Chapter 14: He Hurt my comrades 1/2

Chapter 14: He Hurt My Comrades…

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or One Piece.

Special Thanks to my BETA Reader: Leaf Ranger.

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Zoro looked around, taking in the shade and isolation of the dark cell he was confined to. The teen clenched his fists, straining against the bonds the circled his body and kept his arms pressed to his back.

'Damn it. They've tied me too tightly for a quick escape. At least they were kind enough to re-bandage my wounds after that fight with the octopus-guy.'

Wishing he could have retained his swords, the Vice-Captain shut his eyes. Assuming a meditative pose to make use of his captivity, while the others on the island had their own tribulations.

0….0

Nami felt a blank space obscuring her eyes. Opening them, the familiar haze of sunlight invaded her sight, while the sensation of rest and soreness coursed through her entire body.

"Hm? I…I must've fallen asleep."

Rubbing her eyes before glancing around, she found Sasuke was still in his seat at the table. Sakura and Nojiko were sipping tea, before they noticed she had begun to stir.

"Well, it seems that nap was well-needed. You've been out for three hours, Nami.

"Ex-Excuse me, Miss. Nami?" Sakura spoke-up.

"I can show…show you where the treasure is onboard. But…but after you collect it. Wh-what if we stayed on this island, hidden from the Fishman? Then, Kakashi-sensei, Saskuke-kun, Naruto-san and I can come with you when you left the island next. We can ensure you get the rest of the money for Arlong without any trouble and…"

"No!" Nami cut her off.

"I've been handling this on my own all this time, and I don't need help form you or anyone to finish it." The older teen rose to her feet. Her tone wouldn't broker any argument.

"I will finish this on my own. It'll just take a little more So let's just get the rest of that treasure, and then the both of you can take the Going Merry and leave. You'll run into Luffy on the way and tell him to stay far away from this island. In the mean-time, I'll only need to draw a few more maps for Arlong and-"

CCKGR!

Everyone jumped! Sasuke had cracked the table in his grip, the boy's eyes shut, still trying to digest the idea of having to work under a murderer. Or becoming practically branded someone as their property after killing their family, or watching them day after day

Sakura gulped, before turning back to Nami.

"Well, okay then. If that's what you want, Sasuke-kun and I will go look for Zoro-san. He went off on his own to find the coast—"

"—WHAT!? Zoro-san is here too?! Not him and—WAIT!?" Nami exclaimed, grasping Sakura's collar and yanking the girl off her feet.

"You left Zoro-san alone, just wandering around the village?!"

The girl blinked, very, very scared of Nami. While her assailant felt the prick of a sharp blade touch her neck.

"Release Sakura, now," Sasuke demanded, shaking on the table with a kunai in-hand.

"Kakashi-sensei suggested that Zoro-san[1] would watch the coastline in for when Luffy, Naruto and Ussop caught-up. The four of us dispersed this morning from the cave we spent the night in."

At that news, Nami's eyes grew wide. She didn't notice Nojiko scrambling to grab Sakura's pouch for a weapon herself.

Then next moment, Nami's face landed in her palm.

"HHHhhhh. You don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" Sasuke asked her.

"I'll put it bluntly. Zoro is more than hopeless at finding his way around. The baka would get lost even in a straight hallway or an open field. With him wandering around, he'll likely run right into an Arlong pirate and start a ruckus. We need to find him, and fast," she chastised them.

"Which one of you is better at sneaking around?" she questioned the Genin. Sakura deferred to Sasuke as better at stealth. Nami eyed them both, before coming to a decision.

"Alright. Sasuke, you're coming with me to try and find Zoro. Stay hidden, we'll check Arlong Park first to see if the idiot has been caught or not. Wherever we find him, you need to lead him away, and don't let Zoro out of your sights. Nojiko and Sakura. The both of you need to head to the coast and watch for Luffy and the others. If they get close, then Sakura can run out to meet them and tell them to Get Lost!" Nami's tone grew sharp as iron over the last two words.

Nojiko tried to argue against Nami going around with the boy that had threatened her, twice. Though Nami was firm, grabbing Sasuke by his collar before running from the house. Leaving the other two with no choice but to follow her plan.

Over the course of 20 minutes, Nojiko and Sakura were running for the coast. One moving down the path while the other was above her in the trees, her chakra-control allowing Sakura to catch her footing even on the vertical trunks.

Soon, they reached the coast, just as a smaller boat could be seen out in the bay.

"Are those them, the people you were waiting for?" Nojiko questioned the younger girl

"Ummm…I'm not sure I can tell," Sakura answer, one hand shading her eyes to try and spot someone on-board. "If I could get a little closer then-"

"HHHHEEEEEYYYY SSSAAAKKKKUUUURRRRAAAAAAA!" Luffy's voice rang-out across the water. Followed by a pair of arms shooting forward, and Luffy shot off like a rocket straight towards her.

"NIICCEEE TO SEEE YYYAAAA!"

"WHAT CAPTAIN-!"

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM-GUHH-KUTHUNK!

"NO! S-S-S-SAKURA—CHAN!" Naruto's voice followed the impact.

Nojiko blink, stupefied. A pair of arms had reached impossible lengths, one hand grasping a nearby tree and a matching one on a rock, with Sakura dead in the cross-hairs. Red blur shot out from the boat following those arms, before colliding with the girl in a painful impact.

Next, a boy with blonde hair was running over the water, and another voice had joined the fray, loud enough to cause the boat to shake.

"Luffy, you ignorant, Barbarian! If you hurt Sakura-chan, I'm going kick you down to the bottom of the sea and leave you there!"

How nobody else had heard all the shouts and come running, Nojiko would never know. The figure that can collided into Sakura quickly stood up, and his face fell to the dirt.

"Hm? Ahh! sorry, Sakura-chan! Guess I got too excited." he cried, dusting off the straw-hat on his brow. As a pink blur sailed over another rock, looming above Luffy and hit him upside the head.

"BAKA! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING HURTLING THROUGH THE AIR AND INTO ME LIKE THAT! WHAT KIND OF SENSELESS, STUPID, SELF—CENTRED IDIOT WOULD DO THAT!" Sakura exclaimed, as fist after fist pummeled over Luffy's head.

Naruto gulped and began to back away from Sakura's onslaught, before stumbling to his knees. After taking three deep breaths to fill his lung, he moved down to the beach to help the crew catch-up.

"Oh, Sakura-chan? How did you get over here so fast?" Luffy asked her, ignoring the harmless haymakers smacking over his rubber-forehead to look at what he collided with. "Weren't you…hmmmm? What 's that log doing there?"

Sure enough, a wooden log stood at the end of an upset tract in the dirt. With the imprint of Luffy's face clear in the bark.

"It's called a substitution! I used it to get out of the way just before you hit-me a second ago! One of the best defensive moves in a ninja's arsenal." Sakura elaborated, as Luffy gained an excited look on her face.

"Oh, it's a Mystery-skill! Like you can turn into a log when you want to!"

Sakura growled, her short patience less than thin at Luffy's near-collision. But before she could respond, a solid black foot hammered into struck Luffy's head!

"Ow-that kinda hurt a bit!" the captain complained. As a well-dressed man was fuming beside him.

"You stupid, moronic, ignorant, horrible, rubbery, unclothed, idiotic, bastard!" Sanji berated him.

"Hey, I didn't hurt her, Sanji. Everything's fine.," Luffy complained, while Ussop, Johnny and Yosaku joined them on the coastline, with another surprise.

Sakura herself blinked at two newcomers, perplexed at their presence.

"Gin-san? Sanji-san? Why have the pair of you come here, and what happened to that man Don Krieg?"

"Excuse me, little lady?" the gaunt man spoke, stepping forward to address her.

"Don Luffy, Naruto, Ussop, the boun'y hunters and Sanji beat my former captain. During the fight, Naruto saved m'life from a poison-gas attack from Don Krieg. Afterwards, yer Captain offered me a place in his crew, an' I accepted it."

"Yeah!" Luffy called over to them. "Gin's a nice guy, he even gave the final blow to bastard-Krieg! We gave him to some Navy guys yesterday before coming here. Hey, where's Sasuke, Kakashii? Didn't you find Nami yet?"

Sakura blinked, trying to digest the news through the ringer that Luffy's collision had given her. But, someone else was present to take the reins.

"So, you are the rest of the crew that Nami was travelling with? If that's the case, then you need to leave," Nojiko firmly demanded, her arms crossed and tone soft yet strong.

"An' who might you be t' say that, ma'am?" Gin questioned her. Before a black tornado, spotted with hearts, waltzed in front of the lady.

"Why, you must undoubtedly be the most stunning beauty of this wretched island! So much so that even Nami-swan herself pales in to such divine and lovely appeal," a certain chef declared, kneeling before her with one hand over his heart and the other offering her a rose.

"Where'd get the rose from?" Ussop questioned, while Nojiko was engulfed by smoke, and Sakura stood in her place. Substituting her companion away from the love-struck cook.

"Dial down on the romance, Sanji-san. This is not the time for it at all," she ordered him. "First, now that I think about it, I'm guessing that Captain Luffy finally got you to say yes to join our crew?"

The group nodded, while Luffy chuckled at his success and Nojiko blinked from her new position beside Naruto.

"Well, in that case," the pinkette continued, "this woman is Nojiko. She's Nami older sister, and we need to find the Merry and get ready to leave. Things with Nami are a lot more complicated than Kakashi-sensei even imagined."

The new arrivals frowned in confusion, while Luffy rose to his feet.

"What's there to talk about? It doesn't matter what's going on, Nami's our friend and she's coming with us our navigator."

Nojiko frowned lightly as his response. "Nami isn't going anywhere. Once you hear why, all of you need to find your own crewmates and leave before some additional trouble in brought by your interference. Can I have you promise on that if I tell you what is going on?"

"Nope!" Luffy declared, before walking off. "Someone's past doesn't matter. That only says who someone was, or what they did. I'm going to find Nami, then we can set-sail to the Grand Line."

The Rubber-man walked forward, before his arm was yanked backwards.

"Yeah, come on Captain Luffy!" Naruto pleaded, his eyes wide and curious. "Why not hear about what is going on. Then we can fix what's happening and get Nami to come with us again!"

"Don? Naruto's got a good idea. It migh' be a good idea t' know what's goin' on here, then take a look around," Gin added, politely to the captain. Sanji had already lit a fresh cigarette, as Johnny and Yosaku stepped forward.

Luffy's eyes turned to Nojiko, fixing her carefully enough to make the woman impatient.

This went on for some minutes, until Luffy questioned her.

"So Nami is your sister?"

"Yes. Does that hold some kind of significance?" she answered, smoothly.

"Will you tell us anything Nami doesn't want shared? Older siblings can be tricky over that kinda stuff."

Blinking at the answer, Nojiko shook her head. "No. Nami actually asked me to share this with all of you. Then hopefully, all of you will understand what's going on around here."

Luffy barely blinked at her answer. Before he shrugged and moved to sit on the ground. His arms cross over his chest. "Nami's my crew, so I'm not leaving her behind at all. I came all this way to get her back, and that's that, no matter what you say. So long as that's clear and you won't make your sister mad, go ahead and tell us."

0….0

Kakashi Hatake stood before the plain white house, surrounded by a very well-loved tangerine orchard. Glancing around he followed his nose to the path heavy with the scents that guided him there.

'No doubting it, Nami-san's scent is very heavy throughout this orchard. This place has been her home for decades. Traces of Sakura and Sasuke are here too, along with somebody else but then they move back into the forest, splitting into pairs of two. Sasuke and Nami went back to village, while Sakura and the fourth person are moving into the forest. I probably just missed them by minutes.'

Taking a moment, Kakashi deliberated his options, before choosing the more immediate priority. Kneel down, the Shinobi sent a pulse of chakra through the ground.

"Earth-style: Hidden like a Mole."

Follow its namesake, the Jonin slipped beneath the surface of the earth and began shifting about as a mole. Spreading with his chakra, the earth near the hole smoothly shifted to obscure his entrance as the man began to cruise under the earth to search for his target.

"Oh?" he found a solid wooden chest, beneath the orchard. "Here it is. Now, to get to work."

Elsewhere on the island, a party of Marines were moving towards a small house near the outskirts of the town. One had a snide-appearance, with sinister whiskers and the face of a rat. Beside him walked a figure tattered with scars in a brown officer's uniform, his sight fixed on the road and nothing else.

"So, Genzo-san. You are certain this house is the home of the pirate thief, Nami?" the Marine questioned him.

"Yes. She lived there for the first ten years of her life. Still, I'm surprised why you would show any interest in her. She only steals from pirate crews, and nobody else. The brat got into too much trouble swiping books, sweets, or other small things while she was a kid," Genzo questioned them.

"Well, some weeks past, it was found that she recently escalated to theft of Marine property. An inside source informed us that map to the Grand Line was stolen from the 153rd Marine Branch outpost.[2] Such actions can hardly be left unpunished, hence the reason I am here."

"So that's why you want to question her? I see," Genzo nodded.

'I haven't seen Nami present for weeks now. And I can't believe she'd be reckless enough to get caught and bring th Marine's here and interrupt the deal with Arlong. Still, since she isn't at her home, there's no risk for her arrest or questioning by them.'

Soon, the group reached an orchard, with nobody in sight.

"Chichichichichichichichi.

Meanwhile, Zoro glanced around his cell again, trying to hear what the commotion outside was about. And recalling how he had been captured in the first place.

(Flashback)

Zoro scanned the coastline again, his face couched by a refreshing breeze from the ocean. Seated in a meditative pose, he kept two pilfered swords within reach, with Wado resting against his shoulder. He took a deep yawn, trying to force off the appealing urge to sleep.

"What's taking Luffy and the others so long to get here all ready?" he asked unto himself.

"Hatchi! What the hell…happened to you!"

At the shout, Zoro sprang to his feet groaning at the nuisance of another fight so soon after his last.

To find himself…stuck

Before his eyes, some four-dozen people had surrounded the cliff. Each of them armed to the teeth, and a handful were carrying those Zoro had encountered earlier. At the sound of a splash below, Zoro pivoted to keep those on land in his periphery, and glance down to another dozen or so in the water behind him.

Looking between the rocks beneath and the hard place on land, he could only curse himself. 'They suck up while my attention was on the water! And all of these guys are Grand Line-class pirates. Damn...Well…looks like I'm royally fucked.'

"Brother! Don't speak, and hang on, Hatchi! I refuse to lose you today," one of them voiced, kneeling beside the wounded Octopus-fishman. The figure had a brown ushanka, covered a black mane of hair down his back, parted by a single dorsal fin. He wore a yellow shirt, with jagged black bolts covered his shoulders, and remained low, cradling his wounded kinsman.

"Damn it, if only Aladdin had come with us! No matter, get here quickly and help our brother!"

"Ny…uuuu…Arlong," a miniscule whisper came from the wounded six-armed pirate.

"Hatchi, please, don't aggravate your wounds further. Tell me, who…hrrr….hrrrrr…."

The voice grew thick, building with outrage and concern alike. Forcing some to step back in fear from the shark-finned fishman.

"Who would dare hurt you like this brother! Tell me!" a demand carried to a roar echoed from the cliffside.

Zoro glared heavily, trying to find some escape from his predicament. Yet, all the same, he took notice how this new enemy held his crewmate with tender care even through his rage. With a closer look, he saw the fishman' head was turned, bringing his ear close to Hatchi and showing a distinct saw-tooth nose.

"What! Roronoa Zoro! The Pirate Hunter!" he called over, and Zoro had to force himself not to gulp.

"Hey, the one who uses three-swords! That guy there is holding three of them now! And he's the one who hurt the tens of us before Hatchi came around, Arlong!" another fishman spoke-up. Taking a glance, Zoro recognized him.

'Damnit. It's the same one that Hatchi-guy sent back to get help from the rest of his crew. Should've cut him down when I had to chance,' Zoro silenced reflected. As the ire of the gathered enemy crew grew higher with the revelation.

"You must be after the boss's head!" "Maybe he attacked to draw out Arlong."

"And he nearly killed Hatchi and left him to bleed-out. Humans truly are disgusting and possess no sense of honour or reverence to anything but themselves!"

More suggestions and accusations followed, but Zoro tuned them out, focusing on the more immediate threat.

The figure once kneeling beside Hathci had risen to his full height. Towering above the others, Zoro recognized Arlong from his wanted-poster and braced himself as the hulking Saw-shark Fishman met him with the smoulder gaze of a righteous berserker.

"YOU! You…Hurt my crewmate, My Bother in all but blood." Arlong began to stride towards Zoro, his voice punctuating every word he spoke. The Swordsman raised his swords, unwilling to fall without some kind of effort.

"Yeah, and if you wanna—"

"You even have the gall to use our own weapons on us?! Only a human would commit such an atrocious act! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE THOSE WHO HARM MY BROTHERS!" Arlong bellowed, before charging for Zoro, as one hand flew to his mouth. The swordsman slash with two of his blades, angled for Arlong's throat.

"GGGRRRRR!" the movement brought a fresh stab of pain through his wounds, tearing another stitch as Zoro's body started to give, causing his movements to falter.

One sword was stopped by Arlong's nose, another caught by a set of teeth in his hand. A searing group of stabs tore through Zoro's right shoulder, a match pair of jaws sinking deep through his skin. Small fountains of blood sprayed from the wound, as only Zoro's strength of will kept him from dropping his sword.

With a shrug of his neck, the blade against Arlong's nose was shrugged aside, to form a opening to drive it into Zoro's chest.

The Vice-captain failed to stop a shout of pain slip through his lips, with barely his subconscious keeping his jaw from dropping Wado. Still, Arlong removed both it and the other swords from him immediately.

Lifting him above his head with a single arm, the Fishman grinned as his crewmates cheered at the agony he had given to Zoro. Moving to the cliff, the defeated pirate found himself dangling over the edge, only held up by the Fishman's strength.

Yet, rather than drop him, Arlong frowned at a sight he had not registered the moment before. "Hm? What's with all these bandages? Did you take a fall before hand?" he questioned, tearing them from Zoro's chest.

Arlong had to shift his head, to keep the spray of blood away from his eyes. For a moment, both himself and his crew were silenced, or gasping at the sight of Mihawk's parting token.

'Wh…what's this scar? I can't-believe-he's still—breathing. These wounds are recent, but not enough to be given to him by Hatchi. Did…did he fight him while torn-up like this?' Arlong thought, his eyes wide in dismay.

A steady dribble of blood travelled to the water below, as Arlogn felt his grasp on Zoro's throat begin to slip.

'How can-he still be alive-with a body like this? The centre-scar is enormous, and what of all the others surrounding it? Is he dying already? Am I holding a wounded man?' Arlong reflected, before coming to a decision.

Zoro found himself thrown to the ground, tumbling over as a fresh canvas of blood formed over the ground. Just as he tried to struggle to his feet, Arlong began to issue new commands to his crew.

"Bandage this one up, then take him to a cell in Arlong Park. I want to know how he got here, and if any others know he was coming around." As the fishmen voiced their acceptance, Arlong strode back towards Hatchan. Gathering the now-bandaged crewmate in his arms to carry back to Arlong park.

"It's alright, Hatchan. I have you now. Everything will be made alright, brother."

(Flashback end)

Inside his cell, Zoro tried to break through his bonds stifling a groan at the fresh bandages around his chest. 'Well, I hope the others are doing better than I am right now.'

0….0

"Ah, at last we have arrived," Nezumi eagerly declared, nearly close to rubbing his hands, gleeful to find the promised treasure Arlong had described. His subordinates began to scatter around the yard, while Genzo moved towards the door.

GHKKr-GHKK-GHKK "Nojiko? Are you inside? Some Marines are here asking about Nami."

Inside, the sound of shuffling feet moved to the door. But a stranger answered it, giving Genzo quite a shock.

"Yo. Can I help you?" the strange lazily asked, with towering silver hair and his face covered with a mask.

"Hey, who are you and what are you doing in Nojiko's House!" Genzo exclaimed.

"Chichichichichi. Perhaps this woman or the thief Nami were entertaining some male company," Nazumi implied. Coaxing the vein in Genzo's forehead to bulge.

"What, never! Those two would never do such a thing. But I can't the same about this stranger!" he shouted, with fatherly indignation. "Is true you?! Are you some pervert who tried to sneak in on Nojiko!? 'Cause if that's the case I oughta-"

"Uh, no," Kakashi assured him, one hand raised to deflect the blame as he moving out from the house. "I was merely passing through, and found the house unoccupied. A pirate crew and some bizzare events caused me to become separated from my own people some time back. I washed up here in a life-boat in the night and was looking for someone to learn the lay of the land from before I stuck my head out anywhere. Though, with the Marines here, perhaps things are looking up for me."

"Well, I'm afraid I lack the capacity to help you, mister," Nazumi cut-in.

"Some Marine sources have revealed a large sum of treasure taken by the pirate thief Nami is hidden here. The government confiscates all stolen property, and reserves the rights to conduct a thorough search to locate and retrieve such ill-gotten wealth."

Genzo eyes began to view the Marines insecurely, while Kakashi's eye grew focused, and subdued. Reining in the fury in his chest, with cold, practiced detachment. "Hmm? Is that so. I haven't seen anything inside, or in the tangerine orchard. If something like that were here, there'd like be some tell-tale signs in the earth.

Genzo had begun to sweat, while Nazumi ordered his men to begin ransacking the property.

"Now wait a moment, you mentioned you only wanted to question Nami, not search the place!" Genzo complained, as the crooked officer smirked, complacent with his own cards and position.

"Well, things change, as do priorities. Your cooperation is still required and appreciated for our efforts."

The local lawman glanced around, watching everything fall apart from his mistakes, again. While Kakashi leaned back against the wall of the house, even as the Marines began to move for the house and pull shovels into their hands.

"Yo, that would hardly be worth the effort," he called out to everybody present.

"Listen. As I said, there's nothing inside save for a few cups of tea, and basic necessities for a house occupied by a single person."

"Listen, I used to be an investigator some time ago. So, I appreciate the law and the need to uncover and secure such crucial evidence. Plus, I was a gardener once upon a time. If I can be of service, perhaps you can find this treasure far quicker. If you can share some backround on the thief herself."

Nazumi grinned, striding past the fuming Genzo to stand before Kakashi.

"Well, perhaps I may be able to aid you after all. This Nami girl has apparently been stealing treasure and money from pirate crews across the past 8 years. So came on the Marine's notice upon becoming too bold for her own well-being, stealing from a nearby Marine base. What can you provide for us?" he snidely agreed.

"Well, there weren't any traces in the floorboards inside to suggest a hidden room. Plus the roof beams and ceiling don't have any traces of metal to support a safe or additional storeroom. Leaving the only place to hide such a trove to be the orchard," Kakashi deduced, glancing around at the trees. As Genzo remained quiet and formal.

"Still, digging up all of them would be a lot of unnecessary effort. Thieves steal money so they can spend it, or if she did commit a recent crime then the places where she stored the treasure would have been opened recently. If some freshly dug earth can be identified beneath the trees, that will point us straight to the chest and all the loot."

As Kakashi's detective work ended, Nazumi grinned at such a fortune piece of luck to find the treasure with minimal effort. "I agree. Men, comb the entire ground beneath such garbage fruit-trees and locate that 100,000,000 bellies immediately."

Kakashi's eye narrowed at the man, barely able to keep his disgust hidden. 'Not even the plainest effort for subtlety. Between this man and that Lieutenant at the Baratie, I'm starting to see another reason why Zeff didn't mentioning the Marines as an option for us to travel home with. The only ones around here seem to be dangerously self-centered and corrupt.'

Kakashi barely moved as the Marines scoped the entire orchard but finding no trace of the treasure. "Sir, there's nothing here. No sign of any treasure or hidden places at all."

That led Nazumi to shift his attention; the arrogant smirk dissipating to a frown.

"How can that be?! Perhaps it is elsewhere! Search the entire area, just up to the tree-line!"

Several minutes passed as the men followed is orders, evening bending around some tangerine trees. But still nothing turned up. The Marine colonel began to fume. The onset of a tantrum clear on his face.

"How can that be! That treasure should be here! It's unacceptable and unfair for such a huge sum to be absent or un-promised! It simply must be found! Otherwise—"

"Excuse men," Kakashi tapped the man on his shoulder, schooling his face clear of his own opinions.

"Perhaps this inside source has been less than honest with you? This Nami's name may have been given as a distraction for you so the real brigand could slip away with the stolen treasure unnoticed?"

Nazumi's eyes began to widen, as Kakashi's hidden faced curled into a smirk. 'Thieves always believe everyone steals. Or can be too easily misdirected with the prospect of a double-cross.'

Within moments, all of the Marines were recalled, and followed their officer to scamper, away, wordlessly.

Some moments after the departure. Kakashi walked back inside, as the Genzo beside him dispelled into smoke.

After closing the door, he faced the real Genzo, who was bound and gagged on the bed with a third Kakashi watching him. The real one approached them, before sitting down on the mattress.

"Listen. Before I take the gag off, some explanations are likely due. I am a friend of Nami's, and part of a pirate crew that were suckered by her. However, after tracking her here, I learned about Arlong, her mother, and their deal to buy the freedom of Cocoyoshi Village."

As he spoke, Genzo stopped moving. His eyes wide in shock, as his arms and leg relaxed from the efforts to break free.

"From how you reacted to those Marines looking for the treasure, I'm willing to guess you know everything as well. This morning, I was inside of Arlong park when that same Marine came to visit him for a monthly bribe."

"Uhhhh. Before you have a heart-attack, I am a ninja. Infiltration is one of my more well-used talents, and I was not caught by anyone," he assured the older man. Whom had grown whiter than a sheet and began to hyperventilate.

"Arlong told that Colonel Nazumi about the deal he made with Nami. And encouraged him to find and seize the treasure as a backdoor to their deal. Likely to keep you under his thumb or Nami as part of his crew."

As Kakashi's explanations finished, Genzo grew stiff, his face thunderstruck. Slowly, the Jonin untied him. While the second one moved to the kitchen to the warm tea-kettle. The water was hot enough to appreciate a fresh cup, and soon both men were seated at the table, while the clone disappeared.

"Whu-! H-how did you do that? And-how did I end up tied up at all?" Genzo asked, shakenly.

Kakashi swallowed his tea, after fixing his mask using the distraction to take a sip.

"There are many skills that ninja can have. Including clones of ourselves. As the Marines had begun their search and you were arguing with that poor excuse of a rat, I made the clones inside the house. Then just as you were about to assault the marine, one of them transformed into an image of you and switched-out unseen. Oh, and��.ha-ha-ha" the man chuckled with guilt as one hand rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry about the rough treatment for the other one after you were inside. This could have become a tight spot if you had attacked him. So, my clone needed to gag and secure you quickly, not gently."

The Jonin chuckled, as Genzo glared at him with indignation. Still, the man couldn't' argue that point, and lowered his head to the table.

"Where have you moved the treasure?" he asked in a deep, low voice.

"Hmmm?" Kakashi answered, the voice behind Genzo's words unsettling him.

"Somewhere close at hand. Hopefully the Marine will complain to Arlong and the pair of them will end up distrusting each other. It may last long enough for the rest of us to arrive, and either pay-off Arlong with some money we currently have and a few odd-jobs. Or….bring this to a fight and drive them off this island."

"No," the man replied. Rising to his feet. "You don't understand Arlong like I do. He'll rip the entire town apart just to find that loot and keep Nami under lock and key. I understand now, what truly needs to be done. To set everyone free, and make sure that girl doesn't have to suffer any more."

The man left the table, moving to the door. "Thank you, Mr…."

"Kakashi. I'm Hatake Kakashi," the Jonin supplied.

Genzo nodded. "Kakashi. Thanks for your help. From where we are, there might be just enough money in the village to meet Arlong's deal. If he can leave peacefully, that would be fantastic."

A silent moment hung between them. As Kakashi's eye narrowed at the community leader.

"But. Promise me. If you can, you will protect Nami if Arlong tries to take her again. I'm not strong enough to accomplish that. Tried it once and did more than fail miserably."

"Nami has suffered unimaginably under Arlong's yoke for nearly half her life. Please, stay here and no matter what, get Nami off of this island, and ensure she does not return at all. That girl deserves to be free."

He closed the door, leaving Kakashi alone. After a while, the Jonin finished his tea and left the house. 'Might as well head for the coastline and see if—'

BAMHHH-HHH-HHH!

Birds in the trees scattered, at the gunshot from the forest.

0…0

After they left her home, Nami and Sasuke went straight towards Arlong Park. The pair had been running for several minutes but had not encountered any Fishman as-of-yet.

Soon the buildings were left behind, and Sasuke moved into the trees to remain unseen as they approached. The plan Nami had made going through his head.

'"If we get to Arlong Park without running into anyone, then I'll head inside and see if any of them have spotted Zoro at all. You stay outside and watch for any sigh of that idiot. If he is imprisoned though, then I'll cut his loose and create a distraction while you help his escape got that!?" Nami demanded, not allowing any time for an argument.'

The navigator herself reached the doors, taking a few moments to compose herself before moving inside.

"Hey, Nami, where've you been!" one of the crew shouted to her.

"Nazu? Ummm…." Her nerves were set on high alert. The crew was gathered in the courtyard, with a solemn mood heavy in the air. Few others sparred her more than a glance, but the reason fear for the girl was the sight of Arlong brooding in his chair.

Her enemy's hands were folded under his chin, with a murderous, silent air around himself.

"What's going on? Did something happen to one of crew? Who dared to stand up to us?" Nami exclaimed, her acting skills painting a picture Arlong would want to see.

"Chew…I see you didn't hear about it. Where have you been lately, Nami?" Chew questioned her, mildly.

"I was finishing moving that boat out of sight from any passerby's, then walked here through Cocoyoshi Village. Now news was flying about of anything out of the ordinary there, so I took it at a casual pace. What's wrong here?"

"Hmm. Well, I suppose it's good that you didn't catch wind of what happened, then. If any of the villagers knew, they might be stupid enough to rise up and oppose us," Kuroobi acknowledged.

"A bounty-hunter called Roronoa Zoro is here. He ran into ten of our brothers and nearly killed them. Hatchi found him at the scene of the fight and took him on. But…."

All of the Arlong Pirates began to growl, their fure both shared and deadly. None more so than the Captain himself.

"That murderous, horrible human beat Hatchi in a swordfight, Nami. That pirate hunter probably came here for my head. It's the only option that has and practical sense. Hatchi was hurt more than badly, but he's still alive."

"Damnit!" Arlong's fist slammed on the table surface, shattering it.

"One of you, were hurt by an enemy. And on my account, it seems. I haven't been this furious in years, not since Big-Brother Ti's death!" Arlong pledged, his rage barely contained.

Nami's hands rose to his face, her eyes and poster shaking at the news.

'No…Hatchi. Of any Fishman here, he's the one I want to see hurt the least of all. He's the only who's be genuinely kind to me. Hatchi….'

"Can…can I see Hatchi? I want to make sure for myself that he is going to be alright. Did you kill that bounty-hunter he fought with?"

"Hmmm. I'm glad to see you share our worries, Nami," Arlong replied. "Hatchi's in his room, but don't disturb him yet. No, that man…he will likely be dead soon either way. Still, I have a strong idea of what to do with—"

CCCRRRANG! "Arlong, you repulsive, foul fish! Fess it up, you sent me on a goose-chase!" a new, high-pitched shrivel rang as doors were thrown open.

A Marine officer stomped through the park, ignoring the remained of the crew. That is, until Arlong's eyes petrified him. The shadow of furry and death, radiating from the fishman nearly made Nazumi piss himself.

"Nazumi. For once, your timing is quite well-made. I have a favour to request from you," Arlong spoke. "One of my men was attacked by a notable bounty-hunter. One Roronoa Zoro, the Pirate Hunter, came here and attacked on of my men. I want you to take him from here, and head to the nearest Marine outpost. From what I learned; he has become a pirate as a recent career change. Will that be enough to imprison and execute him?" Arlong demanded

The rat barely moved, making Arlong impacient. As the monster rose form his chair, the Croocked Marine before nodding hurridly, signallingfor two of his men to move inside and find their new prisoner.

"Y-y-y-y-y-yes, A-A-A-Arlong. I'll se-se-see he's killed. But-(Chkrmummm)," the man coughed into his sleeves as he recalled why had stormed in there from the tangerine orchard.