfully, Hody knew it didn't really matter who destroyed the Island, as he would be the one who would rule over what remained. However, he didn't take this jab at his pride lightly, especially not when he was being compared to a filthy human and found lacking.
Hody swung his arm and a ball of water flew through the air like a bullet at Madam Shyarly. Both Sanji and Luffy had almost jumped to her rescue, but they noticed Cherry was already in front of her before even leaping out from their hiding place. A good thing too, as they hadn't been prepared to move quickly at that moment and would have been too late.
Cherry swatted the water bullet out of the air, making it look like child's play. "That was close, miss. That bug almost landed on you, and I know how sensitive you proper ladies are."
Shyarly's emotions at that moment were a bit of a rollercoaster. She hadn't even seen Hody's attack coming until the human woman in front of her had already blocked it. Then the human woman had given her a backhanded insult right afterwards, although the primary insult had been directed at Hody.
*Boom!*
Hody had a mean snarl on his face as he threw a much larger ball of water Cherry's way, this time with a sound like a cannon firing.
*Splat!*
"Watch out, folks! You're in the splash zone!" Cherry said cheerfully as she swatted the water ball. It sprayed harmlessly over some nearby civilians.
Jinbe could see what she was doing. Cherry was protecting lives while pretending like she wasn't doing anything of consequence, albeit with terribly obvious acting. He was grateful regardless, as it meant the people could still be the ones to ask for help first. At least in spirit.
Hody saw things differently though.
'What is she up to?' Hody thought.
The woman hadn't even acknowledged him, she was trying to make him angry. He wouldn't play into her hand, whatever that was. Instead he would begin his own plan, then the situation would resolve itself.
"Shirahoshi! Call upon your power, call the sea kings to Fishman Island and make them destroy the bubble!" Hody shouted.
He didn't care if Cherry charged him to stop him. The way he saw it, he would easily kill her if she dared to enter into his reach.
"What are you talking about? Why would I do that?" Princess Shirahoshi refused.
"If you don't…" Hody grabbed King Neptune by the throat and started to squeeze, earning a ground of pain from the man. "Then I'll kill your father, just like I killed your mother all those years ago!"
"Shirahoshi, don't listen-" King Neptune's words were cut off as Hody squeezed even tighter with his terrifying grip.
The crowd was in turmoil. They were under the impression that a human pirate had murdered their queen all those years ago. It was incredibly shocking that Hody, who was even a member of Neptune's Army at the time, had been the true perpetrator. Many even doubted whether it was true, thinking that Hody was lying to get a desired reaction.
Princess Shirahoshi was crying, but she didn't give him what he wanted. She kept her mouth clamped shut, not letting out even the smallest whimper. Cherry couldn't help but admire the nerve of this sheltered little girl.
"No? Very well, then. I have three more to kill after this one anyways!" Hody exclaimed with malice.
Some people were looking at Cherry with pleading eyes, but she simply averted her gaze and whistled like she was leisurely strolling through a park.
The people started calling out for Luffy. Having heard Madam Shyarly's prophecy, even if Luffy really did destroy the island, as long as Hody didn't get his way it was a better outcome!
Even Princess Shirahoshi cried out. "Luffy-sama! Please save my family!"
A harsh ringing was heard in the distance. The giant bubble around the island stretched as an object passed through it and landed in the water not far from Hody's platform.
"There he is!" The crowd called out, seeing the signature jolly roger on the sail with a straw hat.
"Here I am!" Luffy shouted from the land instead of the ship as he launched towards Hody at breakneck speeds.
"From there?!" The crowd shouted in bewilderment.