[63] Arlong Pirates (1)
Chapter 63: Arlong Pirates (1)
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The fizzing sound of veggies in the oil filled the room, as did a salivating scent that caught the attention of Hashirama and Nami.
Hashirama and Nami sat on a dining table near the kitchen, on chairs that were placed facing each other.
But the black-haired boy who had his shoulder-length hair tied behind him wasn't paying attention to the ginger. He rested his chin on his hand and stared at the back of the cooking young lady.
"...You didn't tell me that your sister was this hot?"
"You can't be serious right now."
Hashirama stared dazedly at Nojiko, as Nami grew stupefied. How could a guy be like this? Why would she tell him how hot her sister was when he said he knew her? No, how could he switch his targets so quickly? This guy was clearly flirting with her earlier, but he changed targets the moment he saw her sister.
"Shouldn't you worry about your duck, though? He isn't back yet."
The duck, Karoo. That thing wasn’t with Hashirama and Nami. It was left behind after the boat was docked. Since it had a sudden call from nature, it had to slip into the nearby bush to do its business.
"I said it's fine. She can find us on her own when she's done.”
“…What about your explanation? Why are you here to begin with?”
“Can’t we talk about it after we are done eating? Please stay silent for now. I'm watching your sister."
Nami's jaws clattered as she held back her rage. What was this guy saying? Why was he this thick-skinned?
'Disgusting bastard. How do I get rid of him?'
Nami stared at his face while frowning and tapping on the table continuously.
To begin with, she didn't bring him to this island. He "brought her", as he lied her sister sent him. So since he was lying, he shouldn't be here.
Truth be told, she should have seen it coming. When she saw he didn't even know the way to Cocoyashi Village, and when the villagers didn't recognize him.
But there was an undeniable truth… while he may be disgusting, he was still her savior. Nami didn't want to see him die at Arlong's hand.
So beyond the fact that she didn't want him to hit on Nojiko any longer, she wanted him to leave so that he didn't get himself killed.
'But seriously, why are playboys always this good-looking?'
The door and windows were open, and sunlight came from there to fall on his dazed face. He seriously looked hot like that.
In truth, he was her type. Better, he saved her life too. So she was a little sad when she reached the false conclusion that he was Nojiko's boyfriend. So a part of her felt relief when it turned out that he was lying, and therefore free to take.
Everything was going well.
But, then he just had to be a disgusting woman chaser, didn't he?
"Food is done~"
Nami heard her sister cheer aloud as she walked over with two plates in her hand.
Looking at the steam that rose from the plates, Nami got lost in a dream. In that steam, she saw something that made her earlier complaints seem worthless.
Maybe it wasn't a bad thing that he was a playboy, making her hate him. At least this gave her a better reason to ignore him — where the other reason was that she would have ignored him anyway to make Arlong not pick on him.
Nami put her hand down from the table and on her thighs. Nojiko served in front of her, giggling aloud to another of Hashirama's silly jokes, while Nami clutched the end of her shorts.
Sometimes, it hurt when she became aware of the reality she lived in.
* * *
Arlong the Saw.
That was a title this shark fish-man earned due to the countless murders committed by his sharp, saw-like nose.
He sat on a beach chair, basking under the sunlight near the pool in front of his plaza — the Arlong Park.
Arlong was no Warlord, but he was also aware he was no small fish. If he were to go back to the Grandline and focus on learning that Haki-thing that his older brother –the Knight of the Sea– used, he might reach an extraordinary level of strength.
Currently, all that power didn't help the shock that Arlong felt. As he was looking to the side, at the gate that led to this place.
One of his underlings had entered the gate and was holding onto a duck by its neck. It was a massive large duck.
Arlong didn't show shock on his face, the shock that he felt due to its size. He just asked in a gruff voice,
"What the fuck is that, comrade?"
"Erm, I don't know, Arlong! I found it in the woods and thought it would be a good feast for you and our brothers."
The yellow duck didn't look frightened. Usually, animals would get pretty frightened when caught like this.
Arlong liked its attitude.
In fact, it was a duck. So it was one of those creatures that could seriously swim. Some ducks could swim underwater too, and if this duck was one of those, it would be one hell of a creature.
The fish-man who brought the duck, who was called Pisaro, waited for Arlong to speak. After thinking about it for a moment, Arlong waved it off.
"Chain it up. We don't have to eat it. Train it like we trained Momoo, the sea cow. It's better to have animal numbers in our group, they are good scouts."
"Yes, Arlong!!"
Pisaro nodded and moved to proceed as instructed. To chain up the duck by its feet.
Arlong yawned and turned his head around to take a nap. He was wearing a pair of shades; under the shadow of an umbrella. It created quite the mood to sleep.
"Ah, Arlong."
This time, the fish-man named Chew spoke and walked up beside him.
Arlong's eyebrows twitched in fury, but he held it in. All Fishmen here were his brothers. They were not the ones who should bear his fury.
He turned his head to the side and saw Chew standing with a frown.
"What's the news, comrade Chew?"
"It's Nami, Arlong."
Chew said as Arlong raised an eyebrow. Nami was back in town? Why hasn't she contacted him yet? That was quite the audacity she had.
"But from what I heard, Nami didn't return alone this time. I heard a human male was seen accompanying her. We don't know what their relationship is yet, but when I was eavesdropping, I heard that he might be her lover."
"Hoh?"
Arlong raised his hand to his face to gently grab his shade and take it off. He clutched his hand around it and made it turn into dust in the next second.
Arlong, who was mad that his nap was interrupted, slowly sat up. Then he stood up. His 8'7" feet tall form towered over Chew, and he grinned from ear to ear, flashing his sharp shark teeth.
"I was thinking about sending you to go fetch her here. But you brought quite interesting news. This is quite a special occasion, no? We must go there ourselves and greet the one who stole our crew's mapper's heart."
Arlong felt a shiver of spicy thrill rush through his veins. He hadn't felt like this in a long time. His urge to break the man Nami bought here, spiked up as he chuckled deeply.
At the same time,
"Aigoo-! Hey, someone stop it-!"
From the side, Pisaro who was putting chains on the large duck, yelled. Arlong turned his head to the side and found the yellow duck breaking out of the chains that were put on it already, and flapped its wings to fly away into the sky. It was quite fast too.
"...What speed. I would have taken this as fate and let it go, but that speed is quite impressive. Two of you go after the duck and capture it at all costs. I will go meet Nami and her lover boy. It’s been a while since I went to that house.”
Wearing a subtle grin that threatened to widen, Arlong walked out of his park's gate, followed by a dozen fishmen wielding weapons.
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