A Siren's Journey (One Piece! Various X Reader)

[41] - Arlong Park Arc ~ 11

🏴‍☠️️Ch.41: Fall of the Fishman Empire! Nami Is Our Friend!!🏴‍☠️️

Arlong chuckles darkly. "Really? You want her to navigate your pathetic little schooner for you? Ha! I guess you truly have no idea what a monumental waste of talent that would be. For both Nami and (First Name). Look. There's no one else on the face of the planet that can draw sea charts with such accuracy and efficiency." Arlong shifts his predatory gaze at me, but I'm still too busy looking at the map Nami drew up years ago, covered in tear and blood stains. "Or who can study all forms of sea life with great detail and depth. These young ladies have gifts."

Suddenly, a feathered pen falls from the room's only desk and rolls in front of my criss-cross sitting captain, drawing my attention. And like so many of the maps strewn about the room, it was covered in blood.

"And there really isn't anything as ultimately regrettable as wasting natural talent. Staying here and drawing up sea charts for me is her only chance at living up to her full potential!"

But Luffy and I weren't quite giving Arlong our full attention. Luffy had picked up the bloodied pen, while I stalked up to the desk, looking over some half-drawn maps, yet still littered with tear stains and blood. 'Don't ever lose your passion for what you love . . .' The advice I gave to a younger Nami reruns through my head.

"This pen . . .is stained with blood." Luffy mutters, his hair shadowing his eyes.

But Arlong takes no heed to our otherwise un-drawn attention and continues running his mouth. "In order for me to attain world supremacy, her sea charts are absolutely vital." Arlong lifts his blade so that the last and second to last shark tooth blades boxes in Luffy's head. "She will continue drawing her sea charts for my own ambitions. And once her charts give me full knowledge of all the world's oceans, we Fishmen will be totally invisible, and the world shall kneel before us! The first step is this island. Then, we'll move on to the whole East Blue."

The only response Arlong gets out of us is a grumble from Luffy and a huff from me. And neither of us have our full attention on him.

"You could never use her like me! She would be wasted on you!"

Luffy grip on the bloodied pen tightens a bit before he sets it on the ground in front of him. The rubber boy makes no move to get out of the way of Arlong's blade. Instead, after a few seconds of silence, he lifts his hand to grip the second to last shark-tooth blade that is positioned in front of his head.

Arlong's shark-toothed smirk, distorts into an expression of shock and disbelief.

To an untrained eye, Luffy's strength holding the fishman's blade can't really be seen. But I knew Luffy's true strength. He may be an idiot who thinks more with his stomach and fists than with his head, but when it comes to fighting for his friends, there's no one stronger than him.

"Amazing."

My calm voice draws Arlong's attention.

"Every sentence that was just spewed from your mouth was wrong." I comment without taking my eyes from the desk Nami worked at for eight years. "All but one. There really isn't anything as ultimately regrettable as wasting natural talent. But she's only wasting it with the likes of you."

With his incredible strength, Luffy shatters the blade still in his vice grip.

"No!" Arlong cries.

Luffy finally lifts his head to glare at Arlong. "Use her?" He growls.

🏴‍☠️️☠🏴‍☠️️

"What's happening?" One of the villagers wonders aloud.

All eyes are focused on Arlong Park's top floor.