As Wood watched Queen Otohime tear up again from the pain of her broken arm, he realized that his previous perception of her had been completely shattered. Standing before him, the 224 cm tall Queen Otohime had once seemed like a strong, authoritative figure in his mind. But now, she appeared more like an overgrown child who had never really matured.
This raised an interesting question: if Queen Otohime's body was so fragile, how did she ever manage to handle Neptune's... well, let's not get too sidetracked.
In any case, after the initial shock, Wood and Tiger found themselves acting as emotional sponges for Queen Otohime, who spent a good deal of time venting her frustrations to them.
It wasn't until the effects of the alcohol began to wear off that Otohime finally brought up the serious matter at hand. She pulled out a document, which was actually a petition signed by the residents of Fish-Man Island, supporting the idea of relocating to the surface. The document was filled with signatures, the result of Otohime's relentless efforts in her public speeches.
With the petition in hand, Otohime explained her plan to Wood and Tiger: she intended to present this appeal at the upcoming Reverie, hoping to secure the right for the inhabitants of Fish-Man Island to live on land.
However, both Wood and Tiger simply shook their heads in silence at her proposal. This immediate rejection caused Otohime's enthusiasm to deflate, leaving her looking as dejected as a withered flower.
"While your idea is commendable, Queen Otohime, the notion of petitioning at the Reverie is completely impractical," Wood began. "The fate of whether fish-men can live on land doesn't rest in the hands of ordinary humans. The truth is controlled by those with power."
"Right now, the ones holding that power are the World Government, and the Celestial Dragons, who pull the strings behind them, view merfolk and fish-men as nothing more than playthings. Do you really believe they would ever agree to peaceful coexistence?" Wood asked pointedly. "Even if, by some miracle, your proposal was accepted at the Reverie, what would you do if those hopeful fish-men who moved to the surface were captured and sold into slavery?"
Tiger nodded in agreement. "The hatred between humans and fish-men runs deep. Even within the Sun Pirates, that animosity is ever-present. You can't erase that hatred with a few speeches. It will take generations, starting with the younger ones, who haven't been scarred by that mutual animosity."
Hearing these words, Queen Otohime slumped into her seat, defeated. She had thought her plan was a good one, but now she saw how many flaws it had.
"There is another way to make humans fully accept fish-men," Wood continued. "The World Government holds all the power now, and they are unfriendly to fish-men. So, the solution is simple—replace the ones in power with someone who is."
"You're talking about the Revolutionary Army, aren't you?" Tiger asked, recalling previous conversations with Wood. "Do you really think they would accept fish-men?"
"As far as we know, the Revolutionary Army is the only force that dares to challenge the World Government directly," Wood replied. "And they already have fish-men among their ranks. You won't find that in the Navy or the World Government. The fish-men could aid the Revolutionary Army in overthrowing the World Government, and in return, the Revolutionary Army could help the fish-men achieve their dream of living on land. It's a reasonable deal, and given the current state of the Revolutionary Army, I doubt their leader, Dragon, would refuse such an offer."
"You could assist the Revolutionary Army in toppling the World Government, while Queen Otohime could focus on educating the next generation," Wood suggested. "You could establish a school that teaches both human and fish-men children together. The key is not to segregate them—let them grow up together, learning side by side. Kids don't carry the same biases as adults. Over time, they'll come to see that fish-men—or humans—aren't as terrifying as they might have been told."
"With a dual approach," Wood continued, "by the time the World Government falls, fish-men and merfolk will not only have earned a place on land, but those children who grew up together will carry forward the belief that humans and fish-men can coexist peacefully."
Although Wood's plan wasn't without its rough edges, Queen Otohime was moved by his words. With tears in her eyes, she clasped his hands in gratitude, expressing her thanks repeatedly. Both she and Tiger agreed that Wood's plan had a much higher chance of success than her original idea.
"Finding humans willing to study alongside fish-men won't be easy at first," Wood warned. "But I suggest you start by visiting a place called Birdie Island in the West Blue. The island is mostly inhabited by women and children now, as all the men were killed by the One-Eyed Pirates. If you go there with sufficient supplies and show them my flag, you might just be able to recruit some students."
After spending a few more days on Fish-Man Island, enjoying VIP treatment, Wood and his crew finally set sail for the New World. Before leaving, Wood reminded Queen Otohime to be cautious, even if she decided to proceed with his plan of fostering coexistence between human and fish-men children.
Wood vividly remembered that in the original timeline, Queen Otohime would eventually be assassinated by a fish-man extremist. Even ten years later, the identity of her killer remained unknown to the people of Fish-Man Island. But Wood, being a time traveler, knew the truth all too well.
Hody Jones, a great white shark fish-man from Fish-Man District, was a staunch advocate of fish-man supremacy. Once a follower of Arlong, Hody had since devolved into nothing more than a dangerous zealot.
Not all fish-men wanted peaceful coexistence with humans. In the original story, after Tiger's death, Queen Otohime was assassinated, further deepening the rift between humans and fish-men.
But now, with Wood's intervention, Tiger was still alive, and with his warning, there was a good chance that Queen Otohime would be safe from Hody Jones's schemes.
If both Tiger and Queen Otohime survived, who knows? Perhaps when Luffy and his crew arrived on Fish-Man Island years later, they might find a place transformed by peace rather than conflict.
*******
P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 320+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a